Exhibitions
Realism 26: The representation of the body and the capture of the moment at MEAM
An exhibition at the European Museum of Modern Art that explores the human body and the passage of time through contemporary figurative realism.
The exhibition Realism 26: Figura y Tiempo is presented at the Museu Europeu d'Art Modern (MEAM) in Barcelona from January 15 to May 24, 2026. This exhibition brings together a set of works of international figurative art that use drawing, painting and sculpture as means of representing the contemporary world. The selection of pieces is structured around two main axes that articulate the entire exhibition proposal: the representation of human anatomy and the representation of the passage of time.
The first pillar of the exhibition focuses on the human body. The human figure is considered a central element of realism from its origins, using the works to analyze physiognomy and individual identity. Through the different pieces, personal stories are documented and the aim is to reflect, through images, the bodily and sensory reality of each person. Figurative art helps us describe bodily reality beyond written or spoken language.
The second thematic axis is time and its perception through the artistic object. The desire to capture the moment contrasts with the speed and immediacy of today's society. The production of these pieces involves a slow process of elaboration that requires time for the authors to understand the environment. The paintings and sculptures become a reflection of the hours dedicated.
The exhibition highlights that figurative art establishes a direct connection with the public, as it uses visual codes. The works are easy to understand because they show elements of everyday life with which the public can identify. The exhibition invites us to observe what is typical of the human condition: the body and temporality.
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