So tonight will mark my third night in Paris and I am loving every minuet of it, but got to get this out: Paris is spoiled with their art. In the way that Rome is spoiled with great architecture, Paris is spoiled with great art. It's everywhere and it makes me so envious, I just hope they can appreciate it. Yesterday I went to the Louvre and spent the entire day there. When the people at the hostel asked me what else I did; I tried to explain that to "see" the Louvre it takes an entire day. It's like reading "the Aeneid" or "the Odyssey", it's epic, emotional, gorey, poetic, it takes forever, parts of it you're like "come on! Get to the point!" and you love all of it. There is no way to deny it's greatness. Also, Japenese tourists are hillarious, they're so into everything and the excitement is contagious . I also have never loved Delacroix more, he's one of the names that everyone talks about and for a long time I was like "meh" but the 18th century hallway changed my mindset completely, I liked everything he did, which is something to be wary about usually, but I couldnt help myself.
"Delacroix said of Rembrandt that his work would be in higher regard than that of Raphael, his blashemous prophecy came true within fifty years" -Phantom Limb
P.S. I.M. Pei, if you're reading this, I don't believe for a second that you wanted people to see through the pyramid as you elegedly claimed for your addition. You can't see through it. You, sir, lied to me, the louvre and the french people but I'm going to let you go just this once because it's awesome.
Today I went to the Musue D'Orsay and as the Louvre is to "The Odyessey" the D'Orsay is to a Shakespearean sonnet. It's much smaller but everything they have there is excellent. It's all impressionist oriented and they have everything from Manet to Rodin. You have to go. That's it. The colors of a Cezanne, the moodiness of a Degas, the surreal quality of a Van Gogh, the moment of a Monet, and they're all right next to each other. The even have all the prelim sketches which makes me want to just pass-out.
I also hit up the standard Paris sites:
The Notre Dame = SO amazing, it 's good to have some Gothic for a change
The Arc di Triumph = oh Napoleon; you're fun
The Sacred Couer di Montmatre = A pleasant surprise, I didnt think it would be as good as it was
The Eiffel Tower = It's the Eiffel Tower guys.
tomorrow I go to Versailles, woot!
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Back by Popular Demand
So yesterday I went to Pompeii and the day before that I went to the Villa Borghese, to describe the latter I'm going to quote the famous and imfamous Dominic Galante:
""sildhfuurfdfvkdjfnvfkjdfsdfbsdkjfbjksdf"
that's me spazing at the idea of the Borghese Museum."
and it's true. That museum was amazing. It's probably one of the harder museums to get into just because you have to book it, like, 4 days in advance. Plus it's also one of the most exspensive tapping out at 13 euros, roughly 16 dollars. But just like a cut of perfect steak the experience is totally worth it. It's situated in the middle of a really pretty park, with a series of other museums out there as well. But the Galleria Borghese is clearly the Tyranasaurus in the land of giants.
My favorite part you ask? An entire museum full of Caravaggios and Berninis. I'm going to repeat that.
AN ENTIRE MUSEUM FULL OF CARAVAGGIOS AND BERNINIS
at the site of Apollo and Daphne I think I passed out just a little.
http://gallery.euroweb.hu/art/b/bernini/gianlore/sculptur/1620/apollo_d.jpg
The detailing on the fingers was amazing, the myth is that a woman turns into a tree to escape being captured by the god Apollo. If you're into Baroque, you gotta go. Also apparently not everyone is into Baroque, (bad joke comming) which I find hard to believe (it's on it's way) because if it's not Baroque (here it comes) don't fix it. (ouch)
They don't allow you to take pictures in the Museum so just to give you a taste here's the website. (Pictures included)
http://www.galleriaborghese.it/borghese/en/edefault.htm
On Saturday we went to Pompeii, and it was Amazing. pictures to come soon. The coolest thing about Pompeii is that it was almost completely entact, down to the Frescoes. Pictures soon to follow.
And speaking of pictures:
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Cover-of-Biscotti-Quarterly-67846606
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Firenze-67846806
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Firenze-Frescoe-67846970
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Duomo-67847080
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Florence-Sabine-Statue-67848059
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Santa-Maria-in-Firenze-67848235
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Duomo-looking-Down-67848310
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Florence-Ufizzi-67848829
For those without Facebook: To make them bigger just click the picture.
