vidagranadablog

It’s been more than 20 years since I graduated from college with a minor in Art History. I had promised my mother I would take one Art History course, and I somehow ended up in Elena Ciletti’s class–where works of art came to life, evoked a spirit all their own, and took me on a glorious journey through time. Since graduation, I have been on something of a quest to see many of these works I studied, and I feel quite fortunate to have made it to the Louvre, National Gallery, Uffizi, Prado, Musee de Orsay, and many other wonderful museums.

But Granada is different than other cities I have experienced when it comes to art. South of El Greco’s Toledo and the Madrid of Velázquez, Granada sits north of Picasso’s Malaga. And it does not have a major art museum. Fortunately, for us, the city of Granada is a canvas in and of itself. It boasts a variety of street art that unveils itself unsuspectingly around every corner. Home to the extraordinary street artist El Niño de las Pinturas, Granada sings and dances playfully, soulfully in the shadow of his magical work. The art feels like a response to the city itself–children playing, musicians, the elderly, landscapes, dreams! These paintings line the walls of this ancient city, and it’s clear that Granada wouldn’t be the same without these compelling images that bring the street to life.