MUSEUM WEEK AT THE CGAC. MUSEUMS AND CONTESTED HISTORIES: SAYING THE UNSPEAKABLE IN MUSEUMS

EXHIBITION: El FINAL, AQUÍ (2003-2008). JORGE BARBI
From 16 to 21 May, 11:00 a. m. to 8:00 p. m.

The CGAC is rescuing a piece by Galician artist Jorge Barbi from the depths of its collection. It depicts places that do not appear to be out of the ordinary but which bear tremendous historical significance and hidden drama.
This project consists of a collection of photographs taken by the artist while conducting research on historical memory. Between 2003 and 2007, he gathered precise data on the locations of executions by firing squad that took place in rural areas. The landscapes evoke places that might otherwise go unnoticed. According to Barbi, they are '...ordinary places where it does not look like anything has ever happened there, until the invisible memory that they house comes forth and gives them unique meaning… In these photographs, the camera is angled at the place where the victims fell to the ground. It is not possible to reproduce what these people saw in their final moment, if is even possible under such tragic circumstances to see anything other than one’s own thoughts, but these are the places that others chose for their last breath. We can see them and, through them, their final glimpse of the world.'

On these tours we will talk about the design of the building that houses the Galician Centre for Contemporary Art, which was planned and constructed between 1988 and 1993 by Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira. We will also discuss its close formal and conceptual relationship with Bonaval Park and the city of Santiago de Compostela.
During these special tours, which we are holding on 17 and 18 May in honour of International Museum Day, we will go over the CGAC’s history and key architectural features, covering everything from the exterior portico to the roof.
No appointment is necessary to participate in this activity. The tours will depart from the CGAC reception area at 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Groups will be formed according to order of arrival, up to a maximum of 25 people. The tours will last approximately 50 minutes.

CONCERT: MUSIC AND ART. SOUND CORRESPONDENCES
Friday 19 May at 7:00 p.m.
Interpretative Criteria Exhibit Hall (Lower level)

Every year during Museum Week, we present the latest edition of the Music and Art. Sound Correspondences series. Curated by Vertixe Sonora, it brings together international composers who create pieces based on the CGAC exhibitions.
On this occasion, we have the pleasure of presenting the launch in Spain of Galician composer Ramón Souto’s new piece, Souto Catálogos de sopro, respiración e asubío (Outra historia do vento series), which—in an obsessive and recurring fashion—studies air flow. The piece will be interpreted by Vertixe Sonora Ensemble: Pablo Coello, Ailsa Lewin, Nerea Rodríguez and Diego Ventoso (object manipulators).

WEEKEND GUIDED TOURS
Saturday 20 May, at 12:00 p.m.

The public has the chance to come to the CGAC to enjoy our Critical [Ex]positions. Critical Discourses in Spanish Art, 1975-1995, accompanied by a mediator who is specialised in art. These tours aim to increase interest in contemporary art creation and facilitate communication between artwork and spectators.
No appointment is necessary to participate in this activity. The tours will depart from the CGAC reception area at 12:00 p.m. Groups will be formed according to order of arrival, up to a maximum of 25 people. The tours will last approximately 50 minutes.

This activity is designed so that boys and girls can discover, create, enjoy and get to know the world of contemporary art alongside their families. Artist Marina Abramovic’s medium is her body. In her work, she puts her physical and mental limits to the test while also involving and exploring the audience through her actions. She turns her artistic pieces into experiences shared with the public in real time. In this workshop, we will use our bodies as a medium for provoking and creating. As Abramovic has experienced in her career, we will go from action to pure presence. We have the opportunity to experiment with art’s liveliest form: performance.
Enrolment period: 8 to 19 May at cgac.educacion@xunta.gal (please state the full name, age, telephone number and e-mail address of the attendee).