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Archive for the ‘Art’ Category

Pincho Heaven

Posted in Art, Cities, Culture, Food (Security), Spain on August 27, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

Peppers stuffed with tuna.

One word – pinchos.

Or pinxtos if you prefer the native Basque tongue of San Sebastian, the most famous city in Northern Spain.  Located in the heart of the Basque region, San Sebastian is a tourism hot spot.  With beautiful beaches, gorgeous architecture, and some of the best cuisine in the world, a stop here is a no-brainer.

No-brainers are my specialty.

So is bar hopping among the many pincho taverns packed into the narrow cobblestone streets of the old town.  With unassuming exteriors the only clue to the gastronomic wonderland that awaits inside, is the beautiful people spilling out into the streets with a glass of beer in hand a small tasty looking treat in the other.

San Sebastian

Pinchos (literally thorn or spike) are what most foreigners think of when they say Spanish tapas.  However a typical spanish tapa is more likely to be some greasy anchovies that sit under a cloudy plastic cover at your average corner bar.

Pinchos are heaven.

Typically these delicious concoctions consist of small slices of bread upon which an ingredient or mixture of ingredients is placed and fastened with a toothpick (hence pincho).   Almost any ingredient can be put on the bread, but those most commonly featured in San Sebastian are fish such as hake, cod, anchovy; tortilla de patatas; stuffed peppers; and croquettes.

Fancier...

Set up along the bars for self-service, the toothpick also serves as an accounting tally – in order to determine how much you owe at the end of your meal you simply count the remaining toothpicks on your plate.  However please note that this policy is not universal and could therefore lead to some embarrassing cross-cultural incidents (as you walk away from the bar with a loaded plate…).

Lesson learned – always check with the bartender about whether to pay up front or after consumption.

While pinchos originated in Basque country their popularity means that you can find them in most tourist centres around Spain – however for the real deal you need to head North.  In San Seb you can find a range of pinchos from your cheap greasy variety to a highly sophisticated selection that are so pretty that you won’t want to eat them.

But then you will.

Presentation is everything.

At the heart of pincho culture is a strong social element, fueled by the omnipresent social elixir, alcohol.  Typically accompanied by a small glass of txikito (rosé wine), or beer, patrons stand around the bar gorging on what could pass for pure eye candy but is in fact edible.

Have I mentioned how much I love food?

And just in case you manage to make it out of the pincho bars (we barely did), you can lounge on the beautiful horseshoe beach, surf at the neighbouring beach, hike up to see the Jesus statue, or check out some of the famous sculptures around town by Basque artist and hero Eduardo Chillida.

And then return to eat more pinchos.

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More Than Ikea.

Posted in Architecture, Art, Cities, Culture, Public Spaces, Recreation, Sweden on July 17, 2011 | 2 Comments »

Traditional Swedish housing in Skärhamn

Sure Sweden is known for their contribution to compact furniture design, cheap hot-dogs and tea lights, but a week in Gothenburg revealed that the country has many other treasures worth discovering.

Idyllic landscapes sweep the countryside and with the use of the Simonsson family car, we set out to discover (some of) them.

Step number one was an obligatory stop at a local loppis, essentially a Swedish garage sale that operates on a semi-permanent basis out of someone’s house.  Here we learned that you can find great buys on kitschy Swedish crockery from the 60′s that sells for ridiculously high prices in the city (and even higher ones in specialty shops in Canada).

Sadly not the most transportable item.

JFL checks out a sheep friend.

Next up was a stop in Skärhamn, a picturesque little town an hour outside of Gothenburg that features an archipelago dotted with classic red Swedish houses that sit atop of rocky outcrops.  A perfect locale for a coffee and an ice-cream.

But the real highlight was our final stop of the day in the Pilane Sculpture Park, located on the beautiful island of Tjörn.  A historical site with 90 judgment circles, raised stones and other stone circles dating from the Iron Age, the ancient remains are surrounded by a cultural landscape that traces back to the Stone Age.

This ancient landscape that provides breathtaking views over the sea north of Gothenburg is juxtaposed with an annual exhibition of contemporary sculptures by some of the world’s leading artists.  Wandering around the park we were equally charmed by the local sheep who graze freely as we were by the sculptures, which are even more delightful in this natural setting.

Lesson learned: Not only can the Swedish make a mean Börje dining room chair, they’re pretty good at art too.

