Alicia Fernández art historian and critic, director of Sala Rekalde

Sala Rekalde, with more than 30 years of experience, is a public space for temporary exhibitions that depends on the Provincial Council of Biscay. It is located right in the centre of Bilbao, a few steps from Plaza Moyúa. Very soon, in addition to the one facing Alameda de Rekalde, it will also have a showcase and access to Iparraguirre Street. Strollers along this semi-pedestrianised boulevard between the Guggenheim and Azkuna Zentroa will walk by this new door. It is worth a visit.

S ince 2010 Alicia Fernández has been its director, in charge of programming and content. She is an art historian, and has developed her professional career linked to cultural and artistic management, technical direction and curatorial development of exhibition programmes.

“Our mission is to raise awareness of the different contemporary artistic practices, their models and forms of representation. In addition to facilitating and transmitting knowledge, to build bridges between art and the public, to generate and awaken the interest of as many audiences as possible. All of this through multiple mediation activities, meetings, workshops, conferences, visits, etc. Sala Rekalde aims to be a meeting place in short distances”, explains its director.

“We propose a different and complementary offer to the museums and centres of the territory. It is a window open to the experiences, dynamics and expressions of the most current art and also to the productions of local artists. It offers the possibility of seeing temporary exhibitions by authors of recognised prestige alongside new proposals, full of talent and innovative energy..

Fernández stresses that there is a great pool of local artists: “We see it every day with the youth programme ‘Barriek’, where the creators who have received grants from the Provincial Council of Bizkaia exhibit their work”. Y reconoce que la Sala Rekalde And he acknowledges that the Sala Rekalde “has not been unaffected by the increase in the flow of tourists in recent years; we are always ready to welcome them with open arms and, in addition, we provide tools in different languages”..

“Art is a form of expression to see, understand, imagine and enjoy other visions of the world and of life”

This is one of the maxims of Alicia Fernández. Born in Bilbao, where he was born in 1962. It also has an important critical and theoretical work developed in different media, magazines and specialized publications.

Since 2010 she has been the director of the Sala Rekalde in Bilbao, organizing its temporary exhibitions and promoting an important educational programme, aimed at learning about and disseminating contemporary art.

WALKS, MUSEUMS, EXHIBITIONS AND BARS

Alicia Fernández says that Bizkaia has a “surprising landscape”. She likes to walk along “the banks of the Nervión estuary in Bilbao and Urdaibai”.

She recommends “the incredible experience of visiting the Ferrería del Pobal ironworks in Muskiz, the Fábrica de Boinas La Encartada museum in Balmaseda, or Atzasti Etxea in Dima”.

Among his must-see exhibitions for this season are “Sergio Prego’s exhibition at the Fine Arts Museum and ‘Seurat/Serra. Drawings’ at the Guggenheim”.

He can be found at “Taberna Basarasor Gure Toki in the Casco Viejo, or, closer to the Sala, at the Residence”.

SALA REKALDE

IS LOCATED IN THE CENTRE OF THE TRIANGLE FORMED BY THE GUGGENHEIM, THE FINE ARTS MUSEUM AND AZKUNA ZENTROA

The Sala Rekalde is embarking on a period of renovation of its facilities. A new door has been opened on Calle Iparraguirre to facilitate public access. This door allows access to the Guggenheim, the Fine Arts Museum and Azkuna Zentroa. “We are right in the middle of these companion structures”. After the works, the Sala Rekalde will host the exhibition of photographs by Eduardo Sourrouille and then the universe and singular vision of Juan Carlos Eguillor, two geniuses very much of Bilbao”, explains Alicia Fernández.

“It is also very important to value the proximity of the ‘BilbaoArte’ centre and the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of the Basque Country, as focal points of experimentation and production at full capacity”, she adds.