"Eulogy to Water" Parque de la Creuta del Coll 1987

Chillida showed special admiration for famous Catalan artist Joan Miro. Chillida studied the artist´s use of convex lines and was greatly influenced by his work.  He said about Miró  : “He changed my way of looking at line and space, so I wanted to do an homage to him” (referring to his sculpture ”Homage to Miró” of 1985).

"Homage to Miró" 1985

In ”Eulogy to Water” a commissioned sculpture for Parque de la Creuta del Coll in 1987, Chillida explores space appropriation , and the notion of volume and form defying gravity. He also approaches greek mythology by placing the sculpture above the water . The reflection suggests  the myth of Narcissus.

The evident fixation for space analysis in Chillida´s work is not random. Chillida set out to study architecture but dropped out to pursue sculpture instead.

“Topos V” in Plaça del Rei, Barcelona shows an interesting synergy between sculpture and architecture, in it Chillida highlights the importance of the Roman arch in medieval architecture  .

"Topos V" 1985

“G-333″ is yet another architectural reference by Chillida. This mural is located in Plaça dels Angels opposite of  Museum of Modern Art designed by Richard Meier. It seems to depict the relationship between void and  space from its surroundings.

Because of his bold and persuasive use of material and the importance granted to setting and urban space, Chillida  is still remembered as one of the most important contemporary sculptors .

"G-333" 1998

It was originally a textile factory and it is considered a important reference in Catalan industrial modernist architecture from the beginning of the 20th century.  The building was acquired by “La Caixa” bank in 1962 but it wasn´t until the nineties when restoration works  started to adapt the building to its current use. The restoration project featured the participation of architects such as Arata Isozaki, Francisco Javier Asarta, Roberto Luna and Robert Brufau.

CaixaForum has showcased important art exhibits from outstanding contemporary artists.   Just recently this cultural center opened  an exhibition dedicated to Goya and Delacroix.

Among the numerous important works displayed in this temporary CaixaForum exhibition it´s The Clothed Maja, one of Goya´s most relevant paintings. Along the not so recognized works is the etching called  The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters,  a valuable piece of Caprichos , a collection of  works showing Goya´s personal critical point of view on 18th century society.

This particular piece is regarded by some art critics as one of the very first sparks which would ignite and shape modern art rhetoric. Goya is also considered the first modern artist of his time. His idea that the emotion transmitted by the artist in the painting is more important that the subject itself is one of the fundamental traits in modern art.

The Delacroix exhibition displays important works of the artist considered the main French progressive modernist exponent of his era.

Argel Women 1834 , Delacroix

Goya and Delacroix paintings will be shown in CaixaForum until mid-June and mid-May respectively.

Mies van der Rohe is one of the most important modernist architect of all-time.

He was the main contributor to the emergence of a unique style which has shaped our cities and redefined the look of our skyscrapers.  Regarded as a  pioneer of his generation due to his innovative proposals in architecture, he was chosen to design the building that would represent Germany in the International Exposition held in Barcelona in 1929. The pavilion exuded what was considered the paramount principles of the flourishing Modern Movement. An open plan , ornament free  structure with a fluid inner-outer space interaction. Certainly a building that truly represented his famous aphorism : “less is more “. The building also featured the design of the also famous Barcelona chair.

Right after the exhibition the building was dismantled , but it was rebuilt again in the 80´s . Mies van der Rohe pavilion is one of Barcelona´s main touristic attractions.

At the beginning of the twentieth century Barcelona was and important landmark of cultural and artistic avant-garde.  Young Picasso moved to Barcelona with his family in 1895. Not long after his arrival , Picasso became involved in the city´s modern artistic scene. Picasso quickly became a regular customer in Els Quatre Gats (Gaudi and Santiago Rusiñol among other regulars)  one of the most important meeting points of intellectuals and artists in Barcelona. The lively gatherings held in  Els Quatre Gats would help mold Picasso´s modern point of view .

Els 4 Gats in calle Motsió 3

Menu of 4 Gats designed by Picasso

During his years in Barcelona, Picasso went by the so-called blue period. A time of great sadness and anguish in the life of the painter, brought on by the tragic death of his friend Carles Casagemas.  Picasso and Casagemas shared a studio in 1900 in Riera de Sant Joan street (now Via Laeitana) . He also shared a studio for a brief period with artist Pau Gargallo in Comerç street 28 .  Picasso remained there until his departure to Paris in 1904.

Riera de Sant Joan street 1900, oil on canvas. (View from Picasso´s studio)

Rooftops of Barcelona, 1902 oil on canvas

In 1907 Picasso painted Les Demoiselles d’Avignon named after the Gothic quarter street in Barcelona.

