Joan Miró

Known for: biomorphic abstraction; the Fundació Joan Miró

Joan Miró developed a biomorphic abstract language — organic shapes, primary colors, gestural line — drawn from dreams, Catalan landscape, and folk art that was formally distinct from both Cubism and Surrealism, with which he was associated. His paintings and sculptures produced a visual world recognizable from a distance that has had enormous influence on graphic design and children's illustration as well as fine art. He donated a major collection of his work to his native Barcelona, where the Fundació Joan Miró opened in 1975.