Maria Lluïsa Borràs i Gonzàlez facts for kids
Maria Lluïsa Borràs i González (born in Barcelona on February 1, 1931 – died in Palafrugell on January 23, 2010) was a very important art expert. She was a writer, an art critic, and she organized many art shows. She knew a lot about modern art styles like the avant-garde (new and experimental art) and Dadaism (an art movement that challenged traditional art). She earned a special degree in Art History from the University of Barcelona.
Contents
Her Education
Maria Lluïsa first studied Humanities and Semantics at the University of Barcelona. In 1963, she won an award from the Ford Foundation. This award let her go to the United States. There, she studied modern art at The New School in New York. She learned a lot about American contemporary art. Later, in 1973, she earned her doctorate in art history. Her main project was about the artist Francis Picabia.
Her Career in Art
Working with Art Books
From 1964, Maria Lluïsa helped manage Club Cobalto 49. She worked closely with its founder, Joan Prats, who loved to promote new art in Catalonia. She helped create a series of visual books called Fotoscop. She wrote seven books for this collection. She even took the photos for two of them: one about the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner and another about Josep Lluís Sert.
Helping Joan Miró
Between 1969 and 1973, Maria Lluïsa was the secretary for the famous artist Joan Miró. She, along with Joan Prats and Francesc Vicenç, helped start the Fundació Joan Miró (Joan Miró Foundation). She was the general director of the foundation from 1971 to 1975. She also served on its board. Later, she held similar important roles at the Joan Brossa Foundation. Both artists trusted her greatly because of their friendship and her dedication.
Teaching Art
Maria Lluïsa taught at the Autonomous University of Barcelona from 1969 to 1974. She helped create the first art department there. She taught classes on the history of modern art and art theory. She also started a new course about how to analyze and critique artworks. She also taught at the Eina school of design.
She led the art history section at the Enciclopedia Salvat publishing house. She helped put together encyclopedias and art history books. This work was done with Francesc Vicenç, Vicente Maestre, and Eduard Carbonell from 1967 to 1973.
In 1985, she published a huge book about Francis Picabia. This book was based on her earlier research and took ten years to complete. It was translated into four languages and won an award. It became a very important book about the artist.
Writing and Research
Maria Lluïsa loved to study and promote contemporary art (art made in our time). She wrote articles and essays for many magazines, both in Catalonia and other countries. From 1968 to 1973, she wrote for Canigó and Destino. She supported all kinds of modern art, especially "happenings" (art events). For 30 years, from 1977 to 2002, she wrote for the art page of La Vanguardia newspaper. She was also a correspondent for French magazines like Art Vivant and Opus International.
In 1987, she directed the art magazine El Guía. In her later years, she moved to Palafrugell. There, she created a cultural magazine called Vèlit (2004-2007). She also wrote for Diari de Girona and Bonart magazine. She always encouraged new art forms, like video art and installations.
Making Documentaries
In the 1980s, Maria Lluïsa started a company called Proviart. Its goal was to promote artists from Catalonia. She wrote, directed, and produced documentary films. These included Antoni Tàpies (1981), Pau Gargallo (1981), and Picasso nostre (1982). She called this film series Fotoscop Sonors. This was a tribute to her mentor, Joan Prats. These documentaries are now kept at the Filmoteca Nacional de Catalunya. The Fundació Antoni Tàpies also has a copy of the film about Antoni Tàpies.
Organizing Art Shows
Maria Lluïsa organized about 90 art exhibitions around the world. She featured works by many famous artists. These included Aristide Maillol, Pau Gargallo, Matisse, Magritte, Joan Miró, Picasso, Wolf Vostell, Man Ray, Tàpies, Warhol, and Joan Brossa.
In 1990, she organized the Spanish pavilion at the Venice Biennale for the artist Antoni Miralda. She was also very interested in modern art from North Africa, Cuba, and the Caribbean. She dedicated several exhibitions to artists from these regions.
Her Books and Studies
Maria Lluïsa Borràs wrote more than 30 books and articles about art. Some of her important works include a book about the architect Antoni Gaudí (1972). She also wrote about art collectors in Catalonia (1986-1987). She published books on artists like Eduardo Chillida (1974), Wifredo Lam (1996), Ramon Pichot (1997), and Salvador Dalí (2004).
She was especially interested in the work of Alexander Calder and Marcel Duchamp. She also wrote a book about the poet and boxer Arthur Cravan called Cravan, une stratégie du scandale (1996).
Her Legacy
In 2004, Maria Lluïsa moved to Palafrugell, her father's hometown. She lived and worked there for the last five years of her life. She passed away on January 23, 2010.
A large part of her personal library, with over 20,000 books, was first managed by the Gresol association. This was possible thanks to funding from the Elsa Peretti Foundation. In 2019, this collection was moved to the library of the University of Girona. It is now part of their Special Funds, which hold important private collections.
The rest of Maria Lluïsa's private library and documents were kept by her daughter, Adelaida Frías. In 2015, her daughter donated them to the MACBA. This collection has over 60,000 items. These include handwritten notes, letters, photos, and videos. It also has 1,500 books and magazines from her personal collection.
Maria Lluïsa believed that an art critic's job was to share knowledge with readers. She thought they should help people understand art better. She famously said:
"The critic is not a judge, but a bridge between artist and audience". –Maria Lluïsa Borràs–
Selected Books She Wrote
- Niebla, pintura 1987–2009 (2009)
- Salvador Dalí, vida i obra d'un geni (Salvador Dalí, life and work of a genius) (2004)
- Andrés Nagel, una década (Andrés Nagel, a decade) (2003)
- Ramon Pichot (1997)
- Arthur Cravan: une stratégie du scandale (Arthur Cravan: a strategy of scandal) (1996)
- Picabia (1985) – This book was translated into French, English, and German.
- Sert, arquitectura mediterrània (Sert, Mediterranean architecture) (1974)
- Gaudí (1972)
- Domènech i Montaner: arquitecto del modernismo (Domènech i Montaner: architect of modernism) (1971)
Awards and Recognition
- 1987: She received the Premi ACCA (Catalan Association of Art Critics Award).
- 2004: She was given the "Medalla d'Or" (Gold Medal) for her artistic contributions by the Barcelona city council.
- 2006: She became a member of the Reial Acadèmia Catalana de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi (Royal Catalan Academy of Fine Arts of Sant Jordi).
See also
In Spanish: María Luisa Borràs González para niños
