Antoni Pitxot warns that the Dalí Theatre-Museum cannot be “split” in the event of Catalan independence

Figueres (ACN.) - The director of the Dalí Theatre-Museum, Antoni Pitxot, stated on Monday that he does not contemplate changing the functioning of the museum in the event of Catalan independence. "I think there is no conflict because the museum was created by Dali and an intelligent leader would never put any obstacles to the continuation of his great work" said Pitxot, who was a close friend of the artist until his death in 1989. Pitxot said he would consider a “mean” gesture any attempt to make the collection a matter of political confrontation, and stressed that the museum and its paintings are "not divisible". In his last will, Salvador Dalí named Spain as the universal heir to his property. Following that, the Spanish state negotiated with the Catalan government to leave 134 works of art in Figueres and bequeath 56 to Madrid. 

The future of the Dalí Theatre-Museum in light of possible Catalan independence is not a matter of discussion, according to the museum’s director, Antoni Pitxot. In an interview with ACN, Pitxot said that the museum does not consider the implications of independence for the Museum, as he expects that its artistic value will “transcend” any political issue. In other words  Pitxot doesn’t expect the operations of the museum to be affected by independence even though Dalí said in his will that his works where to be the property of the Spanish state –and consequently, Spain could pretend to reclaim them from Figueres, in north-east Catalonia, in the event of a separation. 

For Pitxot, who is the second vice president of the board, "the museum is a creation of Dalí and I think an intelligent leader would never put obstacles in the way of the continuation and development of his masterpiece". If the museum was to be divided, the director said he believed it would cause a great deal of conflict for the  "two, three or four sides" involved. Pitxot explained that he would consider any attempt to divide the museum as "mean", warning that the museum’s collection must always remain intact.  

From his point of view, the museum is "the great monument of contemporary Catalan art" in the town of Figueres, and, for the rest of Catalonia, a way to “contribute to wealth and expansion." And for Pitxot, the spirit of the Theatre-Museum is that it “binds” people together.

Refraining from coming out either in favour or against Catalan independence himself, Antoni Pitxot said he believed Dali would be sympathetic to the process of negotiating sovereignty. "Dalí was never predictable, but I think he would be happy with expressions of feelings and desires, that are popular and considered important". 

A very controversial will

When it came to the reading of the will of Salvador Dalí, eight days after his death in 1989, it emerged that the artist had declared Spain as the free and universal heir of all his property and works. This was his last wish, which annulled the will made in 1980, which read that his property should be shared equally between the Spanish state and the Catalan government. Dalí’s property included 700 paintings, 3,000 drawings and watercolours, two houses (one in Figueres and one in Portlligat), the Púbol Castle, his land on the coast and all his documents. Everthing was since then the property of the Spanish Ministry of Culture.

A committee of experts chose the works that would remain in the museum in Figueres and 56 which would be moved to the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid, including the legendary 'The Great Masturbator'. The Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation  manages his legacy of 134 works. The number of visitors to the Dalí Theatre-Museum increases every year, demonstrating that Dalí's work continues to generate great interest.

Antoni Pitxot attributed the long queues at the Dalí Theatre-Museum – his “latest masterpiece" – to the fact that visitors feel that "they have to discover something." He added that "as a museum, we have the possibility to enrich everyone, those who have knowledge and those who do not." Imagining how the genius of Surrealism would feel if he knew people were still queuing up to enter the museum, Pitxot is convinced that Dalí would be happy to see the continuing and enduring success of his work, especially since the establishment of the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation.