72 Hours in Lisbon

In our opinion there’s no bad time to visit the Portugese capital city of Lisbon. The city offers an array of cultural sites both contemporary and historic, as well as exciting culinary options and breathtaking views of the Tagus river. We go beyond the charming yellow trams and azulejos (blue and white tiles) to explore Lisbon’s arty side with insider tips from local guide Kasia who is also an independent curator living in the city. You can learn more about Oh So Arty tours in Lisbon here.

Kasia leading a tour at Galeria Graça Brandão

There are a lot of great neighborhoods in Lisbon and one of Kasia’s favorites is Marvila. In recent years creative spaces have been popping up all over this post-industrialist neighborhood. While you’re there make sure to visit Fábrica Braço de Prata a former factory converted into an alternative cultural complex hosting exhibitions, live music and performances. Thirdbase is another innovative project in the Marvila neighborhood. It is an art and residency program that also has a street level gallery and community space to host exhibitions and other events. You can also soak up the local culture by just wandering the streets of Marvila which are full of colorful murals.

Thirdbase art and residency program

If you’re looking to get some retail therapy in visit the antique store Cantinho do Vintage for unique furniture finds and other vintage treasures. For food make sure to enjoy the food, drinks and energy of El Bulo Social Club. This restaurant is the project of Chakall an Argentinian celebrity chef and combines Argentinian and Peruvian cuisines in a fun atmosphere. Another option in Marvila is Cafe com calma for a healthy lunch.

Cafe con calma

Alvalade is another one of Kasia’s favorite neighborhoods because it is yet to be discovered by most tourists and you can really feel the local vibe. This neighborhood is a must for art lovers looking to visit galleries and other art projects. While you’re there plan to visit Galeria Vera Cotes and Appleton Square. Before going to Alvalade, start your day with visit at Graça Brandão and 3+1 Contemporary Art around Principe Real neighborhood. These galleries offer quality contemporary content that a local and international audience can appreciate. After a full day of gallery hopping treat yourself to dinner at Sem Palavras. Open until late you will find delicious local Portugese cuisine and fresh seafood at this popular restaurant.

El Bulo Social Club

Lisbon offers an array of unique lodgings so you are sure to find exactly what you’re looking for. Located on the outskirts of the city is the stunning Olissippo Lapa Palace Hotel. The hotel is housed in a former manor which has a pool and spa making it the perfect destination to unwind from a long day of touring. Without contest the Palácio Belmonte in Alfama is our favorite hotel offering in the city. The stunning building feels like a museum and dates back to the 15th century. It is decorated in thousands of azulejos tiles and each corner is more beautiful than the next.

Palácio Belmonte

While there are ample cosmopolitan activities abound there are also some green spaces to relax in around the city. Jardim da Cerca da Graça is perfectly located in the city center but is quiet and green. There is a cute coffee kiosk, playgrounds and an amazing view of São Jorge castle.

Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation cannot be missed for both its exhibitions and beautiful gardens. In addition to travelling exhibitions visitors can explore both the Founder’s Collection and the Modern Collection. The Founder’s Collection consists of works acquired by Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian and is one of the best private art collections in the world with works from antiquity to the early 20th century. You can juxtapose these galleries with the Modern Collection, which has the largest collection of modern and contemporary Portugese art anywhere. In between galleries unwind and enjoy a treat at the museum cafe offering views of the scenic garden.

Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

The best way to toast your long weekend in Lisbon is with drinks at the Sky Bar Tivoli. Located on the top floor of the Hotel Tivoli on Lisbon’s main street Avenida Liberdade there is no better way to conclude your trip than with this view.

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Sky Bar Tivoli

72 Hours in Jerusalem

To most people, Jerusalem is known as a travel destination because of the many holy sites located there. The Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock and other well-known historical sites are the biggest draws however there is also a thriving contemporary art scene in Jerusalem that is too often overlooked. We’ve compiled this 72 hour guide for those looking to explore another side of the holy city. Visit these insider haunts in real life with Oh So Arty guide and founder of Contemporary Art in Jerusalem Jenna Romano on an art tour.

