Eugènia Balcells. "From the Center" - Museu Nacional d'Art de CatalunyaBarcelona Art Season, Exhibitions
06/21/2025 - 09/11/2025

The renowned work From The Center by Eugènia Balcells becomes a unique immersive experience in the Oval Room of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya through a large-scale video installation. Created between 1980 and 1982 in New York, this piece has become a milestone of contemporary video art. Known for its technical complexity and richness of meaning, From the Center evokes ancient megalithic monuments, described by the artist herself as an electronic Stonehenge.

The installation consists of 12 monoliths arranged in a circle, forming a walkable panopticon that provides a fragmented yet unified view of the world. Each monolith is accompanied by images and sounds specifically created for the piece by musician Peter Van Riper, totalling 12 video and sound channels that create a dense and fascinating audiovisual space.

The work fuses technology and spirituality, inviting reflection on perception, vision, and the desire to connect empathically with the universe. Moreover, its relationship with the Romanesque paintings in the museum's collection reinforces the connection between contemporary art and the great mystical vision machines of the past.