Notes on Bilbao and surrounding area.
It is warmer but rains a lot in Bilbao than Vitoria, where it is icy and snowy… and transport links from the airport really easy and cheap.
Meet someone from Technarte – http://www.technarte.org – we met in the Bilboa fine art museum cafe https://www.museobilbao.com/in/ He said that the region was still more old fashioned than other places but that this museum was now over shadowed by the Guggenheim…. He seemed pleased to meet us and hear about the project – also my Greenham anti-nuclear project.
A area in Bilbao called San Francisco https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_(Bilbao) is the more seedy place being improved with a few hipster bars – we had tasty food in one – a mix of customers – old locals and young trendies etc – this is where studios, artist organisations, galleries rub with some prostitutes and edgy, bit rough. Lots of graffiti and mutli cultural etc. Met someone from https://www.consonni.org in this area who do actions and publications – not traditional gallery at all – this woman was very intelligent and deep thinking -really enjoyed this meeting. Apparently the saturday after we left was open studios so thats a shame as only one a year. Someone did say that this area is being done up but it still had the characterful mix – I don’t know if it will change and the communities forced out.
We met a group of climate change researchers at the local uni – outside the city on a bus ride http://www.bc3research.org they had big problems with the gap between there research and bringing in strategies for the general population to make change… they thought artist engagement may bridge the gap but they wanted a deep bridge not superficial. I liked these people very much. The researchers here and Oslo like the idea of seminars etc and exchange.
For me walking around Bilbao was particularly lovely – especially the central river and hills all around – its breath taking actually and never that crowded. The old town which is the medieval quater was good – maybe its getting more done up – there are nice health food shops – but we need that as veggie types. The old town doesn’t have the edge of san Francisco area. I would want to stay in Old town next time – it does feel a little like Barcelona with the high buildings and narrow streets but the whole area seems a bit French also. Apparently Sans Sebastian in very French – nearer the border and richer with holiday types. On our last day it wasn’t raining – it rains a lot – not sure if its all year round – but late afternoon in the old quater was filled with locals just as you would want. Very spanish and all ages, not gentrified into something other.
There are some high rise buildings and lots of business etc and of course the Guggenheim is a massive presence, but it wasn’t that busy even on a Sunday. Overall for me the city didn’t feel like a Brighton which I now find over done up and totally yuppie and locals priced out… I used to love the faded glamour of Brighton and crazy mix. I feel Bilbao still has plenty of original charm, lots of different areas and layers to peel… I could do a residency here, I liked it a lot… there are a few commercial galleries to look at – the best one was closed.
