Tenerife Illustrator Amanda García Acosta Takes Second Place in Thyssen Museum Contest

Tenerife-based illustrator Amanda García Acosta has earned second place in the latest Versiona Thyssen contest, a competition hosted by the famous Madrid art gallery. Competing under the pseudonym "Amanda’s Way," García Acosta stood out among more than 200 entrants to become one of the six finalists chosen by the jury.

The contest invites artists aged 16 to 35 to reinterpret works from the museum’s permanent collection. For her entry, titled Gulabi with the Head of the Patriarchy, García Acosta reimagined Valentin de Boulogne’s Baroque painting David with the Head of Goliath and Two Soldiers. She transformed the biblical scene into a statement on social activism, replacing the original protagonist with a member of the Gulabi Gang—a real-life collective of women in rural India who fight against gender-based violence and systemic inequality.

The piece is rich with symbolism, drawing on Hindu iconography to explore themes of justice and purification. Using a palette dominated by blue, the illustrator incorporated figures like the goddesses Kali and Chamunda, alongside lotus flowers, to represent resilience. This blend of art history and social commentary was also showcased alongside another of her works, Dama Flögeliana, a tribute to Emilie Flöge inspired by a John Singer Sargent portrait.

In addition to a 500-euro prize and priority access to museum events, this recognition marks a significant step forward for García Acosta, a philosophy student who aims to weave critical thinking into her art. Having previously participated in competitions honoring figures like Frida Kahlo, she plans to continue her creative work through projects such as Ilustradoras & Ilustradas and Merkarte. Her success at the Thyssen, which she celebrated with her family, highlights how a new generation of artists is finding fresh, powerful ways to connect classical art with modern-day social issues.