Projects
In the press
All coverage and press information-
La habitación de las monstruas
Carmen discusses her next comic, women in mythology and El bosque del pensamiento mágico.
Read the interview (In Spanish) -
Cultura con Ñ · Feria del Libro de Madrid
A conversation at the Madrid Book Fair about Etileno, digital habits and personal relationships.
Listen to the programme (In Spanish) -
Gonzalo Barbero reviews Etileno
A review of Etileno that looks at friendship, growing up and self-publishing.
Read the review (In Spanish)
About Carmen B. Mike
Carmen B. Mikelarena is a Madrid artist born in 1998. She graduated in Fine Arts from Complutense University, in addition to having spent part of her studies in Plymouth, Berlin and Granada. Comics, illustration, textile art, painting and ceramics are some of the media she works with most often.
She has held several individual and collective exhibitions, such as E-ANIMAL at Salón Brand New, at Conde Duque Contemporary Culture Center in Madrid. Her first comic, "Corre corre que te pillo", was edited by UOU.IMPRESIONES, followed by Zurdópolis, published in Catalan at FORN DE CALC. She has also collaborated on editorial projects such as Comer Muy Bien, Autobullying, Veinte20mag and Bledo 2. In 2019, she received the Cañas y Tapas scholarship for creative support, and in 2020, a special mention at the 36th edition of Cornellà Cómics. In 2021 she was awarded the Laboral Kutxa prize and in 2022 the Comic Art Europe scholarship. She also received the second Carlos Giménez Prize for her comic "Hierba aplastada".
She published Etileno in 2024 with support from the INJUVE creation grants. The graphic novel received the 2025 Splash award in the Entender el presente category. That year, Al Congelador won the FanziMad award and Bitamine published El bosque del pensamiento mágico, developed during her residency in Irun. In 2026 she took part in the international comics residency in Angoulême, Bilbao and Québec with La habitación de las monstruas, a project begun in Lyon with the Cómic BCN 2024 grant.
The work of Carmen B. Mikelarena questions cuteness, folklore, and the use of new technologies. Some of her influences are Marjane Satrapi, Tracey Emin, and David Hockney. She is currently based in Madrid.
Commissions and collaborations
Have a project in mind? I’d love to hear about it. Tell me what you’re making, when you need it and the budget you have in mind.
- Comics
- Editorial illustration
- Posters
- Album artwork
- 2D animation
- Identity design
- Book illustration
- Patterns for textiles, paper and digital projects
- Illustrated text
For commissions and creative collaborations.
carmenb.mike@gmail.com
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Exhibitions
- Hybrid Art Fair | 23, 24, 25 February 2018 | Exhibited at Hybrid Art Fair Madrid 2018 with Galería Rizoma.
- Art&Breakfast Málaga | 8, 9, 10 June 2018 | Room 210, ‘Movidas,’ curated by Andrea Perissinotto.
- Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga | 8, 9 and 10 June 2018 | ‘Sweet Dreams,’ curated by Andrea Perissinotto.
- TheRedDoom Gallery | 6 July 2018 | ‘7 artistas, 1 día,’ curated by Andrea Perissinotto.
- Artnit Campos | 11 August 2018 | Artist residency from 7 to 11 August; the project was exhibited on the 11th. Siempre comimos rico, Campos, Mallorca, Balearic Islands.
- UCM Fine Arts Exhibition Hall | January 2019 | ‘Lugares,’ curated by Juan Antonio Gil Segovia.
- University of Plymouth Fine Arts Studio | January 2019 | ‘To Turn You All Into Stone,’ curated by Phil Power.
- Udaco Gallery-Madlyn | November 2020 | Group exhibition featuring ‘Alimentación y bebida frías, nuevo esperpento.’
- Conde Duque Cultural Centre | 7 July–5 September 2021 | Salón Brand New, ‘E-Animal’ exhibition.
- Palacio del Almirante | December 2022–February 2023 | 2022 Alonso Cano Awards.
- Cuttoo Estudio | May–June 2023 | Mundane Beauty, group exhibition.
- Divulgacine Alicante | 17–18 November 2023 | Espacio Séneca Alicante, group exhibition.
- Futura Basura Poster Room | 30 November 2024–February 2025 | Almogàvers 208, Barcelona.
- Divulgacine Alicante | 11–16 November 2024 | Espacio Séneca Alicante, group exhibition.
- La Habitación de las Monstruas | 4–6 April 2025 | Cómic BCN, solo exhibition.
- Fnac Bellecour · Lyon BD Festival | 7–30 June 2025 | La habitación de las monstruas.
- Flores, trenes y monstruas | Azkuna Zentroa, Bilbao | 2026 | Work in progress from La habitación de las monstruas, alongside work by Mireille St-Pierre and Louka Butzbach.
- ¡Eso no es un cómic! | 16 May–9 November 2025 | IVAM, group exhibition.
Grants and Awards
- Cañas y Tapas Grant | 13 November 2019 | Winner of the first Cañas y Tapas creativity grant for ‘Caña Astral.’
- Cornellà Còmics | 20 October 2020 | Special mention.
- Laboral Kutxa Award | October 2021 | Winner of the Laboral Kutxa grant.
- Festival Abocajarro | October 2021 | Selected to create the ‘Harimalario’ murals.
- Comic Art Europe | July 2022 | Selected for the 2022 Summer Camp in Brussels.
- INJUVE Creation Grants | November 2022 | Funding to print Etileno.
- Carlos Giménez Award | November 2022 | Second prize in the comic category.
- Alonso Cano Award | December 2022 | First prize in the comic category.
- Alonso Cano Award | December 2022 | Acquisition prize in the visual arts category.
- Max Mazin Grant | June 2023 | Grant for PEAC alumni.
- Cómic Barcelona Grant | December 2024–March 2025 | Artist residency to develop ‘La Habitación de las Monstruas.’
- Fanzimad Award 2025 | For ‘Al Congelador.’
- Bitamine Eusk Residency 2025 | April–July 2025.
- Splash Award 2025 | ‘Understanding the Present’ category for Etileno.
- International comics residency | Angoulême, Bilbao and Québec | 2026.