GIOTTO IN BRATISLAVA

   

THE COPY of the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua that is being exhibited at the Bratislava castle shows beauty of this, Giotto di Bondone's most important work

                                  Scrovegni Chapel in Padua

The copy is a 1:4 ratio

scale model that makes it possible to admire every detail of the frescoes that have been copied from the original. The frescos are even easier to see thanks to the copy's smaller size. The model communicates the original's beauty and serves as an encouragement to visit Padua to see the original

 

Gianfranco Martinoni, the exhibition's author, came to Bratislava to introduce the Giotto exhibition personally
     

     
He has been travelling with the project since its beginning in 1987, when the world celebrated the 650th anniversary of the death of Giotto (1267-1337). The frescoes from the Scrovegni Chapel are not only a jewel of Padua but should be introduced to the whole world
    . (JUDAS KISS) *

Giotto painted a fresco cycle depicting the life of the Virgin and the passion of Christ on the order of a rich merchant named Enrico Scrovegni at the beginning of the 14th century

              The copy of the chapel and an exhibition of photos of Padua will be on display at the castle until August 5. Then the exhibition will move to Ljubljana, Helsinky, Stockholm and Amsterdam



     

Why is it so difficult to be an artist?

    * * To be an artist today is to confront continual uncertainty. There is economic uncertainty, and also uncertainty of purpose. Modern society seems to value art — art is preserved in museums, and purchased for large sums by ”collectors.” And yet the typical artist is strangely disconnected from the top levels of success. *

Compare this with other professions. A competent pilot, trained at a good flight school, is more or less assured of a successful career. He or she might not get the opportunity to fly the biggest and newest commercial planes, or fancy jet fighters; but a stable career is a reasonable expectation, certainly compared to what an artist can hope for.

*

The profession of art has not always been so uncertain. For example, Cennino Cennini discusses the motivations of those entering the profession in his time (the 14th c.) "There are those who pursue it" he writes, "because of poverty and domestic need." In 17th c. Holland, parents would encourage a talented son to pursue art as a profitable and respectable occupation. But nowadays, "poverty and domestic need" would better describe the results of becoming an artist, rather than causes for becoming one.

*

There is far more wealth in the world today to purchase art than in any time past. The difficult position of artist today is therefore something of a mystery

   

" And it's the same world, honey, that made you feel so bad,
That makes you feel so good
Feel so good"...

GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY, GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL

     

THE ROSE

*

The first day of class our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.

She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" And she gave me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.

She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel."

"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped all of her 3 x 5 note cards.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order, so let me just tell you what I know."

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it! There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old.

If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything, I will still turn eighty-eight. Any body can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change.

Have no regrets. The elderly rarely have regrets for the things we did, but rather for things we did NOT do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose".

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics. At the years end, Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation, Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.

REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY, GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL

BELLA UMBRIA

Umbria

is well known for its many churches, some few of them going back to Roman times, many of them Romanesque, many of them with beautiful frescoes or sculpture

St. Benedict and St. Francis were born and raised here, then went on to become two of the most powerful influences on Western spirituality. Perugino and Raphael started their famous schools here, and still today the serene landscapes and picturesque hill towns look almost as they do in canvases painted four hundred years ago. It's hard to explain the relative obscurity of this beautiful region

In Umbria the traces of the Etruscan civilization are remarkable, as visitors can see in Todi, Bettona, Orvieto and Perugia. Spoleto has important Roman remains; Spello is a city, where the Romans left some impressive remains

Perugino and Raphael started their famous schools here...

Assisi

Orvieto

Other important Roman works can be found in Assisi and Gubbio. The Romanesque architecture thrived in this region at the beginning of the twelfth century: some beautiful examples are the Cathedrals of Spoleto and Assisi, St. Silvestro and St. Michele in Bevagna

Perugia

Norcia Todi   The Gothic style reached very high levels, and imposing examples are present in almost every city. The Renaissance can be seen in magnificent monuments in Perugia, Gubbio, Todi, but it enjoyed a smaller development than other styles
and at the end of my trip - one day TOSCANY SIENA city of art