From Picasso to Barcelona - Spanish Sculpture of the 20th Century on view at the National Art Museum of China

TEXT:Sue Wang    DATE: 2013.4.22

Pablo Ruiz Picasso “Standing Woman”, sculpture, 42.5 x 17 x 10.5 cm, 1961

Pablo Ruiz Picasso “Standing Woman”, sculpture,
42.5 x 17 x 10.5 cm, 1961

The exhibition features the evolutionary course of Spanish sculptures from the 20th century through to the current day, when it became separated from the preliminary pioneering aesthetic wave. At the same time, it offers a new perspective in thinking on the relationship between painting and sculpture, following on from these creative ideas, the viewers see the process of transformation from an idea to a three-dimensional plastic sculpture.

The selected representative sculptures are far away from the traditional principles and steps, a new sculptural art transformed by avant-garde concepts; abandoning the classic concepts, focusing on the expression of the three-dimensional concept, so becoming modern sculptural art. These works may lose their volume, their solidity, their mass, but due to the exposure to the abstract fine art element, a huge testing ground has expanded. With time the recent techniques have emerged, this experimentation also embraces some other fields such as installations and videos, enriching the finite form of sculpture.

Juan Gris, “Clown”, sculpture

Juan Gris, “Clown”, sculpture

Juan Muniz, “Sketch of Raincoat”, 125 x 102.5 cm, 1992(1993)

Juan Muniz, “Sketch of Raincoat”, 125 x 102.5 cm, 1992(1993)

Eduardo Chillida Juantegui, “Dark Plane”, sculpture, 23 x 44.4 x 24.2 cm, 1956

Eduardo Chillida Juantegui, “Dark Plane”, sculpture, 23 x 44.4 x 24.2 cm, 1956

Adolfo Schlosser, “Altar of the Sky”, sculpture, 6.5 x 74 x 74 cm, 1993

Adolfo Schlosser, “Altar of the Sky”, sculpture, 6.5 x 74 x 74 cm, 1993

Salvador Dali, Hysteria, Streamlined Nude Woman”, sculpture, 26 x 40 x 13.5cm, 1934(1973)

Salvador Dali, Hysteria, Streamlined Nude Woman”, sculpture, 26 x 40 x 13.5cm, 1934(1973)

Julio Gonzalez, “Character Called ‘Woan in the Mirror’”, sculpture, 51.5 x 12.3 x 14cm, 1934

Julio Gonzalez, “Character Called ‘Woan in the Mirror’”, sculpture,
51.5 x 12.3 x 14cm, 1934

Pablo Gargallo, “Bangs Girl”, sculpture, 17 x 10 x 4 cm, sculpture, 1913(1914)

Pablo Gargallo, “Bangs Girl”, sculpture, 17 x 10 x 4 cm,
sculpture, 1913(1914)

About the exhibition

Duration: April 21 – June 30, 2013

Venue: Hall 19 – 21, National Art Museum of China

Organizers: ICO, AC/E, Embassy of Spain in China, National Art Museum of China

Courtesy of the National Art Museum of China, for further information please visit www.namoc.org.

Translation: Chen Peihua/CAFA ART INFO