Saturday 21 April 2012

VIVA CATALONIA! (Kitty went to Barcelona)

Barcelona. Culture capital of Spain. Birthplace of Modernisme.

So back in November, I went to Barcelona with my History of Art class.
Sadly, upon arrival, I realised I didn't charge my camera, so these are my friend Amy's photos.



Barceloneta

Casa Batllo/Sagrada Família

The wonder of Gaudí: a true original, this guy. By using an industrial medium like concrete (in a building like Casa Batllo), but marrying it with elements of nature, he emulates forces like the sea by pouring the concrete instead. The result: an incredibly smooth, flawless facade with a playful side - notice the bone-like mullions in the windows and balconies. The colourful, broken pieces of glass and tiling (trencadise - his trademark) gives a wonderful, dragon scale-like effect that glints in the sun.

And, of course Sag Fam. I felt insanely tiny standing underneath this gargantuan building. It's such a shame, Gaudí didn't get to see his life's work completed in his own lifetime. Even more shameful that it's been under construction non-stop since 1881, with political interruptions to the construction due to the Spanish Civil War. There have been offers for it to be converted into a train station (absurd) - after all this construction, why change its original function?

Miró Foundation
Top: The view from MNAC
Below: Can't leave without a bit o' flamenco...


Parc Guell



In Catalan spirit, here's a drawing of Catalan artist Dalí I drew in Summer 2010



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