Immersed in Italy: Verona, by Renisa Maki

Immersed in Italy

A blog by Renisa Maki

 - Renisa Maki is one of the 2012 recipients of the Wright Family Scholarship for an internship at the Peggy Guggenheim Musuem in Venice, Italy. She has completed her Bachelor of Arts degree with a Double major in Art History and Political Studies from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, where she plans to continue her postgraduate studies in 2013. She is also a valuable member of the Art History Society.

Verona: Va Va Voom

“In fair Verona, where we lay our scene”

-       William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet Prologue

I fell in love. I don’t know if it was because it's allegedly the city where Shakespeare based Romeo and Juliet on, or the historic architecture of the city centre, but Verona is charming. Here are descriptions of the tourist locations I visited:

Arena di Verona

MINI COLLOSEUM! This stunning historic site survived a 12^th century earthquake and is used as an amphitheatre for large outdoor concerts and opera in the summer, and as a tourist attraction in the winter. The scale and size is astonishing, ring after ring after ring of seats, with only one colonnade of arches still standing atop. The views from the top rung peruse over the Veronese rooftops: tiny clumps of snow still lie dotted around, mostly melting in the afternoon sun. The snow capped mountains frame the scene, and you cant help but imagine that on the very spot you are standing Renaissance period artists and patrons sat and watched shows too. Its this odd sensation that time does not exist; one giant time capsule that is permanently being clicked with a Ctrl + S!

Tower of Verona

Sheesh. If you have a fear of heights, avoid this – and this is coming from someone unafraid of heights who has bungy jumped. Its one thing going on top of the Skytower with its reinforced glass, but the Tower of Verona was built in the late Medieval period and being at the top after climbing rickety stairs is the most precarious sensation! Having said that, the bells at the top are beautiful and the views of Verona are wow. Panoramic paradise.

True Love: Casa di Giuletta / Juliet and the Balcony

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone! Ermaghhheerrrrd best best best place in Verona, for the romantics at heart, is Juliet’s balcony. Not only is it superbly beautiful, but even the most cynical forget that Juliet is in fact a fictional character – merely ink on paper invented by Shakespeare – and instead marvel at the lovely balcony carved in stone and laced with ivy plants.

Millions add to the wall of love, a work of art in its own right, framing names and dates with hearts. For those who love symbolism and reading far too much into everything (aka me) you can buy adorable little locks which come with two keys (for two lovers) and you write names, dates, and special quotes on the locks and permanently ‘lock in’ the love alongside thousands of other locks under the balcony. And then to top it all off there are plentiful souvenirs!

But honestly. You get lost in the myth. The balcony, the ivy, the rustic stone, the carved relief sculptures, the fairytale. I’m standing there… on a balcony in summer air.

Castel Vecchio

Literally translating to ‘old castle’ this sensational fort, complete with moats, medieval armour, and menacing towers, is truly magnificent. The interior is converted into a museum of art with Mantegna, Tintoretto, Rubens… but even more magical is walking along the top of the fort where the guards and soldiers would stand. WINTER IS COMING. No seriously, its like Game of Thrones. Especially, I would recommend timing your visit to coincide with the sunset, because the view atop the fort tower extends all along Verona and it is truly beautiful.

Duomo: Titian’s Assumption

Churches in Europe are artistic jewels. Precious, priceless, pious. The Duomo in Verona is no exception, with stunning architecture, frescoes, chapels, altars, and then you see it – Titian’s Assumption in sittu. In sittu. In sittu. For the first time since I’ve been in Verona, I get the chills only Art History students would understand – when you see an authentic work of art in sittu and it is sooooooo different to a textbook page, to a powepoint slide, to a google image result. Art in its original context, and all of a sudden all those essays on the function of art, of Michael Baxandall’s ‘The Period Eye’ make complete sense because these artworks were made to work in unsion, in sync with one another, like the voices in a harmony, each complimenting and completing the others. The Duomo is well worth a visit and best part is super cheap tickets – only 2 Euros!

TEASER!

I am currently working on an academic article for this blog titled ‘Peggy to Picaso to Pollock’ which details what being an intern at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection entails. Here's a teaser photo! Watch this space – I aim to have the post up by the end of this week J

Immersed in Italy: Arte a Venezia, by Renisa Maki

Immersed in Italy

A blog by Renisa Maki

 - Renisa Maki is one of the 2012 recipients of the Wright Family Scholarship for an internship at the Peggy Guggenheim Musuem in Venice, Italy. She has completed her Bachelor of Arts degree with a Double major in Art History and Political Studies from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, where she plans to continue her postgraduate studies in 2013. She is also a valuable member of the Art History Society.

Arte a Venezia: A photo diary

Art in Venice. As one would say colloquially “its errrrrrwhere” and it is breathtakingly beautiful. Venice in winter on a sunny day is like stepping into a story book with glossy illustrations; the rays of sunlight glint and dance off the Grand Canal waters, the marble architecture glows, the gondoliers croon with tourists gushing and oohing and aaahing at the sights.

I feel words do not do it justice, and so here are 10 of my favourite photographs of Venice I am using instead of a lengthy description:

 

 

 

 

Immersed in Italy: From Spritz to Susan Sontag, by Renisa Maki

Immersed in Italy

A blog by Renisa Maki

- Renisa Maki is one of the 2012 recipients of the Wright Family Scholarship for an internship at the Peggy Guggenheim Musuem in Venice, Italy. She has completed her Bachelor of Arts degree with a Double major in Art History and Political Studies from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, where she plans to continue her postgraduate studies in 2013. She is also a valuable member of the Art History Society.

From Spritz to Susan Sontag: Vita in Venezia

 ‘Vita’ in Italian translates to life, and life in Venice for an intern is a healthy balance between working hard and what we affectionately refer to as ‘Spritzing’.

