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| The Chile Information Project |
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Bellas Artes Bellas Artes is the pinnacle of culture, art, happenings and fun, interesting things to do in Santiago. Full of cafés, galleries, museums and an eclectic blend of stores, this neighborhood could easily be made into its own one-day excursion. Accessible from Baquedano both by foot and by train, the walk through Parque Forestal is highly recommended (remember-it's a walking tour!). Parque Forestal, which begins at Baquedano and stretches all the way to the Mercado Central, is home to the Museo Nacional Bellas Artes and the M.A.C. Brimming with sculptures, fountains, hand-carved bridges and an international array of trees, Parque Forestal is its own outdoor museum. It's rare to find a neighborhood so aptly named for its content, but Bellas Artes (Beautiful Arts) has been blessed with just such a name. As with the rest of Chile, come to Bellas Artes with an open mind and a willingness to explore, and leave feeling impressed, inspired and ready for more. 5 Cool Stops in Barrio Bellas Artes MAVI (Visual Arts Museum) Because you'll be on foot, the MAVI is the next logical step after Bellavista / Baquedano. Tucked neatly into the Plaza Mulato Gil de Castro, just off of Merced, the MAVI is Santiago's premiere modern art gallery. Composed of six different galleries and 1200 square meters of space all visible from any point in the museum, the experience is enveloping. The museum does possess an extensive permanent collection of Chilean artists, though the galleries tend to be filled with rotating exhibitions of foreign work. From Spain to Uruguay, lithograph to wood carvings, the breadth and scope of the exhibitions is rivaled perhaps only by Bellas Artes. However, with white walls and a simple glass and white concrete architecture, the art remains the center of focus. Attached to the MAVI is the Santiago Archeological Museum which houses more than three thousand artifacts covering a wide array of various Chilean tribes. A nice juxtaposition to the wild, colorful art contained in the MAVI, the pieces include stonework, textiles and jewelry. Even better is the two-for-one admission to both museums. Aside from the two museums, the Plaza Mulato Gil de Castro is also home to three cafés, a cute-but-pricey French bistro, and a Lapislazuli retailer. Just across the cobblestone path is Aji, a hand-made, modern fashion boutique for women. On weekdays and Saturdays, the path opens up to a used book / antique market, gewgaws and small antiques. Its own little getaway tucked neatly into a corner of the Bellas Artes neighborhood, the Plaza Mulato Gil de Castro is an art-lover's delight. Plaza Mulato Gil de Castro is most easily accessed at the junction of Merced and Monjitas, just off of Parque Forestal. MAVI's address is Jose Victorino Lastarria 307. Both museums are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Admission is $1000 CLP for adults, $500 CLP for students, and free to the public on Sundays, though donations are encouraged. They can be contacted by phone at 2-664-9337 or by email at info@mavi.cl. Their website is www.mavi.cl. stuART Gallery As the newest addition to the Plaza Mulato family, the stuART gallery is the perfect compliment its surroundings. What the MAVI does for established, modern artists, the stuART Gallery does for students and rising talents. A raw, single-room space, it conveys all the elegance and simplicity of the MAVI in a much more intimate setting. Because the gallery has been open for such a short time, there hasn't been a great deal of press. The art is culturally aware, contemporary and full of life. There is currently a handful of ten or so artists displaying their work on a rotating schedule, though the repertoire is sure to grow. So after poring over the masters and the ancient artifacts just next door, stop at the stuART Gallery for the finishing touches to a perfect day of art. stuART is located in Plaza Mulato Gil de Castro, just next to the MAVI. Its address is Jose Victorino Lastarria 305. Hours are Monday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Admission is free. They can be contacted by phone at 2-664-0876 or by email at info@stuart.cl. Their website is www.stuart.cl. Remember...5 Tips to Viewing Art in Santiago, Chile Sala Metro Bellas Artes Perhaps it will be raining the day you tour Santiago. Rather than walking, you'll be taking the train from Baquedano to Bellas Artes. Just as well-the art will follow you. From the two permanent sculptures to the open-air gallery that overlooks the trains, the Bellas Artes Metro begins the adventure. Unfortunately, the work hasn't changed much since November, 2005. Perhaps a lack of artists, perhaps a lack of interest-who knows? Regardless, the space is still interesting. Essentially a long walkway that overlooks the trains and ends in a large vestibule, the gallery is an amalgam of sights and sounds. The photos tethered to the wall sway in the breeze of an incoming train. The sounds of ticket sellers on loud-speakers make the place seem almost interactive. And though the gallery isn't beautiful like, say, the MAVI or Telefónica, it has a distinct urban feel all its own. Exhibits have ranged from installation paintings that could be walked on to the current photo exhibit that might just become permanent. Again, the work is local but the variety, when it changes, is outstanding. The slow turnaround might even mean there's an opportunity for a young artist settling down abroad to go and put up a show-got anything to put up? Like Baquedano and Quinta Normal, the Bellas Artes Metro is open from 6a.m. to 10:30p.m., Monday through Sunday. As always, admission to the Metro galleries is free-unless you'll be traveling somewhere afterwards. