Carrara

Before settling in at the British School in Rome for my 6 week stint there, I had plans to do at least one more trip in Italy. I was wanting to go to Capri and visit Casa Malaparte, the cliff-clinging house made famous in Godard's Contempt (Le Mepris). But, when I contacted the foundation that manages the site, it became clear that a visit would not be possible. So instead, I decided to spend more time in Carrara and Pietrasanta.
When I first got to Carrara I could hear Withnail's voice in my ear saying "we've gone on holiday by mistake". It seemed like a dead town, a bit like my recollections of Watertown, New York...a working class town without any work...grim. The streets were nearly empty, the shops closed, and there was a distinct absence of the kind of polish one becomes accustomed to whilst visiting the kind of towns that people visit. There were reasons for this: 1) It was off-season 2) it was lunch and the whole place was shut down until 3:30 and, 3) this isn't a town people tend to visit so it lacks any of the touristic charm found in abundance in neighbouring Pietrasanta. Carrara is a working quarry town. There are hundreds of quarries (cava, in italian) in the surrounding hills. People have been cutting marble out of these hills since Roman times, making it one of the oldest continuously operating industrial sites in the world. Michelangelo toured these quarries to select the marble for his sculptures and his face and name can bee seen all around town, including the place where I stayed: Hotel Michelangelo. This would have been a posh palace of a Hotel back in its day (1950's), worthy of a scene in a Fellini film. Now it has a Coen Brothers quality to it that is hard to describe: a bit like an aging Hollywood starlet without money for plastic surgery; Sunset Boulevard meets Barton Fink.
In addition to the business of selling marble, the carving of marble is big here, too: There is a school that teaches the science behind marble, and the techniques of carving it; an art school with spacious new carving studios set into the hills just north of the town centre; and private studios that will take your sculpture in plaster form (or any 3D form) and have their artisans carve it in marble for you. One of the most famous is that of Carlo Nicoli



It took me three visits before I could track down the man who runs this studio. Lucky for me, when I meet Carlo he was leaving his office, and I was just in time to enjoy some appertivi (Campari and soda, bar snacks...a kind of Italian happy hour) with him. The next day we visited some of the quarries with his fiery daughter, Francesa, who runs the business with him. Below, Carlo is inspecting some statuary quality stones that have been put aside for him by the guy at this particular quarry. Meeting Carlo and spending time with him made my time in Carrara really special. Not only do we share a love of art, but Carlo is a bit of a motorhead, too. He drives a black WRX Sti, and was quick to point out to me the Brembo brakes his Subaru is equipped with to reign in its 300 horses.




In addition to making works in stone for a host of artists worldwide, Nicoli Studios also has artists work on site on their own pieces. I was so stoked when I was there that I thought that once I got home in July, I would head directly back to Carrara to carve for three weeks (and bring some other artists/carver-curious ppl with me). Now, I think that is a bit crazy, and besides there are weddings I must attend. But looking ahead to summer 2009, I am thinking days of carving marble, swimming in the sea, and leisurely preparing Italian meals is a very good use of time. And it would be rude not to rent a Land Rover for weekend transport between towns.




Not all the artwork in Carrara is made of marble, some of it is sprayed on to marble. God Bless this stencil. Post-modern Jesus art. He is the original energizer bunny...he keeps going, and going.

Back to Rome and Musei Vaticani

After short time in Venice I returned to Rome. Roma, Caput mundi ("capital of the world"), la Città Eterna ("the Eternal City"), Limen Apostolorum ("threshold of the Apostles"), la città dei sette colli ("the city of the seven hills") or simply l'Urbe ("the City"), is thoroughly modern and cosmopolitan. As one of the few major European cities that escaped World War II relatively unscathed, central Rome remains essentially Renaissance and Baroque in character.
Well, that's the word from wikipedia. "The City" title has arguably been taken over by New York City, but Rome retains and remains "eternal". Rome has been an important ancient city, renaissance city, baroque city, early Christian city, cinema city and fascist city. And each of these cities is still visible in some form or another, making it a place that you could never know in a lifetime. This makes it a wonderous, if not daunting place to call home for 6 weeks.

Rome is Roma, which backwards is amor, which in latin is Love (thanks to Dr. Reuter for that bit of trivia). I do love Roma, and I'm not referring to the football/soccer team. However, I do think AS Roma's colours and logo are smashing!

