Manifesta 15
Barcelona
Manifesta 15
Barcelona
European Nomadic Biennial in Barcelona & surroundings
Manifesta 15
Manifesta 15
European Nomadic Biennial in Barcelona & surroundings
until 24 November 2024
A special art experience is taking place in Barcelona this year! We have our own biennial ;). You can find out exactly what Manifesta is, what you can see in Barcelona and the surrounding area and what I have already visited (with my children) in this report!
Have fun!
Manifesta 15
Tickets
What is the
Manifesta?
The Manifesta / European Nomadic Biennale is not to be confused with the Venice Biennale. Nevertheless, they have four things in common:
1. part of the name
2. that they take place every 2 years
3. this year’s end date for both is 24 November 2024
4. that it is about contemporary art.
In contrast to the Venice Biennale, Manifesta also changes location every two years. For example:
2002 in Frankfurt/Main,
2016 in Zurich,
2024 in Barcelona and
2026 it will return to Germany: to the Rhine-Ruhr region.
The first Manifesta took place in Rotterdam in 1996 and is also a Dutch non-profit organisation (International Foundation Manifesta) based in Amsterdam.
The aim of Manifesta is to show and merge local, national and international art. It is also about research and discussions about contemporary art.
I visited the three chimneys in Sant Adria de Besòs (between Barcelona and Badalona) with my family. We live right next to them, and we really wanted to see what it looks like inside.
The factory has been closed and cleared out since 2011. However, removing the towers was not possible and costly due to the masses of concrete, and somehow these towers were already part of the cityscape. Until now, however, this factory has only been used for more or less illegal parties. And now you can finally officially see these towers from the inside!
As part of Manifesta 15, we not only have the chance to see the rooms of the former factory from the inside, but also to marvel at a symbiosis between them and contemporary art!
The three towers
in Sant Adria de Besòs
A total of 16 international artists exhibit here on three floors.
On the ground floor, for example, we see ‘The Frankenstein Trees’ by Kiluanji Kia Henda (Angola). Here, tree trunks and branches from various trees are connected with screws.
Or we see cocoons hanging from the ceiling on a yellow background: a work by Calros Bungas (Portugal) entitled ‘The irruption of the unpredictable’.
And a very colourful work by Nnena Kalu (Scotland), ‘Hanging Sculture 1 -10’, who has transformed various coloured materials into sculptures using vast amounts of tape.
But my personal highlight is on the 3rd floor. It’s so simple… White cloths hanging from the ceiling and blowing in the wind.
A great contrast: the lightness of the cloths compared to the hard concrete and iron equipment of the former factory.
A work by Asad Raza (USA) with the title ‘Prehension’.
This year’s Manifesta is not only taking place in Barcelona: there are also 11 other small towns around Barcelona. So you can not only see contemporary art, but also get to know the area around Barcelona!
The blue zone refers to Barcelona: here, however, you can only visit one location: the former publishing house Gustavo Gili.
The yellow zone is located south of Barcelona – near the airport. The yellow locations deal with the topic of ‘Balancing Conflicts’. This is about the task of harmonising the latest developments with the protection of natural resources. three locations can be visited here:
Casa Gomis in El Prat de Llobregat – where you have to book a timeslot. This is an architecturally interesting family home in a protected natural environment right next to the airport.
The Calderia, an industrial hub in Cornella de Llobregat since 1910, and Can Trinxet, a former textile factory in Hospitalet de Llobregat.
European Nomadic Biennale in Barcelona
The red zone is a little further out: you need to plan a little more time here, but you also have some very nice places to explore. The red locations focus on the theme of ‘Cure and Care’. This is about the healing power of culture and ecological care in the Collserola region – the green lung of Catalonia.
You can visit the monastery of Sant Cugat. Also here is Cal Quitèria, a country house from the 19th century.
The ‘Lake of Ègara’, an episcopal complex in Terrassa.
In Sabadell you can visit the ‘Vapor Buxeda VEll’ – a textile factory from 1852.
In Granollers you can visit 4 locations at once. The Roca Umbert – a textile factory that has been converted into an art and culture centre. Can Joch: a cultural peace centre, La Porxada, a portico from the 16th century. And the Natural Science Museum.
The green zone is located on the coast of Catalonia. They deal with the theme of ‘Imagining Futures’. It is about eco-social changes that stand in stark contrast to the industrial zones of Catalonia.
The main location here – and perhaps of the whole Manifesta – are the three chimneys described above, which you can already see from the aeroplane. The ‘Three Chimneys’ can finally be visited! They are located between Barcelona and Badalona in Sant Adria de Besòs.
Heading north, you can also visit La Ciba in Sant Coloma de Garmenet, a public centre set up in 2020 for women to help them become independent in all areas of their lives if they wish.
In Badalona you can visit Coco Beach and in Mataro the M/A/C prison.
The Manifesta in Barcelona
What else is there?
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2024
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