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Vikings, Fjords and Rainstorms, Oh My!

Posted in Architecture, Art, Cities, Culture, Norway, Public Transportation, Sustainability Planning on July 6, 2011 | 3 Comments »

See that? That's a fjord...

Social democratic heaven is expensive.

Friends warned me that Norway would be prohibitively costly, Oslo especially.  Yet I was still shocked to pay eleven dollars (CAD) to get on a public bus for 20 minutes.

Ouch.

However Norwegians are just such gosh-darn friendly people who you can’t help but love… and perhaps they are so friendly because everyone has a job.  Apparently when the unemployment rate reached 1.5% a few years ago, it made national headlines and was considered a crisis.

Please note: If Canada had a 1.5% unemployment rate the government would be popping champagne and dancing in the streets.

...?

Not only do things function very smoothly is this small capital city, but downtown Oslo is also a blend of interesting architecture and pedestrian friendly spaces.  Including one very strange park which features the work of sculptor Gustav Vigeland.  Featuring more than 212 bronze and granite sculptures, his work is at a minimum ‘interesting’.  Perhaps the pictures speak for themselves (see below).

All of which is underscored by a striking natural beauty featuring fjords and forests.  Thus (of course) the first thing I asked our gracious host Kristoffer Sundøy, while walking along the water in downtown Oslo, was “where can I find the nearest fjord?”

Pause.

“Errr, to your left.”

Ahhhh, so that body of water that Oslo is built around is in fact a fjord.  Well colour me embarrassed!

For some reason I defined fjords as bodies of water surrounded by dramatic cliffs with icebergs drifting through the middle.  Not so.  In fact, geologically speaking a fjord is a long narrow inlet, with steep sides (or potentially cliffs) created in a valley by glacial activity.

Obviously.

Opera House

So while the most picturesque and therefore famous fjords in Norway do have said dramatic cliffs, this is not a pre-requisite.  And unfortunately that type of fjord is not located near Oslo, thus I didn’t get to check them out.  I did however, realize that I have in fact seen fjords in New Zealand, and that Canada also has fjords on our north-western coast.

Good to know for trivia night.

Sadly our local Oslo fjord was seen through a heavy grey film as it poured rain almost the entire three days that we were there.  Such is our travel curse this year, that everywhere we go, the rain follows.

Viking ship remains

Which didn’t stop us from bopping about town and checking out the newly built Opera House which is the architectural talk of the town in Oslo, not to mention an excellent example of place-making.  Built on the (you-guessed-it) fjord in downtown Oslo, it is a striking white building with sharp, clean lines that seemingly slips right into the water.

Designed to invite the public to wander around the space, including its massive rooftop, during a brief sunshine interlude it was the perfect spot to relax and overlook the sweet renaissance festival happening below (true fact).

And if that wasn’t enough, we also got to see original viking ships (Vikings!) at the local viking museum.  Love those friendly ol’ rapist/pillagers.

One day when I save up I might even go back and buy food during the visit (seriously, it’s really expensive).

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Je T’aime, Paris

Posted in Architecture, Art, Cities, Culture, Food (Security), France, Public Transportation on June 7, 2011 | 2 Comments »

Sacré Coeur

Paris has a certain… ‘je ne sais quoi.’

The subject of countless novels, the setting for romantic films, Carrie’s Shangri-la in Sex and the City (and NYC’s rival), Paris has an undeniable romantic appeal.

Not to mention delicious pastries, stylish locals, and wonderful streetscapes.

Yet there are some who yawn and roll their eyes at the mention of Paris, alluding to an overhyped city that doesn’t live up to expectations. Which is silly.

The following are my top ten reasons that Paris is still “all that.”

  1. Croissants. This may be reason enough to visit Paris, as despite my extensive international search, I have yet to find a worthy competitor. Flaky, buttery layers of crisp pastry with a soft warm centre – breakfast as God intended.
  1. Neighbourhoods. A massive city of almost 12 million people, Paris might be overwhelming if not for the charm and unique character of the many distinct neighbourhoods. From the grandeur of Champs Elysées to the eccentric bookstores of the Latin Quarter, everyone can design their own Amelie story. Except for in Montmartre which is completely overrun with tourists trying to recreate Amelie.

