All posts tagged: art

Alternative Zurich

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The Fraumünster Church is an icon of the city which dominates the skyline and features stained-glass windows designed by Marc Chagall.  The presentation is gorgeous and similar to the Chagall windows at the Art Institute of Chicago, but at the church there is absolutely no photography allowed.  We payed a quick visit here during our stay in Zurich and left after wandering around the dark and somber church for a few minutes.  We had no idea that we would be returning the following evening when the space would be transformed into a shining performance space by art collective Baushtellë and be confronted by a program of thought-provoking contemporary work. Members of Baushtellë from Prishtinë, Beograd and Zürich participated in the complete transformation of the Fraumünster Church.  I love what they did with the space… coincidentally it was my first time seeing an artist perform semi-nude inside a church.  And this time, photography was encouraged! At the heart of this collective is an exploration of a system of beliefs, so I found it very appropriate that the exhibition was held …

3 Must-See Churches in Antwerp

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Belgium at last!  We have been traveling without a chance for updates during the last few weeks and we are a few countries behind, but it’s time to take a short break to share these three stunning displays of Belgian heritage and pride.  We were only in Belgium for four days, but during that short time we got the priveledge of seeing the city through the eyes of a lifelong Antwerp resident, philanthopist, and friend: Kamiel.  He took us on a tour of each of these iconic buildings which dominate the city skyline and explained their part within the history of the city and their various restorations. 1) St. Paul’s Church  Located in the old city-center of Antwerp, the interior of this church epitomizes Baroque design and sensibility. ^^^Of the countless works of art displayed inside the church (including works by famous Antwerp residents Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck), the wooden Baroque confessionals are the most unique.  These sculptures line the enitre building and include meticulously detailed life-size wooden figures carved by generations of …

Best Art Museum in Paris: Centre Pompidou

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The Centre Georges Pompidou contemporary art museum is a must-see while visiting Paris.  The stunning views from the museum alone are worth every cent of the €11 admission fee (we can thank Jaime’s old student ID for the discounted rate, usually €14).  This museum is a world-class contemporary art venue and holds revolving exhibitions of the highest caliber.  Who’s down to check out the Mona Hatoum show and soak up some sun on the decks of this postmodern steel superstructure in the center of Paris?  I am!  Let’s go! ^^^The Mona Hatoum exhibition on the top floor of the museum. ^^^Centre Pompidou has an amazing permanent collection as well, as evidenced by this mind-blowing piece by Jean-Michel Basquiat. ^^^The museum lobby.  The entire building has an interestingly inside-out quality. ^^^Thank you Centre Pompidou!  Long live love!!!

Copenhagen for Free | Best Art Destination

Copenhagen for Free: Best Art Destination

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Statens Museum for Kunst (the National Gallery of Denmark) wins the award for number-one best, must-see, don’t-miss-it, gotta-go-there, how-is-this-even-legal-it’s-so-good art destination.  This museum is located in the center of Copenhagen and is known to locals as the SMK.  And the best part: it’s free.  But like LeVar Burton says on Reading Rainbow, don’t take my word for it!  Check out these pictures and you will get to know why this gem is worth so much more in this often-pricey Scandinavian capital. ^^^The interior gazes out into the Østre Anlæg park through massive floor-to-ceiling glass panes.  This is the section of the museum that contains contemporary art, so obviously this is where we spent most of our time at the museum!  Who wouldn’t want to spend an afternoon here?  That being said, where are all the tourists?  Where are all the selfie sticks?  Usually art museums of this caliber are full of them! ^^^The views from the museum are worth the trip alone.  When you get around to admiring the artwork, you will notice that the museum …

