Exhibitions
The Josep Pla Foundation celebrates the centenary of 'Things Seen', the work that revolutionized Catalan prose
An exhibition in Palafrugell revisits the literary origins of Josep Pla and recovers the book that marked a before and after in 20th century literature.
The Josep Pla Foundation commemorates the centenary of the publication of Coses vistes , Josep Pla's first book. The temporary exhibition, which will be open until April 4, 2026 at the Foundation's headquarters in Palafrugell, offers an in-depth analysis of a work that not only turned the Empordà native into a writer, but also marked the beginning of the renewal of Catalan prose in the 20th century.
Originally published a hundred years ago, Coses vistes is considered the book in which Josep Pla rehearses and consolidates his characteristic literary genre: the story of reality. According to Joan Safont, journalist, writer and curator of the exhibition, it is a "superlative" volume that precedes all of the author's subsequent production. In its pages we find the beginning of the themes and style that would define his career.
The work had an immediate impact and was enthusiastically received by critics of the time, symbolically described as "twenty-one cannons". Despite its importance, over time the original text was broken up when it was distributed among several volumes of his Complete Works, making it a difficult book to find in its original form until recent recovery initiatives.
The monographic exhibition teaches visitors about Pla's literary origins and the historical and cultural context of the interwar period that surrounded its appearance. The exhibition explores all facets of the book, from its first edition to its subsequent evolution.
Coinciding with this celebration, Edicions 62 has reissued the work, making the original texts from the period from 1920 to 1925 available to today's reader.
The Foundation has published a catalogue that includes complementary texts by specialists, offering an academic and detailed vision of the significance of the work. This commemoration highlights the relevance of Josep Pla from the beginning of his career to the present day.
