Arte Fiera in Bologna

A few weeks ago we went to Bologna, the capital city of Emilia-Romagna to visit the 32nd edition of Arte Fiera Art First: a BIG international exhibition of modern and contemporary art. It looked similar to the Toronto International Art Fair, where instead of featuring the top Canadian and International galleries and artists, Arte Fiera featured the top Italian and International artists and galleries and in also a much larger scale… really BIG.

Arte Fiera also held there own version of our Nuiet Blank titled Art White Night… music concerts, exhibitions, museum and gallery openings held till midnight throughout various locations in the historical city centre of Bolgona. Here are a few pictures I took of some of the artwork I saw at the fair…

I really liked this work by American artist Jacob Hashimoto. This piece like many of his other pieces are created by designing and constructing thousands of small circle-shaped kites and installing them so that they recede in space… as if they are flowing in this air. The second picture is a work by Italian artist David Reimondo. I knew I wasn’t imagining this… he creates his pieces by slicing bread and imbedding them in resin. Geniuses!

This picture to the right is a work by German artist Rebecca Horn. She combines installation, sculpture, performance and video in her work. Although I’m not too interested in her other pieces, there is something about this piece I like so much.


Some of the most popular artists at the fair were British artist Jason Martin, and Italian artists Lucio Fontano and Alighiero Boetti… they were represented by many galleries… their work was everywhere I turned.

Elisabeth once introduced me to work by artist Minjung Kim whose work was also at the fair. You’d think that this piece is painted, when in fact it’s paper collaged… beautiful. Here is also picture of someone looking closely at a work by Italian artist Nicola Samori.


I was glad to see so many paintings. Seven hours of walking, looking, appreciating, and discussing most of the art there was to see… exhausted, overwhelmed, but very much inspired by the end of the day.

Assisi and the Monks

"Je crois au pouvoir des souvenirs et que l'Histoire de la population nous projettent au futur. Les fautes et les triomphes de nos ancetres nous affectent aujourd'hui, ici." Rome holds so much history and it is nearly impossible to ignore the evolution of civilization while there. Each building, each piece of art and every person there has a story. The interconnectivity of human beings around the world seemed to thrust itself into my view when we were in Rome. French, Spanish, Italian, etc. they are all present and very much active members of society and culture. The history is so vivid and has so many angles from which to be approached, it applies to everyone.

Il Duomo. Wow. Molti aggettivi vengono badare a quando tentare di descrivere quest'edificio antico. Antico è uno di loro. Maestoso è un altro. La maestà di quest'edificio controlla la mia mente quando sono vicino a esso. Le routine quotidiane sono frantumate quando la mia mascella fa cadere, i miei occhi riempiono di la radiosità, ed il mio cervello è ridotto a un viscido, dibatte la palla di sorpresa.

Diverso da ciò, lo trovo bello normale. Io il mea, non lo noto realmente. Il Duomo è diventato appena la parte del rumore di fondo della mia vita che è proprio come molto di una noia come il brusio di una sveglia, o il gridare di un annuncio pubblicitario di televisione.

In conclusione: l'età trasparente di questa mostruosità soffia la mia mente. Ed il fatto che i lavoratori erano pagati le loro mano d'opera è anche più impressionante. I ringraziamenti, Brunellesci, per arricchire la mia passeggiata alla scuola.

Il vostro nell'eternità,

Timeworn burrows

Seen throughout the main facade's pediment of the Pantheon and noticed again in the great walls of the Colosseum is an echo of
perforated surface in what I recognized as 'burrows', holes that I imagined having multiple representations- eyes, opened mouths, ear drums, pores. These 'burrow' marks I interpreted as stories lost in time that are surfacing from the depths of the withering stone. The travertine stone itself I believe has a voice I recognized in the Pantheon and Colosseum. This stone is known as the official 'stone of Rome', because of its large quantities from antiquity still present in Rome. It amazes me that this yellowish limestone formed by precipitation of calcium carbonate has such longevity and durable qualities to outstand time. Despite the stone's long-life, the 'burrow' marks that appear time worn or carved out retain many mysteries and stories that exist within the character of the travertine stone. I interpret the 'stone of Rome' with its withering character in a poetic manner, as I imagined the precious story of Doris, her voice and hand marks emerging from the stone- her voice once lost in the cavity of time, now surfacing from the 'burrows' to reveal the secrets of her hand-writings. One photo I found on the wall of the Colosseum inspired me to include illustrations of scratchy illegible text in stone brick, to commemorate the chimney where these precious letters were found hidden.

