Cindy says:
A while ago to share with you my life back in Italy, many mothers left a message for me to write about European travel guides, or European art museums, want to come to 30 years old naked to resign to Europe to study art, a person travel, see the experience of art museums almost did not really write in the public account.
It is rarely mentioned because when my mother thinks back, this past of walking away is somewhat accompanied by youthful madness and some unknown risks at the time, fortunately I did not experience real danger, just a person living in a youth hostel, a couch guest; the experience of hitchhiking and traveling with strangers will be somewhat afraid in retrospect.
However, the courage to forge ahead and fear the future at that time was really precious, it was a struggle and bloom that only belonged to the end of adolescence, and then met Tugen's father, married, had children, and fell from heaven into the real human fireworks. I used to long for freedom, and even spent years of work savings to study abroad, to travel, to find a spiritual sustenance in art; and at this moment I know that freedom is peace of mind and the health of my family. However, if you have not experienced that toss and thinking, you may have been looking for peach blossoms.
Everyone may have this transition from adolescence to adulthood, but the way to achieve eventual growth is different. Today I share with you a few art-related people and stories encountered in the study tour, which have left a deep impression on me so far, and I will sort out the travel strategies next time.
1
Studying in Italy and taking classes every day is thrilling
At that time, I was studying for a master's degree in art management in Venice, and there were 6 students in the class, one of whom was an African girl, who was very rich at home, and disappeared halfway through the class, it was said that I met a new boyfriend, and I didn't know where to go when I fell in love... The remaining 4 Italians, 3 "tough" girls, 1 introverted boy, plus me, the peace-loving Chinese, watched the "strong smell of gunpowder" in the class every day.
Saying that Italian girls are "tough" is not a derogatory term, but that they are really too expressive of themselves, plus art students are somewhat liberal, so that when they go to class, they often argue with the teacher or each other over a problem, and sometimes even rise to the point of quarrelling... As a peace-loving Chinese, I was frightened and hid far away.
My classmates
Once, the eldest in the class, Fadrika angered Madeleine, who was 10 years younger than her, and Faderica said that Madeleine's question was too superficial and wasted her time, and Madeleine said that Maderica always relied on the old and sold the old Qing to be arrogant, and the two of them tore up on the stage despite the fact that the professor was still tearing up, so the professor who was in class asked us to go out after class and smoke to calm down... Yes, the girls in the class all smoked, I didn't smoke, I could only follow them outside the classroom to blow cold air.
Another time, everyone worked together to do an exhibition, the most introverted classmate Elena was angered by Madeleine's casual work attitude, and she had an argument, the two did not give in to each other, and finally ended with Elena crying and Madeleine backpacking home.
I thought to myself, "It's not okay to cooperate well, it has to be so dramatic; but at the same time I admire their bluntness, our education is repressive of individuality, or to encourage "well-behaved", but they all seem to retain the most primitive purity.
But I can only remain silent, and I have not learned to be sharp.
2
Went to see the world's largest art exhibition and slept in a room with 3 Frenchmen
At that time, I went to Europe to study art, in addition to italy is the origin of the Renaissance, there is also a big reason that the world's highest level of art exhibitions are held every year in Basel, Switzerland, I want to see this exhibition as a vane of contemporary art, it is almost twilight.
But checking the price level of Switzerland, I was a bit inhale cool air, Basel tickets will be thousands, not to mention during the art exhibition, all the hotels are 3000rmb minimum booking, a McDonald's burger, for 100 yuan ...
So I searched the CouchKer website directly, hoping that someone would take me in. Luckily, I found a hospitable Swiss friend who provided me with a "couch", really a couch, which I curled up on for two nights, and there were 3 French art students on the bed in this room, two girls and a boy, who also came to see the art exhibition, and just like that, 4 of us huddled in a room, watching the exhibition during the day, and going to the night city together at night, communicating with each other in English, they were full of devotion to art.
The art exhibition is naturally atmospheric and shocking, and the moment I entered the venue, I got goosebumps, because those works of art that I have only seen in books, and now every authentic piece worth tens of millions of dollars jumps out in front of your eyes, as if it is at your fingertips, and the visual and spiritual impact I will never forget for a lifetime.
Some of the works I took
For example, the paintings of Francis Bacon (1909-1992, British painter) once sold for $142.4 million, making them the most expensive artists in the history of art auctions. I saw this one on the spot, and I didn't dare to ask the price.
So I had a huge feeling at that time, in this art exhibition, many of them were "poor students" like me and those French, and there were also many "rich people" who could afford to buy these paintings (they could be traded on the spot), but this did not prevent us from enjoying this visual feast together, and the charm of art was that it was cross-class;
And those works of art that sell at high prices, in addition to the operation of the art market and the contribution of the work itself to the development of art, must be the world reflected by the work itself has received universal resonance, such as Bacon's iconic twisted faces, revealing the confusion and loneliness and chaos, and the fans hit people's hearts.
3
Under the Tuscan sun, "meet" a guitarist
During the summer vacation that year, I began a solo trip to Europe, and someone asked me, is there any other sexual encounter besides Togen's father along the way? Yes, but nothing romantic happened, it was a period of encounter with understanding and inner ripples.
It was in a small Town in Tuscany, I was having lunch at a restaurant, and next door sat a handsome guy with a guitar on his back, and I listened to him in English on an evening guitar performance with a friend. It's rare to hear familiar English on the go (yes, my Italian is not good, basically in English), so I asked him where the performance was.
So naturally chatted, I don't know if he is particularly talkative, or the tacit understanding of the two people, there are many topics that cannot be talked about, and when it comes to eating, I still feel unfinished.
He said he would take me to see Tuscany, so I got in his car, and on a sunny afternoon, we passed through the mountains, past the lakes, and past a sunflower field, but it rained heavily.
I photographed the sunflowers and dark clouds at the time
We talked about music to movies, from love to real life, and he said he had an ex-girlfriend who was separated because of a long-distance relationship; he said he was now an unmarried person, and his lover was his guitar. He also encouraged me not to be anxious because of 30 years old, who stipulates that at 30 years old, it is most important to get married and have children, and to find the life you want.
We talked until the sun went down and it was like a movie.
The sunset in Tuscany at that time was so beautiful
He invited me to his concert in the evening, and I was going to Perugia in the evening, and I said, you play a guitar for me, and I'll leave.
He played a cheerful song of his own composition and gave me an album of his (he was a well-known local guitarist). Later he dropped me off at the station, we gave each other a hug, and the train started.
This disc is still in my car, and there is this cheerful song in it, and every time I hear it, I think of that sunny day in Tuscany; and I think of so many interesting people in this world, who live in their own way, not following the rules, and art is their life, like the support of love, I feel suddenly enlightened. There are so many choices in life, when you are trapped in a certain world, don't forget to jump out of that well and look at the outside world.
Although only 7 years have passed, the life of studying abroad is now a bit distant. After the trip, I met Dad Togen, and that's another story.
Every time I look back at the previous photos, I feel that it is a "grand year", and I may not have the courage to travel alone in this life, because now when I see beautiful scenery, I will want to take my son to see it together, and I hope that one day, I can take Tugen to see the world and "meet" more scenery.