» Projects: Culture

SEARCH

Pablo Gargallo Museum, 21st June – 10th September 2006

The abertis foundation, the Francisco Godia foundation and Zaragoza city council presented, in Zaragoza, the exhibition The Roots of Contemporary Art at the Francisco Godia Foundation. This event featured works by 23 artists from the collection built up by the art patron from Barcelona Francisco Godia Sales (1921-1990).

The exhibition featured works by pioneers of modernity such as Hermen Anglada-Camarasa, Francesc Gimeno, Joaquim Mir, Isidre Novell and Josep Maria de Sucre. It also included contemporary works of art from 1920 to 1950, such as those by José de Togores, Joaquín Torres García, Julio González, Pere Pruna, Óscar Domínguez, Antoni Clavé and Ismael de la Serna. Also present at the exhibition was the cream of the second avant-garde, with works by Juan Genovés, Josep Maria Subirachs and Jorge Castillo, and the modern day, with a selection of works by Miquel Barceló, Modest Cuixart, Hans Hartung, Josep Guinovart, Piero Manzoni, Joan Ponç, Josep Riera i Aragó and Josep Uclés.

The exhibition reconstructed the historical discourse concerning 20th century art from an innovative point of view which focuses on the artists rather than on schools and movements. Among the works on show in Zaragoza, a double oil – front and back – by Óscar Domínguez standed out, revealing very clearly the impact of the avant-garde movements on the artists of the post-war period. Another of the artists who personified the mutations and changes in the sensitivities of contemporary art was Joaquín Torres-García, by whom two works were on show: his “Female Figure” of 1928, which introduced ideographic representation, and “Constructive View of Colour and Graphics” from 1936. With regard to the work of artists currently active, outstanding pieces included “Rhinoceros” (1981) by Miquel Barceló, a Cuixart (“Painting”, from 1959), a Guinovart from 1959 and “Composition” by Hans Hartung (1958).