On May 11, we celebrate the 120th anniversary of the birth of the legendary Catalan artist Salvador Dalí, whose influence on the art world continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

The surrealist painter was born in the northern Catalan town of Figueres, but spent most of his life in the picturesque coastal towns of Cadaques and Port Lligat, from where he drew much of his inspiration.

Although Dalí was best known for his surrealist art and eccentricities - including his mustache, which we will talk about - there is so much more to discover. 

In this episode of Filling the Sink, we delve into the life and art of Salvador Dalí. 

From his formative years studying Fine Arts in Madrid, to his contributions to Surrealism after going to Paris, to his experimental years in the United States, before returning and settling down in northern Catalonia and creating his own legacy.

Oriol Escudé Macià joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to expand on several of the late surrealist’s motifs, from melting clocks to eerie mountain landscapes.

We will also recount some anecdotes from Dalí’s life, such as his protest against his art teachers or his deep wounding by the Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud after their first meeting.

We talk to art historian Mariona Seguranyes about Gala Dalí and her significant role in the artist’s life.

And we take listeners inside Salvador and Gala’s house in Port Lligat, as well as their Theatre-Museum in Figueres, where Oriol has a surrealist experience of his own. 

This week’s Catalan phrase is “per art de màgia” which means “magically”.