Recently, the Palais des Nations in Geneva was held the opening of the new Hall of Human Rights and the Alliance of Civilizations. It was attended by more than 700 people, including King Juan Carlos of Spain (Juan Carlos) and his wife Sofia, Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero (José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero), UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (Ban Ki-moon) and Swiss President Pascal Kushpen (Pascal Couchepin). All they could see a new dome, painted the famous Spanish painter Michele Barceló (Miquel Barceló). The artist turned the room into a fantastic cave, which hang from the ceiling «stalactites» of paint all the colors of the rainbow.

This is a striking piece (area 1 486 square meters!) took more than 100 tons of paint. Pigments were brought from all over the world. In order to do a paint «icicles», was developed by special equipment. Barceló his hard work helped a wide variety of specialists, including experts on the physics of elementary particles, engineers, architects and restorers. Director Miguel Prado Museum Sugasa (Migual Zugaza) said that the «cave» is the most important creature Barceló, as well as the best product of «Public Art» Spain over the past few decades.

Work on the dome began on 9 April 2007. The next two months were spent to make the room completely empty. Then set superprochny aluminum frame dome, and September 1, the artist began to paint the ceiling. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain has spent on the project Barceló 23 million dollars, of which 40 per cent paid for the state, and the rest - the private investors. To finance the «cave» Foundation was established ONUART. Of course, not without protest: is not everyone's taste, when in times of deep economic crisis in the country, the state spends money on such an ambitious project of contemporary artists. In particular, the conservative People's Party opened a debate about what part of the money was taken from the fund, founded to fight poverty. But the Spanish Government has stated that poverty - separately, and art - individually, and that the money allocated for the project Barceló, originally not intended to help low-income citizens.

«bounty» Spain has led to the admiration of many important persons. For example, Ban Ki-moon said that the work Barceló can be seen as a metaphor of the vast work that makes the United Nations. Colors «stalactites» change if they are viewed from different angles - the same, according to the secretary general, takes place in politics: the way people look at things depends on where they look. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said that the product «wants to be a reflection of today's Spain, her energy and self-confidence». As himself Barceló, the «cave» is a modification of the agora - the market square in the ancient Greek policies, which were common assembly. In his work he was especially inspired by natural forms, in particular the magnificent «architecture» ocean depths.

Mikel Barceló was born in 1957 in Mallorca. As the painter himself, he belongs to a generation of Spaniards, who came from «very few poets, few artists, a lot of guitarists pop melodies, and above all, a lot of drug addicts». In 17 years Barceló went to Paris, where he first saw the work of Paul Klee (Paul Klee), Fotre Jean (Jean Fautrier), Volsa (Wols) and Jean Dyubyuffe (Jean Dubuffet), which made an indelible impression on him. The impact of these notable artists in the works Barceló today. As a young artist created a provocative installation, consisting of boxes with glass lids, which were different decomposing products: bananas, fish, eggs, and so on. In one of the boxes Barceló put chicken leg, which still nakrasil nails - not for the faint-hearted spectacle!

The artist has participated in various youth groups protesting against urbanization. He was fond of painting Luchio Fountains (Lucio Fontana) and Mark Rothko (Mark Rothko) and make the picture-«objects», which are often decorated with drawings, organic elements, and his favorite box. In 22 years Barceló, visited the exhibition in Madrid on the 50 th anniversary of the New York Museum of Modern Art. He «проникся» creativity of American artists - Jackson Pollock (Jackson Pollock), Willem de Kuninga (Willem de Kooning), Saya Tuombli (Cy Twombly) and others. While Barceló loved his paintings cover a thick layer of paint and put them on the street in bad weather, that nature was able to «one's heart's content» them to work. In the early eighties the artist began to use spray paint equipment, which glorified the whole world Jackson Pollock. Barceló also met with the famous Catalan artist Joan Miro abstraktsionistom (Joan Miró). In his paintings first appeared figurative elements: columns of smoke, books, zoomorphic figures. Like many artists of that time, he turned to figurative painting and began to depict in their pictures of strange monsters. In 1982, Barceló went on the famous Documenta exhibition in Kassel, where he met and became friends with many fashionable while painters, including Jean-Michel Baskov, (Jean-Michel Basquiat). In 1984 the artist participated in the Venice Biennale. In those years he wrote the dark figurative painting in the spirit of expressionism, with a predominance of dark tones and fantastic scenes.

In 1988, the artist made his first trip to Africa, which was his love for life. He visited many countries of the Black Continent: Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso ... In Africa, Barceló created mostly drawings. Recently, in Spain, a book of African figures, which also included his letter, observations and reflections.

At the same time, painting the artist was moving toward abstraction. In 1989, Barceló first worked on the design of theatrical productions: for opera «Balaganchik maese Pedro» Manuel de Falla (Manuel de Falla), he created the sets and giant puppets.

In 1991, the artist turned to «ocean theme», illustrating the «Book of the Ocean» Hunkosy poet Enrique (Enrique Juncosa). At the same time he began creating bronze sculptures, as well as pieces of pottery and terracotta.

The most important role in his creative play, of course, «natural» motives.

Over the years, projects Barceló becoming increasingly ambitious. In the early 2000's he worked on illustrations for the «Divine Comedy» Dante, but also created ceramic fresco area exceeding 300 square meters for the Cathedral Chapel of Majorca. In 2004, his illustrations to Dante's work exhibited at an exhibition in the Louvre - he became the first living contemporary artist, whose works «broke» in this museum.

Barceló now - the most successful artist of Spain (see modern art world: money, events, trends ). The most expensive of his work is painting «White Rose», sold at auction Phillips de Pury & Co. in 2007 for 715 thousand pounds (1.4 million dollars).

Material prepared Yulia Maksimova

Sources: artdaily.com , elcultural.es , miquelbarcelo.info , artinvestment.ru