Joan Salvat-Papasseit

Who was Joan Salvat-Papasseit?

Joan Salvat-Papasseit was a Catalan poet, though he also wrote articles, manifestos and other prose of a political and social nature. He wrote primarily in Catalan, although he had an early period of essay-writing in Spanish.

His work is notable for its nonconformity, idealism and foreboding of premature death. His poetry, with both avant-garde and traditional influences, begins with the publication of Poemes en ondes hertzianes in 1919. The cover illustration for the book was created by Joaquín Torres García. Further works of poetry were "La gesta dels estels" in 1922 and the culmination of the poet's vital enthusiasm in "El poema de la rosa als llavis" in 1923.

The city of Barcelona has honored him with a statue at the Moll de la Fusta wharf by Robert Krier, the pedestal of which bears a plaque with his poem, "Nocturn per a acordió", referring to the period when the poet was a night watchman there. His poetry has been brought to the public at large, in particular through musical arrangements and recitals by Lluís Llach, Ovidi Montllor, Guillermina Motta, Ramon Muntaner, Xavier Ribalta, Joan Manuel Serrat and Rafel Subirachs, amongst others, as well as Carles Andreu in France.