Sites to See…Museo del Grabado, Marbella (Spain)

The Museo del Grabado is a contemporary art museum that showcases a fine collection of engravings and graphic art. It is located in the old section of Marbella, and is housed in a restored 16th C. building that was formerly the Hospital Bazán.

The exhibitions cover a wide range of some of the best Spanish art in the print medium. The collections contain everything from 15th-century engravings, to works by internationally renowned artists such as Picasso, Dalí, Tàpies and Miró.

Hospital Bazán, s/n             Phone: (952) 765-741

Marbella, Spain                  Web: Museo del Grabado

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Sites to See...Picasso Museum, Barcelona (Spain)

A visit to the Picasso Museum in Barcelona is essential to understanding the formative years of this iconic artist. The permanent collection includes over 3,800 of his works, with a concentration on his early production. Half of the collection was donated by Picasso’s personal secretary, Jaume Sabartés, with the other half coming from the artist’s own collection. 

The Picasso Museum is housed in five palaces that date from the 13th-15th centuries. It is located in the Gothic Quarter, just a short walk from the Cathedral. For more information click here

C/ Montcada, 15-23             Phone: (93) 256 30 00

Barcelona, Spain

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Next Stop...Montserrat (Spain)

Make sure you visit this Benedictine monastery, which sits atop a 4,000 foot high mountain and is famous for the statue of the Virgin of Montserrat (the Black Virgin), the patron saint of Cataluña. You can visit the monastery as a day trip from Barcelona, as it is only 35 miles NW of Barcelona. For more information on monastery click here

The monastery is also well known for the Escolanía de Montserrat choir school, which dates back to the 13th century. The choir consists of boys who are from Cataluña and range in age from 9 to 14, and are either sopranos or altos. The choir performs Monday through Saturday at 1:00pm, and Sundays at 12:00pm. For more information on choir click here

When visiting Montserrat don't forget to make some time to visit the Museum of Montserrat, as it has many fine works of art, including works by artists such as El Greco, Picasso, Dalí, and many many more! For ticket information click here

Did you know…the monastery's publication company has the oldest printing press in the world; the first book was published in 1499 and the press is still in use today.

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Sites to See...Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid (Spain)

This magnificent museum features the greatest artists of the 20th century.  Many visitors come for iconic works by Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. In fact, the Reina Sofia houses Picasso's Guernica - arguably his most esteemed painting. Also feel free to peruse the extensive library collection. Discover Spain's sublime contributions to 20th century art and learn about the works of the masters. Click here for their website

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What's New In Barcelona? (pt. 2)

In addition to our coverage of musical events last week, there's tons of interesting happenings in the Barcelona art, culinary and sports worlds. Let's have a look, shall we?

First off, Barcelona recently announced plans for a new institution called The Society Museum. This will unite three existing museums: The Archaeological Museum of Catalonia, The Ethnology Museum and The Museum of Catalan History. There's also plans for a new Natural History Museum, which will put the Museums of Zoology and Geology together with the botanical gardens and marine zoo.

In art, Joaquin Sorolla shows in the National Museum of Catalan Art through May 3rd. The Picasso Museum just wrapped up a "Living Things: Figures/Still Life" retrospective, and are currently hard at work setting up the first Spanish exhibition of Kees Van Dongan. This exhibit will be available for public viewing from June through September.

In food, the Spanish culinary scene continues to innovate. A new trend in Barcelona is called "bistronomia" - a combination of bistro and gastronomy styles. Currently, there are 15 "bistronomics" open in the city. Each offers a unique three-course meal that will only run you $30 USD.

In sports, Camp Nou Stadium (Europe's largest stadium) celebrates its 50th birthday with a $350 million redesign by Norman Foster. Using the style of Gaudi as inspiration, the architect plans to cover the exterior with a mosaic of multi-colored tiles that can change color. They will be used for light displays at night.
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Antonio López García

There's nothing like some great Spanish art in the summer, so today International Lodging Corporation is featuring the legendary work of Antonio López García. García was born in Tomelloso in 1936, and has consistently produced masterfully realist paintings that represent complex human relationships in the midst of Spanish history.

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid houses many of the classic García pieces. His work is also currently on display in a major American retrospective at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston.

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Goya At The Prado

Madrid's legendary Museo del Prado recently organized a fitting tribute to the work of Francisco Goya. The exhibition, entitled "Goya in Times of War," has more than 200 works (in many mediums) with a particular focus on the last 25 years of his life.

The exhibit coincides with the important 200th anniversary of Spain's War of Independence against Napoleon.

For more information, check out the review that ran earlier today in the New York Times.

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