Spanish writer and journalist Juan Tallón meets Chinese literary enthusiasts at the Instituto Cervantes in Beijing, on August 20, 2025. Photo: The Instituto Cervantes in Beijing

The Instituto Cervantes in Beijing hosted a meeting with Spanish writers on August 20. On the second leg of his China tour, Spanish writer and journalist Juan Tallón was exclusively interviewed by the Global Times, during which he spoke about his new book and his impressions on Chinese culture and the second economy's development. 

During the session, director of the Instituto Cervantes in Beijing Isabel Cervera delivered her welcoming remarks, revealing that Tallón had just arrived in Beijing after the 2025 Shanghai Book Fair, to present the Chinese translation edition of his book Obra maestra, (or Masterpiece), and engage in a conversation with Jaime Santirso, a Spanish journalist and writer based in Beijing. The two writers explored the boundaries between fiction and journalism, and engaged in discussions with Chinese readers about how literature and journalism intertwine to tell powerful truths.

Tallón told the Global Times that this is his maiden trip to China, and revealed how Chinese readers' passion for literature has greatly impressed him.

"I'm really pleased to see so many Chinese readers, especially among younger generations so interested in literature and sculpture," he said. 

The narrative of Tallón's latest literary offering feels like a complete departure from reality, and yet is based on true event. For its inauguration in 1986, a museum with an international reputation - Madrid's Reina Sofía museum - commissions a piece by the American artist Richard Serra. A sculpture weighing 38 tons one day vanished. Somewhere between a fiction and novelized reportage, Masterpiece reconstructs to the rhythm of a fast-paced thriller, a case that gives rise to perturbing questions. 

In response to these questions, the work brings together a wide variety of voices, including Richard Serra himself. The mysterious disappearance also becomes a masterpiece.

Tallón said that he has always longed to work on this story and it took him years to formulate the novel's plot. 

Based on the experience gained from working as a journalist, Tallón has creatively mashed up imagination and reality. Credibility is part of the story, as the highly influential and popular contemporary writer is known for his sharp wit and unique voice that blends humor with profound philosophical insight.

In his own words, journalists try to find answers to questions and prioritize the importance of material and tell the story in a simple, rigorous, and precise way. 

Tallón shared that he edited the novel's plot numerous times, to avoid giving the ending away. The writer told a meaningful story while creating different aspects of life in Spain. Through switching to different timelines, the readers are expected to form their own opinions regarding what happened. 

"The mystery of the vanished sculpture has been a trendy news story in Spain, thus the Western readers are more into finding out what exactly happened, while Chinese readers are more enjoying the storyline, keeping the mystery as it is," the author highlighted, comparing the readers' different reactions to his novel.

Spanish writer and journalist Juan Tallón Photo: Chen Tao/GT

In some book review, what has disappeared is not just sculpture but the authentic value of art itself. In response, the writer pointed out that it was the authentic creative concept that matters most. The sculpture, as a work, could vanish but the artist can have it created again, which is still authentic.

Back to his novel, Tallón finds it important to maintain the mystery in the storyline and let the uncertainty last through the book. This is the key difference between the incident reported in the news and a story in literature. 

From his brief stay in Shanghai and Beijing, the Spanish writer said that "it feels like 2040 to me." From his observation, Shanghai turned out to be very futuristic and Beijing houses more of historical heritage.

The Spanish writer noted the importance of getting to know each other among different civilizations, saying "it is important that people change point of view and consider the same problem from a totally different angle."

To build a bridge between different cultures, Tallón stressed the key role that translated literature plays, urging that both Chinese and Spanish cultural sectors should step up efforts to get more works translated in each other's languages.