From another point of view, Rome is a bit like an grandiose Italian wedding cake: It has many layers, is full of symbolism, and often has a water feature. This cake's waterfalls reference the wonder of the ancient Roman aqua ducts; the pillars embody the power of Caesars Forum; and the flowery icing mimics the intricately carved marble details adorning the city's many Baroque churches. FYI, the monument to Vittorio Emanuelle II, built to commemorate the first King of unified Italy is sometimes called "the wedding cake". No picture of it right now, as it is under renovations and surrounded by another famous Italian contribution to world culture: scaffolding!



My first destination when I got back to Rome was the Vatican Museums and their stunning art collection that spans the eras of ancient and modern art (there is actually one of Francis Bacon's Popes hanging here!) This is good place to immerse oneself in the symbolism, blood and gore of christian/catholic art. Long before Sam Peckinpaw and Quentin Tarinto saw the light of day, the catholic church was in the business of creating spectacular images of violence. To their credit, these artworks replaced the pre-Holy Roman Empire's live public gore-fests of gladiator fights and animal sacrifices. These artworks are often compelling and beautiful; and since Christianity is still the world's largest religion, it is clear they make for highly effective propaganda tools, too.




Archaic Torso of Apollo
by Rainer Maria Rilke

We cannot know his legendary head
with eyes like ripening fruit. And yet his torso
is still suffused with brilliance from inside,
like a lamp, in which his gaze, now turned to low,

gleams in all its power. Otherwise
the curved breast could not dazzle you so, nor could
a smile run through the placid hips and thighs
to that dark center where procreation flared.

Otherwise this stone would seem defaced
beneath the translucent cascade of the shoulders
and would not glisten like a wild beast's fur:

would not, from all the borders of itself,
burst like a star: for here there is no place
that does not see you. You must change your life.

Translated by Stephen Mitchell



This may not be the specific torso he was writing about, but it's the one I think about. Rilke was probably referring to the Apollo torso in the Louvre, since he lived in Paris. However, I am sure that this is the torso that Michelangelo admired so much, and that had great influence on Renaissance, Mannerist and Baroque sculpture. This statue was discovered in the Campo de' Fiori, in Rome during the period of Pope Julius II (pope 1503-1513). It was once believed to be a 1st century BC original, but is now believed to be a copy of an older statue, likely dating to the 2nd century BC. Thanks to A. G. Darby for introducing me to this poem so many years ago.

Rainer Maria Rilke was born in Prague in 1875. He resided throughout Europe during his lifetime, including a 12-year residency is Paris, where he befriended and worked for the famed sculptor Auguste Rodin.

On the way out of the Vatican Museums you exit via a huge double helix staircase.
Symbolic? Was the designer 'taking the piss out' of his patrons with the DNA shaped structure, or is it just an intelligent design to get people out of the building efficiently?

La Biennale di Venezia

I quite enjoyed my time at the Arsenal Venice biennale site with its many pavilions showing contemporary art under the flags of numerous nations. It is a beautiful site full of trees that were wearing their fall colours. The Biennale also includes many off-site installations like this one by an Australian artist. The top image is me inside the structure shown below it. Sadly, the elevators did not open, nor was there a small person inside attending it; but there were some sounds...maybe sirens and/or mumbled voices...either way, not so memorable since I can't remember. In general, the Biennale was a pleasant experience with good showings from South Korea and Russia. But nothing so great that I feel compelled to share it with you. Please note that I didn't actually get around to see every pavilion, and may have missed the proverbial manger hidden behind the inn. Nevertheless, I would definitely go back and see another Biennale in Venice, and for sure do it in the fall.
And on my next visit, I would revisit the Peggy Guggenheim collection. Like the New York version, it has a so-so permanent collection, but puts on some superb temporary exhibitions. The one I saw was a beautifully installed exhibition on the work of Medardo Rosso (born Turin 1858, died Milan 1928). He was an early modernist sculptor who also did experimental photography which involved re-photography. Here is one of his sculptures, and one of his photos. If limited to a single word, I would call his work ephemeral.

Venezia

My visit to Venice was too short, but very sweet. Having been before I knew what to expect, but it isn't until you arrive again that you get caught up in its magical spell. The canals and paths combine to create a labyrinth that you are almost sure to get lost in. And its art offerings are like the city itself: intimate and spellbinding. And of course, the light is marvelous!




