The Valls Museum houses the work of Tàpies

The Valls Museum opens the Antoni Tàpies exhibition on Friday 15 March at 8pm. Intervening Bronzes (1987-1989), which brings together almost twenty of the artist's works. An exceptional display since all these bronzes had not been brought together since December 1987, when they were presented at the Carles Taché gallery in Barcelona. Yes, some individual pieces had been seen in various exhibitions, but never all of them again assembled.

Last December 15, 2023, was the centenary of the birth of Antoni Tàpies, one of the most important Catalan artists of the second half of the 20th century. To commemorate this, the Generalitat de Catalunya, with the Antoni Tàpies Foundation, have instituted the Tàpies Year. A celebration that will resonate beyond our country, with important exhibitions in Madrid, Brussels, Münster or Ceret. And a multitude of activities, publications, research projects and educational activities, at the headquarters of the Fundació Tàpies, in Barcelona, and in several Catalan museums. With the Antoni Tàpies exhibition. Bronzes intervened (1987-1989) the Valls Museum has joined this celebration. The exhibition can be seen in the museum's rooms until June 30.

Tàpies' connection with the city of Valls is not only because there are several of his works at the back of the Museum, but because the artist cast ten pieces in the Vilà foundry, located in the industrial estate of our city, in the year 1987. And it is these works that are the protagonists of the exhibition. An exhibition that the museum had dreamed of doing for years, but it was the Tàpies Year that made it possible.

The exhibited works come from the Tàpies Foundation, the gallerist Carles Taché and private collectors. The exhibition has been curated by the art critic Conxita Oliver and the director of the Valls Museum Jordi París. The texts of the exhibition and the catalog have been prepared by Conxita Oliver and the exhibition design is the work of Xavi Torrent. The exhibition has the financial collaboration of Valls City Council and the Generalitat de Catalunya.

This exhibition coincides with the presentation of the Etiqueta rogenca tapestry, 1971, by Antoni Tàpies and Josep Royo, which the Tarragona Museum of Modern Art will hold at its headquarters on March 14. Two activities that the two Tarragona museums have coordinated as part of the events of the Tàpies Year. Antoni Tàpies worked on three-dimensionality in his work, from the beginning. A work in which everyday objects played an important role. Despite this predilection for the work in volume, it took almost four decades of artistic practice for Tàpies to face the work in bronze. It will be his gallerist, Carles Taché, who will encourage him to do so.