Barcelona

[henrysamson]

I'm going to be visiting Barcelona next month. Any galleries or shows I should check out?

Thanks!

Henry

[Scott Davis]

Well, check out MACBA (the Museum of Modern Art). I don't know what they have on display right now. Stop by the ARPI location at the harborside end of Las Ramblas to check out their camera museum on the 6th floor. For general purpose galleries in Barcelona, not photography specific, there is Sala Pares, which is in the Barri Gotic (medieval quarter). They've been in business since 1840, and were the gallery that gave Picasso his launch. Of course there's the Picasso museum and the Miro museum. Definitely plan those on a weekday in the middle of the day. Otherwise you'll be up to your elbows in other tourists, and quite likely schoolchildren to boot.

While you're in the neighborhood, check out Gracia Arts Project - they look interesting but I have no idea what they'll be showing when you're there - their website is a bit chaotic (http://www.graciaartsproject.com/). They're in the same neighborhood as Sala Pares.

Also worth checking out is CaixaForum -

CaixaForum
The CaixaForum (Avda. Marqués de Comillas, 6-8), the cultural centre belonging to the Fundació "La Caixa", is housed in the Modernista Casa Ramona, the former textile factory designed by the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, with a new main entrance by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, 3,000 m2 of exhibition space, a 350-seat auditorium and an excellent mediateca.

The CaixaForum includes a selection of works from the Foundations Contemporary Art Collection as well as visiting exhibitions.

CaixaForum also runs courses and seminars and various other cultural events.

If you just want a glorious experience, go to the Palau de la Musica - the great concert hall in Barcelona - and take the tour. The Palau is one of the grand concert halls of the world, up there with La Scala, Carnegie Hall, and the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires. The building itself is fascinating, and when they get you up into the balcony to view the auditorium, you'll be blown away. If they have something playing when you're there, get tickets and go see a concert. The acoustics are incredible, and the space is so beautiful. They don't allow photography inside the concert hall. And they have really good tapas in the lounge before the concert.

[Ramiro Elena]

Scott is very well informed.

There're a couple small nice galleries in the same street one across the other:
Galeria Hartmann
Tagomago
While your in the neighborhood have lunch at restaurant Bilbao. I usually get bull's tail :P

I think I've said this before here. Barcelona is very safe but the minute you lose sight of your bag, it is gone.
Feel free to contact me if you need anything.

[EdWorkman]

Parc Guell

[henrysamson]

Thanks so much for all of the suggestions. You all really came through. I'm looking forward to a week wondering around enjoying the people, the sites and the food. Especially the food!

I'm leaving the 8x10 at home this time and am going to travel light and just take a 35mm camera.

Thanks again!

Henry

[Peter Mounier]

I've never been to Barcelona, but I would be interested in getting some shots of the architecture there. In case you don't know what I'm referring to, Google "Barcelona architecture", or Gaudi.

Peter

[Scott Davis]

Food-wise, I can recommend Els Quatre Gats. While not El Bulli, it's still quite good at a fraction of the price, and you don't need reservations a month in advance - if you go during the week you probably don't even need reservations, period. It's been around since the 1800s, and it was the hangout for Picasso, Gaudi, Miro, and the Modernistas, so they've got actual Picasso drawings on the wall, among other things. It's a very cool place, and worth checking out for the atmosphere if nothing else. Another fun place is Taxidermista, which is appropriately enough located in a former taxidermists, on a little square just off the bottom end of Las Ramblas. This is where Salvador Dali ordered a rhinoceros and 10,000 ants for some installation piece. Now they have a very nice lunch with a delicious cream of carrot soup.

[henrysamson]

Thanks again for all the info! I'm leaving in a few days so if anyone has anything else to mention, just let me know!

Henry

[wclavey]

Henry, have a good trip... we will need to see prints at our next GTG at Valerie's!

[IanG]

Thanks again for all the info! I'm leaving in a few days so if anyone has anything else to mention, just let me know!

Henry

I'm grinding/helping grind a couple of LF focus screens in Barcelona next week

I'll check out the recommendations in this thread.

Ian