Jaume Plensa and Antoni Gaudí: a dialogue between poetry and architecture

La Pedrera, one of Gaudí's most iconic buildings, is hosting the exhibition “Jaume Plensa. Poetry of Silence”, which can be visited through 23 July 2023. Which means there’s no better opportunity to remind you that the ARTIKA catalogue includes editions dedicated to the two artists featured in this exhibition.

Dialogue at La Pedrera

The central theme of the exhibition “Jaume Plensa. Poetry of Silence” is the connection between Plensa's creative world and literature and, in a very direct way, with poetry. At the same time, the installation is a dialogue between Plensa's work and the space that Gaudí designed.

The works that have been selected for the occasion range from 1990 to the present day and include other constants in Plensa's career, such as music, silence and the world of dreams.

As Plensa explains, “a letter does not seem like anything, it is something humble, but together with others they form words, and the words form texts and the texts, thought”.

Detail of the exhibition «Jaume Plensa. Poetry of Silence» at La Pedrera.

Image: www.jaumeplensa.com.

The origin of masterpieces

Jaume Plensa’s poetic intention can be appreciated in Jaume Plensa 61, an artist's book that turns us into witnesses to the birth and development of the works of one of the great creators of our time.

There is an idea (a word, a melody, a poem) that is sparked before a work of art can take shape, and this inspiration follows a unique path: from the

choice of letters to form sculptural figures to the use of light to add new meaning to a given surface. Jaume Plensa 61 is a numbered edition, signed by the artist and limited to 2,998 copies, that opens the door to the place where the works we see in museums and public spaces around the world are forged.

Where dreams come true

At ARTIKA we also have the privilege of having published Gaudí Up Close. The result of exhaustive research, this art book reveals the least known part of Gaudí's legacy: his drawings, sketches and unpublished projects.

Each of Antoni Gaudí's sketches on paper documents the instant when the shapes and designs that make up his architectural spaces were born. His drawings thus provide the opportunity to discover what only a visionary like Gaudí was capable of imagining.

An exclusive treat for art lovers

Jaume Plensa 61 and Gaudí Up Close offer an exclusive peek into the essence of artistic creation. Both editions feature never-before-seen images and inspiring discussions. But they’re also works of art in and of themselves. For example, the case that houses Gaudí Up Close was crafted exclusively by one of the sculptors working on the Sagrada Familia and is a reproduction of one of La Pedrera’s iconic chimneys

Likewise, the design of Jaume Plensa 61 lends a unique quality to the piece. The edition is also presented in an exclusively designed sculpture-case that the artist himself created for ARTIKA. It features one of his most characteristic figures: the face of a young woman with her eyes closed.

A productive encounter

Jaume Plensa’s art reveals to us that words have a beauty of their own and that his sculptures can express all the depth of a poem. Gaudí’s drawings show us how a visionary can give shape to his most innovative and ambitious projects as early as his initial sketches on paper.

Plensa and Gaudí both share an identification with Mediterranean culture, both in materials as well as in symbols and references. They also represent an approach to art that is linked to poetry.

In short, there are many things that Plensa and Gaudí have in common. But, most importantly, they are both unique artists. Today, thanks to ARTIKA, we can also get a first-hand look at the source of their inspiration.