Bad Sculpture Restoration Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

It is difficult enough as it is to create an artwork worthy in the eyes of others of restoration that one hates to criticize such restoration. Still . . . I wrote earlier on this blog that The Florentine newspaper reported that in early March, someone broke off a finger in Pio Pedi’s beloved composition of four figures in marble.

This happened one night in Florence, Italy’s, Loggia dei Lanzi, next to where the mime, gReY, performs. [I wrote about gReY yesterday.] The finger belonged to the slain brother in the marble carving titled “The Abduction of Polyxena” and I was anxious to see the damage done.

Make no mistake about it: the real criminal is the one who had no respect for this artwork. Even if one could justify this vandalism as an accident, an honorable person would have retrieved the stone finger from the ground and turned it in to some Italian authority or Loggia volunteer guard.


Still, my main point with these images is to show all artists, and anyone who works with detail, that one must STAND BACK from the work to see what is really happening. Up close, I do not doubt that the person(s) reattaching this marble finger thought that there was a good match in the alignment. (See the first image)

However, when one stands about two meters away, as I did, and looks at the entire hand, it is clear that the finger should have been reattached in a way that was more consistent with the shape and direction of the bones in the human hand. The index finger looks distinctively bent backwards in an unnatural way (even for a newly dead guy). One of the beauties of sculpture is that we have many more views to consider. It is also what makes creating sculpture so challenging.



I am sure that when I was visiting Florence, Italy, in 2004, I must have photographed this sculpture from a similar vantage point. Alas, those images are on my computer in Texas and cannot serve me now. Sigh . . .

If you like what you read, enjoy the photos, and would like to help support this blog(ger) / artist, click here . . .

Teatro gReY Mime Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Florence, Italy: At the end of the Uffizi Corridor where the famous Loggia dei Lanzi is, one can often find my friend gReY entertaining the crowds in the late afternoon. While the cliché might be that most people hate mimes, gReY really brings out the humanity of us all when he performs by interacting with the crowds large and small. People love gReY, Il Mimo.

I took these images on Italian Liberation Day (25 aprile). Before heading over to meet some visitors who wanted to see my solo exhibit at Sei Divino’s, I decided to make an evening of it by hanging out in centro for the free concert in Piazza delle Signoria. I was delighted to see gReY in action.



Often the romantic . . . such the very Italian Romeo!





One big crowd pleaser is when gReY kisses the bald heads and faces of passersby. I like to watch him put on his makeup. Relax, the white that he often leaves on the skin of his “co-performers” is actually Nivea skin crème -- entirely safe and might even protect your skin!

gReY, Il Mimo, is not only a performer in Italy. He travels on occasion. I think it was last year that he was in New York City for quite a while. (I have no concept of time.) “Teatro gReY” has been seen on National Italian TV and you can check him out online at http://it.youtube.com/grey2199.

In this shot, gReY the mime is protecting his pet pigeon on a leash.


gReY’s humor is interactive and he rarely does anything that should offend. Most people enjoy a lot when he follows people while they remain unaware, imitating and exaggerating their postures and anticipating their moves. It is amazing how often he can sneak up behind a distracted tourist and hold his or her hand without the person even considering that the hand does not belong to someone s/he is traveling with! His acting voice is very warm in this way.

And in these last three images, Il mimo actually stopped a young woman who thought she was only walking past and sat her down in the audience. He interacted with another person nearby and then went to the original gal and took her hand and the hand of the boy beside her (a stranger to her). He actually got them to act as though they were enamored of one another as gReY borrowed her camera to photograph the kiss he orchestrated. Then of course, gReY encouraged us all to give the two a round of applause.



When you come to Florence, Italy, please take some time out of your museum stops and gelato tasting and relax and laugh with gReY, Il Mimo.

His Web site states hours: Il mimo gReY torna con i suoi esilaranti spettacoli nella piazza degli Uffizi a Firenze. Potrete assistere agli spettacoli dal martedi al venerdi dalle 17 alle 18 e 30 ed il sabato e la domenica dalle 15 e 30 alle 18. Non Mancate!!!!! (Tuesday – Friday, 5 – 6:30 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday, 3:30 – 6 p.m. – Do not miss!!!!!)

