Barcelona is a fascinating city. How could a small city which does not even want to identity itself as part of the once mighty Spanish empire, be a hothouse for so many famous artists of the 20th century, artists such as Picasso, Miro, Dali and Gaudi. Where else in the world would you find thousands of tourists thronging its main street, La Rambla in the middle of winter at 9 pm in the evening, just to be among the splendour of gothic and modernist architecture, experiencing the seductive taste of Catalan cava and tapas and watching Spanish design parading among the young and old on the streets.

Spain has had a traumatic history. Goya’s paintings portrayed the grim realities and horror of the Spanish Inquisition. Picasso’s Guernica and other works harboured the deep social rifts and bloodshed from the Spanish Civil War. Miro’s drawings were a protest of the harsh social and political climate of the Franco era. And yet, these same artists’ works also belied the humanity, imagination and folklore unique to the Spanish people.

Perhaps it is because of the dramatic clash of good and evil, beautiful and ugly, pathetic and tragic that the best art is conceived. The Spanish palette is bold, strong and elemental. Blood red, harsh black, elemental brown and emerald green all share in the space, to express, protest or proclaim. The same bold streaks that are on the tiles of a Gaudi masterpiece are also on the fabrics of the hottest street fashion, carried from the colours and natural shades of the Spanish landscape.

Photos in gallery taken by Deborah Lim.