The Sixena frescoes - Heritage on trial
Durada: 23 min
28/06/2025
The Sixena murals are 12th-13th century Romanesque wall paintings from the Monastery of Santa María de Sixena in Aragon. They were moved to Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War for preservation and are currently on display at the National Art Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona. On this week's podcast, we explore the ongoing debate over their place of exhibition, which highlights deeper regional and cultural tensions in Spain. Reporter Cillian Shields visits the MNAC to learn more about the history, restoration, and conservation of the frescoes. Art historian Albert Velasco explains the current controversy, and host Beth Cohen draws parallels with other relocated artworks, raising questions about the responsibility to protect cultural heritage regardless of political disputes. This week, our Catalan phrase is "Compartir és viure" - "To share is to live". It expresses the idea that sharing is an essential part of a meaningful life, fostering a sense of community and human connection.