MACBA: Song for Many Movements

Though it was at the beginning of last month, I spent a fair bit of time on the first day at the Museum of Contemporary Art Barcelona (MACBA). Later I wrote three posts about the permanent collection here (this one gives links to the other two posts) and Daniel Steegman Mangrané here. The first floor exhibition was entitled Song for Many Movements, a title taken from the title of a poem by Audre Lorde. Curated by Maria Berrios and Sabel Gavaldon, the exhibition is an experiment in interactivity, using the first floor of the museum as a site for research, conversations, and discussions around various historical and contemporary issues.

There is comfortable seating in each topical area with material to peruse leisurely. There was some translated material, but far too much material to take in on a casual visit.

A programme of discussions, speakers, poetry, performance, and a live radio broadcast is part of the 6-week exhibition.

I was intrigued to simply walk around these different tableaux and imagine groups of people having heated discussions over the variey of material that was presented.

Many archival items were also included in the exhibition in the assertion that the present is built upon the past.

The exhibition definitely took on the appearance of a learning centre and I could imagine students being brought there in groups to explore.

This exhibition was also a site to display artistic research and there were several pieces that were provocative in their nature.

Such as the alternative Tarot cards on display

and the wall of portait “posters”, which seemed a jumble at first. On further examination I could see that there was much repetition and that many of the portraits were of trans people. Without a doubt, the colourful prints recalled Warhol yet held their own contemporary edge. I thought they celebrated individuality over sameness.