miró

A new exhibit brings together an extensive collection, some never before seen, open until early September

Meanwhile, the Miró Foundation, the CCCB and MACBA received fewer museum-goers than the year before

German art historian Marko Daniel will take up the position following Rosa Maria Malet, who ran the organization for 37 years

50,000 euros were raised for the Red Cross’ work with refugees in the charity auction ‘Joan Miró & Refugees’, hosted by Christie’s Auction House in London this Thursday. The collection was comprised of 24 pieces and the proceeds will all go towards aiding the Red Cross in their “attention and acceptance of the refugee population that is amassing in Eastern Europe”, stated Red Cross Vice Chairman Rosa Maria Marco. One of the display features of the collection was the piece ‘Thank You’, a sign of gratitude for the Red Cross, created by the artist in 1974. Indeed, Miró had a connection with the organisation since the 60s, when a young doctor in one of their hospitals saved the life of his only daughter, whose car had been hit by a train. The auction was organised with the help of the Mayoral Gallery, which helps showcase Barcelona’s most important artists of the post-war period.

The atelier where Catalan painter Joan Miró worked in Palma de Mallorca has been accurately reconstructed by the Mayoral Gallery, in London. Besides 22 paintings and drawings from the artist, the exhibition includes reproductions of personal objects from the artist, such as photographs and postcards, but also leaves, shells, roots and other natural items which Miró picked up and brought into his working space. “Visitors can appreciate Miró’s artwork within its original context”, explained ‘Miró’s Studio’s curator, Elena Cámara. The exhibition coincides with the 60^th anniversary of Miró’s settling in Palma de Mallorca, where he produced most of his works and where he died in 1983. 

‘Barcelona Catalonia Culture Week’, the first Catalan cultural week organised in Shanghai awoke the interest of 73,000 people. Coinciding with the 10^th anniversary of the Catalan Society ‘Casal Català de Xangai’ and 15 years since the twinning of Barcelona and Shanghai, China’s financial capital hosted more than 30 activities to present Catalonia’s cultural heritage to the local audience. International icons such as surrealist painter Salvador Dalíand architect Antoni Gaudíwere the centre of some of the art exhibitions. Another key point of the programme was the participation of ‘Castellers de Vilafranca’, whom displayed Catalan human towers all around the city. “This initiative introduces Catalonia to China’s collective imagination”stated the Catalan Institute of China’s President, Alexis Roig, and is the result of “a joint effort from civil society, companies and the Catalan institutions”. 

The Fundació Joan Miró museum in Barcelona is to redistribute its rooms and include a new set of 20 works from the Miró family collection. The Mirós’ collection and the Japanese Kazumasa Katsuta collection, currently exhibited in a special room, will now be included in the permanent collection. The Fundació Miró is celebrating its 40th anniversary with an extensive programme of activities, including exhibitions, music and dancing. The 10th of June will be an Open Doors Day at the museum, and during the next months all those born in 1975 will be able to enter the Fundació for free.

The country house where one of the world's greatest artists of the 20^th century, Joan Miró, spent his summers in his teenage and adult years will be transformed into a museum. The Mas Miró, the artist's family farmhouse located in Mont-roig del Camp, in the Catalan Province of Tarragona, will be open for visitors by summer 2016. The project – developed by RCR and Varis Arquitectes studios – will consist of two phases. The first – costing a total of €2.5 million – entails the conversion of the farmhouse and the painter's studio into a museum, the renovation of the housekeeper's house and the construction of an entry pavilion. The second – which will cost €3 million – envisages the creation of new areas such as: a restaurant, a new car park, a multipurpose room and a workshop space. Work is due to start in the coming weeks.

