Getaria remembers Elkano

On 7th August, the Basque fishing-village of Getaria remembers their favourite son with a re-enactment of his return to Spain.

Statue of Juan Sebastian Elkano. Photo: Wikipedia

On 6th September 1522, Juan Sebastián Elcano sailed into Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz) on completing the first ever voyage around the world. He arrived starving, barefoot and clothed in rags together with 18 of the more than 200 sailors who 1,124 days before had embarked from Seville at the service of Ferdinand Magellan.

On 7th August 2009, the inhabitants of Getaria will pay homage once again to their distinguished son with an accurate performance of the landing. Every four years since 1922 the small port is packed full of people who come from all around to watch the dirty-looking Elcano disembark from the Nao Victoria along with 18 sailors. All of them come carrying candles and walk to the church to give thanks to the Virgin for their safe passage home.

After getting dressed up, the actors recreate the moment in which Elcano presented himself before the emperor Carlos I who, back in 1522, recognised the heroic deed by granting the explorer a coat of arms. Following the act, the inhabitants of Getaria sing an ode in honour of Elcano.

The historic performance takes place every four years as part of the San Salvador timetable of festivities. The day is not complete without the medieval fair, which, from the morning onwards, helps create a mood and atmosphere that makes way for the 'arrival' of Juan Sebastián Elcano in the afternoon.

This year is especially significant, since the town of Getaria celebrates the 800th anniversary of its foundation. In order to give even more bearing to the event, this year organisers have hired a replica of the ship Victoria, which will be open to visitors.

Cheese making: Idiazabal and Ordizia

Cheese making has prevailed along the years in the Basque traditions giving a well-known name to some towns such as Idiazabal and Ordizia.

The vast number of megalithic monuments scattered through the Basque countryside (dolmens, cromlechs, etc.) offer us signs of the ancient practice of livestock herding.

Shepherds tended native “Latxa” sheep throughout the year, grazing them in the highest, coolest fields in summer and the best-sheltered fields in winter. The milk they gave was made into a ball of semisolid milk, the beginnings of what today is a superb cheese.

After several centuries of evolution and with the help of modern technology to ensure proper hygiene, Basque sheepherders continue to make excellent cheeses, the quality of which has now transcended the valleys of its birthplace.

Idiazabal, the seat of a long Goierri valley stretching from Alava and Navarra to Gipuzkoa, lends its generic name to a DO product (denominación de origin mark of authenticity and control).

The milk that goes into Idiazabal DO cheeses comes from Basque sheep, although not always from Gipuzkoan. Today milk from Bizkaia, Alava and Navarra is also used to make Idiazabal cheese. Only “Latxa” sheep’s milk can be used in the Idiazabal DO, making creamy cheeses with hints of hazelnut, walnut and the unique flavor of the milk itself.

The best products are taken to compete for prizes in cheese competitions held throughout the valley: Idiazabal (May), Ordizia (June) and Zegama (November). But the Idiazabal DO’s crowning event, drawing crowds, important cheese tasters and the media, takes place in Ordizia in September with the so-called “Euskal Jaiak” (Basque fiesta). The festival and cheese contest has now become a tourist event.

Foodista.copm link for idiazabal Cheese:

Mus, a Basque cultural heritage,Basque card game

It can be said, no doubt, that the Mus is the most popular cards game, not only in the Basque Country, but in Spain as well and in all the places where Basques traveled.

Mus is a popular of Basque origin. It is unusual in that although its mechanics- drawing cards and then betting on who has the best hand- are reminiscent of gambling games like Poker, Mus is a partnership game which does not need to be (and usually is not) played for money.

Mus is actually quite quick and straightforward to play, with a lot of scope for bluff and jokes.

Mus is a game for 4 players in fixed partnerships; as usual you sit opposite your partner. It is played anticlockwise. The standard 40 card Spanish pack is used. The suits are swords, batons, cups and coins, and each suit consisting of Rey (R), Caballo (C), Sota (S), 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace (A). The Rey (or King) 12 on the card, the Caballo is numbered 11, and the Sota is numbered 10. In the game of Mus the suits have no significance. Also the 3's are equivalent to kings and the 2's are equivalent to aces. So for the purposes of Mus the pack effectively consists of eight kings (Rey), four each of Caballo, Sota, 7, 6, 5 and 4, and eight aces.

