Catalan Literature and Art Movements
Catalan Literature
Joan Salvat-Papasseit (1894-1924)
Known primarily for his poetry, Joan Salvat-Papasseit also authored articles, manifestos, and other prose works exploring political and social themes. His work is characterized by nonconformity, idealism, and the poignant awareness of his impending death. His poems, influential on both avant-garde and traditional poets, evolved from the experimental style of Poems (1919) to the mature artistry of The Kite (1922), culminating in the passionate critique of The Poet’s Poem of Pink Lips (1923). He died of tuberculosis in 1924.
Josep Vicenç Foix (1893-1987)
Influenced by Noucentisme yet fascinated by the avant-garde, Josep Vicenç Foix described himself as “a researcher of poetry.” His career began before the Spanish Civil War, but widespread recognition of his poetic genius didn’t come until the 1950s. His work draws from diverse sources, including Italian and medieval troubadour poetry, as well as Surrealism and Futurism. He contributed to major Catalan journals and championed new avant-garde art, literature, and plastic arts. The Spanish Civil War and the Franco regime disrupted his journalistic work. His notable poetic works include Sun and Mourning (1947), Where I Left the Keys (1953), and Save These Books on Your Low Shelf (1964). In 1973, he received the prestigious Honor Award of Catalan Letters.
Carles Riba (1893-1959)
Poet, storyteller, literary critic, translator, and academic, Carles Riba’s lyrical works include First Book of Estances (1919), Second Book of Estances (1930), Three Suites (1937), Elegies of Bierville (1943), and Wild Heart and Outline of Three Oratorios (1953). He was a professor of Greek, a member of the Institute of Catalan Studies, and vice president of the first institution of Catalan literature during the Republic.
Josep Maria de Sagarra (1894-1961)
Playwright, journalist, novelist, memoirist, translator, and above all, a poet, Josep Maria de Sagarra’s work is marked by a rich and vibrant language, skillful use of rhetorical devices, and a desire to connect with his audience. His popular theatrical successes include The Crown of Thorns (1930), The Hostal de la Gloria (1931), The Café de la Marine (1933), and La Rambla de las Floristas (1935). His notable poems include Songs of Rowing and Sailing (1923), The Count Arnau (1928), and The Christmas Poem (1931). His novel Private Life (1932) is considered an iconic portrayal of Barcelona.
Art Movements
Cubism (1907-1917)
Cubism was a radical avant-garde movement that sought to develop a new pictorial language. It profoundly influenced painters, sculptors, and architects interested in artistic renewal.
Futurism (1909-1920)
Futurism, founded in Italy by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, marked the beginning of avant-garde artistic currents. Marinetti published the Futurist Manifesto on February 20, 1909, in the Parisian newspaper Le Figaro. Futurism aimed to break completely with the art of the past.
Dadaism (1915-1920)
Dadaism embraced spontaneity, chance, and the absurd, rejecting bourgeois morality and conventional notions of good taste.
Surrealism (1917-1940)
Surrealism advocated for automatic writing and the incorporation of dream imagery into art. It emphasized the importance of the unconscious mind, drawing inspiration from psychoanalysis. Surrealist texts are often filled with impossible images, absurd humor, and dreamlike sequences.
Connectors in Writing
Connectors are essential elements that organize the relationships between sentences and paragraphs, ensuring coherence and progression within a text.