""sildhfuurfdfvkdjfnvfkjdfsdfbsdkjfbjksdf"
that's me spazing at the idea of the Borghese Museum."
and it's true. That museum was amazing. It's probably one of the harder museums to get into just because you have to book it, like, 4 days in advance. Plus it's also one of the most exspensive tapping out at 13 euros, roughly 16 dollars. But just like a cut of perfect steak the experience is totally worth it. It's situated in the middle of a really pretty park, with a series of other museums out there as well. But the Galleria Borghese is clearly the Tyranasaurus in the land of giants.
My favorite part you ask? An entire museum full of Caravaggios and Berninis. I'm going to repeat that.
AN ENTIRE MUSEUM FULL OF CARAVAGGIOS AND BERNINIS
at the site of Apollo and Daphne I think I passed out just a little.
http://gallery.euroweb.hu/art/b/bernini/gianlore/sculptur/1620/apollo_d.jpg
The detailing on the fingers was amazing, the myth is that a woman turns into a tree to escape being captured by the god Apollo. If you're into Baroque, you gotta go. Also apparently not everyone is into Baroque, (bad joke comming) which I find hard to believe (it's on it's way) because if it's not Baroque (here it comes) don't fix it. (ouch)
They don't allow you to take pictures in the Museum so just to give you a taste here's the website. (Pictures included)
http://www.galleriaborghese.it/borghese/en/edefault.htm
On Saturday we went to Pompeii, and it was Amazing. pictures to come soon. The coolest thing about Pompeii is that it was almost completely entact, down to the Frescoes. Pictures soon to follow.
And speaking of pictures:
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Cover-of-Biscotti-Quarterly-67846606
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Firenze-67846806
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Firenze-Frescoe-67846970
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Duomo-67847080
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Florence-Sabine-Statue-67848059
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Santa-Maria-in-Firenze-67848235
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Duomo-looking-Down-67848310
http://chillicheesefries.deviantart.com/art/Florence-Ufizzi-67848829
For those without Facebook: To make them bigger just click the picture.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Falling, yes, i'm falling and she keeps calling me back again
Dear Italy,
This is clearly unfair. Not only do you have amazing countryside but you have astronomically beautiful art and architecture. My weak sensibilities have no chance under the influence of red wine and yellow sun. I hope you're happy in making me love you.
- Molly
On Thursday I saw Richard Meier’s Jubilee Church
http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/jubilee/jubilee1.jpg
http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek05/tw0107/0107arch_8jubilee_b.jpg
It was Rome without being Rome-y. Masonry but not married to a box or a sphere. I think I left part of my heart there. I can't say much more than that.
Yesterday I went to Florence for a day-trip because I really needed to see the Duomo (also the Baptistery) in person as well as the Uffizi and the Academia.
Duomo
http://www.usm.maine.edu/eng/duomo%20brunel.JPG
Baptistery
http://pictures.exploitz.com/Baptistery-Florence-photo--_smgpx10001x14546x1e07af6dd.jpg
I took the train from Termini at 10:30 am and got into Firenze at noon. As I came out of the train station I checked on my map to see what direction I needed to walk to find the Florentine masterpiece of Santa Maria del Fiore. But I didn't need a map, had I looked up instead of been engrossed by the map, I would have seen a GIANT DOME. I discovered this when I put the map back in my bag. Originally it looked as if there were two large churches right next to each other a few blocks away, but when I came up close it was just one huge (and when I say "huge" I mean at least several dinosaurs)church.
http://www.romanconcrete.com/graphics/florence_dome.jpg
That was the really nice frescoe they had on the dome interior but aside from that the walls were pretty much blank (with the exception of a few very small paintings of notable Florentines, Dante, etc.). I wasn't disappointed, just surprised really. It's actually kind of nice to look at structure for a change. It's a reminder that great architecture doesn’t just happen; it's not just a physical work but also a mental work as well.
The Duomo itself is an interesting story. During the Middle-ages every city was trying to prove its worth with a greater and grander cathedral than its rivals (usually neighbors). Florence was desperate to prove its strength over Pisa so a grand cathedral was planned, larger than any other in Europe at the time. However the plans called for a huge dome (this dome was to be an equal to the Pantheon in Rome, just a few feet less wide but over 60 feet off the ground) that no one knew how to build, but they figured by the time the rest of the church was built, someone would have figured it out. WRONG. No one knew how to complete the church and it was left unfinished for many years until this guy:
http://paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Italian%20Images/images/Portraits/Fathers%20of%20Perspective/Brunelleschi-BR500.jpg
shows up. The son of a watch-maker, goldsmith/architect: Filippo Brunelleschi. He kept it secret how he solved the problem. But the drum was too small, the weight was too much and the arches were too high. Still today people aren’t really sure how he figured it out.
http://www.boisestate.edu/courses/hy309/pics/duomo.cross-section.jpg
The line at this point was too long to climb to the top of the Duomo so I said "maybe later" and marched myself towards The Uffizi.
