A scandal is brewing in Barcelona between the lawyer representing the municipality of Villanueva de Sijena and the director of the National Art Museum of Catalonia (Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, MNAC). Attorney Jorge Español has filed a legal complaint seeking reconciliation proceedings with Pepe Serra, the museum director. The reason: public statements by Serra, which the lawyer considers offensive and damaging to his professional reputation.
In his petition to the court, Español claims that the museum director made extremely harsh remarks about him. In particular, Serra suggested in a media interview that the lawyer should seek medical attention, implicitly referring to a psychiatrist. This reaction was prompted by Español’s initiative to cancel a Rosalía concert at MNAC over concerns for the safety of unique wall paintings. Additionally, Serra accused the lawyer of proposing to cut up the frescoes for transportation—an allegation Español strongly denies.
According to the lawyer, his actions were motivated solely by concern for the preservation of cultural heritage. He maintains that he never suggested cutting up the artworks, but simply requested the cancellation of the large event to prevent possible damage from vibrations and loud noise. Español believes that the public ridicule and accusations from the museum director have caused him significant moral harm.
Lawyer’s demands
In the court filing, Jorge Español is not only demanding a public apology but also seeking financial compensation. The amount he intends to claim from Pepe Serra is 90,000 euros. According to the lawyer, this sum would adequately compensate for the moral damages to his business reputation and professional image.
Furthermore, the lawyer insists the museum director should resign. As an argument, he points out that MNAC officially adheres to the International Council of Museums (ICOM) code of ethics. According to this document, the museum director is required to maintain impeccable standards of conduct and avoid any actions that may be deemed unethical or offensive.
Reaction and consequences
The situation has sparked widespread public debate, especially among professionals in culture and the museum sector. Many observers note that the conflict between the lawyer and the museum director goes beyond personal disagreements and raises issues of professional ethics and the protection of cultural heritage.
It is still unclear how MNAC management and Pepe Serra himself will respond to the lawyer’s demands. Legal experts note that such acts of reconciliation are often used as a way to resolve conflicts before entering into formal litigation. However, the demand for the museum director’s resignation may complicate negotiations.
Background of the conflict
Recall that the dispute between the parties arose amid discussions about the fate of unique wall paintings held in the MNAC collection. The lawyer represented the interests of the municipality of Sijena, which insists on the return of the frescoes to their hometown. The issue of preserving these artworks became particularly acute after the museum scheduled a major concert that, according to experts, could damage the fragile pieces.
Public statements by the museum director, in which he questioned the lawyer’s professionalism, became the last straw for Jorge Español. Now he is demanding not only an apology but also a change in the leadership of one of Catalonia’s main cultural institutions.
