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Joan Miró

World famous artist (1893-1983)


Joan Miró was born on 20.4.1893 in Barcelona. The Catalonian artist was one of the most important representatives of surrealism.
His appearance resembled rather than a rich bourgeois than an unconventional artist. But only with his international success, which brought him his exhibitions in the United States, he could exercise sufficient pressure on his galleries for a reasonable portion of the sale proceeds of the works.

Curriculum vitae of Joan Miró

In 1900 he received private drawing lessons. From 1907 Miró studied at the trade school and at the Art Academy of Barcelona, which already has been visited by Picasso. After his training he worked for some time as a bookkeeper until he chose the artists career against the resistance of his parents.
From 1915 he started his career as an artist with Fauvism based on pictures.
1917 he met the editor of the Dadaist journal "391" Picabia.
There are portraits and landscapes, which are shown in 1918 first time in a solo exhibition in the gallery Dalmau.
1919 he met Pablo Picasso and concluded with him friendship.
1920 he travelled several times to Paris, a solo exhibition 1921 in Paris is a failure.
1923 Miró learns the surrealists to Breton, Aragon, Eluart, Prevert and Péret know and joins them, but remains in the group an outsider.
1924 creates the image "Carnival of Harlequin."

1930 first exhibition in the United States in the Valentine Gallery New York.
1933 arise from large-scale collages paintings.
1934 begins its so-called "wild period" with pastels on velour.
1935-1938 several international exhibitions of surrealist works.
1940, he returned to Paris, but leaves during the invasion of German troops in France towards Spain.
1947, he takes part in an exibition of surrealists Maeght in the gallery, which distinguishes him from that date in Europe.

1952 begins his "strong free-style".
1954, his works are showen for the first time in Germany in an exhibition in Krefeld.
1960 begins his new abstract style
1966 is the first monumental bronze statues of Miró.

1971, the Fundació was founded by him, the Miró Foundation, in Barcelona. This is still the most important Miró Museum.

1979 Miró designs stained-glass windows and is honorary doctorate from the University of Barcelona.

Miró died on 25.12.1983 in Palma de Mallorca and is buried in Barcelona.

Artistic Development

In its early phase, his works are influenced straight from the styles of Fauvism and Cubism.
1920, he traveled often to Paris, in 1921 he settled in the French capital. In Paris, he met many well-known painters, such as e.g. Picasso, who lived in Paris.
1924, he joined a group of surrealistic artist such as Breton, which influenced his style of painting. He remained an outsider in the group.

Miró is characterized by its strong colors and simplified forms influenced style of painting. This own style he developed from 1930 it further. During this period also began his international fame.
From 1940 to 1948 he lived in Spain and this time he created in many sculptures, graphics, ceramics and wall paintings.

1947 he first visited the USA and there had several solo exhibitions, the most important was a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

1954 he was awarded the Grand Prix for graphics in Venice.

1956 he moved his residence to Mallorca, where he also built a large studio.
1958 he became the Guggenheim Award.
1968 honorary doctorate at Harvard University and in 1979 in Barcelona.

Fundació Juan Miró

One can certainly say that if you have not seen the Fundació Juan Miró, you have not seen Barcelona. On the slope of Montjuïc - with great views of the city - this museum provides the ideal backdrop for the works of Miró.

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Parc de Joan Miró

The Parc de Joan Miró, with its quite unusual sculpture, is 100 meters away from the Plaça Espanya

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