Pablo Jiménez Burillo (Mapfre Foundation) "We still struggle to understand the artistic finish of photography"

The Casa Garriga Nogués is one of the many examples of modernist heritage that has been restored for contemporary cultural purposes. Listed as a Cultural Asset of Local Interest since 1980, this eclectic style building, inspired by the prevailing modernism, was designed by Enric Sagnier, creator of such unique buildings as the Palace of Justice of Barcelona, the Tibidabo Basilica, the Barcelona Customs building, El Pinar residence, or the Enric Cera tower.

After housing the residence of the Garriga Nogués family, the building has had various uses, the last two of which have endowed it with the museum capacity it currently has. First, it was the Francisco Godía Foundation (2007-2014) and later the Mapfre Foundation (2015-present) who have managed to integrate such a unique building into the cultural circuit of our city, offering some of the best pictorial works of the 19th and 20th centuries and with major retrospectives on some of the most significant photographers of the 20th century.

With this excellent combination of architecture, culture, and photography, and taking advantage of the presentation of the new season, we had the opportunity to chat with Pablo Jiménez Burillo, director of the Culture Area of the Mapfre Foundation since 2014, who also has extensive experience as an art critic.

How was the Mapfre Foundation established and what objectives does it pursue?

The Mapfre Foundation was established in 1975 with a dual vision: social and cultural. From the cultural perspective, what we did was to recover all the painting from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Over time, we opened up to a new, more international vision. Ten years ago, we saw that there was no institution in Spain with a stable photography program. So, we decided to create an independent program for historical photography exhibitions. Until that point, we were only in Madrid, but about three years ago we decided to expand to Barcelona, although it is true that we held many exhibitions in collaboration. This venue captures a bit of the room programming and a summary of the visual arts, architecture, and sculpture.

What attracts the Barcelona public more: photography or painting?

Painting still generally holds preference. We were used to going to see painting exhibitions, and that's why it's still hard for us to pay attention to photography, to read it, and to truly understand the artistic finish it can have.

What led you to choose the Casa Garriga Nogués as the headquarters for the foundation in Barcelona?

First, because there was an opportunity. Then, because we are used to working with the amenities that the place offers, with very unique spaces and because the architecture of the building corresponds to the art we exhibit. And for us, it is also a way to maintain a cultural venue in Barcelona.

Was it pointed out that the programming in Barcelona was different from that in Madrid, or is this because there are different cultural concerns?

This year we are presenting an exhibition in Barcelona that focuses for the first time on Picasso and Picabia. They are two very different artists who share Barcelona as a very important place in their respective careers. Therefore, we understand that it is a city with a lot of character and it would make less sense to organize it in Madrid. That's why we always try to differentiate the programming, not so much because the audience is different. It's more about our interest, trying to do things that have special relevance in Barcelona.

What is the process for selecting pieces or themes for an exhibition?

Organizing exhibitions is a very complex process because you need to convince many people, organizations, and museums to lend you certain works. It's a job that sometimes requires persistence, and there are projects that need to be modified based on the works we can obtain.

Recently, in Barcelona, we were able to enjoy Shomei Tomatsu's post-atomic Japan, which has been highly praised by the local media critics. How has it been received by the public?

Quite well, actually. I believe that two things have been achieved with Tomatsu: First, that he is a great photographer and the public acknowledges that. The next thing is that I think in recent years there has been a growing interest in Japan and its literature, and Tomatsu narrates very well how that dramatic and painful process of reaching contemporary Japan takes place.

And currently, we can enjoy an exhibition of Picasso and Picabia. Is it essential to start the course with a strong commitment like Picasso?

This is the time we have to present our painting exhibition and we try to make it something very significant. Moreover, we think it's good to start the season with an exhibition of this kind, especially because Barcelona is a very 'Picassian' city and we must emphasize that interest.

Do you think there is anything left to discover about Picasso in terms of his work?

Yes. Picasso is one of the most enigmatic painters in history. I believe we can still learn many things from him and see different things. Moreover, our taste changes and what was highly valued about Picasso in the last century is seen differently today. I think he is an artist of such richness and nuances that there are always new things to discover. And the exhibition in Barcelona shows us a completely different Picasso.

After this exhibition, what will be the next thing we can see in Barcelona?

We will hold an exhibition of a North American female photographer, who was a woman that lived in Paris during the 20s-30s and was part of a group of artists and writers who shaped a modern idea of women. She is a dazzling photographer in her work. Moreover, she represents one of the independent women who illustrate a significant moment in the history of feminism.

How do you see the current photography scene in Spain?

Absolutely delicious. We see it not only in gallery exhibitions, because today we see a significant number of young photographers competing with artists from other countries. I believe that, right now, the generation of young Spanish photographers is truly wonderful.