M USEO M IRO / J OAN M IRO F OUNDATION By Richard Horak

W HO IS J OAN M IRO Joan Miro was born April 20, 1893 and died December 25, He was a Spanish Catalan painter, sculptor, and ceramicist in Barcelona. In 1975 the Fundación Joan Miro, or Museo Miro was established in his birth city dedicated to his work. His has earned international acclaim and his work has been seen as surrealism, a huge art form in Spain at the time.

W HO IS J OAN M IRO CONT. His parents were Miquel Miro Adzerias and Dolores Ferra. He began drawing classes at age seven at a private school. In 1907 he enrolled in La Llotja, a fine arts academy, much to the disapproval of his father. His first art show was in 1918 at the Dalmau Gallery were his work was criticized and put down. Miro then moved to Paris in 1920 but continued to visit Catalonia regularly.

W HO IS J OAN M IRO CONT. Miro’s father never supported his work so Miro went to both art and business school. After suffering a nervous breakdown he quit business and focused on art. He then began his surrealistic trend that soon became popular in Paris and around the globe. In 1979 Miro received a doctorate from the University of Barcelona however, he had been suffering from heart disease and he died in his home on December 25, 1983.

M USEO M IRO The original idea for this museum was started in 1968 by Joan Miro himself. He wanted to create a museum that could inspire young artists to experiment with art. The building was designed to have courtyards and terraces giving it a relaxing and natural environment. The building began on the mountain of Montjuic and the foundation opened on June 10, The architect who made it, Josep Lluis Sert, was a close friend of Miro’s as was the first president, Joaquim Gomis. Miro was also on the first board. This museum was created to be a way of representing a new concept of art and Barcelonan heritage.

V IDEOS bcn.org/fjm/playmiro/PlayMiro.html?idioma=2&r etorn=1

T HE F ARM, , N ATIONAL G ALLERY OF A RT, W ASHINGTON D.C.

T HE T ILLED F IELD, , S OLOMON R. G UGGENHEIM M USEUM

D ONA I O CELL, 1092, B ARCELONA, S PAIN

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P ÁJARO L UNAR, 1966, R EINA S OFIA M USEUM, M ADRID

P LA DE I’O S, R AMBLAS OF B ARCELONA

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