There is something almost imperceptible, an invisible tension that arises the moment our gaze meets a work of art. That suspended atmosphere, which Federico García Lorca dubbed “duende”—drawing on the verses of his famous *Romancero gitano*—is at the heart of “In the Stirred Air…,” the exhibition hosted by the CCCB from May 8 to September 28, 2025, on its second floor.
Curated by the French philosopher Georges Didi-Huberman and co-produced with the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid, the exhibition brings together more than three hundred works to explore the transformative power of images. The main objective is to encourage us to take a necessary pause in the face of the daily avalanche of stimuli: to step back critically, learn to interpret what we see, and discover how emotion courses through us and irrevocably exposes us to others.
A free-flowing journey among cultural geniuses
Far from rigid itineraries, the exhibition is conceived as a poetic stroll and a play of free associations where photographs, sculptures, films, prints, sketches, poems, and melodies coexist. In this personal selection curated by Didi-Huberman, visitors will encounter the legacy of undisputed masters such as Picasso, Miró, Dalí, Goya, Giacometti, Rodin, Colita, Pasolini, and Camarón.
The entire itinerary serves to dissect how feelings are collectively transmitted. The visual journey begins with the imaginative gaze of childhood and moves through facial expressions, gestures, time, and space, concluding with a profound reflection on the ethical and political dimensions of what moves us.
This major reflective undertaking, which was previously on view at the Reina Sofía between late 2024 and early 2025, is not limited to a single venue in the city. The exhibition shares a thematic universe with “Georges Didi-Huberman. In the Philosopher’s Workshop,” a sister exhibition that was on view at the Filmoteca de Catalunya through August 31, 2025, accompanied by its own program of activities.
Hours, prices, and how to visit for free
The exhibition hall is open Tuesday through Sunday (including holidays) from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and is closed on Mondays. General admission is 6 euros (4 euros for reduced-rate tickets), with the option of a combined ticket for 8 euros.
Those who prefer to enjoy the exhibition for free can do so on Sunday afternoons, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., provided they reserve their spot on the preceding Wednesday starting at 10:00 a.m. To fully immerse yourself in the works, an audio guide for cell phones is available for one euro—free on Wednesdays—in several languages (Catalan, Spanish, English, French, and Catalan Sign Language), which also includes audio description in Catalan.
