Arts . AKF.

Unfriendly, cold, manipulative, enigmatic, stingy and selfish. With all se adjectives was described Helena Dmitrievna Diàkonova, Gala, born in Kazan (Russia) in 1894 and was, more than half a century, companion and model of painter Salvador Dalí, after y met a summer of 1929 in Cadaqués (Girona). They were always toger, until 1982, when she died in Portlligat. He painted her as a goddess, as a virgin, as a mor or as a voluptuous idealized woman. If Dalí was involved in personal, family, political and even artistic controversy throughout his life, Gala ran a similar fate. Even nickname of Avida dollars, which André Breton coined for his friend Dalí in 1942, coinciding with his media success and his obvious love for money, is attributed more to Gala than to painter.

The years have passed, Dalí is still more alive than ever, with continuous exhibitions, documentaries, films and books. But Gala has not occupied almost anyone, beyond a couple of biographies. Nor had it been subject of a monographic sample. Until today, when National Museum of Art of Catalonia (MNAC) inaugurates Gala-Salvador Dalí exhibition. A room of its own in Púbol. The exhibition, organized with Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation in Figueres, wants to change image of muse to that of artist. Until October 14th you can enjoy result.

Portrait of Gala with two ribs on his shoulder ' (1934), of Salvaodr Dalí. Lluís Gene (AFP) The 315 works gared by professor of Contemporary art and curator of exhibition Estrella de Diego want to vindicate a woman who not only inspired much of work of genius of Figueres; Nor is it shown as strut in which Dalí leaned to end up being an international painter. No. Now he is given an active role and co-author in many of se creations that have gone into history of art. And not only are re paintings, also drawings, photographs, to which Gala, like all Surrealists, was so amateur that it came to gar more than 13,000.

The exhibition also includes handwritten sheets of autobiographical projects of Gala, as well as letters, postcards, tarot games, books, Russian icons, dresses, toiletries and some of animal-shaped stuffed animals, very kitsch, which surrounded her in Quarter of castle of Portlligat and Púbol. All this serves expert to show this energetic woman as one of keys to avant-garde of twentieth century.

The paintings of Max Ernst in which Gala appears as well as in photographs of Man Ray and Cecil Beaton, in addition to Dalí's works, y are much more than portraits of a muse: "They make up an autobiographical journey through which Gala imagined and created its image in a special per Formance, "says Diego star. The sis defended by curator is endorsed by writings, Surrealist objects he designed and wore (such as impressive shoe hat by Elsa Schiaparelli), and way she wanted to appear and represent each or.

' Gala Placidia ' (1952), ' Galatea in Creation ' (1954) and ' Gala looking at Hypercubic Christ ' (1954) by Salvador Dalí. Lluís Gene (AFP) It should not be forgotten that Dalí, a character as giant as his ego, signed many of his works with double heading of "Gala Salvador Dalí". "It was re in front. They were telling it, just had to read it, "remarked Commissioner. "If Gala was so bad, so controlling, if he was so interested in money, why he abandoned Paul Éluard, a successful poet in Paris, city where whole world of art aspired to live, and stayed with who n was nobody to live in a house of 20 square meters , in a place lost without water or light. I'm sure he did it thinking that he could develop his artistic activity re. "

' Gala Placidia ' (1952), ' Galatea in Creation ' (1954) and ' Gala looking at Hypercubic Christ ' (1954) by Salvador Dalí. Lluís Gene (AFP) It should not be forgotten that Dalí, a character as giant as his ego, signed many of his works with double heading of "Gala Salvador Dalí". "It was re in front. They were telling it, just had to read it, "remarked Commissioner. "If Gala was so bad, so controlling, if he was so interested in money, why he abandoned Paul Éluard, a successful poet in Paris, city where whole world of art aspired to live, and stayed with who n was nobody to live in a house of 20 square meters , in a place lost without water or light. I'm sure he did it thinking that he could develop his artistic activity re. "

For de Diego, "vindicating Gala is also vindicating Dalí. Seeing Gala from anor angle is seeing Dalí through or eyes, thus enriching two. Dalí has been vilified by his detractors and is most contemporary with his pranks. He invented artist as a star, "continues expert, author of Dear Gala (2003), a fundamental biography to meet this woman.

The exhibition, which greets visitor with white curtains aters, has an inverse route. It begins with castle of Púbol, where Gala is buried. "It is most mysterious Dalinian scenario of all and re are two represented. We can say that it is a surreal work to two, "he explains. It also shows letters in which " literary whims of Gala are clear, as well as his diary, published a few years ago, and a few sheets of a novel that is not complete and that any day can appear". "In Púbol, Gala finds its place to develop, its space, its own room, which before had already looked in oval room of Portlligat".
Three of haute couture Gala dresses at MNAC exhibition. Lluís Gene (AFP) The show runs through period with his first husband, poet Paul Éluard, with whom he had a daughter whom he also abandoned forever. "When y met, he wasn't a poet, and she helped him end up being who he was." There are also books that were dedicated to him by many artist friends of his and reproduction of two Surrealist objects that she created (disappeared at present) or images in which she is working and creating toger with Dalí pavilion of dream of Venus for New York Exhibition of 1939.

The visitor will also find small jewels such as little Madonna of Portlligat, first version of 1949, which was not seen since 1950s in Barcelona ( large version of 1950, has not been able to travel from Japan). Among exhibits re are also half a dozen couture dresses from creator and some of his everlasting ties. "She was a dandy. She was one who looked and liked to be looked at, says Diego.

The exhibition concludes with thirty paintings with Gala as protagonist "in different performances, reflected by brushes of Salvador Dalí." The Commissioner argues that if visitor "does not buy" This sis of creative woman Beyond Musa and companion will always enjoy "se enormous works of Dalí." The sample has a budget of 950,000 euros (60% of programme budget for MNAC), explained director of Museo Pepe Serra and sponsorship of Abertis.


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