Joan Hernàndez Pijuan

Joan Hernández Pijuan was born in Barcelona in 1931. He studied at the city s School of Arts and Crafts (Escola d Arts i Oficis – Llotja) and at the Sant Jordi Fine Arts Faculty between 1952 and 1956. While still studying, the author s works were exhibited for the first time, demonstrating expressionism with hints of existentialism. He portrayed everyday scenes, exalting the mundane in his central characters. It was not long before he had his first solo exhibition at the Municipal Museum of Mataró in 1955.

After founding the Silex Group together with Carles Planell, Eduard Alcoy and Josep Maria Rovira, Joan Hernández Pijuan moved to Paris to discover international artistic currents and further his studies in drawing at the École des Beaux-Arts. He focused on lithography and engraving, adapting various geometric figures to his style of abstract expressionism. This cooled down his drawing line, and he became focused on a repertoire of more everyday objects such as cups or fruit on grey and green canvases. In 1972, he moved on to landscape engravings. 

In 1977, Joan Hernández Pijuan began teaching at his alma mater in Barcelona, combining it with his creative activity. In 1980 he became a member of the activities committee of the Miró Foundation to promote cultural activities in his city. He was appointed lecturer at the Sant Jordi Fine Arts Faculty 1989 and became its dean in 1992. He continued teaching until 1997. 

Joan Hernández Pijuan has exhibited his work worldwide, from the MoMA in New York to the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid.