The Museo Universidad de Navarra Collection is a living collection because it is constantly growing and a total collection because it includes all kinds of artistic expressions: photography, painting, sculpture, video-creation...
Until August 24, 2025, you can visit the exhibition 'Collection Museo Universidad de Navarra: Four decades', which, for the first time, shows a complete overview of the evolution of the collection since it began in the 80s of the last century. Through the works on display, we can travel through 185 years of art, from the beginning of photography in 1839 to the present day.
The Museo Universidad de Navarra collection is a growing legacy, articulated around photography and the collection of modern and contemporary art. On these two axes, a space for interdisciplinary encounters between photography, painting, sculpture and video creation is promoted.
Since 2002, the Museum has been developing a creative research and artistic residency project: Tender Puentes. This proposal proposes a dialogue between contemporary artists and our collection, who are inspired by it to create new artistic projects and new work. Tender Puentes is completed with a theoretical reflection in the form of a book, a conference and othereducational activities.
National photography prizes such as Bleda y Rosa, Joan Fontcuberta, Javier Vallhonrat; artists Pierre Gonnord, Vik Muniz, Antoni Muntadas, Fernando Pagola or Carlos Cánovas have participated in this program. In addition, since 2016, the Museum expands the project to visual artists from other disciplines.
The Performing Arts and Music Artistic Residency Programs also turn to the MUN Collection as a source of inspiration. New dance, music and theater creations are based and rooted in works from the Collection, giving rise to relevant creative and research processes. Their results are shared through conferences and publications: the Cuadernos de creación is the editorial line that collects the different phases of their development and the fundamental milestones that have given rise to the final piece.
KEY PIECES OF THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION
Jaime García del Barrio, director of the Museum, introduces the series.
Key pieces of the MUN Collection. From this paradise' by Antonio Millares
Key pieces of the MUN Collection. Margarita Xirgu' ; 'Self-portrait of Carlos Nyssen' and 'El Raval'.
'La Piazza della Constituzione' by Claudius Galen Wheelhouse.
Photographs from the series 'De Laboris' by Pierre Gonnord
Encyclopedia, or reasoned dictionary of the sciences. The arts and crafts 1751 -1772. Denis Diderot and Jean Le Rond D'Alembert
The photography collection allows us to witness the evolution of the medium in Spain, with pieces dating from its creation to the present day.
The former Photographic Fund of the University of Navarra began in 1981 with the reception of the legacy of José Ortiz-Echagüe, one of the leading Spanish photographers of the 20th century. It includes the photographs taken in North Africa, and the series that make up his four fundamental books: España tipos y trajes (1929), España pueblos y paisajes (1939), España mística (1943), and España castillos y alcázares (1956), plus the group of family images. This first donation led the University to propose a project to create a collection of Spanish photography. With the purchase of pieces, other donations, deposits and bequests, the Fund was inaugurated in 1990.
It is a living collection, which today has nearly 23,000 photographs and almost 250,000 negatives. Among them are works by contemporary artists who worked in Spain throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, such as the Viscount of Vigier, Alphonse de Launay, Gustave Beaucorps, Jean Laurent or José Martínez Sánchez in the 19th century; representatives of the "new photography" of the 20th century, such as Pere Català Pic or Josep Renau; or photojournalists, such as Robert Capa, Agustí Centelles or Henri Cartier-Bresson.
María Josefa Huarte shared with her family a great admiration for contemporary art. This led her to promote and sponsor various young artists of the time. A regular visitor to museums and art galleries, over the years she amassed an important collection of works with which she felt a special connection. Over time, those unknown artists became essential figures of the Spanish art scene in the second half of the 20th century.
The collection includes fifty pictorial and sculptural works by the most international Spanish artists of the time. Its three main pillars, Pablo Palazuelo, Jorge Oteiza and Antoni Tàpies, are joined by other Spanish artists such as Eduardo Chillida, José Antonio Sistiaga and Luis Feito, as well as three essential figures of the international scene: Marc Rothko, Pablo Picasso and Vasily Kandinsky.
This initial legacy will be joined, over time, by other funds and collections such as those of Juan Dolcet and Rafael Sanz Lobato, two of Spain's leading documentary photographers. The collections of Víctor Méndez Pascual and Robert Hershkowitz contain a particularly valuable series of photographs from the 19th century. Juan Naranjo's legacy is the richest in contemporary pieces. The Museum has received other donations from Patty Cisneros, Bleda y Rosa, Carlos Cánovas and Javier Vallhonrat, among others.
Loans
304 pieces on loan
- Loan of Untitled, 1969, by Mark Rothko, to the Fundación Catalunya La Pedrera (Barcelona), for the exhibition Los caminos de la abstracción (1957-1978). Dialogues with the Museum of Abstract Art of Cuenca.
- Loan of the installation El no retorno, by Cecilia Paredes, to the Centro de Cultura Contemporánea Conde Duque (Madrid), for the exhibition Cecilia Paredes. El no retorno.
- Loan of 107 photographs by José Ortiz Echagüe to the Cervantes Institute for the exhibition Apuntes fotográficos del pasado. Spain 1900-1950 as seen by José Ortiz de Echagüe, at the Opelvillen Museum (Russelsheim - Frankfurt).
- Loan of 1 photograph by Charles Clifford, 1 photograph by Paul Audouard and 1 album by Robert P. Napper to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS) (Madrid), for the exhibition Documentary Genealogies. Photography 1848-1917.
- Loan of 190 drawings by Cristina de Middel and 1,200 documentary photographs from the newspaper Alerta to the Renault room of the Polytechnic University of Valencia for the exhibition Cristina de Middel. Cucurrucucucú.
- Loan of 1 photograph by Charles Clifford to the Community of Madrid for the exhibition Región. Mission landscape Madrid.
- Loan of Mousquetaire. Tète ( 1967), by Pablo Picasso, to the Museo de Belas Artes da Coruña for the exhibition Picasso blanco en el recuerdo azul.
CO-PRODUCTIONS
- Co-production with Fundación Mapfre of the exhibition Todo es verdad. Fictions and documents (1985-2020), by Jorge Ribalta.
- Co-production with the Cervantes Institute of Frankfurt and the Opelvillen Museum Rüsselsheim (Germany) of the exhibition Photography notes from the past. José Ortiz Echagüe (1886-1990).
- Co-production with the Museo de Ciencias Universidad de Navarra of the exhibition Reazione Nera. Cajal and the nervous impulse of photography
- Participation in the distributed exhibition "Catorce más allá" in collaboration with the Network of Museums and Permanent Collections of Navarre.
CO-PRODUCTIONS
Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea (CGAC) (Santiago de Compostela), co-production of the exhibition Hamish Fulton. Walking east
Fundación MAPFRE (Madrid), co-production of the exhibition Jorge Ribalta. Everything is true. Fictions and documents (1987-2020)
LOANS
- CGAC (Santiago de Compostela), loan of three photographs for the exhibition Camiños II.
- Fundación Canal Isabel II (Madrid), loan of eight photographs for the exhibition Clifford. Views of Isabel II's Madrid
- Juanelo Turriano Foundation (Condeduque-Madrid), loan of ten photographs for the exhibition Fortification and the city.
- Patio Herreriano (Valladolid), loan of fifteen photographs for the exhibition Ricardo González. Valladolid-Ariza and the photography of public works in the 19th century.
- Bancaja Foundation (Valencia), loan of a sculpture for the exhibition Jorge Oteiza and Eduardo Chillida. Dialogue in the 1950s and 1960s
- Kubo Kutxa Foundation (San Sebastian), loan of a painting for the exhibition José Antonio Sistiaga. De rerum natura
- Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife (Granada), loan of three photographs for the exhibition On the Alhambra in modern art.
- En Aire Foundation (Santander), loan of four photographs for the exhibition Javier Vallhonrat. The Incised Shadow. Bordering the ice
- Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS) (Madrid), loan of seven photographs for the permanent exhibition.
- Festival International Photography Vannes (Brittany-France), loan of forty photographs for the exhibition Martín Chambi. Collection Museo Universidad de Navarra
- San Telmo Museum (San Sebastian), loan of a sculpture for the exhibition Jorge Oteiza and Eduardo Chillida. Dialogue in the 1950s and 1960s
- Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas (Madrid), loan of an Album of drawings for the exhibition La irrupción de la vida moderna. Furniture and Interiors in Spain in the 1930s
- Patio Herreriano (Valladolid), loan of seventy photographs for the exhibition Derivaciones. Photography in Spain between the 1950s and the 1980s.
LOANS
- 2 photographs by José Ortiz Echagüe for the exhibition Huerta in front of the water, in the Monastery of Santa María de Huerta (Soria).
- 2 facsimiles of photographs by Ortiz Echagüe for an installation by the artist Rogelio López Cuenca at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS).
- 2 photographs of the Comissariat de propaganda for the exhibition Aplastemos el Fascismo. Comissariat de Propaganda de la Generalitat de Catalunya (1936-39), at the Palau Robert in Barcelona.
- Various materials related to the work Plattern, by Hiraki Sawa, for the Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab's Taiwan International Video Art exhibition.
- 46 photographs by Jose Ortiz Echagüe for the exhibition José Ortiz Echagüe. Photographs. 1903-1965, at the Evaristo Valle Museum Foundation in Gijón.
Coproductions and itinerancies of the collection.
Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao with the exhibition of the María Josefa Huarte Collection.
● Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, Museo de Navarra and Museo Universidad de Navarra with the exhibition De la Belleza y lo sagrado by Isabel Baquedano.
● Sala Canal Isabel II with the exhibition Universes by David Jiménez.
Loans from the collection
Thyssen Bornemisza Museum for the exhibition The Impressionists and Photography.
Centro de Arte y Naturaleza (CDAN) with digitised images from the album Altos Hornos de Vizcaya al.
Fundación Beulas (Huesca) for the exhibition Cielos abiertos. Mining, quarries and other exploitations of the planet.
● Fundación LaCaixa/ Caixaforum (Barcelona, Madrid and Palma) with photographs by Agustí Centelles and Francesc Catalá Roca for the exhibition Cámera y ciudad. Scenarios of Modernity.
● La Virreina. Centre de la Imatge (Barcelona). Photographs by Juan Dolcet for the Aixelá room.
● Fundación ICO (Madrid). Two works by Pablo Palazuelo and one by José Antonio Sistiaga for the exhibition Saénz de Oiza. Arts and crafts.
● IVAM- Institut Valenciá d'Art Modern (Valencia) for the exhibition Orientalismos, with photographs by José Ortiz Echagüe, Luis Díaz Duarte, Alonso Martínez y Hermano, Ramón Batllés and Pere Casas Abarca, and the book Tres fiestas artísticas.
● Hôtel de Caumont. Centre d'Art (Aix en Provence, France). A work by Joaquín Sorolla for the exhibition Joaquín Sorolla. Lumières spagnoles.
Palau Robert (Barcelona). Photographs of the Comissariat de propaganda by an anonymous author al for the exhibition El Comissariat de propaganda de la Generalitat de Catalunya durante la Guerra Civil.
Performing Arts collaborations and productions.
● Transmutación by choreographer Antonio Ruz (National Dance Award 2018).
● A puerta cerrada, a reflection from dance about the impact of confinement. A co-production with Kukai Dantza.
Collaboration of the Education Area:
● Agreement with Shelton Academy, Miami.
● Community of Pamplona.
General Directorate for Peace and Coexistence of the Government of Navarre.
Co-productions and touring of the collection.
Tabacalera- Promoción del Arte with the exhibition Preparados, listos, archivo de Cristina de Middel. In conjunction with the Ministry of Culture and Sport.
● Fundación Caja Burgos with the exhibition José Ortiz Echagüe 1886-1980.
● Sala Rekalde, Bilbao. In the Time of Carlos Cánovas.
Loans from the collection
Institut Valencià d'Art Modern (IVAM).
San Telmo Museum.
Museum of Navarre.
Performing Arts Collaborations and Productions
● Oteiza, opera, produced by the Museum in collaboration with Ópera de Cámara de Navarra and Colectivo E7.2
● Coda en movimiento. Collaboration with the Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza de Mariemma de Madrid.
Soliloquios, a MUN production with the company Kukai Dantza and the participation of Cesc Gelabert, Israel Galván and Jon Maya.
Co-productions and tours of the collection
● Sala Alcalá 31 with the exhibition Sikka Ingentium by Daniel Canogar.
● Aquarium of San Sebastian with Aurelia Inmortal by Javier Viver.
Loans from the collection
Museum of Contemporary Art of Castilla y León (MUSAC).
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León and Centro de Arte y Naturalesa (CDAN). Beulas Foundation.
Picasso Foundation - Museo Casa Natal de Málaga (Picasso Foundation - Malaga Birthplace Museum).
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.
Fondazione Prada, Venice.
Musée Basque et de l'historie de Bayonne, France.
Performing Arts Collaborations
● Jakiunde Academy. Erronkak/ Desafíos, a cycle of conferences coordinated by Teresa Catalán, composer, and Igor Urra, director of the Orfeón Pamplonés.
E.72 Collective to bring music to the streets of Pamplona with the performance Dispersión/ Concentración.
Co-productions and tours of the collection.
Patronato y Generalife de la Alhambra with the exhibition Oriente a Sur: El calotipo y las primeras imágenes fotográficas de la Alhambra (1851-1860) (East to South: The calotype and the first photographic images of the Alhambra (1851-1860)).
● Bombas Gens Centre d'Art with the exhibition Geography of Time by Bleda y Rosa.
● Fundación ICO with the exhibition En el tiempo de Carlos Cánovas.
Loans from the collection
Museum of Fine Arts, Bilbao
● Fundaciò Tàpies, Barcelona
● Cristobal Balenciaga Museum, Getaria
Museo de San Telmo, San Sebastián
● Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Barcelona
● La Nao Cultural Centre, University of Valencia
● Centro Centro, Madrid City Council
● Museo del Carlismo, Estella
● Sala Kubo Kutxa, San Sebastian
● Art and Nature Centre, Huesca
Performing Arts Co-production
● The Lamb, Kor'sia. A co-production with Fondazione Musica per Roma.
Co-productions and touring
Centro Gallego de Arte Contemporáneo (CGAC) with Interacciones, by Javier Vallhonrat.
Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA) and The Bluecoat of Liverpool with Nitrate by Xavier Ribas.
Maison Européenne de la Photographie (Paris) with Camouflages, by Joan Foncuberta.