Nested identities at the 1929 Seville and Barcelona international expositions: local, regional, national and (post-)imperial

Abstract

The Ibero-American Exhibition in Seville and Barcelona’s International Exposition, both of which opened their doors in 1929, were local initiatives that originated in the years before the First World War. City councils in Seville and Barcelona hoped to boost civic pride by drawing the attention of the world. Both aimed to improve infrastructure, beautify the city and stimulate economic opportunities. However, this was done in different ways. Barcelona profiled both the city and Catalonia as the most dynamic and modern area of the country, thus the initial plan was to organize an international exhibition of electric industries, while Seville hoped to attract foreign tourists and strengthen bonds with Spanish America. Consequently, Barcelona primarily targeted a European audience in focusing on modernity, while Seville looked to the Americas while emphasizing tradition and the city’s Al-Andalus roots. Both projects suffered considerable delays. Substantial progress was only made after 1925, when the Primo de Rivera dictatorship took over the reins of both projects. Interestingly, the two exhibitions did not project a unified national image to the outside world. Moreover, they explicitly addressed local, regional and national identities, while also appealing to a common European and Ibero-American identity. This article explores the nested territorial identities at these two exhibitions and how the various organizers took into account the expectations of an international audience. In the end, both international exhibitions had a crucial role in turning Seville and Barcelona into popular tourist destinations.