Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

During our recent journey by car from the UK, through France, to the south of Spain, we spent two nights in Bilbao, in a hotel overlooking the Guggenheim Museum. Nothing that I had read or seen about the building quite prepared me for the reality - the size, the construction, the sheer feat of imagination by architect Frank Gehry. It is an absolutely fabulous piece of architecture - of art - and a photographer's delight.







Wherever you look, and from whatever angle, there is something interesting. The reflections from the titanium cladding change during the day so it is never the same. The above photograph is the one which makes the building look like a ship, but even this does not include it all as it extends to the left underneath the road bridge.




The angles created by the steel and glass panels make some wonderful compositions and these materials really complement the titanium panels. Below, part of the section above the main entrance shows this well and the various reflections add to the interest.





I had to include this iconic shot of the museum (below) from one of the side streets which shows the flower sculpture by Jeff Koons, in the shape of a dog, in front of the main entrance.







Unfortunately, it was not permissible to take photographs within the building but, be in no doubt, the interior does not disappoint. The heart of the museum is the atrium, from which all the galleries lead. Every one of the walls, pillars and glass panels are curved to a greater or lesser extent.



There is always a danger that a building of such brilliance will totally overshadow the art works within. However, the museum does contain some excellent art. The long gallery referred to above (the one that extends underneath the road bridge) has a series of steel installations by American artist Richard Serra which are, at the same time, both enormous and claustrophobic. The Anish Kapoor collection, recently seen at Royal Academy in London, is now at the Guggenheim and there is also an exhibition of the work of Robert Rauchenberg.



All in all the visit was a great experience as was discovering the city of Bilbao. Both the city and the museum are highly recommended.