I Went To Spain and.....Part I: Reina Sofia Museum

I suppose it's somewhat silly to begin a post on Spain with photos from the sky, but I actually like these. I'm not a photographer, and I'll never claim to be, but even a blind squirrel can find a few nuts.

Miami, March 2013. Photo by Carolyn Jacobs

Carolyn Jacobs,  Sunrise in Espana, 2013

Not my hotel, Madrid, 2013. Photo by Carolyn Jacobs

Not my hotel, but across the street from my hotel, and a far more interesting building than my hotel in Madrid.  I don't know much about Spanish history, but the first thing I realized--without the aid of any history or guidebooks---is that the Romans were no where near the old city when it was first laid out.  It is a crazy maze of meandering streets that make no sense. I missed me some good old-fashioned Roman urban planning while trying to figure out where the hell I was going in Madrid. Love 'em or hate 'em, those Romans had a good sense of direction. Spaniards....not so much.




In general, Spain's economy is in the toilet. This bank had closed just days before, and protestors had lost their life savings. It was rainy and chilly in Madrid the entire time we were there, but I think there is a general vibe of exhaustion in the city.  People are just hunkered down and hoping to survive.

The Reina Sophia Museum
The Queen Sophia Museum is the modern art museum in Madrid.  The Prado takes you, basically, from the Renaissance into about 1850, and then the Reina Sophia takes over.  The big contemporary exhibit on display was Spanish artist Christina Iglesias, and it was quite lovely. Here's a link to the exhibit: Christina Iglesias: Metonymy

Christina Iglesias at Reina Sophia Museum, Madrid. Photo by Carolyn Jacobs

Christina Iglesias at Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid. Photo by Carolyn Jacobs

Christina Iglesias at Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid. Photo by Carolyn Jacobs

Christina Iglesias at Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid. Photo by Carolyn Jacobs

Here's a link to her website: Christina Iglesias She uses a fairly wide variety of materials, and I particularly like that it feels painterly without forcing it.  The interaction of object and space is beautifully handled.