Inauguration of Pilarín Bayés (May 3rd 2013)

Pilarín Bayés transmits vitality. She is very positive and her life force is evident in her works. Today we have the good fortune that she is joining us to celebrate our 27^th Anniversary. We are very pleased with the reception that the city of Sant Cugat has given her. Young and old have filled the Rusiñol Gallery and enjoyed an event where art has been the protagonist.

Ignasi Cabanas, director of the Rusiñol Gallery, began his speech highlighting the importance of this event. On one hand, the importance of having reached 27 years of cultural activity in the city and, on the other, the fact of being able to celebrate it with Pilarín. After introducing the theme that unifies the exhibition, “The Circus of Pilarín in Sant Cugat”, he talks about the book also presented on that day, “With or without hat…”, which describes the professional and personal career of the artist. This book is now available in the Rusiñol Gallery and has been published recently and presented a few weeks ago at the “Caixa Forum” auditorium. On that occasion the journalist Albert Om led a conversation with the Honorable Mr. Ferran Mascarell, Minister of culture, Mr. Jaume Giró, executive director of “La Caixa” and Pilarín Bayés.

The journalist and art critic Mr. Josep M. Cadena dedicated some words of wisdom to the work of Pilarín: “Her drawings inspire happiness, harmony… She is enthusiastic about everything that happens in life. She falls in love with everything she sees, a butterfly… and, above all, a love for the circus”. He is also highlighting the originality of her figures: “These are dolls and, when we see them, all of us know that they are Pilarin’s “puppets”. Our main catalan artists have drawn dolls and these are at the basis of Catalan painting”..

It’s Pilarín’s turn. With her unique voice and her perpetual smile continues to acknowledge the words of Josp M. Cadena. She says that when she met him, many years ago, she did not dare to approach him, because he was known to be very critical. But she also confesses that she soon realized that he was a person who liked to help the artists. She also thanks the Rusiñol Gallery for this initiative and she is very happy to have brought this collection to Sant Cugat. She even has time to answer the spontaneous questions of the audience.

The Illustrious Ms. Mercè Conesa, mayoress of Sant Cugat, accompanied by Mr. Xavier Escura, alderman of Culture Department, and Mr. Raul Grangé, alderman of Youth Department, is responsible of concluding the act. She is highlighting the success of Rusiñol Gallery when it is bringing the Pilarín’s work to the city, for Sant Cugat is recognized by UNICEF as a the “city of children”. “The vitality we see in Pilarín’s drawings is also the feeling felt in our city where highlights the broad spectrum of youth. We have a very young population with many large families”..