In search for things to do around my new neighbourhood, a friend reminded me that the Carles Taché Gallery has moved to Carrer Mèxic – a blah street in the off radar barrio due west of Plaça Espanya. I had remembered reading so on the gallery’s website, and thinking at the time that this long established gallery, headed by one of the doyens of Barcelona’s art scene, had downgraded from his previous Eixample address. At the tail end of a very protracted economic crisis, who the hell was buying art anyway? How wrong I was, as the new Carles Taché Gallery is seriously cool.

But first you need to find it. Next to the Pentecostal Church, follow the driveway around to the rear to an industrial-type courtyard and garage doors to assorted locales. One is the entrance to the gallery, an old cotton factory of 1200 metres and triple height ceilings.

Taché represents some huge names in the art world; Tony Cragg, Sean Scully, Cornelia Parker, and others whose work is only within the aquisitional realm of Russian oligarchs and hedge fund brokers. The aforementioned are on display in the gallery’s inaugural show. (It plans to host about four a year.) And although I have always considered the idea of art works ‘creating dialogue’ with each other a bit wanky, there is something uplifting about viewing perfectly composed, large-format pieces against bone white walls in a cathedral-like space.
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No one breathed down our neck as we wandered around. Three ambiguously erotic photographs by Antoine d’ Agata caught my daughter’s eye – and the gallery attendant took the time to come over and explain the artist’s working methods and influences (though she still thought’ them ‘icky.’) Taché has said that he gets the greatest satisfaction from introducing young people to contemporary art. So, round up the kids and make your way to Carrer Mèxic for your next cultural sojourn. There’s a not bad curry house next door when you are done

Carrer de Mèxic, 19, Open Tues-Sat 11am-8pm. 

With all the best intentions, asking children to appreciate modern art is a pretty tall order. I remember my regular trips to Melbourne’s galleries and museum as a youngster, where my father (a hobby artist) would patiently explain Cubism, abstract impressionism and the cultural significance of Sydney Nolan’s Ned Kelly paintings – all whilst I was hankering to get to the gift shop. I know my 12-year old does the same..

Which is why I was happy to find out about the MuMo (Museé Mobil). This tractor-trailer, supporting an articulated shipping container arrangement (work of Adam Kalkin, who specializes in such ingenious, quick-build structures) and topped with a gigantic Jeff Koons-like bunny has travelled over 12,000 kms across France, Belgium, Switzerland and Monaco as well as hopping continents to Cameroon and Ivory Coast. It is currently making its way across Spain.

The idea behind the MuMo is that, at least to children, contemporary shouldn’t be ‘explained’, but rather presented in fun, hands on way, without pretension. So far, the bunny-truck has displayed work by artists as of the calibre as the ‘Light and Space’ legend James Turrell, the fabulous and sensitive designer Sébastien Cordoleani, and the absurdist sculptor Paul McCarthy. For the Spanish giro, it will show ceramic pieces by none less than Miguel Barceló.

Unfortunately (or luckily for the students of Escuela Josep Maria de Sagarra) the MuMo has only one date in Barcelona, a closed event for the pupils of a public school. But inspirational the project certainly is. The fad for food trucks has now hit Barcelona. Perhaps the MuMo will encourage it to expand to the visual arts as well.