Welcome to the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, one of the most dynamic designs in modern architecture!
It was designed by Frank Gehry and since it opened in 1997 it has been hailed by both the public and critics alike as one of the most important structures of contemporary architecture.
Guarding the entrance to the Guggenheim
is a 42 foot high West Highland Terrier with 60,000 (yes, 60 thousand!) plants and flowers
which grow thru the steel mesh and are watered daily internally. Designed by Jeff Koons this impressive living sculpture is appropriately and lovingly called "Puppy".
The Guggenheim is a masterpiece of contemporary design!
The building is wrapped in 33,000 titanium panels resembling the fish scales of a carp. As the brochure informed us, "this design creates what appears to be random organic curves." In addition to the fish symbolism, these panels were designed to capture light.
For this reason, the building takes on a different appearance at night as the city lights reflect off of it. Below is the lovely brochure cover commemorating last year's twentieth-anniversary of the Guggenheim Bilbao museum.
Outside there is a water garden which allows the river to lap at the base of the building.
When viewed from the river, Maman is clearly visible. Also when viewed from the river, the Guggenheim resembles an abstract ship which was Ghery's intent as he paid homage to Bilbao's Nervion River that historically had provided prosperity to Bilbao.
Just walking around the exterior of the Guggenheim
is impressive in and of itself.
But once you enter, you'll find that the interior of the Bilbao Guggenheim is a just as extraordinary as the outside! It is a sight to behold!
EVERY surface is curved.
The only straight architectural lines are the flat floors!
There's even a curved
Glass Staircase
Glass Staircase
which is suspended from the ceiling and appears to be floating in space.
But a true marvel of modern engineering is the curved glass elevator.
Curved Glass Elevator
This impressive glass elevator that appears to be clinging to the wall is comprised of hundreds of individual sheets of glass overlapping each other, like a fish scale. These were designed by a computer and shaped by a robot. Quite impressive for 1997.
The exhibition rooms are also curved as is this permanent collection. It is the centerpiece of the museum, Richard Serra's The Matter of Time.
At first one might not realize that you may enter and experience these pieces of art.
This series of 8 sculptures literally tower over you as you walk in-between and around.
Here's what the museum curator wrote about this exhibit:
"This is a piece of art that on the surface can have little meaning. It can be just big chunks of twisting bronze metals. Serra's idea is more about the emotional experience than intellectual connection. You are the art."
There is a lot of art to experience both inside and out.
Even Yoko Ono has a "living" art contribution
A Wish Tree for Bilbao from Yoko Ono. "A soil and olive tree from which wish cards are hung on certain dates."
There were many masterpieces on loan from other Guggenheim museums. On exhibit were numerous exquisite paintings by Monet, Manet, Degas, and Renoir.
We also enjoyed viewing Andy Warhol's One hundred and Fifty Multicolored Marilyns.
We also enjoyed viewing Andy Warhol's One hundred and Fifty Multicolored Marilyns.
One final comment about our time experiencing the Bilbao Guggenheim.
In the main foyer, there was a whimsical three stories of a colorful creation. Suspended from on high, it greeted visitors not just in front of the curved glass elevator,
In the main foyer, there was a whimsical three stories of a colorful creation. Suspended from on high, it greeted visitors not just in front of the curved glass elevator,