Jenna Romano (right) with artist Sivan Pais in front of her work

The start to any good getaway is finding the right accommodations. If you’re in search of a more modern space check out Jerusalem’s latest boutique hotel Villa Brown. While staying at Villa Brown treat yourself to cocktails at the fashionable underground Cave Bar that was previously a water cistern in the 19th century. Jerusalem is full of chic boutique hotels and one of our current favorites is The American Colony Hotel which is located near the city center. It has a rich history with previous guests including Lawrence of Arabia, Winston Churchill and Bob Dylan. A stone’s throw from the walls of the Old City is the luxurious Mamilla Hotel which boasts an indoor swimming pool, a relaxing spa and a rooftop restaurant with breath-taking views of Jerusalem.

The American Colony Hotel

Nearby the Mamilla hotel is the cosmopolitan Alrov Mamilla Avenue which is lined with shops. This open air street mall has a lot of great retail options that are enjoyed by both tourists and locals. For an authentic shopping experience we also recommend the old city bazaar. The bazaar in the Arab Quarter has a really unique feel and sells objects equally special. Make sure you’re prepared to barter when shopping in these markets! Shatz Street is one of Jenna’s favorite destinations for shopping. It is located close to the city center and has a mix of European and Middle Eastern influence. We recommend visiting on Fridays when there is a outdoor design market and enjoying a coffee at Cafe Bezalel.

While the Old City is a wealth of history worth exploring it is also often congested with tourists. We prefer to explore off the beaten track in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Musrara. This is currently one of Jenna’s favorite neighborhoods in part because of its diverse demographic, she said the, “residents continue to be linchpins to the more diverse cultural dialogue in Jerusalem.” This unique cultural tapestry can be seen in the beautiful architecture of Musrara which still maintains original Arabic tiles, high ceilings and huge courtyards.

Jenna leading an art tour in Jerusalem

Just outside of Nachlaot is the cutting edge non-profit art space Barbur Gallery founded by a group of Bezalel Art School graduates in 2005. If you are travelling to Jerusalem it’s worth checking out the gallery for their monthly exhibition programs and frequent events such as screenings, workshops and lectures.If you’re interested in learning more about the gallery scene make sure to join local tours with Jenna who can provide insider access to studios, artists spaces and more.

A work by Robert Indiana in the sculpture garden at The Israel Museum

You cannot fully experience the artistic side of Jerusalem without a visit to the largest cultural institution in Israel, The Israel Museum which was founded in 1965 and has unparalleled collections of art and archaeology. In addition to historic artifacts like the Dead Sea Scrolls the museum also hosts frequent exhibitions of modern and contemporary art including shows such as Ai Wei Wei and Zoya Cherkassky. One of the museum’s highlights is the stunning sculpture garden designed by famous Japanese sculptor Isamu Noguchi which features the work of international artists like Sol Lewitt, Donald Judd and Pablo Piccaso. After a long day of touring Jenna recommends grabbing some hummus at Hummus Lina and a drink at the chic Zuta Cocktail Bar.

Zuta cocktail bar

In between visiting these arty destinations you can be sure to stay satiated with all the amazing culinary options available to you. The best destination to get a true taste of Jerusalem is the famous Mahane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem’s massive outdoor food market with all the best local fare. Jenna recommends venturing a few steps beyond the beaten path onto HaEshkol Street for the open market and a more authentic experience. She said, “Between HaEshkol St. and Beit Yaakov St., and every corner in between, this small area contains local gems—a variety of delicious street food, gourmet restaurants, dessert options and hip bars.”

Food off the market. Photo by Mushkie Haskelevich

Jenna’s insider tip is to visit Gan HaPaamon (Liberty Bell Park) that is often overlooked by tourists. While you’re enjoying the greenery look for the ten sculptures hidden throughout the park. You will find works by local and international artists such as Henry Moore, Igael Tumarkin, and Israel HaDany.

