Bleu ii by joan miro

Collaboration

Due to their earn friendship in Paris and Barcelona, Joan Miró and Josep Llorens set off their long productive collaboration on ceramic vases around 1944. In 1953, they moved into Artigas’s studio in Barcelona’s outskirts in a small village called Gallifa.

Artigas’s studio was packed with pots and vases that had been slightly discolored or misshapen during the initial phase of the firing process. Joan Miró was fascinated by the unique hues and irregular forms of these crafted items. Picking up one vase, Miró started to paint it directly on its surface, while Artigas produces a series of special glazes for him to use.

Artigas’s unique firing techniques imitated the slow firing process and wood-burning kilns from primeval Greeks. According to him, the smoke, fire, and earthen clay preserved the element of the integrity of the ceramics.

The two artists focused on the contrast between the rigidity of the material used and the naïve drawing made with sinuous lines.

Joan Miró’s mosaic pieces in Barcelona

If you have ever been to Barcelona, you must have walked over one of Joan Miro’s mosaics. In 1968 he pledged to create three pieces of art that he would donate to the city of Barcelona, where he was born. They were installed in prominent places such as the airport and the center of Barcelona’s Rambla, where he permanently incorporated his work into a pavement.

Larger works and legacy

In 1936 Miró fled to Paris during the Spanish Civil War
(1936–39; a revolt against
the conservative Republican government). The following year he created
a large mural, the

Reaper,

for the Spanish Pavilion at the International Exposition in Paris. His
work began to achieve great power through increased simplicity,
intensified color, and abstraction, as in the

Bullfight

(1945),

Woman and Bird in Moonlight

(1949), and

Painting

(1953). He was awarded the Grand Prix International at the Venice
Biennale for his graphic work.

Miró’s most famous monumental works are the two ceramic
walls,

Night and Day

(1957–59)

,

for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) building in Paris; the mural painting (1950) and
the ceramic mural (1960) for Harvard University in Cambridge,
Massachusetts; and the ceramic mural (1967) for the Guggenheim Museum in
New York City. In 1975 Miró demonstrated his devotion to his native
country with the donation of the Miró Foundation to the city of
Barcelona, Spain. The building, which houses his works and the
exhibitions of other artists, was designed by the artist’s great
friend, Josep Lluis Sert. One exhibition room was dedicated to the
showing of works by young artists who had not yet been discovered by the
public. Miró died in Palma de Majorca, Spain, on December 25, 1983,
at the age of ninety.

Joan Miro – Master Disrupter

Miro traversed his painting career as an experimental explorer. He started with Fauvism. Then shifted into Magical Realism and, ultimately Surrealism. But Joan Miro never landed in any one art movement. Instead, he pushed each one to extremes and blurred their boundaries. For instance, he influenced the Lyrical Abstraction movement with paintings like Bleu II. Lyrical Abstraction works as a sub-type of Abstract Expressionism. It brings together different painting techniques to subvert the traditional ideals of each. For instance, this Miro masterpiece combines Minimalism with Abstract Expressionism.

What is Minimalism in Visual Art?

Artistic Minimalism describes art that exposes the essence of a subject matter by removing its non-essential features. That means it strips the depiction down to only the subject’s most integral assets. Artistic minimalism is defined and identified by specific developments in post–World War II Western Art.

Minimalism shines through Bleu II with Miro’s simple composition as well as his essential take on the subject matter. He gives us only the most imperative elements to consider. Yet Miro’s message resonates clear as a bell. There’s inherent rhythm to the painting. The objects seem to move and draw our eyes across the canvas. We thus engage in a feeling of both understanding and mystery intertwined. That was the magic of Joan Miro’s work. He was comfortable with experimental techniques. In fact, Miro sparked Surrealism with his automatic drawings in the early 1920s. He later declared a desire to “assassinate painting”.

Miro talked about breaking the Bourgeoisie art tradition. He fought what he called propaganda and appropriation of artwork by the wealthy. We can see this in his radical pieces like Bleu II. But his words on the topic are striking and unforgettable as well. He once said of Picasso’s paintings, “I will break their guitar,” about his goal to attack the popularity and embezzling of Picasso’s art by Bourgeoisie politics.