Each game is won by the first team to reach 40 points (this will usually take several hands). Normally the best of three games is played, so the overall winners are the first team to win two games. The points are counted using small stones. Points are scored for having the best hand of cards in each of four categories: Grande (high), Chica (low), Pares (pairs) and Juego (game).

Players can try to increase the points scored for any category by betting. The betting on each category is taken in strict order, and only after all four betting rounds are complete is there a showdown where the hands of the players are compared and the points calculated.

A hand is the period of play from the deal, through the four rounds of betting and the showdown to the final scoring. A game consists of however many hands it takes until one team reaches 40 points, and the match consists of two or three games, the side which wins two games winning the match.

There are many mus tournaments everywhere in the Basque country along the year, as well as in the Basque centers worldwide.

Baby squids in Getaria

Getaria is the most characteristic fishing port in Gipuzkoa. Its narrow streets hold all the charm visitors are after, and its port is a kaleidoscope of images, lights, colours and smells.

The fishing fleet processed, although a large part of the labor of the "arrantzales" (fishermen) ends up on the grills and in the kitchens of some of the top restaurants in the Basque Country.

Grill houses line the streets but, in fact, the local speciality is the mouth-watering combination of freshly caught chipirones (baby squids) and onions, a dish known as "chipirones pelayo". The recipe has spread throughout the Basque Country, and is considered one of the true masterpieces of our cuisine. Needless to say, it should be accompanied by a glass of "Txakoli" wine, also from the town of Getaria.

Stuffed baby squids in ink sauce

Ingredients (3 servings):

24 small baby squid (best caught on a hook), 3 large onions, 2 small tomatoes, 1 green pepper, 4 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs parsley, oil and salt.

For the filling:

squid fins and arms, 1 onion, 1 clove of garlic, a bit of chopped parsley, oil and salt.

Separate the head and the arms from the body. Remove the pen and the outer and inner membrane. Wash thoroughly. Cut the fins off and chop them up. The innards will come out when removing the head and arms. Very carefully remove the ink sac before discarding the innards. Dissolve the ink sac in a glass of water. Remove and discard the mouth and eyes and wash the squid again. Chop up the arms and add them to the diced fins.

Follow the same procedure for each squid. Dice the onion, garlic and parsley. Add them to the chopped up squid fins and arms and sauté the mixture in a bit of oil. Let cool. Use this mixture to fill the baby squid bodies, being careful not to stuff them too full as they will shrink while cooking. Fasten the end of each squid with a toothpick to keep the filling from falling out.

Put an earthenware casserole and with the burner on low slowly sauté the garlic, tomatoes, green pepper and parsley in the oil. After a while turn up the heat and add the baby squid. Let them cook for a few minutes until they brown a little. Add the dissolved ink, season and lower the heat to a simmer.

When the squid are tender (but not overly soft), remove them from the vegetable mixture. Press the mixture through a food mill. This dish can be accompanied by white rice or croutons.

Gastronomic societies

Popular gastronomic societies keep alive culinary orthodoxy and without them it would be difficult to understand the social influence of contemporary Basque cuisine.

Txoko. Photo: atlasrural.com

Gastronomic societies, known as "txokos" in Bizkaia, are a local phenomenon. These are private clubs with a relaxed atmosphere where the members share a dining room and kitchen in which they prepare traditional lunches and dinners.

The oldest societies are strictly for men only, although the more recent ones accept both men and women members. There is one rule still in force according to which women can not cook or do the cleaning after the lunch or dinner. Any man or woman can enter the society but only if he comes with a member of the member.

Some gastronomic societies have stricter rules than others. Most of them choose among the members a president, a treasurer and some more important positions. Members hold periodical meetings in which they fix the rules, so even if the rules in each society are very similar, it is possible to find some rules different or odd.

Apart from the traditional gastronomy societies, there are also some other "txokos" which are not owned by a group of people but by an only person. They are usually placed on the ground floor of a house or isolated in some estates in the country. An individual person and his relatives own this place a meeting place for friends and relatives.

