The art historian and curator charts her hometown’s evolution
Photo: ©Neige Thébault
I grew up in Bilbao and studied history here at the University of Deusto. I moved to London to work for a political think tank in 2000, just as Bilbao was starting to transform from a small Basque city into an international art destination. This comprehensive overhaul didn’t happen overnight; Bilbao really flourished with the opening of the Guggenheim in 1997, famously designed by Frank Gehry. The result is what’s known as the “Bilbao effect”, where a single building brings new economic and cultural life to a place.
After receiving my MA in art history from the Courtauld Institute in 2005, I stayed in London to work at the V&A before returning to the Basque country to help launch the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa. From there I went to Paris for seven years, where I was director of the Palais Galliera, the city’s museum of fashion history. I never imagined I’d be considered for the role of director of the Guggenheim; it’s beyond a museum. Moving back here after so long away, I’ve been struck by the city’s vibrancy and beauty: nature is always present, with the mountains and the sea fused together. …
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For design, Mosel has been a source of furniture and decorative objects since the ’60s, while Los Encajeros sells beautiful handmade linens. And Librería Astarloa is a place where I go to buy or just get inspiration from their impeccable antique and second-hand books. Over the years I have bought everything from rare art books to fashion sketches, 18th-century engravings and works by contemporary Basque artists.
