Joan Miró House, Museum, and Workshop

Yesterday we visited the Fundació Pilar y Joan Miró, which showcases the former home and workshop of the surrealist painter, sculptor, and ceramicist Joan Miró.  His home has been preserved just as it was; in his kitchen are the plates full of paint he was painting from just before he passed away and in the terrazza that overlooks the sea are the tables he preferred to use instead of easels.  Miró often painted barefoot while walking through the courtyard when he was spending time in Palma de Mallorca, and during the hottest parts of the year he preferred to travel to Cataluña.  Once, during these travels, a cat was accidentally locked in his home and died.  This mummified cat, which now hangs from the wall in the kitchen, was a highlight of the tour for several students while others responded with "¡Qué asco!" (How gross!)

As we transitioned to the Museum part of the Foundation, students chose a Miró painting for inspiration and created their own version on a postcard.  Characteristics of Mirós paintings, such as stars, birds, women, primary colors and simple shapes came to life on the postcards.  Many of Miró's works have sold at auction for more than ten million dollars apiece ... we're thinking about setting up shop in Plaza de España today to sell our postcards, how much do you think we can bank?