Disused objects

Walking through the Parc dels Estanys in Platja d'Aro is always an immersive experience, but these months the itinerary has an added attraction: the exhibition Horitzó singular by Manuel Solà. In this setting where nature and art coexist in the open air, the renowned sculptor presents a selection of works that give new life to materials, converting them into forms full of symbolism and expression.

Manuel Solà (Barcelona, 1950) trained as an artist at the Escola d'Arts i Oficis La Llotja and, with great intellectual curiosity, also studied Scenography at the Institut del Teatre. The 70s and 80s, marked by deep social and political concerns, influenced his artistic beginnings, with a painting committed to the political ideals of the time. However, he soon opted for sculpture, finding in iron, wood and stone the perfect medium to express his creative universe. His work is part of the tradition of the classical avant-gardes, with a strong influence of cubism and constructivism. Artists such as Juli González, pioneer of iron sculpture, or the Dadaists and Surrealists, who claimed found objects as artistic elements, resonate in his production. However, Solà does not limit himself to incorporating pre-existing elements into his pieces, but rather reorganizes them and gives them a new discourse.

© David Borrat / EFE

The exhibition at Parc dels Estanys allows us to see this way of working up close. His sculptures, built from fragments of iron, pieces of wood eroded by time and found stones, evoke archetypal figures that connect with myths and primitive forms. Faces, structures reminiscent of ancient totems and compositions that suggest a different narrative —as if each piece were a chapter in a story— invite the viewer to explore a sculptural language full of meaning. Solà's works not only occupy space, but also transform it, establishing a dialogue between the industrial forms and the natural surroundings of the park. This interaction with the landscape gives the exhibition a dynamic and changing image, where light, shadows and perspective become essential elements of the composition.

Horitzó singular, inaugurated on March 15 and open until February 2026, is an opportunity to discover an artist who, with a singular perspective, builds a bridge between sculptural tradition and a contemporary expression full of meaning.