At a recent conference at the fourth edition of the Modern and Contemporary Art fair “By Invitation” (Círculo Ecuestre de Barcelona), the general director of the Moco Museum in Barcelona, Iris Brouwer, stated that the museum intends to remain in the Catalan capital for at least 20 more years. This rental period is established in its current location, the Palau Cervelló, next to the Picasso Museum.
Brouwer also announced ambitious plans for the expansion of the Moco Museum in Europe. “We intend to open three or four museums in the next 20 years,” he said, starting with the next opening in London in June 2024, specifically on Oxford Street.
El Moco in Barcelona for at least 20 more years
The Moco Museum Barcelona, which opened during the pandemic and in the context of the failed Hermitage project in the city, has experienced a “great reception,” according to Brouwer. Despite being a one hundred percent private museum, it has brought “a new concept to Barcelona’s cultural offerings”.
The museum director introduced Kim and Lionel Logchies, the museum’s owners, who have “a 25-year track record in the art world.” They started with a gallery that they had to replace with the current museum in Amsterdam in 2016 due to high footfall.
Barcelona, according to Brouwer, is a special city for them, and the choice to open a museum here was “quite logical”.
The search for a space similar to that of Amsterdam in Barcelona was a challenge. They were on the verge of giving up until soccer player Patrick Kluivert, a friend of the owners, suggested the Cervelló Palace, a 16th century building next to the Picasso Museum. This historic building met the prototype of antiquity they were looking for to contrast with modern art.
The Museum is currently
Today, the Moco Museum Barcelona has two floors filled with works by prominent artists such as Andy Warhol, Murigami, Kusama, Banksy and local artist Yago Hortal. It also houses immersive and digital artwork.
Iris Brouwer stressed the importance of digital art for the museum, representing 10 percent of the exhibitions, as it is “flexible, without limitations and part of our philosophy of innovation.”
Although the Moco Museum does not receive public funding from Barcelona, it maintains a strong relationship with other cultural enclaves in the city, such as Casa Batlló or MACBA. Brouwer affirmed his commitment to “continue to be involved and integrated in the city.”
The news of the Moco Museum’s intention to remain in Barcelona for at least two more decades has been received with enthusiasm by the city’s artistic and cultural community, as well as its plans to expand to other European cities.
