Beloved by architects, the former Gustavo Gili publishing house has been the headquarters of Manifesta 15 since 2022. A remarkable example of Catalan architecture from the 1950s, the building was designed by the architects Joaquim Gili and Francesc Bassó, members of Grup R. Gustavo Gili is well-known for being the first Spanishlanguage publishers of renowned authors in the field of visual culture, such as John Berger, Milton Glaser, Rem Koolhaas, Bruno Munari, Joan Fontcuberta and Ellen Lupton. This Modernist complex, with an on-site book storage facility, was awarded the FAD Prize for architecture in 1961. Used for its original purpose until 2016, the building is characterised by the use of symmetry and geometrically defined structures, stripped of ornamentation. During the biennial, the Gustavo Gili is a hive of activity, hosting three archival presentations, which collectively form the contextual and historical foundation for this edition of the biennial. Filled with original and interpretative materials, a large proportion of which have never been shown publicly before, the presentations critically (re)evaluate Catalan customs, movements and methodologies that have been overlooked, underappreciated or repressed. Alongside the presentations, the Gustavo Gili also hosts artistic interventions, public programmes, a pop-up by Llibreria Finestres and many more activities. connected with visitors’ realities.
