When you visit Valparaiso, you’ll notice that the streets are full of street art, and you may get the feeling that this is a trendy, vibrant city -which it is, but the truth is that Valparaiso’s relationship with the arts, in particular the current vibrant kind of art that isn’t particularly high brow, is historic. It is an integral part of the city’s roots, and part of its essence. In honor of sync illustrious history, this post features one of our favourite spots in the city.
Located in a small alley at the side exit of Paseo Yugoslavo, Rojo Galeria is a small contemporary art gallery in Cerro Alegre. What makes this place special, is that instead of selling the usual postcards of picturesque scenes and paintings (as well as unique artworks), this gallery, though very much a commercial space, also provides a fantastic overview of some of the most relevant Chilean artists working today.
My first foray into the space was over 10 years ago. At the time, Cristian, the owner, ran the space featuring exclusively local artists, especially those who had painted some of the murals in the alley where the gallery is located. The gallery honestly felt like a breath of fresh air. It was such a unique model. Avoiding the most renown artists, and working exclusively with locals at a time where graffiti was something a lot of people still frowned on. What I found most inspiring was that by giving these artists the opportunity to not only sell artwork, but also prints and smaller crafts, the gallery was enabling them to continue making the art they love, without the need to move to more commercial, conservative sectors, like the art scene in Santiago.
When we took travellers there during our Valparaiso Tour, they were not only regaled with the scope and diversity of local contemporary art. They were also grateful to be taken somewhere away from the trite souvenirs peddled on every gallery and sidewalk in the city. The work there was special and unique, just like the team who ran the space, who were also more interested in giving guided tours and providing context for the artwork and the building that houses it, than simply selling pictures.
A decade on, and the gallery is still going strong (a feat for a gallery outside the usual circuit). Growth has meant collaborating with their local neighbourhood association to curate the artists and murals that are ever changing the look of the alley. They also now feature contemporary artists from outside Valparaiso. When you visit Rojo Galeria, you now get an overview of what contemporary visual arts in Chile look like. By including the work of more established artists, Cristian has not betrayed his initial ethos, on the contrary, it shows a fantastic understanding of his audience.
The gallery is situated in the middle of the most visited area in the city. Therefore by mixing established, mainstream artists into the collection, the gallery acts more like a compact contemporary arts museum. And for those of you worrying about how that merges with the initial ethos, the gallery has never stopped supporting and giving space to local artists. It’s just been a matter of clever organising. But those wonderful, unique small art pieces and crafts are still there, and the gallery provides support to local upcoming artists now more than ever.
Do you want to experience this wonderful place and meet the incredible team that runs it? Then go ahead and book our Valparaiso Tour today!