Let me sum up my reaction to the Uffizi:
This is me:
http://www.speakeasydesigns.com/richter/pix/nerd.jpg
This is me at the Uffizi:
http://img.stern.de/_content/56/29/562954/fan1_600.jpg
I loved it. Here is just a laundry list of SOME of the greatness they have there:
http://www.igreens.org.uk/Titian-uffizi-Venus.jpg
http://www.svreeland.com/judith-uffizi.jpg
http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/greekroman/images/SandroBotticelli-The-Birth-of-Venus-1490.jpg
http://www.sai.msu.su/wm/paint/auth/botticelli/botticelli.la-primavera.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Caravaggio12.jpg/524px-Caravaggio12.jpg
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/p/parmigianino/long_neck.jpg
The last one is a painting I had seen before in books and had really hated. Mary's head should be falling off and Baby Jesus looks dead. But seeing it in person, I really liked the figure of a prophet in the background. I mean, the scale is not really right for the space, but it was intriguing. So I still don't like it, but I don't hate it as much as I used to.
Those are just a few of them, there was over 2000 paintings, it just kept going. Amazing.
After that I walked down and saw the line for the Academia. Under 30 min, so I bought a sandwich and hopped in. Midway through the sandwich was a wonderful surprise of tomatoes and meat which I had no idea was there. It was like this sandwich was blessed with magical properties that gave it the powers of a gourmet meal. This may have been the Omega Sandwich, which all other sandwiches aspire to become...it was extraordinary.
In the Academia there was a small gallery which I walked through, and then followed another one, all the while wondering where they were hiding the David, I mean, it's huge. Then I found it.
http://faculty.evansville.edu/rl29/art105/img/michelangelo_david2.jpg
the important thing about the David (why it's so famous) is because of the story it tells just by standing there. He's not looking at you; he's looking at his side. He hasn’t thrown the rock yet. Look closely in those eyes, is that fear? Concern? This is David right before he strikes Goliath, He's sizing him up. It's the tension of that moment.
Finally I was walking back to the train station and saw that the line for climbing the Duomo was non-existent, so I paid and started to climb. Almost 600 steps later I saw this:
http://www.placestovisitinflorenceitaly.com/photos/duomo-belltower-florence.jpg
at sunset. Check out pictures on facebook, to be posted this afternoon.
There were also some people taking pictures of biscotti at the top of the Dome. They were from a gourmet food magazine. At least I hope so, because otherwise they were from a magazine about Biscotti. Which I'm not sure would be interesting. I mean I don't know the drama behind dried fruit prices or chocolate coating but I don't know if I would subscribe to "Biscotti Quarterly".
Who am I kidding, Of course I would.
Molly: "Can I take one of those?"
Lady: "What? The biscotti?"
Molly: "No, a picture"
Lady: "You don't want a biscotti?"
Molly: "Well, If you're offering..."
she was not.
Then I took the 7:30 train back and crawled into bed in Rome at 10:30pm 12 hours of great fun.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
But everything looks perfect from far away.
Today I'm feeling a little philosophical, so you can either just sit there and take it or you can leave and drink a refreshing cold glass of diet coke plus (the plus means it's healthy ...apparently). If I were you I would go and enjoy a delectable contemporary convenience but if you're entertained by tangents, by all means stay.
So a very long time ago when I was starting college and hadn't even discovered Architecture a very interesting man (a.k.a. Father McNally S.J. and if you don't know him I'm sorry) told me that the study of Art and Architecture comes down to "Taste" and that there was "Good Taste" and "Bad Taste". After asking us what the difference between them was and receiving no answer, he suggested that before we draw the borders we should study both to try and find it. It was the introduction to "Experiencing Architecture", a class that eventually led me to change majors, schools, socks, etc.
I think I've finally figured out what he was trying to tell me and maybe it's a sign of how dumb I actually am that it took me this long to figure it out.