If you like what you read, enjoy the photos, and would like to help support this blog(ger) / artist, click here . . .

Happy Birthday, Rudy!

Framing Art in Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Ciao! Preparing for an art exhibit is often stressful. It was so in my recent case while preparing for my first solo art exhibit in Florence, Italy. In my case, I was trying to create too many works in too short a time. And I do not see the point in putting an artwork in a frame if she is just not ready to be seen yet. Canceling any semblance of a social life and working lots of extra hours is one thing. Lowering my standards is quite another.

In the end, I removed two intended drawings from my exhibit. I will finish them as soon as I slow down some more. But it was also during this period that I met Lili Baehr. Her daughter Evy is studying photography in Florence and Lili had a dream to come here, too. She became one of my blog readers and rented the best apartment that I have seen in Florence to date. We have connected off and on while her month-long visit is ongoing. I met her friends Lauren and Shirley, and spent several occasions with her sister Lucrecia.


Lili and Lucrecia walked all the way out of the central part of Florence to where I live, only to catch me rushing about. They got a quick tour of my working space and then graciously helped me carry artworks to my framer, Massimo Fossi on Via della Pergola.



So, how about that? Go to meet an artist and you get put to work immediately! Lili thought to take these images of me with Massimo. And I was pleased that they loved my drawings. “Enough!” seemed to draw Lili’s attention again and again. I am grateful that my work has gotten so much high praise (from Lili and Lucrecia, as well as others since that day). Thank you so much.

If you would like to see my solo art exhibit online, click here:
http://borsheimarts.com/lightfromdarkness.htm


Also, an interesting Article: Life, The Brain, and Longevity:

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/article6163496.ece

Cultural Week Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Today marks the last day of Cultural Week, when all of the state-run museums in Italy are free to enter. Because I have not slowed down since my exhibit opened ten days ago, I did not find out about this until it was already happening. I have delayed most of my schedule so that I could visit as many museums in Florence as possible.

I wanted to head over to the Boboli Gardens (having spent over five hours in the Palazzo Pitti two or three days ago), but it is raining now. Work calls and my laptop is full, so I cannot download more images until I remove lots from my files.

So, I will just leave you with a little bit of humor. This first image I took of a painting of walleyed boobs. I often tell my anatomy students that breasts do NOT consist of a grapefruit cut in half and glued onto the body. And they are NOT headlights, beaming straight ahead, since they lie on the curving egg-shaped form of the rib cage. So, perhaps you can see why I would enjoy this image of an artist taking the opposite extreme.

This painting titled “Portrait of a Woman” is housed in the Accademia in Florence, Italy, not too far from the famous “David” marble sculpture by Michelangelo. The label says something about Ghirlandaio, Michelangelo’s original teacher, but I cannot make it out and it could be from his school, not the maestro himself.

Or how about this one titled “Sant’Agata” by the Scuola Fiorentina, Del Sec. XVII and currently on exhibit in the Pitti Palace? I do not know the story of this particular saint, but “Boobs on a Platter” would be a working title for me. And who said that everything has already been done before? Hmmmm.

La Galleria dell’Accademia also houses many of Florence’s original plaster (gesso) sculptures that were later translated into marble. I love the expression of sorrow of this next artwork and decided that she was perfect for this blog post as she intently gazes forward (towards the “Portrait of a Woman”?) with much . . . empathy.

I was thrilled when a man asked me if I spoke French and could explain to him what the black dots on all of these gessos were. They are, in fact, measuring points. You will see them on all of the high points in a sculpture. The original gesso is placed on a board that corresponds to the proportions of the marble block to be carved. From a fixed point (such as a corner), the artisans will measure height, width, and depth to the black dot on the plaster sculpture and drill into the marble just short of the corresponding position. Once most of the marble is removed, the sculptor can recreate the art with better accuracy.

More about my museum experiences later. A dopo . . .

