Guest Piece, “El Abrazo”, 1976

Juan Genovés (Valencia, 1930 – Madrid, 2020) holds a unique place in the contemporary Spanish art scene. His artistic production represents a living chronicle of some of the most impactful historical, political, and social events of the second half of the 20th century. He is one of the most significant painters of the Spanish Transition, his work aligning with a generation of artists with a strong political commitment to democracy.

El Abrazo is, without a doubt, the most acclaimed piece by this Valencian artist. The work was produced during a complex political juncture: the death of Franco in 1975, after forty years of dictatorship, placed the country in a tense debate between the restoration of democracy or the continuation of a dictatorial regime.

Through a painting of expressive photorealism, Genovés manages to depict, with a gesture as common as an embrace, the triumph of democracy and the desire for reconciliation amongst the Spanish people. The power of this piece’s visual language was such that the Junta Democrática turned it into the poster for the petition for amnesty for political prisoners at the end of Francoism, with a print run of 500,000 copies, making it an icon of Spanish collective memory.

Thus, in the context of the celebration of the Mostra Espanha 2024 and PORTUGAL-SPAIN. 50 years of culture and democracy programmes, this painting is a clear manifestation of the relationship between art and politics and the role of culture in the everyday struggle for freedom.

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