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RCD Espanyol combine forces with legendary artist Javier Mariscal
The 125th anniversary celebrations feature a specially commissioned painting
Few artists are as closely linked to a city as Javier Mariscal and Barcelona. The 1992 Olympic Games in the city were a turning point, bringing a fresh, renewed style to the largest sporting event in the world -and to Barcelona itself. Cobi, the mascot Mariscal designed, won the affection of residents and sports fans.
To celebrate the club’s 125th anniversary, RCD Espanyol wanted Mariscal to be the featured artist, because of his connection to the city, his style, and what he represents. After a series of preliminary meetings, the club convinced the designer to get involved with the project. Mariscal was chosen for his cheerful and groundbreaking style, his connection to the world of sport, and also for the unconditional love for Barcelona his work reflects.
This Thursday, football and art joined forces. The Reial Cercle Artístic de Barcelona hosted an event, attended by the club's CEO, Mao Ye, and the president of the RCD Espanyol Foundation, Antoni Fernandez Teixidó.
The event also included the club's 125th anniversary committee, a wide range of club executives and employees, club ambassadors, and other figures from the Espanyol community, the FCPE, and the Veterans Association. However, the star of the show was Mariscal himself.
After the welcome from the president of the Reial Cercle Artístic de Barcelona, Josep Félix Bentz, Jordi Via and David Tolo explained how the agreement with Mariscal came about, why it had to be him, and the chemistry that led the artist to accept the challenge.
"I'm excited. I work in visual communication, and RCD Espanyol came to me with a commission... I was trembling... It makes you a little scared! You're afraid, because people get so sad about football. I had to find something that would connect: We don't realize how powerful colours are for communication," said Mariscal.
The artist strayed from the script and helped to generate a unique atmosphere for one of the most important days for Espanyol fans.
In his painting, Espanyol's symbol, the smiling parakeet, rises above what he calls "La Grancelona," bordered by the Besòs and Llobregat rivers to the right and left, and by the sea and Collserola at the top and bottom of the painting. In the large-format painting are details of the city, as well as our club's facilities: the RCDE Stadium in Cornellà-El Prat and the Ciudad Deportiva Dani Jarque in Sant Adrià del Besòs.
After the formal exchange of gifts, Mariscal, reluctant to associate himself with any team, received the first RCD Espanyol ‘friend card.’ For many, it's difficult to understand life without football, but it's also difficult to explain life without art. RCD Espanyol have successfully united the two in a painting that will go down in history.
Starting Monday, September 22nd, 30x40 cm lithographs with a printed reproduction of the painting will be available exclusively at the RCDE Store.