The first exhibition of Lee Krasner in Spain unites works from an oeuvre spanning fifty years. Characterised by constant reinvention and unceasing exploration, Krasner refused to develop a signature image, believing it would confine her to the rigidities of a singular style. Working in cycles, she sought out new means for authentic expression, especially during tumultuous times, such as her husband Jackson Pollock's sudden death in a car crash in 1956. Her proximity to Pollock had the paradoxical effect of influencing her paintings while causing her own ingenuity on the canvass to be overshadowed. This exhibition, inside Bilbao’s prestigious Guggenheim Museum, is an effort to redress long-overdue recognition of her impressive work. It is also part of a growing trend in global cultural institutions to rebalance the historical under-representation of women within the art world, many of whom were eclipsed by their male partners despite fundamentally interwoven roles in their artistic evolution. As one of the key pioneers of Abstract Expressionism, this exhibition celebrates Lee Krasner's formidable spirit, which can finally be felt and appreciated in its entirety.
‘Living Colour’ runs from September 18 to January 10.

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The multifarious relationship between artistic creativity and technological advancement continues to inspire an exciting new discipline within the arts. ‘Still Human’ at private gallery Espacio Solo, is an invitation to reflect on our capacity as human beings to relate to what’s new and how we create, observe and interact with new developments. Bringing together over 40 contemporary artists and almost 100 works, the exhibition explores our relationship with newness, highlighting how traditional mediums such as painting and sculpture are layering in technology like sound art and artificial intelligence. The exhibition is centred around the debate on human potential for development in the face of social or technological change, showing how contemporary artists respond to new contexts with a keen sense of imagination. As a result, poignant questions are raised about what makes us truly human and how we reconcile our continuous pursuit of technological advancement with the more intangible aspects of our existence – imagination, creativity, and ideas.
‘Still Human’ runs until the end of December.

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A lesson in perseverance in the face of restrictions and cultural curtailment, this online exhibition is an experimental array of moments and happenings. Curated by Victor Wang, this digital offering was conceived as a long-term visual project for private Beijing gallery M WOODS. First envisaged to virtually occupy the M WOODS museum locations, it has since unfolded across several other online platforms. The broad contributions of artworks, videos, photographs, words, poems, instructions and thoughts by artists and thinkers explore themes of ecology, nature, extinction, isolation and kinship. Interwoven into the narrative is an exploration of the positive side of social media; presented as a powerful tool in the sharing of information and connecting communities – locally and internationally. A fascinating response to the current global situation, ‘Art is Still Here…’ seeks to address the pressing issue of how to experience art during times of institutional closure.

‘Art is Still Here’ began in February, 2020, and is ongoing here.

Curated by Ryan Louper, this online gallery includes representations of spiritual and social constructs explored through explosive colour and contrast. The virtual exhibition is part of the extensive digital offering provided by Google Arts Culture – a vast online resource for artists, mediums, art movements that has opened up new spaces in the virtual domain to be able to celebrate artistic figures, places, and historical events. In doing so, the platform is also democratising access to fresh artistic perspectives. The particular exhibition centres around ideas of internal balance and chromotherapy; a science that gathered strength in the era of Expressionism when artists explored ways that colour could be used to adjust the body’s vibratory rate by matching their frequencies to health and emotional harmony. Louper’s curated exhibition goes even further, selecting works that tell a wider story of spiritual and societal therapy. Encompassing a diverse range of nations, social contexts and time periods, this polychromatic exploration shines a light on why colour and contrast resonate so deeply.

View the virtual exhibition here.

Designed to resemble a stairway to heaven, this residential building in Valencia was a pioneer in combining eco-design with technological foresight and humanistic principles. Built on the edge of the city like a bridge between the urban and rural landscapes, the brutalist design was visionary architect Antonio Cortés Ferrando’s riposte to the mass-construction of the 1980s. Balconies were designed to hold enough soil for big trees to grow in lofty gardens, a running track was incorporated into the central corridor, and a multi-tiered fountain added to create a micro-climate in the main patio. Many of the features that make Espai Verd (‘green space’ in Valencian) unique today were fringe ideas at the time; from turning foundations 45 degrees for optimum sunlight, ensuring all apartments included home offices, and designing chutes to accommodate cables for an ‘internet of things’. This building stands as a monument to our power to manifest bold ideas into reality.

Enquire about a scheduled tour of Espai Verd here.