The best way to conclude your stay in Jerusalem is with an evening at the Jerusalem Artists’ House. It is located in a historic stone building that was formerly the home of the Bezalel Academy for Arts and Design. Since 1965 the Jerusalem Artists’ House has hosted exhibitions of both Israeli and international artists and other activities. Once you’ve had your fill of local and international artwork visit the on-site restaurant, Mona Restaurant. Explore it all with us on an Oh So Arty tour!

The Jerusalem Artist’s House and Mona Restaurant

Finding the balance between tranquility and violence: A studio visit with Lisbon’s Manuel Tainha

*To learn more about Lisbon’s contemporary art scene and to visit Manuel Tainha’s studio, book a tour with our local art insider Kasia.

Article written by art writer and contributor Joy Bernard 

Up-and-coming Portugese artist Manuel Tainha’s studio is nestled in the heart of Portugal’s capital. When the painter greets us at the entrance to the small, sun-dappled room, it is hard to believe that the close quarters tucked away in a typical Lisbonian residential building are the environs where he creates his luminous and colorful oeuvres. 

But for Tainha, who recently returned to his country after a ten-month study period in the German port city of Hamburg, this modest space is just right. The artist, whose main mediums are bleach-manipulated paintings and stitch work, gestures around him at several finished works leaning casually against the walls. “All of this has been made possible,” he explains, “because I have this.” The painter points at an endearing but somewhat infantile figure with outstretched arms reaching toward the sun. “This is my first-ever work that I produced as a child. I could never make something as authentic again,” he exclaims with a laugh. 

The creation, which hangs alongside several brushes and adjacent to a wall that features some of his newest experiments with thread and needle, is a modest reference to his roots. More obvious nods to his Portugese cultural heritage can be found in unconventional crafts such as small, traditional soap bars he has imbued with streaks of blue. Tainha explains that the idea of incorporating the soap in his artworks emerged when he was studying at the HFBK Fine Arts University in Hamburg under the auspices of the esteemed artist Anslem Reyele. “People use it in Portugal to clean their clothes and even shower. I like the idea that if you sell this work and it disintegrates, the collector has the recipe to make more soap,” he reveals. 

No second chances

Another locally-produced and surprising material that is dominant in the artist’s work is bottled bleach. Yes, the same kind that can be found at cleaning supplies stores – except whereas the average person would use it as a disinfectant, Tainha has been using it to create tantalizing canvases. Those display fabrics in vibrant hues that are marked by amorphous, cloudy shapes he forms by tainting them with the bleach. “I use this specific type of bleach that people buy here to clean their floors because of the cultural value I try to convey in my works,” the artist says. 

The substance may be more commonplace in crime scenes than in the art world, but it is exactly this stark quality which drew Tainha to it. “It started for me because I wanted to work with this idea of subtraction of color. I began doing that with sun exposure to better understand the undertones of the industrial colors I was working with, and I turned to bleach in order to accelerate that process,” he recalls. 

The attraction to bleach, the artist admits, stems from its “fatal quality.” After his studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts in the University of Lisbon, he abandoned oil paintings and adopted this material “because once you stain [the work] with it you cannot change it. With oil you have the ability to come back to the same painting and amend it, and I like the idea that you don’t have second chances with your paintings.” 

Tainha says that movement is a significant element that affects his process. As an example, he brings up a memory of his past as a rugby player. Showing us an image hanging by the door of an empty field where he once played, the painter says: “It look like a violent sport but it’s also subtle. The duality between tranquility and violence is something I like to explore. Think about 30 guys playing a violent sport in the middle of this peaceful field. I draw from that in my work, the aspect of movement – the memory of the movement is imprinted in it.”