Cider and its rituals

Cider is the most popular drink in Gipuzkoa. January marks the inauguration of the cider season with the opening of the cider houses.

Cider is the most popular drink in Gipuzkoa. This apple beverage may look innocent enough but its alcohol content has been known to sneak up you. It is preferably consumed within a year from its production.

The Tolosa region and particularly the town of Astigarraga and vicinity (near Donostia-San Sebastian) are a bastion of the longstanding Gipuzkoan tradition of cider making.

The process begins with a discriminating selection of apples, which are then put into a tolare (cider press). After they are crushed and pressed, the juice is poured into kupelas (wooden barrels). The juice is then fermented for about three months, when it is ready for drinking.

To enjoy cider at its best, it should be served between 13 and 15ºC. It is bottled in dark green bottles to keep the light from getting through and spoiling the fragile liquid. To serve, it is poured into a glass from a distance of 30 o 40 centimeters so that bubbles are formed as it splashes against the side of the glass, bringing out its full flavor. It is said that cider should be drunk quickly, and never left to sit in the glass too long.

The rituals of cider

January marks the inauguration of the cider season. The cider houses open their doors, beginning with the ritual probaketa, or taste test to see whether the cider is ready. A small stick called a txiri is used to poke a tiny hole in the barrel, and out comes the first trickle of cider.

Cider is typically accompanied by a traditional meal comprising a cod omelet, a thick charcoal broiled T-bone steak or some sort of fish prepared in sauce. Cheese and walnuts are the perfect way to finish off an evening at the cider house.

Txalaparta: an ancient instrument

Historically it is believed that the Txalaparta was used as a means of communication between remote farmhouses.

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Playing the Txalaparta. Photo: EITB

The txalaparta provides us with a typical Basque sound. It is an instrument made up of one or more thick wooden boards played by two people. The players, called txalapartariak, use short wooden sticks about 10 inches long and an inch and a half in diameter to hit the boards following a set of rules for rhythm.

It is part of the shepherding heritage when in past years shepherds would use the pieces of wood which make a txalaparta as a means of communication between farmhouses or when they were up on the mountain slopes with their flocks of sheep.

Each txalapartari has his or her own space of time that can't be invaded by the other txalapartari. This period can become longer or shorter during a session of playing and this respect for the other player's space is what keeps the rhythm from breaking down.

There would have been a special rhythm used to signal that cider was ready, or that a death had occurred, for example. Today, though, it is used more as a musical instrument.

The basic "hits" or kolpeak that can be used are the "txakun" (the most basic) 2 "hits" close together, the "herena" one hit within the space of 2, the "hutsunea" or "blank" when a player does not hit during their space and the "hiru kolpeko txakuna" 3 within the space of 2 and so on...

Some players write down their music and create rhythms on paper while others play more spontaneously.

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

Legends, mysteries and shipwrecks fill the past of this crag. It is even said that Saint John was here, leaving behind a footprint on one of the stairs. It is also told that Pirate Drake took refuge in the hermitage.

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San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Photo: Sobre España

Being surrounded by the Cantabrian Sea for as far as you can see is a remarkable sensation that you will experience when going on this excursion that covers the coast of the Basque Country between Bermeo and Bakio. Some of the places you will visit are Cape Matxitxako which is the northernmost point of the Basque coast and the small island of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe which is probably one of the most beautiful places to visit.

Dive right into the coastal sceneries starting in Bermeo, a traditional fishing town whose heart is centered around the port. This is where the steep city streets of the historic part of town begin. Right next to the port is the Fisherman's Museum and the "Iglesia Juradera de Santa Eufemia". This church is where the gentlemen of Bizkaia used to swear to respect the ancient regional laws.

The ancestral house of Alonso de Ercilla, author of the epic poem "La Araucana", is a house and tower dating back to the 15th century. Inside, you can visit the Fisherman's Museum.

From Bermeo, highway BI-3101 snakes its way along the coast to the next coastal town to the East, Bakio. However, we recommend that you take two short detours along the way in order to fully appreciate the sheer drops of the coastal landscape. The first detour is off highway BI-4203 that takes you to Cape Matxitxako. Mount Sollube juts out toward the sea forming Cape Matxitxako. It has two lighthouses and a watchtower from which, in days gone by, whales and pirates were sighted. Today, you can watch birds from this watchtower.

