Antoni Llena i Font (b. 1942, Barcelona) is a leading figure in Spanish conceptual art, known for his innovative use of ephemeral materials and minimalist forms. His artistic career began in the mid-1960s, and in 1969 he co-created Primera mort, considered Spain’s first video art piece, alongside Jordi Galí, Silvia Gubern, and Àngel Jové. That same year, he held his first solo exhibition at the Petite Galerie in Lleida, presenting wall drawings that captured the shadows of his delicate paper sculptures.

After a brief hiatus in the early 1970s, Llena resumed his practice in 1979, continually evolving his approach. His work often explores themes of fragility and impermanence, incorporating everyday materials. Beyond his own creations, he has shaped the artistic community as a professor at the University of Girona and as an instructor at EINA, University School of Design and Art in Barcelona. His public sculptures are landmarks of Barcelona’s cultural landscape, with notable works such as David i Goliat (1992) in Parc de les Cascades and Homenatge als Castellers (2011) in Plaça de Sant Miquel.

His contributions have been widely recognized with awards including the Premi Ciutat de Barcelona d’Arts Plàstiques (1989) and the Premi Espais a la Crítica d’Art (1997). In addition to his visual art, Llena has authored several books: La gana de l’artista (1999), Per l’ull de l’art (2008), and Deu estius a Campins (2024), offering reflections on artistic creation and cultural discourse.

Antoni Llena has maintained a long-standing friendship and artistic collaboration with Elsa Peretti and the Artigas family, dating back to the 1960s in Barcelona. This bond, founded on shared artistic ideals and mutual support, has grown over the decades through creative exchanges and a deep appreciation of each other’s work. Building on this connection, the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation - Delegació a Catalunya (NaEPF) has made possible the long-awaited realization of the comprehensive catalogue of Llena’s works, a project initially planned by Ordeig Martin S.L., the company founded in 1999 by Paco Rebés, María Schjaer and Roberto Schjaer, aimed at safeguarding and promoting Llena’s artistic legacy.

The Antoni Llena Catalogue Raisonné project aims to systematically document the artist’s entire body of work, ensuring its accessibility to collectors, scholars, and the wider public while promoting his legacy in Spain and beyond. Reflecting the evolving nature of research and art documentation, Ordeig Martin has chosen an online format, allowing continuous updates as new findings emerge. Conceived as a long-term, dynamic resource, the digital catalogue will offer an authoritative yet adaptable tool for understanding and preserving Llena’s oeuvre.