Description of the attraction
The Joan Miró Foundation, or Center for Contemporary Art, is located in the upper part of Barcelona on the slope of Montjuïc, behind the National Palace.
Joan Miró is the pride of Catalonia, one of the brightest Spanish avant-garde artists of the 20th century, an artist, sculptor and graphic artist who worked in the genre of surrealism. His life and work are inextricably linked with Barcelona. The idea of creating such a museum appeared in 1968, when the largest exhibition of works by Joan Miro took place. Miro wanted to create a new building that would become an exhibition ground for other contemporary artists, including young ones.
The architect of the unique building of the Foundation was Josep Lewis Sert, a close friend of Joan Miró. He designed the building with courtyards and terraces, a system of arches between halls and glass roofs that help create natural light in the museum. The Foundation's roof terrace offers a wonderful view of the surroundings. On June 10, 1975, the Joan Miró Foundation Museum opened its doors to visitors. In 1986, a hall and a library were added to the building, which houses some of the 10,000 drawings from the Foundation's and Miro's collection.
The collection of the museum is very diverse, includes both the early works of the artist and well-known ones, and reflects the various aspects of his work. Many works were donated to the museum by the artist himself. The collection of the museum includes about 300 paintings, 150 sculptures, about 10,000 drawings, textiles and ceramics. In addition, the museum presents a small collection of contemporary art collected in memory of the artist after his death. Most of them are exhibits donated to the museum by artists and collectors. The Foundation constantly hosts various exhibitions of contemporary art.
