Centre Pompidou Malaga, qu’est-que c’est?

There is too much noise about the Centre Pompidou Malaga but do you really know what’s all about? Passers-by and citizens of Malaga are getting updated with this renowned museum. Many museums are being lately opened in Malaga, but it looks like this is the crown’s jewel. Why?

There is no doubt that this is a decisive point in Malaga´s late history, only compared to the opening of Museo Picasso Malaga. In that case, the kings of Spain came for its inauguration in 2003. Twelve years later, the Spanish president will be the one with the honour, accompanied by the French culture minister, to open Centre Pompidou Malaga.

centre pompidou malaga
Entrance to Centre Pompidou Malaga

Local press has been informing us a little about the importance of this new space in town. It is the first time that Centre Pompidou has travelled out of France, and part of its collection will be shown in Malaga. We will have artists like Magritte, Giacometti, Frida Khalo and of course, Picasso. This first deal lasts a five-year period extendible to five more years.

But let´s go to the origins of the museum, so we can get to know why it is so important. Its name comes from a former French president, Georges Pompidou, who decided to build an ambitious cultural centre in the middle of Paris. An international architecture competition was held for this new building. The result was strikingly modern for a neighbourhood like that, with the look of a machinery room or an oil refinery. But this was also showing the institution’s attitude, a modern vision in the art world. Although firstly criticized, its creators Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers are today very well known and praised architects.

Centre Pompidou Paris
Centre Pompidou Paris
centre pompidou paris
Ventilation extractors at Centre Pompidou Paris

Malaga’s building is also modern but not as notorious as the Parisian one (most of it is hidden underground). In fact, it fits perfectly with the port, which has been refurbished and updated to the 21st century. French agents from Centre Pompidou are delighted with the building, as it has some big and tall spaces not available at their own building in Paris.

Will be Centre Pompidou Malaga a success? Some say this city doesn’t need a museum about contemporary art, as we already have the CAC (Contemporary Art Centre). Others say it would compete directly with Picasso’s museum, and many more complain about the amount invested on this particular museum. We may know what is going to occur as we have another Pompidou example, the building of the same institution opened in Metz, France. In November 2011, eighteen months after its opening, was already the French most popular museum outside the Paris metropolitan area.

In our opinion, Centre Pompidou Malaga has its own identity (it’s not a new institution!) and will create a net around Malaga with the rest of museums and exhibition spaces, so all of them will benefit from this. The dialog among these spaces will get richer and not only tourists but also people from Malaga will be the ones to get the most of this new situation.

And this is not the final picture of it. On the horizon, new museums are coming like the Russian Art Museum or the Fine Arts and Archaeological Museum at the Palacio de la Aduana. Let´s not forget that the first move with Museo Picasso Malaga started a cultural revolution that came along with the renovation of the city centre. Therefore we have to be very proud and happy that with this new opening, the cultural net woven all over Malaga is expanding and uplifting, and surely it will have a positive impact in the city.

 * If you want to visit this museum, contact us and we will offer you a special visit.

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