WYD brings Gaudi to Panama’s Biomuseo

The exhibition ’Gaudí, son of María’ will be brought from Spain to Panama for World Youth Day 2018. The gesture is in honor of the Marian faith of the famous modernist architect.

A new exhibition on the expiatory temple of the Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona, ​​Spain, from architect Antonio Gaudí, will be part of the cultural offer that will be featured at  the World Youth Day (WYD) for the enjoyment of its pilgrims in Panama .

The exhibition "Gaudí, son of María", will be installed in the auditorium of the Biomuseo in the Amador Causeway, and will be composed of billboards, illustrative panels, models and audiovisuals, translated into English and Spanish.

The expiatory temple of Sagrada Familia was designed by Gaudí and began to be built under his supervision in 1882. The death of Gaudi, due to an accident with a tram and lack of budget, hindered the project’s completion. Its culmination is expected in 2026, to coincide with the centenary of Gaudí’s death. Although other critics project that the real date of completion will extend  beyond the year 2030.  It is  one of the most visited architectural works in the world, for its diverse influences in design, including Gothic and Art Nouveau.

The artistic-religious exhibition is part of one of the five great circuits prepared for WYD.

Gaudí’s exhibition uses a current language such as stories (storytelling), similar to the one used in the social network Instragram, to make it attractive to young people. "It’s as if Gaudí himself published his stories about how Maria guided him in his work," says Curti.

How to access the exhibition? To enter the Biomuseo and see the exhibition from January 2018, you only have to be registered as a pilgrim at WYD. Extended hours for the occasion range from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

At the end of the exhibition each visitor can participate in a workshop to build a mosaic with a Marian symbol and take it as a reminder of their visit.

After the celebration of the WYD, the exhibition will remain free as a "gift for Panamanians", says Curti, until February 8 at the museum’s regular hours.

Around the museum there will be a festive atmosphere of music and a collection center for food distribution, which will encourage the continuous movement of pilgrims and experience Panamanian biodiversity.