7 years since the death of Josep Uclés

7 years ago died the artist Josep Cifuentes Uclés (Badalona 1952-La Roca del Vallès 2013), known as Uclés. A painter, illustrator and sculptor trained at the School of Applied Arts and Artistic Trades of Badalona and at the University of Barcelona, ​​he developed a brilliant international career, exhibiting in Paris, Milan, Brussels, Amsterdam and Los Angeles.

His work has been the subject of several books and catalogs. Among the critics and writers who have spoken about it are Glòria Bosch, M. Mercè Marçal, Julià de Jòdar, Vicenç Altaió, Sam Abrams and Matthew Tree.

He always had a strong relationship with the Museu de Badalona (where he had had his first exhibition), where in 1987 he presented the traveling exhibition Històries d’olors, with 19 works on paper inspired by different moments in the city’s history that were acquired by the Museum.

Later, in 2006, he had another exhibition with a catalog, entitled Manual de supervivència en una gran ciutat.. Shortly afterwards, the City Council acquired the work Ajuda’m, which can now be seen in the Viver’s lobby, and which shows us the dreamlike and surreal world so characteristic of this artist.

In 2014, after the death of Uclés, the Badalona City Council and the Museum of Badalona, in collaboration with the Museum of Granollers, dedicated a retrospective exhibition to him, which was curated by art critic and poet Vicenç Altaió and that included also the publication of a book. The exhibition took place in the exhibition hall of the El Carme Cultural Center, which was then renamed Sala Josep Uclés.