The Artigas Gallery

The Artigas Gallery, with locations in Miami and Madrid, is dedicated to promoting renowned international artists through original limited edition prints and photographs. However, the gallery’s name pays homage to one of the great artistic collaborations of the 20th century – that between Catalan ceramicist Josep Llorens Artigas and famed Spanish surrealist painter Joan Miró.

Josep Llorens Artigas – Master Ceramicist

Josep Llorens Artigas (1892-1980) is considered one of the great masters of 20th century ceramics. Born in Barcelona, Artigas studied at the School of Fine Arts before moving to Paris in 1924, where he opened a studio on the rue Blomet[9]. It was here that he began his decades-long friendship and artistic partnership with Joan Miró.

Artigas was instrumental in reviving the Catalan pottery tradition. He sought to elevate ceramics from mere craft to a form of high art. Artigas pioneered new techniques for achieving vibrant colors and crackle glazes that became his signature[1]. His ceramic works, often large-scale vases and plates, were characterized by simple forms that served as a canvas for his experimental firings and colorful, abstract motifs.

In addition to his own artistic creations, Artigas was a respected teacher who helped train the next generation of ceramicists. He taught sculpture at the School of Arts in Barcelona for many years[16]. In 1989, his son Joan Gardy Artigas established the Fundació Artigas in his father’s honor to preserve his artistic legacy[18].

Joan Miró – Pioneering Surrealist

Joan Miró (1893-1983) was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century and a key figure in the Surrealist movement. A painter, sculptor, and ceramicist, Miró is renowned for his playful, poetic, and imaginative style. His boldly colored paintings often feature whimsical shapes and symbols floating against abstract backgrounds.

Miró first met Josep Llorens Artigas in 1920 and the two formed an instant connection[9]. When Artigas moved to Paris in 1924, Miró introduced him to his avant-garde circle of artist friends. Miró had always been fascinated by the material of clay and the ceramic process. In Artigas, he found both a kindred spirit and a technical master who could help bring his ceramic visions to life.

Miró-Artigas Ceramics

Beginning in 1944, Joan Miró and Josep Llorens Artigas began a fruitful collaboration creating ceramic sculptures and murals that would span four decades[1]. Miró would provide the designs and Artigas would oversee the challenging technical process of translating the ideas into clay, glazes and firings.

Their groundbreaking large-scale ceramic murals graced the walls of many notable buildings including the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Barcelona airport, and the Miró Foundation in Barcelona[9]. These murals merged Miró’s signature biomorphic forms and bold colors with Artigas’s mastery of the ceramic medium.

Miró and Artigas also created smaller-scale sculptural ceramics that blurred the lines between painting and pottery, art and craft. Works like their famous 1945 “Grand Vase” were painted with Miró’s dream-like shapes and figures[1]. Through their partnership, Miró and Artigas pioneered a new direction for ceramics, unleashing its expressive potential as a fine art form.

The Miró-Artigas ceramics have been widely exhibited around the world and are housed in major museum collections from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to the Fundació Joan Miró in Barcelona. Their collaborative works represent a highpoint of 20th century ceramic art.

The Artigas Artistic Legacy

The impact and influence of Josep Llorens Artigas extends well beyond his famous partnership with Joan Miró. Artigas helped elevate ceramics in the public perception and paved the way for later artist-potters to be taken seriously in the art world.

Artigas’s two sons, Joan Gardy Artigas (1938-) and Jordi Artigas (1960-), both became accomplished artists in their own right, carrying on their father’s legacy:

• Joan Gardy Artigas followed directly in his father’s footsteps, training as a ceramicist[18]. He collaborated with Joan Miró in the 1960s-80s to create monumental public murals. Joan Gardy Artigas also established the Fundació Artigas to catalog and preserve his father’s work and archives.
• Jordi Artigas is an established sculptor and painter based in Spain[13]. While working in different mediums than his father and grandfather, Jordi shares their bold and colorful aesthetic sensibilities, as seen in paintings like “Thinking”[14]. Jordi’s sculptures and paintings have been exhibited across Europe[17].

Beyond his own family, Josep Llorens Artigas influenced and inspired generations of ceramic artists in Spain and abroad. The Artigas name has become synonymous with the marriage of ceramics and modern art. This is the tradition that the Artigas Gallery aims to celebrate and promote.

The Artigas Gallery Today

Founded in 2010, the Artigas Gallery operates locations in Miami, Florida and Madrid, Spain. The gallery’s mission is to support and showcase contemporary artists from around the world through curated exhibitions and participation in major international art fairs[20].

While the Artigas Gallery features artists working across all mediums, it maintains a special focus on ceramic art, honoring its namesake Josep Llorens Artigas. The gallery has held exhibitions highlighting the continued evolution of ceramics as a expressive art form.

Recent shows have included solo exhibitions for contemporary ceramic sculptors like Gustavo Artigas[11] and group shows juxtaposing ceramic objects with paintings, prints and photographs[20]. Through its innovative programming, the Artigas Gallery aims to expose new audiences to the possibilities of the ceramic medium.

In addition to its physical gallery spaces, the Artigas Gallery maintains an online presence, allowing it to connect with collectors around the globe[20]. The gallery embraces the internet as a tool to provide greater access and appreciation for the artists it represents.

Conclusion

The story of the Artigas Gallery is intertwined with the story of Josep Llorens Artigas, the master ceramicist who helped revolutionize his medium. Through his own work and his historic collaboration with Joan Miró, Artigas left an indelible mark on the art world.

Today, the Artigas Gallery carries on this legacy by supporting contemporary artists and introducing new generations to the expressive potential of ceramics. From its locations in Miami and Madrid, the gallery serves as a bridge connecting the art of the past with the vanguard of the present. The Artigas name remains a vital force in promoting ceramics and modern art on a global stage.

Citations: [1] https://www.museunacional.cat/exposicions-en-linia/en/hamada-artigas/ [2] https://go.modtix.com/f/f24/francisco-artigas [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artigas_Gardens [4] https://worldhistorycommons.org/portrait-general-artigas [5] https://www.cityartsydney.com.au/artwork/jose-gervasio-artigas/ [6] https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/spring-street-park/history [7] https://www.nps.gov/places/000/general-jose-gervasio-artigas-memorial.htm [8] https://www.reddit.com/r/ContemporaryArt/comments/1adffip/is_it_a_scam_a_gallery_approached_me_for_an_art/ [9] https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/artist/joan-miro-and-josep-llorens-artigas [10] https://www.artsy.net/partner/artigas-gallery [11] https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Gustavo-Artigas/84AE60AA74D19ECD/Exhibitions [12] https://www.deviantart.com/artigas [13] https://artigasartgallery.com/artists/jordi-artigas/ [14] https://www.jordiartigas.net/painting/thinking [15] https://www.deviantart.com/artigas/gallery [16] https://gallerydesartistes.com/gda_portfolio/artigas/ [17] https://matizbcn.com/collections/jordi-artigas [18] http://www.inmabuendia.com/stories/eng-fundacio-artigas [19] https://www.etsy.com/listing/1229092233/vintage-galerie-maeght-paris-joan-miro [20] https://artigasartgallery.com