The Pictorial Universe of Jesús Moncada
Uncover Jesús Moncada's painting, where color and symbolism powerfully merge with the literary imagination and collective memory of Old Town of Mequinenza.
Jesús Moncada: A life in literature and art
Jesús Moncada (Mequinenza, 1941-2005), acclaimed by critics as one of the finest contemporary writers of the 20th century, for years balanced his passion for literature with his love for painting, a passion that emerged during his youth in the Old Town of Mequinenza.
Demolition of the old town of Mequinensa. (1971) by DesconocidoMuseos de Mequinenza
As the Old Town of Mequinenza disappeared, ravaged by a reservoir and the waters of the Ebro, Moncada felt an urgent need to preserve it. He did so through painting, photography, and literature, leaving a testament to its history and people before its demise.
Jesús Moncada painting (1960-1970) by DesconocidoMuseos de Mequinenza
"It is Mequinenza fragmented by the counter-volume of absences, with scattered fragments united by the line that always delineates the map of color. Memory shells that must be covered with the anguish of nothingness and with the utopian estimation of emptiness."
Francesc Roig i Queral
Jesús Moncada's aesthetic in painting is raw and expressionistic, with a unique fusion of influences from Ernst's surrealism, Francis Bacon's disfigurations, or the unsettling voids found in Pablo Gargallo's sculptures.
Moncada's work is replete with voids that explore memory, history, and the unconscious. His fossilized figures and landscapes reflect a dispossessed Mequinenza, marked by the uncertainty of the future in the face of the impending dam construction.
No title 4 (circa 1970-1990) by Jesús MoncadaMuseos de Mequinenza
Through color and form, Moncada explores the creation of a visual dialogue that complements his literature, delving into the emotional landscapes and collective memory of its inhabitants, filled with nostalgia, unease, and despair.
No title 11 (circa 1970-1990)Museos de Mequinenza
Jesús Moncada portrayed the small moments of daily life in the midst of a disappearance, overwhelmed by the population's uncertain future during the 1960s and 1970s.
According to Sandrine Ribes, Moncada's painting moves away from the biographical and focuses on a profound aesthetic investigation. His use of portraiture as a narrative strategy highlights his ability to tell visual stories, whether through words, painting, or photography.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Moncada exhibited his paintings in various locations, including Mequinenza (1966 and 1970), Galería Simon in Barcelona (1977), l'Abast in Mataró (1977-1978), the Unesco Schools in Barcelona (1978), and the Caixa d'Estalvis Layetana in Arenys de Mar (1980).
Despite his pictorial career, Moncada achieved great renown with his literary works but never abandoned painting or his traditional and elaborate literary dedications.
Espacio Moncada (2024)Museos de Mequinenza
Currently, Jesús Moncada's pictorial, literary, and photographic legacy can be explored at the Espacio Moncada within the History Museum of his hometown, Mequinenza.
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