ArtTraveler: Madrid & Barcelona bristling with art happenings

Urban artists descend on Madrid for massive paint-in: More than 125 graffiti and urban artists transformed about 140 metal storefronts into a huge outdoor gallery 6 Feb. (Sunday) in Madrid's central Malasana barrio, Blu's territory.

All this at local shopkeepers' invitation, to convert a Bohemian barrio into a Bohemian urban art gallery where urban artists will renew (read, paint over)  these shutters every 80 days.

The pictures you see here I took while staying in the Chueca barrio in Madrid, also Bohemian and fast gentrifying.

"Spirit and Space," Santander Art Gallery, Madrid: 9 Feb. - 29 April: Drawn from the Sandretto Collection (Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo), you will see120 photographs, 22 sculptures, 16 paintings, 14 drawings, 9 installations, 5 of them video. Fundacion Banco Santander sponsors gallery and exhibition.

"27 Works of Art, 18 Authors," Fundacio Sunol, Barcelona: 9 Feb. - 31 Dec. This emphasizes works from 1924 - 1998, especially the 70's and 80's.  Artists shown: Andy Warhol, Susana Solarno, Manuel Iinares, Lucio Fontana, Antonio Saura, Man Ray, Miguel Barcelo, Christo, Tapies. A must: See this 3 minute video of Barcelo's magnificent work in the Cathedral in Palma, Mallorca.

Madrid's 30th International Contemporary Art Fair: 16 - 20 Feb. About 197 international galleries occupy the Feria de Madrid, this year scaled down from three to two bulldings.

But there's no reduction in energy and scope, featuring "Focus Russia," 8 Russian galleries introducing emerging Russian artists; "Solo Projects: Focus on Latin America" shifts similar emphasis west and south, while "Opening: New European Galleries," gives galleries younger than eight years their first opportunity to break into the fair.

Dora Garcia representing Spain in the Venice Biennale: Curator of the Spanish Pavillion Katya Garcia-Anton, who announced the decision, noting the Venice happening runs from 4 June to 27 Nov.

The committee appointing Garcia-Anton as curator includes:: Jose Lebrero, Carmen Imenez, Bartomeu Mari, Estrella de Diego.

Rock on and practice peace and love.

See ArtTraveler videos on YouTube and follow Dutch walkers Rob and Joost on their 1,000 km pilgramage (Via de la Plata) from Seville to Santiago de Compostela with fast-growing photos you're not likely to see anywhere else. (Above photos by Stefan van Drake.)

Stefan, the ArtTraveler(TM)