The expectation in the Saló de Cent of Barcelona City Hall seemed like that of a wedding. Perhaps for civil reasons, given the secular and municipal setting of the event. Personalities from culture, the world of finance, tourism and politics met this morning amid abundant press to cover the presentation of the Carmen Thyssen Museum, the next home of the baroness’s collection, which she herself defines as “a long dream finally come true.”
Rumors and speculation about the figures, the possible municipal involvement or the artistic orientation of the museum grew on the benches of the solemn room until the leading trio appeared: Carmen Cervera and Jaume Sabater – CEO of the Stoneweg real estate fund – as “boyfriends”. ” and Mayor Collboni serving as high priest of this economic-artistic union in which the Baroness contributes her name, and part of her collection of Catalan painting from the 19th and 20th centuries, and Stoneweg the capital. The trio was accompanied by María del Carmen Thyssen Cervera, daughter of the baroness who will be part of the board of trustees of the private foundation Arte y Legado, which will manage the museum.
At the moment, Stoneweg has disbursed 100 million euros for the purchase of the Palau Marcet, the building of the former Comedia Cinemas, but it is unknown how much the remodeling amount will be. What is stipulated in the agreement is that the fund takes over the exploitation rights of the museum, which, as Sabater has declared, “was born today”, although he has clarified that he does not expect it to be operational until 2027 at the earliest.
A 100% private and hybrid museum
Furthermore, being, as Mayor Collboni has underlined, “a 100% private museum in which the Barcelona city council has only hosted the solemn presentation of the agreement and is committed to streamlining bureaucratic procedures”, the new Museu Carmen Thyssen will be new in terms of content, operation and commercial exploitation.
Cervera explained that the museum, on the one hand, will house his private collection of Catalan painting from the previous two centuries, but it will also be a center for “temporary exhibitions of top-level contemporary artists.” Asked by this means, the baroness has not made it clear whether the paintings from her collection contributed to the new museum also include those that she now has on loan at the MNAC (Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya), or those from the art center that she owns. in Sant Felui de Gixols. He has only explained that “the works will flow between the various museums where my collection resides.”
The idea is to accommodate samples of painting as well as decorative arts, fashion and jewelry. Additionally, the explanatory brochure that has been distributed specifies that “the museum will offer a complete experience through a concept store with exclusive products related to the collections and a gastronomic offer inspired by creativity and design.”
Barcelona as a global cultural reference
The same triptych adds that “the unique temporary exhibitions will be designed to accompany and dialogue with the permanent collection, offering a diverse cultural offer that will position Barcelona as a global cultural reference.” Regarding this position, of the city in the world of culture and art, Collboni has elaborated in his parliament, who wanted to highlight that since he has been in office “the efforts have been accelerated for the project to come to fruition.” ”.
For Collboni, Barcelona “is already an international cultural reference.” The first mayor has been euphoric about the cultural dynamism of the city. He highlighted that “the expansion works at MACBA will begin shortly.” [Museu d’Art Contemporàni de Barcelona] and the second phase of the competition that will award the winning project to expand the MNAC has already begun.” In total, the Barcelona city council has disbursed 61 million euros for the renovation of both museums, in addition to the Mercat de les Flors stage space.
Asked about the reason for sponsoring a private museum, the mayor replied that it is not the only one in the city and has claimed “its contribution to consolidating quality tourism compared to other less sustainable tourism models.” But he has warned that the new museum will also have the mission of “consolidating Catalan art of the 19th and 20th centuries at an international level in the position it deserves.”
A long dream not without questions
Carmen Cervera has repeatedly declared her love for her homeland and the language that characterizes it: Catalan. “I understand and read Catalan, although I don’t speak it very well, but my heart is in Catalan,” he has come to say. She then insisted on the idea that the museum is a dream come true, although during the presentation neither she nor Jaume Sabaté wanted to clear up just the questions that currently hang over the project.
Last May, the Baroness announced that she wanted to establish a permanent headquarters in Barcelona for part of her collection, news that generated division of opinion both in the public cultural sphere and in the media. At first, rumors suggested that the future museum would house the part of Carmen Cervera’s collection referring to Catalan painters, but experts expressed doubts about whether it has enough Catalan works to create a museum attractive to the public, since it does. He revealed that it would be a private museum.
There was speculation then that the Baroness would decide to recover the paintings she lent in 2012 to the MNAC (Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya). Thyssen has repeatedly declared herself dissatisfied with the aforementioned transfer, considering that her works require a more prominent room. Asked about this, Pepe Serra, director of the MNAC, declared a few weeks ago that the museum “does not need Baroness Thyssen’s works at all to be the museum it is today,” thus making it clear that he was not worried that Cervera wanted to recover his paintings. “Maybe we are the ones who have to leave pictures for her,” he replied.
Currently, Carmen Thyssen has an extensive collection of Catalan art from the 19th and 20th centuries. It is stored in museums in Malaga and Andorra, in addition to an exhibition space in Sant Feliu de Guíxols (Girona), as well as in works “rented” to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Foundation in Madrid or transferred to the aforementioned MNAC, which currently keeps 27 pieces. .
Among the latter, stand out The cathedral of the poorby Joaquim Mir –one of the few works to which the director of the MNAC attributes capital importance–; Ferit chopperby Marià Fortuny; Outdoor interiorby Ramon Casas, as well as canvases by Joaquim Mir, Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa, Joaquim Sunyer, Carlos Casagemas and Santiago Rusiñol. The most contemporary art collection also includes work by Tàpies, Torres García, Cuixart and others. Currently, all of these works remain in the museum, in a specific room that recognizes the collector, on a free transfer basis.
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