Casa Batlló opens new contemporary art space 

Casa Batlló, one of the most iconic works by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, has opened a new contemporary art space on its second floor, further expanding one of Barcelona’s most visited landmarks. 

Maria Bernat, Head of the Art Program at Casa Batlló, states that the art space functions as a way of “bringing Gaudí to the present” by allowing contemporary artists to reinterpret his work and draw inspiration from it in their own contemporary creations.

Bernat explains that the artists selected to work in the space embody what she describes as the “Gaudí spirit” – being “experimental, innovative, and vanguardist” in their approach.

To introduce the opening of the new art space, Casa Batlló presents the exhibition ‘Beyond the Façade’, a contemporary project that aims to illustrate “a journey from natural light to darkness, tracing cycles of day and night, order and disorder.” 

Created by Matt Clark and his studio, United Visual Artists, ‘Beyond the Façade’ introduces the newly inaugurated contemporary project that traces “a journey from natural light to darkness, exploring cycles of day and night, order and disorder.”

It does so through the use of light, sculpture, technology, robotics, and dance choreography, transforming Casa Batlló into a dynamic stage for contemporary expression. 

A key inspiration for the exhibition was the ‘Ars’ system by Ramon Llull, the 13th-century Mallorcan philosopher and mystic. 

The system, based on diagrams and rotating wheels, sought to reveal the hidden order of the world through logic and geometry, a vision of nature also shared by Antoni Gaudí.

“Ramon Llull was trying to rationalize the reason why God existed through rationalizing nature and understanding mathematically: if nature existed then God existed. And so did Gaudí with his work,” says Maria Bernat. 

Bernat also adds that the exhibition seeks to transform visitors into participants, creating an immersive experience through the use of technology, light, and the architectural space of Casa Batlló.

‘Beyond the Façade’ will mark the beginning of the Gaudí Year, a year-long programme honouring the architect’s legacy through multiple events that spotlight lesser-known works and invite contemporary artists to create new pieces inspired by how Gaudí might work today.

As for the newly opened art space at Casa Batlló, further exhibitions are planned, with the next opening scheduled for May.