The second is a walk around the Eneperi brewery all the way to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Legends, mysteries, plunderings, and shipwrecks fill the past of this crag. It is even said that Saint John was here, leaving behind a footprint on one of the stairs. It is also told that Pirate Brake took refuge in the hermitage. Nowadays, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is a much more serene spot whose tranquility is only interrupted by the birds that live in this protected biotope.

When we say walk, we mean walk. You have to climb 231 narrow steps sculpted out of rock in order to reach the hermitage of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Once there, you will be amazed by its spectacular location. From the heights of this small, rocky island that is connected to the coast by a narrow viaduct, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is a fantastic vantage point where you can overlook the sea or view the rock of Aketz.

Our coastal route concludes in Bakio, a traditional town in which the citizens of the region of Bilbao go to spend their vacation. Some of the things that stand out about Bakio are its beach, the church of Our Lady of the Ascension, and "txakoli", a young, native wine of the region that you have to try.

The 12th century church of Out Lady of the Ascension is located in the middle of a rural area pertaining to the town of Bakio. Make sure to see the mosaic of its portico and the four archivolts of its façade.

Bakio's greatest attraction is the beach. It is wide, clean, and has a brand new boardwalk. Bakio's beach will please those who love to go for a swim in the sea or lay out in the sun. It is also a great spot to surf and scuba dive.

Olwen Mears

Bilbao's seven streets: the heart of the villa

Somera, Artekale, Tendería, Belostikale, Carnicería Vieja, Barrenkale and Barrenkale Barrena. These are the names of the seven parallel streets located between the Church of Santiago and the estuary of Bilbao.

Santo Tomas fair (every 21st of December) next to Bilbao's Old quarter. Photo: EITB

When the villa was established, traders settled in these streets. The oldest place in the old quarter of the city is still known as Siete Calles (Seven Streets). The narrowness of the city ceases to be a problem due to the environment of its bars and its picturesque trades.

It is a pleasure to wander round the Siete Calles heading nowhere. However, we have planned a route for those who do not want to miss any attractive details in the area. We will start our itinerary from the Church of San Anton, next to the bridge with the same name that was the first successful attempt to link both sides of the estuary.

San Anton is in fact San Antonio Abad, to whom this graceful temple was dedicated in the fourteenth century. It was constructed in the fourteenth century on top of the primitive fortress of the villa and it is a gothic building with a squared plan. Its picture comes up on the shield of Bilbao next to the picture of the bridge.

An impressive building of eclectic style located next to the church catches the eye of anyone passing nearby. It is the Ribera Market. "Nothing can be conceived more lively or picturesquely as the look the market of Bilbao offers", Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer wrote about what he saw in front of him. This big market place, known as the Ribera Market or the Atxuri Market, was constructed in 1929 on the side of the river. It is a project designed by Pedro de Ispizua y Susunaga from Bermeo. Have a look at its glass.

It is a must-do to properly go into the Siete Calles, through Belostikale or any of its parallel streets. If there is enough time, we will be able to go shopping or practice the txikiteo, you know, chatting as we go from one bar to the other and so on. However, we will stop at the church of Santiago, the tallest and most important building in the Old Quarter that stands in a way that makes the main door be the first thing people see. It was built on top of an ancient cemetery and it is of gothic style. However, the following building works have added, once at a time, newer elements, such as a neoclassic cloister and a façade from the nineteenth century, under the directions of Severino de Achucarro.

We cannot forget that Bilbao once constituted part of the Camino de Santiago (Saint James' Way) and that the apostle is the patron saint of the villa from the seventeenth century. It was before, during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, when the church, that has 26 altarpieces, was constructed. On the other side of the cathedral, we will find the Church of the Santos Juanes (Juanes Saints) and, next to it, the Basque Museum of Bilbao.

It is an archaeology, ethnography, and historical centre that gives the visitors the opportunity to acknowledge the roots of the Basque Country. It was built on top of an ancient school with a cloister that belonged to the Jesuit Company; the work of art that stands out the most is the Mikeldi, a pale-Christian sculpture of animal-like shape that was possibly worshipped as if it was an idol.

