Munich hosts Germany's first exhibition on Catalan Modernisme

Munich is hosting the first exhibition in Germany dedicated to Catalan Modernisme, bringing Catalan artists to the international stage. 'Modern Barcelona: From Gaudí to Picasso' is on display at the Kunsthalle München until February 21, 2027. 

Catalan Culture Minister Sònia Hernández opened the exhibition Thursday, explaining that the project had been in the works for "a very long time." 

"It is an opportunity not only to tell our own story, but to do so through culture and with the voice of Catalonia," she said.

The exhibition features approximately 160 paintings, drawings, sculptures, pieces of furniture and architectural models from artists like Antoni Gaudí, Pablo Picasso, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, Santiago Rusiñol and Ramon Casas. 

It explores the richness and diversity of Catalan Modernisme between 1880 and 1914 and places the movement in the urban, social and cultural context of Barcelona and Catalonia.

It also shows how historical and contemporary influences from across Europe came together to shape the unique art style.

"It is an opportunity to present this period from a different perspective, looking beyond big names and architecture to include painting and decorative objects," she said. "Sometimes the moment is just right and in this case, the Kunsthalle sought to explore this perspective, and museums across Catalonia responded."

Beyond the most famous names

This is the first project in Germany dedicated to Catalan Modernisme. It aims to show the movement's importance and the artistic influence Barcelona had on international Modernism in this period. 

Curated by Franziska Stöhr and Carlos Alonso Pérez-Fajardo, the project seeks to raise the profile of Catalan artists globally and connect international collectors with their work.

"The artists that people might know in Germany is Gaudí and Picasso," Stöhr said. "For sure the people will discover that their are [other] artists...we hope to suprise our audience and show them that the Catalan Modernisme is something they should really get to know and appreciate." 

Pérez-Fajardo echoed that sentiment and noted the significance of such a prominent institution taking an interest in the subject. 

"It's not just about the well-known names, but the movement as a whole," he said. "Three years of work have forged a wonderful partnership among everyone involved."

"The fact that some of these names remain unknown is partly our own fault, we haven't fully recognized that their reach extends across Europe," Pérez-Fajardo said.

Most of the pieces come from the National Collection of Catalonia and belong to Catalan museums, above all the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) in Barcelona. 

The MNAC is a special partner in the project, contributing scientific and academic support as well as many key works by artists such as Gaudí, Picasso, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Puig i Cadafalch, Rusiñol, Casas, Hermen Anglada Camarasa, Isidre Nonell and Joaquim Mir, among others.

Extensive range of loans

'Modern Barcelona: From Gaudí to Picasso' invites visitors to rediscover the Barcelona of the 1900s as one of Europe's great cultural laboratories. 

Although the title refers to Barcelona, the exhibition focuses on Catalan art at the turn of the century, a period that also saw the development of artists from outside Catalonia who became part of its culture, such as Joaquim Torres-García and Picasso. 

It gives special attention to some of the movement's most iconic venues, including Els Quatre Gats, the Cercle del Liceu, Sala Parés and Cau Ferrat.

The Kunsthalle München draws nearly 350,000 visitors a year and is one of the most prestigious museums in Germany. In the center of Munich, it presents three major exhibitions each year in fields ranging from painting, sculpture, drawing and photography to new media art, decorative arts, design and fashion. 

Its programming alternates between monographic exhibitions and thematic projects, often conceived from an interdisciplinary perspective.