Ubu Painter. Alfred Jarry and the arts

Alfred Jarry created with Ubu Roi a universal figure: grotesque, violent and absurd, a distorted mirror of power and of the human condition. Ubu, “King of Nowhere,” heralds the brutality of the 20th century and embodies the dark laughter that runs through modernity. 

Alfred Jarry (France 1873-1907) and the Arts takes a fresh look at Alfred Jarry and the huge impact he had on 20th-century art and ways of thinking. The exhibition mixes artworks, books, graphic pieces, and drawings by Jarry himself with works by artists from his close circle, including Pierre Bonnard, Paul Gauguin, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Charles Filiger, George Rouault, and the Nabis group.

It also traces how Jarry’s ideas echoed through later movements, especially Surrealism, and how they inspired artists linked to the Collège de Pataphysique, such as Jean Dubuffet and Enrico Baj. These connections show how Jarry’s rebellious spirit and absurd worldview kept resurfacing across generations.

The exhibition goes a step further by bringing in contemporary works by William Kentridge, who revisits Jarry’s themes through a modern lens. His pieces reflect on power, corruption, and authoritarian figures — ideas that feel just as relevant today as they did in Jarry’s time.

The journey wraps up with a section focused on how Jarry’s work was received in Catalonia, offering a local perspective on the lasting influence of his provocative and darkly humorous legacy.

Photo: Alfred Jarry. "True Portrait of Monsieur Ubu". 1942. Woodcut on paper. Private Collection