The Department of Culture expands the National Collection

The Department of Culture has strengthened the National Collection this 2024 with an investment of 3.5 million euros to expand public collections and bring them closer to citizens through archives, libraries and museums throughout Catalonia. In total, 23,090 works and collections have been incorporated through 431 acquisitions and 152 donations. The Minister of Culture, Sònia Hernández Almodóvar , presented yesterday, March 19, the 2024 acquisitions for the National Collection, accompanied by the MNAC's contemporary art curator and art historian, Àlex Mitrani , who represented the line of acquisitions of Comics and Illustration and Post-War Art and Second Avant-gardes; Albert Gusi , visual artist and photographer, was the representative of the Photography line; and the artist Stella Rahola , who presented the Contemporary Art acquisitions. Hernández underlined the decentralized and shared nature of this collection, highlighting that it belongs to all Catalans and that the Government has the responsibility to guarantee its patrimonial rights.

Automòbil de fabricació catalana “Nacional Pescara” (1929)

In terms of movable property, 316 new pieces have been incorporated into the National Collection, including the Catalan-made automobile Nacional Pescara, paintings such as Olga Sacharoff 's Family, the Portrait of Manolita Piña by Joaquín Torres García, the Exorcism of Princess Sofia before the Body of Saint Anthony Abbot by Ramon de Mur , as well as the fragment of the altarpiece Miracle of Saint Martin by Mestre de Son . Three sculptures by Ismael Smith , the tapestry Bird-Comet by Aurèlia Muñoz , the engraving Saint Jerome in a Dark Room by Rembrandt , the luxury copy of the manuscript of the Court Orders of Peter III, King of Catalonia-Aragon, and the incunabulum of the Constitutions of Catalonia have also been acquired.

Retrat de Manolita Piña, Joaquín Torres García (1912)

In the Post-War Art and Second Avant-gardes line, works by 20 prominent artists from this creative period have been acquired, including Joan Furriols , Esther Boix , Isabel Garriga , Joan Rabascall , Josefa Toldrà and Josep M. Subirachs , among others. In addition, for the first time, the Comics and Illustration line has opened a public call for the presentation of acquisition proposals, adding works by Marika Vila , Sebastià Martín and Miquel Bustos . This call has allowed professionals in the sector, galleries, collectors, museums and individuals to propose works of comics and illustration to be incorporated into the National Collection.

Sèrie del pa 3, Esther Boix (1972)

In 2024, investment in contemporary art has reached its highest level to date, allowing a wide diversity of works and artists to be incorporated into the National Collection . Among the most notable acquisitions are creations by the poet Joan Brossa , the sculptor Susana Solano , the video artist Eugènia Balcells , the tapestry master Josep Royo , the creator of inflatable sculptures Josep Ponsatí , the painter Joaquim Chancho and the artists Eulàlia Grau and Marga Ximénez , pioneers of feminism. Works by established artists from later generations have also been added, such as Ignasi Aballí , Perejaume , Jordi Colomer , Isabel Banal , Dora Garcia , Francesca Llopis and Tere Recarens . The collection is also reinforced with pieces by emerging creators who already have a certain trajectory, such as David Bestué , Carles Casas , Patrícia Dauder , Dionís Escorsa , Daniel Steegmann Magrané and Stella Rahola Matutes . Finally, works from an even more recent generation have been incorporated, with names such as Lara Fluxà , Gerard Ortín and the digital artists Anna Carreras , Mònica Rikić and Mònica Planes , all of whom were born after 1981.

La biblioteca, Stella Rahola Matutes (2023)

In the field of photography, the department once again opened the public call for proposals from professionals in the sector, galleries, collectors, museums and individuals to form part of the photographic collection of the National Collection. Some of the outstanding works that have been acquired include those by Ramon Masats , one of the most renowned Catalan photographers but until now little represented in the National Collection. A careful and representative selection of 10 photographs of his work has been acquired, which have been deposited at the MNAC and the Valls Museum . This year, documentary photographic works also stand out, such as those by Lleonard Delshams , which portray the Lleida region and which have been deposited at the Morera Museum ; the series Los Salazar. A story of gypsy women by Adriana Sanfeliu López , deposited at the Cerdanyola Art Museum ; or the photojournalism and documentary work of Anna Turbau , deposited at the MNAC .

Tierra de Campos, Valladolid. Ramon Masats (1962)