· On the occasion of the Domènech i Montaner Year, this year the cycle is entirely dedicated to the architect.
· The cycle will end with the inauguration of the exhibition Domènech i Montaner, patrimoni Mundial. A la recerca de l’art nacional perdut
· Evening at Casa Navàs Visit will bring the summer activities to an end on 22 September
Casa Navàs presents the III Cycle of Conferences «Casa Navàs, testimonis modernistes». These annual conferences aim to disseminate and reflect on heritage, Art Nouveau and society in the late 19TH and early 20TH centuries. In this edition, the conferences will focus on Lluís Domènech i Montaner.
2023 has been declared Domènech i Montaner Year in commemoration of the centenary of the death of the Catalan architect, which is why Casa Navàs has programmed an activity every month linked to the figure of Domènech. As could not be otherwise, this year the cycle of conferences will be entirely dedicated to the architect who designed the Casa Navàs. Through these four conferences, family members and experts will delve into different aspects of Domènech’s life. From the more personal facet through his granddaughter and great-granddaughter; to the links he had with Reus thanks to the president of the Centre D’estudis Domènech i Montaner; to the role he played in the recovery of national art with the curator of the Domènech Year, and the relationship he maintained with Antoni Gaudí analysed by the biographer of the architect from Reus.
The cycle will begin on 14 September and will run until 5 October. The lectures will always take place on Thursdays at 7.30 p.m. and are free of charge, but you must register in advance because seating is limited.
«La relació de Domènech i Montaner amb Reus»
Carles Saiz, president of CEDIM
Thursday, 14 September, 7.30 p.m.
«Lluís Domènech i Montaner: la persona»
Cristina Domènech, great-granddaughter of Lluís Domènech i Montaner, and Mercè Domènech, granddaughter of Lluís Domènech i Montaner
Thursday 21 September, 7.30 p.m.
«Domènech i Gaudí, companys o rivals?»
Josep Maria Tarragona, biographer of Antoni Gaudí
Thursday 28 September, 7.30 p.m.
«Domènech i Montaner, Patrimoni Mundial. A la recerca de l’art nacional perdut»
Gemma Martí, Curator of the Domènech i Montaner Year
Thursday, 5 October, 7.30 p.m.
To register, please send an e-mail to [email protected] indicating your full name and the number of people attending the conference. Priority registration will be given to members of the Club Casa Navàs, who will be able to register from 1 to 5 September. After that date, anyone who wishes may register. Becoming a member of the Club Casa Navàs is simple and free, just go to the website www.casanavas.cat and register on the form in the ‘Club’ section.
Inauguration of the exhibition Domènech i Montaner, patrimoni Mundial. A la recerca de l’art nacional perdut
The last of the lectures of the III Cycle of Conferences “Casa Navàs, testimonis modernistes” will be used to present the October activity that Casa Navàs is organizing as part of the Domènech i Montaner Year. Specifically, it will be the exhibition “Domènech i Montaner, Patrimoni Mundial. A la recerca de l’art nacional perdut”. It is a visual itinerary through different historical and artistic monuments —today declared World Heritage by UNESCO— that analyses the influence that Domènech i Montaner’s studies of ancient Catalan heritage have had on his own architectural work.
The exhibition is divided into seven areas and begins with Domènech’s vision of the ancient Tarraconensis with his studies of Tarraco and Barcino, which brings to light the archaeologist Domènech. The medievalist then emerges, with an incursion into the Romanesque and Gothic monuments of the Middle Ages, with particular emphasis on the most important monuments of the count’s period, such as the Romanesque churches of the Vall de Boí and those of the national period of the Catalan-Aragonese monarchy, with the Cistercian monastery of Poblet.
The exhibition leads to the projection of a new architecture that integrates all the old national styles and which Domènech transcends them, through eclecticism, in the new art, Catalan Modernisme, exemplified especially by his major projects: the Palau de la Música and the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, both of which have also been declared World Heritage Sites.
Throughout the exhibition, visitors can see 3D photogrammetric recreations of some of the heritage buildings on display, such as Centcelles or the churches of the Vall de Boí, as well as the recreation of the fresco painting of Sant Climent de Taüll. The exhibition has its own catalogue and QR audio that allow visitors to explore the content in greater depth.
This travelling exhibition, organized by the Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya and the Centre d’Estudis Domènech i Montaner (CEDIM), and curated by CEDIM, will open on 5 October and can be seen throughout the month at the Casa Navàs shop from Monday to Friday from 11 am to 2 pm and from 4 pm to 7 pm, and on Saturdays from 5 pm to 8 pm. In November, it will travel to the monastery of Poblet and Brussels, where the Art Nouveau year is being celebrated. And it will end its tour at the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site in Barcelona, all of which are represented throughout the exhibition with the heritage studied by Lluís Domènech i Montaner.
Evening at Casa Navàs will bring the summer season to a close
Once again, Casa Navàs closes summer with the Evening Visit. With this experience, visitors will discover all the secrets of this unique modernist jewel in the world, as well as enjoying a special dinner-concert. The experience begins with a guided tour on the main floor of the Casa Navàs, and it ends at the splendid terrace built by Domènech i Montaner in the early 20th century. It is the perfect spot to enjoy a great summer evening. The music comes from the Sardines, the liveliest band of the Camp de Tarragona, created in 2011, which plays the best classics of the history of music to the rhythm of rock&roll, funky, disco…
Evening Visit will take place on Friday 22 September at 8.30 pm. Tickets are now available on the website www.casanavas.cat and at the entrance of the building for €35.
