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Spain Gears Up for Year-Long Celebration of Surrealist Joan Miró

Sunday 08 - 09:32
Spain Gears Up for Year-Long Celebration of Surrealist Joan Miró
By: Zahouani Ilham
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The foundation’s origins date back to the early 1970s when Miro, who was then living on the nearby island of Mallorca, aimed to reconnect with his hometown by establishing a center dedicated to contemporary art studies.

The unique white concrete building, situated on Montjuic hill with a view of Barcelona, was designed by Miro’s close friend, architect Josep Lluis Sert.

The foundation quietly opened its doors on June 10, 1975, as Miro preferred to avoid any formal ceremony during the final stage of General Francisco Franco’s regime.

A more public celebration took place a year later, after Franco’s passing.

The anniversary events begin on Wednesday with an exhibition showcasing photographs, press articles, and architectural drawings that document the foundation’s development over time.

On Sunday, the foundation will open at dawn to allow visitors to experience the building illuminated by the first light of day.

“Miro gifted us not only a building and a unique institution with an exceptional collection but also a new way of perceiving the world,” stated Daniel.

A significant highlight of the anniversary will be the October opening of the exhibition "Miro and the United States," which explores the surrealist artist’s lesser-known relationship with America.

Between 1947 and 1968, Miro visited the U.S. seven times, and the exhibition will display works by American artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko alongside Miro’s own creations.

Following its exhibition in Barcelona, the show will move to the Phillips Collection in Washington DC, where it will be available to the public from March to July 2026.

Ana Ara, the foundation’s director of artistic programming, described it as “the most important Miro exhibition ever held in the United States.”

Next year, the foundation plans to undertake a significant reorganization of its permanent collection, adding more interpretive materials to enhance visitor understanding of Miro’s creative process.

“We want visitors to experience the moment Miro created these masterpieces,” Ara explained.

Initially influenced by artists like Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne, Miro gradually developed his own distinctive style.

French writer André Breton, leader of the surrealist movement, once described Miro as “the most surrealist of us all.”

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