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Sweet Dreams of Venice
Once upon a time, a group of Italian journalists was astonished when a distinguished art critic in town for the Venice Biennale and known for her affection for the city did not include it amongst her favorites, something they all took for granted. The writer replied that she did not consider Venice a city but rather, a dream. I remember when I heard this story at the Cafe Florian, my eyes were looking for some evidence of reality on the other side of the glass window overlooking the Piazza San Marco. I recall the glimmering facade of Canaletto Doge´s Palace, shimmering in the mirror of the water. Glancing back at my marble table and thinking that, although he had never paid so much money for a cappuccino, it was perhaps the cheapest cup of coffee I would drink in my life.. There is a sense of living a lucid dream every time you rent apartments in Venice. That same almost nomadic quality of resting in the liminal territory between two planes of existence seems to scent much of the literature and life inspired by the city, ever since Marco Polo. His cellmate surely felt the sense of being penetrated in a dream when he first spoke, feverish, about his travels. Unless, as suggested by the historian Frances Wood, his dream was another, a mere reflection, and Marco Polo never even made it to China (why would he mention paper money but leave out other key details of Chinese life like chopsticks and foot binding?). Perhaps his tale was simply a cooperative dream tinged with elements of stories heard of...
Surrealist Cinema in Madrid
Interestingly, Madrid in recent years seems to be experiencing a mini-boom of healthy interest in silent film projections. There has been a proliferation of programs promoting this oft-overlooked genesis of cinematic arts, and institutions lending their support range from the Juan March Foundation to such dynamic, self-managed, alternative cultural centers as CSA La Tabacalera. This trend has allowed us to be exposed to with films that show the essential tools of the medium of film, those that were used when the filmmakers could not rely on words to tell a story and had to make do with the characteristic elements of the purely visual moving-image. These limitations have led more than a few critics and famous directors to talk about this period as the real golden age of cinema in its purest form, if one of course can speak of some kind absolute purity in art or life. The cultural association La Bagatela (calle Tres Peces, 34), located in the very authentic, colorful and multicultural neighborhood of Lavapiés, has put together an interesting schedule of an essentially educational nature, which perhaps accounts for the excessively canonical nature of the films that are projected. That cycle is just an appetizer of what’s to come this fall. At the Filmoteca on calle Santa Isabel 3, less than five minutes from La Bagatela, there will be a loop projecting the seminal silent propaganda films of Leni Riefenstahl, “Olympia” and “Triumph of the Will” and in the month of December a very ambitious program with a number of recently restored short films by Charles Chaplin, where you can enjoy the great British film...
“Hyper Real” exhibit in MUMOK Vienna
On October 22nd, the exhibition “Hyper Real. Passion for reality in painting and photography “(” Hyper Real. Die Passion des Royals in Malerei und Fotografie) opened at the MUMOK in Vienna. It will remain open until February 13, 2011. In this exhibition the MUMOK undertakes the search for reality in painting and contemporary photography, starting from the 60´s onward. More than 250 works illustrate the most important positions of photorealism, as well as the most prominent aspect of this passionate search for the truth. During the late 60´s a group of avant-garde artists drew attention from critics with their stunning paintings, perfect simulations that emulated the reality of photography. Inspired by Pop Art and its obsession with mass consumption and advertising, these photorealistic artists of the 60´s and 70´s were interested in the daily life of the American metropolis. Thus, some of the most important artists of the Pop Art are represented in this exhibition, such as Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol. And of course it also features photorealistic icons such as the Ralph Goings, Robert Bechtle and Richard McLean. However, don’t miss out on the European exponents of hyper-realism, represented by Gerhard Richter and the Italian Domenico Gnoli, among many others. Richter, for example, became one of the most sought after artists in the world and broke sales records at auction. He became one of the first living artists to earn millions and million. We encourage you to visit the exhibition featuring these milestones of modern art, all together in one exhibition hall. More information: http://www.mumok.at Heloise Battista You only need to rent apartments in Vienna and...
