Today's Edition
BARCELONA (AFP)
The torchbearers for one of Spain's most famous artists, Joan Miro, are promising a year-long fiesta of events honouring the surrealist, and the foundation he set up half a century ago.
Miro, who died in 1983 aged 90, was a giant of the surrealist movement, known for his playful, abstract paintings with bright geometric forms and doodle-like calligraphic lines.
The Joan Miro Foundation, which he established in a purpose-built modernist structure on top of a hill in Barcelona in 1975, now houses a vast collection of his canvases, sculptures and other works.
The institution is planning a year-long series of events to mark the half-century, ranging from exhibitions and concerts to a sunrise visit to its hilltop building.
"In these 50 years, we've gone from being an artist's dream to becoming a cultural reference point in Barcelona and around the world," said foundation director Marko Daniel.
The foundation traces its roots back to the early 1970s, when Miro -- then living in the nearby island of Mallorca -- sought to reconnect with his native city by creating a centre for contemporary art studies.
Architect Josep Lluis Sert, a close friend, designed the distinctive white-concrete building on Montjuic hill, overlooking Barcelona. The foundation opened quietly on June 10, 1975 at Miro's request to avoid an official ceremony.
Spain's celebrations of Miro kick off on Wednesday with the opening of an exhibition of photos, press clippings, and architectural plans which trace the institution's evolution over the years.
The foundation will open its doors on Sunday at sunrise to allow visitors to experience the building bathed in the light of dawn.
One of the highlights of the anniversary will be the opening in October of 'Miro and the United States', an exhibition examining the surrealist artist's connections with America -- a relationship less documented than his ties to France.
Miro visited the US seven times between 1947 and 1968, and the show will feature works by American icons such as Louise Bourgeois, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko alongside the Spanish artist's own pieces.
Miro initially drew inspiration from artists such as Vincent van Gogh or Paul Cezanne before developing his own unique style.