The Piazza at St. Giovanni

The Piazza at St. Giovanni aka the Duomo is the biggest and most famous church in Florence. Most days the piazza is full of tourists, illegal street vendors, pick pockets, painters, gypsies, and locals avoiding the crazy scene. Millions flock to this spot every year, cameras in hand trying to get a piece of the amazing history. By day there is a chaotic murmur of every language and thousands of cameras flick pictures that people will try to never forget. By night this is a popular spot of young people to meet and hangout. Last week 5 or 6 of us met up there to play music and enjoy the night life. As usual we gathered on the steps and sat around, and as we started to play we gathered on lookers and plenty of new friends. I have met people from all over the world at the Duomo, some bring their guitars, and others sing along, it doesn’t matter if we can speak the same language, it only matters that we are all sharing the same experience. The open area here is large and from sitting on the steps the music travels out into the city.

Piazza San Giovanni is Florence's Main tourist attraction, thanks to Lorenzo Ghiberti's impressive gilded doors, the elaborate facade of Santa Maria del Fiore and Brunelleschi's enormous Dome rising high above the city. It is a good place to go if you are new to the city and want to see it all at once. Watch your pockets though!!!

The space between contemporary culture and historical constructs often seems to be a vast gulf, leaving either the modern of the historical to fend for itself. In younger countries, holding onto the past can seem at times trivial or neglected while some places look as if they have had their highest points centuries ago and are now frozen in their former glory. In effect, becoming in effect, as one apt student remarked a 'Renaissance Disney Land.' Rome, however has married its past and present together in a way that allows the entity that is the modern city to coexist with history. It thrives and develops while preserving its past and making room for visitors to share in the experience. The city is built for people, it feels lived in and is not a model to be observed for a couple of days and only remembered in photographs. It would take years to get to know this city, to become attuned to the moods and emotions of the place as it would be ever changing. The most interesting space in Rome in the place where history and the present meet and blend to become something unique in a world obsessed with change and development. 

ROMA MIA

So what is there not to love in Rome? Was our three days there really enough to soak it all in? I mean there was barely enough to time to really get to know the Swiss guards al Vaticano. At least us girls got a pleasant night out on the town with them boys in a quaint lil' bring-us-back-to-Toronto bar, called I Botticelli, right near Piazza Navona, a highly reccomended night spot. Not to mention Kristine's birthday countdown that we sang in English, should have sang in Italian, and was learning to sing in Swiss German. Not only were the boys so well composed at work at the entrance gentle at handling traffic and fashioning their 16th century uniform elegantly enough, but they also were fun-loving and talkative out at night. So, it was 6 OCAD raggazze with 8 Swiss raggazi, oh what a night!

I was so keen on finding out who the so called designer of the Swiss uniforms was, supposedly Michelangelo was told to us, but Christian said to me that part of his drawing was put into the final fashion design. I dug up some facts about this uniform online:

1)The uniform was first worn in 1506 by the swiss guards first entering the Vatican for Pope Julius 11th

2)The blue, red, and yellow colours are attractive and traditional to the Medici.

3)With passing centuries, there have been a few minor changes, but on the whole the original dress has been maintained.

4) Commonly thought that Michelangelo designed the uniform, but it would seem he had nothing to do with it.
Raffaelo certainly had influence in its development, since he was the fashionisto in general in Italy during the Renaissance, visible through his painting.

Rome took my second visit and I still do not feel like I scraped its surface. I mean looking out from inside of il Colosseo I was spellbound! Looking out from one of the archways into the centre of the amphitheatre and out to the archways lit from the sun bursting through the other side moved me. A truly magnificent architectural space. An ancient playground, holes in the walls, calls for an unforgettable game of hide and seek. There is so much time passed here and time to be spent within these rugged walls. I would'nt have hesitated a moment to crawl into one of those worn-out niches to hideaway and spend the night.

