Ciao Firenze!

I'm sad to say that this will be my final post from Italy. I feel like I have experienced so much in such a short amount of time; it's funny how that works. I have a whole new group of people that I consider to be friends for life. We each have extremely different personalities: personalities that sometimes clash and have occasionally caused some conflict. However, through those issues, we have all found our commonalities and created strong bonds. And that's what it's all about.

I have soaked up this culture, learning that some things make no sense at all and that some things just take some adapting. Yesterday, I decided to climb up to the top of the Duomo. I will admit that I got fairly dizzy and nearly passed out by the time I climbed the nearly 500 stairs. But once I got over my vertigo, I looked out onto a city that has become a vital part of me. I look in one direction and I see the Central Market, the other I see the Palazzo Vecchio, another I can see Santa Croce, and I can even see my apartment window in another direction. I circled the top of the Duomo for a few minutes, in part to catch my breath, but also to take in how much I have seen and experienced and how lucky I am to have had the opportunity to have this experience.

And now I will take the relationships that I have made and the many things that I have learned back home to reflect upon and share with others.

Ciao Firenze!

San Giovanni Day

There is something that changes in Italy when the sun sets. A city of tourists, traffic, and often a lot of chaos turns into a magical, peaceful, and memorable experience at night. I found this in Venice, and last night I found it right here at home in Florence.

Yesterday was San Giovanni Day (sort of Italy's version of The 4th of July, but not really). Italians, Americans, Germans, Asians, and so on lined up on the bridges and on the side of the Arno to witness the special moment in Florence. The fireworks began at 10 and lasted for about 45 minutes. There was nothing over-the-top about these fireworks: no loud obnoxious music, no huge God Bless Italy signs - just the company of friends (11 people that I have deeply bonded with and learned to appreciate), the beauty of Italy and the Ponte Vecchio, and the lights in the sky. It was perfect.

Last night is something that will stay with me forever. I feel like I am apart of this community. Each day that passes reminds me that this experience really is once in a lifetime. I know that I will come back (a lot), but it will never have the same feeling that it has now and I will never be with these same people in the same place ever again.

I plan on soaking up the next 2 days!

Ciao.

I love you Spritz!

Last night, we had our entire class and our professors over to the apartment for dinner... about 16 people. It was quite a feast: bruschetta (yes I made it and it was good again), bread and pesto, spaghetti carbonara, sushi, tiramisù, and Spritz's (my new summer love).

I decided to be the bartender for the evening (of course), and made my first official Spritz by myself. It's fairly simple... some Champagne (or sparkling wine), Aperol (the most important ingredient and something that I can't get in the States), fizzy water, some ice, and an orange. They were delicious! I am pretty loyal to my gin and tonic, but the Spritz has definitely taken its place while I am in Italy.

The evening was surprisingly successful, minus setting the oven mit on fire and sweating through the extremely humid night. Tom played guitar after we ate our tiramisù, and I relaxed to the tunes.

Ciao for now!

Jonathan with a Knife

I am the official Bruschetta man!

Elba

Up on the hill town.

Jackie's husband, Tom

Kelly and Lee on the beach - formerly known as The Wrestlers

'Twas on the Isle of Elba

It's funny how a bottle of Tanqueray can change your opinion about someone. I really did not have the highest regards for "The Wrestlers" at the beginning of this trip, but I saw a different side to them on the Isle of Elba. Now don't get me wrong... they are messy, big All-Americans, and occasionally (almost always) keep me up at night. However, they are good guys and definitely two people that I have bonded with over the past two weeks. From now on, I will try to refer to them by their real names: Kelly and Lee.

Now on to Elba! There is no place like Elba. Honestly, I really did not ever want to get off of that island. I would have been completely content there for the rest of my life... but my family and friends would have to come visit of course. The people are just happier in Elba. And how could they not be! They live on the most beautiful beach that I have ever seen and their daily life consists of the beach, bike rides, beautiful scenery, great food (seafood), very few American tourists (except for us), PURE HAPPINESS! Or, at least during the summer.

We spent the whole weekend there: eating dinner on the beach, drinking at least 4 or 5 spritz's a day, swimming with the fishys, walking around in the hill towns, drawing naked people at the beach, sleeping in an air-conditioned hotel with NO MOSQUITOES, and eating gelato! I think I will be spending every summer in Elba.

I will try to post pictures later today.

Off to class at the studio now. Ciao!

Biennale pictures

5 projectors at the Italian pavilion at the Giardini.

Web action at the Italian pavilion at the Giardini.

Cafe at the Giardini.

Bookstore at the Giardini.

Shadow wonderland at the Italian pavilion at the Giardini.

Kid's room at the Denmark pavilion at House #1 at the Giardini.

Again.

Mr. B's house at the Denmark pavilion at the Giardini.

At the Denmark pavilion/Mr. B's house at the Giardini.

Crazy projector action at the Italian pavilion at the Giardini.

Ring guy at the Russian Pavilion at the Giardini.

Memories at the Arsenale

Bookstore at the Arsenale

Shadow Sex at the Arsenale