Identity of the human image through the symbolism of art

Caixa Forum Madrid brings the exhibition "The human image. Art, identities and symbolism", the exhibition explores the representation of the human being throughout the history of art, across different cultures and periods, up to the present day. The exhibition, curated by Brendan Moore, is part of a new collaboration between the "la Caixa" Foundation and the British Museum.

"The Human Image. Art, identities and symbolism" immerses the public in a historical journey through one of the great themes of figurative art: the human being. For the first time, the exhibition brings together, the British Museum collection with the collection of the "la Caixa" Foundation, as well as collaborations with pieces from the Prado Museum, MACBA, and the Max Estrella Gallery. Through 155 different and heterogeneous works, such as paintings, sculptures, installations, photography, objects, among others.

The exhibition juxtaposes iconic works from ancient civilizations with contemporary art, generating both cross-cultural and intergenerational comparisons.

Human image. Art, identities and symbolism. CaixaForum Madrid. Photograph by Máximo García de la Paz. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

The exhibition is composed of a selection of works of incredible variety, not only in terms of historical time and geography but also in terms of aesthetics and purpose. Some of these works have metaphorical associations, being representations charged with complex symbolism; others, on the other hand, are realistic, being depictions of the human figure as observed by the artist. In this way, the figurations symbolize ideas and concepts common to all societies.

The exhibition is divided into five thematic areas, in no chronological order, with the aim of exploring the human image:

-Introduction
-Ideal beauty
-Portraits
-The divine body
-The body politic
-The transformation of the body

Thus, "The Human Image. Art, identities and symbolism" includes a wide range of cultures, peoples, civilizations, ideas and artistic practices of the past and present. It allows us to approach different ways of expressing and representing identity through art.

The exhibition aims to be engaging, fresh, and accessible, enacting aesthetic enjoyment and inviting reflection, so that the public can draw their own conclusions.

The visual narrative of the exhibition, from a contemporary perspective, includes both Ancient Art pieces and recent works by artists such as Henri Matisse, Goya, Luis de Madrazo, David Hockney, Albrecth Dürer, Édouard Manet, Auguste BoucherDesnoyer, Tom Wesselmann, Antoni Tàpies, Christopher Williams, Vanessa Beercroft, Koya Abe, Frank Auerbach, Anton van Dyck, Craigie Horsfield, Ali Kazim, Esther Ferrer, Farhad Ahrarnia, Juan Navarro Baldeweg, Óscar Muñoz, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Craige Horsfield, Ali Cherri, and David Oxtoby, among others.

"The Human Image. Art, identities and symbolism" is accompanied by a cycle of thought entitled Representations of the human coordinated by the Casa dels Clàssics. These lectures and debates aim to invite the spectator to take a journey through the images that humanity has produced of itself throughout history. Delving into the symbolism of power, beauty, illness, and the sacred, in parallel with how the conception of the human being and the world has evolved.

After the Toilet of Venus (from the series Digital Art Chapter 5: Analogies) by Koya Abe, 2008. Human image. Art, identities and symbolism. CaixaForum Madrid. Photograph by Máximo García de la Paz. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

Portrait of a woman, tempera and encaustic on lime wood, c. 100-120, Saqqara (Egypt). © Trustees of the British Museum. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

Korwar, wood and glass, before 1865, Dore Bay (West Papua). © Trustees of the British Museum. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

Indira Gandhi, story scroll, Scroll painting, ink and colours on paper, c. 1985, Ajit Chitraker from Theakuachack village, West Bengal, India. © Trustees of the British Museum. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

Cycladic figure, marble, c. 2700-2500 BC, Keros, Cyclades, Greece. © Trustees of the British Museum. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

Hohoa board, wood and pigment, late 19th century - early 20th century, Elema village, Papua New Guinea. © Trustees of the British Museum. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

Portrait of an actor: Ichikawa Ebizō IV in a scene by Shibaraku Utagawa Kunimasa (Japan, 1773-1810) 1796. Coloured intaglio on paper. © Trustees of the British Museum. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

Head of a queen or goddess, granite, 18th Dynasty, ca. 1400-1390 BC, possibly from Sais, Egypt. © Trustees of the British Museum. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

Seated Buddha figure, schist, 2nd-3rd century AD, Gandhara, northwestern Pakistan. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

Head of Alexander the Great, marble, Roman, 2nd century AD. © Trustees of the British Museum. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

Death mask, gold, Roman, 1st-2nd century AD, Jerusalem. © The Trustees of the British Museum. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

Portrait Óscar Muñoz 2003-2004 Single-channel video, colour, no sound, 28 min. ©"la Caixa" Contemporary Art Collection. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

Untitled (Study in yellow and red/Berlin) Dirk Schaper Studio, Berlin, 21 June 2007 (no. 2)] Christopher Williams. la Caixa" Collection. Contemporary Art. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum

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More information

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Curators

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Brendan Moore, Curator, Department of International Exhibitions, British Museum.

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Dates

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From 28 April 2021 to 16 January 2022.

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Location

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Caixa Forum Madrid. Paseo del Prado, 36. Madrid, Spain.

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Organisation and production

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”La Caixa” Foundation, with collaboration from the British Museum.

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Photography

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Máximo García de la Paz.

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First image

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After the Toilet of Venus (from the series Digital Art Chapter 5: Analogies) by Koya Abe, 2008. Human image. Art, identities and symbolism. CaixaForum Madrid. Photograph by Máximo García de la Paz. Image courtesy of Caixa Forum.