BIOGRAPHY OF ANTONI LLENA:
Antoni Llena, born in Barcelona in 1943, is considered an innovator within the current artistic landscape. His subtle and elegant work represents a constant challenge to conventional forms and the boundaries of art.
At the age of 15, Llena entered the Capuchin order in Sarrià, more compelled by circumstances than a genuine religious vocation. His enduring friendship with Antoni Tàpies began on March 9, 1966, during the siege of the Capuchin convent in Sarrià, where intellectuals and artists had barricaded themselves.
In 1968, two years later, Llena left the monastery. By the late sixties, he had the opportunity to exhibit his works in Barcelona and Lleida. Although he claims not to mind if nobody sees his work, he deems it important to explain his artistic attitude. In one exhibition in Lleida, he ended up removing his paper sculptures, leaving only the drawings of their shadows.
One of his conceptual works, "La burbuja disecada" (The Dissected Bubble), made of soap and solvent, wrapped in cellophane, was purchased by Tàpies and can now be seen in the Miró Foundation.
Between 1970 and 1980, Llena stopped painting. In fact, he has never used canvas or paint in the traditional sense. Suddenly, one day, he bought colored papers and started cutting them with scissors. "I felt that a vital cycle in my life was closing because, as a child, I used to sit in a corner of the house cutting papers."
From 1990 onwards, Llena focused on three-dimensional works. In 1992, he contributed several works for the Barcelona Olympic Village, including the sculpture "David and Goliath," located in Parc de les Cascades. In 2002, he contributed to the City Hall building in Barcelona, among others.