Art in Los Cabos: ruining the secret for everyone

by Tom Johansmeyer on

When I think “Cabo,” I don’t think art … at least, I didn’t. A few paces into the San Jose del Cabo’s historic art district however, I felt my mind begin to shift. Galleries line Guerrero, Obregon, Morelos and Comonfort, each ready to invite you in for a look at the creations of artists local to Los Cabos (and Mexico in general). Don’t look for the schlock you’d find at a tourist trap in this part of the city – these artists are talented and experienced. Many of the galleries show investment-grade pieces and are priced appropriately.

Of course, there are bargains to be had in the art district. Traditionally, buyers are split between vacationers and people with second homes in Los Cabos, the latter usually looking to occupy the spaces of newly developed escapes. The art market shock that occurred last September has affected both classes of buyer. Fewer are traveling, as well, which has impacted guest purchases, and local property development has come virtually to a standstill as a result of the global credit crisis, leaving fewer walls to adorn. These unfortunate circumstances have brought buyers’ market conditions down to Baja California Sur … and the galleries are more than happy to ship your new acquisitions back to the United States.

Despite the plethora of high-caliber artwork in San Jose del Cabo, choose carefully. There are 16 galleries in the art district, and the quality does vary. Price does not always signify value. If you’re looking to make life easy, just head right to Galeria Corsica, on Obregon (between Hidalgo and Morelos). The gallery space itself is hardly impressive – especially by the standards of major art centers like Manhattan, London and Paris – but, the inventory is impressive.

The collection at Galeria Corsica transcends local. Consisting of both sculpture and paintings, you’ll encounter museum-quality artwork from the moment you cross the threshold.

Works in bronze are sculpted for impact, with intricate detail uniting the labor of the craftsman with the vision of an artist. Emotion emanates from each of the pieces on display, sharing the agony of creation with the aesthetically-minded. Just by looking, you participate in a birthing process baptized in the sweat of a master.

Along the walls, flat art captures the eye. There isn’t a single style that prevails, but each artist has his own space, ensuring that the flow of the gallery isn’t disrupted. I gravitated to the front corner, just to the right of the door as you enter. The room housed paintings that blend the mystical and surreal with a crispness that helps the viewer relate to the messages conveyed. Sensuality is not lost in the swirl of sensations to which the artist treats anyone fortunate enough to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

Los Cabos may have a reputation as a party destination, but the choice ultimately is yours. Catch a taxi into San Jose del Cabo and make it a priority to visit the art galleries … specifically Galeria Corsica. Whether you collect or just like to watch, your jones for the aesthetic will not go unsatisfied.

Disclosure: The Los Cabos Tourism Board picked up the tab for this trip. But, if you know me, you know I don’t do anyone favors. The opinions are definitely my own.

Five things to do in Orlando (except … that)

by Tom Johansmeyer on

This is the only time you’ll see the expression “theme park” in this post. Orlando has a lot to offer outside that. So, if you’re headed down there for a convention or a family trip, keep these other attractions in mind, and explore the depth this city has to offer. Plan ahead, and you can avoid the “Mouse” trap!

  1. Make a glass, buy some art: Go to Keila Glassworks, and look for the guy with the dredlocks down to his ass. Check out his art: it’s stunning. Charley Keila, the genius behind the place, offers glassblowing classes, so ou can get a taste of the act of creation.
  2. Stay in an “art” hotel: Pass on the major chains, and stay at the EO Inn. Don’t sweat the fact that it doesn’t have a restaurant; that’ll force you to get out and find a place.
  3. Drink at a bookstore: Urban Think! has a bar in the bookstore. Grab a book (I suggest Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood, the latest by Michael Lewis), and chill for a bit at the bar.
  4. Try to fly: Strap on a harness, climb a ladder and let the wind whip through your hair. Grand Lakes Orlando has zip lines that stretch for tk meters.
  5. Leave: Get out to Winter Park, and see the upscale side of the Orlando area. Cruise the lakes on the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, and then wander along tk-street. Stop for a glass of wine at one of the wine bars that dot the sidewalk.

