CCCB Veus

On Tuesday 25 March the CCCB inaugurates its first exhibition of 2014 and the first in the world dedicated to four fundamental authors in animated film: the pioneer Ladislas Starewitch (Moscow 1882-Paris 1965), the Czech master Jan Švankmajer (1934) and the Quay Brothers(1947) – identical twins who work in unison. Despite being creators that, as explained by the exhibition’s curator Carolina López, have remained on the fringes of fashions, the industry and tendencies, meaning that they are relatively little known to mass audiences, their work appeals to emotions that we have all surely felt at some time in our lives, as children, or when afraid or dreaming. The universe of the filmmakers of Metamorphosis is a vast collection – a fascinating cabinet of curiosities – that mixes insects, anthropomorphic beings, monsters, dreamscapes, stuffed animals, and darkness at the end of the corridor.

The exhibition recovers and screens films by Švankmajer, Starewitch and the Quay Brothers while presenting two installations that the Quays and Švankmajer have prepared exclusively for the event, and documenting the style and influences of the filmmakers with over 550 pieces of art, including puppets, drawings, prints, sculptures and paintings (we will see works by Francisco de Goya, James Ensor, Alfred Kubin and Giuseppe Arcimboldo, to name just a few examples).

In this interview, the curator Carolina López offers a preview of what we will find at Metamorphosis. Fantasy visions of Starewitch, Švankmajer and the Quay Brothers.

Meet the Quay Brothers, Švankmajer and Starewitch’s granddaughter

For the week of the inauguration of Metamorphosis, the CCCB has programmed a series of activities for delving further into the work and creative process of the filmmakers in the exhibition. The day after the inauguration, Wednesday 26 March, you will have the opportunity to talk with the Quay Brothers, Jan Švankmajer and Léona-Béatrice Martin-Starewitch, granddaughter of Ladislas Starewitch, in a debate that will kick off at 7.30 p.m. With the entry ticket to this cinephile debate, you can visit the exhibition afterwards free of charge. And if you can’t travel to the CCCB, but you really want to ask the participants a question, you can leave your questions in a comment below this article or send them via Twitter with the hashtag #ExpoMetamorfosis.

The CCCB’s regular scheduled film programme XCèntric has also prepared a special tribute season to the authors, which will begin on Thursday with the première of the film by the Quay Brothers “The Secret Order of Things”. Another unique opportunity to talk once more with the American twins, who will be attending the première of their latest work at the CCCB.

Metamorfosis can be visited until 7 September at the CCCB and, in October, it will travel to La Casa Encendida Fundación Caja Madrid, which is co-producing the exhibition.

From now on and for the next few months, you will be hearing a lot about the artists featured in the exhibition. The “Metamorphosis” experience goes beyond the exhibition hall and, based around the exhibition, an extensive programme of activities has been organised that will take place both at the CCCB and at different venues around the city.

You can consult all the information about the exhibition here.