The art highlights for October come with creativity and a lot of cultural expression. This month promises to be a vibrant scene for exhibitions, events and artistic manifestations that will captivate art lovers.
Cinema will be represented in the seaside town of Sitges, while the Palau Martorell hosts an exhibition of Czech artist Alphonse Mucha. The Whitney Museum of American Art hosts Ilana Savdie ‘s exhibition where colours shine brightly. The city of light once again attracts Art Basel, and IDEAL revives Tutankhamun with an immersive exhibition. In addition, the figure of Picasso returns with two exhibitions, one local and one international, perfect to include in the art highlights.
The art of world cinema in Sitges
October begins with the 56th Sitges Film Festival, where horror films resonate strongly. The festival is divided into 13 sections that cover different themes, from horror films to the most influential animation from Japan. Highlighting certain films and directors, the Official Fantàstic Section presents highly anticipated films, such as Poor Creatures, the latest work by Yorgos Lanthimos, winner of the Golden Lion at Venice. As well as The Snow Society by J. A. Bayona.
The festival will feature big name film and series directors.
The Panorama section offers Spanish premieres of intriguing horror titles, including Nick Kozakis‘ The Eastfield Exorcism. Noves Visions, on its 20th anniversary, is ideal for discovering lesser-known gems, with a special 4K screening of Jean-Luc Godard’s Contempt. The Anima’t section features Japanese animated films such as Komanda – A Whisky Family and The Castle Through the Looking Glass. In addition, the festival includes series such as the 2nd season of 30 Coins by Álex de la Iglesia, and El otro lado, an original Movistar Plus+ series created by Berto Romero.
When will it take place? From 5 to 15 October 2023
Where: Sant Honorat, 32-34, Sitges, Barcelona
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
Pure beauty through Alphonse Mucha
This summer, Barcelona has been immersed in the search for beauty through the exhibition The Search for Beauty, dedicated to the artist Alphonse Mucha. The exhibition at the Palau Martorell unravels Mucha’s unmistakable graphic style and the ideas that inspired him, starting with the concept of beauty. The exhibition is divided into three thematic sections, the first two highlighting his influence on art nouveau in Paris, while the third explores the evolution of his art after his return to the Czech Republic.
The masters of the poster was a large-format publication that reproduced artists of the time. Six posters by Mucha were chosen. Among them La Dama aux Camélias, La Samaritaine and Lorenzaccio.
At the heart of this exhibition is the female figure, with the posters he designed, such as the iconic 1894 commission for the revival of Gismonda, starring Sarah Bernhardt. These posters are distinguished by their unusually elongated format, their colour palette and the elegant lines that characterise them. Following their success, Mucha worked closely with Bernhardt, taking on the role of artistic director, creating six additional theatrical posters. In addition, in association with Champenois, he initiated an innovative approach: decorative panels. These posters were conceived exclusively for aesthetic enjoyment and produced in large quantities.
The decorative panels were used to decorate classic cookie boxes or perfumes of the time.
In 1910, after an absence of almost 25 years due to the wars, Mucha returned to his homeland with the ambition of putting his art at the service of his country’s political freedom. For the next seventeen years he worked tirelessly on his private project The Slavic Epic, a monumental cycle of twenty paintings narrating Czech and Slavic history. Simultaneously, he accepted commissions supporting causes with which he shared sympathies, thus consolidating his artistic and political legacy.
When? 5 July to 15 October 2023.
Where? Carrer Ample, 11, Barcelona
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 10.00h to 20.00h
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
The city of light fills up with art again with Art Basel
Continuing with the 7 art highlights, for the second consecutive year, Paris becomes the epicentre of contemporary art by hosting the Art Basel fair. This time transcending the majestic walls of the Grand Palais Éphémère. The city opens up to the public with a programme that encompasses three striking exhibitions, two monumental outdoor installations and a series of talks. All of this will take place in six emblematic locations in the metropolis. In addition, three new venues have been added: the Palais d’Iéna, the parvis de l’Institut de France and the Centre Pompidou. A total of 154 galleries from 33 countries are taking part in the fair, 15 of them newcomers.
Applicat-Prazan, one of the galleries present at Art Basel Paris, with works such as L’atelier de Jean Hélion.
In the main sector of the fair, Galeries, highlights include the Galerie 1900-2000 from Paris, which exhibits works by prominent historical representatives of surrealism. Also, the joint stand between LambdaLambdaLambda from Pristina and Hannah Hoffman from Los Angeles does not go unnoticed. Here they present works by renowned artists such as Nora Turato and Dominique Knowles. The Galeries Émergentes sector, meanwhile, will be the stage for nine newcomers, including Fanta-MLN from Milan, which presents an innovative conceptual stand exploring the artistic vigilance of American Noah Barker. As well as Felix Gaudlitz from Vienna, offering a satirical installation by American artist Jenna Bliss.
When? From 20 to 22 October 2023.
Where: Grand Palais Éphémère 2 place Joffre, Paris.
Opening hours: Friday from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. Saturday from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm. Sunday from 11.00h to 19.00h.
