Days reflect on art and spirituality in the works of Picasso, Tàpies and Miró

The Pompeu Fabra University, together with the Fundació Antoni Tàpies, the Fundació Joan Miró and the Picasso Museum, is organizing this May some conferences on art and spirituality in the work of the three artists. Art and Spirituality activities. Conferences on art and spirituality in the work of Picasso, Tàpies and Miró will take place from 21 to 24 May 2024, distributed between the UPF's Ciutadella campus and the headquarters of the other three institutions that · work on the project.

All of this is part of the triple commemoration, which began last year and will end next year, of ephemerides from the lives of Picasso, Tàpies and Miró. In 2023 the 50th was celebrated. anniversary of Picasso's death and the 60th. of the opening of his museum in Barcelona; this year marks the centenary of the birth of Antoni Tàpies, and 2025 will mark 50 years since the inauguration of the Joan Miró Foundation.

The aim of the conference is to explore the spiritual side of the work of all three artists. It will be done through the participation in various conferences and interventions by experts from the world of art, as well as theologians, architects or linguists, who have been able to deepen the spirituality of their artistic creations.

The program is directed by Victoria Cirlot, professor of Romance Philology at the UPF Faculty of Humanities, and Manuel Guerrero, essayist, critic and artistic curator. It is coordinated by the Department of Humanities of the UPF and the UPF Foundation, with the support of the Department of Culture of the Government of Catalonia.

The UPF, in fact, has Antoni Tàpies' Reflection Hall among its heritage, one of the most important public works that Antoni Tàpies made throughout his career. It was a commission from the first rector and founder of the UPF, Enric Argulll: it is a space that has the appearance of a buried crypt, located in the Jaume I building on the Ciutadella campus, which invites the meditation The UPF is actively participating in the Tàpies Year, and the Sala de Reflexió, throughout this 2024, remains open to the public most Fridays.

For UPF Vice-Rector for Culture, Raquel Bouso, the celebration of these days is another example of the importance of Antoni Tàpies' legacy to the institution: "The privilege we have of having a unique artistic work and space for reflection is accompanied by the duty to preserve and share it. The triple commemoration offers us a unique opportunity to make this heritage known to our community and the public in general. We want to bring artistic research into dialogue with spirituality, in addition to bringing the University closer to the city."

Check out the program