Set amongst the wilderness not far from the small town of Cretas, this circular house blurs the line between inside and out. Retractable walls eliminate the barriers between each room and the untamed nature on both sides. The round house was designed by architectural studio Office KGDVS as part of Christian Bourdais and Eva Albarran’s Solo Houses project. With the majestic Matarrana natural park as a backdrop the pair’s vision for sustainable, well-designed housing is exemplified by this ecologically balanced house that produces its own solar power and purifies rain water collected on the roof. Each year, the pair commission a series of site-specific art installations that are spread across the valley below. Available to rent, this isolated sancturary welcomes in all sorts of people to experience its unique semblance of art and architecture.

Contact the house to rent here.

The town of Cuenca has its fair share of dichotomies. An Islamic fortress that became the birthplace of the Spanish Inquisition. Medieval-era buildings host vast collections of modern art. In the 50s and 60s, when Franco’s authoritarian regime censured expressionism as a threat to national order, this outlier settlement became a sanctuary for abstract artists. These are celebrated inside the Museo de Arte Abstracto in the iconic 15th Century Casas Colgadas and across the footbridge inside the eponymous Espacio Torner, which is located inside a refurbished church. Not far away, the Fundación Antion Peréz houses an eclectic collection of modern art in the multi-storied interiors of a former convent. Even the polychromatic stained glass windows of Cuenca’s near-1000-year-old cathedral were designed by abstract artists. The natural offering nearby is equally abstract, such as the ‘Enchanted City’s’ extra-terrestrial looking turrets or the multicoloured water-filled craters of the Torcas de los Palancares. The equilibrium between these overlapping histories are a reminder that every good story is informed by complex, sometimes contrarian ingredients.

Synonymous with royal legacy and craftsmanship, ‘La Granja’ is a peaceful outpost a short distance from Segovia. In 1721, when King Phillip V ordered his new summer palace to be built here, the town was thrust into the avant-garde spotlight of the enlightenment. The palace and its gardens were modelled on Versailles (which was built by Phillip V’s grandfather Louis XIV) and included complex network of gravity-powered fountains designed to represent themes, allegories, and scenes from classical mythology. Not far away, the Real Fábrica de Cristales de La Granja stands as a relic of an era of royal investment in exquisite craftsmanship. At its zenith, this vast glassware factory was responsible for some of the world’s most sought-after copas (wine glasses), tulipas (lamps), licoreras (bottles), and arañas (chandeliers), all adorning palaces and prestigious homes in Europe and across the Americas. While it’s fortunes and furnaces eventually faded, in 1987, a collective of enterprising artisans banded together to form a foundation, and moved in to set up a glass-making school. While its repute as royal capital may have waned, this town is still testament to the enduring power of artisans and their creations.

Visit the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso here.

Young Basque chef Diego Guerrero is best known for his unique and unfettered restaurant experience DSTAgE. The two-Michelin-starred chef has called the Spanish capital home for fifteen years and opened his experimental, experiential restaurant in 2014. Deriving its name from “days to: smell, taste, amaze, grow, enjoy” DSTAgE encourages diners to wander around a 300 square metre space and explore and interact with the elements. In the wake of a long lockdown, Guerrero continues to manifest this philosophy through digital mediums, including the launch of a virtual masterclass that focuses on his passion for fermentation and exotic flavours. A burgeoning global culinary trend, fermented foods needn’t be confined to the exclusive domain of haute cuisine. Guided by Chef Guerrero, this online tutorial will reveal how a few easy-to-implement recipes and techniques can empower your home kitchen and boost your immune system.

Request your virtual masterclass here.

One of Spain’s smallest DO wine regions is also one of the oldest – with its winemaking once favoured by Roman soldiers, Kings’ courts, and was even the preferred tipple of Barcelona’s cathedral. Spread along the verdant coastal terrain between Badalona and Mataró, this corner of Catalonia is just a 15km daytrip from regional capital, Barcelona. The tightknit community of family-owned cellars and wine-makers that populate the region provide a lesson in resilience – weathering the climatic conditions of the Mediterranean as well as the steady creep of urbanisation lapping at their doorstep. In 1906, the community banded together to form the Alella Vinícola wine cooperative in order to face complex, often colossal challenges, with a more coherent, united front. One of the more positive ways they express solidarity is through promotion, offering up a rich tapestry of cellar tours, tastings, accommodation and visits to surrounding cultural sites that educate and sate guests’ appetites. Cinematic sea views are sweetened by a persistent sea breeze, but what sets this defiant DO region apart is the way the community balance respect for history and timeworn teachings with a forward-thinking vision intended to sustain their sector for years to come.

Take a tour of DO Alella here.