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
Picasso’s little-known cubism
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has opened its doors to present Picasso: A Cubist Commission in Brooklyn, a groundbreaking exhibition that sheds light on an unknown chapter in Pablo Picasso’s Cubist career. In 1910, while the Malaga-born artist was exploring the human figure in an abstract manner, he embarked on a decorative project for the Brooklyn residence of the artist, collector and critic Hamilton Easter Field. Although the commission ultimately failed to materialise, this commission played a crucial role in the evolution of Picasso’s Cubism, as he worked on, abandoned and reworked the panels in various studios in France.
The installation of the Picasso and Cubism exhibition.
The exhibition brings together for the first time six paintings linked to this commission together with related compositions and archival material. The exhibition delves into this lesser-known facet of Picasso’s Cubist period, exploring its connection with decorative art and architectural space. The exhibition is divided into four sections, with a core devoted to the six paintings associated with the commission. Among them are two abstract Cubist figurative works from 1910: the nearly six-foot-tall Nude Woman from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and Woman Reclining on a Sofa from a private collection.
When? 14 September 2023 – 14 January 2024
Where: 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, United States
Hours: Thursday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Friday and Saturday from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. Wednesday closed
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
The resurgence of the child pharaoh in Barcelona
The pharaoh Tutankhamun is reborn in Barcelona, 101 years after the discovery of his tomb in Egypt. The Centre d’arts digitals IDEAL presents the exhibition Tutankhamun. The immersive experience, where virtual reality becomes the protagonist. The journey through Egypt begins with information panels, as well as replicas found in the tombs. Later, we enter the 1,000 square metre 360-degree room where the creation of the world is projected through Egyptian mythology. We walk along the Nile, and the desert engulfs us, small insects walk under our feet until we reach the tombs. One element to highlight before donning the virtual reality (VR) goggles is the photo booth area, where we can transform ourselves into pharaohs or priests of the time.
The VR experiences are the highlight of the exhibition. In the first one we put ourselves in the shoes of archaeologist Howard Carter walking through the Valley of the Kings. The tents that surround us show us graphics and drawings that are key to unearthing the boy pharaoh. Meanwhile, the music warns us that something is about to happen, and out of nowhere we are underground discovering the sarcophagus. As for the second experience, our eyes are those of Tutankhamun. His soul separates from his dead body and travels into the light where 42 gods decide whether his life has been pure. The scales decide, and balance a feather and his heart.
When? From 15 September 2023
Where? Doctor Trueta Street, 196-198, Barcelona
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, from 11.00h to 20.00h. Closed on Tuesdays.
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
Illusions through lines and bright colours
The Whitney Museum of American Art is hosting the exhibition Ilana Savdie: Radical Contractions. This exhibition reveals the work of the artist who grew up between Barranquilla and Miami, before settling in Brooklyn, New York. Savdie’s talent is displayed in large-format canvases, which are adorned with vibrant paintings, and address themes such as performance, transgression and identity. The exhibition includes previously unpublished works, some of them inspired by Colombia’s effervescent Carnival celebrations. These pieces demonstrate the mastery of playing with textures and strokes, using a varied palette of techniques that include acrylics, oils and beeswax. All with the aim of creating illusions that oscillate between the dreamlike and the realistic.
The artist draws inspiration for her works from painters such as Goya. Her work Baños de Synovia reflects the painting Aguarda que te unten of 1799.
The exhibition is located in the lobby gallery, and is free to the public, as part of the institution’s ongoing commitment to support and highlight the work of emerging artists in the United States. Savdie’s artistic exploration exerts a centripetal force that guides the viewer’s gaze to the core of his compositions, generating an intriguing juxtaposition of visual boundaries that invites deep reflection on contemporary art. For that which is grasped at first gl ance can change as we move deeper into it.
When will it be on? From 14 July to 5 November 2023.
Where: 99 Gansevoort St, New York, USA
Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 10.30am to 6pm. Friday from 10.30am to 10pm. Tuesday closed
The versatile art of Picasso
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao presents the impressive exhibition Picasso the Sculptor: Matter and Body, an exhibition that immerses visitors in the fascinating world of Pablo Picasso’s sculpture. Featuring more than 50 sculptures created between 1909 and 1962, the exhibition explores the diversity of styles employed throughout his career to bring to life the forms of the human body. Divided into 8 rooms, the exhibition begins with the iconic work The Lady Offerer and delves into the rise of Cubism in 1909, highlighting the artist’s ability to render geometric figures in matter.
The six bronze sculptures of The Bathers, summer 1956
Despite the challenges, such as Nazi persecution and the scarcity of materials, the Malaga painter continued to create outstanding works, such as The Skull (Dead Man’s Head) in 1943. Throughout the tour we see the female figures that predominate in his works, from Pregnant Woman, with the pregnancies of Françoise Gilot, to Girl Skipping a Skipping Rope. The experience culminates with Head of a Woman ( 1962), a portrait of Jacqueline Roque which closes Picasso’s cycle of exploration in sculpture, demonstrating the essential interconnection between sculpture and that which painting cannot give him.
When will the exhibition take place? From 29 September 2023 to 14 January 2024.
Where? Abandoibarra Etorb., 2, Bilbao, Bizkaia
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00h to 19.00h
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
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