It seemed that Barcelona art galleries had a clear tendency to leave the central area of Consell de Cent, because of the increase in rentals. But it turns out that not, at least for the moment. It is in this area where some of the best exhibitions of this spring take place.
And it is good news the opening of the new and ambitious SELTZ Gallery, at the Balmes Street premises that for many years was that of the Joan Prats gallery.
Sethz opened last Thursday, with an exhibition by Cristina García Rodero. It gathers a generous selection of photographs that respond to the title of the sample: Openly .
The selection is suggestive and representative of some manifestations of the human condition, since human beings can open a lot or a lot of mouth by hunger as by shouting, for sexual or religious ecstasy than by tedious yawn.
All this reminds me of the feature film Crits (1986), from the television series Arsenal .
SELTZ’s opening demonstrated an unusual convocation power.
Near there, in Gallery 3 Punts, he inaugurated his first individual in Barcelona Roman Klonek, a Polish artist based in Düsseldorf. Its pop xylographs are a mixture of images, faithful to the global chaos that seduces or threatens us. His scenes nourish from popular culture from different countries: Poland, Japan, Germany, Korea, Russia …
Works like Days like dogs o Friendly radar They have the virtue of knowing how to recognize the disaster and, nevertheless, not lose their good humor.
They are images that could have starred in the covers of the most avant -garde comic publications, such as New York Raw or the Mallorcan we are the dead (NSLM).
On the southern sidewalk of Consell de Cent, Mayoral announces an upcoming sample of Marria Pratts, but historical samples predominate.
EUDE celebrates its 50th anniversary with a very varied selection: from photos of Joaquim Gomis and Humberto Rivas to graphic work of Brossa, Joan Ponç and Max Bill.
And the Joan Gaspar gallery exposes drawings of Juli (or July, as he used to sign) González. This Barcelona sculptor was one of the most influential of the twentieth century.
The first one who imitated him was Picasso, and then looked and enough Anglo -Saxon sculptors. He was despised in his city: a local tradition Aciaga and, unfortunately, survivor.
It should be remembered that, with the donation offered that Barcelona despised, the great Museum of Valencia was founded: the IVAM.
It is evident that Tomás Llorens knew much more than those responsible for cultural policy in Barcelona and Catalonia. And now there are those who assume that Julio (or Juli) González is Valencian, and not Catalan.
“Great traditions”, 1986. Mixed technique on cloth, by Xavier Grau, which is exhibited in the Miguel Marcos gallery
Drafting / Other Sources
On the other hand, the Miguel Marcos gallery presents Paintings 1983-1994 a select sample of Xavier Grau (Barcelona, 1951-2020). There are five great formats that would deserve to appear in any of the best museums in the world, along with other abstract expressionist painters.
And also attention to the abstract painting of Jaume Ribas, which he exposes in the Atelier gallery.
The hell of the pants by Joaquim Pibernat (Barcelona, 1952-2022), is a large book of aphorisms-a millar-nihilistas and, without embal, vitalistas, that his author quiso that he has posthumo. Include aphorisms as this: “It’s hard to go countercurrent and drift at the same time. But I’m about to achieve it.”
It is presented at the Palau Foundation (Caldes d’Estrac), in the context of the exhibition The art of the ICS which has also generated an interesting book.
Finally, although media attention is monopolized by spectacular or supposedly transgressive conventional products, I want to celebrate that films such as The brutalist (2024), directed by Brady Corbet, where cinematographic wisdom serves to express vital, historical and ideological lucidity.
It is the best narrative film that I have seen from an unreasonable Irish wonder called The quiet girl (2022).
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