The Drap-Art’11 festival focuses on the possibilities of creative recycling: group exhibitions of art and designer objects made from recyclable materials, interventions in public space, participative workshops -with children, -instrument making (Let’s recycle, Let’s sing!), -objects (making flowers from coffee capsules) -performances, and several round table discussions (- The infinite possibilities of recycling. – The culture of squandering in times of crisis).
 
Drap-Art’11 brings together over 150 artists, musicians, workshop facilitators, designers, speakers and filmmakers.

Drap-Art’11. International Recycling Art Festival of Catalonia will be held at the CCCB, plaça Joan Coromines, Pati de les Dones and plaça dels Àngles from Friday the 16th to Friday the 30th of December 2011. Activities will concentrated from the 16th to the 18th in the CCCB and from the 21st to the 30th in the FAD.

 
Drap-Art ’11
www.cccb.org
http://www.drapart.org/

You don’t have to be an expert to enjoy fine wine. Anyone can understand the joy of uncorking a new bottle handpicked by someone dear to you – and the assistance of an expert sommelier always helps, too. With an astounding reputation as one of the top five wine cellars in the world, Monvínic houses a dizzying selection of over 3,000 hand-selected bottles.

Their raison d’être, as they mention on their website, is to reflect the incredible diversity of the five wine-producing continents by sourcing and carefully storing wines. Their bodega is complimented by a library, conference centre and culinary space all designed to maximize the experience of hand-picking your perfect bottle. A delectable gift for any adult with more than a fleeting interest in gourmet indulgence.

Open: from Monday to Friday from 13.00 to 23.00.
The kitchen is open from 13.30 to 15.30 and from 20.30 to 22.30.
Saturday and Sunday closed.
 
Monvínic
Diputación 249
Tel.: +34 932726187
www.monvinic.com

One of the freshest designers to grace Barcelona in several years, Mariam Ponsa is well-known for her classic approach to modern fashion, using traditional techniques and dyeing methods to create luxurious and unique pieces with an edge. Her chunky knitwear and cosy scarves are the perfect understated gifts for even the hardest to please.

Mariam Ponsa
C/Princesa 14 and C/Elisabets 20
Tel.: +34 932955562
www.miriamponsa.com

Tucked away in the Gotico area, Formatgeria La Seu is a small cheese shop dedicated to bringing us only the finest and most sought-after cheeses from the farthest reaches of Spain, each one hand-selected by the owner (Scottish born Katherine McLaughlin). All products are sourced from small farmers who are dedicated to using sustainable production methods. We recommend a delectably creamy queso from the Catalan Pyrenees called Tupí, which comes lovingly packaged in La Formatgería’s own recyclable box. But if you can’t decide, there are always the in-house cheese tastings…

Formatgeria La Seu
Carrer Dagueria, 16
Tel.: +34 934126548
www.formatgerialaseu.com

Rubbing shoulders with MACBA in the stylish upper part of Raval, Open House is a British-run design shop home to an eclectic blend of design wares, from the locally-based Basque illustrator Ibai Etxeberria to Swedish jewellery designer Lo Lou and unusual jewellery made of natural elements bone, carbon and wood by Karlota Laspalas. Ideal for finding a stylish gift for design-conscious friends and family, all pieces here are hand curated by the store owner, Andrew Trotter, who has rapidly gained an excellent reputation for his unique taste since opening the shop in June 2011.


Open House
C/Notariat, 6
Tel: 931 125 837
www.openhousebcn.com

Photo ©Shopikon

A short stay in Barcelona is all too easily recognized by a return home with suitcases of endless garish gaudi paraphernalia, I HEART Barcelona sweaters and Sagrada Familia keyrings…but why are we all too often tempted by souvenir rubbish, made in China, when there is such an exquisite variety of genuine artesan-made, locally-designed products at our feet, begging to be discovered and lovingly regaled to our nearest and dearest this festive season?

Over the countdown to Christmas we will be bringing you DestinationBCN’s top picks for the best and most original gifts available in the city, from gourmet food suggestions to original catalan designers, presenting you with a new gift-idea every day until 25th December. This list isn’t intended for exclusive use over the festive season but rather as a useful point of reference that can be used for any occasion, at any time of year. Enjoy!

Burlesque performance – the naughty elder-sister of cabaret and theatrical sub-genre of erotic dance, born in Hollywood’s über glamorous Golden age – has exploded in popularity over the last several years and is now one of the hottest tickets in town.

Perhaps it is our way of harking back towards the polished elegance of times gone by (something that many feel our society lacks, somewhat), but it is more likely to do with the simple fact that it would be difficult not to have a rollicking good time in the presence of cocktails, big-band music and and sequined lingerie. Either way, with the already thriving rockabilly and pin-up scene here, it was only a matter of time before this unique breed of feisty variety show descended on Barcelona.

Once a month the aptly named spectacle, Taboo, transforms the well-trodden dance floor of the Apolo nightclub into a dominion of golden age Hollywood sophistication, presenting us with an invigorating peek into the brazen realm of Burlesque performance – an entirely different beast to the sleazy world of stripping.

