Spanish Arts Festival with 5 major exhibitions kicks off on the Bund

Organized by Shanghai Jiushi Art Museum, the "2025 Spanish Arts Festival on the Bund," which kicked off on May 23, renders a visual feast to the public. Five major exhibitions will be on display at the museum's four venues over the following five months.

Antoni Gaudi, often hailed as the "architect of God," was one of the most visionary figures in the history of architecture.

"Splendor to Nature: Gaudí with His Era" obviously is one of the highlights of the ongoing festival.

Currently running at Bund 18 Jiushi Art Gallery, the exhibition features five original architectural elements by the Barcelona-born Gaudí, making their debut in China plus seven authentic manuscripts and rare research documents on loan from the Catalan Association of Architects and Polytechnic University of Catalonia.

Through architectural elements, historical photographs, design sketches, audiovisual materials and archival documents, this exhibition offers a comprehensive view of Gaudi's creative evolution. At the same time, it also reflects the cultural and social currents of his era – particularly the ways in which the Art Nouveau movement reshaped daily life.

The Spanish master spent his life closely observing nature, drawing inspiration from it to extract and express optimal structural forms. His creative process was deeply rooted in listening to his own inner sensibilities and in respecting the natural world, ultimately achieving a unique balance where architecture became an organic extension of nature.

Here at the exhibition visitors will find the familiar names of "Casa Vicens," "Palau Guell," "Casa Batllo," "Casa Mila" and "Sagrada Familia."

For example, the over-famed Sagrada Familia is one of the most iconic examples of Catalan Modernism. It represents the pinnacle of Gaudi's holistic architectural philosophy, to which he dedicated the latter part of his career. Today it is a unique architectural work in the world and has become a symbol of the city of Barcelona.

The exhibition shows the first masterplan of Sagrada Familia by Gaudi, photos of his workshop on site and models posting between mirrors for the sculptural creation of Sagrada Familia.

One installation, a spotlight of the exhibition, is composed of 8,000 delicately suspended fabric pouches. Each pouch required meticulous hand-stitching. The daunting installation hangs from the ceiling where a mirrored base below reflects the structure, visually completing the inverted arch.

This work is inspired from Gaudi's catenary arch. It traces back to an early concept by Leonardo da Vinci – a natural curve is formed by a hanging chain fixed at both ends, known as the catenary curve. Gaudí later discovered that inverting this curve symmetrically created a near-perfect arched structure for his cathedral vaults.

Echoing the exhibition of Bund 18, "Splendor Immerses Everything: Sound of Gaudi" is on show at Jiushi Art Salon. The exhibition is curated by Dr Josep Cerdà, professor at the University of Barcelona and a renowned sculptor. Cerdà has also created several sound installations for the show.

The exhibition tries to guide visitors through four immersive spaces, bridging Gaudí's architectural principles with contemporary sound art, demonstrating how acoustic properties can be materialized through suspended structures.

Meanwhile, the "Jorge Rando – I Want to Paint Life" at Shanghai Jiushi Art Museum (Bund 27) marks the first solo show in Shanghai of the Spanish Neo-Expressionist artist, and his largest exhibition in Asia to date, showcasing 114 works, including 80 debuting in China.

The 2025 Spanish Arts Festival on the Bund will also collaborate with the Miguel de Cervantes Library and the Shanghai Youth International Exchange Center for a series of events, including cultural salons, art workshops, thematic study programs and special screenings of Spanish films.

"Splendor to Nature: Gaudí with His Era"

Date: Through October 8, 10am-6pm

Venue: Bund 18 Jiushi Art Gallery

Address: 2/F, 18 Zhongshandongyilu

中山东一路18号2楼

"Splendor Immerses Everything: Sound of Gaudi"

Date: Through October 8, 10am-6pm

Venue: Jiushi Art Salon

Address: 1/F, 230 Beijing Rd.E.

北京东路230号1楼

"Jorge Rando – I Want to Paint Life"

Date: Through August 22, 10am-6pm

Venue: Shanghai Jiushi Art Museum

Address: 6/F, 27 Zhongshandongyilu

中山东一路27号6楼