I write every day in my journal, a discipline I’ve
maintained since I did The Artist's Way after high school. I has served me well over the years in getting out what may
hinder me throughout the day taking up precious mental real estate. I would recommend it to anyone to try for themselves. It does mean I have to pack a book around when I travel. I keep a
daily odometer of how many days I’ve been alive to remind myself daily of my
mortality and the preciousness of each passing day. I also keep an active
sketch book practice. If I were to stack my collection of both they would be taller than me. This
is a collection of ideas and points distilled from both sources after I returned from my trip. I hope you enjoy getting inside my mind.
Day 1 – Monday May 11, 2015 – Spectacle
What a big day already. I have never flown for this long
before. We landed after a long arduous
journey into the new surroundings, hot sun and new language. Welcome to the
chaos that is Rome. My first impression on arriving is pure delight and awe at
the sheer scale and grandeur of the sights.
Fortunately we take a quick pit stop giving me a chance to
set down my backpack and collect myself before an adventure. In order to optimize our time and avoid the
jet lag we keep on going and get an initial orientation, we are within walking
distance of the coliseum, how advantageous.
The walk was long, the air, hot and humid. I’m overwhelmed with visual stimuli, a bit
delirious and elated to be here. I am so
elated to see Trajan’s column as it is part of my course curriculum and I’ve
never had a good image for slide presentations, that is until I took some!
I had no way of preparing for this epic spectacle. It’s the “wedding
cake” that causes my jaw to drop, imagine every other building since ancient
times, this white with marble, excessive, impressive, decorative, amazing!
Day 2 – Tuesday, May 12, 2015- Ancient Rome:
Forum, Coliseum, capitolini museum
Bright eyed and busy tailed, I arise excited to travel back
into history. We arrive at the site of
the earliest temple built on tuffa, the volcanic rock found all around the area
what would soon be ancient Rome. For a
time, these ruins were buried under cow pasture. Little remains, but there is
enough and continuing archeology to piece together the past. At the forum, our
guide, Liz, describes the history and uses of the many spaces that developed
with time. So much to see and Liz’s guidance was so
dynamic, interesting and informative. She had a book with her with vellum fold
overs to help explain what the ruins we were seeing were and what was once
standing. The death of Caesar signaled the transcendence of man, immortality,
the period where man could become a god.
Site has meaning. The intense story of the founding of this
city makes you wonder why its intention at birth did not drive people away. It
celebrates cunning fratricide, Romulus, Remus and the she wolf. The birth of a
city whose god, Vesta, the mother of all, takes on wayward sons. Giving men
without rank a chance to be part of something bigger than themselves, all
wanting to be great, orphans to become sons of Rome. I was amazed at the sheer scale, cost and number
of skilled men it would take to build something so impressive. Architecture =
immortality. Men becoming gods.
Once Nero’s personal residence and manmade lake was here, it
angered the people of Rome so it’s fitting that later the Coliseum would be
erected here, a political move to entertain the masses. For a time it was for
theatre, with elevators as a means to create special effects, later a place for
wild animals and gladiators. So many movies have been set here, it feels
surreal to be standing in this place. I get the sense that the residents are
indifferent to the history that surrounds them. Things in your vicinity do
eventually get taken for granted.
Day 3 –Wednesday, May 13, 2015 - Vatican,
Sistine Chapel, St. Peters
Upon entering we are given whispers and see a copy of Michelangelo’s
Pieta in plaster. It was beautiful and we were able to get much closer to it
than the original which was further away and encased in glass. I can’t believe
he was only 25 when he made this, puts my work in perspective, in a painful
way.
I pick up the last copy of Liz’s book in English at the
Vatican book shop. (I read it that night). We enter the collection and I’m
floored. Works of beauty I did not expect. Gorgeous, intricate tapestries by
Raphael. I learned that he was an artist ready to take on any medium. I fully
admit that I was brought to tears inspired by the beauty of the work of
Raphael. I went to the back of the group
to gather myself and really take it all in. I felt vulnerable admitting this
but glad that I did, learning that the same moving reaction was had by
Martinho.
Seeing Raphael’s school of Athens for real and in print, I
was surprised that the work was hard to see in reality, in the room to the side
adjacent to accompanying frescos that were never mentioned in my Art History
text but equally masterful. It was great to hear about the back and forth
competition between the artists of the day and the conjecture my question about
their relationships brought, no one really knows the answer.
The Laocoon and
other notable sculptures are in a beautiful outside garden. It is so impressive
to see these works in person. Once more my love for marble sculpture is
validated. Inside it is so hot and crowded, I have no idea how anyone could do
this during summer. Seeing the modern collection after all the great master
works really left me feeling as flat, dark, ugly and uninspired as the works
appeared.
