The urban landscape of the city of Madrid will continue to feature Julia, a work by Jaume Plensa created with the patronage of the Fundación María Cristina Masaveu Peterson, until December 2024.
In view of the importance that Julia has acquired in the Madrid landscape and its warm reception by the general public, the Foundation has signed a new agreement with Madrid City Council to extend its exhibition. Made of polyester resin and white marble dust, the 12-metre-tall sculpture forms part of the art programme organised by the city council and was presented in December 2018.
The new agreement also contemplates the exhibition of Julia for a further three years, until December 2027, provided that Madrid City Council submits a request before the current period expires and the Foundation accepts it.
For Jaume Plensa, the head sculptures with closed eyes, like Julia, that he has created for public spaces represent the part of the body that contains knowledge and human emotions. As he says, “They always have closed eyes because what interests me is what is inside the head. As if the viewer standing in front of my work could conceive of it as a mirror and see themselves reflected in it, closing their own eyes and trying to understand all the beauty we conceal within our being.” This focus of calm and introspection that Julia represents, as many local media reports have pointed out, has continued to modify the perception of the urban environment. It demands tranquillity and reflection, demonstrating how art can provide encouragement and hope in challenging times.
The innovative patronage initiative launched by the FMCMP in 2018 gave Jaume Plensa, winner of the Velázquez Plastic Arts Award in 2013, his first opportunity to exhibit a work of this nature in Spain. The choice of this internationally acclaimed artist represented a firm commitment to support future projects.
Commissioned by the FMCMP as part of its art patronage programme, Julia is a unique work of art that now forms part of the collection of the Fundación María Cristina Masaveu Peterson. However, the project was conceived as a touring exhibition and after its stint in Madrid the work will travel to different cities around the globe.