The collection of the Museum of Forbidden Art brings together more than 200 works that have been subject to censorship, prohibition or denunciation due to political, social or religious reasons. Among the pieces that make up this collection are paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs, installations and audiovisual works, many of which were created in the second half of the 20th century and in the 21st century.
These works represent a wide range of cases that have often generated controversy in the media and on social networks. The collection includes works by renowned international artists such as Ai Weiwei, Robert Mapplethorpe and Tania Bruguera, as well as iconic works in the history of contemporary art, such as León Ferrari 's "Western and Christian Civilization" or Andrés Serrano's "Piss Christ," which were long at the center of intense debates. Even such prominent names as Pablo Picasso, Francisco de Goya and Gustav Klimt did not escape censorship and are part of this unique collection.
Together, these numerous works span from the Enlightenment period to today's neoliberal societies, spanning from the 18th to the 21st century. The collection was initiated by journalist and businessman Tatxo Benet, born in Lleida in 1957. This collection has a unique mission in the world and began with the work "Political Prisoners in Contemporary Spain" by Santiago Sierra, which was withdrawn from ARCO in 2018 and is now on display at the Museum of Lleida. Since then, Tatxo Benet has continued to expand and consolidate the collection with the aim of making it accessible to the public. Tatxo Benet is also a founding partner of the audiovisual group Mediapro and has been involved in various cultural projects, including the Ona bookstore in Pau Claris and the publishing group Suma Llibres.
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