The pace is grueling, yet I can’t possible stop taking it
in, my eyes and soul are fueled by beautiful artworks.
I was surprised by the scale of the work in the Sistine
Chapel, but also on how it was a completely enclosed space. No stained glass,
no windows, it felt like a gymnasium. I was humored how the silence of the
museum goers rose to cacophony so quickly then over a loud speaker a voice
boomed “silence please’, then the chapel was once again still in silence which
slowly rose once more in a crescendo of cacophony and the voice boomed again
and the scene repeated once more.
It was easy to see the greatness of Michelangelo’s depiction
of scaled figures and riving bodies in the last judgment over the alter. All of
this makes me question my existence and the validity of my art practice.
I didn’t want to leave the splendor of St. Peters. It is magnificent,
I am amazed and in love with the feeling in this holy place as well as Bernini’s
creations within. Imagine the span of the dove in the stained glass is nearly 6
ft. across, implying the floating chair in the air must be close to 40 ft. from
the base.
Day 4 –Thursday, May 14, 2015 – Piazzas, Trevi
fountain, Pantheon
Outdoor adventures, ate like a king. I wish I had more time
for sketching, for now I’ll have to let my camera replace it as we quickly
breeze through mountains of content. We toured the piazzas, fountains and Pantheon.
It was amazing to see the scale of the dome and quite different to be in a
round building.
Day 5 –Friday, May 15, 2015 – Santa Cecilia
Breathtakingly beautiful, fragile and delicate the marble of
St. Cecilia represents how her body was discovered when they opened her tomb. I
picked up a replica for the home alter. She is the saint for music I later
learned and enjoyed her life story as we went through the basement, the church
built on top on the location where her home was.
At this point it sinks in how I feel that the lifestyle of
the Italians is superior. The rest at lunch is seemingly more humane. The
unequivocal quality of the food, the pleasure taken it, the sharing around a
table together and the real connection people appear to have. I have always
questioned the pace and hectic stress here in Calgary. How I’m constantly
working, improving or chasing after the next thing. It seems there is not time
to rest or reflect and here I see how it works without the society crumbling.
And yet they are so centered around capitalism, or at least buying fashionable
wares. The women look amazing and take the risk of high heels on uneven
streets, somewhat comical but they do it with style and grace.
Day 6 –Saturday, May 16, 2015 – Basillicas and
Masterpieces
Today got turned into a free day, but I still want to hit the
stuff on the itinerary that will be closed on Monday. I got lost looking for the Barbarini Palace, 2
hrs of walking in circles, but eventually found it, totally worth it. I’m not
going to miss a thing, I had to lone wolf it in order to do it. Here I saw the
full spectrum of my favorite painters from Caravaggio to El Greco. I also got a
chance to see Michelangelo’s Moses. Afterwards I walk back to the Piazza
Venezia. I aim to get a bit of drawing done on my own, I just sat and ate lunch
while sketching. The birds were aggressive and came close in multiple attempts
to steal my lunch. I got one good watercolour out of it fortunately.
Day 7 –Sunday, May 17, 2015 –Gallery Borghese
Piazza, Catacombs
I walk around the huge park on the estate while waiting for
the Gallery to open. This would have been an extravagant suburban party place,
full of gloriously decorated rooms for entertaining and showing off their
power.
The catacombs were interesting and cooling off below the
earth was a real treat after being in the hot sun all day. The early Christians
came way out here to bury the deceased. They dug down into that same soft tuffa
that was the foundation for ancient Rome.
I was surprised at the sheer number, and how many were tiny, presumable
for babies and children. Later that evening we visited two practicing artists studios,
it really inspired me for what my bohemian sensibilities think an artist’s life
should look like.
Day 8 –Monday, May 18, 2015
Rodolpho Papa’s lecture about the New World Order and how
the CIA brought about the fall of great figurative Art, it was interesting but
we ran out of time. Tomorrow we leave Rome, so I plan to get as much in today
before its too late. I spent the final night photographing and hanging out with
Dan to do some sketching of the columns. Finally a chance to get in some
sketching. Martinho’s B-day is quickly approaching so I’ve been working on a
suitable card signed by everyone in the group.
Day 9 –Tuesday, May 19, 2015 – Travel to
Florence/orientation
Today we leave Rome and head to Florence on a high speed
train, I’ve never been on a high speed train before, the landscapes out the
window were gorgeous and I am surprised they don’t just whiz by like I
expected.