Jardin Luxembourg

  1. Walking. Filled with wide boulevards and winding cobblestone streets, Paris is a pedestrian’s dream. Losing yourself in a new neighbourhood, browsing among small boutiques and wandering into intriguing alleyways, almost guarantees a charming photo shoot in the form of ivy-covered mansion from the turn of the century. Check.
  1. Metro. That being said, it’s a big city and sometimes you just need to rest those swollen feet. Cue the comprehensive, relatively inexpensive (10 tickets for 12 Euros), and efficient metro system. Two Americans overheard in Jardin Luxembourg: “It’s going to be horrible to return to Milwaukee (…) where there isn’t any good public transportation.” Yes, yes it is.

The famous Metro font

  1. Art. So. Much Art. It is virtually impossible to wander around Paris and not stumble upon one of the world’s best collections of [insert obscenely famous artist here]. Better yet, if you’re an EU citizen and under 25, it’s all free! Which sadly, I never was. But still!
  1. Eclairs. “But Dara, you already mentioned croissants!” I know, I know I did. But to be honest, I could easily fill this top ten with an assortment of mouth-watering French pastries available on almost every corner (are eclairs also a breakfast food?). Wandering into the hundreds of patisseries and speciality chocolate shops that dot the city is like being, well, a kid in a candy shop… except that I’m 31. Which begs the question, how are French women so skinny?! Jerks.

I know, this is not an eclair... but still delicious.

  1. Hipsters. Wandering around Le Marais was like being on the set of a million simultaneous album-cover photo shoots. Exquisitely mismatched French haute couture labels, accessorized with the requisite casual scarf and leather tote bag, made for some fabulous people watching. Just fabulous.
  1. Architecture. Not into new fashion? Why not drool over the gorgeous old buildings that line the streets! From the gothic architectural stylings of Notre Dame to the Romanesque and Byzantine influenced Sacré-Coeur, Paris is dripping in architectural history. Sipping a cafe across from one of the many turn-of-the-century mansions reminds one of just how ‘petit’ (and poor) we all are.

Le Louvre

  1. Museums. Art aside, why not pick out one of the more obscure museums to spend a few hours in one afternoon? Beyond the traditional masters, Paris houses a collection that ranges from perfume to police museums. My recommendation? The Manufacture des Gobelins, a tapestry museum that traces the history weaving in France and features rotating exhibits. Also an excellent opportunity to practice your French as there are no tours in English. Magnifique!
  1. Picnics. What better way to while away the afternoon than in one of the many beautiful Parisian parks with a spread of cheese, tomato and baguette? While Parisians are not big on grass sitting (it is typically ‘interdit’ and they will let you know!), there are plenty of chairs and benches available, and some coveted green spaces if you are determined to find ‘pelouse.’ Extra points if you sport a beret. Just kidding, don’t do that.

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Paris is fantastic, and despite having visited many times, its charm has yet to wear thin for me.

It’s probably the croissants.

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“Istanbul Was Constantinople”

Posted in Architecture, Art, Culture, Indigenous People, Sustainability Planning, Turkey on May 7, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

Blue Mosque at night

Wandering around Istanbul this week, I was fascinated by the juxtaposed images of this continent-straddling city.  Literally divided between Europe and the Middle East, Istanbul is a colourful blend of old meets new and East meets West.  You are as likely to be walking beside a group of burqa clad women as you are to be sipping overpriced cocktails on a roof cafe.

I was instantly both fascinated and charmed.

Staying in Sultanahmet (ground zero for tourists) is like being thrust into a living history museum.  What was once the world’s largest church now converted into a mosque (Hagia Sophia) is mere steps away from the iconic Blue Mosque, the two buildings being connected by the Hippodrome in this wonderful pedestrian-oriented neighbourhood.  Crumbly stone walls, corner cafes with plump colourful cushions and the smell of döner complete the picture.

Spices

However what fascinated me most, aside from the delicious food (oh the food!), is the diversity.

While Islam remains dominant in Turkey, the urban landscape of Istanbul is shaped by many communities.  Religious minorities include Greek Orthodox Christians, Armenian Christians, Catholic Levantines and Sephardic Jews… not to mention all us tourists bopping about with our cameras and khaki tear-away pant/shorts (which for the record, I have never owned).

While the spectacular collection of mosques dotting the hills are a defining feature of the city (there are apparently over 2,691 of them), there are also 123 active churches and 26 active synagogues.  So how did all this diversity come about?

