Josep Maria Carreté, Secretary General of the Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya, and Mª Eugènia Gay, Second Deputy Mayor of Barcelona City Council, went to the Círculo Ecuestre last Thursday, November 7, to participate in the official opening of the fifth edition of the International Modern and Contemporary Art Exhibition By Invitation, promoted by the club. The president of the Círculo Ecuestre and curator of the exhibition, Enrique Lacalle, members of the Governing Board of the club and the organizing committee of the exhibition received the political representatives at 11:00 a.m.
During the visit to the exhibition, Mª Eugènia Gay and Josep Maria Carreté visited the rooms of the modernist mansion where they were able to talk with the gallery owners and contemplate the careful selection of works by more than 80 artists, represented by 24 galleries of national and international renown. The institutional representatives also witnessed the great commitment to a renewed approach that By Invitation presents this year, integrating both galleries from the primary and secondary markets, which offers a wide spectrum of styles, from historical works to recent pieces. In addition, Enrique Lacalle and the artistic director, Mariella Franzoni, learned about the purpose of this edition, which seeks to present itself as an inclusive opportunity, both for experienced collectors and for those new to art.
After thanking the presence of the general secretary of the Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the second deputy mayor of the Barcelona City Council, Enrique Lacalle showed his optimism about the start of the fifth edition of the International Circle of Modern and Contemporary Art of the club: “This year we have made a very successful cocktail of international and national primary and secondary art with the help of the best national galleries. This decision, added to that of the artistic direction of Mariella Franzoni and the interior architecture of Andrea Isola makes us think that it will be a great edition. We hope that the public comes, likes it and buys it”. “We are very satisfied and proud”, he declared.
Once the visit was over, Josep Maria Carreté said that “the modern and contemporary art show at the Círculo Ecuestre is an essential annual event for the city that invites us all to discover galleries and artists who do a great job of showing the talent that exists in Catalonia and in the Spanish state”. After defining the gallery owners as the “perfect complement to the entire museum system”, he valued the purpose of “By Invitation as a disseminated museum that everyone can access for free and that makes known the great heritage and emerging values that we have”. “The modern and contemporary art show at the Círculo Ecuestre reinforces the cultural fabric of Barcelona and promotes collecting, strengthening the cultural heritage of the country”, he concluded.