What is the Bourgeoisie?

The Bourgeoisie are defined as the middle or upper middle class. This group is distinct and contrasted with the common man by their wealth and power. Sometimes this social group is categorized into a petty (petite), middle (moyenne), grand (grande), upper (haute), and ancient (ancienne) bourgeoisie. But most often they are the upper crust social class.

I love the way Miro’s work, especially Bleu II, disrupts artistic traditions, such as those promoted by the Bourgeoisie. He ruptures the patriarchy with this simple, peaceful story unlike anything that came before in the art world. Miro gave us the gift of his rare and wondrous way of seeing the world. When I look at the three Bleu paintings one of Miro’s quotes always comes to mind. It seems he was telling us where this work originated in his mind’s eye with these words.

From this celestial imagery, I see how Miro looked to the sky and then pulled that heavenly magic down to Earth for us to ponder.

IBM mural

Joan Miró – IBM Mural, 1978, earthenware, 280 x 870 cm, installation view, Museo Nacional de Arte de Cataluña, Spain, photo: CC BY-NC 2.0 by kewing

In 1978, Miró teamed up again with Joan Gardy Artigas to create a mural for the entrance of the IBM headquarters in Barcelona. However, it was later moved to the National Art Museum of Catalonia.

Like any other Miró’s painting, this mural is quite large, at 2.80 by 8.72, and comprises 406 refractory stoneware tiles. The composition of the painting includes some brightly colored figures – red, yellow, green, and blue – outlined by dark lines.

The set rests on a stroke of black paint that runs from end to end of the mural and drops splashes and drips. As with other collaborative works between Miró and Joan Gardy or Llorens Artigas, this mural also features signatures at the bottom right, for Miró, and bottom left for Gardy.

The two artists were commissioned in 1978 to create a sculpture for the entrance of its proposed headquarters. While the architect, Jose Antonio Coderch, would disagree with the IBM about the project and thus not carrying it out, Miró and Gardy did their part of the order and took about six months to complete the mural. In 1994, the IBM building was bought by the Generalitat de Catalunya, who turned it into the headquarters of the Department of Education.

In 2013, a group of restorers relocated the work to a heritage center. The entire process was supervised by Gardy Artigas with the help of the Center for the Restoration of Movable Property in Catalonia. The restoration process began on June 27, 2013. By November 28, 2013, the mural was presented at the National Art Museum of Catalonia, in the presence of Gardis along with Ferran Mascarell and Irene Rigau, ministers of culture and education, respectively.

– Gardy Artigas

When you look at this mural closely, you will notice that it is subtly divided into two halves. This is probably because of disagreements between IBM and Miró. The artist wanted the mural to be installed at the entrance to the headquarters without any visual element covering it, but IMB wants the countertop to go to the center, which would be right in front of the mural. Because of this, Miró only painted the upper sections of the work since the lower part would not be seen due to the attention board.

Joan Miró

Joan Miró Ferra was born on April 20, 1893, while Josep Llorens Artigas was born on June 16, 1892, both in Barcelona. The two artists are known for their successful period of working together, but they have different paths before they crossed.

When he was 14, Joan Miró enrolled in a business school in his hometown of Barcelona and attended La Lonja’s Escuela Superior de Artes Industriales y Bellas Arts. After completing his three years of art studies, he took up a position as a clerk, which he abandoned and moved into arts after experiencing a nervous breakdown.

He attended Francesc Gali’s Escola d’Art between 1912 and 1915 and, in 1918, staged his first solo exhibition. Miró moved to Paris two years later, where he met with his countryman and artist Pablo Picasso. He left Spain in 1936 due to the civil war but returned in 1941.

Bleu II – FAQs

Where can I see Joan Miro’s Bleu II in person?

Bleu II by Joan Miro unites a three painting series on the walls of The Centre Pompidou in Paris, France. This triptych exemplifies Miro’s obsession with abstract but familiar subjects portrayed within vacant dreamscapes. All three paintings depict small, black shapes on a vast cobalt blue background. But Bleu II stands out as the most animated and distinct beauty in the set.

