As an independent entity, language is of semantic being in itself and at the same time can breed a wide and different range of meanings in works of art. In artworks, the existences of those meanings manifest themselves like shadows and the shade. In this exhibition, MACBA examines the diverse relationships between language and artworks and literature, politics and the mass media, and presents them through eight different subtopics including poetry, writing, actionism, political expressions, the media, theatre and cinema. The audience will experience the various artistic practices created by many distinguished artists. Among them are as follows: Marcel Broodthaers, who is a poet and plastic artist, delivers his bare-knuckled criticisms of modern cultures and artistic institutions; Joan Brossa combines Spanish visual poetry and literature; Antoni Tapies made certain poetic and gesture actions in which in-depth meanings conveyed through symbolic signs and objects. In addition, Joan Rabascall and Francesc Torres vividly reactivate the contemporary history of Spain through their works through which more explicit images and political messages are transported. Also, Muntadas expresses the political miscommunications deliberately caused by the mass media, and David Lamelas condemns the absence of communication in his work that consists of twelve TV monitors. Furthermore, a group of female artists have forwarded the distortion of femininity. This inquiry can also be detected in works by American artist Joan Jonas, and this tells that the awareness of that matter has been sensed in international sympathy. In the installations and cinema scenes with strong narratives are embodied the solemn, theatrical movements that modernize the catholic environment of Spain, and they reveal their ways of speech are open to the extended spheres of space and language. Especially, Juan Munoz shows his installation work that uses baroque trompe-l’œil, Michel Francois has made a very intriguing collaborative work together with thirteen colleagues of his. A rare opportunity is given by Ignasi Aballi's imaginary film poster and the experimental cinema of Samuel Beckett, winner of the Novel Prize in Lterature. Arena by Rata McBride, installed at Central Hall, is symbolic of this show. It consists of a bullring that is modernized by employing the technology of modular engineering, and here, the audience is allowed to actively speak and communicate.

Now, we can locate the words hidden in the shadows in the works of art introduced by MACBA. These hidden words will help us to understand better about Spain whose cultures have been only obscurely known to us and to discover something to be shared together.

The Shadow of Speech. MACBA Collection introduces to the Korean audience the contemporary artistic practices of Spain and its future by featuring the major artworks selected from the collections of Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona(MACBA). MACBA opened its door in 1995 as one of the leading contemporary art museums in Spain and concentrates on and cherishes contemporary artists and their artworks. Its collections have given emphasis to particular themes rather than a chronological approach to its acquisitions. Now, its result can be observed at this exhibition presented by National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Spain- Korea diplomatic ties.