This picturesque Spanish cortijo - a traditional farmhouse – is one of the Iberian peninsula’s most pioneering agroturismos. Its bucolic location in the middle of the Sierra de Grazalema national park near Ronda in Andalucía makes it the perfect destination to reflect, rejuvenate, and recharge. With just nine rooms the atmosphere is both peaceful and pensive. Further afield, the 1700 acres of surrounding land are populated with Lusitano horses (the oldest existing breed of saddlehorse) and a sprawling biodynamic farm inspired by the teachings of Rudolf Steiner produces its own almond milk, wine, olive oil. An array of organically-grown vegetables are layered into each day’s predominantly vegetarian meals. Starting from the way the team produce food, to how they proselytise about sustainable practices and pathways to a better future, La Donaira is an archetype for the new, restorative model safeguarding the future of hospitality. The Sybaritic spa includes a wood-fired sauna and holistic treatments and never closes, meaning you can take a meditative swim as late or early as you fancy. Above all, the team behind La Donaira are motivated by the desire to create a more meaningful dialogue, inspiring people to reflect about the role intelligent design, architecture, the arts, agriculture and the natural world must play in our collective effort to reimagine the modern world.

Learn more about La Donaira’s sustainable vision and practice here.

Sound is not something we simply hear. Acoustic waves can alter our physiology, affect our psychology, and also enhance our powers of perception. Music leads to movement while a mantra can refocus the mind. If anything, a calming or upbeat soundscape can help to uplift our mood. This mix ‘Sacred Space’, curated by Indian-American artist Radha is replete with positive vibrations, ritual incantations, and soothing melodies to do just that. Apart from this multidisciplinary, multicultural musical journey, you can also listen to her regular radio show every first Friday of the month on NTS radio – an independent internet radio station that strives to give diverse sounds and voices a louder speaker. This particular mix not only shines a light on some treasured tunes, but by simply playing it on a quiet afternoon at home, you will be welcoming plenty of serene, transformative energy into your own sacred space.

Listen to ‘Sacred Space’ by Radha here.

Steeped in local legend and characterised by its undulating topography, the Bardenas Reales in Navarra is Europe’s largest desert. Punctuated with ancient watchtowers and timeworn rock formations, the otherworldly landscape is awash with legend too – perpetuated by locals as both fact and fiction. Offering up few distractions, deserts often conjure up a sense of primordial struggle with spiritual overtones, as travellers are forced to confront their deepest reserves In order to survive harsh conditions. The effect brings clarity and revelation. This particular desert is not completely deserted though; local farmers and adventure companies offer tours through its remarkable terrain, allowing visitors to safely marvel at the beauty of solitude far from civilisation.

Begin your journey from this Hotel.

A cascade of interconnected phenomena culminate to create this lake’s spectacle of pink Located near Alicante and spread across 1,400 hectares, Las Salinas de Torrevieja stretch back to the 13th century when the Acequión canal was constructed to obtain ocean salt. A rich eco-system has emerged in the centuries since. The biological dance between millions of archaeas (a micro-organism) and dunaliellas (micro-seaweed) synthesise the salty water resulting in the lake’s resplendent pink hue. Brine shrimp also absorb the colour, which are then fed on by thousands of flamingos whose feathers are turned pink – proof of the interrelated essence of all living things. A walk along the banks of this salty lake has therapeutic benefits for the lungs and skin, while exposure to the colour pink is known to evoke feelings of compassion, love, and peace.

More information.

Take a stroll through Europe’s southernmost beech and oak grove to inhale the pure forest air. Madrid’s most well-protected patch of wilderness, covers the skirt of the region’s northern sierra mountain range. The forest was declared a world heritage UNESCO bio-reserve in 2017. While the surrounding colour scheme changes with the seasons, immersing oneself in green is known to relieve stress due to the fact that green is the colour that least strains the eye. Thankfully, the pristine confines of Hayedo de Montejo are tamed by pre-booked, guided visits, ensuring this enclave of natural peace will be preserved for generations to come.

Reserve a tour.

Famed for its storied monastery, the monks of Montserrat were known to enjoy meditative walks around this peaceful mountain. A convenient distance by train from the cosmopolitan centre of Barcelona allows anyone searching for much-needed respite to do the same. Characterised by rocky outcrops, sparse forests and sweeping views of the distant Pyrenees and the flatlands of the Llobregat valley below, a winding network of walking paths opens the mountain up for exploration from multiple angles. Beyond the sense of achievement that ascending a formidable mountain can bring, climbing is also said to improve self-esteem, mental agility and self-awareness simply because it requires problem-solving and contributes to peace of mind.

Visit Montserrat.