The Joan Miró Foundation, a museum of modern art devoted to the famous Catalan artist, hosts the exhibition 'De Miró a Barcelona' ('From Miró to Barcelona'). The display focuses on 4 art works that Miró wanted to donate to the city of Barcelona: the Airport Mural, the Mosaic at the Pla de l’Os in Les Rambles, a sculpture for the Parc de Cervantes (which ended up in Chicago), and the Joan Miró Foundation. It is a collection of sketches, drawings, photographs and videos made in preparation for these works. Curated by the Director of the Foundation, Rosa Maria Malet, the exhibition is taking place from the 9^th of May to the 2^nd of November 2014. In accordance with Joan Miró’s will, the exhibition is free of charge.

Barcelona's Sagrada Familía Basilica and Museum and Figueres' Salvador Dalí Theatre-Museum topped Catalonia's visitor rankings with 3.18 million and 1.58 million respectively.  In total, 21,593,992 people visited Catalonia's museums and collections during last year. FC Barcelona's Museum came in third place with 1.51 million people, followed by the science museum CosmoCaixa (1.25 million) and the temporary exhibitions' centre CaixaForum Barcelona (979,000 people). The last two are owned and managed by the Catalan savings bank La Caixa. The Art-Nouveau buildings designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí La Pedrera and Casa Batlló are also among the highlights, with 973,000 and 796,000 visitors respectively. Barcelona's Picasso Museum (915,000) and the Joan Miró Foundation (911,000) are also among the most popular art centres.

This Friday, the Joan Miró Foundation presented the program for the 2013-2014 season. ‘Art in Public Space’ is the provisional title of the project that will take place between January and July of next year. It will bring together sketches, preparatory drawings, models, photographs and videos that form the background of Miró’s work that has been showcased in public areas. The Director of the Foundation, Rosa Maria Malet, also shed light on forthcoming temporary exhibitions including ‘Before the Horizon’ and ‘A place where artists have the right to fail. Stories of Espai 10 and Espai 13 at the Fundació Joan Miró’.

The Landscape of the Geniuses tourism project celebrates how the Province of Tarragona (south Catalonia) has influenced the work of four world renowned artists: Antoni Gaudí, Joan Miró, Pau Casals and Pablo Picasso. The route focuses on four municipalities in the Costa Daurada and the Ebro Valley, in which these artists spent a considerable amount of time, and explore how the region left a lasting impression and inspired them in the creation of their work. The route involves 270 points of interest and accommodation facilities that include: museums, architecture, restaurants, hotels and campsites. A tourist card gives access to all of the visitor centres along the route as well as numerous discounts.

The Joan Miró Foundation, located in the Catalan capital, is to hold an exhibition in the 2013-14 season that will focus on the horizon as a concept in modern painting. Works on show will explore the development of the horizon in art from the 19^th century to the present day. Among the temporary exhibitions that take place during next season, the museum will also show a selection of prints and lithographs from Joan Miró himself that will examine the experimentalism of the internationally renowned Catalan artist between the 1930s and 1960s. The museum will also have an exhibit of American artist Roni Horn.

Mireia Miró visits Barcelona a few times a year. Despite not feeling uncomfortable in an urban environment, where she grew up, she spends 90% of her time in the mountains. One of the reasons for being in Barcelona is to deal with media. She sometimes swaps mountain marathons for interview marathons. But it doesn’t bother her: “I think it is also important to tell the world what we do and what are our principles”.

Raimon is one of the most important artists in the Catalan language, and is part of the group of singer-songwriters of the ‘Nova Cançó’. Raimon’s protest songs became true popular anthems against Franco’s dictatorship, with titles such as ‘Al vent’, ‘Jo vinc d’un silenci’ and ‘D'un temps d'un país’. His songs and concerts were often censored. With a style combining simple musical guitar arrangements with literary and direct texts, influenced by the French Chanson, Raimon highlighted the value of the Catalan language, as it was being persecuted. Born in Xàtiva, in Valencia, he has also defended the unity of the Catalan language. The exhibition shows a wide range of documents from the artist’s personal archives. It is complemented with films, conferences and a concert at the Liceu theatre.