How-to Avoid Lines at the Louvre

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Formerly a royal palace, the Louvre is an iconic monument in the center of Paris labelled as the universal museum among museums and is the #1 most visited museum in the world. What does this mean for us?  It will have a ridiculous line, as any #1 universal iconic monument should… and it will be full of tourists.  Maybe you are a really good person and you just smile and wait patiently as hordes of people push by you to stand in front of the artworks and take selfies; or maybe you’re like me and think that there should be a law against selfie sticks and annoying museum tourists in general.  Ok that’s a stretch, but we shouldn’t let them ruin our experience here, since the Louvre is all about heritage and excellence.  But I clearly won’t do any justice writing about the cultural heritage and overall excellence that this institution represents, so I will simply write about what I’m good at, which is seeing awesome artwork and saving money and having diabetes!  Sorry – …

London Visual Art Guide: 9 Must-See Spots

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London has so many famous art museums and galleries – and entry to all of them is completely free.  I can’t get over this.  These museums are all institutions which are held in the highest regard (probably bordering on religious fervor) and could only be described as “sacred” for any lover of art.  London is also brimming with contemporary visual art galleries well-known for exhibiting the latest and greatest, and they are all free!  Take advantage!  I originally tried to make this list highlighting the best 5 free art venues around the city, but that was impossible… there are just too many amazing spaces.  These are our top 9 must-see visual art spots in London. 1)  BEERS This is The Alternative Atlas top pick for so many reasons.  A pristine small gallery space in Shoreditch with a great name and an even greater show program.  1 Baldwin St, London EC1V 9NU. 2) The Tate Modern Too good for words… but the images speak volumes.  Bankside, London SE1 9TG. 3) Marlborough Fine Art Representing prominent international artists …

London-for-Free: The Saatchi Gallery

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We visited a lot of galleries and museums in London, and one of the finest is the infamous Saatchi Gallery.  It just so happens that this is the only completely free-entry contemporary art museum of its size in the entire world.  So what does this mean for art lovers like ourselves?  Do we get to indulge in monumental works by world famous AND emerging artists side-by-side AND hang out in an insanely beautiful exhibition space AND we get in for free???  Yes, yes, yes, and yes! The Saatchi Gallery has been defining and redefining the way we encounter contemporary art for 25 years, and we spent an afternoon exploring its two new exhibitions: Dead: A Celebration of Mortality and Pangea II: New Art From Africa and Latin America. ^^^I am particularly psyched about the Dead show; imagine my excitement upon seeing advertisements throughout the city depicting a schoolboy playing leapfrog in a graveyard…  Yes!  I’m so into it!  That kid can play on my grave anytime! ^^^One of my favorite pieces by Terence Koh, The …

London East End Street Art Tour

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The area of focus here is Brick Lane and Shoreditch in Hackney on London’s East End; this stretch is a cultural hub which doubles as a vibrant fashion district as well as a constantly evolving street art exhibition space.  This is an exciting area to see ever-changing work, and a point worth mentioning is how accomplished artists are producing in areas constantly in flux.  From hard edge abstraction to large-format hyperrealism, it’s all happening here.  An appropriate word that comes to mind while walking through these streets is dense.  Another word that comes to mind is gentrification; this area is home to England’s largest Bangladeshi population living side-by-side with the artists moving into the neighborhood.  Case in point: we saw in the same instant a Muslim woman in her niqab (a garment which covers the entire body and face except the eyes) walk past a fabulous man changing into a pair of hot pants in the middle of the sidewalk.  While the woman was modest enough not do a double-take, I had to get another …

An Afternoon in Nottingham

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Located in the east midlands of England, Nottingham is a charming city full of history and makes for a perfect day-trip.  Do you like art?  If so, then make a stop by Nottingham Contemporary.  It is a stunning contemporary art museum in the heart of this medieval city and it is absolutely free. If museums aren’t your thing, take a stroll through the cobble stone streets and check out the storefronts… there is some seriously creepy signage!  There is also a really cool comic and graphic novel shop on Market Street close to the city center named Page 45.      If you are feeling thirsty after walking through the medieval streets and soaking up the view of Nottingham Castle (which also houses a contemporary art space), take a break and visit any of the medieval watering holes which contend for the title of “England’s Oldest Pub”.  Among these are Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (supposedly built in 1149), The Bell Inn (est. 1437), and Ye Olde Salutation Inn (est. 1240).  We ordered a few pints …