CERCLE 1

17 Tallerd'apunts / Tallerdeapuntes /Sketchesworkshop©RCAB T he Pignatelli Palace is an impressiveMedieval-esque sto- nebuilding, locatedatBarcelona’sbusiestcrossroads, that houses theRoyalArtisticCircle (RAC). If we were to attend one of the frequent exhibitions, con- certs or inaugurations that take place throughout the year, wewouldbewitness to a rather special route: the courtyard, the staircase, the exhibition hall, theHall of the Atlantes and themagnificent restaurant, all on the first floor. However, we would never have suspected that if we ascended to the up- per part that wemight find some very special rooms where the very essence of theRAC canbe found: the artists’ rooms, wherewecansee thedailyactivities thatgaverise to thisvery institution. We could climb up on foot and thus contemplate the various wall-hung artworks, dating from the long history of this al- ready-centenarianassociation. Upon arrivingon the third floor and taking a few steps down to the left, we come to the ‘Still Lifes’, awide space that is a studio-workshopdivided into two: at theback several still li- fes are being put together to practise drawing and painting on real models. The artists take care of the design, lighting, mounting and dismounting of the latter. The remaining, lar- ger, space isused for all kindsof creativeenterprises enabled by large tabletopsandeasels. Three new workspaces are distributed around a luminous central patio and a room for rest and sharing, which also functionsasanexhibitionhall. The firstof theworkspaces iscalled ‘Painting’ and isa studio- workshop in which the easels are arranged amphitheatre- style (the smaller ones in front, the larger ones at the back), all facingakindof stagewhere thepersonposes, generally in the nude. The stage has a system of lighting that allows for a certainplaywith chiaroscuro tohighlight anddiscover the in- finitieaestheticpossibilitiesof thehumanbody.At thebackof thestage there isa largemirrordraped in threecurtains:dark blue, redvelvet andoff-white. Thepose isplacedonaMondayand remainsunchangeduntil Fridayso that theartistscanexperimentwith techniques that take several days or a number of hours to complete, such as oil, acrylic,watercoloursand soon. Ifwe leave ‘Painting’ and take several steps around the cour- tyardwe’d come to 'Sketches', as always accompaniedby the numerousartworksdecorating thewalls. This isaworkshop- studio for drawing, specially designed to keep up technique andstyle, forquickobservationand theconsiderationof both static and rhythmic aspects applied to thebeautyofmuscles, skin, nervesandveins... Acircularplatformwithvarious lightingpossibilities iswhere themodel isplaces, either in a changingposture (5or 10mi- nutes)orstatic.All theplaces in thestudioare locatedaround thisplatform. Techniqueshere cannot be too invasive, soherewepredomi- nantly seepencils, dippens, charcoal, gouache... A small door takes us to ‘Printing’, a cheeryworkshop-studio withoverhead lighting,whereaprofessionalpressanda large worktablepredominate. Around thesewe can find all thene- cessary items foranykindof reprographic technique. If, somewhat tired,wewere to continue thevisit,we couldgo up a small set of steps to come to ‘Sculpture’. This is beauti- ful space, althoughwith overhead illuminationwheremode- llingworkgoeson. Thewheels, stoolsandother furnitureare situated around a circular platformwhere themodel poses, alwaysnude. Now there isbut the farewell, and thedesire that thesespaces becomeahome to creative imagination,making room for the perfectioningof techniqueandof artisticconcepts. Eachstudio-workshophas itsownatmosphereand rules, and wewill shortlyanalyseeachof them ingreaterdepth.█