Gabions Galore
Bookending (a favourite verb) the day with the upper echelons of international society (“global elite” is now too tarred a term) on The Rooftop of The Artist Grand Hotel of Art is one way to upgrade an otherwise meagre existence. It’s impossible to escape art in Bilbao so one might as well sit in it and on it. Or possibly even be it. Plus The Rooftop has the best view of the glittering titanium carapace (a favourite noun) of the Guggenheim Museum. Artist Javier Mariscal is the force behind the concept, the name behind it all. His 26 metre high sculpture Fossil Cypress, a gabion needle of 86,432 river stones, pierces the void of the full height atrium. A stepped flow of water at the base of the sculpture is a reminder of the origin of the found objects.
Sunrise: Desayuno Breakfast is all about topping up on conalbumin. Sunset: Huevos Fritos con Caviar keeps it local. El Bulli trained Executive Chef Abel Corral creates art on a plate (a cliché that rings true in this instance). The Rooftop reinforces the art of living as an achievable reality. Vacation as installation.
