Motor of Modernity

The exhibition “Motor of Modernity. Grup R. Architecture, Art and Design” at MACBA explores the role that Grup R played in the consolidation of the modern aesthetic in Catalan culture.

The Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (Macba) hosts “Motor of Modernity. Grup R. Architecture, Art and Design”, an exhibition that examines the impact of this group’s activities in the consolidation of modernity in Catalan architecture, art and design after the Civil War.

Grup R. was founded in Barcelona on 21 August 1951 by a group of architects who were concerned with “the problems of contemporary art, particularly architecture”, as stated in Article 1 of their Statutes. Under the letter R – for cultural and architectural Recovery and Renewal – the group brought together two generations of architects: those who began their studies immediately before the Civil War, and those who did so when it ended. These two generations, which both looked to GATCPAC as a guiding light, were brought together by a common interest in promoting international culture through the modern movement and by their rejection of the fascist, academic, monumental architecture that prevailed in the Franco era.

The buildings designed by members of Grup R. have now become valuable examples of the modern architectural heritage, while the exhibitions, competitions and debates that they organised helped to boost and internationalise Catalan culture, aligning it with the main European trends and debates of the time.

This exhibition reinstates an episode that is crucial to understanding the tensions between modernity and the avant-garde in Catalonia from the second half of the twentieth century up until today. “Motor of Modernity” shows how Grup R. employed the media, journals, awards and strategic positioning to create a network of influences that ended up forging the modern style in the various artistic disciplines of the time.

until June 24, 2014
Motor of Modernity. Grup R. Architecture, Art and Design
curated by Fernando Marzá
in collaboration with the Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya
Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona
Plaça dels Àngels 1, Barcelona

Motor of Modernity

The exhibition “Motor of Modernity. Grup R. Architecture, Art and Design” at MACBA explores the role that Grup R played in the consolidation of the modern aesthetic in Catalan culture.

Latest on News

Latest on Domus