Josep Maria Subirachs

JOSEP MARIA SUBIRACHS (Barcelona, 1927–2014).
“Projecte Monument II,” 1991.
Charcoal on paper.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 65 x 51 cm; 84 x 68 cm (frame).

This drawing is of particular interest due to its connection to Subirachs’ monumental work. Given its date and, above all, the configuration of a large truncated pyramid base crowned by an inverted staircase, it can be closely linked to the design process of the Monument to Francesc Macià, unveiled in Barcelona’s Plaça de Catalunya in 1991. In the final work, the travertine base represents the history of Catalonia, while the upper staircase, abruptly interrupted, symbolizes its projection toward a future yet to be built.

Subirachs approaches architecture from a very distinct perspective, contrasting the compact mass of the base with the stepped ascent of the upper section. The absence of anecdotal elements focuses attention on the structure and its symbolic dimension. The artist accorded drawing fundamental importance within his creative process, considering it both the starting point for his visual art and an autonomous genre in its own right.

Josep Maria Subirachs was a leading figure in Catalan sculpture during the second half of the 20th century. His career spanned sculpture, drawing, printmaking, and numerous monumental projects; among these, the Monument to Francesc Macià and the extensive sculptural program on the Passion Facade of the Sagrada Família stand out. His work is represented at the Reina Sofía Center, the Contemporary Art Museums of Barcelona, the Vatican, Taipei, and Nebraska; the Open-Air Museum on the Paseo de la Castellana in Madrid; the Musée du Petit Palais in Geneva; and the Millesgärden in Stockholm, among others.