The Awakening of the Aurora: a noucentista dream

Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 11, the Palau Robert in Barcelona will host the inauguration of the exhibition 'The Awakening of the Aurora. A digital reconstruction of a Noucentist dream', an exhibition that delves into one of the most ambitious but unfinished architectural projects of Catalan Noucentisme. This initiative will allow visitors to immerse themselves in the digital recreation of the Monumental Fountain of the Jardinets de Gràcia, a sculptural ensemble designed by the architect Nicolau Maria Rubió i Tudurí in 1927, but which never fully materialized.

This exhibition is an initiative of the Digital Arts research line of La Salle Campus Barcelona, founding institution of the Ramon Llull University, and has the support of the General Directorate of Dissemination. The project is curated by Dr. Jorge Egea and Dr. Gloria Fernández Somoza, who have led the research and digital reconstruction of the monument.

Joan Borrell i Nicolau retratat per Francesc Serra (1929). Arxiu Fotogràfic de Barcelona

Noucentisme, a cultural and artistic movement of the early 20th century, must be understood within a historical framework of great transformations. Catalonia was undergoing a profound economic reconfiguration, marked by industrial development, the rise of the bourgeoisie and the expansion of the middle classes. In this context, a desire for artistic and cultural renewal was consolidated, inspired by the values of order, harmony and Mediterranean tradition. The Noucentist aesthetic profoundly influenced the work of Borrell i Nicolau, providing him with a frame of reference for the development of his style. Rubió i Tudurí conceived the Monumental Fountain of the Jardinets de Gràcia as an allegory of the city's rebirth and its Mediterranean vocation. The project envisaged a large fountain presided over by the sculpture of Aurora, a symbol of awakening and renewal, surrounded by architectural and ornamental elements of great artistic richness. The project, however, was never completed due to various political and economic difficulties.

Now, 'The Awakening of the Aurora' recovers the memory of this unfinished work and demonstrates how new technologies can be a key tool in the preservation of cultural heritage. The digital reconstruction has been possible thanks to advanced computer graphics and 3D modeling techniques, based on original plans, historical photographs and documentation of the time. In addition, it has been possible to recover and study several original elements from the dismantling of the Aurora Fountain, as well as some sculptures from The Hunt of Diana, which has allowed the reconstruction of the monumental complex with a high degree of fidelity.

The exhibition, open until April 30, includes information panels that contextualize the importance of the project in Barcelona's urban planning, as well as a tour of the evolution of Noucentisme in the city. In addition, interactive images will be projected that will show different phases of the digital reconstruction, and a simulation of what the fountain would have looked like integrated into the urban space will be visible.