Kyungwoo Chun at the DNA gallery on Auguststrasse. Photo: Garzon

By Susan Buzzelli–

You can’t trip in Berlin without running into an art gallery stocked with eye-catching works. Every kind of “Kunstler” from established masters to “outsider” (untrained, un-establishment) artists are represented in the spaces littering the city. Most spots in town, however, display drawings, paintings, sculptures, video installations, and conceptual pieces by up-and-comers or neophytes fresh out of the world’s art schools.

While a handful of the more established galleries (for example C/O Berlin, Sammlung Boros, and Sammlung Hoffmann) charge admission for the privilege of perusing their high-profile exhibitions, the vast majority of galleries are free to visit. As can be expected, some prestigious spots are as pretentious as they come, but most are casual affairs that you can pop in and out of on a whim, without fretting about your wardrobe or your cheapo bank account.

Touring the galleries of Mitte

Most (but certainly not all) of the city’s art galleries—from the upscale to the funky–roost in the central district of Mitte. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, gallery-owners based in Charlottenburg, the tony district in the western part of town that once dominated the city’s art scene, decamped to the “newer,” edgier side of the city to take advantage of its avant garde spaces, low rents, and international buzz factor.

Start a tour of the district’s gallery scene at the eastern end of Auguststrasse. Since many of the galleries lined up on this quiet street are window-lined, you can check out the artwork on display inside as you stroll past. At the western end of August Strasse, you’ll hit heavily-touristed Oranienburger Strasse, where the famous squatters/art commune (which has occupied a bombed-out department store since the fall of the wall) hovers above the corner of Chausse Strasse. You can explore the graffitied warren of studios and exhibition rooms comprising Kunsthaus Tacheles for free.

To catch a few more galleries, head back east along Linienstrasse, an elegant, café- and boutique-lined street that runs parallel to Auguststrasse. Be sure to admire the costumes on display in Wunderkind Vintage, a gorgeous space on the corner of Tucholskystrasse that is best described as a “gallery to fashion.” Turn right onto Tucholsky, where you’ll find a few more galleries. At Oranienburger Strasse, you can hop on a tram to Rosenthaler Platz.

From this bustling square, head east along gritty Torstrasse for a couple of blocks to check out the handful of innovative galleries and designer boutiques nestled on the southern side of the street. Double back to Rosenthaler Platz and walk north on Brunnenstrasse. (If you need a coffee break first, stop at one of the cafes on Weinbergsweg.) On the stretch of the wide street between Invalidenstrasse and Bernauer Strasse, you’ll find a smattering of youthful and unpretentious galleries. End your tour at the Bernauer Strasse U-bahn station.

Look for openings

As you explore the gallery scene, look out for fliers advertising upcoming openings. Catching a “vernissage” means the opportunity to mix and mingle with Berlin’s multicultural art scenesters, as well as score a free beer or wine.

For a more complete overview of the city’s gallery-filled hoods, download a copy of Kunstmagazin Berlin and check out their map and corresponding list of galleries.

Popularity: 5% [?]

MAMAC's architecture looms over Nice; photo by abragad

Nice is a happening summer destination, but all that beach time can get hot, hot, hot! When you need a break from the heat, step on into the Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain (Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art) for a cool respite full of beautiful, mind expanding art—and all for free!

What’s on?

The Musée switches up its offerings annually giving each group of artists it showcases a good, long run. Current exhibits include a retrospective of the work of Robert Longo, and the paintings of Djamel Tatah. Past exhibitions have featured artists like Michel Gérard and Denis Castellas. Be sure to check out the museum’s spectacular structure too, a dream-come-true for architects Yves Bayard and Henri Vidal. For more information, visit the museum’s web site (exhibit info only in French).

If you go-

The Musée is located in central Nice on the Promenade des Arts, near the Garibaldi tram stop. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM (closed Mondays) except on holidays. Entrance into the museum and gallery is free of charge. Guided tours are €5, €2.50 reduced and occur daily at 3 PM.

Popularity: 8% [?]

A temporary exhibit at Centquatre. Photos by Liz Webber.

By Liz Webber in Paris—

Wandering through Paris‘ many museums, it’s easy to see how the city was once a place to which artists flocked from all over the world in order to practice their crafts.

But wait, it still is! And the new art being created isn’t hidden away behind closed doors. The Centquatre center in the 20th Arrondissement offers visitors a chance to mingle with artists of today as they watch new masterpieces take shape.

