A poetics of use: Making use of the library

Out of a reading of books dedicated to some of the renowned artists in the past or present Suñol Soler Collection, Antònia del Rio has selected extracts referring to the construction of historiographical discourse on the artist as genius and works of art considered to be masterpieces. She has highlighted personal information in the extracts, placing particular emphasis on the artists’ paternity and the implications of being a father in these men’s professional careers, as well as their profession as artists within their family histories, and also quotations in the artists’ own voices.

The intervened books in the foundation’s library are identified and constellated by yellow markers on their spines. Inside, transparent plastic sheets have been inserted for the purposes of highlighting the text. This brings to light content that was already a part of the Fundació Suñol, but which the artist’s gaze has brought out in critical mode to propose a possible counter-narrative and suggest we search for others.

This project is complemented by the online piece S/T Mapa de relacions (Map of relationships) specifically created for Shortcut. 

A poetics of use: Making use of the library

19 intervened catalogues from the Fundació Suñol library. Artists (in chronological order) Giacomo Balla, Jean Arp, Man Ray, Joan Miró, Alexander Calder, Lucio Fontana, Salvador Dalí, Pablo Palazuelo, Antoni Tàpies, Eduardo Chillida, Manolo Millares, Andy Warhol, Antonio Saura, Christo, Eduardo Arroyo, Alighiero Boetti, Robert Mapplethorpe, Miquel Barceló, Equipo crónica.

Cardboard, permanent marker on transparent plastic sheets and adhesive tape.

2019-2020