The long-awaited return of artist Lluís Barbadillo to Sitges with ‘Més que Menines’ solo exhibition

Artist Lluís Barbadillo showcased his latest works in an exhibition titled “Més que menines”, ten years after his last exhibition. Held at the prestigious Miramar Cultural Center, it featured forty pieces of art in different formats and mediums, including paintings, sculptures, and original creations that highlight the artist’s creative prowess.

The exhibit aims to revisit Barbadillo’s iconic Meninas, but also to uncover new facets of the painter and sculptor beyond these emblematic figures. Through a personal perspective, Barbadillo recreates a walk through Barcelona’s modernist houses, such as La Pedrera, Casa Batlló, and Casa Amatller, using carved wood. The tour also includes various versions of La Punta de Sitges with carved wood incorporated into the canvas, as well as still lifes, a theme that the artist presents to the public for the first time.

Barbadillo is known for creating a fun, personal, decorative, colorful, and eclectic painting style. He uses a plastic language with expressionistic touches and sometimes cubist influences in his work. His background in fashion and jewelry design has led him to experiment with the collage technique and incorporate different materials, such as iron, marble dust, paint, jewelry, and bronzes, into his pieces, making collage a unique signature of Lluís Barbadillo. The artist acknowledges that “I like collage because it allows me to create and experiment. It’s my favorite technique and what identifies me the most. I can’t conceive a painting without collage,” Barbadillo adds.

Lluís Barbadillo’s evolution is evident from a Menina painted in 1979 that was displayed in the artist’s first exhibition to the new and never-before-seen Meninas created in 2018 with different shades of colors and surreal faces, suggesting a new, more minimalist and avant-garde artistic path. Born in Barcelona, Barbadillo has lived in Sitges for 50 years and his personal connection to the town is reflected in his art and numerous collective and individual exhibitions. Over the years, he has curated almost thirty exhibitions with a wide variety of creators. The artist has also exhibited his work in Barcelona and cities such as New York and Abu Dhabi. For the past 15 years, he has directed the Art Fund of the Ave Maria Foundation, a project that supports works by local, national, and international artists for a charitable cause. His paintings can be seen not only in this social entity in Sitges, but the artist also has work in many European and American countries.

Lluís Barbadillo’s return to a Sitges exhibition hall confirms his versatility and the explosion of color in his work as he explores new artistic languages. The exhibition was a delight for art lovers, as it presented a unique and dynamic display of the artist’s work, an to glimpse into the creativity and imagination of this talented artist.