From dealing with death to the birth of new art

Centquatre or “104,” so named because of its address at 104 Rue d’Aubervilliers, was constructed by the Church in 1873, but the Municipal Funeral Service took over the building in 1905 as a sort of giant funeral home for all of Paris. In 1993 the burial process was decentralized, and the building eventually closed in 1997.

Work began on transforming the site into a space for artists nearly a decade later. Centquatre opened to the public in October 2008. This year (2009), almost 200 artists from around the world will have the opportunity to take up temporary residence in one of the center’s 18 studios.

Discovering the artists at work

Vergara's murals

Although visitors cannot wander through the work spaces as they please, the artists’ often throw open their doors to show off their latest works or even let the public participate in the creative process.

Just last week (May 2009), visitors mingled in the main hall of the Centquatre under murals created by the Peruvian artist Juan Diego Vergara. A few doors down, actors held an open rehearsal for the plays “Phèdre” and “Hippolyte,” to be performed in October 2009.

Events vary by the day, so check the agenda online to find out what’s going on during your visit. Pay special attention to those marked with a “G” for “gratuit” (free). Most studio openings take place late in the afternoon, and there tend to be more events on Fridays and weekends.

Show me more Centquatre!

Centquatre also offers three tours each week for a very-manageable 5 €. A general tour takes place on Sundays at 3 PM, the history and architecture tour is Saturdays at 4 PM, and tours conducted by neighborhood residents take place Sundays at 4 PM.

The center is a bit off the beaten path but easily reachable by metro line 7 (station Riquet). Centquatre is open every day, except Monday, from 11 AM to 9 PM; it closes at 11 PM on Friday and Saturday.

About the author: Liz Webber is a freelance journalist living and working in Paris. She has previously worked for the International Herald Tribune and Budget Travel.

Popularity: 6% [?]

The Petit Palais, a free museum. Photos by Liz Webber.

By Liz Webber in Paris—

Paris really went all-out for the 1900 Exposition Universelle, constructing several buildings which are now considered Paris landmarks, including the Musée d’Orsay, the Gare de Lyon, and the Grand Palais. Another such project was the Petit Palais, a light-filled, “Beaux-Arts” structure overlooking the Champs-Elysées.

Nowadays the building houses the City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts (with free admission!) and an intriguing mix of temporary exhibits that won’t break the bank.

A Palace of Fine Arts

The soaring structure with its vast, columned entryway was designed by architect Charles Girault, who also directed work on the Grand Palais across the way. Huge windows bathe every room in natural light, even on the lower levels.

The Petit Palais was inaugurated in 1900 and opened to the public as a museum in 1902. A renovation project closed the museum from 2001-2005, but the building reopened with a restored sense of the original architecture and larger spaces for exhibitions.

"The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins" by Blake

Crazy poet conquers the Palais

Currently (May 2009), an exhibit well worth checking out is “William Blake, the Genius Visionary of English Romanticism,” a collection of the poet’s art and engravings. Let’s stop and think about that one for a second – a tribute to Blake in Paris, focusing on his work as an artist and engraver. Who knew the French would be interested in such a thing?

Still, Parisians have been coming out in droves to see the haunting, bizarre and sometimes disturbing works of Blake. The images center on themes like the Bible and Dante’s Divine Comedy, with a healthy dose of Blake’s “visions” and dreams thrown in. None of the art sold very well during his lifetime, and Blake relied on wealthy friends and patrons to continue painting and engraving.

The expo runs through June 28, 2009. Admission is €8.

From Greek mountains to the streets of Paris

Another current exhibit is “Mount Athos and the Byzantine Empire,” which brings Orthodox art from northern Greece outside of its native land for the first time. The monastic communities of Mount Athos, where no woman has ever stepped foot, have been collecting religious treasures for more than 1,000 years.

The exhibition ends July 3, 2009. Tickets for this expo are €9, or go for the two-is-better-than-one deal of Mount Athos and William Blake for €13. To avoid waiting in line (entrance to all sections of the museum is through one long, snaking line), reserve tickets online at least two days in advance for the Mount Athos exhibit.

In late 2009 the Petit Palais will host “Fernand Pelez, la parade des humbles.” This artist drew inspiration from the ordinary people he encountered in late 19th-century Paris, from women and children to clowns and young Opera dancers. The expo is planned to run Sept. 24, 2009 to Jan. 17, 2010.

Did somebody say “free”?