Why did Joan Miro paint Bleu II?

Joan Miro spoke about his reasons for painting Bleu II. He said the vastness of the sky overwhelmed him. They reminded him of his own smallness and thus inspired Miro to portray “tiny forms in huge empty spaces”.

Separately, Miro also explained that he loved painting because it helped ease his depression with self expression.

What distinguished Joan Miro from other artists of his time?

Joan Miro was a Spanish painter, specifically he was from Barcelona and thus Catalan. That explains the unique spelling and pronunciation of his name, which many find challenging. Miro’s artwork was experimental and groundbreaking which also set him apart from his peers.

He was a masterful painter and sculptor who influenced large swaths of the modern masters including Abstract Expressionists, designers, photographers and even composers. Miro’s work remains popular and valuable, with works selling for upwards of $26million on the open market.

Later Years

The Museum of Modern Art in New York hosted a major retrospective of Miro’s work in 1941, and following the end of the war, Miro’s popularity and influence spread across the United States, leading to his huge mural commission in Cincinnati in 1947.

Returning to live between France and Spain, Miro branched out into new media in the 1950s and 60s including printmaking and sculpture, while a series of retrospectives, awards and honours celebrated the depth and breadth of his legacy. By the time of his death in 1983, Miro’s place in art history as an international, Modernist master was already set.

Palacio de Congresos de Madrid

Joan Miró – Wall of the Conferences and Exhibitions Palace of Madrid, 1980, stoneware, 950 x 5950 cm, Palacio de Congresos de Madrid, Spain, image: public domain

Created in 1970, Palacio de Congresos is a large mosaic on the façade of the Palacio de Congresos. The large congress hall can hold up to 2,000 people and is located on the Paseo de la Castellana street, close to the Bernabeu Stadium, in the Spanish capital Madrid.

The building has been a venue for many historical events, including vote tallying during the Spanish general, municipal, and regional elections and used as the data center for the 1982 Football World Championship held in Spain. It has also hosted the historically important OSCE meeting that led to the fall of the infamous Berlin Wall.

The conference has been empty since 2012 as commercial activities were suspended to allow the venue to undergo renovations to comply with the safety regulations and applicable laws of the city of Madrid. When it reopens, the building will be home to the United Nations World Tourism office (UNWTO).

Wichita State University campus

Joan Miró – Personnages Oiseaux (Bird People), 1978, venetian glass and marble, 8.53 m x 15.85 m, Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita State University, Kansas, USA, Brent Danley from Saco, ME, USA, Personnages Oiseaux (1978), CC BY-SA 2.0

Personages Oiseaux or Bird People is one of Miró’s largest pieces of works created between 1972 and 1978 and installed in Wichita, Kansas, in the US. The artist created the artwork for Wichita State University’s Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art campus. Although the mural fabrication was finished in 1977, Miró did not consider it done until its installation was complete.

This is the first and the last glass-and-marble mosaic public work created by Miró, and though he wanted to make many others, he died before realizing this goal. He even didn’t attend the mural’s inauguration due to the injuries he sustained after falling at his studio in Palma.

Taking up the museum’s entire south wall, the 8.53 m × 15.85 m (28 ft by 52 ft) mural consists of a million pieces of marbles and Venetian glass. They were mounted on treated wood and appended to the wall by an aluminum grid.

The mural was a gift to the school by Miró, and some of the costs were met by donor groups and the Ulrich Museum. It was put together in Ateliers Loire by an artisan using Miró’s sketch and fabricated under the artist’s personal supervision. The mural was completed in 1977 and was shipped to Wichita State University and installed in 1978.

Miró was very much pleased with the final mural, saying:

Since the piece was an outdoor structure, it disintegrated due to high winds, lightning, thunder, and fluctuating temperatures. In 2017, the then museum director Patricia McDonnell asked Missouri-based conservator firm Russell-Marti Conservation Services to develop a conservation plan to not only restore the original glamor but also retain the integrity of the artwork. It took the company three years to study and test various methods and materials suitable for restoring the murals.

