Mari Chordà: …i moltes altres coses (…and many other things)
A Deeply Personal Encounter with Mari Chordà’s Work at MACBA
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Visiting the Mari Chordà exhibition at the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) was an experience that transcended the usual boundaries of an art exhibition. It was a powerful immersion into the life and work of a woman whose art and activism have shaped the feminist movement in profound ways. The exhibition, titled Mari Chordà… And Many Other Things, was one of the most compelling shows of the season. Curated by Teresa Grandas and co-produced by MACBA and the Museu d’Art Modern de Tarragona, this retrospective offered an expansive view of Chordà’s career, capturing both the political and poetic force of her work.
The Influence of Feminist Movements on Chordà’s Art
The exhibition also highlighted Chordà’s involvement in feminist movements, particularly during the 1970s. This was the moment when the personal became political in a radical and irreversible way. As clandestine feminist meetings began to take shape, Chordà questioned the direction of her artistic production and turned instead toward feminist poetry. During the First Catalan Women’s Days at the University of Barcelona in 1976, she published and anonymously distributed a pamphlet of poetry and prints titled …i moltes altres coses (…and many other things). Leaving the pamphlet unsigned was a deliberate gesture: these works were meant to speak as a collective voice, not as an individual signature.
LaSal: A Feminist Bar-Library
One of the most poignant moments for me was learning about Chordà’s founding of LaSal in 1977. This feminist bar-library in Barcelona became a legendary hub for discourse, exchange, and political imagination. “We wanted to generate spoken word, music, and above all, pleasure,” Chordà once said, underlining the subversive force of pleasure as a mode of resistance. LaSal, together with its associated publishing house, offered a vital platform for feminist cultural and political action at a time when such spaces were urgently needed.
She also established the cultural and political space Llar in her hometown of Amposta, further consolidating her role in the intersection between art and activism.
Poetry and Political Engagement
Stepping into the gallery, I was immediately struck by the emotional intensity of Chordà’s poem.
Cançó de bressol per espavilar una nena
Ull a la corda,
corda, corda.
Esquiva la tralla,
fuet, fuet.
Mira a la dreta,
a l’esquerra,
al davant i al darrera.
Amaga’t, salta,
corre, vola.
Apren karate,
mecànica, dansa.
No vagues a competir,
triomfar, triomfar.
Porta, però, el cap alt,
amunt, avall.
No tingues por
de tenir por de pors.
Viu amb els cinc sentits,
i els set, i els vint.
Entrena’t a obrir i tancar,
a entrar i sortir.
No dones per costum,
patim, patum.
Ni acceptes perquè toca,
toca, toca.
Demana per parir
dignitat, potestat.Que el teu cos
sempre és teu, d’altres
només si vols,
Lo teu cap també és teu,
nomes teu, només teu.Malgrat tal panorama,
no et quedes sempre
dintre de la closca,
crosta, crosta.
desembre, 75 Barcelona, Mari Chordà, … i moltes altres coses (2006)
Lullaby to Make a Girl Awake
Keep an eye on the rope,
Rope, rope.
Dodge the whip,
Whip, whip.
Look to the right,
To the left,
Ahead and behind.
Hide, jump,
Run, fly.
Learn karate,
Mechanics, dance.
Don’t go to compete,
Triumph, triumph.
But carry your head high,
Up, down.
Don’t be afraid
Of being afraid of fears.
Live with all five senses,
And the seven, and the twenty.
Train yourself to open and close,
To enter and exit.
Don’t give by habit,
Patim, patum.
Nor accept because it’s required,
Required, required.
Demand for giving birth
Dignity, authority.That your body
Always be yours, of others
Only if you want,
Your head is yours too,
Only yours, only yours.Despite such a panorama,
Don’t always stay
Inside the shell,
Crust, crust.
December, 75, Barcelona, Mari Chordà, … and many other things (2006)
And then I moved into Chordà’s art. The vibrant colors, the bold depictions of the female body, and the palpable sense of defiance that pervades her work all left a profound impact on me. It was as if the walls of the gallery were alive with the energy of her struggle, her passion, and her unwavering commitment to feminist ideals.
Iconic Works: Líquidos, Lágrimas, and Coitus Pop
As I walked through the exhibition, I was particularly captivated by Chordà’s works from her Parisian period, such as Líquidos (1966) and Lágrimas (1968).
These pieces vividly reflect the influence of the artistic movements that were flourishing in Paris at the time, particularly Nouveau Réalisme and Pop Art. The vibrant, almost electric colors and the fluid, organic forms are emblematic of Chordà’s innovative approach during a period of intense artistic exploration.
