Els mistos, Pop art sculpture in Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
Els mistos is a 20.73 meter tall sculpture made of steel, fiberglass, and aluminum that depicts six giant matchsticks rendered in bright colors against the urban landscape. The art installation was specifically designed for public space near Vall d'Hebron and captures attention through its luminous surface treatment and monumental scale.
The sculpture was completed in 1992 as part of Barcelona's urban transformation initiatives connected to the Olympic Games. It marks a period of significant city development when contemporary art installations were deliberately integrated into the urban fabric to modernize and improve the cityscape.
The artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen created this work using their signature approach of transforming ordinary items into monumental art objects. The matchsticks demonstrate a playful gigantism that shows how familiar objects gain completely new meanings when enlarged to imposing dimensions.
The sculpture is located at Carrer de Jorge Manrique 9 and is easily accessible by public transportation. The nearby Montbau metro station and several bus lines lead directly to the site, making a visit straightforward without a car.
The six matchsticks are positioned in different states - standing upright, fallen, bent, and burning - creating continuously changing perspectives as you walk around the sculpture. This variety makes each viewing angle distinct and encourages exploration from different viewpoints.
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