Do not miss Barcelona, because this is where art and architecture conspire to meet, where Gaudi created and where Picasso lived, loved and called his true home

When in Spain...

Do not miss Barcelona, because this is where art and architecture conspire to meet, where Gaudi created and where Picasso lived, loved and called his true home


Barcelona in Spain is one place where art and architecture meet in an awesome manner, conspiring to make it the most popular tourist destination. Weaving my trip to Mojácar, Almeria—for an art residency—with Barcelona and Madrid gave me the opportunity to experience the Spanish art world.
Barcelona accorded me a very warm welcome. Driven to the outskirts under a bright sun, my fatigue disappeared as I found myself at a Spanish luncheon hosted by my friend.
The Spaniards were living up to their reputation of living life to the lees, enjoying the dance, music, food and talk of football. A sumptuous meal and a lavish spread of desserts topped the end of my first day.
The next few days were dedicated to a study of art and architecture. In Barcelona, the not-to-be-missed central points for anyone interested in art are the Museu Picasso, housed in five impressive Gothic buildings, and the city council's beautiful palace building Castellet.
Showcasing the works of the early years of Pablo Picasso, the museum is indeed the benchmark for understanding Picasso's formative years, and reveals his close ties with Barcelona. Picasso's friend Jaume Sabartes helped realise Picasso's dream to leave a mark on Barcelona.
He not only donated his own personal collection of Picasso paintings, but became the driving force behind the creation of this famous museum. Later, Picasso too donated more than a thousand of his works to add to this rich collection.
The collections contain key works that mark the early times when Picasso was most intensely involved with Barcelona---the blue period series, the Las Meninas series, which are rich interpretative analyses of Velazquez's famous work, and some excellent engravings. This is the only museum dedicated to him that Picasso saw built in his lifetime.

Another landmark, one that has been under construction for more than a century now, is the awe-inspiring work of Antoni Gaudi---La Sagrada Familia. It's the most visited monument of Spain and the Nativity Façade, featuring hope, charity and faith in the Gothic style, is its high point.
One is awestruck by the intricate architectural details that are present in abundance for any student of architecture. But the front, adorned with more modern sculptures, would give Gaudi sleepless nights. I think it's time to freeze the Gaudi times---there should be no more mismatched construction.
More natural than nature is the mesmerisingly landscaped Park Guell, designed by Gaudi in early 1900. It was abandoned in 1914. It too gives ample evidence of his creativity and the ceramic work that's now symbolic of his work.
The very next day, we drove to the great Olympian stadium and the Joan Miro Foundation, housed in an outstanding building by Josep Lluís Sert on Barcelona's Parc de Montjuic. It contains the leading public collection of works by Joan Miro, including paintings, sculptures, textiles, ceramics and comprehensive graphical work. I was impressed with the long queues of kindergarten children, holding each other by the end of the shirt, visiting the foundation.
For more modern and contemporary art, one must visit the Antoni Tapies Foundation, at the Modernista building in Barcelona. Set up in 1984 by Tapies to promote the study of modern and contemporary art, it has one of the most comprehensive collections of Tapies' own works.
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA) brings together a series of key pieces showcasing artistic creation from the last 50 years. It is in a building designed by US architect Richard Meler. The Barcelona Centre for Contemporary Culture (CCCB) is a space for exhibitions and activities featuring the city and contemporary culture.
In 1926, Catalunya Caixa, the bank, totally renovated the Espai Gaudi: a place for reflection, exploration and discovery that allows Gaudi to speak for himself in the exceptional surroundings of the loft at Catalunya Caixa's La Pedrera.
The Apartment at La Pedrera was a recreation of bourgeois living accommodation at the beginning of the 20th century. The visit ends on the terrace---a stunning rooftop of key artistic and symbolic importance.
The National Museum of Art of Catalunya (MNAC) takes visitors on a 1,000-year artistic journey from Romanesque to Modernism and the avant-garde. The collection includes works by El Greco, Velazquez, Gaudi, Ramon Casas, Dali, Picasso and Julio Gonzalez amongst others. The museum is housed at the Palau Nacional, with spectacular views over Barcelona.
For the art in public places, one has to visit the famous La Ramblas. From La Ramblas to the Placa Catalunya till the waterfront, life and activity come together to make it the greatest pedestrian walkway of Spain. It is sprinkled with cafés, human caricatures and lovely artistic memento outlets that enable a visitor to take away lovely memories of this bustling centre. Mind your wallet is the key word.
Stepping into the great vegetable market, I got to taste the best of ice creams and fresh fruits. The Barri Gòtic, or the Gothic Quarter, lined with narrow streets, chic shops and great monumental buildings, made the visit worthwhile.
Placa Catalunya seems to be the centre of earth for the people of Barcelona. Throngs of people can be seen engaged in entertaining activities, heightening the propensity to pockets being picked or bags being stolen. La Rotunda, the rooftop restaurant of Ingle Corte, offers a breathtaking view of the busy Placa Catalunya. The coffee, laced with the fine view, does mark a milestone in one's travel diary.