Barcelona- Dali Museum

The next city I'm visiting while in Spain next month is Barcelona, so it only makes sense it's the next city I preview in my museum tour series. I have heard from numerous people that Barcelona is their favorite city to visit in all of Spain. I have a feeling it's going to be one of my favorites, too, since it's the home to the Salvador Dali Museum. I feel so lucky that I'll be able to visit the museums for my two favorite artists, Picasso and Dali, on the same trip. Despite their many differences, the artwork of both artists inspire me to daydream (and inspired some of my own work - check out Dali on the "Katie's Work" page). I really feel like I get a peek into their worlds and inner minds every time I look at a new piece. Dali, especially, seems to have such a vivid, dreamlike imagination - that's why I love his artwork so much!

The Dali Museum isn't actually located in Barcelona but it's just a short train ride or drive away in the town of Figueres. Figueres was home for Dali for several years and the museum has one of the largest Dali collections in the world. According to the Barcelona Tourist Guide, Dali built the museum on top of the ruins of the 19th century Municipal Theater which was destroyed in the Spanish Civil War.

The Dali Museum in Figueres (image from www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com)

One of the pieces housed at the Dali Museum in Figueres that I am most eager to see is Galatea of the Spheres (1952). According to theartistsalvadordali.com, this painting was a protrait of Dali's wife, Gala. Dali considered Gala his world and his saviour and signed many of his paintings with her name. Also, this particular painting is an important piece in Dali's artistic progression. According to Dali, his early Surrealist works were based on that of a psychological world (Dali regularly called Freud his "father"). As Dali's work progressed and his view of the world changed, his interests and his artwork developed a more scientific approach:

"Today the exterior world and that of physics, has transcended the one of psychology. My father today is Dr. Heisenberg."

Dali's shift from the inner mind to science and physical space began with Galatea of the Spheres and came to a pinnacle with his manifesto on Nuclear Mysticism. But I could spend days talking about this topic, so I won't bore you with the specifics.



I can't wait for my trip in Spain and to see Dali's artwork firsthand. Check out below.


http://www.salvador-dali.org/dali/coleccio/en_50obres.html


[image & text http://www.theartistsalvadordali.com/galatea-spheres.htm]