Anna Moreno's 'The Third Twist' at MACBA Examines Bofill's Failed Saharan Utopia
At MACBA in Barcelona, Anna Moreno's exhibition 'The Third Twist' is open until 28 September, showcasing her 32-minute film 'The Terminal Beach' (2024–25). This film explores the deserted Houari Boumedienne Agricultural Village in the Algerian Sahara, a project initiated by architect Ricardo Bofill in 1979. Moreno's work redefines the concept of ruins, portraying constructed spaces as dynamic archives. This film wraps up her trilogy, which began in 2017, linking J.G. Ballard's literary themes with Bofill's architectural vision. Alongside, two new works from 2026, 'Untitled (Mercy)' and an unnamed sloping sculpture, are displayed. Additionally, 'A Question of Re-entry' combines Super 8 footage of Bofill’s designs with Moreno's visuals, echoing Ballard's 1964 narrative.
Key facts
- Anna Moreno's exhibition 'The Third Twist' is at MACBA, Barcelona, through 28 September
- 'The Terminal Beach' (2024–25) is a 32-minute film documenting the Houari Boumedienne Agricultural Village in the Algerian Sahara
- The village was begun in 1979 by Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill for Algeria's '1000 socialist villages' initiative and was soon abandoned
- The site had a population of 3,091 in 2008
- The film bookends Moreno's trilogy begun in 2017 and pairs J.G. Ballard's writing with Bofill's Taller de Arquitectura initiatives
- Bofill claimed the project was 'swallowed by the dunes'
- Two new 2026 works are shown: 'Untitled (Mercy)' and an untitled sloping sculpture; 'A Question of Re-entry' is mounted opposite the film
- The title references Ballard's 1964 short story of the same name
Entities
Artists
- Anna Moreno
- Ricardo Bofill
- J.G. Ballard
- Jean Baudrillard
- Dean Kissick
- Luce deLire
- Caroline Elbaor
Institutions
- MACBA
- Taller de Arquitectura
- ArtReview
- Gauche Divine
- Divine Left
Locations
- Barcelona
- Spain
- Algerian Sahara
- Algeria
- France