From Forgotten to Formidable: Jordi Prat Pons’ Ode to Van Gogh and Michelangelo
The stunning work, ‘Letters to Vincent’ is made up of 2400 books. Books that had been cast aside, unwanted. The seed was sown during the covid hiatus, with the intention to portray van Gogh with his recognizable characteristic lost look and recreate one of his many striking self portraits. Twenty five encyclopedias are just some of the tomes that have gone into achieving this. Ten months from it’s inception, Vincent came to life through the artist skillful assemblage of the colourful spines of books.
“Almost everything is known about Vincent van Gogh, including his most intimate thoughts, thanks to the letters that were later transformed into books. We can find biographies, films, documentaries, memes, songs and all kinds of objects that remind us of his life and work. I have tried to give back to him everything he has given to us, I have tried to send him letters ‘books’ to remind him how important he is to us”.
A year later, the artist added 20,000 more books to his collection and was all set to create an impresive version of Michelangelo’s David using books. He wanted it to look like David had been out in the elements, just like the original statue in Florence, with dust and humidity effects. The end result is this modern piece called ‘The Gaze.’
Jordi Prat Pons has always been into paper. At the start of his career, he was all about collage, but eventually, paper took over from paint and now it’s the main focus in his current works.
He’s shown his art in lots of places since 1987 – over 100 group shows across Europe, the USA, and Dubai, and 60 solo exhibitions in Europe, Mexico, the USA, and Turkey.
Come join us at Villa del Arte for a special evening with this awesome artist. Check out the magic of ‘Letters to Vincent’ and ‘The Gaze’, where old books get turned into awesome portraits of van Gogh and Michelangelo’s David. Prat Pons’ creations really show off his amazing talent and creative vision. You won’t want to miss this chance to meet the artist and dive into a world of endless imagination. Meet us at Mandarin Oriental Barcelona on October 11th.
Don’t miss out!