The Petit Palais garden

To still enjoy the rich history and architecture of the Petit Palais and save some money for a café and pâtisserie afterward, stop by for the free permanent collection. The visit won’t take nearly as long as a trip to the Louvre, and the art and artifacts encompass pretty much the same period (from antiquity to the early 20th century).

While the artwork isn’t necessarily well-known, you’ll certainly be familiar with the artists on display, including Delacroix, Rembrandt, Cézanne, and Monet (although let’s be honest, what Paris museum doesn’t have a Monet?).

Unfortunately the Greek and Roman section is not particularly noteworthy, but the Medieval Christian art is worth a look. Also be sure to step out to the garden in the center.

The Petit Palais is open every day from 10 AM to 6 PM, except Mondays and holiday. Temporary exhibits stay open until 8 PM on Thursdays.

About the author: Liz Webber is a freelance journalist living and working in Paris. She has previously worked for the International Herald Tribune and Budget Travel.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Paris' Hotel de Ville. Photo by Liz Webber.

By Liz Webber in Paris—

When you’re vacationing, a trip to city hall probably isn’t high on your list of things to do (unless you were visiting San Francisco circa 2004). But this is Paris, and city hall is the magnificent Hôtel de Ville. Moreover, it’s a place where you’ll find fascinating exhibitions on French culture – all of them free.

Learn more about the French for free

For a country so content on keeping its culture, language, and food “pure,” exhibits at the Hôtel de Ville do sometimes stretch the notion of French culture. Last summer saw a tribute to Grace Kelly, princess of Monaco, while another previous expo showcased a day in the life of a rugby player and spectator (rugby is a surprisingly popular sport in France).

One current exhibit is devoted to Le Petit Nicolas, a beloved character from French children’s comics for the past 50 years. Pages from Nicolas stories are hung up on the walls, along with commentary from writer René Goscinny and illustrator Jean-Jacques Sempé. Though the scenes are all in French, it is the French of a child and easily understood.

Children visiting the “Petit Nicolas” expo are given an activity book and a pencil so they can draw their own pictures of Nicolas. Even if you know nothing about Le Petit Nicolas, you’re bound to enjoy this lighthearted look at life through a child’s eyes. This exhibit is on now until May 7, 2009; opening hours are 10 AM to 7 PM every day except Sundays and holidays.

Memories from Overseas and The Magician of Iron

Because one expo wasn’t enough, two more opened April 1, 2009 under the title “Memoire d’outre-mer” (outre-mer refers to French territories overseas). One is a series of photographs, documents and personal belongings related to the nearly 70,000 people from Antilles who migrated to French cities in the 1960s-1980s. The other consists of a massive wall with a list of the names of slaves liberated from French colonies in 1848.

Both can be viewed through April 25, from 10 AM to 7 PM. The exhibit is closed April 6-7, April 13 and on Sundays.

Next up is “Gustave Eiffel le magicien du fer”, a tribute to the architect of Paris’s best-known landmark, the Eiffel Tower, currently celebrating its 120th anniversary. The exhibit will run from May 7 to August 31, 2009.

Consolation prize

With the Hôtel de Ville’s central location near Châtelet and the Georges Pompidou Center, there’s no excuse for not visiting. You could easily make it part of a day to Notre Dame or the Marais.

And if you can’t make it to Paris, check out this virtual tour of the Hôtel de Ville.

About the author: Liz Webber is a freelance journalist living and working in Paris. She has previously worked for the International Herald Tribune and Budget Travel.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Painting by Miklos Barabas reproduced courtesy of Kogart House

“The Face of Art” at Kogart House is the latest exhibition to open to spectacular reviews in Budapest.

Kogart House is situated on Andrássy Street, in a building renovated with the help of private funding from banker Gábor Kovács. Kovács acquired the building in 2003 with the express goal of bringing contemporary art to the masses.

“The Face of Art” showcases the evolution over the past two centuries of portraits and self-portraits by Hungarian artists. The museum’s top three floors are dedicated to constantly changing temporary art shows. The stately portrait of Hungarian music composer Liszt Ferenc by Miklós Barabás (see above) alone makes a visit to Kogart House worthwhile. With open terraces and spacious, well-lighted spaces, the museum is also aesthetically very pleasing.

And for those with tired museum feet, the bottom floor of the Kogart House has been turned into a cozy restaurant where coffee and cake is served until closing.

Kogart House is located at Andrássy Street 112. It is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. every day. Admission runs HUF1200 (€4.90; $6.50) for adults and HUF600 (€2.45; $3.25) for students and seniors.

Popularity: 6% [?]