With satirical stage names like Fanny Divine and Ana Fur Laxis, the porcelain beauties come bedecked in vintage-inspired, glamorous undergarments, bringing a generous smattering of ironic humour to the stage. Between acts the magnificent Madame Taboo presents the in-house Rhythm’n’Blues and swing band, Mambo Jambo, entertaining with her own breed of Spanish sass. And then there are the magic tricks – a smorgasbord of old-skool sword swallowing, hulahooping and circus-trickery which would be incomplete without an obligatory bashful assistant from the audience.

All of this to be enjoyed with a complimentary glass of Cava, followed by a steeply-priced cocktail or Cubata (licquor and mixer) from the list, if you’re lucky enough to have secured a table with personal waiter service. Try to book in advance if you can as the event is extremely popular; tables need to be booked in advance and cost 16€ on top of the 15€ entrance fee – check website for details. Taboo usually takes place on the second or third week of the month and the next evening is on 22nd December.


Sala Apolo
C/ Nou de La Rambla, 113
Tel: 93 301 00 90
www.myspace.com/tabooapolo
www.sala-apolo.com

Curated by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, this touring retrospective gives an insight into the transformative role of the Russian Ballet and the grand impresario at its heart, Serge Diaghilev.

While the man cut an intimidating figure, his groundbreaking vision led to the conception of what some now refer to as the greatest ballet company in history – one whose techniques many continue to use as a source of inspiration in devising contemporary ballets today.

In the early twentieth century Diaghilev’s directional choreography released Ballet into the limelight as an art form in its own right, after having previously been a somewhat stale sideline act to Opera. The fresh music, choreography and costume blew pre-conceived notions of austere classical dance out of the water and a new genre was born.

This exhibition draws on the V&A’s impressive collection of costume illustration, archive photographs and film to give us an insight into Diaghilev’s enchanted world. A beautiful experience for visitors of all ages.

Diaghilev: When art dances with music, until 15th Jan 2012
Entrance to exhibitions at Caixa Forum is free.

Caixa Forum
Av. de Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia, 6-8
Tel: 93 476 86 00
www.obrasocial.lacaixa.es


Also worth a look: The Mariinsky Ballet at Teatre Liceu

The legendary Mexican Suitcase, a priceless record of the Spanish civil war, has recently made its journey from New York to Barcelona’s very own cultural epicenter, MNAC, el Museu National d’art de Catalunya.

The so-called suitcase is actually a collection of three boxes comprising negatives by world-renowned war photographers Robert Capa (who later went on to found the progressive photojournalism agency, Magnum Photos), David “Chim” Seymour and Gerda Taro. Considered lost since 1939, the boxes arrived at the doors of the International Center of Photography, New York in 2007 – sixty-eight years later.

In the early 1930’s the trio diligently documented the unraveling political and military turmoil in Spain, risking life and limb to bring the front lines to the front pages. These photos not only constitute an invaluable record of the photographic innovation of the time, but also of the great political struggle within Spain to reverse the expansion of global fascism.


The spreading civil unrest during this period led the photographers to record images of the escalating violence as fascism steadily extended its grip on the nation’s consciousness – beginning with calm, organised work strikes and street protests, morphing into anarchist riots and climaxing in the en-masse evacuation of entire communities, violent military coups and widespread bloodshed.

The exhibition itself displays wall upon wall of original contact sheets made from the 4,500 negatives contained within these boxes. It is a fascinating insight into the photographers’ minds – you see the action unravel frame by frame alongside their personal notes and original magazine cuttings. La Maleta Mexicana offers a profound insight into the realities of the Spanish Civil War and is a must for photography and history enthusiasts alike.

The exhibition runs from 6th October until 15th January 2012


MNAC
Palau Nacional
Parque de Montjuïc
Tel: 93 622 03 76
www.mnac.cat

There is something distinctively festive about ballets – all that plush white tulle against an inky black stage, the porcelain ballerinas floating in mid-air like delicate snowflakes. Restore the rosiness to your cheeks this winter with an opulent ballet by the world-famous Russian Mariinsky School at the stunning Liceu Teatre.

Performing between 23rd and 27th November, the ballet Le Corsaire is based on a poem with the same name by Lord Byron and was first performed at the Théâtre Impérial of the Opéra de Paris in 1896. It is a dark, romantic tale of a pirate captain willing to risk the love of his life to save a slave from a Turkish harem, ignoring conventions and questioning strict status quo of the time.

The recent revision of Le Corsaire has injected this classical nineteenth century Ballet with a fresh edge whilst conserving dance traditions and proudly showcasing the immense talent of the Grand Russian Ballet tradition. A magnificent spectacle not to be missed.

Ticket prices vary depending on the location in the theatre: check the website for details

Gran Teatre de Liceu
La Rambla, 51-59
Tel: 93 485 99 00

www.liceubarcelona.cat