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A system worked out in steel

on December 21, 2020

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Rijksmuseum superstars

on October 21, 2019

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It’s quite the place. It has its superstars. Vermeer is one.

Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

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A new city

I’m here: No I’m not. I’m here: Wrong again. I’m here: Good enough. Tomorrow, the Alhambra.

José Berardo is one of the wealthiest individuals in Portugal. He’s also known for a) being under regular investigation for dodgy financial dealings, and b) having a spectacularly large collection of modern art. The collection is so spectacularly large that he’s done a deal with the Portuguese government whereby the best of the collection is housed in a publicly owned, purpose-built gallery, yet he retains ownership. The finer points of this arrangement escape me, but I do know the deal expires in 2022. Meanwhile, Lisbon has one of the major modern collections in Europe. The Berardo Collection Museum is located in Belém, a half-hour tram ride from the centre of Lisbon. There are other museums and galleries here, some of which I may visit. The collection is one of those “grand tours” of everything from Dadaism to Pop Art. Names include Duchamp, Mondrian, Picasso, Krasner, Rothko, Pollock, Warhol, Man Ray... you get the idea. Sadly, there’s a lack of...

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía

The third of Madrid’s triple treat, the Reina Sofia is mainly devoted to Spanish Art of the 20th Century. The big names are there - Picasso, Dali, Miró, Gris - en masse. They are kept company by lesser known locals and a smattering of international contemporaries. There’s a temporary exhibition space, currently devoted to the works of (ho, hum) Jörg Immendorff. You probably know the drill. Picasso is king of the castle, and Guernica is the crowd puller. Dali also has his fans, although he’s less savoury these days with his fascist tendencies. Miró is always good fun, but preferably in smaller doses. His work can get a bit noisy when there are twenty or more hanging next to each other. Problem is, Guernica is a bit hollow in this age of Syria and Afghanistan. It could never signal enough for the horrors of the 24 hour news cycle. Another pixel in the static noise on our screens. It’s why Goya can still get away with it. Picasso paints about an abstract nightmare. Goya pai...

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