interview with Mr. Enric Batalla, director and curator of the La Catedral Art Gallery.
by Cristina Serret (MES TARRAGONA).
All my life I have been an art fan and, at this stage I am in now, I have wanted to do something related to culture for the city of Tarragona. This is how Enric Batalla, from Tarragona, introduces himself, director and promoter of the new La Catedral Gallery, which opened its doors this December. An engineer by profession, Enric confesses to being passionate about art, an interest that has led him to also become a collector.
His new project is a gallery born with the purpose of being a showcase for both established and new artists. There will also be tributes and anthological exhibitions, as well as exhibitions of alternative and experimental art, videos, short films and photography. In addition, La Catedral also wants to offer its space to children, making it easier for them to hold collective exhibitions. In short, Enric details, "the idea is to generate a good cultural and pictorial environment in the city, so that people who love art can come freely."
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The La Catedral Gallery is located in a unique space in the Part Alta, at number 7 Calle del Claustro, and number 5 Pla de La Seu, it has two rooms. The central room houses, at that time, a temporary exhibition of Catalan painters that form part of the gallery's collection. In the second room is what Enric has called The Showcase of Emotions, a multipurpose area where the public can live a sensory experience through the projection of pictorial works accompanied by light, sound and aroma effects.
Enric Batalla is already working towards the official opening of the space, which will take place this quarter, and which will have as its inaugural exhibition a tribute to contemporary Tarragona painters.
Later, established and emerging artists will alternate, who will be chosen by an Artistic Committee. At this point, Enric emphasizes that the emerging concept should not necessarily be linked to youth, ensuring that the Gallery is also open to veterans who have discovered their talent in adulthood.
All of this, explains the gallery owner, presented "more as a cultural work than as a business", ensuring that he is fully aware that "the world of art is difficult", but also that his desire is to "generate a friendly environment for the people who love him. In this sense, the Gallery also wants to be a meeting point for holding conferences and seminars. Likewise, he wants to make his extensive documentary collection available to the public, thus promoting research in the artistic field.