The process officially began in 2011 where the first few panels were of the mosaic were removed and transported to the company’s studios.

The firms worked with Ateliers Loire to create replacements for the broken or missing broken tesserae. They replaced the original backing of the mural, made from marine-grade particleboard, with a perforated stainless steel panel. Each tessera was cleaned using scalpels, dental tools, and brushes.

The reinstallation of the mural began in September 2016. On October 30, the University hosted a party to mark the restoration.

Workman said:

Painting and Poetry

Miro began studying art in Barcelona in 1912, where he discovered the work of various avant-garde artists and Catalan poets, writing, “I make no distinction between painting and poetry.” As a student he experimented with various techniques, including drawing “by touch” rather than sight.

His early paintings spanned various subjects including still-life, portraiture and landscape, characterised by vivid colours and expressive mark-making, which revealed the influences of Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne and the French Fauvist painters, combined with a love of the naïve, vibrant language of Catalan folk art.

The Influence of Paris

Following graduation, Miro struggled to find recognition for his art in Barcelona. Instead, in 1920, he headed to Paris, meeting various Surrealist artists including Pablo Picasso, Andre Masson and Tristan Tzara, who had a profound impact on his practice.

Following his return to Montroig, Miro described how he “immediately burst into painting, the way children burst into tears.” In the years that followed Miro moved between Paris and Catalonia, spending Summers in Spain and winters in Paris. But he was desperately poor and described how he sometimes “saw shapes on the ceiling” following bouts of extreme hunger, which would make their way into his paintings.

Interpretation of the Painting

There are many interpretations of “The Farm”. Some perceive it as Miro’s childhood memories of his family in Catalonia, Spain. The elements and symbols in the painting such as the simplified forms of animals, plants, and objects, could be seen as references to rural life.

The painting’s vibrant colors and playful composition also suggest joy and vitality. Miro’s use of bold lines and shapes creates a lively and energetic atmosphere.

Additionally, “The Farm” reflects Miro’s interest in surrealism and his subconscious exploration. The distorted and dreamlike qualities of the painting along with overlapping and floating elements can be seen as a perception of Miro’s inner world and his constant fascination with his realm of imagination.

Ultimately, the interpretation of “The Farm” is subjective and can vary from one viewer to another. The painting’s abstraction provides room for multiple interpretations, inviting individuals to engage with their own emotions, experiences, and associations when interpreting the artwork.

Find out Why Did Van Gogh Cut Off His Ears?

Enjoyed this analysis of Bleu II?

Check out more essays on Spanish painters with a click.

Josep Massot Joan Miró. El niño que hablaba con los árboles Galaxia Gutenberg, Barcelona, Spain, 2018.

Click for an interactive soundscape of Bleu II by Joan Miro

Joan Miró and Robert Lubar (preface), Joan Miró: I Work Like a Gardener, Princeton Architectural Press, Hudson, NY, 2017.

Robert S. Lubar, Miro’s defiance of painting, Joan Miro, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY; Centre Pompidou, Paris, Art in America, September 1994

Orozco, Miguel (2016). La odisea de Miró y sus Constelaciones. Madrid: Visor.

“Joan Miró Biography” – joanmiro.com.

Jacques Dupin, Joan Miró Life and Work, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., publisher, New York City, 1962.

St. Gallen University, Switzerland

Joan Miró (in collaboration with Josep Llorens Artigas) – Untitled (detail), 1964, ceramic plates, 29 x 1.1 meters, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, 2020, photo: Public Delivery

Established in 1898, the University of St. Gallen is a research institution located in St. Gallen, Switzerland. In 1963, the university moved to a new complex designed by architects Georg Otto, Walter Foerderer, and Hans Zwimpfer in Brutalism style. The new campus is located on top of Rosenberg hill, overlooking the old town of St. Gallen and providing an impressive view of the Alpsteinmountain massif.

The new campus is known for its striking integration of art and architecture. The main building, designed by Foerderer, is regarded internationally as a perfect example of 1960s architecture. Art is a central feature of the overall design.

