Inspired by the classics

The more than twenty sculptures on this central road in the city, visible to all those wandering past, could belong to an ancient fallen civilisation. Many relate Mitoraj’s work with classic Graeco-Roman art.

However, the Polish artist, born in Germany, rejected this at the presentation of this exhibition. “I do not follow ancient models”, said Mitoraj, “the heroes are modern, from today”.

“This exhibition illustrates my research on our common European culture”, explained the artist.

Mitoraj gave his first exhibition in the city in 1989, in the former Sala Gaspar, when he was a little-known, young sculptor. Five years ago there was also an exhibition of his work in the city, with three pieces on Carrer d’Enric Granados.

The sculptures appear unfinished, without a final polish, in all the materials used by the artist.

The idea of fragmentation and weakness is accentuated in some pieces which Mitoraj wraps in bandages, as if they were Egyptian mummies.

To find out more about the work of the artist, a parallel exhibition at the CaixaForum has more than thirty sketches by the artist, and a selection of marble sculptures, to complement that on Rambla de Catalunya.