As we bid farewell to the holiday season, art is still present to face the last months of the year.
September’s highlights come with novelties such as the immersive exhibition to rediscover the Titanic. The art weeks are doubled with Brussels Design September and the London Design Festival. Barcelona is celebrating with the presence of Jules Verne in IDEAL and Manifesta Barcelona, and Madrid hosts End (two prologues), and an exhibition to re-humanise at La Casa Encendida. The artists Willem de Kooning, Vivian Maier and the group The Blue Rider are honoured. In addition, the art of Chillida takes up residence in Menorca, the symbolism of Helena Almeida and Chema Madoz arrives in Andorra and surrealism at the Centre Pompidou.
Chillida’s artistic journey in Menorca
The essence of Eduardo Chillida comes to the Balearic Islands with the exhibition Chillida in Menorca. Hauser & Wirth wanted to celebrate the Basque artist’s art in a place that was very special to him. The exhibition includes more than sixty works created between 1949 and 2000, and shows how Chillida fell in love with the light of the island. The suspended paper works, Gravitations, joined by threads, welcome visitors by recreating the white light he found in the Mediterranean.
His connection to the sea was present throughout his life, and works such as Homage to the Sea IV (1998) were dedicated to it. Editorial credit: Hauser&Wirth.
Throughout the tour, the steel sculptures and wood reliefs stand out, together with eight drawings detailing the hands. The Basque artist studied his own hands in order to delve deeply into the concept of space, as it is through them that we try to capture what surrounds us. On the other hand, Chillida incorporated organic forms and materials such as granite, for example, the piece Escuchando a la piedra III (1996), where he reflects the hardness and essence of nature in its purest form.
When does it take place: From 11 May to 27 October 2024
Where: Isla del rey, s/n,, Menorca, Balearic Islands
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 11.00h to 22.00h
Italian magic in Willem de Kooning
To coincide with the 60th International Art Biennale, the Gallerie dell’Accademia di Venezia has decided to pay tribute to the artist Willem de Kooning with the exhibition Willem de Kooning and Italy. The exhibition tells the story of two periods in which Willem de Kooning travelled to Italy, in 1959 and 1969, and the influence that Italy had on his work. Through 75 pieces, the exhibition covers the period from the 1950s to the 1980s and shows how contact with the Italian tradition revolutionised his approach to painting, drawing and sculpture.
From left to right: Untitled, 1959, ink on paper. Children’s cries come from the seagulls, 1975. Editorial credit: Willem de Kooning Foundation.
Among the works on display are the black and white drawings made during his first stay in Rome, as well as the works Door to the River, A Tree in Naples and Villa Borghese, pastoral landscapes painted in New York in 1960. In addition, a special space is devoted to the bronze sculptures created in the Italian capital, which marked the beginning of his exploration of sculpture. On the other hand, four ink drawings made in Spoleto in 1969 stand out, giving a glimpse of the artist’s artistic evolution.
When does it take place: 25 May to 15 September 2024
Where: Campo della Carità, Dorsoduro 1050, Venice
Hours: Monday from 8.15 am to 2 pm. Tuesday to Sunday from 8.15am to 7.15pm.
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
A journey through the labyrinth of surrealism
Closing the highlights for September, on 4 September Surrealism will flood the walls of the Centre Pompidou with the exhibition Surréalisme celebrating its birth in 1924 with André Breton’s Manifesto. The exhibition is designed as a labyrinth in which to discover the original manuscript of the Manifesto at its centre. The exhibition mixes chronology and subject matter, and highlights the literary influences and poetic principles that shaped the movement, such as dreams and the figure of the artist as medium.
From left to right: Dream caused by the flight of a bee around a pomegranate, one second before waking up (1944), Salvador Dalí. Women Surrounded by the Flight of a Bird (1941), Joan Miró. Editorial Credit: Centre Pompidou.
