The work by the artist Joan Miró, “Character, birds” is now on display in the Tàpies Space on the UPF Ciutadella campus. The work, on temporary loan, dates from between 1973 and 1977, and is rendered on paper in Chinese ink, watercolour, pencil, wax and pastel. The painting is incorporated into the UPF Art Track, the University’s artistic and cultural heritage itinerary.

It replaces two works by Miró, “No title”, created in 1968, which have been returned to the museum in Montjuïc due to the expiry of their loan period to UPF, which began in 2020, coinciding with the signature of the collaboration agreement between the two institutions. The newly loaned painting will remain at the University for three years, starting on 13 March 2023.

The signing of the loan agreement took place on 17 March. The work was presented on 19 April and the event was attended by Laia de Nadal, UPF rector; Raquel Bouso, vice-rector for Culture and Communication; Marko Daniel, director of the Joan Miró Foundation, and Dolors Rodríguez Roig, curator of exhibitions at the Foundation.

“Culture gives us air and helps us breach the walls of the University to bring us closer to society”

Daniel gave a brief analysis of “Character, birds” highlighting that “it is a delicate work, but it has a great deal of artistic and creative force”. He also stressed that “Miró liked to create works that could be seen in public spaces, like the one we are in today”. The rector, meanwhile, took advantage of her speech to highlight that “culture gives us air and helps us breach the walls of the University to bring us closer to society”. She then went on to express her delight at the good relations existing between the Foundation and the University stating that “the agreement with the Miró Foundation goes beyond the loaning of works of art as it also includes the Fundació Joan Miró-UPF Chair of Contemporary Art, which focuses on research into the person and work of the Catalan artist and the organization of teaching activities through experts in Joan Miró who come to UPF to share their knowledge”.

The collaboration agreement between the institutions was signed in 2020 by Marko Daniel and Jaume Casals, UPF rector between 2013 and 2021, and includes the exhibition of works of the Joan Miró Foundation on the Ciutadella campus, the transfer of a part of the collection from the Foundation Library to the University Library, and the creation of the aforementioned chair.