Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao: photo, description, exhibits, history of creation

Each era is characterized by some new direction in art, architecture, painting, leaving behind original monuments-masterpieces in the form of art paintings, musical works, unique buildings. Such a masterpiece of deconstructivist architecture of the 20th century is the Guggenheim Museum in the Spanish city of Bilbao.

The museum bears the name of the famous American philanthropist, founder of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, who is fond of abstract art and invests in its development. Solomon Robert Guggenheim was born into a Jewish family whose head emigrated from Switzerland to America and became a successful industrialist and merchant there. The financial situation of his fourth son allowed him to acquire a large collection of abstract art objects and open a museum.

The Guggenheim Museum, opened in Bilbao, is essentially a branch of New York, but is distinguished by its unusual modernist design, designed by architect Frank Gehry, known in America and Canada for his ultra-modern projects. The museum building, opened in 1997, can be called the most original embodiment of the ideas of abstractionism and deconstructivism in the architecture of the 20th century.

Museum architecture

The building, which is far from the usual standards in form, outwardly resembles some kind of alien huge ship, equipped with intricate, outlandish-looking details. The museum is located on the banks of the Nervion River, reflecting in the calm waters with its surrealistic forms and becoming even more mysterious and fantastic from this.

The central part of the building looks like an opening artichoke flower, and the long pavilion wings, diverging in different directions, resemble petals. Walls covered with titanium plates, sparkling under the sun, enhance the effect of a cosmically unearthly structure that landed on the banks of a Spanish river. The seeming chaos of the curves of the metal sleeves has the function of "catching the light", so even in the gloomiest weather, the avant-garde building looks radiantly festive. It is just as stunningly beautiful against the background of the blue-purple evening sky and river water, which mirrors the amazing forms of the unique structure.

Unusual sculptures

From the side of the river there is a pedestrian curved semi-arc bridge, on which you can walk to see the museum building, go up to a huge metal sculpture of a spider with incredibly long “legs". The author of this sculpture, Louise Bourgeois, probably sought to express the idea of ​​the role of insects on our planet, to show the dependence of a strong person on a tiny insect: the figure of a person standing next to the “paw” seems like a small toy.

In front of the museum building, there is another amazing 13-meter "sculpture" of a flower puppy, made by the American artist Koons. The original figure is the best fit for decorating such an unusual building as the Gaggenheim Museum. We must pay tribute to the author of the sculpture and flower growers who care for the flower "wool" of the puppy. Organically matched shades create a very cute look of a giant image of a cute terrier puppy.

The outdoor installation of tulips, elegantly made of the finest steel, covered with brilliant paint of different colors, arouses admiration: they, too, seem to be from outer space. An abstract garland woven from blue-gray glass balls looks like a bewitching sight.

Museum expositions

They are widely represented by objects of abstract modernist trends in art, located in thematic halls. In the hall of futurism and abstract art, you can see the works of Kandinsky, Malevich, Marinetti, Boccioni, Russolo, as well as contemporary futurist artists.

In the surrealism hall you can get acquainted with the world masterpieces of Salvador Dali, in the cubism hall, along with the best works of Picasso, many installations and paintings by contemporary cubists are presented. Interesting exhibits are steel sculptures by avant-garde artist Richard Seri, who embodied in them bold ideas of technological progress combined with non-objective artistry of the image.

Among the traditional works that you can touch, there are a lot of all kinds of installations and paintings made in electronic form, sometimes striking the imagination with the unlimited possibilities of the electronic image.

Every corner of the museum carries the idea of ​​abstract avant-gardism, expanding the boundaries of contemporary art, striving to catch up with scientific and technological progress, which every day presents its surprises. The halls and courtyard of the museum are never empty: thousands of tourists come here in an endless stream to see the real Miracle of modern architecture up close.

Which country is better to visit? In Italy or Spain? – our article will answer all questions.