About
Through the beauty of artistic forms, Ramon Gener goes inside the inner workings of human nature. All artists use art to explain their emotions.
Episodes
Season 1
Ecstasy
Since the dawn of time, sometimes through the use of alcohol or stimulants, man has sought a spiritual dimension and a state of bliss that would bring him closer to divinity. The quest for the sublime has also found expression through the creation of paintings and sculptures or the composition of poignant melodies. From the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta on the island of Torcello to the symphonic poems of Scriabin, Ramon Gener compares masterpieces of Byzantine, Baroque, and contemporary art to recount the torment and ecstasy of the West throughout the centuries.
Curiosity
In this episode, Gener follows the trail of a great writer who, guided by the artistic sensibility of his childhood, left us one of the most beloved stories of the twentieth century: The Little Prince. Through the life and adventures of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, as well as other great artists such as Mozart and Matisse, Ramon explains the importance of the "inner child" in art. Because, as Picasso said, "all children are born artists. It's difficult to remain an artist when you grow up."
Inspiration
A color, a breath of wind, the face of a loved one, a ray of light: anything can be a source of inspiration. From classical sculptors to the Impressionists to great composers, inspiration is often the result of an unexpected event, but also the source of the torment that, in one way or another, characterizes the life of every artist. To try to explain the elusive moment between creative emptiness and masterpiece, Ramon Gener travels between Athens and Paris in the third episode of the series. From a Modigliani painting to a Berlioz symphony, Gener searches for the muses who have inspired immense works of art throughout Western history.
Rebellion
A meeting with director Julien Temple, a key figure in the 1970s London punk scene, and an interview with three artists who each claim to be the one and only Banksy, the British street artist whose identity remains unknown to this day. Artists have always championed rebellion against the norms and times that preceded them. Through an analysis of denial, disruption, strategy, and action in the artistic and cultural movements of recent decades, Ramon Gener explains why it is necessary and fundamental: without it, there would be no creative evolution. As an act of extreme transgression, Ramon will achieve the impossible in the heart of the heart of the world: filming—strictly prohibited—inside the Sistine Chapel.
Vanity
Ramon Gener explores the various manifestations of vanity, deeply rooted in the creative spirit and an undeniable part of human nature, on a journey through Madrid, Versailles, and Barcelona. With art critic Manuel Antón, Ramon uncovers the secrets of some royal portraits housed at the Prado Museum, while with Sarai López, Spanish bodybuilding champion, he explores the influence of classical sculpture on this sport. Sculptor Jaume Plensa and soprano Desireé Rancatore also feature on the program.
Madness
What would remain of art if we eliminated the madness that, along with inspiration, curiosity, and transgression, is a fundamental element of the creative process? From Hieronymus Bosch to Vincent van Gogh, from Ernest Hemingway and Virginia Woolf to Salvador Dalí and Robert Schumann, Ramón Gener traverses the history of art, literature, and music to reveal the small and large follies hidden behind immense masterpieces.
Jealousy
Cain killing Abel to gain God's favor, Bernini and Borromini competing for the Pope's favor, Venus betraying Vulcan with Mars, Medea killing her own children to punish Jason's betrayal, Veronese and Tintoretto competing for a job. Ramon Gener recounts the most famous cases of jealousy in the history of art, music, literature, and opera. He approaches the topic by explaining how jealousy always involves three parties, unlike envy, which involves two. He also meets the three architects of Studio RCR, who won the 2017 Pritzker Prize for Architecture, to discover that their successful collaboration excludes any form of jealousy. In closing, drawing inspiration from an installation by artist Judy Chicago, he reflects on the fact that jealousy can only be overcome when the love behind it comes to light.
Courage
Like the nine Valkyries who traveled the world in search of heroes worthy of entering Valhalla, in this journey to discover the bravest figures in art, Gener ranges from music (Beethoven) to sacred (David) and profane (Achilles) mythology, passing through literature (Don Quixote and Peter Pan), history (Joan of Arc), architecture (Bernini), and engineering (Leonardo). Through paintings, sculptures, symphonies, and stories, the various declinations of the concept of courage lead to the conclusion that even more courageous than the artist who creates the work is the viewer who admires it and who, therefore, deserves a place in Valhalla alongside the other heroes.
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