We finish with the last month of the year full of events and celebrations. Dressing up the streets with lights that illuminate the sky, with Christmas markets and exhibitions that are already moving forward to 2023.
Among the 7 highlights of art and culture for December, the metaverse takes place in the city of Seville through the OFFF Seville festival. Meanwhile, the city of Lyon will kick off Fete des Lumieres as it does every year. As for tributes, the Gianni Versace Museum Groninger, in the Netherlands, honours the career of Gianni Versace, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo welcomes Christian Dior. Not far from Barcelona, Casa Batlló will reveal the true story of Fermina, the nanny of the grandchildren of the Batlló family 100 years ago. On the other hand, the Santa Eulalia boutique is 180 years old, and The British Museum retraces the great work done 200 years ago by Egyptologists to decode the symbols of the hieroglyphs.
Artificial intelligence takes over Seville
Starting the last month of the year, the city of Seville celebrates its fifth edition of the International Festival of Creativity, Design and Digital Culture, OFFF Seville. This year the place chosen to install it has been the Real Fábrica de Artillería in Seville, a space that has four centuries of history and now has the mission of transmitting and exploring the future. Under the slogan Made for the curious, they let themselves be carried away by the innovative spirit, sharing ideas to learn from what exists and what may come to exist in a few years’ time.
The artist Josue Ibañez works with the latest technologies, connecting with people through them.
With technologies being the central element, OFFF Seville will allow us to travel through generative art, robotics, artificial intelligence, big data and NFT. Revolutionary new forms that are already present in our daily lives. The extensive programme features national and international artists such as the Mexican Josue Ibañez and the British Neil Mendoza. The presence of Estado Latente is one of the highlights of the edition, creators of the IA Aiko, with which they have created the first cover in Spain of the Yorokobu magazine.
From left to right: Zinkete an artist in the Mintamintae group, presents his digital illustrations. Alex Trochut knows how to reflect the essence of each brand through the calligraphy he creates.
Another of the most relevant own names is that of Alex Trochut, the man from Barcelona who was inspired to create the 1931 Alphabet letters for Jaeger-LeCoultre. From Brooklyn revolutionising visual style through typography. In graphic design we find PJ Richardson or Blow Studio, who have produced some episodes of the Love, Death & Robots series by Netflix. A line-up of artists will be complemented by talks and workshops, where participants and visitors will be able to connect and discover ideas.
When? 1 to 4 December 2022
Where? Av. Eduardo Dato, 58, Seville
Tickets: You can buy tickets here
Casa Batlló and its homage to Mrs. Fermina
We go back in time and travel to the 20s where the nanny Fermina looks after the grandchildren of the Lords Batlló. A real and special story, because Fermina existed, and from Casa Batlló they have chosen Christmas to present it. The new experience A Night 100 Years Ago traces the Batlló family’s past through an innovative format. The night-time ambience and audiovisual installations are essential elements during the visit.
Unlike the traditional visits, which retrace the history of the building, the new nocturnal experience presents a winter night in the house with the people who lived there in the last century. Mrs. Fermina and the 5 children she looked after, paying homage to the struggling women of the time, and to a woman who left a mark on the childhood of those children.
For me and my siblings she was like a grandmother. I remember her telling us stories and making a Catalan cream that was legendary. My father adored her. She was like a second mother to him and he was very fond of her. Fermina was an institution in the house. When she retired, she came to live with us. She didn’t consider anything else. In fact, when she died in ’77 she was buried in the family vault”. – comments Juan Carlos Marimón, great-grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Batlló.
Casa Batlló is increasingly introducing technological experiences to tour the building.
The different open rooms allow for a totally immersive experience, bringing the documentation collected and unpublished images across the screens. And the magic that lies within the walls of the building spills outwards, illuminating the façade. Offering, like every Christmas, a spectacle of light and music until 5 January.
