"Gaudí and the Sagrada Família" exhibition in Japan welcomes total of 509,939 visitors

The Basilica of the Sagrada Família, with NHK and NHK Promotions, inaugurated the exhibition “Gaudí and the Sagrada Família” on 12 June at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (MOMAT). It was a travelling exhibition in Japan focused on Antoni Gaudí and his legacy, seen by 509,939 visitors.

The exhibition included historical items providing context for and explaining Gaudí’s works, with particular emphasis on the Sagrada Família. The Basilica provided a total of 61 items, noteworthy among which were the model of a girl and the model of Christ’s torso, original plaster sculptures by Gaudí that were used as models for the sculptures on the Nativity façade. Another piece that stood out was the model of the palm fronds for the fence at Casa Vicens. This is the first time the models for the pinnacle on the tower of the Evangelist Mark and the original model of a cross were displayed outside the Sagrada Família.

The travelling exhibition visited three museums in Japan: the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo (from 13 June to 10 September 2023), the Sagawa Art Museum in Moriyama (30 September to 3 December 2023) and the Nagoya City Art Museum in Nagoya (19 December to 10 March 2024).

While at the MOMAT, 280,499 people came out to see the exhibition, making it one of the six most visited in the history of this museum, and it was one of the top three ever at the Sagawa Art Museum in Moriyama, with 65,738 visitors. The exhibition was at the Nagoya City Art Museum through 10 March and welcomed 163,702  visitors.

At the inauguration on 12 June, Mr Esteve Camps, Executive Chairman of the Junta Constructora de la Sagrada Família, expressed his recognition and appreciation for a job well done in this collaboration:

“Our sincerest thanks to NHK, the Japan Public Broadcasting Corporation, for making possible this exhibition featuring the unique pieces of genius architect Antoni Gaudí for the first time, and to Mons. Abella for his support and dedication, which has been key to this collaboration.”