Angel J. Gomez Montoro
President of the Board of Trustees of the University of Navarra Museum
María Josefa Huarte was the third of the four children born to Mr. Félix Huarte Goñi and Mrs. Adriana Beaumont Galduroz. Don Félix, of modest origins, made himself and, although he would have liked to be an architect, he studied draftsmanship after attending the municipal schools of Pamplona. He soon set up his own company, moved to Madrid and there managed to develop a successful professional career.
Doña Adriana, dedicated to housework, was her perfect companion. In the words of María Josefa, if her father had a strong character, her mother was, all of her, “constant balance.” The couple had four children: Jesús, Juan, María Josefa and Felipe.
Don Félix was an enterprising man, full of energy, with a spirit of modernity, social commitment and a great love for Navarra that had multiple manifestations, both in the cultural field -support for young artists, the Orfeón Pamplonés, the Pamplona Conservatory…- as in the industrialization projects that he carried out from the Vice-presidency of the Provincial Council.
Their children inherited many of these traits, although each oriented them according to their personalities and interests. Their ability to promote avant-garde cultural companies never ceases to amaze: they supported artists such as Oteiza, Chillida, Palazuelo, Balerdi or Sistiaga; musicians like Antonio Baciero or Luis de Pablo; They commissioned renowned architects such as Sainz de Oiza, Corrales y Molezún, Fernando Redón or Rafael Moneo.
Its ability to promote avant-garde cultural companies never ceases to amaze.
They created or promoted companies such as H Muebles, focused on avant-garde designs (one of whose contests was won by a chair presented by a young Rafael Moneo); X Films, a production company focused on experimental projects; the Alea Group that under the direction of Luis de Pablo promoted musical research, Ediciones Alfaguara or the magazine Nueva Forma. And they promoted the 1972 Pamplona Meetings, whose fiftieth anniversary has just been commemorated. The fact that María Josefa was her only daughter, surrounded by boys, could have led her to be the darling of her family but, in reality, it stimulated in her a competitive sense and a desire for independence.
Of great sensitivity, she felt attracted to dance in her youth, an activity that was cut short by a serious illness. Her focus then shifted to plastic arts. At that time, her brother Juan de ella was already very committed to the world of art and, in particular, to the promotion of young artists. Hand in hand with her, María Josefa had her first contacts with some of them such as Oteiza, Chillida or Basterretxea. Also through Juan she met Santiago Amón, a meeting that would be very important in her artistic training, until then rather self-taught.
María Josefa had married Javier Vidal Sario in 1971, an engineer who was not only the companion of a long life but also her accomplice in the activities in which she will pour her energies: caring for homeless children and contemporary art.
To help children at risk, he founded in 1971, with the help of Doña Adriana, the Asociación Navarra Nuevo Futuro, from which he promoted the creation of foster homes, not only in Spain but also in countries where there were serious conflicts. war: Colombia, Honduras, Croatia… She did not limit herself to looking for the funds and developing the projects, but she herself traveled to those places without caring about the risks that not infrequently entailed.
His interest in art materialized in the formation of his magnificent collection, focused on Spanish abstract expressionism, an admirable bet if one thinks of the Spanish context of the time but which responded perfectly to a search for spirituality linked to a very religious feeling. ingrained. It is not a very extensive collection -47 paintings and sculptures by 18 artists- but it is exquisite and very personal. Her direct contact with the artists and the visit to numerous international museums -on the occasion, many times, of Javier’s business trips, whom she accompanied- were refining a sensitivity that was already innate.
Will continue…