Education, it comes down to education. I'm going to show you with, what else, visuals.
Example 1A
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Death_of_Marat_by_David.jpg
Is this painting beautiful?
I think so. The white of innocence being consumed by the black of death, the red of life blending with the water he was bathing in and the untouchable form of the soul leaving on the right, the wake of an action. The composition, the colors and most importantly the emotion. This is a graceful and loving portrait of a murdered man. Look at how delicately and precisely that face is rendered.
But is it in good taste?
Absolutely not. This painting was made shortly after the death of the Jean-Paul Marat. Marat was a radical writer during the infamous Reign of Terror. This movement that held the gasping people firmly in its grip après la revolution. Like most radicals he referred to himself as "The Friend of the People", but what people? His writings said that the murders already committed by the state were not enough. Anyone who had ever been associated with the King should be killed. He saw suspicion everywhere and in those times suspicion led straight to death.
The Painter, Jacques Louis-David should have been more aware of the dangerousness of these ideas. Before the revolution he had often painted the people who would later be murdered in the Reign of Terror. The happy couple in this portrait by David had once clashed with Marat and felt the brunt of that decision later.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/David_-_Portrait_of_Monsieur_Lavoisier_and_His_Wife.jpg
Msr. Lavoisier escaped the guillotine, his wife did not.
Eventually Marat was murdered and immediately there was a cry for his Apotheosis and David was more than happy to help. However several years after the Revolution, David realized the mistake he had made and hid the painting away, it was rediscovered after David died in exile.
So to sum up: Marat = Total freaky-deaky-crazy-pants and painting him like an angel is not in good taste.
Example 1B
http://www.a-r-m.com.au/images/projects/41/photos/Vanna%20Venturi%20House_large.jpg
http://images.encarta.msn.com/xrefmedia/sharemed/targets/images/pho/t041/T041606A.jpg
Is this house beautiful?
No. Way. I mean really. What the hell is this house? Is it a house? It may be one of the ugliest buildings I have ever seen.
Is it in good taste?
Yes, this house may be ugly but it is also probably one of the most sophisticated buildings in the history of western architecture. Here Robert Venturi has not only combined the styles of the past two thousand years but is also making you re-think how you can recognize a house.
See if you can find all these icons in the building:
Corbusier Windows from Villa Savoye
http://faculty.evansville.edu/rl29/art105/img/corbusier_savoye.jpg
A Roman Arch (Keystone Missing)
http://www.makingthemodernworld.org.uk/learning_modules/maths/02.TU.03/illustrations/02.IL.24.gif
Log-Cabin Window
http://www.antique-used-tools.com/CabinWindowWoodR_WY_bw_51406_reduced_wtmk.jpg
If you read the roof structures they're not that far from FLW.
http://www.prairiestyles.com/images/architects/wright/ingalls.jpg
But doesn’t look a little like this as well?
http://www.topbun.com/userpics/layouts/thumbnail/childrens_house_th.jpg
the list could go on for days
He uses the language of recognition to completely change what you think about them. I hate the way this building looks, but there is no way to deny it of its rightful place in Architectural History.
To Sum up: The Vanna Venturi house is what happens when you put 2000 years of Architectural Digests in a blender and then paste it back together over your child's drawing of a house, but it's brilliant.
So let's remember how this all got started. Good taste vs. Bad Taste. Learning about things like The Death of Marat or the Vanna Venturi House may change what you think about them, but it doesn’t change what they look like. So does educated taste really matter then? Who knows. Maybe. But the difference is that when you learn about a painting or a building, you should learn about it, don't just look, don't just be moved, understand it, really understand it.
More things are beautiful than you think. And things that are beautiful often are uglier than you think.
Siquis erit, qui turpe putet servire puellae,
illo convincar iudice turpis ego.
But as far as creating art... That's way too complicated to get into on Livejournal.
So a very long time ago when I was starting college and hadn't even discovered Architecture a very interesting man (a.k.a. Father McNally S.J. and if you don't know him I'm sorry) told me that the study of Art and Architecture comes down to "Taste" and that there was "Good Taste" and "Bad Taste". After asking us what the difference between them was and receiving no answer, he suggested that before we draw the borders we should study both to try and find it. It was the introduction to "Experiencing Architecture", a class that eventually led me to change majors, schools, socks, etc.
I think I've finally figured out what he was trying to tell me and maybe it's a sign of how dumb I actually am that it took me this long to figure it out.