Avignon street in Barcelona

Picasso would remain linked to the city for life , and returned on several occasions. “Barcelona the bright and the beautiful ” he said ,  30 years after leaving.

Gaudí dedicated 43 years of his life to the design and construction of Sagrada Familia , from this period, the last 15 were focused exclusively to its completion . Unfortunately upon his death the building was far from being concluded  and has remained  pending to conclusion ever since .

Sagrada Familia is the consummation of the gaudinian language where the architect displayed most of the characteristic features of his unique vision .

While expressing freely his personal style he was sufficiently bold  to come up with remarkable innovations both structural and architectonic.  The elevated cone-shaped towers that stand out above the portals are an excellent example . The design features a parabolic torsion giving  an ascending appearance to the façade. This trait is enhanced by the numerous windows drilling the tower that follow a spiral trajectory.

Once more Sagrada Familia showcases  Gaudi´s  profound interest and inspiration in nature The interior was designed to resemble a dense forest . This effect was achieved by placing slightly bent tree-shaped columns supporting hyperboloid and parabolic vaults to form a perfect  catenary, which was one of Gaudí´s trademark traits in most of his buildings .

Gaudí´s suddden death in 1926 left Sagrada Familia unfinished with just one of the 18 original towers completely finished.  The project was continued following some of  Gaudí´s drawings since a good amount of the work was severely damaged during the Spanish civil war.

As much as with nature , Gaudí´s  conceptual realm was very linked to religious symbolism. Being a cult space, Sagrada Familia is filled with these references . He was deeply inspired by liturgical rituals . The exterior of the temple represents the church through its apostles , the virgin and Jesus . With the main tower Gaudi evokes the triumph of the Church while the interior references the Universal Church . The transept is a symbol of heaven and  its mystical significance of eternal peace.  

The two main facades of Sagrada Familia depict the birth and passion of Jesus.

The Nativity façade is profusely decorated with elements representing life . It was constructed between 1894 and 1930  . Knowing that the project would not be finished in his lifetime, Gaudí decided to build this façade entirely instead of following a coherent order of construction as a way to exemplify  the general style and sense of the building.

The Passion façade was started in 1954 . It reflects the crucifixion and death of Christ. To convey the anguish and suffering of this moment Gaudí , designed a simple and austere smooth stone outer surface resembling bones.  Josep Maria Subirachs was the catalan sculptor in charge of the design of the numerous pieces of the façade.

The prominent towers in Sagrada Familia are one of the most outstanding elements of the building . They show a parabolic profile crowned by  meaningful elements in catholic cult such as the crown , and the miter.

Over the years Sagrada Familia has become the main touristic attraction in Barcelona and one of the most admired buildings in the world. Sagrada Familia has received  worldwide distinction as  a World Heritage building by Unesco in 2005 . It has been included as well as one of the 12 Treasures of Spain.

Sagrada Familia is without a doubt the top must-gawk building in Barcelona.

One example is Vaho : a catalan shop specialized in handbags made out of recycled materials particularly  event-advertising  billboards . As expressed in its webpage , the product starts once the event finishes.  After being selected, the billboard canvases are cleaned  then manufactured in local social rehabilitation workshops. This trashion design company also crafts products made out of tires . The collection of Vaho items includes bags, handbags, wallets and laptop cases all made from discarded graphically relevant pvc canvases which would be burnt otherwise. Vaho also displays ingeniously crafted furniture made of metal containers or antique bathtubs . One could say that if you could literally  carry Barcelona´s agenda it would be through one of these bags.

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Park Guell

As  Casa Mila Park Guell is a result of Gaudí´s naturalist period where the architect drew great inspiration from the forms of nature.

Park Guell is full of  organic features and ingenious structural solutions that would be later developed in the famous Sagrada Familia.

Park Guell shows a great deal of religious and catalan nationalism symbolism. Both of these traits are found in the access stairs where the catalan states are represented and in the Monumento al Calvario originally thought as a chapel.

The park exudes Gaudi´s personal style and a profound inspiration in nature. Its wavy lines reminds us of lava rivers, its columns resemble trees and stalactites. Many of the park´s surfaces are covered with brightly coloured ceramics commonly known as trencadís.

Gaudí aimed to integrate perfectly the park with its natural surroundings. To achieve this effect he designed slanted rock-built columns of diverse sizes and shapes which remind us of tree trunks or natural caves. Gaudi also managed to incorporate a religious sense to the Park Guell trajectory by taking profit of the terrain´s irregularity designing an ascending religious path which takes us to  Monumento al Calvario or Colina de las Tres Cruces.

