Tradition and innovation in the materials and techniques used around 1950 in Spain: the case of the mural of the Pabellón de la Obra Sindical del Hogar in Madrid

Abstract

The dichotomy between tradition and modernity in Spain reached its peak in the 1950s, when avant-garde and extraordinarily modern artistic and architectural representations coexisted with the know-how of the traditional building trades. A harmonious combination in which both points of view combine to extract their full potential. In the interest of evaluating this relationship, the research focuses on the study of the materials and techniques of the mural located in the former pavilion of the Obra Sindical del Hogar (Home Work Union) in the Casa de Campo exhibition area in Madrid, a place born of tradition and experimentation. The results show how traditional tile-making and decorative techniques are combined with a modern language and suggest the criteria to be taken into consideration for its rehabilitation.