More women and comics among the 1,000 works obtained for the National Art Collection of Catalonia

The cartoonist Miquel Fuster spent 15 years on the street until the Fundació Arrels helped him rebuild his life. Many times he slept in some gardens near MNACwhere he then never thought that 10 of the originals of the hard autobiographical comics in which he reflects on what he suffered as a homeless person and which, obtained for 15,400 euros, is part of the 1,023 pieces and collections by 99 authors who arrived in 2021 to National Art Collection of Catalonia. Prioritization of purchases of work by minority groups and produced by women – with names such as cartoonists Núria Pompeia of Marika Vilalikes photographers Mey Rahola o to artists like Isabel Banal– and by creators who are already consolidated and still active, the Department of Culture of the Generalitat this Thursday, of the MNAC, the details of all acquisitions exported.

The collection also adds received 76 donationsamong them, the personal funds of the activist and economist Arcadi Oliveres, of the architect Oriol Bohigasfrom the journalist Josep Maria Carandell, of the actress Montserrat Carulla and the PSUC militant and fighter against Francoism Miguel Nunez, in addition to graphic backgrounds of the cartoonists Tom Roca of Trini Tinturé.

To these art purchases, the ‘council’ led by Natalia Garriga spent last year € 1.9 million; the initial budget was 1.05, but it was increased due to the pandemic with extraordinary contributions. The budget for this 2022 is 2.2 millionmuch more than those of previous years (1.3 million in 2020; about 650,000 euros in 2018 and 2019; and only 269,000 in 2017).

The most expensive purchase was a marble relief with a portrait of Alfonso IV the Generous from the 15th century, by Isaia Ganti (150,000 euros), valuable because it belongs to a period that is less represented in the collections, such as the Renaissance. Go to the Heritage section, where 178 items, lots and funds were purchased for 958,185 euros. Among them, many of jewelry by Lluís Masriera (1903-1915), 33 photos of the Civil War by Antoni Campañà204 glass negatives out Auguste Chauvin Republican exile in France (1939-1940)worth 60,000 euros, republican propaganda posters, various daguerreotype anonymous portraits of women and children or the author’s personal collection Francis Kers (131,250 euros).

The comic acquisitions, advised by the commission created in 2019, there were 131 originals by nine authors for an amount of 122 245 euros. It’s the smallest item, but it’s been growing for two years. In 2017 and 2018, purchases were zero. Criteria were followed, according to the commission’s spokesperson, journalist Jaume Vidal, from a gender and identity perspective, which comic book writers, “even less considered than the writers”. This is how work of Núria Pompeia (72 original drawings of her work on motherhood back in the 70’s, a topic that many new writers are dealing with today), Anna Maria Smith and Marika Vila. And, in addition to the aforementioned Miquel Fuster, originals of representatives of the ‘Underground’: Miguel Gallardo (from pages of ‘El Víbora’ or Makoki), of the unclassifiable Micharmutfrom the surrealistic and irrational Pere Joan and from Josep Maria Bea. Also referees of the post-war cartoon: pages of the characters of Carpanta and Petra, from Escobar, one of Bruguera’s teachers, graphic humorist before the Civil War and promoter of the animated film ‘Once upon a time…’, who could not compete with the 1950 Disney.

340 000 euros are those that were destined to obtain almost 600 photos from 47 authors, among others, Mey Rahola (to which the MNAC will dedicate an exhibition this year), Palmira Puig or the young Paula Artéswhich in its projects investigates the control of power, as in the acquired ‘Forces and bodies’ (2016), on the Civil Guard.

Within the framework of visual arts there were 44 acquisitions of 43 artists, for an amount of 509 000 euros, with the priority of as many creators as possible and especially living, active and female artists. Of these, the video ‘Self-portrait, New York’ (1980-2018) stands out, by Eugène Balcellsthe video installation of Nora Ancarola ‘Les maletes kafkianes’ (2018), the piece ‘Traginadores’ (2016) – five light boxes where Isabel Banal goes back to its roots and justifies the role of peasant woman, the installation of Fina Miralles ‘The altar or phases of the moon’ (2016), that of Teresa Estapé ‘Value Shelter II’ (2019), the video by Mabel Palacin ‘Lladres’ (2020) or the film screening of the Cambó legacy (2015) by Perejaume.

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The works obtained will be distributed in various centers such as the MNAC, the Arxiu Nacional, the Macba, the Biblioteca de Catalunya, the Arxiu Nacional… but also through museums throughout Catalonia.

The ‘consellera’ Garriga confirmed in response to questions from the press that the Generalitat will soon be able to comment on the expected expansion of the MNAC, as the museum’s director, Pepe Serra, said a week ago.