Miquel Barceló's Art Works & Their Knack for Embracing Change
Miquel Barceló is one of his own kind of contemporary Spanish artist in the modern era of the art scene. His art work is also famous for undergoing constant changes whether those changes are related to the medium & the material or simply the techniques he embraces for his subsequent projects. One distinct fact about him and his work is that they vary a lot from paintings to sculptures, from ceramics to cast irons and paintings. Barceló's art works in their essence are heavily influenced by American Abstract Expressionism, Art Brut and avant-garde. However, in those same art works, there can be seen the influence of Baroque paintings of Tintoretto and Rembrandt. This is the true testament of how Barceló has his own potential for experimental style that has become his charm point. This experimental style is basically the fusion of his personal understanding of expressionism while staying true to the grounds of conventional painting.
The places an artist visits in their lifetime impacts their works a lot as much as it impacts them emotionally. This can be seen in his art works extensively. Especially during the 1980s, he traveled a lot to the United States, West Africa, and Europe and subsequently set up his art studios in Mali and Paris. The art works produced by him during and after his traveling periods were heavily & interestingly influenced by the distinct cultures of these continents along with the scenic views and the landscapes that he absorbed while traveling.
"In Mali" (1989)
One of the most spectacular things about Barceló's art is that it illustrates an external expedition of a variety of distinct and new forms of expressions in which the entirety of his art works reflect Barceló's wonderful variations of experiments that he carries out with different techniques, colours, materials, light perspectives, textures and so on. A intermittent subject matter—which can also be called the essence of his artworks—is the presence of 'sea' as it is approached from different angles, distinct interpretations and with a gestural aesthetic. The inclusion of sea in his artworks multiple times can also be seen as a motif that could refer to his strong & emotional relationship with the island of Majorca which is his homeland.
Barceló' took part in the São Paulo Art Biennial in 1981 and he became internationally acclaimed in Documenta VII which is one of the most significant and famous exhibitions of Modern and Contemporary Art which takes place once in every five years in Kassel, Germany. Since then, Miquel Barceló has become known as one of the most influential Spanish artists as his works are extensively exhibited in most prestigious international art galleries, museums and various cultural sites. Barceló's art works have graced some of the most significant art galleries such as Leo Castelli and Galerie Bruno Bischofberger. Just at 29, Barceló's efforts, talent & success were recognised when he was bestowed with the Spanish National Plastic Arts Award in 1986. When he turned 39, his art works of the past 10 years of his career from 1986 were exhibited (both group and solo exhibitions) & widely revered and loved at the National Gallery of Modern Art Pompidou Center in Paris.
Over the past four and a half decades, Miquel Barceló' has worked across a variety of mediums for his artworks that have also included large scale installations and performances. Even today, his art continues to take distinct shapes as he, as an artist and a human, continues to experience new things and travel across the world. All his experiences continue to find a creative sphere to crystallize into the iconic art pieces that he continues to show to the world.
Some of his art works with 'sea' as the central theme:
Thaddaeus Ropac
Pluja Contracorrent
"The Flood" (1990). Guggehneim Museum, Bilbao
Written by Ayusshi
Buy on Whatsapp
art looks awesome ❤️
Leave a comment