Our attempt of approaching the Old Quarter will end by going to a newer place, the Plaza Nueva (New Square). This magnificent arcaded square of neoclassic style is a place for encounters and party. If the weather is good, relax in one of its terraces.

If it's Sunday, do not give up on the idea of wandering round the bazaar. The king Fernando VII started the process of building this square, and it was finished in the middle of the nineteenth century, under the orders of the architect Antonio de Echeverria. The square has 64 arches with columns of a classic Greek style and the space it guards has always a nice environment.

The running of the bulls

Famous all over the world, the running of the bulls is the most remarkable event of the Sanfermines and the event that made Pamplona/Iruña famous world-wide.

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Running of the bulls. Photo: EFE

At the end of the XVIIth century in Pamplona/Iruña, the bulls that were going to be fought at the bull ring got in the city helped by oxen and cowboys, going through the streets of the city until they got to the Castle Square, which was then used as a bullring.

The young lads got used to jumping into the route to see the bulls to the corrals. Although people got fond of this very fast, it was not legal until 1876, when the Festivities Committee approved it for good. The run ended already in the new bullring.

Nowadays, a few minutes before the running of the bulls starts, at eight o'clock each morning from the 7th to the 14th of July inclusive, runners gather before the image of Saint Fermin, placed in a niche on the wall at the Santo Domingo downhill Street, and sing the Saint a homily.

Runners sing three times the same song: "A San Fermin pedimos por ser nuestro patron, nos guie en el encierro, dandonos su bendicion. ¡Viva San Fermin! ¡Gora San Fermin!" ("We ask San Fermín, as our Patron, to guide us through the Bull Run and give us his blessing. Long live Saint Fermin!")

When the clock of Saint Cermin Church strikes 8 am, the man in charge of the farmyard lights the firecracker known as the chupinazo and the running of the bulls starts. The moment of the truth...

The length of the run is some 815 metres. The run lasts for three minutes and a half on average.

A good runner should start off slowly when the bulls are neither too far nor too near and run like devil before they get too close. It is a tradition to run with a rolled newspaper in the hand, in order to keep the distance with the bull and to make your way through the other runners. The runner should run for a few seconds near the bull and get out of the route as cleanly as possible.

Once the runners are at the bullring, they disperse in a fan way and the bulls are led to the bullpens. When all the bulls are already inside the bullring another rocket goes off to tell the runners about it. A third rocket means that all the bulls are already in their bullpens and ends the run.

Donostia-San Sebastian: Taking a stroll

The heart of the capital is the fairly recently pedestrianised Parte Vieja, a succession of shops, bars and restaurants where locals and visitors of all classes, ages and styles rub elbows.

Donostia-San Sebastian beach and harbour. Photo: EFE

The Parte Vieja has three buildings of historical interest: San Vicente church, a solid 16th century Gothic construction; the San Telmo Museum, a one-time Dominican convent now undergoing renovation; and the basilica of Santa María del Coro.

This area is likewise home of the remodelled Mercado de La Bretxa and the Plaza de la Constitución. The shelter of the harbour is shared by fishing and leisure vessels alike. Following the quay round to the end past a series of typical restaurants will bring us out at the Aquarium. The panoramic glass-covered tunnel running beneath the oceanarium is the most outstanding feature of a visit full of surprises.

Taking a stroll is one of the favourite local pastimes, and helps visitors to fully enjoy the city. Those wanting to go a bit further can follow the coastline via the over 7 km of maritime promenade without having to cross one single road. The two most classical stretches of this walk are the Paseo Nuevo and the Paseo de La Concha.

The former makes its way round Mount Urgull, and offers its most spectacular image during the September and October storms, when the waves come high over the sea wall. The peculiar tamarind trees, although correctly named tamarisk, and the classic railing lining the promenade are the most characteristic features of the Paseo de La Concha, which continues as far as the gardens and Paseo de Ondarreta. This promenade is rounded off with Eduardo Chillida’s Peine de los Vientos(The Windcomb) sculpture.

