Moll de la Fusta,
Barceloneta

On the busy junction of Passeig de Colom and Av. d'Icaria towers Roy Lichtenstein's dramatic 'Barcelona Head' (1992). Set on a tubular concrete plinth, it's so huge in its 14 metre height that viewing in 'real life' is necessary to appreciate its full impact. It was originally meant to be set in Parc de Collserola.

Gaudiesque meets pop, as bright coloured ceramic mosaic covers the whole sculpture. The features become even more abstracted, when seen up close, and the textural spots on the face make an interesting contrast against a pure blue sky.

Its a rather strange sensation to move around the monument, eyes seem to slip down the surface, a mouth becomes a bow tie and hair becomes the sea. In these ever changing planes the enormous sculpture takes an more obscure form, as sideways on it almost disappears.

contributor: Debbie Stubbs