The European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM)
The European Museum of Modern Art is the first museum exclusively dedicated to the exhibition and promotion of contemporary figurative art. It belongs to the Foundation of Arts and Artists, whose main purpose is the support and dissemination of figurative art of the 20th and 21st centuries.
The common aim of MEAM and BAA is to support contemporary styles that do not renounce tradition, but rather emerges from it in order to make a leap forward in the new century.
The MEAM is currently located in the Palau Gomis, an 18th-century palace, which was built by the merchant Gomis in 1792, in the Born neighborhood of Barcelona. It is a neighborhood where culture is ever-present and which reflects all the charm of the old town and has managed to unite tradition and modernity. The area has become a must-see for tourists interested in architecture and art museums.
MEAM differs from other contemporary art museums in that it supports artists who practice figurative art. The museum presents an extensive collection of more than 230 contemporary figurative paintings and sculptures. These works are not usually exhibited in other museums, foundation collections, or institutions that are generally dedicated to more abstract, experimental art, etc.
Check out the calendar of concerts for classical and modern music of the MEAM.
The Foundation of Arts and Artists
The Foundation of Arts and Artists was created in December 2005 by architect José Manuel Infiesta and is officially based in Barcelona. The main goal of the Foundation is to support and promote figurative art and more specifically, the art of the late 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.
The first project of the Foundation was the creation of the Figurativas painting and sculpture competition in 2006, which is held every two years, with the aim of making it the most important gathering of artists from all over the world.
Then came the opening of MEAM in 2011, the first museum in Europe dedicated exclusively to contemporary figurative art, with a permanent installation and temporary exhibitions.
The third project was the creation of the Barcelona Academy of Art, the first Spanish academy dedicated to teaching artistic practices according to 19th-century methodologies.
The next step for the Foundation is to work towards internationalization, in an attempt to reach all figurative artists around the world who want to be part of this ambitious project.