The high point of this visit was visiting the Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari church. A massive church completed by the Franciscans in 1338, it is made of brick in the Italian Gothic style and contains two brilliant Titians. The one that took my breath away was the Pesaro Madonna.
"When Titian painted this altarpiece, he broke with a centuries-long tradition of placing the devotional figures (the Virgin and Child) in the center of the painting and the painted space. By doing this, he allowed for a greater sense of movement through the painting, presaging the Baroque period's more complicated compositional techniques."
I took that from wiki, but it matters not what anyone has written or said about it, or that its subjects include the Madonna, baby Jesus and St. Francis. What matters is that it is alive and can arrest every movement in your body with a single glance. Leaving you standing there, more aware of your heartbeat than you were seconds before. For me great works of art are like silent prophets...they speak visually and their messages transcend time and space. It awes me that Titian stood in front of this same painting almost five hundred years ago, took some paint and brushes and created an image that can command my attention and give direction to my life. This is as much a miracle to me, as the Virgin birth is to Christians. And artists like Titian, come along about as infrequently as prophets like Jesus. All of this probably sounds like complete twoodle if you have only seen a reproduction. But alas, it is all I can provide...and this advice: go to Venice and see this painting, and you might just become a believer of the Gospel of Tiziano. You might discover that this painting, though inanimate, can ask you questions, make you feel deeper, and more alive. And by making you feel more alive, illuminate your own mortality and the fleeting nature and meaning of life. If you were wondering, the answer is "Yes", being in Italy does make you prone to the dramatic. It is a dramatic place, with a dramatic history and dramatic people. That is why Italians wear sunglasses all the time: to keep private some of the tears that collect in their eyes as they go about their lives surrounded by such agonising beauty. Or to try and contain their excitement, and keep their cool while driving through Rome at night in a Cadillac with Marcello.

Florence

Florence is the Renaissance theme park of a city that is the heart and soul of Tuscany. The birthplace of many revolutionary artworks and ideas that are the foundation on which much of my world is built. Still tied very much to its past glory through museums and architecture, this once walled medieval city is a paradise for art lovers and a major tourist destination. This means throngs of tourists fill the streets, museums and markets. Fortunately it is also a small place so you can walk everywhere and discover pockets of calm away from the maddening crowds.
In the Renaissance this was a small and wealthy city state, and home to the Medici family riches. As such, it lived under the threat of attack from its larger neighbours and identified itself with the David from the Goliath story. Currently it is home to both Donatello's David (currently laying on his bronze back while under restoration in the Bargello ), and Michelangelo's David (seen here from the outside of the Accademia dell'Arte del Disegno "Academy of the Art of Design"). You are no longer allowed to take photographs on the inside, which I actually prefer because it allows for a more mellow atmosphere, and as you can see from the crowd here it is a very busy place.



It wasn't always so busy, as you can see in this image from 1972. It was taken by my friend Felix Russo, who is the founder and editor of PhotoEd magazine. This picture is in the PhotoEd GUIDE to Photography, in a section that discusses "scale". I contributed to the GUIDE (sometimes with the assistance of former students) and we use it at my school as a textbook; as do many other schools and colleges throughout Canada. It is a good intro guide because it covers both traditional photography and newer digital forms of image making. Felix was was also my photography teacher at the Etobicoke School of the Arts, and the person who organised and lead our school group trip to Italy in 1986. So, he played a big role in developing my interest in two of my great loves: photography and Italy. I will never, ever forget seeing David for the first time with my 17 year old eyes. It is still very special seeing the real thing now, but it is a different experience seeing it as a "grown up".




Brunelleschi's massive Duomo dominates the clay coloured skyline of Florence. I am showing this view because it was shot from where the marble statue of Brunelleschi sits looking up at his masterpiece.


You can buy a ticket and climb the hundreds of stairs that take you to the top of the dome. This is the view looking down from the bottom edge of the dome. The people on the floor look like ants. Do ants have souls?