Líquidos and Lágrimas are not merely visual experiences. They are profound expressions of emotional and psychological landscapes, shaped by Chordà’s absorption and reinterpretation of contemporary styles. The bold use of color and the fluidity of form suggest a deliberate break from rigid structures, echoing the liberation and experimentation that marked both her personal and artistic journey in Paris.
The iconic painting Coitus Pop (1967), also featured in the exhibition, stands as a powerful political statement. It addresses female sexuality and pleasure. Created shortly after the birth of her child, this work reflects Chordà’s bold exploration of the female body and its desires. It asserts the right of women to experience and express sexual pleasure without shame or repression.
Exploring Female Anatomy: Vulva, La Gran Vagina, and Secrecions
A striking and symbolic piece that explores themes of femininity, sexuality, and the female body is Vulva (1968). Rendered in vibrant shades of purple, pink, and black, the painting reclaims female anatomy as a powerful symbol rather than an object of taboo. Chordà’s work is often associated with feminist movements and can be read as a critique of the traditional male gaze in art. The soft, flowing forms and contrasting colors emphasize the organic nature of the subject, making it at once abstract and deeply personal.
This painting is a notable example of how Chordà contributed to feminist discourse through art, challenging social norms and promoting a positive representation of women’s bodies.
La Gran Vagina (1966) is a powerful and unapologetic exploration of female anatomy. Using enamel and oil paint on canvas, Chordà creates an abstract yet unmistakable depiction of the vagina framed by swirling, organic forms. The red, yellow, brown, and green hues evoke vitality and force, challenging conventional representations of the female body. Created at a time when such subjects were rarely addressed openly, the work embodies Chordà’s feminist commitment and asserts the beauty and strength of the female form.
The Great Vagina is both a celebration of womanhood and a statement of defiance against the taboos surrounding female sexuality in art and society.
Another profound work is Secrecions, a vivid exploration of organic forms and fluidity rendered in striking colors that evoke the inner workings of the body. The composition is dominated by flowing shapes in shades of orange, teal, purple, and white, suggesting a biological process and hinting at intimate, often hidden aspects of female experience. The abstract nature of the piece invites multiple interpretations, yet it remains deeply connected to Chordà’s feminist perspective.
Secrecions stands as a testament to Chordà’s innovative approach to depicting the female body. She blends the biological with the artistic in a way that challenges traditional boundaries and celebrates the complexity of womanhood.
Multimedia Installations and the Return to Visual Arts
Despite her deep involvement in poetry during the 1970s and 1980s, Chordà returned to the visual arts in 1991, continuing to explore fertility, the female body, and the intersection of art and politics. Her later works, including multimedia installations such as Úter/ou (2017), reflect a sustained engagement with fertility as one of the central themes of her practice.
The Ongoing Legacy of Mari Chordà
The MACBA exhibition is more than a retrospective. It is a celebration of Mari Chordà’s enduring legacy as an artist and activist. The sensorial and immediate nature of her work, especially her use of color and form, resonated deeply with me. Her abstract pieces often evoke the female body and its organs, carrying a powerful message about pleasure as a tool for understanding the world and resisting the subjugation of women.
This sensory dimension, combined with her sustained commitment to feminist ideals, makes Chordà’s work not only visually striking but politically and emotionally consequential.
Video (WordPress auto-embed):
As Mari Chordà celebrates her eightieth birthday, the recognition she has long deserved is finally becoming more visible. Her works are now part of major collections, including those of the Museo Nacional Reina Sofía in Madrid and the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya in Barcelona. Her contribution to feminist art has also received renewed critical attention, including her presence in the acclaimed exhibition The World Goes Pop at Tate Modern in 2015.
Reflecting on my visit to the MACBA exhibition, I was struck by how Chordà’s art continues to challenge and inspire. Her exploration of the female body, her feminist politics, and her commitment to creating spaces for women’s voices have left an indelible mark on both the art world and the feminist movement. The exhibition offered not only a deep look into her artistic career, but also a reminder that the struggle for gender equality remains unfinished.
In celebrating Mari Chordà, what emerged was not only the portrait of a remarkable artist and activist, but also a reaffirmation of solidarity, resistance, and collective action. Her story, so vividly brought to life at MACBA, is a testament to the power of art to generate social change. Her legacy remains both an inspiration and a call to continue the work.
Other Works in the Exhibition
