Marià Fortuny i Marsal was a renowned 19th Century Catalan painter whose best known works are on display in the National Art Museum of Barcelona (MNAC) and the Prado museum in Madrid. Born in Reus in 1838, Fortuny studied art at the la LLotja art school in Barcelona before moving to Rome to continue his …
One of Barcelona’s best known pieces of public art is a 30m long blood red mural intended to raise awareness to HIV and AIDS. The mural was painted in 1989 by American artist Keith Haring who had been diagnosed HIV positive three years earlier. Famous for his graffiti-inspired artwork on the New York Metro, Haring …
Read moreKeith Haring’s Mural: Todos Juntos Podemos Parar el SIDA
The monument to sportspeople of the sea (Catalan: Esportistes del Mar) by Joaquim Ros i Sabaté is one of 3 monuments commissioned by the Real Asamblea Español de Capitanes de Yate during the 1960s, all of which are located in Barcelona’s historic harbour (el Port Vell). The rusty iron statue which represents a yacht at …
One of the most striking pieces of street art in Barcelona’s Poblenou neighbourhood was painted by Spanish artist Gonzalo Borondo for the 2015 Open Walls Conference. The painting’s title, Fer llenya, is a term used by Castellers (the people who build human towers) and refers to the collapse of a tower. It’s easy to assume …
Read moreFer Llenya: Gonzalo Borondo’s Tribute to Castellers
Joan Salvat i Papasseit was born in Barcelona in 1894. After his father died in 1901 Salvat grew up in a naval orphanage where he received only the most basic education. He left school at the age of twelve to begin an apprenticeship in a perfumery. Inspired by the anarchist revolution which took place in …
A few metres from the Rambla del Mar walkway, two pristine white figures float silently in the waters of Barcelona harbour. The 3.55m polyester and fibreglass sculptures, their gaze turned up to the heavens, were designed by Robert Llimós and built by local shipbuilder Marina 92. The Stargazer (Catalan: Miraesteles) statues are 2 of a …
One of my favourite walking routes in Barcelona is around the historic Port Vell harbour from the Christopher Columbus monument to the Barceloneta beach. Along the way you can enjoy views of the harbour filled with yachts and historic tall ships, take a look at the classic architecture and admire the diverse collection of contemporary sculptures …
The El Tauró del Carmel shark mural was painted in 2009 by Italian artist Blu as part of the Influencers street art festival. The 25m long green shark is made up of 100€ notes and represents the insatiable appetite of capitalism which is set to consume us all (Spain’s financial crisis started in 2008). Although now …
In preparation for the Olympic Games of 1992, Barcelona’s seafront and port were transformed from a largely neglected industrial area into one of the most attractive waterfronts in Europe. The whole area was given a facelift and a new marina was built as well as apartment buildings to house the athletes. The old railway tracks …
Spanish artist Alfredo Lanz has 2 sculptures on display near Barcelona’s waterfront. The better known and largest of the two is Homage to swimming (Catalan: Homenatge a la Natació) which is located in Plaça del Mar square next to the Barceloneta and Sant Sebastià beaches. The Olympic disciplines of water polo, diving, crawl and synchronised …