Gothsland: The leading specialists in Catalan Art Nouveau (Modernisme)
Gabriel Pinós, director of Gothsland and co-founder of the Museu del Modernisme de Barcelona.
What is Gothsland?
Gothsland is a business that specializes in conservation and research into Catalan Art Nouveau. We carry in-depth research into works of art, which we curate carefully and display to art lovers.
When was the gallery founded and when did you start working there?
My parents, Fernando Pinós and María Guirao, founded Gothsland in April 1971. The company has therefore specialized for more than 50 years in Catalan Art Nouveau, a style that and internationally. with Barcelona.
I have been surrounded by works of art and immersed in the thrilling art world from my birth, but it was in 2002 that I joined the Gothsland team professionally.
What do you like most about your work?
I have to confess that it is a privilege to be able to research and document works of art that may have been unaccounted or lost for the last 100 to 150 years. Following rigorous research, the works are presented to the client individually, and many end up in museums or in international collections.
And what do you like least?
Historical research requires many hours, days, or even weeks just to obtain a simple piece of information like a date, name or an address. This is thrilling, but it can mean that it is hard to find time for other tasks or areas of expertise.
What do you think your company excels at?
There is nobody else that does what we do in the art world. And we communicate our passion with rigor, creativity and honesty.
What is your main challenge?
To see Barcelona regain its leadership as a leading cultural center, both in Spain and in Europe as a whole.
Where is your business located? Do you know why this location was chosen?
Since 1978, Gothsland has been based on Consell de Cent, which is renowned for its art galleries. The Barcelona Museum of Modernism is also located close to Consell de Cent, on the corner with Balmes, close to the art galleries and at the very heart of the European Route of Modernism.
What do you like most about the neighborhood where you work?
The rich cultural heritage and the unique stores and restaurants make the Eixample neighborhood utterly unique.
How important is Barcelona for your company?
Barcelona is a beautiful, warm city, with good weather, excellent cuisine and a heritage and culture of its own. It is also a city on a human scale, which means you can almost always walk to where you want to go. Since I am so proud of Barcelona, I use the name ‘Barcelona’ in some 90% of our exhibitions and book titles.
With which city would you compare Barcelona to?
Barcelona is uniquely successful for the reasons I have set out above, and, of course, it has an unbeatable location. However, I also feel very at home in Auckland, in New Zealand, perhaps because it is located at our antipodes and has very similar potential to Barcelona.
What model of city do you think Barcelona should be like?
We should continue to respect Ildefons Cerdà’s urban design, but certain adjustments should be made to meet current and future needs. Barcelona needs to be guided by the two complementary sides of its personality, its seny (good sense) and its rauxa (passion).
What best practices from other cities would you like Barcelona to adopt??
We need to encourage innovation, good sense, and culture.
What would you ask of the Barcelona of the future?
I would like to see Barcelona promote innovation and continue to protect culture. Tax incentives to encourage patronage are essential, which, if well applied, would be very beneficial for all the actors involved. It is also necessary to reduce VAT on culture, bringing it into line with many European countries. We need to remember that it is culture that will set us free.
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