Following the trail of the missing works of Joan Miró
An exhibition at the foundation's headquarters tells us about the series of Construccions de fusta (Wooden constructions) that the artist created.
It seems that the work of a great artist must be eternal, but this is not always the case. Miró created a series of works in wood and other materials, a couple of which have been preserved with great effort. In this exhibition, entitled "Obrir l'arxiu 03: 12 fustes i 52 peces diverses" (Working the Archive 03: 12 shafts and 52 different items)
we will be able to follow them. From December 21 to May 12, they are waiting for you at the Fundació Joan Miró.
Where did this obsession to work with materials such as wood, cords, drapery, iron and sponges come from? Perhaps you have already heard the phrase that Miró is said to have said at the end of the fifties: "I want to assassinate painting". Well, it was his intention to assassinate or, at the very least, to question the meaning of pictorial representation.
Those in the series Construccions de fusta were items created on panels measuring 72 by 91 centimetres, on which other wooden pieces stood out, as well as cords, nails and other elements that had nothing to do with painting. They were fragile materials which, for this reason, have not survived to the present day in many cases.
How, then, can we reconstruct those creations so that we can see them (or at least imagine them) alongside the two unique ones that have survived? Thanks to the drawings, sketches and photographs made by the artist himself, which now form the basis on which we can discover works that have now disappeared.
Miró made at least twelve of these constructions out of wood, which he sourced from a carpenter. He then assembled them and painted them, eliminating all traces of artifice that could contain the creation. Today we can see the collection thanks to the support of the Fundació Vila Casas.
If you want to see Miró's missing works, don't miss the exhibition “Opening the archive:12 wooden panels and 52 miscellaneous pieces” but first you can consult the Fundació Joan Miró website for all the information on the exhibition.