Inspired by Miró

Born in 1893 in Barcelona, Joan Miró is one of the most influential painters of the twentieth century. His work was first influenced by artistic movements ranging from Fauvism to Cubism and Expressionism. The artist then travelled to Paris many times in the 1920s, the centre of artistic creation at the time. There, he met many artists, poets, painters, such as Marcel Duchamp, André Breton, or Jean Cocteau with whom he started working and redefined the perceptions of art. Miró was particularly interested in the subconscious mind and his style started developing towards surrealism aesthetic. This came to shape his characteristic childlike and spontaneous style, inspiring dreamlike visions that transport the viewer away from daily life.

His collaboration with the surrealist movement reached its peak in 1925 when he organized a group exhibition along with Max Ernst, Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso, Giorgio de Chirico, and Man Ray at the Pierre art gallery in Paris. The exhibit was hugely successful, and some of his most famous artworks were introduced to the general public, such as "The Birth of the World" and "Harlequin's Carnival". He experimented with abstract depictions of landscapes and portraits painted on large canvases. However, Miro wished to preserve his own artistic visions and wouldn't obey to any artistic codifications, whether it was academic rules or a surrealist manifesto. Towards the beginning of the 1930s, his relations with the surrealist group deteriorated, and Miró progressively left the group to dedicate himself to monumental outdoor sculptures, murals, collages and ceramics.

Miró's Catalan origins were the starting point of his artistic language, defining himself as a “universal Catalan." For instance, he employed his art to raise international awareness on the 1933 Spanish civil war. His native land greatly influenced his mind and spirit, whether it was through painting, drawings, sculpture, engraving, or ceramic. The Spanish painter depicted classical themes – landscapes, characters, still-lives – while at the same time having a very personal and identifiable style. His work garnered international recognition and his creations are exhibited across the world in the most prestigious museums, such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Undoubtedly, the modern art painter provided a lasting contribution to 20th-century art and the forthcoming art world through his prolific artistic productions.  

It is no surprise that today many contemporary artists are inspired by the artist's style and his oneiric shapes and figures. In this selection, you'll discover contemporary works of art by emerging artists, inspired by the work of the Spanish master.