Metàfora within the Barcelona art context
Metàfora is strongly connected to Barcelona’s art scene. For us it is important that students understand that making art today is about active participation, collaborative work and community. Every week, we encourage our students to go to exhibition openings and art events around the city.
The student experience at Metàfora differs from that gained in big universities with hundreds of students. Our size and independent status allows for a personal and intimate teaching practice and interpersonal connection between students and their tutors, teachers and the office staff. Every student counts and is catered for in an individual manner. We strongly believe that this personal approach enriches our students’ journey towards the professionalization of their art practice.
Nobody can thrive in a vacuum. This is especially so in the case of professional artists. It important that Metàfora’s art students feel welcome and at home in this art world which they – by definition – form part of.
During our weekly Assembly sessions we inform students about ongoing or upcoming openings. Students also recommend art exhibitions to each other and share invitations, all this with the intention of getting insider information about the Barcelona art scene.
With the help of our local gallerist, artists, curators and cultural manager friends, we help our students understand the different components of the contemporary art scene and how to access it.
Student Exhibitions and Visiting Curator
Every semester the students of Metàfora’s Studio Arts Program have the possibility of participating in open calls for group exhibitions in galleries around the city.
These exhibitions are a great opportunity to showcase artwork in events which attract hundreds of visitors. Our advanced and intermediate art students also get the opportunity to participate in large art events including LOOP, the Barcelona Video Art Festival.
At Metàfora, we consider this kind of experience essential for the training of any young artist and we expect everyone to take active part in the preparation of the exhibition: from preparing the press release and promoting the event on social media, to hanging the show and writing artist statements.
At the end of the year there is a big Open Studio exhibitions at Metàfora. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase their latest and work to the local art community, and family and friends.
For the occasion, Metàfora invites a Visiting Curator who meets periodically with all students during the last three months of the course leading up to the Open Studios exhibition. Eventually the Visiting Curator will design and promote the show.
Whenever the dates allow it, Metàfora’s Open Studio exhibition will be included in Art Nou, an art festival dedicated to presenting the artwork of young artists. The festival takes place between July and September and is organized by the Association of Galleries of Barcelona who amongst other things, also organize the Barcelona Gallery Weekend.
Collaboration with MACBA
Metàfora has recently signed a collaboration act with MACBA, Barcelona’s acclaimed Contemporary Art Museum.
As a consequence of this collaboration all art students staying on the Studio Arts Program for a year are entitled to a “friends of MACBA” card with unlimited access to the museum and its events for an entire year, free of charge.
The fact that MACBA has opened its doors to Metàfora’s art students, has given us a great chance to broaden our horizon and dive into an large collection of Catalan and international art from the 1970’s to the present day.
Metàfora incorporates several activities in the Studio Arts Program which take place within the museum itself. Our class named “Make MACBA yours” aims to let our students get to know the collection and the archive. The main mission is that our students feel at home at the museum, intimate with its scheduled activities and welcome at all times.
As a special privilege, the public presentation of the thesinas by Metàfora’s 3rd year students is celebrated in the beautiful auditorium of the museum, a great event to decorate any artist’s CV.
Art trip to Madrid
Every year at the end of February, Metàfora organizes a 3-day trip to Madrid to attend ARCO, one of Europe’s largest international art fairs, with the participation of more than 200 prestigious galleries.
As a spin-off of ARCO, during this time of the year Madrid is brimming with art events, including an Open Studios festival, many upcoming alternative art fairs, gallery festivals and art parties. We make the most our of our brief visit, enjoying our art-marathon to the full.
Metàfora organizes events especially tailored for the art students. These are designed and led by the accompanying in-house tutors, who have lots of friends and colleagues in the artistic fabric of the Madrid art scene.
Whilst in Madrid, we also encourage our students to also visit important permanent exhibitions and institutions during their free time. We strongly recommend all artists visit the Museo Reina Sofia to see Picasso’s famous “Guernica”, among others, or Museo del Prado to experience Velazquez’ “Las Meninas” and Goya’s and El Greco’s fascinating artwork.
This trip is no doubt one of the highlights of the year, and usually coincides with Block 4. In addition to all the art, this short trip is also a great occasion for students to better get to know each other and enjoy social activities as well as cultural events.
The trip to Madrid is organized as a low budget trip and is included in the fees the first year for students taking the Academic or Calendar year. A small fee applies for all other students and friends who would like to join.
On video: Scenes from the Barcelona Gallery Weekend
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