'Art in stone': modern sculpture dialogues with history at La Pedrera

Stone is transformed into a means of artistic expression in the new La Pedrera exhibition. 'Art in stone', organized by Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera and curated by Penelope Curtis, former director of Tate Britain and the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, proposes a journey through modern sculpture, exploring the deep bond between artists and this material ancestral The exhibition, which can be visited from tomorrow 4 October until February 2025, reveals how the stone has inspired generations of artists and is still a key element in contemporary art.

'Art in stone' gathers more than eighty works, including nearly fifty sculptures and thirty drawings and engravings. This selection represents a journey through the 20th century and presents us with a group of modern sculptors who, born between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, contributed decisively to transforming sculpture as we understand it today. World-renowned figures such as Hans Arp, Louise Bourgeois, Eduardo Chillida, Naum Gabo, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Isamu Noguchi and Jorge Oteiza are some of the artists who star in this exhibition. His work not only redefined the limits of what was considered sculpture, but opened up new avenues of artistic exploration, often parallel and with points of confluence.

The exhibition tour also includes contemporary artists who have continued to work with stone as the central material of their creations. Xavier Corberó, Stephen Cox, Luciano Fabro, Barry Flanagan, Cristina Iglesias, Anish Kapoor, Ettore Spalletti and Alison Wilding are some of the creators who, with their work, have managed to keep this dialogue with stone alive, reinterpreting its creative possibilities. In addition, the exhibition has a series of photographs by Aglaia Konrad, taken in the emblematic quarries of Carrara, where the stone takes on an almost mythical dimension due to its beauty and history.

'Large and small form', Barbara Hepworth (1934)

This exhibition aims to expose stone as a fundamental element in the history of art and in artistic creation. During the first third of the 20th century, many sculptors chose to return to direct carving, without intermediaries, abandoning the tradition of making models in clay or plaster that were then replicated by qualified technicians. This new way of working represented a real revolution. Sculptors such as Constantin Brâncuși advocated direct carving as the only way to get to the essence of sculpture, and this philosophy permeated a whole generation of artists. Cutting the stone directly meant recovering the craft of the sculptor, and at the same time getting to know the material with which one was working in depth.

The exhibition, which spans fifty years of sculptural experimentation, and explores how artists have used stone in innovative ways that break with traditional forms, also shows the role of the void as a compositional element in modern sculpture . The void becomes an invisible volume, but present, and is transformed into one of the great advances in sculpture of the 20th century. Artists such as Barbara Hepworth pioneered the use of the void as an integral part of the work, adding a new volumetric dimension to their creations.

Another aspect that highlights 'Art in stone' is the constant dialogue between sculpture and architecture. La Pedrera, with its monumental and organic stone structure, becomes the ideal setting for this exhibition. Far from disguising the structure of the building, the exhibition takes advantage of its sinuous spaces to create a direct dialogue between the exhibited works and the environment. One of the most impressive examples is the work 'Becoming' (1966-1967) by Isamu Noguchi, which interacts with the volumes and textures of the architecture of La Pedrera itself, revealing the subtleties of the material and its ability to transform yes

'Becoming', Isamu Noguchi (1966-1967

The exhibited works evoke both natural and abstract form. Some remind us of rocks and mountains, while others are inspired by organic forms such as leaves, animals or natural structures. Modern artists took stone beyond its traditional limits, experimenting with biomorphic, crystalline, architectural forms, and in some cases using stone as a medium for purer abstraction.

The exhibition 'Art in stone' also includes a complementary section dedicated to the contemporary interest in stone not only as a material, but as an artistic subject in itself. This section explores how stone continues to be a source of inspiration for new generations of artists who, despite technological advances, still find in this ancient material a connection to nature and to art in its purest state.

In addition to the main exhibition, the Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera has prepared an expanded program that complements 'Art in stone' with a series of interdisciplinary activities. Highlights include a documentary by filmmaker Neus Ballús, concerts such as that of harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, a day of artistic interventions and guided tours, and a dance performance at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion. You can also enjoy the composition of Raquel García-Tomás, which will be premiered at the Palau de la Música.

'Macla abierta', Jorge Oteiza (1975)