“Gaudí and the Sagrada Família” exhibition at MOMAT welcomes 280,499 visitors

The Basilica of the Sagrada Família, with NHK and NHK Promotions, inaugurated the exhibition “Gaudí and the Sagrada Família” on 12 June. It is a travelling exhibition in Japan focused on Antoni Gaudí and his legacy. While at the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art (through 10 September), 280,499 people came out to see the exhibition, making it one of the top six in the history of this museum.

This initiative aims to share the work of this genius architect in Asia and raise awareness of the meaning and current construction status of his masterpiece, the Sagrada Família. In this regard, the exhibition offers a retrospective of the Sagrada Família, putting Antoni Gaudí and his work in context. It draws the public into Gaudí’s architecture and universe through various works and audiovisual pieces, and is divided into four sections: Gaudí the man, his unique architecture, the Sagrada Família, and Gaudí’s influence on contemporary Japanese architecture.

The exhibition features unpublished graphic and audiovisual materials from NHK showing how construction of the Temple is progressing. At the MOMAT in Tokyo, the exhibition also included a collection of heritage pieces on loan from the Basilica of the Sagrada Família, such as original models from Gaudí’s days and religious items designed by the architect, among others.

The Basilica of the Sagrada Família loaned a total of 61 items to the museum, a collection of heritage pieces that included original models from Gaudí’s days, personal items and religious objects designed by the architect, among others. It also included several models and pieces that explain how the Basilica has been built over these 140 years. Noteworthy among them are the original paster models of Christ’s torso and a girl made by Gaudí, which were used to create the sculptures for the Sagrada Família. Another piece that stands out is the model of the palm fronds for the fence at Casa Vicens. Plus, this is the first time the model for the pinnacle on the tower of the Evangelist Mark and two of Gaudí’s original moulds for the Sagrada Família have been displayed outside the Basilica.

After its time at the Natnioal Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo it will be at the Sagawa Art Museum in Moriyama from 30 September to 3 December 2023 and then at the Nagoya City Art Museum from 19 December to 10 March 2024.

Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko visit exhibition on 16 August

On 16 August, the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita came to the museum to see the exhibition. During their visit, the Empress Emerita shared some memories from her trip to Spain in 1985, when she visited the Sagrada Família and was delighted. Pictures from the visit are available here.