The Humanities Library pays tribute to Rafael Tasis

The Humanities Library begins 2025 with an exhibition dedicated to Rafael Tasis i Marca, one of the most important figures in Catalan literature. This tribute offers an in-depth look at the many aspects of this versatile author, highlighting his pioneering role in Catalan noir fiction with works like La Bíblia Valenciana, his contributions as a translator of Oscar Wilde and Aldous Huxley, and his dedication to political and cultural Catalanism, particularly during his exile in France.

A self-taught, passionate champion of the Catalan language, Rafael Tasis worked as a journalist, bookseller, playwright, and cultural promoter. During the Franco dictatorship, he turned his bookstore on La Rambla into a hub of cultural resistance, while maintaining an extensive correspondence with other intellectuals, all with the aim of normalising and promoting Catalan literature in challenging times.

The personal collection of Rafael Tasis, a literary treasure now held at the Humanities Library, includes manuscripts, typescripts, correspondence, and personal and professional documents dating from 1930 to 1967. Donated by Rafael Tasis i Ferrer and catalogued in collaboration with the Library and the Department of Catalan Philology at the UAB, this collection is an invaluable resource for researchers of Catalan literature and 20th-century cultural history.

The exhibition not only showcases Tasis’s work but also highlights his significant contribution to the Catalan language and culture during times of repression. This initiative is part of the Humanities Library's ongoing efforts to preserve and celebrate the most influential figures in our cultural heritage. Do not miss the opportunity to rediscover Rafael Tasis, one of the most prominent voices in Catalan literature.