MGMT concert in Barcelona
The MGMT, also known as “the Management”, will storm Barcelona with their psychedelic pop at Razzmatazz in Poble Nou in Barcelona on December 16th at 21:30. The New York duo consists of Ben Goldwasser (born December 7, 1982) and Andrew VanWyngarden (February 1, 1983), both originally from Connecticut. They got together in 2002, during a sabbatical year from Wesleyan University, and became a pop phenomenon, almost involuntarily. Apparently, MGMT never seriously thought they were going to turn into huge pop-stars. Even so, they have been a smashing yet unexpected success since their inception. At first, these two post-modern hippies/unrepentant hipster poster children who set out to fuse funny noise rock and electronica. They had an impact on the Big Apple underground circuit with their cuts just barely out of the garage. They like to repeat that it was not their intention to form a band, but just come out and share albums, “hang out”, go to concerts, listen to music and compose of course, but not necessarily make their creation a profession. They share the ethic of countless garage bands, annoying parents and neighbors with electric guitars and high volume screaming, all the while having fun. However, for MGMT everything flowed with amazing ease and speed, and the music ended up getting taking them along for a ride to international fame. In early 2005, when they first were licensed, they went on tour in the U.S. to open for “Of Montreal” (another American indie rock group) and promote their new EP “Time to pretend” and in fall 2006, i.e. four years after their college musical joke kicked off, they...
Goth Christmas Festival 2010, Barcelona
There are many kinds of Dioramas. One of these is a Christmas nativity scene, which depicts the birth of Jesus and often occupies an important place beside the Christmas tree. But the Christmas scene I want to talk about now is another one full of musical talent, sensuality and dark elegance! That’s right Goth lords and ladies; we’re talking about Barcelona’s Goth Christmas Festival! Get ready to hear the Germans Diorama, a dark electro band that, along with another great band from Germany, De / vision, will make everyone swoon at the 2010 edition of the classic “Dark Christmas Festival.” As always, what really matters here are the bands. Diorama was formed by Torben Wendt in 1996 as a side project. Torben collaborated with other bands like “Diary of Dreams.” Diorama released their first album of the year 1999, and thanks to the success of “Pale” the project expanded and musicians Marc and Bernard Felix joined the band. Now they have seven albums, under their belt, and highlights include “Pale”, “Her liquid arms,” “A different life” and their latest release, “Cubed”, which has led them to number one on the Deutsche Alternative Charts. This album is definitely worth a listen, and you will probably get to hear them play it along with older favorites at the festival. You can also enjoy German synth-pop veterans De / vision, who have a long career that began in 1988. Since then they’ve release 11 albums and have won the hearts and ears of loyal followers. The band´s concert promises to get you dancing to the electronic rhythms nonstop. Two local bands on...
Kari Caven show in Helsinki
Kari Caven was born in Finland in 1954 and is undoubtedly one of the best-known Finnish artists today. An unusual sculptor, Kari Caven has found the artistic potential in everyday materials, or specifically, the leftovers of our eager consumption: the trash. The artist explores the human and personal side of consumption through his art, which though highly conceptual in nature, often uses commonplace materials. However, thanks to the interventions of Caven, these objects acquire a new dimension, which speaks to a larger cultural and artistic dimension. In this way, he vindicates what has previously been consumed and wasted by society. In a rhetorical way, exposing the symbolic fabric beneath the surface. His subversive technique has inspired many contemporary artists who appreciate his comment and reflection on our society of consumption. This is evidenced by the trend in which even the artist, as a representative of an autonomous field apparently free of economic ties is subject to market trends and consumption cycles lest they profess and procure alternative means of expression which both examine and escape the machine of consumption. More information: http://www.kiasma.fi/index.php?id=836&L=1 Heloise Battista On October 29th the Kiasma contemporary art museum in Helsinki celebrated the opening of the exhibition “Eyes crossed” which showcases the Kari Caven´s latest artistic forays. The Central theme is, again, that unique and personal perspective of the world and being, which has motivated the author since the beginning of his career. For those who want to enjoy the unique and melancholy charm of the Finnish winter while seeing Scandinavian contemporary art, we recommend renting apartments in Helsinki to visit “Eyes crossed” before February...