Those familiar with the Ottoman Empire (…) will know that it was a popular destination for non-Muslim refugees.  After conquering Constantinople in 1453, the Sultan Mehmed II recognized that in order to rebuild Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) he required immigrants to come in and develop the economy.

Turkey – the original immigrant friendly nation.

Hagia Sophia Interior

Friendly to diverse Muslim refugees across the region, the Sultan also took in other folk.  The most famous example are the Sephardic Jews who were given refuge in the 16th century when the Jews were expelled from Spain and Portugal (as well as before and afterward).  Their descendants form the core of the community of Jews in Turkey today.

Neat-o.

While technically Turkey is a secular country that advocates for the separation of church and state (since 1997 hijabs have been strictly banned within public schools and universities), not everyone is so hunky-dory with this policy.  There continue to be raging debates over this and other issues rooted in religion.  Which made this casual observer all the more pleased at the visible and seemingly peaceful day-to-day diverse living in Istanbul.

Unfortunately I can’t seem to get the words to Istanbul (Not Constantinople) (They Might Be Giants version) out of my head while I wander the streets… ah well.

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You Can’t Start Las Fallas, Without (many) A Spark!

Posted in Art, Culture, Public Spaces, Valencia on March 21, 2011 | 7 Comments »

Falleras

Las Fallas officially ended last night… and I may be deaf.

Noise! Art!  Costumes!  Noise! The Virgin!  Sugar!  Noise! Parties!  Fire!

I’ve decided it is virtually impossible to explain this festival to those who have not experienced it… I say this because I’ve tried, and tried, and failed.  There are so many elements and much of it you have to see to believe.  Still, I’m going to do my darndest to break this sucker down (again):

  • NOISE – This is perhaps the single most important factor in Las Fallas.  Whether it’s the morning wake-up by the neighbourhood marching bands (seriously), the firecrackers in my local park, or the official Mascletà every day at 2pm, I have learned that Valencians love nothing better than noise.  Pure, unadulterated noise.  I have tried, in vain, to explain the constant volume of said noise, but there are not enough decibels to do so.  In response to my permanent confusion at why there is so much noise, one of my Spanish acquaintances explained, “To me, it is beautiful music.”  Funny, I would have said “To me, it is a guaranteed path to premature deafness.”  My eardrums are starting on their long and slow recovery – see why here (full volume required):
  • ART – Central to the festival are the Fallas, large-scale sculptures made up of different figures (ninots), constructed out of wood and styrofoam, painted in bright colours, with an eerie resemblance to Disney characters.  Typically satirical jabs at those in the public eye, the fallas can be the size of a refrigerator box or the size of a 5-storied building.  And, to put it simply, they TAKE OVER THE CITY.  With over 400 fallas distributed throughout the streets, every other intersection is usurped by the sculptures, making traffic chaos and art omnipotent.  Which is how it should be, no?  Art/Cars = Social Sustainability?

2011 Winner of Las Fallas - Special Section

  • COSTUMES – If you didn’t know any better, you may think you’ve stumbled through a time portal back to the medieval ages.  For three weeks men and women, but especially the women, wander around the city in full traditional regalia, doing whatever it is falleras… do.  These elaborate dresses are made of large crinoline skirts, gaudy flower patterns atop silk and lace designs, a special “Princess Leia” hair-do (see photos), and cost an obscene amount of money.  Yet they seem to multiply at every corner!  Every neighbourhood has a Fallera Major, a prestigious mark on the ol’ resume, and of course there is the Fallera Major of the entire festival.  However it is the children that win my affections – bopping about in their silly outfits, they are A-dorable!

Falleras offer flowers to La Virgen

  • THE VIRGIN – At Franco’s insistence, this deliciously secular festival fabricated religious meaning, deftly inserting the Virgin Mary into the middle of things.  The change stuck, and nowadays the end of the festival features falleras parading through the city towards the main plaza where a massive wooden-slatted Virgin stands.  Each fallera offers up colour-coded flowers to the virgin, that are organized into a beautiful flower cape by the men-folk.  Falleras often get emotional and cry during the offering, though one can’t be sure it’s not because they’ve been walking in a tight corset in the blazing sun for two hours.