There are several artworks in the Library Building, completed in 1989, to balance the assortment of architectural forms narratively. Among the art pieces in this building, Giacometti’s sculpture in the center of the Tete, Miró’s painting, and Alexander Calder’s work. All this combination of work of art and the building architecture took an ingenious effort to pull off.

Joan Miró’s mural is located in the middle of the room amidst the sharp concrete pillars. The piece was created in collaboration with Josep Llorens and stretches the entire length of the room as if to form a continuation of the narrow ribbon of windows.

It can come as a surprise that Miró’s painting is placed in the background at St. Gallen, more so in a secluded location away from the main hall. However, that is exactly what the artist wanted – to allow his mural to come into its own with the building’s architecture.

About This Piece

Joan Miro — Original Lithograph 1976 Dimensions: 32 x 25 cm Revue XXe Siècle Edition: Cahiers d’art published under the direction of G. di San Lazzaro.Joan Miró i Ferrà (April 20,1893 – December 25,1983) was a world renowned Spanish Catalan painter, sculptor, and ceramist who was born in the sea port city of Barcelona. Miro was the son of a watchmaking father and a goldsmith mother, he was exposed to the arts from a very young age. There have been some drwaings recovered by Miro dating to 1901, when he was only 8 years old. Miro enrolled at the School of Industrial and Fine Arts in Barcelona until 1910; during his attendance he was taught by Modest Urgell and Josep Pascó. After overcoming a serious bout of typhoid fever in 1911, Miro decided to devote his life entirely to painting by attending the school of art taught by Francesc Galí. He studied at La Lonja School of Fine Arts in Barcelona, and in 1918 set up his first individual exhibition in the Dalmau Galleries, in the same city. His works before 1920 (the date of his first trip to Paris) reflect the influence of different trends, like the pure and brilliant colors used in Fauvism, shapes taken from cubism, influences from folkloric Catalan art and Roman frescos from the churches. His trip to Paris introduced him to and developed his trend of surrealist painting. In 1921, he showed his first individual exhibition in Paris, at La Licorne Gallery. In 1928, he exhibited with a group of surrealists in the Pierre Gallery, also in Paris, although Miró was always to maintain his independent qualities with respect to groups and ideologies. From 1929-1930, Miró began to take interest in the object as such, in the form of collages. This was a practice which was to lead to his making of surrealist sculptures. His tormented monsters appeared during this decade, which gave way to the consolidation of his plastic vocabulary. He also experimented with many other artistic forms, such as engraving, lithography, water colors, pastels, and painting over copper. What is particularly highlighted from this period, are the two ceramic murals which he made for the UNESCO building in Paris (The Wall of the Moon and the Wall of the Sun, 1957-59). Joan Miro UNESCO Mural- “The Moon and The Sun” It was at the end of the 60´s when his final period was marked and which lasted until his death. During this time, he concentrated more and more on monumental and public works. He was characterized by the body language and freshness with which he carried out his canvasses, as well as the special attention he paid to material and the stamp he received from informalism. He concentrated his interest on the symbol, not giving too much importance to the representing theme, but to the way the symbol emerged as the piece of work. Miro had a very eccentric style that is the embodiment of his unique approach to his artwork. In 1976 the Joan Miró Foundation Centre of Contemporary Art Study was officially opened in the city of Barcelona and in 1979, four years before his death, he was named Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Barcelona.

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Period	1970 to 1979
Production Period	2010 to Present
Detailed Condition	Excellent — This vintage/antique piece is in near original condition. It may show minimal traces of use and/or have slight restorations.
Product Code	XAB-718683
Materials	Ceramic, Copper, Paint, Plastic, Canvas, Fir, Gold
Color	Black
Width	25 cm 9.8 inch
Depth	1 cm 0.4 inch
Height	32 cm 12.6 inch
Duties Notice	Import duty is not included in the prices you see online. You may have to pay import duties upon receipt of your order.

