Pont i boira (Bridge and fog)

The “Slopes and Bridges” series faithfully depicts various urban scenes in Alcoi, the town where Antoni Miró was born. All these vedute cover key buildings in Alcoi’s cityscape and collectively express the shared memory of the townsfolk. Various of Miró’s works in this category refer to the bridge known as Pont Nou or Pont de Sant Jordi, either with partial views or in its entirety.

Alcoi’s urban growth in the last two thirds of the 20th Century was made possible by this bridge, which was opened in 1931, just one month before the proclamation of Spain’s Second Republic. Its heritage values not only lie in its functional versatility but also in the fact that its ornamentation is a fine, singular example of the Art Deco style.

The bridge comprises two sections of a very different configuration. The first consists of three pairs of twinned parabolic arches. The second is a bridge section without arches. The reason for the arch-less section is that under the original plans, it was to be laid on an embankment. The artist focuses on the representation of the first section, which epitomises one of the official models of the State for such structures.

The upper half of the frame is occupied by a clear sky above the bridge and its splendid balustrade, designed by Victor Eusa. The delicate, and vertically rhythmical composition of the Navarre-born architect is accentuated by the adornments and takes on an ethereal quality.

The lower half of the bridge is very different, with the bridge-bearing structure rising from a foggy valley. There are several parked cars in the foreground. There is a contradiction between the clear appearance of the bridge over the fog, which conceals all the visual ‘noise’ created by the messy urban fringes close to the ravine, and its presence behind the vehicles.

Miró seems to denounce the inevitable destruction of a superb view. The bridge’s appearance is painted in great detail without hiding the blemishes of time. The cars, however, gleam showing extremely shining surfaces. But this arrogance will not concede them as long and dignified a life as that of the bridge.

Miró focuses deliberately on the contribution made by buildings and infrastructure as repositories of culture. The passage of time highlights certain qualities and makes other fade — only certain things will end up in the collective imaginary. This part of the cultural heritage coexists with us, offering another slant on the world. Painting such valuable subjects with emphasis is a way of paying tribute to the achievements of our forebears, always highlighting their influence on the present moment.

Santiago Pastor Vila