Through 14 sections, the exhibition invites visitors to explore emblematic works combining paintings, drawings, films, photographs and literary documents. Among the pieces are icons such as Dog Barking at the Moon by Joan Miró and Personal Values by René Magritte, alongside works by female figures such as Leonora Carrington and Dora Maar. In addition, the influence of surrealism on contemporary culture is explored, and its continued relevance in art, film and fashion after such a long time.
When will it take place: From 4 September 2024 to 13 January 2025.
Where: Place Georges-Pompidou, Paris, France
Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 9pm. Thursday from 11am to 11pm.
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
Rewriting the history of dehumanisation
Colonial expansion and the rise of the slave trade during the Renaissance consolidated the view of blacks as inferior. Since then, these misconceptions have infiltrated art, literature, film and popular culture, creating violence and exclusion. The exhibition A requiem for humanity: dehumanisations, power and black futurisms at La Casa Encendida explores this legacy through a selection of works and texts, unearthing the roots of dehumanisation.
The collection of texts in which the struggle is vindicated. Editorial Credit: Maru Serrano.
In contrast to this history of marginalisation, the exhibition presents a double face that looks towards hope in the section Rehumanisation. Here, pieces by Kongo Astronauts and The Otolith Group, along with references to visionary thinkers and artists such as Alice Coltrane or Octavia E. Butler, offer a utopian vision that challenges traditional patterns. In between the two sections is the Writing and Power wall, which features forty-five texts by black authors who have used the written word as a means of resilience and struggle.
When will it take place: From 25 May to 15 September 2024.
Where: Ronda de Valencia, 2, Madrid
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10.00h to 21.00h. Sunday from 10.00h to 16.00h
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
London Design Festival redefines the future of design
London welcomes September with the 22nd London Design Festival which promises to once again fill the streets of London with innovation and artistic creativity. Events such as the Material Matters design fair and the Global Design Forum will bring together leaders to debate and propose solutions to global issues such as social welfare. Highlights include Vert, a sustainable wooden structure installed on the Parade Ground at Chelsea College of Art.
The Vert project aims to revolutionise the urban landscape by providing architectural solutions to cool cities, provide green spaces and enhance urban biodiversity. Editorial Credit: London Design Festival.
The Victoria and Albert Museum highlights different exhibitions such as Un-Hide: Reframing Luxury, an interactive seating series by Modular by Mensah that redefines the role of leather in contemporary design. Through it they want to explore the life cycle of leather and its potential as a sustainable luxury material. They will also feature Craft x Tech Tohoku Project, an exhibition in the museum’s Prince Consort Gallery that unites traditional Japanese craftsmanship with contemporary technology.
When will it take place: 14-22 September 2024
Where: London, England
Art and sustainability in the heart of Brussels
In its 18th edition, Brussels Design September 2024 is preparing to make Belgian design shine for another year. The event has become a must-attend event thanks to its programme that explores the latest trends, craftsmanship and challenges through exhibitions, talks and local commerce around the city. The Art + Design section highlights the union between form and function by creating unique pieces where the artistic essence prevails over mere utility. Here, recyclable materials from B-Collective or the sustainable exhibition at The Dominican Hotel reflect their commitment to sustainability, and invite us to reflect on the need to adopt ecological methods.
From left to right: Nocturnal Animals and Majestic Peacok by artist Margaux Baert who designs and creates paper art to decorate interiors, shop windows or events. Editorial Credit: Margaux Baert.
Urban design is another element that stands out as it focuses on solutions that improve the quality of life in cities. The event focuses on efficient urbanisation, sustainable mobility and climate resilience. The union between craftsmanship and design promises to take creativity beyond the known limits, showing how these disciplines can collaborate to produce unique pieces. In addition, for those who wish to explore the city on foot, Brussels Design September offers a special route that allows you to discover the charm of interior design, highlighting for example the ceramics of Terracotta ASBL, and transforming each shop into an essential stop on the tour.