Education, it comes down to education. I'm going to show you with, what else, visuals.
Example 1A
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Death_of_Marat_by_David.jpg
Is this painting beautiful?
I think so. The white of innocence being consumed by the black of death, the red of life blending with the water he was bathing in and the untouchable form of the soul leaving on the right, the wake of an action. The composition, the colors and most importantly the emotion. This is a graceful and loving portrait of a murdered man. Look at how delicately and precisely that face is rendered.
But is it in good taste?
Absolutely not. This painting was made shortly after the death of the Jean-Paul Marat. Marat was a radical writer during the infamous Reign of Terror. This movement that held the gasping people firmly in its grip après la revolution. Like most radicals he referred to himself as "The Friend of the People", but what people? His writings said that the murders already committed by the state were not enough. Anyone who had ever been associated with the King should be killed. He saw suspicion everywhere and in those times suspicion led straight to death.
The Painter, Jacques Louis-David should have been more aware of the dangerousness of these ideas. Before the revolution he had often painted the people who would later be murdered in the Reign of Terror. The happy couple in this portrait by David had once clashed with Marat and felt the brunt of that decision later.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/David_-_Portrait_of_Monsieur_Lavoisier_and_His_Wife.jpg
Msr. Lavoisier escaped the guillotine, his wife did not.
Eventually Marat was murdered and immediately there was a cry for his Apotheosis and David was more than happy to help. However several years after the Revolution, David realized the mistake he had made and hid the painting away, it was rediscovered after David died in exile.
So to sum up: Marat = Total freaky-deaky-crazy-pants and painting him like an angel is not in good taste.
Example 1B
http://www.a-r-m.com.au/images/projects/41/photos/Vanna%20Venturi%20House_large.jpg
http://images.encarta.msn.com/xrefmedia/sharemed/targets/images/pho/t041/T041606A.jpg
Is this house beautiful?
No. Way. I mean really. What the hell is this house? Is it a house? It may be one of the ugliest buildings I have ever seen.
Is it in good taste?
Yes, this house may be ugly but it is also probably one of the most sophisticated buildings in the history of western architecture. Here Robert Venturi has not only combined the styles of the past two thousand years but is also making you re-think how you can recognize a house.
See if you can find all these icons in the building:
Corbusier Windows from Villa Savoye
http://faculty.evansville.edu/rl29/art105/img/corbusier_savoye.jpg
A Roman Arch (Keystone Missing)
http://www.makingthemodernworld.org.uk/learning_modules/maths/02.TU.03/illustrations/02.IL.24.gif
Log-Cabin Window
http://www.antique-used-tools.com/CabinWindowWoodR_WY_bw_51406_reduced_wtmk.jpg
If you read the roof structures they're not that far from FLW.
http://www.prairiestyles.com/images/architects/wright/ingalls.jpg
But doesn’t look a little like this as well?
http://www.topbun.com/userpics/layouts/thumbnail/childrens_house_th.jpg
the list could go on for days
He uses the language of recognition to completely change what you think about them. I hate the way this building looks, but there is no way to deny it of its rightful place in Architectural History.
To Sum up: The Vanna Venturi house is what happens when you put 2000 years of Architectural Digests in a blender and then paste it back together over your child's drawing of a house, but it's brilliant.
So let's remember how this all got started. Good taste vs. Bad Taste. Learning about things like The Death of Marat or the Vanna Venturi House may change what you think about them, but it doesn’t change what they look like. So does educated taste really matter then? Who knows. Maybe. But the difference is that when you learn about a painting or a building, you should learn about it, don't just look, don't just be moved, understand it, really understand it.
More things are beautiful than you think. And things that are beautiful often are uglier than you think.
Siquis erit, qui turpe putet servire puellae,
illo convincar iudice turpis ego.
