Miquel Navarro

After studying at the School of Fine Arts in Valencia, Miquel Navarro began his career as a painter, but since 1972 he has dedicated himself mainly to sculpture, without abandoning drawing and, in more recent times, photography. In 1980 his participation in the collective exhibition New Images from Spain, held at the Salomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, introduced him to the international scene. In 1986 he was awarded the National Prize for Plastic Arts. Furthermore, the installation of some fountains and public sculptures have brought him widespread recognition and public acclaim.

In 1973 Miquel Navarro embarked on a long creative journey in which what would become his great sculptural-architectural adventure has stood out above other types of work: the city. Starting from a theme as recurring as it is well-known, M. Navarro has managed to develop an extraordinarily singular way of approaching the artistic phenomenon in the context of contemporary Western sculpture. From such an early date, his constructions of miniature cities, which turn us into giants contemplating them from a bird's eye view, swim between the waters of fantasy, futurism, and the towns of the past. The combination of materials such as terracotta, zinc, lead, glass... refer both to the constructive tradition of his native Mislata, and to the illusory constructions of imagination.

From this perspective, Battle Space is a relevant example precisely of the most significant contribution of this artist rooted in his land and universal in scope. First presented at the Marlborough gallery in New York, this sculptural installation is one of the most important pieces he has created within his long series of cities. And indeed, to date there are very few that achieve the dimension and presence of this Battle Space.

Text provided by the Mediterranean Foundation. Author: J. B. Peiró.