The Guggenheim – Bilbao

Bilbao is to the east of Santander, only a 90-minute bus ride away.  We made a day trip there. With only a day to explore the city, we had priorities.  The Guggenheim Museum was first on the list.  Google Maps took us directly there from the bus station.  Photos of this beautiful place are on the web.  It is astounding.  Architect Frank Gehry designed thirty or so uniquely characteristic buildings all over the world.  Ten or so are in the US.  We saw one of his buildings, the Dancing House in Prague and another, the BioMuseo in Panama City.  This building in Bilbao is labeled his top design.  The building complex is a cluster of shining cubes, cones, and curved metal scapes that blend in perfect synchrony that inspires a sense of wonder in those who see it.  Built 25 years ago, it is credited as the foundation of the rejuvenation of the riverfront which is now home to a great walk lined with art galleries, schools, and museums.  It’s a very pleasant place to walk.

The Whetstones, friends at home who visited here earlier this year, told us to be sure to visit the museum particularly to see the Motion, Cars, Art, Architecture exhibit.  Its collection of cars was said to be the best in the world.  This made Stan look forward to visiting a museum that catered especially to his liking.  Too bad for us!  That exhibition ended on September 18 while we were still in Pau.  We also missed Puppy, the giant terrier who stands on the museum’s plaza.  Its coat is nothing but flowers and plants.  It was surrounded by scaffolding and being replanted on the day of our visit.

Still, there is a lot to explore at the Guggenheim.  It was hard to be dazzled by the art when the compelling building is a thing of awe and art in itself.   It is as gorgeous on the inside as it is on its outside. Still, we enjoyed the art.  We loved seeing a wall-sized Andy Worhol piece and another giant graphic by Gilbert and George. But particularly interesting to us was the permanent exhibit by American artist, Richard Serra called The Matter of Time.  This permanent installation was commissioned by the museum, forged in Germany, and shipped to Santander by boat.  It consumes a complete gallery.   Known for his large-scale sculptures, Serra’s exhibit might be a dream visit for engineers and mathematicians.  It includes eight giant, heavy, weathered steel shapes that are meant to represent the passage of time.  The giant metal sculptures in the vast gallery incorporate geometric shapes like a double eclipse, a spiral that guests can walk through like a maze, and conical shapes that lean outward, then sway inward but stand firm and tall.  We found his varying shapes, dimensions, and compression and expansion of space almost gravity-defying . . . we wondered how they stand.  The Serra exhibit’s most interesting character that indeed relates to time is these massive forged steel slabs were dull gray when first constructed and over time, the sculptures slowly turn amber with rust . . . while we go gray.

Outside the museum, we heard a sound like a drum corps or a party of dancers. Curious, we walked along until we understood the rhythmic sounds were created by a couple of street performers. It was one of the most unique street performances we have ever seen. Mesmerized we watched, They made us . . . and the crowd smile! I’ve added a sample video.

Old Town was just across the river.  On the promenade just outside the museum stands Marman (French for mama) spider sculptured by French-American artist, Louise Bourgeois.  The bronze, steel, and marble, 30-foot tall Marman holds a sac of 32 marble eggs.   She’s not scary at all but rather is quite appealing.

Around the world, there are seven Marman sculptures in permanent exhibits, including one at the Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas.  We have seen Marman twice now, first in London and now in Bilbao.

“The Spider is an ode to my mother. She was my best friend. Like a spider, my mother was a weaver. My family was in the business of tapestry restoration, and my mother was in charge of the workshop. Like spiders, my mother was very clever. Spiders are friendly presences that eat mosquitoes. We know that mosquitoes spread diseases and are therefore unwanted. So, spiders are helpful and protective, just like my mother.” — Louise Bourgeois “Tate acquires Louise Bourgeois’s giant spider, Maman“. Tate. Retrieved 11 January 2008.

Although we did not get a thorough look at Bilbao, what we did see is stunning.  It boasts some of the most beautiful architecture we’ve seen in any city in Spain and the setting of this part of the city along the river provides a peek into quaint Old Town with a lovely walk from end to end.

Knowing we could not see everything before our return trip to Santander, we simply walked to Old Town found a charming old street, sat outside, and had a glass of wine and a fancy Northern Spain comfort food meal:   Timbal de tomate y queso de cabra (a formed salad with tomato chutney and goat cheese) and entrecote for Stan; marmito de Bonita (mild fish stew) and codillo al horno en su jugo (slow cooked pork knuckle in juice).