At the point where these two promenades meet, standing in beautiful gardens, is the English style Palacio de Miramar commissioned by Queen María Cristina. The Palacio de Aiete and Cristina-Enea Park are other breaths of fresh air. Passersby can also decide to follow the river Urumea, stroll around the centre’s pedestrian precincts with their many shops, the Plaza de Gipuzkoa or the renovated Boulevard, standing between the Parte Vieja and the new centre of this refined, moderate and cosmopolitan city.

Typical Basque sports

Basque farmers have always relied on domestic animals to carry out their farm jobs. These days they are the main characters in the animal trials which are so famous in our land.

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Stone-lifting is a typical Basque sporting show of strength. Photo: EITB

Traditional Basque sports and games are closely linked to the everyday work which the local people turned into amusing pastimes and on which fierce bets were placed between neighbours.

Individuals or teams measure their skill at specific farm or dockside work by competing to see who can cut more grass, chop more trunks or row faster; demonstrate their famed strength by lifting heavy stones, racing while carrying weights or participating in tug-of-war competitions.

They also show off their animals' strength or training through the pulling of enormous blocks of stone by oxen, ram fights and sheepdog competitions.

Sheepdog trials

The origin of sheepdog trials lies in the importance of shepherding among the Basques. These dogs basically have to demonstrate obedience, herd flocks of sheep into a fold and back again to where they started. They gain points for such obedience, for the way in which they follow the orders of the shepherd and for taking the sheep round the course without biting or barking at them.

Idi probak (The dragging of blocks of stone by oxen)

Most of our farmhouses are particularly proud of their oxen and challenges between their owners in our town squares were common. The weight of the stone varies between 1,000 and 4,500 kilos, although it is not uncommon for them to weigh over 5,000 kilos.

Nowadays, however, these competitions are usually carried out with smaller stones making the event faster and more spectacular, without the short pulls involved in the dragging of heavier blocks. The surface on which the competition takes place is cobbled. The length of the course varies from 22 to 28 metres. The trial consists of dragging the block of stone once up and once down the area in question in the shortest possible time.

New Basque pelota court to be opened in Philippines

The team will be made up of 34 Basque pelota players and will be called Sport Valey Jai Alai. It will be open on May 1st.

Photo. www.euskalkultura.com

Basque company Meridian Corporation, presided by Aitor Totoricagüena Arana, Pedro Totoricagüena Arana and Mikel Plaza, will open a new court for Basque pelota on May 1st in the Philippines called Sport Valey Jai-Alai and will be situated at Santa Ana Cagayan Valley, in the Northeast of the island.

The enclosure will be located fifty meters far from the beach, next to a superb resort, and the team will be made up of 34 Basque pelota players, ten of them Basque. The complex will be able to hold up to four thousand people and the court will be nearly of 52 meters.

Aitor Totoricagüena is very glad about the development of the events because after so many years of work and uncertainty, his dream is about to come true.

In this sense he pointed out the great importance of opening this pelota court in a time when many pelota courts have been closed, and in a place considered as Special Economic Zone and Freeport in constant growth.

Two Basque French restaurants enter list of establishments awarded Michelin stars

The famous culinary guide's list of top 100 favours the Basque country, though with some reticence from the resident chefs.

Auberge Basque Iparralde: Photo: EFE

The Michelin Guide, the prestigious guide to exceptional restaurants, has published its 100th edition on restaurants in France. The new list of top restaurants was read by François Mespléde, director of the guides, in Le Bristol restaurant ran by Eric Fréchon.

Surprisingly, the chef of one of the list's newest additions, the Auberge Basque in Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, was somewhat less than delighted with the decision to award them one Michelin star, as he felt it conflicted with his vision for the restaurant. Cédric Béchade's aim is to serve good, reasonably-priced food to a local market in an informal environment. Other newcomer, Les Rosier in Biarritz, shares a similar outlook. Both chefs have expressed an intention to continue in the same vane and avoid becoming elitist establishments.

There are various restaurants in Ipar Euskal Herria (northern Basque country) with one Michelin star and just one which has two: Fermin Arrambide's hotel-restaurant Les Pyrénées in St Jean Pied de Port. The number of restaurants with 3 stars remains at 26, with just one new entry in this section: Le Bristol restaurant, better known as "Sarcozy´s canteen", given the regularity with which the French president frequents it, and which played host to this year's unveiling.

