7th Modernista Fair 2011

The seventh edition of our Fair has arrived! With more participation than ever, sixteen organisations will occupy the stands in Carrer Girona between Mallorca and València from 3 to 5 June 2011. New additions this year include a visit from the National Geographic Institute (IGN), which will show us how cartography and astronomy enjoyed a golden age in our country in the late 19th century; the Xarxa de Municipis Indians, which brings together the municipalities that experienced the return of americanos, as they were known at the time; Casa Elizalde Civic Centre with “Windows of Memory”, an activity to collect old photographs of individuals with the aim of recovering the visual memory of the Eixample. From Europe, the Réseau Art Nouveau Network, a non-profit association of European cities – including Barcelona, as represented by the Municipal Institute of Urban Landscape (IMPU) – dedicated to promoting Art Nouveau, will be in the city to organise the historical laboratory “Tourism and the preservation of Art Nouveau heritage: a source of funding... a source of problems?” at La Pedrera on Saturday; the town of Rijeka (Croatia), with Art Nouveau architecture that is largely limited to the decoration of its façades, and the Lombardy Region, where much of Italy’s rich heritage is concentrated. The Barcelona Modernisme Route, Art Nouveau European Route, Museum of Catalan Modernisme, Turisme de Barcelona, ProEixample, Casa Asia-Palau Baró de Quadras, and the cities of Riga, Palma de Mallorca and autonomous city of Melilla will also be present.

But one of the great novelties this year is the 1st Modernista Bicycle Ride! Organised by the Museum of Catalan Modernisme (MMCAT), it involves riding bicycles in period costume, starting at the Sagrada Família, with a stop at the MMCAT for a chocolate bar to get your strength back and finishing at the Fair. Start pedalling to show off your Modernista outfits around the city!

The other big novelty is the 1st Modernista Shop Window Competition, from 23 May to 12 June, which will make it even more delightful to walk through the streets of the Dreta de l’Eixample, organised by El Periódico and Coreixample, the association of traders and professionals of the Dreta de l’Eixample area.

Our large marquee will also house three new exhibitions: Més de 120 anys de fusta: eines i objectes del camp (More Than 120 Years of Wood: Rural Tools and Objects), a collection from a private collector who has restored many old tools; an exhibition on cartography and topographic and geodesic instruments from the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century from the IGN; and Modernisme a les vies (Modernism on the Tracks), which includes a model train, tickets and period objects also from a private collection. The marquee will also feature the documentary Modernisme et société (Modernism and Society) and an exhibition of vintage vehicles.

A talk entitled “Problems of maintenance and restoration of Modernista monuments and buildings” will be given by Antonio González Moreno-Navarro, architect in charge of the restoration of the Palau Güell, at the Gran Hotel Havana on Friday, and the exhibition Dibuixos de l’Eixample Modernista (Drawings of the Modernista Eixample) by Joan Mataró will run from 2 to 13 June in the foyer of the District’s headquarters.

In the Fair’s magazine you will find an interview with Luis Castañeda, professor in the Department of History and Economic Institutions of the University of Barcelona, on the gold rush and Modernisme, and an article on Riga Art Nouveau by Jᾱnis Krastinš, professor at the University of Riga, a city that has been participating in the Fair for three years now.

Our pianola, puppets from the Gaudí and Modernisme show, photographer for those who come dressed in period costume to the Fair, Modernista stalls at the Mercat de la Concepció, a guided Modernista route along Passeig de Gràcia, giants, children’s workshops and demonstrations of old trades will round off this new edition of the Fair with a whole host of activities. The only thing missing is your presence, so we hope to see you there.