Paris Vegan Day, November 28th
Again, ville lumière will host the second edition of Paris Vegan Day on November 28th, 2010 from 11.00 to 23.30 (www.parisveganday.fr), an excellent opportunity to rent apartments in Paris. On this day, the emphasis will be placed on promoting the vegan philosophy, which is not only a way of eating, but a way of living and a set of practices under the slogan “we are what we eat.” Vegan culture refers to principles of ethical living, green and healthy, but without sacrificing pleasure, taste and fun. The origin of these philosophical and spiritual motivations can be dated to the sixth century AD, when the philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras, made a plea for a meatless diet and his followers formed a vegetarian community. It is undeniable that in Western societies the consumption of meat and animal derivatives, in the name of a mythical need for proteins that must be met at any cost, i.e. through the manipulation and mass destruction of animals. Farming practices would make even the most unrepentant sadist blush, and have given rise to diseases, such as the recent mad cow or foot and mouth disease. Others might arise from genetic manipulation, which is still very recent and does not allow us to assert that the increase in certain cancers is linked to these new scientific practices. These behaviors are seriously affecting our health. It is known that excessive consumption of meat eating is a big mistake, leading to hypertension and arteriosclerosis, as well as lead to a reduction of other nutrients necessary for our body, and may lead some to suffer from nutritional imbalances or organ...
Planeta award goes to Eduardo Mendoza
In more ways than one, you can say that the ever-controversial annual Planeta award is the event that officially kicks off literary season in Spain. Established fifty-eight years ago by the editor Juan Manuel Lara with the aim, in theory, of promoting Spanish writers, this prize has always garnered a certain amount of criticism because the winning works are published by the same editorial which runs the prize. Winners are almost certainly guaranteed best-seller status. This has led to all sorts of intrigues and rumors of awards agreed to in advance that over time have served to discredit the award in for literary purists, but the fact is that all this ivory tower controversy has never damaged prize’s promotional impact. Winning books become a media phenomenon, and the prize ensures significantly higher sales in Spain. Combined with the generous cash prize of 601,000 euros, it is one of the most coveted prizes. Still, controversy aside, there are years when the quality of the winner seems hardly debatable and that is the case with the edition number 59 just awarded to Barcelona writer Eduardo Mendoza. Another recent standout winner was The World by Juan Jose Millas in 2007, written in stunning Spanish. The following year the book won the highly prestigious National Award for Fiction. The strangest thing about the Riña de Gatos. Madrid 1936, the winning novel, which revolves around the origin of the Spanish Civil War, is that it is set, as its title suggests, the capital of Spain. Strange, mainly because Eduardo Mendoza is known, among other things, for his brilliant appearance on the Spanish literary scene...
Contemporary sculpture in Milan
The Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro features an exquisite exhibition which collects the work of more than 80 Italian artists who broke into the contemporary art scene thanks to their sculptures. Here is the presentation of three artists who form part of the interesting exhibition at the Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro, which opened on October 20th and will be open until January 30th, 2011. Maurizio Cattelan is undoubtedly one of the most famous artists of Italy, who was born in Padua in 1960. He launched his first creative ventures in the field of designing, building furniture for apartments. And hence was born his fiery passion for art, culminating in his first exhibition in Bologna in the late 80´s. His work combines sculpture with performance, creating an interesting paradox that reflects his elegant sense of humor and momentum. Vanessa Beecroft transgresses the boundaries between art and design, sexist and feminist, intelligent and coarse. Naked women in heels populate her imaginary world, which have already been exposed in several renowned museums. Her peculiar living sculptures use the figure of the immovable clone, to provoke questions about the nature of sexual attraction. Alice Cattaneo, born in Milan, makes sculptures and animated videos created using materials found in everyday life. The work of this artist is very funny and, in turn, ethereal, opportunistic and precarious. Sometimes her sculptures seem to be the result of a magical accident, sometimes it shows the dedication and the pragmatic approach that has made the art Cattaneo famous. For more information about the exhibition visit: http://www.fondazionearnaldopomodoro.it/press_eng.php?b=i&id_evento=59 Heloise Battista These are just three of 80 fabulous avant-garde sculptors whose work can...
