Contemporary Scene — Spain Today
Spain's cultural scene is far more than Gaudí, Flamenco, and bullfighting. The country has one of the most vibrant contemporary art and cultural scenes in Europe.
Museums & Architecture
- Museo Guggenheim Bilbao (Frank Gehry, 1997) — the titanium building that transformed an industrial city into a cultural metropolis. The "Bilbao Effect" became a model for urban development worldwide
- Museo Reina Sofía (Madrid) — Spain's museum for modern and contemporary art. Besides Guernica: Dalí, Miró, Tàpies, Chillida, and a growing international collection
- MACBA (Barcelona) — Museum of Contemporary Art in the Raval district, with a lively skater scene in front
- CaixaForum (Madrid and Barcelona) — excellent temporary exhibitions in spectacular buildings (Madrid: vertical garden by Patrick Blanc)
- Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (Valencia) — Santiago Calatrava's futuristic city of arts is one of the most photographed building ensembles in Europe
Film
Pedro Almodóvar is the most famous Spanish director of the present — his films (Todo sobre mi madre, Volver, Dolor y gloria) are both popular and artistically brilliant. The younger generation (Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Carla Simón, J.A. Bayona) is celebrated internationally. The Festival de San Sebastián (September) is one of the most important film festivals in Europe alongside Cannes and Venice.
Music
Beyond Flamenco, Spain's music scene is diverse:
- Rosalía: The Catalan artist blends Flamenco with electronics and Reggaeton — a global star, Grammy winner, the most important Spanish musician of the present
- Indie Scene: Madrid (Malasaña district) and Barcelona (Poble Sec, Gràcia) have thriving indie rock and electronic scenes. The Primavera Sound Festival (Barcelona, June) is one of the best music festivals in Europe
- Sónar Festival (Barcelona, June) — the reference festival for electronic and experimental music worldwide
Literature
Spanish contemporary literature is more vibrant than ever. Javier Marías (†2022), Arturo Pérez-Reverte, Almudena Grandes (†2021), and Fernando Aramburu (whose "Patria" about the Basque conflict became an international bestseller) are among the European elite. Literary tourism is booming: Don Quixote Route through La Mancha, García Lorca sites in Granada, Zafón's "Cemetery of Forgotten Books" in Barcelona.