In a residential neighbourhood of Barcelona’s L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, to the northeastern edge of the city, stands a remarkable sculpture. Created by Josep Maria Subirachs, it is known as ‘La Pinça’ - the staple - due to its resemblance to an open staple pin. The statue is registered as IPA-20634 in the Inventory of Architectural Works of Catalonia. Outside of Barcelona, the road where the sculpture stands belongs to the municipality of Barcelona, creating a unique administration boundary.
The artwork emerged from Subirachs’ neo-figurative period, starting in the 1960s after a phase of abstraction. Contrary to its appearance, the piece is not a realistic depiction but rather is stylised and expressionist. Subirachs used this work as a part of a series to reclaim the identity, history, and culture of Catalonia. The sculpture recreates the coat of arms of Hospitalet, featuring a shield with a cross, a heart, and four bars representing the Catalan flag.
The cross is represented by two vertical blocks of cement with four red cement blocks atop, symbolising the Catalan flag. Santa Eulàlia, a martyr from Barcelona, is the patron of the Hospitalet.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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