Bilbao and the Guggenheim
In the Basque language, spelled Bilbo
We arrived Monday evening after a somewhat eventful drive,
struggling with our Tomtom navigator. We would have been better relying on Google
maps with a bigger data plan, which was what we were doing by afternoon’s end.
Though the Tomtom gave us some of the best Spanglish ever!
Monday evening and Tuesday morning we wandered the town
before hitting the Guggenheim.
What to say about Frank Gehry’s masterpiece? It is just that
in the literal sense of the word. A building for the ages. I had a fine time
photographing it, especially as we worked our way from the back to the front.
It is meant to be seen from across the river, and then once you understand the
building you can go to the back and sides.
Then inside. I remember walking into Helmut Jahn’s Illinois
State building in Chicago and having my eyes confused. Where to look? Not so
here. Gehry has constructed as series of eyescapes for you to look at
throughout the building. They are harmonious and pleasing and lead you to the
galleries. Though, of course you cannot photograph the art, you are welcome to shoot the interior spaces and I did.
Those who argue that the collection is not so great may be
right, but it is so well curated and interpreted that it need not be extensive.
At one point Sharon and I finished a label and turned to one another with the
comment, “wasn’t that a nice essay!”
And Richard Serra’s A
Matter of Time simply gives you a new experience of art. And even though we were not supposed to photograph the art everyone seemed to shoot this one, so I did too.
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