Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Collection
Designed by Richard Meier and opened in 1995, MACBA (Museu d'Art Contemporani de
Barcelona) has become the city's foremost contemporary art centre, with captivating exhibi-
tions for the serious art lover. The permanent collection is on the ground floor and dedicates
itself to Spanish and Catalan art from the second half of the 20th century, with works by An-
toni Tàpies, Joan Brossa and Miquel Barceló, among others, though international artists,
such as Paul Klee, Bruce Nauman and John Cage, are also represented.
The gallery, across two floors, is dedicated to temporary visiting exhibitions that are al-
most always challenging and intriguing. MACBA's 'philosophy' is to do away with the old
model of a museum where an artwork is a spectacle and to create a space where art can be
viewed critically, so the exhibitions are usually tied in with talks and events. This is food for
the brain as well as the eyes.
Across the square in front, where the city's skateboarders gather, the renovated 400-year-
Universitat)
, where MACBA regularly rotates selections from its permanent collection.
The Gothic framework of the one-time convent-church remains intact.
The library and auditorium stage regular concerts, talks and events, all of which are either
reasonably priced or free. The extensive art bookshop is fantastic for both stocking up on art
and art theory books, as well as quirky gifts and small design objects.
