A scientific meeting titled Sixena, la Franja and Catalonia: Historical keys to a relationship will take place at the Saló Víctor Siurana of the Universitat de Lleida (UdL). The event aims to provide rigorous data to understand the ongoing dispute over the cultural assets of the Monastery of Santa Maria de Sixena.
Organised by the consolidated research group in Medieval Studies Espai, poder i cultura, the gathering will feature specialists in history, art history, conservation, restoration, mural painting, and dialectology. According to Flocel Sabaté, a professor at UdL, the meeting seeks to analyse a cultural, linguistic, and heritage uniqueness that has significantly impacted its inhabitants.
Sabaté emphasised the need to address and define the phenomenon using scientific parameters to better understand the social and political tensions currently affecting the territory, which have serious implications for its historical heritage and cultural identity.
The agenda will cover various topics, including the historical roots of the border between Aragon and Catalonia, the identity, culture, and language of la Franja, the role of Josep Gudiol in preserving heritage, the history of the nuns of the Sixena monastery, the founding of the Diocesan Museum of Lleida, and the art of la Franja.
The event will conclude with a round table discussion on the definition, conservation, and mobility of fresco painting, featuring contributions from Montserrat Pagès (former conservator of the National Museum of Catalonia), Pere Rovira (conservator of the Centre for the Restoration of Movable Heritage of Catalonia), and Josep Minguell (fresco mural artist).
The day will also include a guided tour of the Museu de Lleida, supported by the museum itself, Òmnium Cultural, and the Institut d'Estudis Catalans.
