Malaga is one of those cities with an absolute plethora of museums and art galleries, not on the scale of The Prado, Louvre or Capitoline for example, but other than “scale” any comparisons are unfair and meaningless. They add interest and variety to taking a holiday in the city, a break from wine, tapas, and more wine, and on a week such as this ….. shelter from the rain! But let’s face it, they represent and offer great insight to the history and culture of ANY city visited, and I would encourage everyone visiting Malaga to take in one or two of these. Here are the ones we visited:

The CAC, Centro de Arte Contemporaneo

The museum is located in a converted 1930s market building on the river estuary with an interior that is strangely organised in a triangular plan-layout with every room painted white. The museum houses temporary exhibitions of modern art and this month includes the work of Stephan Balkenhol, with more than thirty sculptures, made mostly from wood creating his everyday figures with his sculptures bearing visible traces of the carving process. Up close they look rustic and unfinished, but from a distance quite different! “An eerie silence accompanies Balkenhol’s trademark and seemingly common figures.”

 

Centre Pompidou Malaga

The first extension of the original Pompidou Centre in Paris to be housed outside France. The focus is on displaying 20th Century art in a wide variety of forms, much of which is puzzling or even incomprehensible until you read the description. Situated on the quayside it is easy to find with its multicoloured glass cube entrance the only aspect above ground! Not free.

Museo de Malaga

A museum located close to the cathedral and dedicated to the archaeology, history and art of Malaga and surrounding area. The archaeological stuff is on the second floor and has many artefacts from the 6th Century BC related to the Phoenecians and Ancient Greeks. Loads of stunning pottery, bronze helmets, gold and silver finds, and even a bust of my old mate Epicurus! The museum is FREE to EU citizens.

Museo Picasso

A museum of obvious significance to Malaga containing over 200 of his paintings donated by his family. Also close to the cathedral, be prepared for long queues to enter and a crocodile line of people shuffling through the sections. Also be prepared for security staff in every room almost following you around ensuring no photos are taken. One of the most oppressive museums we have visited!

Other “In Praise Of” posts:

French Wine Cooperatives

Satnav

America

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Categories: art, Travel

Tags: CAC, malaga, modern art, Museums, Picasso, pompidou centre, Spain