When will it take place: 12 to 30 September 2024
Where: Brussels, Belgium. The days and venues of each exhibition are available on the website
Revealing Vivian Maier through the lens
The Fotografiska museum in New York wanted to pay tribute to the photographer Vivian Maier and her work, which was kept in the shadows during her lifetime. The exhibition Vivian Maier: Unseen Work offers an in-depth look at more than 200 prints from the early 1950s to the late 1990s. During the tour, the complexity of each period is revealed, from post-war America, to the poor streets or the gestures revealed between the portraits.
Mirrors are present in Maier’s images. Pedestrians strolling, some captured directly and others reflected. In addition, she also uses them for her own portraiture by showing her face and hands. Editorial Credit: John Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery.
The photographer took the most marginalised corners of New York and Chicago society and revealed them with a spontaneous perspective, capturing the subjects before they were conscious. Maier played with shadows and silhouettes, and showed that the much-sold American dream was elusive. Vivian Maier worked all her life as a nanny while combining her passion for photography with privacy. The poor economy, the working hours or depression made her suffer, like many others, and through the lens she captured it.
When: 31 May to 29 September 2024
Where: 281 Park Ave S, New York City, USA
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 10.30am to 9pm. Friday and Saturday from 10.30am to 11pm. Sunday from 10.30am to 9pm.
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
Beyond the imagination of Jules Verne
This September, Ideal Centre d’Arts Digitals de Barcelona celebrates the bicentenary of the French writer Jules Verne with an immersive exhibition that will transport us to the fantastic worlds of his most famous novels. The digital journey revolves around five of his works: Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Around the World in 80 Days, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Robur the Conqueror and From the Earth to the Moon. The classics are displayed in seven different rooms where you can follow the adventures of Captain Nemo or travel the world with Phileas Fogg.
For 90 minutes, Verne’s fantasy will take over reality to reveal the magic that is kept alive in the pages of the classics. Editorial Credit: IDEAL.
In addition to exploring fantastic universes, the experience will also include a biographical space where we will see different stages of Verne’s life. In the same way as previous experiences such as Tutankhamun or Cybernetic Dali, in this case, it will be possible to jump between the pages of the classics and the digital worlds that will make us the protagonists of his own adventures. As a novelty, the immersive room with more than 1000m² of screen will incorporate a new dome to make the public travel in a profound way.
When will it happen: From 20 September 2024
Where: Doctor Trueta, 196-198, Barcelona
Opening hours: From 10.00h to 22.00h
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
The colour revolution at Tate Modern
Kandinsky, Münter and the Blue Rider come to Tate Modern in exhibition form to offer an immersive journey into the artistic transformations they made in the modernist era. Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc, before the First World War, founded the Blue Rider group and broke with the conventions of realism to explore new dimensions through a palette of abstract colours and forms. The exhibition is comprised of more than 130 pieces that highlight colour, sound and light, and tells the story of creativity and friendship within the Blue Rider circle.
The installation with various works such as In the rain (1912), and Franz Marc’s Tiger (1912). Editorial Credit: Tate (Larina Fernandes).
Kandinsky’s Impression III (Concert) 1911 explores synaesthesia, and Franz Marc’s Deer in the snow II delves into colour theory and optics. On the other hand, portraits are featured in the show as Marianne Werefkin’s self-portrait Erma Bossi depicts urban life, while themes of sexuality and performance are explored through Werefkin’s collaboration with the performer Alexander Sacharoff. Of particular note are works such as Werefkin’s portrait reflecting the dancer’s androgynous identity.
When: Until 20 October 2024
Where: Bankside, London, United Kingdom
Opening hours: 10.00h to 18.00h
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
The art of transforming the everyday
The Espai Caldes Andorra has hosted the exhibition Helena Almeida | Chema Madoz. Inhabited Designs. The exhibition shows the dialogue between two great artists who, through photography, explore the limit between the real and the imagined. Both artists share their fascination for the sketch, Almeida intervenes directly on the image, while Madoz plays with everyday objects. With only paper and pencil they translate their ideas into the tangible world, and the final result is expressed through photography.
Some of Chema Madoz’s works in black and white and the interplay between the image and its symbolism. Editorial Credit: Foto Colectania.
