Catalan Authors: J.V. Foix, Carles Riba, and Joan Oliver

J.V. Foix (1893-1987)

Josep Vicenç Foix, born in Sarrià in 1893, signed his works as J.V. Foix. He abandoned his law studies and dedicated his life to culture. Although his main activity was literature, he participated in politics as a nationalist, was interested in contemporary painting, and was involved in sports at the Catalan Flying Club. The roots of his native town, the countryside, Catalonia, and his faithfulness to his language are elements that give meaning to his work. He died in 1987.

His work includes articles on political and aesthetic considerations, such as "Some Avant-Garde Literature" (1925). His main work belongs to the poetic prose genre, as well as verse:

1. Poetic Prose: He planned to collect 365 pieces, but only 208 are conserved.
2. Poetry in Verse: He published several works:
   • Order and Mourning (1947): A collection of sonnets written before the Civil War that tackles philosophical, love, and religious issues.
   • The Unreal Omegas (1949): 13 extensive poems on political and cultural issues related to the biography and history of the country.
   • Eleven Christmases and a New Year: A work of poetic research.

Carles Riba (1893-1959)

Carles Riba, born in Barcelona in 1893, married Clementina Arderiu in 1916. He left for Germany to study with a philologist. He collaborated with the Fundació Bernat Metge. Faithful to the Republic, he went into exile between 1939 and 1943. He died in 1959.

• First Book of Rooms (1919): The Noucentiste influence is decisive.
• Second Book of Rooms (1930): The influence of formal poetry is detected.

Characteristic of Riba's style in both books is the rejection of poetry as a purely formal exercise and the expression of personal experiences and profound moral reflection. A key work is Three Suites (1937). After the war, he wrote Elegies de Bierville (1943).

Joan Oliver (1899-1986)

Joan Oliver, born in Sabadell in 1899, went into exile in France and Chile, becoming active in anti-Francoist resistance in 1948. He showed political commitment against the Spanish rebel tradition and declared himself an independentist. He stated that he would remain uncomfortable until he could return. He died in 1986. His work covers all literary genres: fiction, drama, poetry, and prose.

• Land Shipwrecks (1956).
• Paid Vacations (1960): A key work with a critical view of society.