Bilbao Effect: Lessons Learned from the Basque Guggenheim

Bilbao Effect: Lessons Learned from the Basque Guggenheim

Thomas Krens and Frank Gehry observing the foundations of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao

Thomas Krens and Frank Gehry observing the foundations of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao

“Seduction consists of having people wish for something that you wish for without you having to ask for it”, says Thomas Krens, the Guggenheim’s Senior Advisor for International Affairs, “It’s all about the transfer of desire.” In 1991, Krens met with Basque officials and the Basque Nationalist Party to negotiate the details of establishing the Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao. The Basques were very hesitant about the project, and didn’t want to accept it prior to resolving areas of distress. Some problems that were presented in this negotiation centered upon economic issues, the national identity and globalization in the Basque country, and the “Bilbao effect.”

Krens wanted to negotiate with several cities to create a Guggenheim franchise. Bilbao’s uniqueness  caught his attention, although he had originally pictured Guggenheim in a big European city rich with history, art and flair of modernity. Bilbao had most of these features, but was far from what Krens pictured as glamorous. On the one hand, Bilbao’s authorities mainly wanted the Guggenheim museum to help revitalize their city and they knew that economic activity would increase from tourism centered upon the museum. On the other hand, the Basques were hesitant because they couldn’t exactly decipher Krens’ intentions. There had been a lot of rumors that he wasn’t a serious guy and that his partners were unsure of the deal.

McGuggenisation is a term that critics used to describe how the museum impacted Bilbao and the rest of the world. It suggests Americanization and spreading of American cultural ideals and norms. One could say that the arrangement offered by the Guggenheim Foundation to the Basque regional government was part of a strategy of expansion aimed at establishing a chain of Guggenheims around the world.  Seen as a global strategy, critics didn’t quite agree with the pact that the Basque Country would be making with Krens and his partners. Some believed that accepting the establishment of the museum would increase American cultural influence and dominance in Europe. The critics were not quite sure if the deal would have a positive or negative economic impact in Bilbao and they worried about the Guggenheim’s impact on the Basque Country’s globalization efforts. They were also afraid that the Basque cultural identity and unique culture could be at risk once the Americans come in. Little did they know, the Guggenheim would actually help Bilbao and the Basque Country tremendously. The museum drew tourists from all over the world in the first four years, bringing an estimate of almost four million visitors.

The increase in tourism greatly helped increase Bilbao’s economic progress. The “Bilbao effect” refers to how the museum transformed the city to a flourishing modern tourist destination. Three years after the museum was inaugurated, over 110 millions of dollars was raised by the regional government, which was more than enough to cover construction costs. The numbers of tourist increased and the Basque Country’s economy seemed to prosper each year due to a high amount of visitors in the Bilbao.One can conclude that despite the museum’s global and powerful franchise, the Basques have been able to remodel the franchise and imbue it with their own vision and strong cultural contributions.

 

Works Cited

Lee, Denny. “Bilbao, 10 Years Later”. The New York Times 23 Sept. 2000.

McNeill, Donald. “McGuggenisation? National Identity and Globalization in the Basque Country” Political Geography 19.04 (2000): 473-94. Print.

Zulaika, Joseba. Cronica de una Seduccion. Nerea, 2000. Print.

Alguien más que ha entendido las causas y las consecuencias del Guggenheim Bilbao