How Giglio came to be!

Door knockers, door mats, truck emblems, moped helmet stickers, grates, sewers, keychains, nonna's sauce spoon all have one thing in common, they have all been marked with the infamous Giglio in Florence. Ever since I got to Florence I kept my eyes peeled for what I could find with this ubiquitous icon. There are even posters that show the evolution of the Giglio over the past 200 years that are hung in cafe windows and around city stores. It seems like this Giglio is a patriotic symbol that has rocked Florence for some time. I have become quite gung-ho to search the story behind this G and this is what I found:

The story of Paolino is where it all begins,

It all started in 409 A.D when Paolino, the Bishop of Nola, Naples, Italy made a great and noble sacrifice. Paolino who was a lawyer to the Roman Empire at an early age had left his position to state after losing his new born son. Paolino set on a spiritual quest of a simple disciplined life of prayer and charity, giving away all his possessions.

During years of the Roman Empire, Southern Italy was run by North African Conquers, Huns. Paolino was able to escape the rage while other men were captured and enslaved to North Africa.

A long venture home, Paolino returned to the town Nola with children, a widow had greeted him who's only son was taken captive. She pleaded for his help to free her son. It was Paolino's determination and vow to go to North Africa to barter for her son's freedom. When Paolino confronted the Hun's leader, he refused to release the young widow's son, so Paolino sacrificed his freedom for the young son. For this the Hun's leader accepted.

The legend calls that during Paolino's captivity he possessed a special gift to predict the future and on such occasion to warn the leader of impending danger. With arms wide open, Paolino was granted his freedom along with all other men from the town of Nola. All took a boat of the Turkish Sultan free passage after hearing Paolino's great sacrifice.

(THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE THIS IS WHERE GIGLIO COMES IN......)

After 2 years of enslavement, the townspeople met the heroic Paolino, overjoyed and grateful, they awaited his arrival all holding GIGLI, Italian for lily flowers. People in the town of Nola began carrying bouquets of lilies to churches. Eventually these GIGLI arrangements became a decoration around the town of Nola used by parishoners and faithful, mounting their lilies on poles and across town.

For this reason the GIGLIO has become a prominent symbol, emblem, icon, and decoration of nobility across Florence, but also across Italy and even parts in the United states, Brooklyn, Williamsburg, New York to pay homage to San Paolino.

Each year on June 22nd is the FEAST OF GIGLIO, a festival that has lived 300 years. A celebration that commermorates Paolino and the Dance of the Giglio- PICTURE THIS, Gigli Spires....125 men carrying a Five-ton, Five-Story, Hand-sculptured Tower (out of paper-mache) and a 12 piece brass band on their shoulders dancing it through the neighbourhood streets to tempo of giddy Italian folk songs.

So this is the reason behind FLorence's great obsession with lilies

If you would like to know more about what this Feast looks like check out this link to an article below.

http://www.americaitaliareview.com/past_articles/062004/

San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, Roma

Designed by Francesco Borromini, this white on white church, also called "The Carlino" is a small but breathtaking jewel of the high Baroque, and I think the loveliest place we visited, in Rome.

The first part of the structure that Borromini completed was the crypt, a miniature version of the church with a stunning spiral staircase. The structure of the church is based on the combination of two equilateral triangles, creating an elliptical structure that fits perfectly into the small plot of land at the corner of the four fountains, where the gods of the Tiber and the Arno guard the corners on which the church sits. Borromini cleverly incorporated false perspective, to make the entrance and the alters look deeper, and tall fluted columns that rise to the dome, making the structure look higher and more elegant. Because of the human scale of the church and Borromini's employment of the golden mean and the equilateral triangle, the church has a settled feeling of correct and beautiful proportion.

The adjoining cloister (pictured at the top) with its ambulatory, and the small enclosed garden for the order of Trinitarian Monks gives the church a unified and very intimate feeling. The Trinitarians are an order of 'shoeless' monks who were originally dedicated to the freeing of Christian slaves, but these days the monks take collection which they distribute freely and entirely to the local poor until it runs out, every week. We all made a donation to their work, as a thanks for our visit to their beautiful, peaceful church.