Director of the guides, François Mespléde, declared this year's list to be a reflection of the latest tendency in French culinary trends: small establishments which favour local products.

Exhibition at Guggenheim Museum:Video as an art form

Installations: Selections from the Guggenheim Collections analyzes the audiovisual medium through seven essential works to understand this expressive form of contemporary art.

I-Be Area. Photo: Guggenheim Museum

Following the 2008 exhibition Installations: Selections from the Guggenheim Collections, this presentation investigates the ways in which contemporary artists have used video to create sites of immersion and discovery.

The seven works in the exhibition have been acquired by the Guggenheim during the past five years, attesting to the museum's ongoing commitment to this vital field of contemporary art, all works. The exhibition will be opened until January 10th, 2010.

From its first uses in the late 1960s, video has played an important role in artists' explorations of self and society, providing a unique means of harnessing real time and space that has become increasingly sophisticated as technologies have advanced over the decades.

These installations offer a glimpse of the diverse range of themes and styles that occupy artists working with video today. In Zidane, a 21st century portrait (2006), Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno create a cinematic portrayal of soccer player Zinedine Zidane in real time over the course of a single match.

Slater Bradley's The Doppelganger Trilogy (2001-04) also focuses on icons of popular culture, conjuring the ghostly presence of musicians Kurt Cobain, Ian Curtis, and Michael Jackson through the distancing lens of desire and memory.

Ryan Trecartin's feature-length video I-Be Area (2007) offers an entirely different take on the role of media icons in contemporary culture, looking to the internet, where new identities and communities can be constructed virtually, propelling even the most common of us into a self-made spotlight.

Mika Rottenberg, too, invents a sort of virtual reality in Dough (2006), creating an absurdist assembly line in which a cast of characters -including a woman grotesquely overweight and another who is eerily thin- mold and package raw dough. The function of fantasy that is implicitly referenced in Trecartin's and Rottenberg's works is brought to the fore in Cao Fei's video Whose Utopia (2006). This semi-documentary plumbs the realities of daily life at a massive Chinese light bulb factory, portraying the grinding monotony of its machinelike labor while also giving voice to the fantasies of its workers, who dance and play music amidst the factory spaces as if in a dream.

Isaac Julien's Paradise Omeros (2002) extends this dreamlike ambience, employing a richly imagined, elliptical narrative to explore the social, political, and emotional terrain of postcolonialism. Finally, in Link (1995-2000), Mariko Mori transports the audience to a space of contemplation through a 360-degree, four-channel video projection that documents a series of performances in major cities and archeological sites around the world. In each location, the artist lies dormant in her signature "body capsule." These acts, when witnessed together in the installation, unify the various sites across boundaries of time and place, aiming to create a transcendent, utopian space.

Bilbao Fine Arts Museum holds "Novecento and Avant-Garde"

Bilbao Fine Arts Museum presents The "Novecento and the Early Avant-garde" exhibition until May 24th.

The "Novecento and the Early Avant-garde" now presents 149 works from the early 20th-century, in a selection of paintings, sculptures, exhibition posters and photographs by professor Eugenio Carmona.

The "Novecento and the Early Avant-garde" now presents 149 works from the early 20t--century, in a selection of paintings, sculptures, exhibition posters and photographs by professor Eugenio Carmona.

The early decades of the last century were crucial to developments in contemporary Spanish art, which is so well represented in the Museum collection.

At the beginning of the century, the idea of the modern covered a broad spectrum of sensibilities, ranging from what was known as novecentismo (the novecento, i.e. the nineteen hundreds), which sought to create a refined art, almost classical in its restraint, to the avant-garde, most often identified with Cubism and Futurism.

At the same time, the legacy of Symbolism and Impressionism continued to influence artists. In this context, a number of Basque artists tried to redefine the sense of local identity and the vernacular.

Joaquin Torres Garcia, Joaquim Sunyer, Aurelio Arteta, Daniel Vazquez Diaz, Julian de Tellaeche, Antonio de Guezala, Celso Lagar, Gabriel Garcia Maroto and Jose Maria de Ucelay are some of the leading artists represented here.