arts & culture

The rejection of formality and the embrace of the abstract are themes that are central to Action: A Provisional History of the ‘90s, a new exhibition at MACBA, which explores performative or “action” art throughout the ages and seeks to discover how it has shaped the art of our time.

The return to order and formalization in the ‘80s – in art as in wider society – saw, in its wake, a revival of conceptual expression, inspired by experimental art of the ‘60s and ‘70s. This had a particular relevance in Spain in the ‘90s, where art was having an immense influence on a culture that was redefining its identity. This multi-layered exhibition, which runs from July 2020 to February 2021, explores how artists over the years have been influenced by the ever-shifting nature of performative art and how the role of the audience has been transformed from passive observer to active participant.

General admission at MACBA is 50% off throughout July, while entry is free on Saturdays between 4pm and 8pm.