Another source of inspiration that impacts the artist’s work is light. He credits Lisbon’s natural, soft light for being one of the incentives to go back to working in his homeland, where the local art scene is fast evolving. “Some of my works are really influenced by what my eyes can catch, the light falling on the pastel colors of the buildings of Lisbon. Being here has both an emotional and aesthetic value.” 

Joy Bernard is a senior news editor at Israel’s leading English-language daily Haaretz. Based in Tel Aviv, she writes about politics, arts and culture in the Middle East for various publications.

*To learn more about Lisbon’s contemporary art scene and to visit Manuel Tainha’s studio, book a tour with our local art insider Kasia.

*Cover picture by Fabio Cunha for the Collectors Agenda

*All other pictures by Carl Holck and courtesy of Last Resort Gallery

72 Hours in Venice

The 58th International Venice Biennale opens May eleventh and with it comes a host of cultural events happening throughout Venice. While the Biennale is not to be missed (and can be seen on an Oh So Arty tour) there are lots of other things to do in Venice that are worth checking out. Keep reading for a breakdown of how to spend 72 hours in Venice curated by local Oh So Arty insider Sasha Zagrebèlnaia.

One can find something inspiring in every corner of Venice and the best neighborhood to experience all the city has to offer is the Dorsoduro art district. Dorsoduro is the southern district of Venice, starting from Punta della Dogana running almost until Piazzale Roma. It’s normally less crowded and is considered one of the best Venetian walking areas. For a luxurious experience Sasha recommends staying at the Hotel Belle Arti in the heart of the Dorsoduro district so you can easily walk to some of the best art viewing in the world!

If you’re staying in Dorsoduro you absolutely must visit the famous Punta della Dogana, an art museum that opened in 2009 in one of Venice’s old customs buildings. This impressive space was renovated by Japanese architect Tadao Ando and it presents personal and collective exhibitions formed mostly by the Pinault Collection. Just across the Academia bridge is the Palazzo Grassi another museum owned by the Pinault collection which often co-hosts major exhibitions such as Damien Hirst in 2017.

Sol LeWitt at Punta della Dogana

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is also located in the Dorsoduro arts district. This institution is not only famous for its enviable modern art collection but also because of the outstanding personality of Peggy Guggenheim, who lived in the palazzo Venier dei Leoni. Now the museum presents Peggy’s personal collection, including masterpieces by Picasso, Miro, Magritte, Calder, Kandinsky and many others. While visiting don't miss out on the Schulhof and Nasher Sculpture Garden which features a recently renovated cafe that provides the ideal place for an afternoon coffee or Spritz.

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Venice is essentially a huge museum under the open sky, where you see a real masterpiece at every turn. Renaissance, Baroque and Contemporary Art exist here in the same historical space. The whole city of Venice is imbued with art and masterpieces can be found in museums, churches, cathedrals, modern installations and historical monuments. Sasha has included recommendations of some of her favorite galleries to visit within the city. She suggests Marignana Arte opened in 2013 by Emanuela Fadalti and Matilde Cadenti because they represent the new generations of artists, as well as the well-established ones. In addition Sasha recommends the international gallery Bel-Air Fine Art and the Italian outpost of Parisian gallery, Galleria Alberta Pane.

Libreria Aqua Alta

If you’re looking for a respite from the bustling art scene there are many other cultural offerings in Venice. The Libreria Aqua Alta is a famous bookshop in the city center that presents a great collection of vintage and contemporary books chaotically placed in old gondola boats, antique shelves and even on the floor. After getting your literary fix head to the Fondaco dei Tedeschi for some retail therapy. This brand department store opened in 2013 and is housed in the former headquarters of the German merchants in Venice. While you’re there it’s an absolute must to head up to the rooftop terrace for one of the best views of Venice!

