It’s easy to think of classical Europe as the end all, be all of places to find art. After all, it has Greecian ruins, the Louvre, and so many more famous galleries and museums. But there are plenty of places—some of which are quite unusual—where great art can be found.
Student work can be surprisingly thoughtful and visceral—and it’s often overlooked as an artistic experience. PNCA’s latest MFA showing in Portland, Oregon, for instance, included visual studies, print media, and collaborative design. These formats were represented by installations that, according to Willamette Weekly’s Shannon Gormley, “crammed a lot into one show” asking for “a lot of mental energy.” Relationships between siblings and lovers, as well as explorations of cultural diaspora, encouraged viewers to dig deep for a meaningful experience.
Even when it comes to places like France that are already associated with culture, art can be found in unusual locations. Take Jean-Michel Othoniel’s haven for the Treasury of the Cathedral of Angouleme. Tucked away in the bell tower of a cathedral in southwestern France, the collection is made up of liturgical objects, jewels, and relics that belonged to a martyred young missionary in 1866. It took Othoniel ten years to put it all together: 22,000 pieces of cut glass, 3,000 sheets of gold leaf, and 2,231 gold sequins. Visitors can also attend 17 different workshops celebrating the sacred, beautiful, and sublime.
If fun in the sun is more your style, you can head over to Miami to visit one of the surprisingly common artwork displays in clubs and bars. The Surf Club, for instance, houses art collector Cathy Vedovi’s personal collection, offered up on loan as a way for visitors to reconnect with a sense of place. It also exposes them to up-and-coming local artists.
In addition Miami is home to several artwalks and events like Art Basel and Design Miami. And for a more traditional art museum experience, there’s the Rubell Family Collection and Pérez Art Museum Miami.
Of course there’s nothing like, say, Paris when it comes to experiencing art. But there’s also plenty of art hiding in unusual places around the world. Viewing it can be just as much of a transcendent experience as more traditional locations—if not more so.
Photo: The cathedral of Angouleme, home to a collection of liturgical objects, jewels, and relics.