Looking across the dome you will see this image of a demon, designed to put the fear of God into you. Repent, repent all you sinners, or you are going to Hell and will be eaten by demons...head first! It is hard to know if this image produced any converts or confessions, but one thing is for sure: it was imagery like this that inspired future artists who would find work creating album covers for heavy metal bands. Below you can see how this image fits into the overall program. It is within the light yellow parts on the upper levels where you find the saviour. After all, Roman Catholicism has a fierce hierarchical order, which is completely against the teachings of JC, which makes it such a great religion. Great because it is chock full of this type of conflict. Think of all the great art in the world that has conflict as its starting point: Shakespeare's Tragedies, Coppola's Godfather, Picasso's Guernica. Do you think it is a coincidence that the first examples that came to my head were all created by artists who grew up as catholics. I think not. Sure, the Catholic church's hands are covered in blood and their ears are full of the crying souls of tortured young altar boys. History and present day lawsuits reveal these truths all too clearly. But under their vengeful, totalitarian leadership a lot of great art was produced, and I for one would argue that the dominance of western culture on our planet grows out of the strong visual language created by Christian iconophiles. Are storyboards for films not just a variation on the series of images that tell the story of the Passion. The New testament, B2: The Sequel, may not be as vengeful as this first book, but man, do they ever up the ante of the dramatic narrative with the introduction of the Jesus and Judas characters! The greatest story ever told? Maybe, maybe not. But for me, the images that came from this book are some of the greatest in the world. Not for their religious content, but for their humanity. This little rant doen't really relate to these images, which are just okay. It is just hard to write about Italy and art and architecture in any meaningful way without mentioning christianity the catholic church. And a wee blog reminder here: if you click on the pictures, you should be able to view a larger image.




Walking further up the dome you will eventually find yourself between the inner and outer domes. It was Brunelleschi's genius two dome concept that made it possible for such a massive dome to be constructed.


Graffiti is ever present in Italy, even on the walls of their sacred buildings. Mostly names and dates, sometimes political, and sometimes celebratory, like this one below.



Dante is one of the city's favourite son's. Here is a statue of him outside Santa Croce, and below, later in the evening when the sky began to paint his Inferno.




Dodging a bullet: an aside.
Some of you may remember back when I was going to spend my entire year off in Florence studying at 19th century academy style drawing school. Well, not far from Santa Croce is one of the schools I was thinking about attending. I visited it, and while the art being copied was technically strong, the students there were awfully young and their space to work in was less than inspiring. I don't think it would have been as fulfilling an experience as I am having now. Anyway, my allegiance has now shifted to Rome.

San Pietro

Basilica Sancti Petri, Basilica di San Pietro , St. Peter's church, the flagship store of the multi-national corporation called the Roman Catholic church. Call it what you want, it's the house that JC built, and it is in Vatican City. Huge is a word. St. Peter's is the definition. On the A-B-C tour of Europe (Another Beautiful Church), St. Peter's takes the prize - if you are in the camp that believes size does matter. The current structure is largely Renaissance and Baroque, built on the spot where Old St.Peter's one stood, which itself was built over a Roman site that was the Circus of Nero. Ironically, for work on St Peter's, Pope Nicholas V brought 2,522 cartloads of marble from the Roman Colosseum which was named after the statue of Nero.


Bernini's bronze baldacchino is itself massive, and yet it doesn't even begin to fill the floorspace in this heavily decorated basilica. Some of the bronze for it came from the interior of the dome of the Pantheon.


Bernini designed a lot of what is seen at the at St. Peter's today, and created many sculptures for it. I do not think this is one of them, because I could not find it in a book that was devoted to Bernini' Vatican work. However, I assume it is from his era (baroque) because of the way she is breaking the "fourth wall" of the niche with her active pose. If anyone knows who did sculpt this, please tell me.

Ancient Rome

I landed in Rome back on November 3, which seems like ancient times. It was the beginning of 2 months in Italy which were so wonder-full that I got two months behind in this blog. It didn't help that the weather was so great. It is really quite impossible to force oneself to sit at a computer when the sun is shining so beautifully and the streets are beaconing you to come and explore. I highly recommend Italy in November and December; fewer tourists, and weather similar to fall at home, or most places in the northeast.Like a lot of people back home, my favourite season is fall, and I planned my trip hoping that I could make autumn last four months...and it did!
The first couple of days were spent walking around the city and taking in some of the sites, like this one, above, named after the colossal statue of Nero that once stood beside this brilliant amphitheatre.

The Pantheon, below, is one of the best preserved of all Rome's ancient monuments. Somewhat understated from the outside, it really is a breathtaking space inside.



Looking up you will see the engineering marvel of its massive concrete dome. The Pantheon still holds the record for the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the history of architecture. The interior of the roof was possibly intended to symbolize the arched vault of the heavens. The Great Eye at the dome's apex is the source of all light, except for what comes in through the front doors. Architects, like Brunelleschi, who used the Pantheon as help when designing the Cathedral of Florence's dome, looked to the Pantheon as inspiration for their works.