Contemporary art from the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (Macba) is moving beyond its building in the Raval district to unexpected venues across Catalonia. To mark the museum’s 30th anniversary, “Un museu fora del museu” brings works from its collection to hair salons, bakeries, markets and pharmacies in 20 municipalities. Supported by the Department of Culture of the Generalitat, the initiative aims to reach residents who rarely visit the museum in central Barcelona.
More than 30 photographs and videos by artists including Fina Miralles, Francesc Abad, Xavier Ribas, Dora García, Martí Anson, Miralda, Joaquim Jordà, Joan Brossa, Colita, Bruce Nauman, Ana Müller, Gary Hill and Jana Sterbak are on display in everyday settings. At the Hermes hair salon in Valls, a series of Francesc Abad’s 1972 self-portraits is on view. Their focus on the head makes them a natural fit for the venue. In Sant Cugat del Vallès, the Sàbat bakery features work by Àngels Ribé, a regular customer there.
Other locations include the Tien 21 electronics store in Girona, where televisions show Bruce Nauman’s video piece “Art Make-Up,” and an urban bus line in Martorell, where images from Ferran Garcia Sevilla’s “Déus” series appear on the rear windows. In Vilanova i la Geltrú, market vendors are handing out postcards featuring excerpts from Miralda’s book “Santa Comida = Holy Food.” Terrassa’s Abacus store is exhibiting Joan Brossa’s typewritten poems, created between 1948 and 1955.
The project also reaches less conventional venues. In Lleida, a work by Josep Ponsatí is on view at a funeral home, while the city cemetery hosts two pieces by Fina Miralles exploring the relationship between bodies and nature. Pharmacies in Cardedeu are screening Iván Argote’s “Caricia,” while civic buildings, including Vic town hall, display Martí Anson’s photographic series. In Vilafranca del Penedès, the Espai Jove La Nau youth centre is showing two works by Fina Miralles and hosting a photography workshop with Marc Cuscó.
Macba’s head of collections, Clàudia Segura, has highlighted the aim of making the museum’s holdings more accessible by placing them in unexpected locations. Curator Martí Manen worked with local cultural centres to choose venues and suitable artworks. Each exhibition point is clearly marked and includes information about the works and artists. Local business owners, including Carles Carrión of the Hermes salon, are basic to the project: their enthusiasm helps introduce contemporary art to people who might not otherwise encounter it.
Macba’s collection comprises more than 5,800 works. By taking exhibitions beyond the museum, the initiative seeks to reach wider audiences and lower barriers to access. Bringing art into everyday settings is intended to encourage new conversations about its place in society. The project runs until November 30, giving residents across Catalonia the chance to encounter works outside traditional museum spaces.
