Inauguration to the exhibition-tribute to Josep Baqués

Josep Baqués is the artist selected to celebrate the 36th anniversary of the Sala Rusiñol

On May 12, the inauguration of this exhibition took place, which includes twenty works resulting from the work of the last 15 years of the artist.

The Sala Rusiñol, thanks to the collaboration of the painter’s family, has been able to make a careful selection that allows visitors to the exhibition to enjoy emblematic works of his final career.

At the opening ceremony, the painter’s daughter, Lídia Baqués, read, on behalf of her and her brothers, an emotional letter in which she reviewed the career of this great artist.

Among many aspects, they explained that, “as a man, he was generous, enthusiastic, a tireless worker, funny and friendly”, visiting him in his studio was a privilege for them and filled them with joy. As an artist they highlighted that “his creativity and work will remain with us forever”.

Subsequently, Ignasi Cabanas, director of the Sala Rusiñol, established an interesting dialogue with Lídia Baqués. As a result of this conversation, the great personality of his works became evident, the elements and objects that are recurrently part of his compositions and that contribute to the creation of a personal universe that moves between reality and unreality. A painting with clear references to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance with characters, animals, objects and environments that take us to a dream world in which surrealism takes center stage.

The public attending the inauguration also had the opportunity to interact in such a way that some interesting reflections and questions arose regarding the work and figure of Josep Baqués, of whom we must also highlight his facet as a teacher as Professor of the subject of graphic design in the Official School of Advertising of Barcelona and as a teacher at the Massana School.

Nor can we ignore the fact that in his beginnings, in 1957, we find him as head of the graphic design studio of an advertising company and that it did not take him long to set up his own workshop, the Baqués Studio, where his creative spirit stood out and for the which received several awards: Silver Delta, in 1962, and the Design Laus, in 1971.

If you want to see the whole collection you can do it here