Article excerpts below by Joel Centano is from Virtuoso.com.
Inspired by my visit to the open artist studios in Red Hook, Brooklyn this weekend, and with a bit of a nod to Christopher Columbus history (on what is now being named in more and more places as Indigenous People's Day), I'm focusing on Colombia, South America this week. Did you know this country was named for Columbus although he never set food there? In Colombia’s buzzing capital, urban art is booming. Thanks to Bogotá’s tolerant laws and businesses that often commission works, accomplished artists, both local and global, have converged on the city, transforming its calles into bold open-air galleries that lend insight into the country’s aesthetic and soul.
Visitors to the city who want to explore its exhibits have myriad options. In fact, “it’s almost impossible to find a street in Bogotá without some form of urban art,” says the artist Crisp, an Australian native who relocated to Bogotá in 2009 and who serves as one of the scene’s unofficial ambassadors. A good place to start is with an art walk he helped launch in the creative La Candelaria district (pictured above) – which you can see as part of a Colombia trip customized just for you. There are so many creative ways to explore Colombia’s capital!
SHOP
Head to the Dibs by Culture Shock Colombia gallery in La Candelaria, then hop a cab to nearby Visaje Graffiti Colombia and Beta Galería, recommends Crisp. “These places help support local artists by selling their pieces and exhibiting their work.”
SEE
Work with me to craft tailor-made Colombia experiences that include creating urban art in the capital with local grafiteros. A must for art enthusiasts: the company’s 16-day graffiti-focused journey that also visits Guatemala and Argentina.
STAY
Mix with city hipsters at W Bogota Hotel’s W Lounge, which serves cocktails infused with indigenous ingredients and fresh beats spun by a resident music curator. Located in the Santa Barbara business district, the 168-room hotel also features Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s greatest hits in its farm-to-table Market Kitchen. Nine Muses Travel guests can receive breakfast daily and a $100 spa credit.
Sidewalk bistros and upscale shopping surround the 64-room Four Seasons Hotel Bogotá in pedestrian-friendly Zona T. Inside, an oxygen-infused fitness center helps guests acclimate to the city’s altitude – and build an appetite for Japanese dishes with a twist at Kuru (try the Bluefin tuna tostadas). “G” is for gastronomy in nearby Zona G, home to top restaurants and the 62-room Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogotá, a cultural monument with a tapas bar, a leafy courtyard, and native spa treatments (think Colombian green coffee wrap). Nine Muses Travel guests at both hotels receive breakfast daily and a $100 hotel credit.
Contact me to get creative in Bogotá, Colombia!