The Catalan Minister of Culture, Sònia Hernández, has inaugurated the exhibition 'Barcelona moderna. De Gaudí a Picasso' at Kunsthalle München in Germany. The exhibition features approximately 160 paintings, drawings, sculptures, furniture, and architectural models, exploring the richness and diversity of Catalan Modernism from 1880 to 1914, within the urban, social, and cultural context of Barcelona and Catalonia.
Hernández described the exhibition as “an important milestone for the international projection of Catalan culture” and emphasised its role in strengthening cultural ties between Catalonia and Germany. She expressed her hope that the exhibition would “mark a new chapter in the cultural relationship” between the two countries and generate “new opportunities for collaboration” among cultural institutions across Europe.
The exhibition is seen as “an extraordinary opportunity” to present Catalan Modernism and “some of the most prominent creators in our cultural history” to the German public. It aims to highlight artists and creators who, while sometimes overshadowed by universally known figures like Gaudí or Picasso, are essential for understanding the legacy of this period.
Conceived on a grand scale, this is the first exhibition in Germany dedicated to Catalan Modernism, showcasing its relevance and artistic influence during the period on international Modernism. Curated by Franziska Stöhr and Carlos Alonso Pérez-Fajardo, the exhibition will help introduce Catalan artists to international collectors.
Most of the works on display come from the National Collection of Catalonia and various Catalan museums, particularly the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) in Barcelona, which has provided significant scientific and academic support along with key works by Antoni Gaudí, Pablo Picasso, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, Santiago Rusiñol, Ramon Casas, Hermen Anglada Camarasa, Isidre Nonell, and Joaquim Mir, among others.
'Barcelona moderna. De Gaudí a Picasso' invites visitors to rediscover Barcelona around 1900 as one of Europe’s major cultural laboratories. While the title references Barcelona, the exhibition focuses on Catalan art from the turn of the century, a period that also saw the emergence of foreign artists who integrated into Catalan culture, such as Joaquim Torres García and Picasso.
The exhibition pays special attention to some of the most emblematic spaces of Modernism, including Els Quatre Gats, the Cercle del Liceu, Sala Parés, and Cau Ferrat. In addition to the MNAC, various Catalan museums and institutions are participating through loans of significant works, including the Museu Picasso de Barcelona, Museus de Sitges, Museu Víctor Balaguer, Museu Abelló, Museu de la Garrotxa, the Basilica of the Sagrada Família, Casa Museu Joan Maragall, Casa Museu Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, Fundació Cultural Privada Casa Rocamora, Carmen Thyssen Collection, Museu d’Història de Barcelona, Reial Acadèmia de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi, Col·lecció El Conventet, Cercle del Liceu, Fundació Amatller, Col·lecció d’Art Banc de Sabadell, and the Fundació Orfeó Català-Palau de la Música Catalana.
The exhibition will be open to the public until 21 February 2027 at Kunsthalle München, one of Germany's most prestigious exhibition institutions, attracting around 350,000 visitors annually. Located in the centre of Munich, it presents three major exhibitions each year across various artistic disciplines, including painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, and new media art, as well as decorative arts, design, and fashion. Its programming alternates between monographic exhibitions and thematic projects, often conceived from an interdisciplinary perspective. The exhibition is organised in cooperation with the Museum Barberini in Potsdam, where it will be shown in an adapted version from 20 March to 20 June 2027.