Brunelleschi’s Duomo in the heart of Florence is amazing,
the cathedral is white and highly decorated. There is a sculpture of its
creator looking up nearby, the gaze a time portal in between. We headed on over
to a sculpture park near the Uffizi filled with copies of the David, work by
Donatello and a copy of the Rape of the
Sabine Women. The copy of the David left me feeling unimpressed, I expect little
of the real thing. Later, we visited a real marble sculptor studio where a lot
of the magic was revealed. I was always under the impression given in school of
the pure genius of sculptors “releasing” the figures from the rock, but that is
not so. There is a process to the technique. A Maquette is made then a full
size version in clay, and then a measuring apparatus guides the sculptor in
marble. It kind of took the wind out of the sails in one sense and enhanced my
reverence for the craftsmanship and technical skill involved as well.
Day 10 –Wednesday,
May 20, 2015 – Martinho’s B-day
Martinho’s B-day we took on the Florentine steak, never have
I feasted on such blue flesh, but it was good. For years I was vegetarian, I
wonder if I have the enzymes to digest such a heap of nearly raw meat.
Day 11 –Thursday, May 21, 2015 – Pitti palace, Angel
Academy
Slept like a rock and rose early to see the doctor then meet
up with the group at the Pitti Palace. I
didn’t think we’d cross paths so I took my time going through the extensive
collection and eventually caught up to my group. Donatello’s David, a Mercury
bronze cast, Michealangelo’s ability to bring riving figurative forms forth
carved in from the front of the stone, the cast room was immensely enjoyable as
were the icons on the hard to find access to their floor. A quick word on the breathlessness
caused by seeing the real David, it is truly epic. It is the largest sculpture from
one block since antiquity, soft massive and cartoony.
I got to see my friend Nicole who is an instructor at the
Angel Academy. It was great to see the process and teaching method at a
classical Atelier. Part of my reason to come to Italy was for reconnaissance to
see if Angel Academy could be a good next step for me, deciding after seeing it
in person that it was not. Glad I checked it out before diving in.
Day 12 –Friday, May 22, 2015 – Ravenna in the
rain
I’m glad we are taking this out of town trip, even though it’s
pouring and clearly the cheap umbrellas are useless. I love the rain, I refer to it as “liquid
sunshine”. I took a hilarious picture of Martinho with his destroyed umbrella
kind of covering his bald head while he speaks to the group. Warrior Christ and
the Easter calendar were important historical marks I was glad to see. Byzantine
era mosaics in ancient reclaimed spaces like a roman bathhouse turned
baptistery. The glinting and gleaming of the gold is mesmerizing. In some way
these meticulously made mosaics are far more impressive than frescos, they have
a real life to them in their cartoonish representations.
Day 13 –Saturday, May 23, 2015 –Uffizi gallery
We visit a Franciscan monastery filled with gorgeous frescos
by Fra Angelico in each of the monk’s rooms and a surprising selection of
illuminated manuscripts. My questions about the process of icon painting where
answered with a display at the back showing the tools and materials involved.
Botteccelli, was ruined when Martinho pointed out what was
being done in oil at the same time frame, like the works by Flemish artists. Or
haow about Da Vinci’s Annunciation. It
is clear when you see the work in the flesh. His angel to the left is so much
more masterful than his teachers. It was said that he quit never painting again
after seeing his pupils angel. Clearly. Some
of us stay behind in the gallery in order to make sure we see everything else
in the collection, there was an entire floor with walls painted a soft blue
filled with Dutch works, notable Rembrandt portraits plus tons of still life
and landscape paintings.
Day 14+ –Sunday, May 24, 2015 – Group leaves, I
continue on
Highlights – Brishigehlla and Favena – medieval town,
natural waterfalls, and gypsum mine, Natural Park with pet wolf, and “the best”
gelato. Everywhere you go in Italy everybody’s opinion is that what they have
is “the best”. I’m starting to expect it. Rather, what I hear now is what I
have is the best and therefore what you have is sh*t, it’s becoming almost
comedic.
I take a day to myself to visit the Specola, natural history
museum. I have had the Encyclopedia Anatomica book for reference for my art from
this very museum for so long it was breath taking to see them in person. Wax
replicas of every single layer of human anatomy, so realistically rendered so
that real bodies were unnecessary for dissection and education, yet creepy and
tragically beautiful as their sublime, angelic Botticelli like faces are frozen
in time with the contrast of their bloody entrails exposed. They are wax works
of art in their own right, maybe more suitable today for a death metal bands CD
cover.
I was advised by the doctor to extend my stay, with much
self reflection I eventually decide it’s not in my cards. I need to go back to
finish up projects and to do the required work for the class. C’est la vie. I
will miss Italy. Much more to come...
