Desolation (Catalan: Desconsol) is one of the best known and most evocative statues by Catalan sculptor Josep Llimona i Brugera. Born in Barcelona in 1863, Josep Llimona is widely considered to be the most influential sculptor of the Catalan Modernism artistic movement. His earliest commissions were mostly monuments and funerary statues. In fact, Desolation is …
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)
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 …
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 …
If you arrived in Barcelona by ferry or cruise ship you will already be familiar with the Onades (waves) sculpture by Andreu Alfaro Hernández. Likewise, if you took a taxi from the airport to the city centre, depending on which area of the city you are staying in, there’s a good chance that you will have seen …
Marc is one of a pair of nearly identical statues by Robert Llimós portraying a colourful, genderless, neo-expressionist human figure holding a large picture frame which it is looking through. The sculpture was inaugurated in 1997 and it’s title is a play on words. Marc means frame in Catalan and the statue is dedicated to the artist’s …
Who isn’t familiar with the story of David and Goliath? The epic tale of a young shepherd boy who, armed with only a slingshot and a few stones, killed a fearsome giant and went on to become king of Israel. Over the centuries the story has become a synonym for the struggle between good and …
Tucked away beside the north entrance to Barcelona cathedral there is a small stone sculpture of an extremely hairy knight fighting what looks like a griffin. The knight is Wilfred the Hairy (Guifré el Pilòs) who was Count of Barcelona from 878 until his death in 897. Wilfred the Hairy was born in 840 in Prades …
Two of Barcelona’s most photographed sculptures bear the unmistakable hallmark of Colombian artist Fernando Botero. According to Wikipedia the artist’s trademark style is called Boterism and depicts people and animals in “exaggerated volume”. The Cat from the Raval Known locally as either “El Gato del Raval” or “El Gato de Botero” this over-nourished alley-cat was …