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An In-Depth Look at The Tilled Field

The Tilled Field is like a puzzle waiting to be solved. It’s full of shapes and colors that seem to move and play together. Miró used his imagination to create this painting, letting his hand move freely to make shapes that came from his mind. It’s like he was telling a story without using words, just colors and forms.

One cool thing about this painting is that it’s full of symbols. A symbol is like a secret code – it stands for something else. In this painting, you might see symbols like stars, moons, and strange creatures. Each symbol is like a clue that helps you understand what the painting is about. But the best part is that everyone can have their ideas about what these symbols mean.

The Wall of the Moon (La Luna), UNESCO building, Paris

Joan Miró (in collaboration with Josep Llorens i Artigas) – The Wall of the Moon (La Luna), 1955–1958, 2.20 m x 15 m (7.2 ft x 49 ft), installation view, UNESCO building, Paris, photo: Rubén Ojeda, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Wall of the Sun and Wall of the Moon are murals created by Miró for the UNESCO building in the French capital. Just like his previous works, these two murals were created in collaboration with ceramist Josep Llorens.

Completed in 1955, the paintings were originally placed on the Place de Fontenoy. However, they later were enclosed inside a building that was still under construction to prevent acid rain damages.

Before the two murals were created, the UNESCO’s Committee for Architecture and Works of Art, along with the Committee of Artistic Advisers, contacted eleven artists to help decorate its headquarters in Paris, which was to be opened in 1958.

Miró was among the eleven artists and tasked with decorating the building with a ceramic wall. The two artists were granted permission to work on the exterior walls of the conferences, two perpendicular walls measuring three meters high and seven meters long.

Together with Llorens, they created two walls that were initially placed outside the building, calling them The Wall of the Sun and The Wall of the Moon. However, afterward, the two murals were covered to prevent them from damage caused by the elements.

Before designing the murals, they were market out into the scale, using charcoal and gouache in Miró’s studio in Gallifa. It took 35 batches, 4 tons of sandstone, 25 tons of wood, and 200 kilos of enamel to create the two murals.

The wall plaques were assembled in Paris, where the UNESCO buildings were being constructed. During the painting process, the lines of drawings were done in a single stroke for particular figures in order for the complete murals to retain their dynamism, which are the most important components in the creation of colors and shapes.

The pair of mosaic murals were assembled in their place by technicians under Miró and Llorens’ supervision. The Wall of the Sun even won the Biennial Prize of the Guggenheim Foundation. The Wall of the Sun represents life or day, while The Wall of the Moon talks about night or death.

The shades used in The Wall of the Moon appear to be darker than those used in the Wall of the Sun. And though black is used in both paintings, it only stands out in the moon painting. Viewers are first attracted to the Wall of the Moon because of the blue element on the left of the mural and the bird that seems to fly across the painting. The bird is one of the most common and recurring themes in Miró’s works. Here it serves as an intermediate between earth and heaven.

Interesting Facts about The Tilled Field

Symbols and Ideas: Miró used symbols in this painting to make it interesting and mysterious. The best part is that you get to decide what they mean to you!

Nature’s Influence: Miró loved nature, and you can see that in The Tilled Field. It’s like a magical garden full of strange plants and animals.

In a Famous Museum: The Tilled Field is so special that it lives in a famous museum called the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. People from all over the world come to see it and be inspired.

Inspiring Other Artists: Miró’s art, especially The Tilled Field, has inspired many other artists to be creative and try new things.

The Meaning of Painting

“The Farm” can be seen as a reflection of Miro’s broader artistic philosophy and his desire to break free from conventional artistic norms. It exemplifies his belief in the power of art to go beyond the beliefs of reality and evoke a sense of wonder and introspection.

Miro encourages viewers to question their perceptions and engage with the painting on a deeper level by distorting and rearranging familiar elements.

It is a symbolic and imaginative representation of the artist’s personal and cultural identity. The painting invites viewers to explore their own connections to the land, memory, and the power of artistic expression through its abstract forms, vibrant colors, and dreamlike atmosphere.

It continues to remain an important work within Miro’s body of art as a testament to his innovative and visionary approach to painting.