The Virgin Mary's Cape

  • SUGAR – Churros, Porras and Buñuelos, oh my!  Las Fallas means feasting on deep-fried goodness, which comes in many shapes and forms.  The traditional specialty is chocolate and churros (deep-fried dough dipped in hot chocolate), but there are many versions, including chocolate covered churros, cream-filled churros, and my new favourite, buñuelos, a pumpkin-flour deep-fried donut-type concoction… delish!  And if you’re not into churros?  The streets are filled with candy stands, mojito stands, and plain old fast-food stands… essentially a health food nightmare!

Buñuelos and Churros

  • PARTY – This may seem obvious, but rest assured – You Don’t Understand.  Spaniards don’t party like normal people, they shut down every street in the city and go on major drinking binges from midnight until 7am.  With their children.  Really.  Traffic comes to a virtual standstill as the largest car-free party in the world takes place over the ENTIRE WEEK.  Because having a day-long festival isn’t enough for Spaniards, no no, they need a minimum of 3 weeks, with the last week being a 24/7 fiesta!  It’s exhilarating/exhausting for us mere mortals.

Fiesta in the streets... alllll night long.

  • COMMUNITY – Never before have I seen such a massive local community development project that operates at the neighbourhood scale.  While the festival is a city-wide celebration, it centres around “casals”, local neighbourhood organizations that build the fallas, choose the falleras, host their own bands, mascletàs, fireworks, and make giant street paellas during the festival in a neighbourhood competition.  The spirit is contagious and the levels of buy-in and participation would make any community development worker drool.  It warmed my heart.

Local falla in my neighbourhood.

  • FIRE/WORKS – The last 4 days of Fallas (that’s right, because it’s 21 days IN TOTAL), there are spectacular fireworks every night that rival the best in the world.  Given that this is a family activity, they start at 1am (sigh).  In short, this is a city full of pyromaniacs.  You think I exaggerate?  Well, aside from the constant explosives, the daily mascletà, and the nightly fireworks, there is also “La Cremà.”  To celebrate the end of the festival on the last night, all of the fallas (you know, those giant sculptures that neighbourhoods spend an entire year building), are burned to the ground in 400+ separate bonfires.  Firefighters stand around to ensure that the city DOESN’T BURN DOWN.  So yes, pyromaniacs.

And then?  It all blissfully goes back to normal, and I enjoy the sound, of silence.

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Busk-A-Rama

Posted in Art, Cities, Public Spaces, Spain, Sustainability Planning on March 10, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

Busking in Barcelona

I heart buskers.

Those guitar-toting, body-painted, fire-wielding magical street performers, work under the harshest possible conditions with no guarantee of pay – and they do it all with a smile.  With roots winding their way back to ancient Greek history, street performers have many names, however the most current manifestation (busker), is rooted in the spanish word buscar, meaning “to seek.”

Yet another reason to love the Spanish.

The best buskers blow my mind with their raw performance ability and extreme tenacity.  In fact, the loose change I throw in their hat is usually a small price to pay for a live theatre experience.  The worst ones do little more than bore me before I move on, at no obligation to pay them for their service.

Most recently in London we happened upon Mr. Beatbox (all sounds made with just his mouth and a microphone!) outside the theatre where we were about to see Keira Knightley perform with Elizabeth Moss in The Children’s Hour.  Beatbox clearly outshone Keira in terms of performance at a fraction of the cost!  But she’s still pretty:

Yes busking in public space is not the carefree activity one might suspect.  In many cities, busking is a highly regulated activity requiring licenses and permits.  In New York City, the only way to obtain a permit to busk in the subway is through a highly competitive annual audition.

And why?

In Spain busking doesn’t appear to be nearly as regulated and is well-ingrained within the culture.  It is common for musicians to set up next to restaurant patios to entertain you during your meal… of course the quality of this entertainment varies, but overall I admire the open use of public space.  Perhaps I wouldn’t want Mr. Beatbox beside me during a romantic dinner, however I wonder if regulators are often a tad too bureaucratic when it comes to this ancient art?

Let the people make art… viva la busking!

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KABLAMO! Pop pop PKHAAAAO!

Posted in Art, Culture, Public Spaces, Spain, Valencia on March 6, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

In the last week my peaceful neighbourhood has transformed into a war zone.

Ninot... coming out of the closet.