But as far as creating art... That's way too complicated to get into on Livejournal.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
dear barberinis, you make a pretty good museum
The Barberini Palace was amazing. I don't think they're any-other word for it. I got to see this:
http://www.dcm.ru/UserFiles/Image/2__O%20NAS/FILISOFIYA%20I%20MISSIYA/Judith%20Beheading%20Holofernes_CARAVAGGIO.jpg
I don't care how many Caravaggios i see, each time I'm always floored.
http://users.sch.gr/pchaloul/anagennisi/raphael_fornarina.jpg
One of the most imfamous stories in Art, Raphael was so much in love with this woman that he failed to finish his commissions. Eventually his patron found a way for them to be together, but they could not marry because of class reasons, also at the time he was considered to be a vagabond, and not the great painter of the renaissance. However they continued a love affair for most of his life. He called her Fornarina, woman of the fire, probably because of her baker background. Look at the ring finger, originally the wedding ring was painted over, a dreamed defered or a dream denied? we will never really know.
http://teachers.sduhsd.k12.ca.us/ltrupe/ART%20History%20Web/final/chap19BaroqueRococo/Cortona-Triumph%20of%20Barberini.jpg
the bridge between Baroque and rococo, i like to call it Barococo.
On Friday we had classes, I gave a report on Pluto: God of the Underworld
which was aptly titled. "Pluto: Not that bad a guy". He may be depressing and possesive and won his wife in an unseemly way, but he's not evil, he's not unfair to anyone and he always has a solid frame of mind. Plus, invisable hat.
On saturday we had all planned to go to Pompei, however Pompei denies her ancient presence to us in the form of a bus accident on the high-way.
There was a lot of dissapointment all around. But I have to say the AUR people were great, even though we could'nt go they tried to make the most of the day. They took us outlet shopping and bought us wine. The wine felt a little like the loaves and fishes, but was still really nice of them. The Outlet mall was strange. The whole set-up is designed to look like, what else, an italian town. Which leads me to think, don't they have real ones here, I mean is'nt Italy just silly with charming towns? Do we really need a fake one? But the prices could not be beat. On the outskirts of this particular outlet mall there was an elephant.
that's right, an elephant.
soak that up.
She was there with a circus in the confines of a rope tied around a trash-can. There was a man leaning on a cherry-picker that may or may not have been affiliated with the circus. There was no way of knowing, but I believe that he and the elephant had a mutual indifference, if not dislike. Sometimes life is just so wierd.
On sunday my cousins Lori and Sara came into town and we had a great time. They had already been to the big sites, The Forum, The Colloseum, Etc. So I showed them the interior of the Pantheon, The Trevi Fountain, The Piazza del Popolo, the Spanish Steps and the Capitoline Museum. We had lunch at the Piazza del Popolo and were mid-way through the meal when a british woman behind us said "SHUT UP YOU FAT F***" naturally afraid she was talking to us, we turned around. She was not, she was talking to the man she was eating with, he was speaking back to her in Italian. I was'nt entirely sure, but I think he was leaving her, either for another woman or another job. Watching this woman have a nervous breakdown in the middle of a trattoria was an experience that no bus-tour can bring, so I feel I did my job in showing Lori and Sara the true spirit of Rome.
Tomorrow is another day in a sun-drenched and beautiful city. It may rain, but probably for an hour then it will stop and be beautiful again.
http://www.dcm.ru/UserFiles/Image/2__O%20NAS/FILISOFIYA%20I%20MISSIYA/Judith%20Beheading%20Holofernes_CARAVAGGIO.jpg
I don't care how many Caravaggios i see, each time I'm always floored.
http://users.sch.gr/pchaloul/anagennisi/raphael_fornarina.jpg
One of the most imfamous stories in Art, Raphael was so much in love with this woman that he failed to finish his commissions. Eventually his patron found a way for them to be together, but they could not marry because of class reasons, also at the time he was considered to be a vagabond, and not the great painter of the renaissance. However they continued a love affair for most of his life. He called her Fornarina, woman of the fire, probably because of her baker background. Look at the ring finger, originally the wedding ring was painted over, a dreamed defered or a dream denied? we will never really know.
http://teachers.sduhsd.k12.ca.us/ltrupe/ART%20History%20Web/final/chap19BaroqueRococo/Cortona-Triumph%20of%20Barberini.jpg
the bridge between Baroque and rococo, i like to call it Barococo.
On Friday we had classes, I gave a report on Pluto: God of the Underworld
which was aptly titled. "Pluto: Not that bad a guy". He may be depressing and possesive and won his wife in an unseemly way, but he's not evil, he's not unfair to anyone and he always has a solid frame of mind. Plus, invisable hat.
On saturday we had all planned to go to Pompei, however Pompei denies her ancient presence to us in the form of a bus accident on the high-way.
