Letters and postcards form a tangible thread linking Eusebio Sempere to his family and friends in Paris, Valencia, and Barcelona. The collection also includes birth certificates and personal papers that illuminate the artist’s early career as a pioneer of kinetic art. This material was created for the Alicante Museum of Contemporary Art, MACA, where it now resides as part of the museum’s growing archive.
In a long-standing effort by Onil’s residents to preserve local cultural heritage, Encarnacion Mateo donated a sizeable portion of Sempere’s personal belongings. The Local Administrative Board in Alicante recently formalized this act as a donation to MACA, bringing the total to 55 documents that chart the artist’s life and work over the decades. The collection is valued at 3,000 euros, and the donation was publicly recognized following the board’s approval.
The donated fund features 55 items, including letters, postcards, photographs, and other documents tied to the artist from Onil. These papers cover family notes and artistic writings, a credit application from Caja del Sureste, a 1958 birth certificate, and a church certificate from Onil concerning the artist’s moral behavior. The collection offers a window into Sempere’s personal network and the early administrative details that framed his career.
some examples
The public preview revealed a small sample of items. One card, from friends in Valencia, bears the signature of Matilde Salvador, along with Chimet, Javier, and Vicent. Dated March 5, 1957, St. Eusebio, the message reads: “Because you are a very good friend and we remember you very much, or we want to congratulate you on your saint’s day.”
Sempere a century ago
Among the postcards sent to his family, there is a note from a time when the artist returned to Paris in 1950. On the reverse side, he writes: “Dear parents and siblings: A few days ago you received a letter from me. Now I’m writing you a card to provide information about me. I am very good. Millions of kisses. Eusebio.” In 1952, while in Barcelona on the Paseo de Colón, he adds a warning: “I will leave after a while.”
Next exhibition
A portion of these works is scheduled to travel to MACA for two concurrent exhibitions that the museum plans to mount in March. The events will mark the centennial of Sempere’s birth and showcase documents that have not previously been published. This is the first time MACA will present the artist’s collection in depth, offering visitors a focused view of Sempere’s early productions and their evolution over time.
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Cultural Council Member Nayma Beldjilali noted that the materials are especially compelling. They include letters Sempere wrote to his father during his time in Paris, as well as postcards, photographs, a manuscript about artwork, and even bank certificates that enrich the MACA archive and illuminate the artist’s earliest period. The council member also expressed gratitude to Encarnacion Mateo for her generosity, emphasizing that her donation helps Alicante residents connect with the region’s cultural history and the MACA archive for future study.