December 9: Biennale Day 5

December 9 Click on images to see larger view

I took the morning to wander around the far side of the river. I intended to go to the exhibit at the Strozzi palace, but I had no patience to stand in line; there was a large group of students waiting to get in.

morning traffic on guelfa via alfani via pilastri strozzi palace facade strozzi palace courtyard santa trinita facade justice on top of column in piazza santa trinita

 I did hit Edison's bookstore facing the Republic Plaza as they had an English book section on the third floor. The Pitti Palace, Boboli gardens and the hill with the bronze David it is over on the far side of the Arno, along with a couple of the old gates to the city.

old west gate into the city of florence The old western city wall of florence public art in the western wall park of the city of Florence Some locals enjoy the western wall park in florence veiw of tabernacolo santa rosa from the western wall park

Anyway, it was a beautiful day to go walkabout. I found I could get down to the river by the Tabernacolo di Santa Rosa.

skyway between buildings on the south side of the arno tabernacolo di santa rosa man rests along the arno river propped by his dragger bag birds flocking off ponte amerigo vespucci under ponte amerigo vespucci

ponte alla carraiabridges of florencebridges of florence view from ponte amerigo vespuccipigeons with my shadow off ponte amerigo vespucci

Eventually I crossed the Ponte Amerigo Vespucci and made my way to Piazza Maria Santa Novella to sit in the sun and watch the pigeons etc. On one side there Maria Santa Novella is the bustling bus and train station but on the other side there is a quiet park, the contrast is remarkable.

pigeons sunning on the arno river wall piazza maria santa novella condensation on the benches of piazza maria santa novella via del banchi viewed from maria santa novella

After that I went to the San Lorenzo Market with the intention of going into the Medici chapel, again defeated by lines of students. Still, it was a beautiful day.

san lorenzo market san lorenzo marketal wildeys impressionistic photos on metal

I eventually went to the Biennale, but apparently my idea to take part of the day off was not a novel one. It was very quiet there. I struck up a conversation with Al Wildey. He told me all about his photographs on metal, which are not as harsh as you might think, owing to the fact he worked with a billboard printer to come up with a new imprinting technique. He is a professor and comes at art from the perspective of "what are you adding to the long line of artists that precede you?" Anyway it was a great conversation.

I also met with a Japanese artist, Kikuko Uda, who was attending with her husband. I got to dust off a tiny bit of my very rusty Japanese. Kikuko's art, which was tradition scenes of Fujisan painting in a mix of traditional and non tradition ways was located in one of the worst locations in the show.; it was on the wrong side of wall and for a long time there was no one with her although eventually the other artist showed up and hung.

Sometime during the day Jelica Culafic suggested a restaurant on Via Cavour. I didn't wind up eating there but I did go a bit further down to wind up at Pizzeria la Campanna, which is where I saw Nikoo Haji Tarkhani eating by herself. I asked if she would mind a dinner companion. We had a lovely dinner together; she was carelessly free.

jelica culafic paintings nikoo haji tarkhanis this is not a woman painting nikoo at restaurant

Even as I sat there in my long john tops and jeans, I noted there were a few older ladies who dressed to the nines every day. Esther was one of them; she had a hot date every night. I can't see myself putting that much effort into being a "lady" but clearly there are perks over the long run.

Random Art Pictures

Ceyda Kiraz artbruno benfenati and his tight pastel still lifesbrigitta rossetti and her massive interact installationazatuhi mnatsakanyan intallationmaria eugenia akel ananias photo composit

Next Day: December 10

 
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December 9: Biennale Day 5
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