Eigth tapestries
The exhibition of eight tapestries in the Old Church of Mont-roig represents a renewed encounter between Joan Miró and the village that so deeply inspired him. In this unique heritage site, the collection of tapestries created in collaboration with Josep Royo finds an ideal setting to be viewed with closeness and respect for the place.
As Rosa Maria Malet notes, “of all the techniques Miró worked with, textile art came the latest”. It wasn’t until 1970, through the technical mastery and complicity of Josep Royo, that the artist was able to express himself with a textile radicalism comparable to his most experimental and material-based painting. Royo’s deep knowledge of materials enabled the transfer of Miró’s spirit of experimentation into the warp and weft, incorporating textures, objects, and actions such as burning, inserting or tearing the support.
The scenographic design conceived for the church enhances this expressiveness. The space’s architecture, with its side chapels, establishes a direct dialogue with each artwork. The central scenographic element, built of painted wood and designed as a modular structure, acts as a visual catalyst: it highlights the works, generates multiple perspectives, and offers aesthetic readings that evolve with the visitor’s path.
Unlike an opaque wall, this structure is vectorial and transparent, allowing the viewer to see through it and to observe the reverse side of the tapestries — an unusual view that reveals their technical complexity. Its modular nature facilitates reusability and adaptation for future exhibitions: it can be panelled to provide flat surfaces and easily stored within the same space, all while maintaining functionality and harmony with the historic building.
With this project, Miró symbolically returns to Mont-roig. As always, he does so by exploring new languages, finding the right collaborators to bring his visions to life, and leaving yet another indelible mark on the history of contemporary art.
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Organizing institutions: Fundació Mas Miró – Mont-roig del Camp Town Council
© Photographs: Ignasi Cristià, S.L.