Although Borromini was given a place in the crypt, he was never to occupy it, as he died a suicide. Borromini never asked for payment for his work on The Carlino. It was both his first full scale project, and as he was planning the addition of the Bell Tower when he died, his last project. Borromini said that this was his best and favourite building. Many, many people love this church, and it is considered to be one of the purest and loveliest examples of Baroque architecture.


There is a very informative article on the church and its architecture, as well as the story of the competition between Borromini and his rival Bernini for the design of St Peter's, at this website:
http://www.mmdtkw.org/VCarlino2002.html

ROMA

It is with the confidence of a much beloved child that Rome opens her heart to travelers. There is an unapologetic joy in her attitude that infects all that walk her tall colourful streets. Rome shares her wealth of stone and pigment with generous delight breathing new hope into human creativity. Like a patient mother, used to being prodded and poked, the city tolerates our quest into her deep historical past with resigned serenity, constantly unveiling unexpected truths hidden in the depths of her laden abdomen. Rome has the remarkable capacity to fuse the new with the old weaving into her fabric the fibres and threads of timeless artistic achievement. Within her circular embrace, everything becomes contemporary and relevant; from the Pantheon’s soothing geometry, to Bernini’s grandiose theatrics, to Cy Trombley’s gentle poetries. With magnanimous grace the city exudes her joie de vivre transmitting a simple message that leaves us with a renewed sense of hope and a deeper understanding of our own humanity.

Brunelleschi's Dome

While walking through Piazza di Porta San Giovanni during the day, one can easily overlook, or take for granted the architectural marvel that is the church of Santa Maria del Fiore. It is easy to get caught up in the ebb and flow of the piazza; ducking tourists, cautiously guarding one’s wallet from pickpockets, and weaving in and out of souvenir vendors. Thus, the best time to visit the dome is in the dead of night. The tourists have left and one can usually share the piazza with as few as a dozen other night owls. The silence suits the hulking cathedral as it no longer has to compete for our attention with the hustle and bustle of Florentine daily life. The darkness too complements the dome as it serves to quiet the too busy façade, and lets the elegant lines of the cathedral and dome, speak for themselves. But, truly the best time to visit the Duomo is when the city of Florence is covered under a thick blanket of fog. The façade becomes even more faded, and Brunelleschi’s dome reaches up to the heavens in a dreamlike state; it’s form ethereal and uncertain. It is as though you are seeing the Dome through Brunelleschi’s mind’s eye before construction was even thought of. It becomes easier too, to envision the dome how it must have looked while building was still in progress and was rising into the sky circle by circle as a skeletal, uncertain structure. After having such a vision, it is hard not to be completely in awe of both the skill that went into it’s construction, as well as the risks that were undertaken. That there was always the chance of collapse, and the method of construction was altogether unproven by previous buildings. Regardless however, the workers and the opera put their faith in Brunelleschi and continued to let the dome climb. The dome now stands as a testament to their courage in the face of such an enormous and daunting task.

Direction

Re entering a space and attempting to look at it with new eyes is a challenge in most circumstances. Realizing just how much the monumental features of Florence serve as grounding in the twisting streets that can be so packed that they convulse, should be no surprise... however speaking as one of the directionally challenged knowing how much of a homing beacon the Duomo and surrounding piazza have become (so much so that if I can find my way to the center of the city I can find my way anywhere in the city) it is extraordinary in itself. And the fact that this space has remained at the core of the Florentine system, with streets and development sprouting out from all sides since the beginning of its construction centuries ago either speaks to the remarkable ability that this building has to hold the city together and or to the lack of movement and flow that are natural to other urban centers, freezing itself in the city's past. 

Out of the crowds and into the streets!

It is a really amazing site to walk the streets of Florence and catch a glimpse of the Duomo. It unexpectedly peaks through the narrow streets, perched above the roof tops. When reading Brunelleschi’s Dome and looking at this picture I wonder how the workers felt walking to work every morning and seeing this massive building appear slowly, day by day in front of them? I can only conclude that they were just as shocked and amazed to see it as I was, even more so. I find this vantage point of the Duomo most interesting and enjoyable; it shows the shear enormity of the church and there are considerably less people around than when in Piazza di Porta San Giovanni.