When? From 1 December 2022
Where? Passeig de Gràcia, 43, Barcelona
Time: From 18.30h to 20.45h
Tickets: You can buy tickets here
Illuminating the city of Lyon
As every year at the beginning of December, the city of Lyon is illuminated by the new edition of the Fete des Lumieres. This year, visitors will be able to enjoy 30 exhibitions spread throughout the streets of Lyon. Offering a special scenography through lights and music, dressing the most emblematic buildings of the city. This year the sections divided by each exhibition are divided into Homage to nature, At the height of children, Lyonese creations, Looks from elsewhere, Great spectacles and Ausentism.
The Museum of Fine Arts projects images of their works on the walls of the building. They are alive and they sing, inspiring visitors to sing and enjoy themselves.
In each of the sections we find special lighting, from the Parc Du Nombre D’or with the artist Javier Riera, where he uses geometry to create an irregular landscape where nature is represented. Or in the Parc de la Tete d’or where Estudio Toer installs Firefly Field. Thousands of fireflies flutter over the green grass, creating a special scent and atmosphere. On the other side, the Museum of Fine Arts lets out its paintings to be displayed on the façade. They have life and they need to come out.
Mirror Mountainse, a work by the artist Nicolás Ticot. A sculpture that can be viewed from all angles, equipped with sensors, offering a thousand different ways to view it.
On the other hand, in Parc Blandan the flora and fauna come to life through lights. A perfect technological combination to discover the beings that surround us. With digital elements in mind, the artist Jeremie Bellot experiments with a big laughing cat. Eikosis is a cat that can also make you talk to 19 other kittens through digital chats. A perfect exhibition to discover the art of the NFT, questioning the limits that separate the physical and virtual worlds.
When? From 8 to 11 December 2022
Where? Lyon, France
Timetable: From 8 to 10 December from 8pm to midnight. Day 11 from 18.00h to 22.00h
A look through hieroglyphs
After 200 years since the decipherment of the Egyptian hieroglyphics, The British Museum presents the exhibition Hieroglyphs: Unlocking Ancient Egypt. An exhibition that explores the findings that were made throughout history, and how the symbols were decoded. The Rosetta Stone being the central element of the exhibition, as through it and its writings in Heroglyphic, Demotic and Ancient Greek they managed to make progress in Egyptian writing.
The British Museum introduces visitors to an Egypt that was difficult to understand, and through which writing evolved over the centuries.
Throughout the exhibition visitors will be able to see and learn about more than 240 objects, many of them on loan from national and international collections. The first medieval Arab travellers began their work to discover these symbols, passing through the scholars of the Renaissance to the French Egyptologist Champollion and the scientist Thomas Young. Together they were able to make progress in deciphering the written lines of the Rosetta, revealing a part of ancient history.
The daily care of each element is crucial, because 3,000 years later we can still learn about our history through papyri and symbols.
Among the items on display are the papyrus from the Book of the Dead of Queen Nedjmet, and the bandage of the mummy of Aberuait on loan from the Louvre Museum. In addition, many of the notes taken by Champollion and Young are shown, as well as the measuring rod, which helped the Frenchman to discover that the Egyptians of the time used units inspired by the human body;
When? 13 October 2022 to 19 February 2023
Where? Great Russell St., London, Great Britain
Hours: Saturday to Thursday from 10.00h to 17.00h. Friday 10.00am to 8.30pm.
Tickets: You can buy tickets here
Gianni Versace, from Italy to the world with art and culture
To end the year, Groninger Museum presents the exhibition Gianni Versace Retrospective, showcasing the artistic career of one of the world’s most influential couturiers. From 1989 to 1997 the exhibition showcases outfits, accessories, fabrics or designs, reflecting the creative potential he possessed. As one of the great pioneers of fashion, he was at the forefront of connecting with music and photography.
Extravagance and the explosive union of colours painted the garments through Versace’s art.
One of the highlights of the tour is the Freedom held in 1991, a show that featured models Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. Turning them into supermodels, and playing with marketing and advertising campaigns, collaborating with photographers such as Helmut Newton and Bruce Weber.
Magazine covers such as Vogue or Marilyn Monroe’s face on the garments were the Italian designer’s ideas, reminiscent of pop art.
