This year has been very intense for the museum, of transformation, of the deployment of projects, and of activity that has at times been frenetic! Here we present a brief overview.
The collection
The renewed Modern Art collection
Student of the Escola Eina drawing in one of the galleries of Modern Art
This has been the major project of the year. New spaces, new artworks and a different discourse. You can see some 1,500 pieces, 900 of which have practically been unseen before, which form a new storyline of the social, historic and artistic context of the 19th and 20th centuries. For the first time a field of art has been included of the Spanish Civil War, reaching as far as the 1950s with the Dau al Set movement.
A painting by Joan Ponç joins the museum
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the death of the artist Joan Ponç, his work Goat has been deposited in the museum. It can now be seen in the renovated modern art galleries.
The exhibitions
Carles Casagemas. The artist beneath the myth An almost detective-like work has been carried out to reconstruct the life and production of Carles Casagemas, the close friend from youth of Picasso. The museography has highlighted the personality of Casagemas, in the same way that he, with his work, synthesised his period, one of the most brilliant that Catalan art has ever undergone.
Manoeuvre by Perejaume The Perejaume manoeuvre, through paintings, drawings, sculptures and everyday objects, literary texts, meteorological documents, prints and popular games invite the visitor to establish relations in a tour which goes from the Baroque to the Avant-garde.
Josep Tapiró. Painter of Tangier We have been able to gather together 25 of the best paintings from Tangier of Tapiró, a fact that since the time of the painter had not been produced. On the occasion of the centenary of the death of this artist from Reus, the museum, within the line of the recuperation of Catalan artists, has wanted to vindicate his work with a monographic exhibition. In the blog we explained the restoration of the watercolour The Darcawi holy man of Marrakech.
The painter Antoni Viladomat. The graphic work of a forerunner Five simultaneous exhibitions in various venues have made up the commemoration that the Tercentenary has dedicated to exhibiting, for the first time in all its width and ambition, all of the work of the artist, linked to the historic events of 1714. In the Museu Nacional we have exhibited his graphic work. During the preparation process the Self-portrait was restored, which formed part of the exhibition of the Museu d’Art of Girona.
Stories in metal. Art and power in European medals Political events, diplomatic successes, military victories and constructions of famous public buildings have remained immortalised in commemorative medals called “stories in metal”. The exhibition, which will be open until October 2015, reflects the production of medals that was carried out in Europe throughout the 17th to 19th centuries.
Other notable projects
Third International Romanesque Conference
One hundred specialists from all over Europe and America joined together in the Third International Romanesque Conference that we organised with the British Archaeological Association. After London and Palermo, 2014 was the turn of Barcelona, this time to analyse the promoters of art in the Romanesque period. During the conference and until September it was possible to see the exhibition Ex ungue leonem. Marble heads by the Master of Cabestany, with four marble heads from the doorway of Sant Pere de Rodes.
The museum has signed, along with 12 other Catalan art museums and the Catalan Ministry of Culture, an agreement which will allow a better knowledge and study of the collections and the development of joint activities and projects for a greater social, touristic and scientific projection. In the words of the Catalan Minister Mascarell, “with this agreement everyone will win, the museums and the users from the country”.
New website and new blog
Have you noticed that our website has changed its aspect and has enriched its content and functionalities? We want the collection to go beyond the walls of the museum and offer an accessible and open channel of connection to users. As well as the latest items and information of the museum, you can find there virtual itineraries, the online catalogue where you can tag the artworks, a glossary, a section to connect with the museum through social media and much more.
Educate through the arts: Tàndem Project 2013-2016
Thanks to this joint school-museum project, artistic heritage is present on the school curriculum for the children from 1st to 6th of primary of the school, Escola Miquel Bleach, from the neighbourhood of Hostalfrancs of Barcelona.
“If you have a group you have a museum” was the slogan of the social programme for the museum to reach all the entities and collectives of Catalonia. The Museu Nacional offers them free entry and affordable prices for the complementary services.
“Getting close to culture” – 2014 has been the year of the development of this socio-educational programme of the cultural facilities, in which the museum participates, by offering the collectives at risk of social exclusion, guided visits, workshops and participative activities suited to their needs.
This year the action in Social Responsibility has been deployed with the stakeholders and the internal Social Board of the museum has been constituted, which implies a new model of governance, an innovative model that can take us further and feeds the debate of decision-making. It will be a powerful tool provided for the management of the museum. Furthermore, we have continued to increase the energy saving measures, as well as the minimisation of the impact on the environment.
Within the framework of the event about crime novels in Barcelona, in the museum we held a roundtable about the darkest crimes and intrigues from the world of art of the 20th century, with writers, curators and even a member from the area of Historic Heritage of the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Catalan police force.
Gaudí in Hong Kong
Five Gaudí pieces from our collection have travelled to Hong Kong this year for an exhibition about the Catalan architect which was held in the Chinese city.
Museum Night
Almost 7,500 people enjoyed our night on 12th July with performances of music, dance and circus.
Pantocrator photographic contest
The Museu Nacional, the Centre del Romànic de la Vall de Boí and the magazine Time Out Barcelona set in motion a photographic contest that proposed taking a photo of the room of Sant Climent de Taüll of the museum. Very creative photos and very original perspectives were received that that can still be seen on the website. There was a popular vote and a jury award.
As you can see, a lot has been going on this year and, as the director says, it has helped to tighten up the internal seams of the museum. The whole team of the museum has made a major effort and there has been an excitement about making the Museu Nacional the major museum the visitors and citizens deserve. We are climbing into 2015 with many projects which should further sharpen our wits so as to get the most out of our resources which nowadays are clearly insufficient. A year in which, as well as the programming of exhibitions, we will also be working on the new presentation of the Renaissance and Baroque collection.
Related links
Pepe Serra: “I believe in the museum as a public agora” (Catalan)
