BARCELONA MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

Description

Essentials about the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art in brief

Catalonia has always been a land rich in artists. The names Dalí, Miró and Picasso (to name only the three most famous Catalan artists of the 20th century) are known all over the world. Interestingly, Barcelona did not have its own museum of contemporary art until the 1990s. This was largely because many of the works of Dalí, Miró and Picasso were already housed in their own museums. Since 1995, this has changed, because with the Museu d’Art Contemporani (Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art), Barcelona now has one of the most important museums for contemporary art in Europe, which enjoys a world reputation, especially for its special exhibitions of renowned artists.

The architecture of the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art

It was not until the 1980s that the idea of a museum for contemporary art gained momentum. Finally, in 1995, the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona) was opened. Designed by U.S. architect Richard Meier, the somewhat chilly-looking building still elicits mixed reactions from visitors today. Some are enthusiastic about the new building. However, many voices think that the so bright and sober building would not fit at all into the rather gloomy looking district of El Raval.

The exhibitions of the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art

Be that as it may, the fact is that since its opening, MACBA has established itself as one of the most important museums of contemporary art in Europe. Today, MACBA owns a collection of around 5,000 works of art. However, the MACBA’s main focus is on special exhibitions of renowned artists – from sculptors to painters to videographers – mainly from the second half of the 2o century. Since the exhibitions change every three to six months, it is worth checking the current exhibition calendar before visiting. In addition, the museum regularly hosts workshops, conferences, film projects and audiovisual performances.