Fondaco dei Tedeschi

A trip to Italy is never complete without indulging in the country’s amazing cuisine. Cichetti are small snacks or side dishes traditional to Venice and Sasha prefers Osteria Al Squero or Cantine del Vino Già Schiavi to get her fix of delicious crostinis, cured meats and more. For a delicious lunch you will find both locals and tourist alike are fans of Trattoria da Fiore. The fresh and local Venetian cuisine is the perfect way to satiate your appetite after long days of walking and visiting museums. For more options you can’t go wrong with either Trattoria San Trovaso or Ristorante Terrazza del Casin dei Nobili. Finally, you can’t visit Italy without treating yourself to some gelato. Sasha’s favorite is Gelateria Da Nico for the famous Gianduiotto ice cream. Complete your trip to Venice by booking a private art tour with Oh So Arty for an insider perspective of the city!

May Art Guide - Venice

May is a very busy month in Venice. Starting from the Art Biennale vernissage week, the most exciting exhibitions of the year pop-up all around the city. The concentration of art events is so high this month, that it’s actually really difficult to choose. Collateral Events of the Biennale, as well as the main exhibitions in Arsenale and Giardini deserve a separate mention. But here are the main exhibitions in the museums, that should’t be missed!

Learn more about Oh So Arty in Venice here!

I.

Exhibition: Luogo e Segni (Place and Signs)

Artists: Etel Adnan, Berenice Abbott, Giovanni Anselmo, Lucas Arruda, Hicham Berrada, Louise Bourgeois, Charbel-joseph H. Boutros, Constantin Brancusi, Nina Canell, Vija Celmins, Tacita Dean, Edith Dekyndt, Liz Deschenes, Trisha Donnelly, Simone Fattal, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Roni Horn, Ann Veronica Janssens, Lee Lozano, Agnes Martin, Julie Mehretu, Ari Benjamin Meyers, Philippe Parreno, Alessandro Piangiamore, R. H. Quaytman, Carol Rama, Lala Rukh, Stéphanie Saadé, Anri Sala, Rudolf Stingel, Sturtevant, Tatiana Trouvé, Wu Tsang, Robert Wilson and Cerith Wyn Evans

Venue: Punta della Dogana

Dates: March, 24th until December, 15th, 2019

The show brings together over one hundred works, by thirty-six artists, that establish a particular relationship with their urban, social, political, historical, and intellectual settings. These works are set up in relation to pieces that have marked the history of exhibitions at Punta della Dogana since its opening in 2009. The works perfectly fit in the big and unusual exhibition space of the museum and keeps the visitor curious till the end of the exhibition.

II.

Exhibition: Jannis Kounellis

Artist: Jannis Kounellis

Venue: Fondazione Prada – Venice

Dates: May, 11th until November, 24th, 2019

'Jannis Kounellis', curated by the legendary Germano Celant, is a major retrospective dedicated to the artist following his death in 2017. This project brings together more 70 works from 1958 to 2016, from both Italian and international museums, as well as from important private collections. The show explores the artistic and exhibition history of Jannis Kounellis, establishing a dialogue between his works and the eighteenth-century spaces of Ca’ Corner della Regina.

III.

Exhibition: Time, Forward!

Artists: Rosa Barba, Aleksandra Domanović, Valentin Fetisov, Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, Daria Irincheeva, Alexandra Sukhareva, Christopher Kulendran Thomas, Adam Linder, Haroon Mirza, Trevor Paglen, Walid Raad, James Richards, Kirill Savchenkov, Where Dogs Run.

Venue: V-A-C Zattere

Dates: May, 11th until October, 20th, 2019

'Time, Forward!', a new project by Omar Kholeif, Maria Kramar and V-A-C Foundation, seeks to question the notion and function of time and how it relates to new forms of consciousness, action and sight in the twenty-first century. With artistic production at its very core, V-A-C Foundation has commissioned 13 new works, some site-specific, by emerging and internationally acclaimed artists for 'Time, Forward!'. The artists all met in Venice in May 2018 to activate a collaborative dialogue intertwining their ideas and they were asked to imagine and suggest strategies to cope with the accelerated digital time.

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