Joan Miró was a Spanish painter born in Barcelona in 1893.
Joan Miró at a glance
- Born: April 20, 1893, in Barcelona, Spain
- Died: December 25, 1983, in Palma, Mallorca
- Nationality: Spanish (Catalan)
- Style or Movement: Linked to Surrealism, though he never joined any movement fully
- Medium: Painting, sculpture, ceramics and printmaking
- Education: The Llotja art school in Barcelona
- Moved to Paris: 1920
- Museums: Fundació Joan Miró in Barcelona (1975) and Fundació Pilar i Joan Miró in Palma (1981)
“I want to assassinate painting. I want to upset the visual elements of established painting.”
He came from a family of a goldsmith and a watchmaker, growing up in the Barri Gòtic neighborhood. He began drawing classes at age seven and enrolled at the fine art academy at La Llotja in 1907, to his father’s dismay. He had his first solo show in 1918 at the Galeries Dalmau, where his work was ridiculed and defaced. Inspired by Fauve and Cubist exhibitions, he moved to Paris in 1920 but continued to spend his summers in Catalonia. A museum dedicated to his work was established in Barcelona in 1975, and another in Palma de Mallorca in 1981.
- Born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1893.
- Attended the fine art academy at La Llotja.
- Had his first solo show in 1918 at Galeries Dalmau.
- Moved to Paris in 1920.
- His work is associated with Surrealism but with a personal style.
His work has been interpreted as Surrealism but with a personal style, sometimes also veering into Fauvism and Expressionism. He was notable for his interest in the unconscious or the subconscious mind, reflected in his re-creation of the childlike. His difficult to classify works also had a manifestation of Catalan pride. In numerous interviews, he expressed contempt for conventional painting methods as a way of supporting bourgeois society, and declared an “assassination of painting” in favour of upsetting the visual elements of established painting.
He earned international acclaim for his unique artistic vision. His work is held in major museums around the world, and his influence on 20th-century art is profound. He is remembered as one of the most important artists of his generation, and his legacy continues to inspire new generations of artists. He died in Palma de Mallorca on December 25, 1983, leaving behind a rich and diverse body of work that continues to captivate audiences.