Spritz is a traditional alcoholic drink in Venice, which actually costs less than bottled water in most pubs, made using orange liquor of either Aperol or Campari along with sparkling white wine and soda, topped with a juicy olive. It’s the go-to drink.

For an art lover, drinking Spritz is usually accompanied with “art talk” – from discussing formal qualities of shape texture and colour to the more philosophical and conceptual. Susan Sontag would approve.

Immersed in Italy: Ciao, Venezia, by Renisa Maki

Immersed in Italy

A blog by Renisa Maki

 

- Renisa Maki is one of the 2012 recipients of the Wright Family Scholarship for an internship at the Peggy Guggenheim Musuem in Venice, Italy. She has completed her Bachelor of Arts degree with a Double major in Art History and Political Studies from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, where she plans to continue her postgraduate studies in 2013. She is also a valuable member of the Art History Society.

Ciao, Venezia!

Venice. I land, its cold, its captivating. Its like seeing picture perfect postcards spring to life. I disembark from the bus at Piazzale Roma, the main bus terminal, and ironically the first thing I think of is “Man, Miley Cyrus hopping off the plane at LAX with a dream and her cardigan ain't got nothing on this view.” Cobble stoned streets, bridges gracefully draped across a myriad of canals, small colourful boats bobbing up and down in the water, patiently waiting for passengers. And then I see it. The basilica dome, just like I saw in powerpoint slide after powerpoint slide of university art history lectures. These were the architectural and engineering marvels of Renaissance Italy; knowledge to construct a free standing dome had been lost since antiquity and then revived, ‘reborn’ in the Renaissance.

I began strolling to my apartment and a contemporary scene from Shakespeare’s ‘A Merchant of Venice’ emerged before me; but here the stage set includes tourist stalls bulging with souvenirs ranging from colourful Venetian masks to t-shirts with the Italian flag emblazoned across the front. I immediately felt on stage (I’ve been watching way too much Glee) the adrenalin pumping through my veins like it used to just before the curtains opened during performances at high school, “One half of me is yours, the other half is yours, Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours, And so all yours.” All yours indeed, Venezia.

 

For the first 2 days, I simply recovered from jet lag, decorated my room and explored no further than my neigborhood.

 

And then, on my third day, at around 10.15 pm, a wildly loud siren blasts through the city.

The Italian family I stay with dons gumboots, I look at them quizically, and they tell me the loud sirens wailing are a flood warning, and that they were the same ones used during World War Two during air raids. I guess my eyes would have widened comically, because they laughed and said “don’t worry, its fun! Put on your gumboots we’re going to see it, bring your camera.” So I hesitantly go along, take one step outside, and it's, it's… indescribable, I felt the cold of the water through my rubber gumboots, though my feet stayed dry, I felt the ripples of laughter travel up me and escape in a shocked “ha!” sound like someone karate chopped me in the stomach, and I felt my head shake side to side in disbelief. Water, about 30 to 40 cm, all over the street overflowing from the canals, and yet, all the people, splashing, eating at restaurants whilst water seeps in, children swinging from parents arms, gumboots going squish squish squish but best of all, the reflections of light, of boats, glittering on the water. Beaut.

Tomorrow I begin my training at the Peggy Guggenheim museum, and begin work the following day. A domani!

 

  

 

 

 

 

Immersed in Italy: Like the Clouds of a Renaissance Chapel Ceiling, by Renisa Maki

 

Interested in finding out what it's like to spend two months in Italy as an intern for the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice? We'll be keeping up to date with Renisa Maki as she throws herself into la bella vita in Italia over the 2012-2013 Dec-Jan period. Follow the 'Immersed in Italy' blog to keep up with her exploits, while learning more about the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, Venice and the intern experience!

 

Immersed in Italy

 A blog by Renisa Maki

 

- Renisa Maki is one of the 2012 recipients of the Wright Family Scholarship for an internship at the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice, Italy. She has completed her Bachelor of Arts degree with a Double major in Art History and Political Studies from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, where she plans to continue her postgraduate studies in 2013. She is also a valuable member of the Art History Society.

 Like the clouds of a Renaissance chapel ceiling

 

Travel blogs. I used to peruse these with envy; avidly scrolling through link after link of exotic locations, enticing cuisine, exciting experiences. Now for the next two months whilst being ‘immersed in Italy’ I get to write one too, for the Art History Society at the University of Auckland.

 

With my trustee Nikon D3100 camera cradled around my neck like one would embrace a child, I set off on my 26 hours and 20 minutes journey on-board aeroplanes, drifting through endless blue and white like the clouds of a Renaissance chapel ceiling. On-board the final leg of the journey from Dubai to Venice, the aeroplane passengers were predominantly Italian. This was my first glimpse into their culture. In a quintessentially Italian manner a group of elderly women travelling together didn’t stay seated during the flight but rather stood around in the aisle sipping coffee, laughing, and yes, gesturing animatedly with their hands whilst conversing in loud, rapid Italian. Most fascinatingly, when the captain announced we stay seated due to turbulence, their hand gesturing elevated, the dialogue doubled in speed; the American seated next to me chuckled and said “Keep calm and carry on.”

 

With a background in graphic design and photography, I aim to make this blog a hybrid between photography and creative writing; with the occasional shameless plug about the Art History Society (as a member of the executive committee it is my half-responsibility-half-passion to do so). I’ll aim to be candid and anecdotal about my time here, with an emphasis on art and architecture. Rather than me providing a long and formal explanation of what an internship at the Peggy Guggenheim entails, simply click the link below to their website J

 

http://www.guggenheim-venice.it/inglese/education/internship-program.html