Josep Vicenç Foix
Encyclopedia
Josep Vicenç Foix i Mas (Barcelona
, 28 January 1893 - 29 January 1987) was a Catalan
poet, writer, and essayist. He usually signed his work by using the abbreviation J.V. Foix.
(nowadays a neighbourhood in Barcelona
), Foix was a son of one of the best-known bakers in the whole city. He started his studies of Law
, but left them after the second course at university. From then, he worked in the familiar business as well as he read classic masterpieces of literature by authors such as Lord Byron, Dante Alighieri
or Charles Baudelaire
. Indeed, Foix never forbade the place where he had been born, not even when the Spanish Civil War
ended . Nonetheless, Foix always had been a liberal writer who introduced some avantgarde ideology in Catalonia
.
In 1916 began to collaborate with La Revista and started to be interested in avantgarde art. He worked among other publications like Trossos, La Cònsola (1919-1920) or La Publicitat (1923-1936), where he worked as an art director.
At the end of the Spanish Civil War
, Foix returned to the familiar business, and let forgotten for some time his artistic purpose. He also compiled his total poetic work, and continued helping young artist related to avanatgarde, between which Joan Brossa
must be named.
The 25th May in 1962 he became member of Institut d'Estudis Catalans. His popularity went on growing, thanks to Joan Manuel Serrat
and his song Es quan dormo que hi veig clar, (a version of one of Foix's poems).
He received many different awards during his life. The Gold Medal of Generalitat de Catalunya (Medalla d'Or de la Generalitat de Catalunya, 1981) or the Honour Award in Catalan Letters (Premi d'Honor de les Lletres catalanes, 1984) are some of them. In 1984, the Parliament of Catalonia
proposed him for the Nobel Prize in Literature
.
J. V. Foix helped in 1985 to found again the students association "Federació Nacional d'Estudiants de Catalunya" (FNEC). He was named President de Honour of it.
He was dead in 1987, and buried in Sarrià
.
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, 28 January 1893 - 29 January 1987) was a Catalan
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
poet, writer, and essayist. He usually signed his work by using the abbreviation J.V. Foix.
Biography
Born in SarriàSarria
Sarria is a municipality in the province of Lugo, northwestern Spain, in the autonomous community of Galicia. Sarria is the most densely populate town on the French Way in Galicia, with 13 700 inhabitants...
(nowadays a neighbourhood in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
), Foix was a son of one of the best-known bakers in the whole city. He started his studies of Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, but left them after the second course at university. From then, he worked in the familiar business as well as he read classic masterpieces of literature by authors such as Lord Byron, Dante Alighieri
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
or Charles Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire was a French poet who produced notable work as an essayist, art critic, and pioneering translator of Edgar Allan Poe. His most famous work, Les Fleurs du mal expresses the changing nature of beauty in modern, industrializing Paris during the nineteenth century...
. Indeed, Foix never forbade the place where he had been born, not even when the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
ended . Nonetheless, Foix always had been a liberal writer who introduced some avantgarde ideology in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
.
In 1916 began to collaborate with La Revista and started to be interested in avantgarde art. He worked among other publications like Trossos, La Cònsola (1919-1920) or La Publicitat (1923-1936), where he worked as an art director.
At the end of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, Foix returned to the familiar business, and let forgotten for some time his artistic purpose. He also compiled his total poetic work, and continued helping young artist related to avanatgarde, between which Joan Brossa
Joan Brossa
Joan Brossa i Cuervo Joan Brossa i Cuervo Joan Brossa i Cuervo (Barcelona, Catalonia,(1919–1998) was a Catalan poet in the Catalan language, playwright, graphic designer and plastic artist. He was one of the founders of both the group and the publication known as Dau-al-Set (1948) and one of the...
must be named.
The 25th May in 1962 he became member of Institut d'Estudis Catalans. His popularity went on growing, thanks to Joan Manuel Serrat
Joan Manuel Serrat
Joan Manuel Serrat i Teresa is a Catalan Spanish singer-songwriter.Serrat is considered one of the most important figures of modern, popular music in both the Spanish and Catalan languages...
and his song Es quan dormo que hi veig clar, (a version of one of Foix's poems).
He received many different awards during his life. The Gold Medal of Generalitat de Catalunya (Medalla d'Or de la Generalitat de Catalunya, 1981) or the Honour Award in Catalan Letters (Premi d'Honor de les Lletres catalanes, 1984) are some of them. In 1984, the Parliament of Catalonia
Parliament of Catalonia
The Parliament of Catalonia is the unicameral legislature of Catalonia. It is formed by 135 members , who are elected every four years in ordinary period, or extraordinarily upon dissolution and call of elections by the President of Catalonia, by universal suffrage in proportional lists with four...
proposed him for the Nobel Prize in Literature
Nobel Prize in Literature
Since 1901, the Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded annually to an author from any country who has, in the words from the will of Alfred Nobel, produced "in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction"...
.
J. V. Foix helped in 1985 to found again the students association "Federació Nacional d'Estudiants de Catalunya" (FNEC). He was named President de Honour of it.
He was dead in 1987, and buried in Sarrià
Sarria
Sarria is a municipality in the province of Lugo, northwestern Spain, in the autonomous community of Galicia. Sarria is the most densely populate town on the French Way in Galicia, with 13 700 inhabitants...
.