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes A work of art itself, Bellas Artes National Museum is modeled after the Petit Palais in Paris. The building has actually been divided into two separate museums, Bellas Artes and the M.A.C., though the former half sits directly on Jose Miguel de la Barra. It is the centerpiece of Parque Forestal. Outside, find ornate architecture of glass domes and metalwork gates. Inside, a breathtaking foyer that opens into the museums separate wings. The second floor of the museum is currently dedicated almost exclusively to Chilean art, both modern and classic. However, for large exhibits like Warhol, the right wing opens up and the modern art is tucked away. In between the two Chilean wings are five other galleries, both up- and downstairs, dedicated to showcasing myriad traveling exhibits / installations from Rodin to Rosemarie Trackel. If Bellas Artes has a drawback, it would be its tendency towards hit or miss periods. When the work is good, it's outstanding, and the museum is full of tried and true artists. When the collections are bad, the palatial wings go limp under the weight of lost potential. In these times the main hall becomes home to various collegiate projects and the museum lacks its normal star quality. Even during off periods, there's still the cute vegetarian café located on the first floor. Sunday is the day that Santiago comes out of hiding to look at art. The major exhibits are packed and children touch paintings and sculptures as though they were home in their playroom. The best times to go are earlier in the morning while everyone is still recovering from partying the night before or in the evening just before closing time. Either way, plan to do a little nudging to get a look at the work. Guided tours are also available and can be arranged at 2-638-4060. Bellas Artes is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. Admission is $600 CLP for general public and $300 CLP for students and senior citizens. Sundays are free. They can be contacted by phone at 2-633-4472 or by email at difusion@mnba.cl. Their website is www.mnba.cl. M.A.C. (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo) The western half of Bellas Artes, the M.A.C. is the contemporary compliment. Constructed in much the same way as Bellas Artes with vaulted, domed ceilings, inlayed walls and enormous gallery spaces, the M.A.C. has a much cleaner, crisper feeling to it-just like a contemporary art museum. The building itself is three floors accessible by elevator and stairs. Each room flows smoothly into the next and the shows tend toward cohesiveness. It's hard to say whether one half of the Bellas Artes complex is better than the other-they're just different. What shines in the M.A.C. is its simplicity of style. The art remains the center of focus. The walls are painted subtle colors and the light from each gallery invites onlookers to come and see. And though the inner lobby is easily 100 feet high, the museum still has a small, intimate feeling about it. As for the art-it's mostly Chilean. The nice thing about many of the art spaces in Santiago is that they give local artists a chance to shine. This can make the exhibitions repetitive at times. Fortunately, the M.A.C. is anything but run of the mill. Innovation, visions of grandeur and blatant creativity are the name of the game. The work takes risks and is generally solid. Not simply contemporary, the M.A.C. is to Bellas Artes what a good piece of pie is to a fantastic meal. The M.A.C. is located in Parque Forestal, directly behind Bellas Artes. Access is available from Mosqueto. Hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $600 CLP for general public, $400 CLP for students and senior citizens, and is charged every day including Sundays. Guided tours are available by calling 2-977-1751. They can be contacted by phone at 2-977-1741 or by email at mac@uchile.cl. Their website is www.mac.uchile.cl Cerro Santa Lucía Historic hilltop fortress monument once used to defend Santiago from invaders. Romantic getaway in the middle of the city. An urban hike that will have even veteran trekkers' calves screaming by the end. Cerro Santa Lucía is all this and more. Right around the corner from the Bellas Artes Metro, Santa Lucía is a more accessible, more textured and easier to climb version of San Cristobal. The main entrance and its magnificent stairway / fountain "foyer" are located on Alameda at the Santa Lucía Metro stop. Bellas Artes offers a smaller, subtler entrance ensconced by trees and old brick walls, though the climb is a bit steeper. Either way you enter, the park is a delight. A maze of hidden, rock formation stairways, a chapel, innumerable plants and trees, a cannon that sounds everyday at the stroke of noon and a view of Santiago that is nearly unrivaled, Santa Lucía is truly a little getaway. Lovers, readers, parents and friends alike come to enjoy the grassy slopes and hidden alcoves. Mountain bikers climb the hills and pathways that lead to the top. History lovers stand right in the middle of their studies. Architects look at how it all used to be. Simply put, Santa Lucía is a living, breathing work of art. Cerro Santa Lucía is open from sunrise to sunset and can be accessed via the Santa Lucía Metro stop or via Jose Miguel de la Barra at the Bellas Artes Metro stop. Admission is free, though park monitors ask visitors to sign a registrar. Snack stops are scattered around the hill and binoculars are available for $100 pesos. Art in Baquedano and Plaza Italia Plaza de Armas: Museums and Art Museums and Art in Quinta Normal The Green Mile Begins Here |
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