Barcelona is home to a variety of internationally renowned art galleries and museums where you can discover some incredible and inspiring art. But you can also get inspired simply by walking around the city where you can find various sculptures. Here are some of the most popular ones to look out for as you wander through the streets of the Catalan capital.
Related article: Art Bike Tour – Enjoy the art of cycling
Table of Contents
1. El Gato by Fernando Botero
Photo by Shawn Hoke via VisualHunt
Fernando Botero’s Cat came to Barcelona in 1987 where it was first placed in Parc de la Ciutadella. Since then it has moved around a bit from the Olympic Stadium to a square near the shipyards, before finally finding its permanent home at the end of La Rambla del Raval in 2003. The over inflated bronze cat is one of the most quirky pieces of art in the neighborhood, often attracting the attention of children who pet the statue and play around it. You can see Botero’s other chubby animal statue, the Horse, at Terminal 2 at Barcelona’s airport.
2. Cerillas by Claes Oldenburg
In Vall d’Hebron, you can find a 20-metre tall matchbox, on an unassuming street corner. This colorful sculpture was created by Swedish artist Claes Oldenbrug, built during for the 1992 Olympics. Cerillas is a pop art sculpture that stands out in an area that is not very frequented by tourists but which is a must see for those who truly appreciate modern art.
3. David and Goliath by Antoni Llena
This unusual piece of art, situated close to the beach in Vila Olímpica, was created by the Catalan artist Antoni Llena. This tall sculpture depicts the epic battle between David and Goliath in an abstract expression. You can also see another of Llena’s pieces, “Preferiria no fer-ho” (I would prefer not to) in the courtyard of the Casa de la Cuitat.
Related article: MNAC – Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
4. La Jirafa Coqueta by Josep Granyer
Photo by jaime.silva via VisualHunt
As you walk up from Plaça de Catalunya, on the Rambla de Catalunya, just before you reach Avinguda Diagonal you will get a pleasant surprise in the form of a rather flirtatious character lounged out ahead of you. La Jirafa Coqueta or The Flirtatious Giraffe is a sculpture by artist Josep Granyer. He created the piece back in 1972 as a part of a series depicting curious-looking animals displaying human traits. You can find another sculpture in the series nearby called El Toro Sentado or The Sitting Bull (also known as the Thinking Bull).
5. The Circle by André Fauteux
In 1987, the award-winning Canadian artist André Fauteux, who is known for using large steel structures in geometric abstract designs, was commissioned to create this sculpture as a holocaust memorial to those from Barcelona who died in the Nazi death camps. This powerful piece can be found in Parc de la Ciutadella.
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* Main photo by Catalan Art & Architecture Gallery (Josep Bracons) via VisualHunt.com
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