The Venetian Charmed Life

Venice has a definite charm. All of the buildings have such amazing character birthed from their age and intrinisic texture. There is a church in every campo (every few blocks) with bells that ring on the hour. This can be quite annoying when straining to understand a difficult Italian dialect or a soft-spoken word, but when it's convenient for me (ha) it is quite beautiful.

The pigeons are a beautiful pest. Venetians hate them while tourists have a love/hate relationship. In foreigners eyes, we view them at first with an awe of newness due to their friendly nature and beckoning approach. But when the approach turns to relentlessness, the relationship turns to hate. I still think they are beautiful birds, their necks have this crazy gorgeous iridescent turquoise. But I will swat it if it comes too close....

I now put peppers and artichokes on everything. Sandwiches, salads. I love them. I like to think that this overuse will continue at home. Along with prosecco and peach tea. Yum.

I don't have gelatto every day. I find it most enjoyable when I'm having a bad day. The act of enjoying this Italian treat tends to make me slow down and enjoy being here again.

On Sundays, with the quiet streets and slowed-down pace of life, I really enjoy Venice. I don't have anywhere to be, not much is open, and I have a minute to reflect on all of the blessings of living here. Like the church bells, gelatto, pigeons, and a slow pace. I am living the Venetian charmed life...

A few of my favorite exhibits.....

Koehn Vanmeckelen

Icelandic Exhibition

Mona Hatoum

Tzuruko Yamazaki

Miguel Barcelo, Spain


Tomas Scarapeno

A tunnel of film tape.


Italian Photographer at the Arsenale

Robert Rauschenburg at the Guggenheim

Venetian Views

Contemporary crap?

Contemporary art wears me out. This year is the Venice Biennale, the largest contemporary art show in the world. It was created to showcase avant garde artwork from around the world and to give those artists a chance to exhibit outside of the common conventional studios. It is, obviously, a huge deal in the art world. http://www.labiennale.org/it/Home.html
This week, we have had the privilege to explore it with our Art Theory & Criticism professor who is very well versed in contemporary art. With two huge exhibits which have each taken 8 hours to walk through and discuss, I am exhausted. My head hurts. Not from image or sensory overload. But from thinking too much, and taking my brain to places it has never been, and can't get to most of the time. Ha.
I enjoy seeing artwork that is original and new and fresh. However, a silver plastic lobster on a cardboard box on top of a painted pink box just doesnt express creativity and aesthetics in my opinion. For the most part, these exhibits were contrived and pushed too hard to be "out of the box". When studying each one, I got so tired from trying to figure out the intent of the artist that I didnt enjoy the piece. It's a different story if the piece is aesthetically pleasing and I dig deeper to figure out the meaning in the artmaking. But if it is a pile of junk that I have to dig through, then I think that it is a waste of time. Exhibit A, the top left picture. This exhibit was supposed to be a wooden kitchen. The only thing besides raw wood and cabinets was the "oracle cat" on top of the cabinets (and yes, it talked out loud). Even after the exhibit was explained to me, I still don't understand the point. Waste of natural resources.
Today, we went to the Arsenale which is a different part of the Biennale. I actually really enjoyed most of the installations and exhibits there. The concept didnt override the aesthetics. They worked together cohesively. We all are entitled to our own opinions. But, if the point of the artwork is so self-involved that it doesn't let anyone else in, then I think that is a problem that doesn't merit my attention. One i did enjoy is posted on the top right. It was a mixed media piece using many small stickers/images together to make the image. Creative, original, yet interesting. I'd love to hear your thoughts...

Eccentricities

Just to name a few. There have been quite a few Italian ways that have made me laugh. Almost out loud inappropriately at times. Such as the old lady who came out of the bathroom stall today with warning gestures and proceeded to take her dentures out for a rinse, all with her dress stuck in her undies. Try not to laugh.
Then there are the bidets. Posted above. Interesting. ha.
We went to the Lido Saturday for a day at the beach. Europeans are a very free lot. It was a hot day with very few layers, to say the least. Illustrated above. ha.
It's been interesting to learn all of the cultural ways, I'm sure there are plenty more to come. And I know they see me as some silly American with my clothes/shoes/hats. Oh well. I'll try to stay out of their way. ;)

Masterpiece

Every critic, verified or self-assured, believes that they know what validates a true masterpiece of art. Oil vs. acrylic? Realistic vs. abstract? A certain combination of value and line? Which combination is best? In reality, a masterpiece is truly in the eye of the beholder. There are obviously many inspired artforms, one not necessarily better than the other. The expensive oil painting is just as valuable as the handbuilt ceramic vase in the eye of its maker. Each stroke or touch was deliberate. But in the eyes of others? of critics? Maybe not..due to norms or expectations. As artists, we try to recreate beauty. To twist nature and humankind into our own words or palette. What is beautiful in my eyes may be quite perplexing and visually confusing to others, eliciting the standard head tilt of confusion, made famous by my mother :). The important thing is that it has a purpose. To myself and the few others of whom it may touch, one of my simple paintings is beautiful; perfected in it's own right. And to think, we, the myriad of beauty called humans, are masterpieces in the eyes of God.