España - Modernisme y Fascismo en Nueva York
“Never mind the rain, remember them boys in Spain.” - slogan
Were they bored, sympathetic, or what?
In 1937, one thousand New Yorkers joined thirty-five thousand other volunteers, creating the International Brigade that would help the Spanish Republican Army fight against the Francoists (Nationalists). Though defeated, their legacy is now on display at the Museum of the City of New York until August 12th. The multmedia, memorabilia, and information provided by this exhibit is quite interesting on many levels, but especially because it helps shed light on why Spain mattered to New York.
Many socialists and members of the left-wing intelligentsia around the world felt the plight that the Spaniards were undergoing. They knew of the danger that Mussolini and Hitler presented to Europe and didn’t want that virus of fascism to spread through to Spain as well.
Also exhibited during this spring art season is “Barcelona and Modernity: Gaudí to Dalí,” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This awesome 300 piece showcase presents a transitioning city between 1880-1939, moving from a provincial Catalonian capital to an European artistic haven of the avante-garde. The amount of art produced in Barcelone during this fifty year period is astounding and the names of the artists is truly intimidating: Antoni Gaudi, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, and Salvador Dali.
I never knew Gaudi was such a multi-faceted artisan:
Or that Picasso produced so much fantastic work during his “Blue Period.”
If you are in New York City during the remaining tenure of these exhibits and you are a lover of Spanish history and art, just stroll up Fifth Avenue. Or for a closer look, let’s head to Catalunya and get some cafe con leche at Els Quatre Gats!