The exhibition, divided into different rooms, not only deals with fashion’s vision of fabrics, as the designer also felt a strong connection with visual art. He worked with leading artists such as Andy Warhol, combining classic images with the pop art of the 1960s. In addition, inspired by Warhol, she designed a dress with the famous painting of Marilyn Monroe’s face.
When? 3 December 2022 to 7 May 2023
Where? Museumeiland, 1, Groningen, The Netherlands
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00h to 17.00h
Tickets: You can buy tickets here
Christian Dior: the designer of dreams comes to Tokyo
Finishing the 7 art and culture highlights of December, we come to Japan. After travelling the world, from Paris to London to New York, the exhibition Christian Dior. Designer of Dreams arrives in Tokyo at the end of the year. Following the great success, and connecting the cultural links in each of the territories, this time, they embark on a journey to unite with Japanese culture. In addition, the Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Artpresents a new scenography under the hand of architect Shohei Shigematsu..
Touring major international cities, Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams arrives in Japan, connecting cultures that influence each other. ©Yuriko Takagi
Throughout the tour, visitors will be able to enjoy more than seventy-five years of Japanese influence in Dior. From the artistic value, the love for gardens and traditional dances, the latter using elements such as the wagasa, paper umbrellas, or the mai-ogi, fans. It is a wide-ranging exhibition where you will be able to see elements that have never been exhibited before. From the past to the present, the exhibition traces the history of accessories and garments from Christian Dior to Maria Grazia Chiuri, the current artistic director;
Despite having been exhibited in different places, the exhibition changes, bringing together the art of Dior with Japanese or American culture. Each one being distinct, with the essence of Dior at the centre. ©Yuriko Takagi
Some of the icons on display are the Lady Dior bag, reinterpreted in the Dior Lady Art and Lady Dior As Seen By projects. As well as the Miss Dior and J’adore perfumes. Prestigious works from the Museum’s collection, as well as images by the Japanese photographer Yuriko Takagi. The artist, with the idea of the new exhibition, has created them for the first time for the moment;
When? From 21 December 2022 to 28 May 2023
Where? 4 Chome-1-1, Miyoshi, Koto, Tokyo, Japan
Opening hours: 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
Tickets: You can buy tickets here
180 years of history with Santa Eulalia
At number 107 Passeig de Gràcia, next to Avinguda Diagonal, in Barcelona, El Palau Robert has opened its doors to the Santa Eulalia fashion house. As one of the most influential shops in the city, this year, under the hands of Luis Sans, fourth generation of the founding family, it celebrates its 180th anniversary. And to commemorate its history, a large number of garments can be visited at Palau Robert. In 1926, the house was a pioneer in organising haute couture fashion shows, and since then it has not stopped creating dresses and hats that were worn throughout the last century.
Each section of the exhibition displays dresses and costumes of different themes. Visitors can get up close and see the delicacy and elegant details of each garment.
Under the slogan Santa Eulalia, 180 years of fashion, the exhibition offers a journey through four different rooms. Street and Day, Night, Long Dresses and Girlfriends is the division into which visitors can enter to enjoy the couture that made Barcelona fall in love between 1930 and 1990. The exhibition curated by the art historian, Josep Casamartina, has structured the route of the pieces. The exhibition includes garments from the archives of Santa Eulalia and various museums and foundations such as the Museu del Disseny de Barcelona, the Museo del Traje de Madrid, the Museu Tèxtil de Terrassa and the Fundació Antoni de Montpalau..
In addition to dresses, hats also have a place of their own. Small hats that were and still are perfect accessories.
The 40 garments have been carefully selected, transmitting the essence of Santa Eulalia through the different styles and periods. In addition, you can also view an audiovisual piece that collects advertising images and fashion photographs of the house. The exhibition can be visited free of charge until it closes on 22 January 2023.
When? From 16 November to 22 January 2023
Where? Passeig de Gràcia, 107, Barcelona
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 9.00h to 20.00h. Sunday from 9.00h to 14.30h.
Images provided by the brands mentioned
