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BILBAO EMBRACES ARTS WEEKEND
Bilbao has artistic inclinations,
which are inherent to a city that has undergone an enormous transformation in recent decades.
Partly because of this transformation and the landmark opening of the Guggenheim Museum,
now 15 years ago,
this penchant for art has grown and become more firmly established over time.
Today,
on its own merit,
Bilbao is among the major cities on the international art circuit.
In this context,
Bilbao Art District is born as a joint initiative of the city's most important galleries,
museums and art agents,
with the participation,
support and collaboration of Bilbao Town Hall and regional government.
Bilbao Art District is the area stretching from the Maritime Museum,
Albia Gardens and Colón de Larreategui to Paseo Abandoibarra.
The area contains art galleries,
bookshops,
antique shops,
auction houses and prestigious restorers,
as well as the Museum of Fine Arts,
the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao,
the Maritime Museum and Sala Rekalde.
It is undoubtedly a unique environment that also includes open air sculptures by the most representative contemporary artists-Dalí,
Chillida,
Koons,
Bourgeois,
Kapoor...-and a remarkable display of the most cutting edge works by architects such as Pelli,
Isozaki,
Ferrater,
Soriano,
Siza,
Moneo,
Calatrava and Gehry.
Bilbao Art District is a unique place to visit and get to know for its identity,
personality and attractiveness,
and for the dynamism of its intense cultural life.
Arts Weekend
A grand festive event called "Arts Weekend" will be held for the first time in Bilbao on May 3rd and 4th to celebrate the launch of Bilbao Art District.
In fact,
this event will be the debut of this initiative.
On these days,
the museums and galleries will have special opening hours and they will offer guided tours by curators,
collectors and specialized commentators.
Moreover,
at the Fine Arts Museum there will be a show by the artist Néstor Basterretxea,
with the suggestive title "Form and Universe".
In addition to extending its opening hours and offering free guided-tours the museum will be presenting live musical performances.
The Guggenheim Museum will be showing the exhibition "L'art en guerre.
France,
1938-1947: From Picasso to Dubuffet" and organizing an array of activities for families.
As for the Maritime Museum,
it has scheduled for those days the spectacular Osedax activity for all audiences.
This is an enormous interactive installation that will coincide at the museum with the original model of Bilbao shown in Shanghai,
a work by the artist Esther Pizarro.
During Arts Weekend the Sala Rekalde,
District Exhibition Space,
will be holding the group show "Réinventer le monde",
children's workshops and special guided tours,
in addition to live music.
All the art galleries will be holding ad hoc special events and activities and there will be a joint opening on Friday,
May 3rd.
The following organizations are also involved in this project: Galería Carreras-Múgica,
Galería Vanguardia,
Galería Michel Mejuto,
Windsor Kulturgintza,
Juan Manuel Lumbreras and Photo Gallery 20.
Furthermore,
Bilbao will be hosting international artists,
as well as different art interventions,
performances and other cultural and entertainment events.
There will be many notable artists including,
among others,
Esther Ferrer and Juan Manuel Ballester,
both National Arts Prize-winners.
In short,
on May 3rd and 4th art will come out into the street in Bilbao Art District,
with a complete programme of quality activities for residents of Bilbao and visitors to the city.
Culture will invade every street in the district and Bilbao will become a great art centre involving every establishment and organization in the area.
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