The Generation of '27

The Generation of '27 was a prestigious group of artists whose members all saw recognition in Spain between 1923 and 1927, thanks to their avant-garde style of art.

The name comes from their first meeting in 1927, Seville, where they met commemorate the anniversary of baroque poet Luis de Góngora's death. At the same time, they were also recognized as the "Generation of the Dictatorship (due to how they were affected by Franco)," "Generation of the Republic (since they came up with the Second Republic)," and "Generation of '25 (because their average first book published was in 1925)."

The Generation of '27 were recognized with a wide range of styles and genres, each unique not only to the artist, but to their respective art form. However, the group had a cohesive vision of trying to bridge the gap between the classical literary tradition of Spain, with the European avant-garde styles they had seen in their years abroad.

Amongst these styles was Culteranismo, famous thanks to artists like Federico García Lorca and Rafael Alberti, focused on a poetry that used flamboyant language and carried a deep and powerful message through its metaphors. The works of this Generation were largely inspired by Surrealism, the poetry using this artistic movement as inspiration to explore the themes of our own dreams, desires, and –most importantly– to challenge the conventions of life.

Members and artistry

At its core, the Generation of '27 refers to 10 authors:

Jorge Guillén
Pedro Salinas
Rafael Alberti
Federico García Lorca
Dámaso Alonso
Gerardo Diego
Luis Cernuda
Vicente Aleixandre
Manuel Altolaguirre
Emilio Prados.

Nevertheless, their influences spanned farther, allowing other authors –both younger and older– to join the movement by adopting its literary style. Another distinction is that, due to its use of Surrealism and other avant-garde forms, the Generation of '27 became not exclusive to poets, and included artists such as:

Luis Buñuel: painter
Salvador Dalí: surrealist artist
Maruja Mallo: sculptor
The Group of Eight: a group of musicologists and composers looking to oppose music conservatism in Spain
Pablo Neruda: Chilean poet.

The Generation of '27 did not reside in Madrid, but rather lived across various cities in Spain where they could meet constantly (this is often reffered to as a "geographical constellation). The most common places they lived were: Sevilla, Tenerife, and Málaga.

These artists, Spanish, European, and from all over Latin America, are not only recognized nowadays, but also suffered at the hands of Franco during the Spanish Civil War.

Meeting in Seville of the Generation of '27

Rafael Alberti

Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neurda

Meeting in Seville of the Generation of '27

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Aftermath of Spanish Civil War:

The War, and Franco, ended the movement.

Lorca was murdered in 1936 by the Spanish Government. Miguel Hernandez was arrested for supporting the Republic and died in jail. Other artists like Rafael Alberti and Pedro Salinas were forced into exile.

Some, as Dámaso Alonso and Gerardo Diego, reluctantly remained in Spain after the war. They either reached agreements with the authoritarian government, or began to openly support it.

The movement continued to evolve, combining traditional values and avant-garde, and incorporating themes like religion. However, other original members like Aleixandre remained hidden in Spain and, going against the regime, guided the next generation of poets.

Since the new works of Francoist Spain did not resonate with Spaniards, and most of its members were exiled, the movement died. Nevertheless, it was a key inspiration in the "Generation of '50," also called the "Children of the Spanish Civil War," who were born with the works of the previous generation and looked to undermine the Francoist regime.