Get ready for a surreal journey beyond your wildest dreams!
More than 230 original masterpieces by the brilliant artist Salvador Dalí will adorn the hallowed halls of the Gravina Museum of Fine Arts (Mubag) in Alicante from 9 November to 5 May, 2023.
This great spectacle coincides with the celebrations of the centenary of the first surrealist manifesto of 1924, an important event that the President of the Provincial Government of Alicante, Toni Pérez, has announced with great fervour.
Enter the enigmatic realm of 'Dalí. Metamorfosis', an impressive monographic installation that will enchant your senses until dawn on 5 May. Some of these priceless creations will be bathed in an ethereal, subdued light, as carefully prescribed by our conservators to protect them from harm.
"Our beloved Mubag amazes us once again with an exhibition brought about by the harmonious collaboration of prestigious institutions and private collectors, who once again join hands to further the grand journey of culture and offer us a unique opportunity to view the legacy of one of the greatest luminaries of Surrealism," the provincial luminary declared.
Pérez, who was flanked by the Provincial Councillor for Culture, Juan de Dios Navarro, described this as a historic moment, as it is the first solo exhibition in the province of Alicante to show the works of the surrealist master.
"This will be an unrivalled exhibition, an odyssey that will reveal the virtuosity and multidisciplinarity of the genius"," he explained.
As you ascend to the upper floor of the museum, a place of splendour and light, you will witness the debut of a mesmerising light installation made especially for this ethereal exhibition.
It brings together an enchanting selection of oil paintings on canvas, sculptures, watercolours, Chinese ink on paper, woodcuts, etchings and drypoints, harmoniously interwoven with a choice selection of photographs and captivating audiovisual works.
The exhibition's narrative is woven from the fabric of transformation, interwoven with the symbols in Dalí's works and the artistic exploration of various themes related to this motif.
"The journey will also reveal the assimilation of transformation into metamorphosis that winds its way through the annals of literature," reveals the curator of this enigmatic spectacle, Óscar Carrascosa.
In addition, the director of the Mubag, Jorge Soler, unveiled the intricate tapestry of this exhibition, a huge challenge that the museum overcame during months of intensive preparation.
"It was a labour of love, carried out with unbridled enthusiasm and showing works that have rarely seen the light of day."
'Dali. Metamorfosis' has been made possible by the kind loan of works from prestigious centres such as the María José Jove Foundation, the Montserrat Museum (which celebrates its thousandth anniversary in 2024) and the Amyc-Fran Daurel Foundation, among other esteemed donors. Collaboration with prestigious institutions such as the Museum of the City of New York, the British Library and the Manuel de Falla Archive Foundation has been crucial to this major endeavour.
In addition, the exhibition establishes a close connection to the province by showing a series of captivating photographs by Perfecto Arjones. These images show the artist together with Alicante-based journalist Pirula Arderius, who once had the privilege of interviewing Dalí for the newspaper Information.
Hidden Beauty' is the title of the first of the four enchanting sections that make up this surreal spectacle, featuring iconic oil paintings such as 'Madonna with Mystic Rose' and 'The Pyramids of Giza'
This fascinating odyssey continues with 'Unpublished Dalí. The drawings of the Abbey of Montserrat', a treasure trove of 25 exquisite works donated to the Catalan monastery by Josefina Cusí, daughter of the painter's uncle and benefactor, Joaquim Cusí. In this section, you will witness works such as 'Study for Figures Lying in the Sand' and 'Study for a Cubist Composition', as well as the famous portrait of his father and another of his most famous drawings, 'Portrait of María Carbona', from the generous donation of Josep Sala i Ardiz.
Dalí's deep connection to the world of literature can be seen in the third section, which is inspired by 'Alice in Wonderland' by Lewis Carroll. Engravings from 'The Divine Comedy' by Dante Alighieri, 'The Love of Cassandra' by Pierre de Ronsard and those inspired by 'The Three-Pointed Hat' by Manuel de Falla await your contemplation.
Finally, the section 'Fashion and ephemeral art' takes you into the intricate world of Dalí's fascination with this discipline, which has been brilliantly captured in numerous works. Particularly noteworthy is the untitled oil painting on canvas in which Dalí playfully looks at the pages of Vogue, a masterpiece from 1943.
