Joan Miró

Barcelona, 1893 – Palma de Mallorca, 1983

Joan Miró was a Catalan painter, sculptor, printmaker, and ceramicist, considered one of the leading representatives of surrealism. On April 20, 1893, Joan Miró i Ferrà was born in Barcelona, Spain. At the age of 14, he began studying at the School of Fine Arts of La Llotja in Barcelona. Between 1912 and 1915, he attended the School of Art of Francesc Galí, where he met other young artists and immersed himself in the artistic atmosphere of the city. In 1918, he held his first solo exhibition at the Dalmau Galleries in Barcelona. Although it was not commercially successful, it received favorable reviews that encouraged him to continue his artistic path. He traveled to Paris for the first time in 1920, where he came into contact with avant-garde artists such as Pablo Picasso and the poet André Breton, leader of the surrealist movement. He also met other influential artists like Max Ernst and Jean Arp. In 1924, he signed the surrealist manifesto along with André Breton and other artists. He began creating works that reflected the principles of surrealism, using symbols, dreams, and elements of the subconscious. In 1930, he created his first ceramic sculpture, marking a new phase in his artistic career. During the Spanish Civil War, Miró created the mural “El Segador” for the Spanish Republic Pavilion at the International Exhibition in Paris. The work was lost during the war. With the outbreak of World War II, he returned to Spain and settled in Palma de Mallorca. In 1941, his first major retrospective was organized at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, consolidating his international fame. In 1956, he moved to a new studio in Palma de Mallorca, where he continued working until the end of his life. Between 1960 and 1970, he experimented with new materials and techniques, including ceramics and monumental sculpture. He created important public works, such as the mosaic for Barcelona’s airport and the sculptures for Joan Miró Park. In 1974, the Joan Miró Foundation was inaugurated in Barcelona. Joan Miró passed away on December 25, 1983, in Palma de Mallorca at the age of 90.