There was a lot of dissapointment all around. But I have to say the AUR people were great, even though we could'nt go they tried to make the most of the day. They took us outlet shopping and bought us wine. The wine felt a little like the loaves and fishes, but was still really nice of them. The Outlet mall was strange. The whole set-up is designed to look like, what else, an italian town. Which leads me to think, don't they have real ones here, I mean is'nt Italy just silly with charming towns? Do we really need a fake one? But the prices could not be beat. On the outskirts of this particular outlet mall there was an elephant.
that's right, an elephant.
soak that up.
She was there with a circus in the confines of a rope tied around a trash-can. There was a man leaning on a cherry-picker that may or may not have been affiliated with the circus. There was no way of knowing, but I believe that he and the elephant had a mutual indifference, if not dislike. Sometimes life is just so wierd.
On sunday my cousins Lori and Sara came into town and we had a great time. They had already been to the big sites, The Forum, The Colloseum, Etc. So I showed them the interior of the Pantheon, The Trevi Fountain, The Piazza del Popolo, the Spanish Steps and the Capitoline Museum. We had lunch at the Piazza del Popolo and were mid-way through the meal when a british woman behind us said "SHUT UP YOU FAT F***" naturally afraid she was talking to us, we turned around. She was not, she was talking to the man she was eating with, he was speaking back to her in Italian. I was'nt entirely sure, but I think he was leaving her, either for another woman or another job. Watching this woman have a nervous breakdown in the middle of a trattoria was an experience that no bus-tour can bring, so I feel I did my job in showing Lori and Sara the true spirit of Rome.
Tomorrow is another day in a sun-drenched and beautiful city. It may rain, but probably for an hour then it will stop and be beautiful again.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
This week in the wide world of Academia
I just got back from my first test this semester, and not to sound over-confident, but I feel pretty confident. The test was for my architectural theroy class, Contemporary Interneraries of European Architecture (Or as I like to call it,"What the hell is going on with all this glass buisness?").
The test was about Berlin and Amsterdam, fortunately two places I had been before so the context made a lot more sense. Specifically Deconstructionist influences in both of these cities. The Deconstructionst movement is interesting because it's not "technically" a movement. It's more like a bunch of people who make buildings out of abstract concepts that would n-e-v-e-r fly in a crit. As a side note Rem Koolhaas is the scariest looking man of all time. Don't believe me?
http://www.udc.es/dep/bave/jfreire/Images/koolhaas.png
check it.
However not everything was hunky-dorey in the land of academics. I unfortunately slipped up a little in Photography. I've come to the discovery that I am no good at photographic portraiture. When the people I took pictures of looked good, the compostition was bad. When the composition looked good, the people looked bad. It was'nt a lose-lose situation, more of a meh-i guess situation, which is sometimes worse. On the plus side it gives me the edge that next week I'll do better, it's night-shots and I think i'm going to buy one of those tripods they sell down by the colloseum for 6 euros. However it is to be mentioned that the prof did like the picture I took of the heels of my feet (at least 7 blisters from a night on the town, mostly bloody and crusty. Just picture that giant on a wall in a dark room, so gross and I loved it.)
This saturday is Pompeii, and I'm also hoping to book my fall break trips. Paris, London and Glasgow. woot.
The test was about Berlin and Amsterdam, fortunately two places I had been before so the context made a lot more sense. Specifically Deconstructionist influences in both of these cities. The Deconstructionst movement is interesting because it's not "technically" a movement. It's more like a bunch of people who make buildings out of abstract concepts that would n-e-v-e-r fly in a crit. As a side note Rem Koolhaas is the scariest looking man of all time. Don't believe me?
http://www.udc.es/dep/bave/jfreire/Images/koolhaas.png
check it.
However not everything was hunky-dorey in the land of academics. I unfortunately slipped up a little in Photography. I've come to the discovery that I am no good at photographic portraiture. When the people I took pictures of looked good, the compostition was bad. When the composition looked good, the people looked bad. It was'nt a lose-lose situation, more of a meh-i guess situation, which is sometimes worse. On the plus side it gives me the edge that next week I'll do better, it's night-shots and I think i'm going to buy one of those tripods they sell down by the colloseum for 6 euros. However it is to be mentioned that the prof did like the picture I took of the heels of my feet (at least 7 blisters from a night on the town, mostly bloody and crusty. Just picture that giant on a wall in a dark room, so gross and I loved it.)
This saturday is Pompeii, and I'm also hoping to book my fall break trips. Paris, London and Glasgow. woot.
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