Salla VartiainenMy favourite art-venues in Barcelona 2023
Originally posted:2023-07-19
It feels a bit weird to be back. It feels like it was only yesterday I lived here even though its been 1,5 years since I moved back to Sweden.
2021 (which was the year I lived here) was all about art for me. Making art, looking at art, discussing art, thinking, dreaming, living, art. All shared with other artists who also were here to emerge them selves in their work. So Barcelona is all about art for me. That´s why I thought I would list my favorite ART VENUES here in Barcelona.
Art by an unknown artist in the streets of Poble Nou
These are in no order, I like them all and as you can see my taste is quite versatile. From architecture to street art to fine art to digital art.
The art scene in Barcelona is quite focused on conceptual art, and that can sometimes be very interesting (like the time I saw an exhibition with the amazing Andrea Fraser at MACBA and were laughing out loud (alone like a mad man) during the whole exhibition.) but then again I am a painter so I LOVE exhibitions with contemporary painting.
MACBA
MACBA is actually one of my favorite art museums in the world. Every time I´m here I am surprised or shocked or even afraid! (In 2020 I encountered a super scary work by the late Juan Muños here. It had scary small statues and a trompe loeil which created a real mindfuck for me!). They also used to have a brilliant work by Luz Broto who wanted to connect the outside with the inside and simply drilled a small hole through the wall in the stairway! The plaque announcing the work was so discreet that I believe most people must have missed it.
Outside of MACBA is a popular place for skaters
La sagrada familia
I am a sucker for beauty and organic forms. I could list all of Gaudis works here but if I have to chose one it has to be La Sagrada de Familia. All though it looks like shit from the outside the play with the light on the inside is amazing. Leaded glass windows paints the interior in red or green/blue hues depending on the movements of the sunlight. If feels outworldy like you´ve accidentally entered a parallel world. Here is an interesting blog post about what Gaudi was thinking while planning the play of light
Jardins de les Tres Xemeneies
The Jardins de les tres xemeneies is located near Placa de les Drassanes.
This “gallery” changes its exhibition most frequently in Barcelona. That is because “anyone”*** can come and paint in Tres Xemeneis. All kind of street artists paint here and the styles vary a lot. Some do super realistic paintings while others are more prone to do cartoonish works or stick to the graffiti-worlds love for painting their names. Many mix the media here. While the majority of Swedish graffiti-artists stick to their spray cans, in Barcelona people seem to mix spray with regular acrylic paint and sometimes even markers.
***I marked the “anyone” with a star because although its true that anyone can paint in Tres Xemeneies (you have to book with an app first). The painters of the Barcelonian graffiti-world apparently still have in-official rules on who can paint where and if you don´t follow them you can get your ass kicked.
What I like about graffiti is that – one moment it´s there and the next it is not, so if you didnt see it it is forever lost to you
IDEAL
IDEAL is a museum for digital art. It´s located in Poble Nou and you have to walk a bit to get here. I think Llacuna is the nearest subway station. At the moment they are having a Salvador Dalí exhibition which I am hoping to visit during my stay here!
Picture from IDEALs website
Can Framis
Can Framis is located near Glories subway station and exhibits contemporary works by Catalonian artists. They have a permanent exhibition and also temporary exhibitions.
We saw a beautiful exhibition with colorist Yago Hortal here a couple of years ago. Well worth a visit.
Do you happen to know any cool art-venues in Barcelona (or elsewhere in the world)?
Please share your knowledge with me! <3
xoxo/Salla V
Originally posted:2023-07-19