Santiago Rusiñol was a key figure in Catalan Modernism, an artistic movement encompassing art, architecture, design and literature. Born in Barcelona in 1861, he was the son of a wealthy family which owned a textile manufacturing company founded by his grandfather Jaume Rüsiñol. As a teenager, Rusiñol started sketching and painting in his free time …
The streets of Barcelona are often likened to an open-air museum or art gallery. From the famous Art Nouveau architecture to monuments, sculptures and street art, there’s something to catch your eye at every turn. Two of the most unusual statues are Thinking Bull (Brau Pensador) and Flirty Giraffe (Girafa Coqueta) which are located at …
Read moreA Thoughtful Bull and a Very Flirtatious Giraffe (Statues)
Possibly the best known and most instantly recognisable artist of the 20th Century, Salvador Dalí was born in Figueres, 140km north of Barcelona. Famous for his dreamlike surrealist paintings and eccentric public persona, Dalí spent most of his life in Catalonia. Many of his best-known paintings were inspired by the rocky landscapes and coastline between …
Read moreDalinian Triangle Guide – In the Surreal Footsteps of Salvador Dalí
The Wounded Star (Catalan: L’Estel Ferit) by Rebecca Horn is one of several contemporary sculptures which were installed on Barcelona’s waterfront in preparation for the 1992 Olympics. The rusty iron tower is a homage to the rundown chiringuitos (beach bars) and seafood stalls which stood here before the area was refurbished and gentrified in the …
Read moreThe Wounded Star Sculpture by Rebecca Horn (L’Estel Ferit)
Balcons de Barcelona (Barcelona Balconies) is a large scale trompe l’oil style mural painted on the south-west elevation of an apartment building in the l’Eixample neighbourhood, near the Sagrada Familia. Part of a campaign called Barcelona posa’t guapa (Barcelona get pretty) the mural was painted in 1992 during the in the run up to the …
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 …
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 …