Throughout the tour, we can see how Almeida plays with theatricality and physical intervention in photography, while Madoz brings more abstract concepts to life by transforming objects. In addition, the artist has kept his personal notebooks over the years, and they are shown for the first time in the exhibition alongside objects he has handcrafted.
When will the exhibition run: Until 26 October 2024
Where: Av. Carlesmany, 8, Escaldes-Engordany, Andorra
Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday from 11.00h to 14.30h and 16.00h to 20.00h. Sunday from 11.00h to 15.00h.
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
Between the Arctic and the Abyss of Biodiversity
The Thyssen Museum has opened its doors to the work End (two prologues) by Dora García as part of the CNIO Art 2024 edition where they talk about science and art. For this edition, the artist is presenting the film that shows the trip she made to the Svalbard archipelago, in the Arctic, together with the macroecologist David Nogués-Bravo. The artist reflects on the rapid disappearance of the Arctic ice and the devastating consequences of the loss of biodiversity.
The exhibition installed at the Thyssen where science is shown through art. Editorial Credit: CNIO.
The film focuses on three main themes, climate catastrophe, human memory and the voice of women, and invites us to reflect on the ecological reality of the planet. It also deals with a future in which the Earth could come to an end because of a failure to care for nature. To avoid that end, End joins scientists in exploring solutions to avoid ecological disaster. The play is presented as an urgent call for changes to be made before it is too late.
When will it be performed: 17 June to 21 October 2024.
Where: Plaza del Prado, 8, Madrid
Opening hours: Monday from 12.00h to 16.00h. Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00h to 19.00h.
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
Manifesta reveals corners of Barcelona with art this September
The 15th edition of Manifesta, the European nomadic biennial, will kick off on 8 September offering a multidisciplinary programme with eighty-five artists and collectives spread across the eleven participating venues. This new edition focuses on connecting the peripheral areas of Barcelona and improving the interaction between the urban and natural environment. During the biennial, each city will have its own themed week with events and activities, and is invited to discover Catalan architectural and historical spaces such as the Tres Xemeneies in Sant Adrià de Besòs or the Casa Gomis in El Prat de Llobregat, which will be open to the public for the first time.
Museum of Natural Sciences in Granollers, one of the spaces that will host art. Editorial Credit: Manifesta.
The biennial is divided into three different areas; Balancing conflicts, in the Llobregat Delta, Caring and taking care of ourselves, in Collserola and the Vallés region, and Imagining futures, in the Besòs river. Among the works that will see the light in the participating cities such as Sabadell, Mataró, Terrassa, Granollers, among others, we can highlight the artist Carlos Bunga who will fill with colour the ruins of the central nave of the Three Chimneys or Félix Blume who will present Rumours of the sea, a hundred bamboo canes in the middle of the sea that will speak through the wind and the waves.
When will it take place: From 8 September to 24 November 2024.
Where: Barcelona
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
The Titanic resurrected in a digital experience
In the early hours of 15 April 1912, what was billed as the ship of the century sank in the depths of the Atlantic before reaching its destination. A century later, the Titanic continues to attract people to dig it out of the ocean and observe it first hand. The Madrid Artes Digitales centre is preparing to weigh anchor and embark the public on it with the immersive experience The Legend of the Titanic.
The remaining wreckage of the Titanic comes to life again through digital arts. Editorial Credit: Madrid Artes Digitales.
Through a large digital installation, we are invited to walk through the third class corridors until we reach the upper class area, taking the same steps as Jack Dawson did. In addition to the architecture and style of each room of the ship, you will be able to enjoy the cabins and the passengers’ personal belongings. Music will accompany the journey, recalling the orchestra, led by Wallace Hartley, who played their last chords as the ship sank. This atmosphere allows the emotions of those last moments to be experienced and provides an insight into the tragic majesty of the Titanic.
When: From 12 September 2024
Where: Plaza de Legazpi, 8, Madrid
Opening hours: Monday from 3.00 pm to 8.30 pm. Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00h to 20.30h.
Tickets: You can buy your ticket here