The main access of Park Guell is also remarkable on each side there are two pavilions which exhibit Gaudi´s intricate and organic approach to design. These pavilions face the famous staircase with the well-known multicolor dragon. The staircase takes us to the hypostyle  hall a place  composed of 86  of trencadis covered columns resemblig a cave, another example of Gaudí´s nature-inspired design concept. This hall supports the main open space of the park bordered by undulating seating benches covered also in trencadís.

Park Guell  was declared a World Heritage building by Unesco 1984. It is yet another example of the work of a genius and definitely worth gawking at.

Commonly known as La Pedrera (¨quarry¨  in  catalan)  Casa Mila was built between  1906 and 1912.  This building was designed for Pere Mila  and Roser Segimon.

Casa Mila is a true reflection of Antoni Gaudi  artistic prime.

This building is a wonderful example of his most naturalist approach. A period in which the architect finds a great deal of inspiration  in nature manifesting  a strong fixation in organic free-flowing lines, feature which is skillfully achieved  thanks to his thorough structural analysis.

Like in the rest of his works in Casa Mila Gaudi frees himself from classic and rationalist rigidity exploiting ornamental creation and creative freedom.

The six-storey building is formed by two independent structures each with its own access and patio de luces. Nonetheless the façade presents one structure which is common to both buildings. The function of the facade is not structural therefore its design is charged with marked creative freedom and ornament. Gaudi was inspired by the sea waves to create the curved exterior of the building which generates interesting light effects along the different parts of the day. The balconies are made of wrought iron with phytomorphic and abstract motif. Gaudí even designed  the  hexagonal tiles that would be placed on the sidewalk of Casa Mila using marine motif such as octopus, stars and snails. These tiles would be later chosen to pave the sidewalk in Paseo de Gracia.

All throughout Casa Mila we see a celebration of nature from its limestone façade which reminds us of a snowy mountain to its marvelous chimneys covered by ceramic that resemble helmet-covered warriors and the outstanding beauty of its wrought –iron balconies that simulate rambling plants. No wonder the building has been praised by figures such as Le Corbusier and Nicolas Pevsner. It has also been recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage building in 1984. A definitely must-gawk building in Barcelona

Casa Batllo is one of Gaudí´s  most recognized masterpieces.

Behind its modernist, dragon-like façade, lies a world of surprises and refined architectural details. Casa Batllo is one of the most important landmarks originated during the  catalan modernist movement.

The architectural works of Gaudi are known for its extreme care for detail and design and the large repertoire of visual games and solutions conveyed. Casa Batllo is no exception .

The visit to the building includes the legendary floor where the Batllo family lived, the loft with the former storage rooms, the rooftop with its mythical chimneys resembling the spine of the famous dragon defeated by Sant Jordi, and the magnificent  patio de luces ( the old neighbour staircase) . The visit concludes with the splendid foyer and main staircase.

The guided visit walks us through Gaudi´s fondness of metaphors, and nature representations, his way to stimulate the user´s senses and emotions. Catalan modernist movement flourished during the splendor of decorative arts and Gaudi´s architecture makes this strikingly evident  by combining the use of enigmatic forms with vibrant colors  and innovative new concepts.

Casa Batllo was opened to the public in 2002 to commemorate Gaudí´s international year. The wonderful restoration works that allow us to see it today as it was originally constructed were completed over the previous years.

Casa Batllo was awarded the Europa Nostra Prize for the best preservation of architectural heritage in 2004. Subsequently Casa Batlló was included in the Unesco World Heritage list in 2005.

Casa Batllo was built between 1904 and 1906 . It was a project destined for the textile industry entrepreneur Josep Batlló . The building was designed during a period of great artistic maturity of the brilliant architect . Among the many appeals of this building are the creative use of materials and colour , the refined artistic details and the sharp mastery of form and light

The architecture and design of  Casa Batllo is a sample of the technical, structural and ornamental feats that still influence modern architecture today. Examples range from gaudinian hiperbolic paraboloids in the Oscar Neimeyer’s Brasilia Cathedral or in the light absorbing needle window  in the Marcel Breuer New York Whitney Museum. Casa Batllo presents concepts of ventilation, large skylights of wrought iron which are of a hitherto unknown modernity.

As a whole, Casa Batllo expresses the great evocative power of the sea, naturalism, theatricality, carnival and magic. Gaudi’s creative freedom coincides with the emerging individuality principles of the 20th century which synchronizes perfectly with the values of modern Barcelona.

The influencers  festival held an interesting collection of creative presentations aimed to make us question and doubt the established norms in sometimes a most confusing manner.

Reverend Billy and the church of Earthalujah was one of the featured components of the festival, who in a mixture of religious parody and performance art preaches of the dangers of consumerism.  Constant Dullaart reflects on internet culture particularly the massive effect of YouTube, while Jill Magid explores weird surveillance scenarios. A truly interesting walk among the less travelled routes of art and communication and definitely something to gawk at…