ICUB presents the 2025 exhibition season

Barcelona is preparing to experience a 2025 full of art and culture through exhibitions in disciplines as diverse as photography, design, cinema and contemporary art. This cultural agenda will focus on both established artists and more contemporary proposals, inviting reflection on our cultural and social environment.

One of the great protagonists of the year will be Manel Esclusa , a key figure in 20th-century Catalan photography. The Barcelona Photographic Archive will host, from March 19th until December, an exhibition of his works that were part of the 'Barcelona Ciutat Imaginada' and 'Musa Museu' projects, originally exhibited in 1988 and 1992. This retrospective relives a crucial moment in the transformation of Barcelona, reflecting its urban and cultural evolution. In the same space, in November, the tenth anniversary of the death of photographer Cèsar Malet will be commemorated with an exhibition dedicated to his legacy.

Disseny Hub Barcelona will start the year with 'Sustainable Challenge', which will open its doors on January 31st with pieces focused on sustainability in the fashion sector. Later, on February 20th, 'Matter Matters. Designing with the World' will open, a long-term exhibition that explores the challenges of contemporary design through the materiality of its works. Between April and June, other proposals will include a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Escola Llotja , the first retrospective of designer Miguel Milá and the exhibition 'How to design a revolution: The Chilean way to design', with 350 original works that explore the role of design in collective and democratizing actions. In the autumn, 'Colita. Antifémina' will revive the project created 46 years ago by photographer Colita and writer Maria Aurèlia Capmany .

'Antifemina', Colita.

La Capella , known for its commitment to contemporary art, will also be the setting for several proposals. On January 28, 'Caca banal', by Daniel Moreno Roldán , will be inaugurated, an exploration of how banal content on social networks can become a tool for activism. At the same time, Pol Clusella Arimany will present 'Demà serà un altre dia', a project that reflects on how we face the present and the future. Throughout the year, proposals will be presented such as 'La romería de los cornudos', by María Alcaide , based on García Lorca's ballet; 'La Pantalla Mutante', by Pol Merchan , focused on Spanish cinema from the 70s and 80s; and 'Nostalgia for the future: traversing the collapse', an in-depth analysis of current challenges. The interactive installation 'Insania' and 'Repetir Curvar Coincidir', by Milena Rossignoli , will also be on display.

The Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes will present three major exhibitions throughout the year: in March, 'The Song of the Creatures', with photographs by Sister Isaura Marcos ; in November, 'Following a Shooting Star. Khadija Saye. An Attempt at a Retrospective'; and in December, an immersive room dedicated to the murals of the Chapel of Sant Miquel , which will become a permanent installation. At the same time, the Museum of History of Barcelona (MUHBA) will offer exhibitions such as 'The Houses of Knowledge. Barcelona and the University, 13th to 20th Centuries' at the MUHBA Padellàs and 'The Archives of Barcelona' at the MUHBA Palau Major .

Other cultural spaces in Barcelona will also offer various proposals. The Arús Public Library will host, between February 4 and March 7, 'Sherlock Holmes at the TBO', a nostalgic look at the figure of the detective and his parodies in the historic magazine. The Virreina Centre de la Imatge , for its part, will stand out with artists such as Sara Gómez , Eugenio Barba , Cathy Berberian and Michel Ragon , in a program that includes cinema, theater, music and architecture. Finally, Fabra i Coats will explore the concept of "radical kindness" with the exhibition 'Amable informal', while the Seu Montcada of the Ethnological Museum will present 'Maya Deren. A cadence of images', a tribute to this iconic experimental filmmaker.

'La Pantalla Mutante', Pol Merchan