Could there possibly be a more magnanimous title than “a genius by birth”? Although Gaudí’s fragility hindered him from hanging out with his peers from a young age, he’s quite popular now—the assionate movement that has been campaigning for his beatification says it all. The Sagrada Familia, now populated by tourists (BTW: so many Koreans take selfies here), was a project that the Catalan architect solely focused on until his untimely death in 1926. The pale columns lead the viewer’s gaze upwards to the ceiling and landscape of broad and spiky leaves, just as he intended. Orwell dubbed it, “one of the most hideous buildings in the world,” but nonetheless, the tallest basilica in the world is on its way to being completed by 2026, thanks to the intricate blueprints he left behind. And just as he wished, what he called “God’s work” is being built to this day, without being rushed through to its final stages of glory.
Don’t fully understand why he’s considered so brilliant? Luckily for us, his admiration for nature’s curves extends to his furniture designs and other artistic works as well. At his travelling exhibition, which is finally coming to Seoul, you can examine his architecture, blueprints, sketches and furniture—all of which are on display to help you understand the intricacies behind his thought processes. Hashtag us in your selfie if you become so inspired by his work that you jet off to Barcelona.