Month: November 2017

We had a full day in Siena beginning with a visit to the water museum to learn about the  “bottini”, underground aqueduct system that supplied Siena water for centuries. Later that evening we enjoyed a group Thanksgiving dinner. It wasn’t like being home, but the food was amazing. A couple of us also shared a birthday celebration there.

Lot’s of creative energy as students work on their paintings inspired by an artist of their choice at the Venice Biennale. The work looks great.

Yesterday we  spent our class reflecting on cafe life over coffee and treats in a favorite  local cafe. Student’s spent the hour plus time drawing and writing.

Journaling was done in Florence

And all around Siena.

Students also went on a treasure hunt around the city to locate the different animal or symbol in each of the seventeen contradas in Siena; the neighborhoods that divide Siena and compete  against one another at the famous horse race, the Palio during the summer.

 

A much anticipated visit to Venice and the Venice Biennale, one of the foremost international exhibitions of contemporary art that takes over the city every other year from May through November, did not disappoint.

We began our trip with a tour by a local art historian.

And then shared local snacks  known as “cichetti“on a barge on the canal.

Taking a vaporetto ( water bus) to the Biennale was part of the fun.

Mark Bradford’s moving exhibition Tomorrow is Another Day, at the US Pavillion, was one of the highlights of our first day of the Biennale at the Giardini, as  was Phyllida Barlow’s huge sculptures at the British Pavilion.

The next day at the Arsenale, Sheila Hicks’ installation was one of the stand-outs.

The Russian Pavilion was intense, but the Japanese Pavilion was lighthearted.

Some of us went to see the Damien Hirst exhibition at the Prada Foundation.

The Venice trip was a stimulating and inspiring experience for all!

Students found a range of creative solutions for  the Insprirata da Arte Senese/Tuscano assignment and presented their work for a group crit.  

Lots of active discussion ensued.

From the 12th century till 1682,  every year the city of Siena commissioned the best local artists to paint covers for the  annual city financial records. Known as the “Biccherna”, these hand-painted tablets have been preserved and are displayed in the city archives in glass cabinets  along with rooms filled with shelves snd shelves of the records themselves.

Everyone was awed by the artwork, the records, and the space itself.