I was fortunate to be in Ravenna during its Festival of Night, Notte D’orio. These festivals are a fantastic adventure, an intersection of the various arts; from music all around the city streets, its various museums open for free visits until midnight, street performers, dance parties, and the like. Continue reading “Around Ravenna, Art”
The early Christian mosaics of Ravenna, among the best preserved pieces of their era, present a tantalising view of the art from the late Roman and Byzantine empires. Ravenna was to surprise an unwary traveller, with a vibrant and exciting contemporary Mosaic’s scene. The Mosaics are on display throughout the city; museums, galleries, as you would expect, but also workshops that are producing grand works, and the display of contemporary work in 6th Century Baptisteries. As the following images contend, it can still lay claim to a vibrant centre of Mosaic Art, one that has survived for over a millennia and still going strong. Continue reading “Ravenna’s Contemporary Mosaics”
The Emperor Honorius, son of Theodosius I, moved the capital from Milan to Ravenna in 402; in the words of Edward Gibbon, to remove himself from the tribulations of the risky business of being Emperor, with Ravenna more or less impregnable and quite out of the way of the primary activities of empire during a period of turmoil. Furthermore, for the barbarian generals, having the emperor out of the way, meant they would have a far freer hand in their military activities. Seemingly, this was an arrangement suitable both for emperor and general, but in reality was another symptom of the continued decline of the Western Empire. Continue reading “Ravenna’s Early Mosaics”
Both spectacular Roman sites, Verona’s Arena and Amphitheater, impress with their ancient roots and extensive and well-fortified walls. The walls foundations are from Roman times, with various extensions added during the middle ages. With a capacity of several thousands of spectators, Verona’s arena enchants and its very presence dominates the city square. Continue reading “The Walls and City of Verona”
A collection of shots taken over a couple of nights at Venice. These are complimentary shots to those selected for the Venice, 2014 Calendar. Continue reading “Venice at Night”
The Biennale in Venice is one of the world’s premiere modern art exhibitions. It occurs every two years, where each participating country has a pavilion (or space in the larger pavilion), showcasing one or more artists in a curated exhibit for the duration of the festival. The show runs for about 4-5 months, every two years, and has pavilions in 2 large parks, The Giardini and The Arsenale, as well as a collection of satellite spaces around the city. It has been running since 1895, and has seen some remarkable exhibits during its history. It is presented as the equivalent of the “Olympics of Modern Art”, allowing each country to promote their best (either local artists or a chosen theme). It is a huge event, and with the most engaging of the pavilions, you want to linger and appreciate what is presented, so really, to see it properly you need days. So, this is just a few exhibits, mainly from the pavilions in The Giardini, which we visited on two afternoons. For a full listing of the artists, curators and managers of the exhibits, please see the Venice Biennale’s web site. Continue reading “Biennale, Venice, 2013”
Just a few shots of people from Venice (and a couple from Verona) that I liked during my visit there in Sept-Oct, 2013. Continue reading “People of Venice”
