L'Arte

Sunday, September 11, 2011


I just got back from a long journey from the northern tip of the boot to basically the southern tip. I think I’ve been on every form of public transportation available (including boats) and I am drained. Friday was spent in Parma – where I became extremely nostalgic about the days I used to live there. Being there again was surreal, even though I was just there two years ago. Parma is such a sweet town – it’s a beautiful little teacup town – frilly and polished and ready to please. Walking down the streets felt so natural and inviting, as it once did 7 years ago (oh my, time does fly!). I didn’t cry upon leaving this time, at least, which is saying a lot.

Saturday morning I took a train to Venezia to see the 2011 Biennale.

Although I’m not usually drawn to contemporary art pieces, I was pretty inspired by some. The juxtoposition of contemporary art exhibited in a building that’s older than life as we know it, was pretty intense. To mix it up more they threw in a couple of Tintoretto pieces in between the contemporary art rooms. It was powerful to see just how much art has changed; the subjects in the art, the execution of the concept, and the way the audience approaches and interacts with the art. There are a lot of differences, but there are also things that have not changed. When an audience views art, they are all searching for an experience within something that is abstract and visual. This is something that will never change just because we humans need to connect meaning to everything we experience.

There were so many different types of ideas exhibited at the Biennale that it really made me understand how important it is to consider the viewer while creating art. How much story and background to give? How might the viewer explore your piece? How much attention will the viewer give to your piece? Does your work make the viewer curious to search for a personal experience within your work? It was slightly overwhelming, and I don’t think I’ll ever be the type of artist who gets so technical about such details, but I think it’s important to at least think about these things. I’d like to think that art is an instinctual practice and the intuition we have as artists in relation to our audiences will shine through as long as we’re honest with ourselves. Human language and emotion is universal, right? But as I saw some of the greatest contemporary pieces all in one place, I started to think that perhaps these artists really thought about their audience and executed their ideas in a way that would insure a personal and thrilling experience for the viewers.

Although I was enthralled by pieces of every genre, since I’m a painter, here are the paintings that really stood out for me.