2014_04_12_tapies_bellasartes

L'Esperit Catalàa work of the Collection from University of Navarra Museumdonated by the collector María Josefa Huarte, will be exhibited from April 9 to June 30 at the Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, as part of the program ".The Invited Work". In the act of presentation have intervened: Joxean Muñoz, Vice-Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport of the Basque Government; Miguel Lopez-Remiro, director of the Museum University of Navarra, and Javier Viar, director of the Museum of Fine Arts of Bilbao. They were also accompanied by Charo Huarte, the person representing María Josefa Huarte.

Tàpies made in this monumental work a urban wall as a place of expression politics and staff, which reflects Catalan life in the last years of Franco's regime. The four vertical stripes of the Catalan flag, the painting is full of inscriptions. In general, these are open messages of spiritual and political renewal: dialogue, social equality, democracy, truth, culture.

Tomás Llorens, member of board of trustees de the Collection of the Museo Universidad de Navarra and also of the Advisory Commission Artistic Director of the Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, who accompanied the collector in numerous acquisitions, emphasizes her passion for Tàpies. "That this work is integrated in a collection developed far from the political dimension, indicates the enormous breadth of mind of the collector". And she continues: "Beyond whether or not it is a work related to a historical moment, it is also, and before that, a work of art.. In the same way as Guernica, it transcends historical circumstances, because above all it is a work of art history". This was stated by Llorens at a lecture that he gave at the UniversityThe exhibition will be presented at the "Art Collecting Forum" organized by the center in March 2012.

María Josefa Huarte donated her entire art collection - about fifty paintings and sculptures - to the University of Navarra in 2008. She did so with the intention of "rooting the collection in Navarra, and helping to place this community in the European cultural current". But, in addition, the text of the donation agreement encouraged the establishment of a relationship with other museums and collections, highlighting the interest in "seeking synergies and mutual enhancement with other centers that share the objectives of promoting art in society, researching it and disseminating it., paying special attention to the nearest museums". Thus, with loan at the Bellas Artes in Bilbao, María Josefa Huarte's wishes are fulfilled. The Bilbao museum is the sixth center to exhibit this emblematic work by Tàpies, a piece core topic throughout the bequest.

In addition to four other Tàpies, María Josefa Huarte's bequest is made up of works by Spanish artists such as Pablo Picasso, Jorge Oteiza, Pablo Palazuelo and Eduardo Chillida, among others, as well as international artists such as Kandinsky and Mark Rothko.

The University of Navarra Museum Collection also includes an important photographic collection, the result of a previous donation, that of the photographer José Ortiz-Echagüe. It is thus clear that the future museum will be a space for collectors.

The University of Navarra Museum building, designed by Rafael Moneo, is under construction at the University of Navarra's Pamplona campus campus and will be officially inaugurated in early 2015.