The Mediterranean Foundation brings its unique Modernist collection to Alcoi with 'Eternally New'

The Mediterranean Foundation presented its new exhibition titled 'Eternally New' this Friday at the IVAM CADA cultural center in Alcoi. The inauguration and opening will take place next Tuesday, September 24, at 6:30 PM.

This exhibition highlights the relevance of Modernism or Art Nouveau today and brings together for the first time the unique Modernist collection that is part of the Mediterranean Foundation's documentary archive, offering the public a unique opportunity to explore this artistic movement in a contemporary context.

The president of the Mediterranean Foundation, Luis Boyer, was responsible for presenting the exhibition to the media, alongside the mayor of Alcoi, Toni Francés, the tourism councilor, Lorena Zamorano, and the curator of the exhibition, Mercedes Navarro.

The exhibition showcases the rich collection of the Casa Museo Modernista de Novelda, a space of the Mediterranean Foundation that houses an impressive selection of objects and graphic pieces related to Modernism, a style that permeated both architecture and decorative arts in the early 20th century.

Built between 1901 and 1905 by Antonia Navarro Mira, the Casa Museo Modernista de Novelda symbolizes the city's progress and its commitment to industrial and cultural development. This space, with its unique architecture, is one of the foremost examples of Modernism in the Valencian Community.

"Eternally New" is an exhibition project curated by Mercedes Navarro that allows glimpses into the impact of Modernism on various disciplines such as graphic arts, advertising design, and decoration. For the first time in one space, it brings together artistic posters, commercial advertisements, social prints, ex-libris, tobacco labels, menus, fold-outs, and labels among other objects.

The exhibition also includes three-dimensional elements such as artistic bindings and saffron boxes that complement the display, providing a comprehensive view of the Modernist style. These objects will be exhibited alongside large graphic prints and explanatory vinyls that guide visitors through the Modernist legacy.

The exhibition gathers more than a hundred works by renowned Spanish and international artists. Among them are figures like Francisco de Cidón Navarro, Ramón Casas, Alexandre de Riquer, A. Utrillo, Gaspar Camps, Carlos Vázquez, Josep Triadó, Penagos, and Llorenç Brunet. These pieces reflect a key moment in graphic arts history when chromolithography allowed for color incorporation into design, creating a new visual dimension. Chromolithography was a revolutionary technique that turned posters into powerful advertising tools capable of attracting public attention with vibrant colors and great visual impact.

The exhibition also includes works by European artists such as Alfred Choubrac, Victor Emile Prouvé, Maurice Tamagno, V. Lorant-Heilbronn, and a large-format work by renowned French illustrator, painter and sculptor Eugène Grasset. Many of these works are part of private collections and are considered authentic collector's items not only for their aesthetic value but also for their historical significance within European Modernism.

Alcoi, with its rich industrial and cultural heritage, becomes the perfect setting for an exhibition of this magnitude. The city, like Novelda, witnessed a period of great industrial development that deeply influenced its architecture and social life. The IVAM CADA building itself is an emblematic example of this tradition. Located in the former Monte de Piedad y Caja de Ahorros de Alcoi building with deep ties to Modernism, it now hosts an exhibition that interacts with its surroundings inviting visitors to discover how this artistic style not only shaped the past but continues to inspire today.

In addition to the exhibited pieces visitors can enjoy large-scale photographic reproductions of Casa Museo Modernista de Novelda as well as decorative elements illustrating the history of Mediterranean Foundation's Modernist architectural heritage. This legacy includes culturally valuable buildings located in cities like Cartagena Valencia and Alcoi all reflecting an architectural trend that transformed urban landscapes in these locations at the end of 19th century and beginning of 20th century.

The exhibition does not limit itself to traditional artistic pieces but offers an immersion into advertising and graphic arts from the Modernist period. Visitors can discover how printing techniques like lithography and chromolithography revolutionized communication and product marketing in society at that time. Through advertising posters labels and commercial wrappers it reveals how graphic design evolved to attract consumers using innovative visual elements and striking colors.

Among standout pieces are Belle Époque advertising posters some large-format reflecting era's splendor. These posters served not only as commercial promotion tools but also represented new accessible art form decorating streets public spaces with vibrant style. Exhibition explores how Modernism influenced other everyday objects such as product packaging postcards greeting cards all examples art serving daily life.

The "Eternally New" exhibition will be open to public from September 24 until September 2025. During this period IVAM-CADA-ALCOI will host series complementary activities allowing deeper understanding Modernism's impact on contemporary society including guided tours conferences workshops all ages aimed bringing cultural heritage closer diverse audience.

For more information about exhibition visiting hours related activities please visit official website Mediterranean Foundation at www.fundacionmediterraneo.es.