Every day I wake up to the pop-pop-pop of tiny firecrackers detonating outside my building.  Slowly during the day the noise increases in volume and frequency, alternating between small bangs and heart-stopping explosions, finally coming to a crashing crescendo around 6pm when it sounds as though I’m walking through Hanoi during the Vietnam War.

It’s terrifying.

And nobody blinks an eye.

It’s Las Fallas in Valencia, and the town is set to explode.  Literally.  An annual festival dating back to the middle ages and unique to Valencia, it goes something like this:

  1. Neighbourhoods spend the year fundraising to build large sculptures (ninots) that will form the neighbourhood float (falla), typically drawing on current events and famous figures for satirical subject matter.
  2. Floats get incredibly elaborate and can have corporate sponsorship – the most expensive float last year was worth over $120,000 USD.
  3. Said floats are paraded through the streets during the 2-week festival which typically takes place in mid-March.
  4. Daily during the festival, a deafening display of firecrackers is set off in the centre of the city at 2pm (mascletà).  Not fireworks, firecrackers… meaning just loud, loud, noise.
  5. During the last four days of the festival, actual fireworks are also displayed nightly.
  6. And, the very best part of all, on the last day of the festival the fallas are all… BURNED IN A MASSIVE BONFIRE.  Lit on fire.  All of them.  And this final act is called… la cremà.

Traditional Costumes

Oh, and to top it all off, there is the equivalent of a medieval beauty pageant where young Valencian women dress up in traditional outfits (think crinoline, gaudy flowers, and intricate lace patterns) and compete to be the top Fallera – and there’s no pretense of scholarships or intelligence-testing questions.  This is straight-up “who’s the prettiest princess” stuff.

And of course in true Spanish fashion, the people are busy drinking and dancing in the streets throughout Las Fallas.

Excellent.

While I anticipated the festival noise, I did not anticipate the full extent of community participation.  Everybody from 7 to 70 gets into the act, gathering in the local park/sidewalk/cafe, all with the express intention of making noise and blowing shizzle up.

I mean seriously, should small children be playing with firecrackers unsupervised?!!  Somebody is going to lose an eye… and it’s probably going to be me.

And still, it is only the tourists who seem at all fazed by the mind-numbing noise, the repugnant smell of sulphur, and the littered remains of firecrackers scattered throughout the park like brightly coloured confetti.

Do I sound annoyed?  Because it’s going to be A-MAZING!  Stay tuned for the actual festival which starts March 12th…

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Art Date (Starting At The Tate)

Posted in Art, Cities, Culture on March 3, 2011 | 1 Comment »

London, is one of those cities.

Brimming with cosmopolitan features, it’s difficult to find fault with the international cuisine, world-class theatre, adorable  architecture (Harry Potter World reprise!), potential celebrity sightings and of course our host, the delightful Colleen Higgins.

Oh I will...

And despite the fact that the majority of the year it’s rainy, grey and cold, the city maintains a thriving tourist base who appear undeterred by the atrocious cost of… EVERYTHING.

Not me, I’m deterred.

Seriously – the sticker prices are all the same as in Canada, but instead of dollars, it’s POUNDS.  While my current state of unemployment may be colouring my lens poor, one can barely walk down the street in London without exhaling money.  Thus, if you are similarly ‘economically challenged’, and happen to find yourself in the Queen’s ‘hood, I propose a solution…

and thy name be, art.

Why not add a bit of culture to your trip beyond a fried plate of fish and chips (though who’s knocking that tasty little snack!)?  Having been to quite a few of those cities (you know who I’m talking about NYC, Paris, Tokyo), I feel confident in determining that London is the place to immerse yourself in the art world.

Artscene.

Chock full of both historical and contemporary pieces, one can fill their days with cutting-edge cultural forays, while staying dry and warm and (here’s the kicker…) all while saving a bundle, as almost all of it is FREE!

Intimidated by the art scene?  While it’s perfectly acceptable to wander around without an art history degree (wear your oddest combination of clothes and stare at everything intensely), if you can find someone like my ladyfriend (a certified art aficionado), you will quickly appreciate all of the art points that you inevitably accumulate in a very short time.  And then you will blog about them.

