la bella vita

Sculpture in the Gardens of the Padigilione D’Arte Contemporena

Milano, September 2012

Square in Barri Gothic, Barcelona

August 2012

‘Wall Relief No. 1’ - Henry Moore

Rotterdam is literally full of art! The city’s architecture is art in itself, and there are so many sculptures of happily stumble upon. Yesterday, I came across sculptures by Laurent, Rodin, Picasso, and this masterpiece by Moore.

Looking forward to getting to the Boijmans van Beuningen Museum to see Brughel and Titian later!

Public art in Rotterdam.

Arrived into Rotterdam yesterday evening, and what a contrast the city makes to the prettiness of Amsterdam or the quintessentially Dutch countryside. It feels wrong mentioning them alongside each other, as if Rotterdam may be judged negatively by comparison, whereas it should be considered in a completely different sphere altogether.

Many parts of the city were heavily bombed and razed in WWII, and as such, its design and architecture is modern, and designed as an embrace of that same modernity. Part of this contributes to the alienation one can feel here, especially to a decidedly post-postmodernist visitor.

Yet patches of beauty emerge, as if organic in their creation from the empty and stark spaces, like this large scale mural on the wall of what I believe is a college. In the foreground, partially obscured is a multicoloured sculpture, but neither of which are what I found most striking. In the seemingly long and unkempt grass around the sculpture, little flowers of red, blue, orange, yellow, and pink are in bloom, as if to reflect the colours of the sculpture. Something beautiful emerging out of the seemingly uncared for. Perhaps a metaphor for Rotterdam herself? Look past her first appearance and see what you may find.

Hotel de Sully

Paris, February 2012

WE WANTED TO BE THE SKY

Preparations for the Thames Festival, Southbank, London