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Spectacular summer art season in Madrid

by Sean McLachlan on

Madrid is one of the art capitals of Europe, and each season the city’s big three art museums host major exhibitions. This summer looks like it’s going to be an especially good one.

Perhaps the biggest show of the season is the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum’s show on Matisse. Running from June 9 to September 20, it focuses on the work the famous painter and sculptor did in the middle part of his life. In the 1920s he and Picasso were at the vanguard of making modern art acceptable to the general public, and in the 1930s Matisse’s work became more inward-looking as the Depression, the buildup to World War Two, and the invasion of France took their psychological toll.

The Prado will has a show focusing on the Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla, who in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries became one of Spain’s best-loved painters with his brilliant images of sun-soaked gardens and beaches. This show runs from May 26-September 6. One of his paintings, titled “Walk on the Beach”, is shown here. If you like his style, you might also want to check out his house, which is now a museum showcasing his life and work.

If modern art is more your thing, check out the Reina Sofia, Madrid’s home for modern and contemporary art. Their big show this summer will be Los Esquizos de Madrid, an art movement that flourished in Spain’s capital in the Seventies as the country made the transition from dictatorship under Franco to a fragile multiparty democracy. This movement embraced figurative art at a time when the rest of the European art world seemed have abandoned it.

The Reina Sofia will also have an exhibition by Lebanese artist Walid Raad, who created The Atlas Group, an art movement of one. His work explores censorship and the Lebanese Civil War though various media and will be open from June 3 to August 31.

Francis Bacon comes to New York’s Met

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If you missed the Francis Bacon exhibit at the Museo Del Prado in Madrid back in the early part of the year, you have a second chance this summer. The reclusive artist, who produced only around 1,000 paintings in his 83-year life, is well represented at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, with a large show that traces the artist’s career from a false start in 1933 through his twilight in the 1980s.

The collection is, to say the least, extensive. Each room highlights a period in Bacon’s life, from his haunting work in the 1940s to the “man in a cage” theme that followed. The exhibit also tracks Bacon’s love life, with paintings of George Dyer and John Edwards, for example, in abundance. Surprisingly, the breadth of the New York show is even greater than that of Madrid.

The true success of this show, however, is in the targeted success the Metropolitan Museum of Art realized in securing related paintings. Several of Bacon’s interpretations of Velazquez’s Pope Innocent X work can be viewed side-by-side – a rare treat for Bacon fiends and art lovers in general.

If you can’t make it to Manhattan this summer, don’t worry. The Bacon centennial celebration will continue later this year at the Tate in London.

Hookers and artists try to coexist in Amsterdam

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Amsterdam doesn’t want some businesses to grow. It seems unusual in a recession (and yes, the Netherlands is feeling it, too), but I guess the situation isn’t so dire that they can’t be picky over there. So, the locals are fighting the business of naked people with the business of art – which clearly has no history of portraying the uncovered human form (feel free to chortle).

The city of Amsterdam has teamed up with a housing corporation. Together, they are acquiring rooms formerly used as brothels and renting them out as studios to artists. This ground-level contribution to the arts is inspiring. While it’s nice to see an established artist get a hefty grant to pursue a specific vision, the measure taken in Amsterdam gives emerging artists (and even those less established) a shot at success.

Of course, some people didn’t find out in time.

A few prostitute clients have come up to doors that are now art studios, seeking their former flames.

Some working girls aren’t thrilled about this development, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Since we’re dealing with Europe, you know there has to be a union involved … and the hookers have one. They say that there’s a history of prostitutes and artists living side-by-side, “like they did in Paris in the 19th century.” Further, ladies of the night have inspired their new neighbors, with the most famous probably being Pablo Picasso‘s “Ladies of Avignon.”

Given the plunge in the global art market, one thing is certain: people will continue to get screwed in these apartments.