A quick guide to contemporary galleries should you find yourself in London anytime soon:

  • The Tate Modern – OMG OMG OMG.  Certainly not obscure, but I still marvel in the fact that this oversized concrete tomb houses a fantastic, diverse, and constantly rotating collection.  You can easily spend a day here, for if not transfixed by the installation piece in the foyer (currently millions of hand-painted porcelain sunflower seeds), then move upstairs where you can brush up against Umberto Boccioni’s Unique Forms of Continuity in Space or stand mesmerized in front of Jenny Holzer’s Inflammatory Essays… either way, a wonderful afternoon!

The Unilever Series (sunflower seeds)

  • Hauser & Wirth – Start with the recently opened Louise Bourgeois and Tracey Emin collaboration entitled Do Not Abandon Me.  A female powerhouse in a male-dominated (art) world, Bourgeois recently passed away at the age of 98, but not before creating 16 intimate drawings confronting identity and sexuality.  They were than passed to Emin who drew smaller figures engaging with the bodies.  Canadians may be familiar with Bourgeois’ spider sculpture outside the National Gallery in Ottawa.

A Million Ways To Cum

  • White Cube – Famous as much for the unique space as for the impressive rotation of exhibitions, the White Cube is, well, a big white cube, tucked into an alleyway just off Picadilly.  The latest exhibition features Mona Hatoum, another powerful female artist. Hatoum plays with ideas of domesticity and everyday objects, transforming them into fearful objects through large-scale installation pieces.  Sadly, Bunker opened the day we left, thus here is a piece from her collection at the Tate.

Incommunicado

  • Hauser & Wirth (#2) – Move on to the second Hauser & Wirth gallery in London where you will be exposed to Martin Creed’s latest installation – a giant neon rotating sign that reads: MOTHERS.  One need not understand in order to be entranced by the quickening and then decreasing speed of rotations.  Next door you will be lulled back to childhood memories with brightly painted rectangles on a series of more traditional canvases.

Mothers

  • The Saatchi Gallery – Finally, cap it all off by heading over to the Saatchi Gallery to move away from the known into the unknown.  Dedicated to exhibiting young and emerging artists (for example Steve Bishop and his beastly take on Dior), many of them are offered their own shows subsequent to being exhibited at Saatchi.  An incredible viewing space, the gallery recently moved to The Duke of York’s HQ in Chelsea.

Christian Dior - J'adore (Mountain Goat)

And if you’re not satisfied with these highlights, don’t forget that most of London’s museums and galleries are free, so if your tastes run more along the lines of “Jesus in a loin-cloth represented in 10000 different ways”, there is puh-lenty of that to keep you occupied.

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Barcelona Chairs – Please Don’t Sit.

Posted in Art, Barcelona, Culture, Spain on January 12, 2011 | 72 Comments »

Have you ever heard of the exclusive “Barcelona Chair”?  Most likely you’ve seen one… or a cheap reproduction.  Well, here is the original:

THE Barcelona Chair(s)

No really, THE original.  From 1929.  Impressed?  Maybe not.  Well, let me tell you the story of this internationally famous silla…

Created for the International Exposition of 1929 (hosted by Spain), the Barcelona chair was exclusively designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for the German Pavilion.  An icon of  modernist design, the chair has subsequently led to countless reproductions throughout the world.

You may have seen a few.

During the Bauhaus era, many architects and designers were keen on creating homes and furnishings for the ‘common man’ – however the Barcelona chair was an exception.  Designed so that Spanish Royalty could oversee the opening ceremonies of the exhibition, Time magazine described the chair as inhabiting Mies van der Rohe’s “sumptuous German pavilion.”

Oh that's "sumptuous."

I don’t know about sumptuous… but they do charge you $4.5 euros to walk around what looks like a marble box.  Typical.

Despite the industrial appearance of the Barcelona chair, the construction apparently requires significant hand craftsmanship.  Manufactured by Knoll Inc since 1953, the chair is available in two different steel frame configurations, chrome and stainless.

Of course if you’re lucky enough to be able to afford the genuine product (at $6,658 USD a pop), then you will have the opportunity to show your other rich friends the exclusive Ludwig Mies van der Rohe signature stamped into your chair.

Oh wait, did I mention it comes with an ottoman?

The original Barcelona Ottomans

I guess once you’ve won the Museum of Modern Art Award (1977), you’re allowed to charge as you please.

Disappointingly if you choose to visit the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, you will NOT be allowed to sit in the chair.  Despite having paid $4.5 euros.  The icon of modernist functional design is no longer functional… ’tis a shame, no?

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