Art Exhibit Publicity Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

OK, my exhibit opening was well attended and a LOT of fun. I did not get home until around 3 a.m.! In fact, Sei Divino and I will be having another reception, the “Not Quite Closing Party” on Saturday May 2, from about 7 - 11 p.m. here in Florence, Italy.

Besides getting listed in “The Florentine,” here is some more cool publicity:
http://www.absolutearts.com/artsnews/2009/04/16/35509.html
If you can read Japanese, check out this: http://mihodesigns.seesaa.net/article/117542666.html


It was a bit stressful trying to get my art in centro, but I still depend on Hafiza’s bike to help me. Still, I had to leave the very large box with a framed charcoal and pastel drawing at home because I just could not figure out how to load him up. He is quite large. Anyway, once I delivered the remaining artworks to my frame shop in central Florence, I was ready to call a taxi.

Once at Sei Divino, Antonio helped me relax and soon, I was back to my efficient confident self as we hung the artwork. It is the unknowns that cause stress and I always fear that tasks will take longer than I think (because I have little concept of time). Simo (short for Simone), the cook, was preparing that night’s yummies. Two of the three co-owners Cristian and Fabiano came in a wee bit later and Fabiano told me that this was the best exhibit they have had here. He told me that a man from Sicily called to find out more about my exhibit. People were wonderfully kind to me, and after midnight my friend Tuulia came over to pull me onto the “dance floor”; a joyous evening.

Normally, I am the photographer for my friends’ events, but not so much for my own this evening. I ended up photographing the exhibit after Sei Divino was closed and again the next afternoon. I had to go back anyway to replace a sold drawing with a new one.

So, I hope that you can see the exhibit, either online:
borsheimarts.com/lightfromdarkness.htm
Or with me again on 2 May in the evening. And later, we could dance . . .


P.S. Happy Birthday, Grandma Viv!

Happy Earth Day Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Since it is Earth Day, I thought I would show you a few more of the photographs that I have taken of my Italian friend Doria’s charming garden not too far from central Florence. Can you tell that tulips are my favorite flowers?









Only yesterday I learned that THIS WEEK is Cultural Week in Italy. All of the State-run Museums are FREE to enter. I have work to do! April 18-26, 2009. For more information, call 800 991199 or visit www.beniculturali.it

Now, make a wish! Or as Luca told me they do in Italia, say “Pippo Filippo” (pee-poh fee-lee-poh). The puffing wind that your breath makes when you make these syllables blows the seeds from the dente di leone (assuming you put the flower up to your lips first). Happy Earth Day, it is a “let us wash each other’s back” situation . . .

Belly Dancing Calenzano Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

My inaugurazione (art reception) at Sei Divino here in Florence, Italy, went well last Thursday night. The reception was 7 - 11 p.m., but there were still lots of people there and I was pulled onto the dance floor around midnight. Home by 3 a.m. and the next night was a 1920s-theme birthday party for my friend Terra. I will write more about my exhibit when I can get caught up and in a few days, you may see 1920-party images on Facebook, if you like.


Saturday morning my friend Susan called me. We met at the Santa Maria Novella train station about noon - just as hail poured down on us (made me laugh) and we caught the # 2 bus to Calenzano. We found the dance studio on Via Vivaldi and caught up with the workshop being conducted by Aisha Ali. It was really fun. If I were not a sculptor (and if I had not been born such a shy person), I would definitely have been a dancer.


The music was great. Back in the 1970s, Aisha went to many countries and began to record the music she heard there. We danced to Egyptian, Tunisian, Moroccan, and Algerian music. I think we had a group of about 50 dancers. It was so great to be inside a real dance studio - with the bar along one wall and the mirrors against the other. Most everyone wore belly-dancing attire. There was so much color in the room!

Today, I go to meet my friend Elena in Piazza della Repubblica. She designs shoes for Gucci and made a trasloco to Roma with the company back in February. So today will be a fun reunion.

On a more serious note, several people have written to me asking how they can help me to help the victims of the terremoto (earthquake) here in Italy. I do not have an easy way to set up fundraising to help the Italian earthquake victims. However, fellow blogger, Sara Rosso, wrote a wonderful personal story and gave resources on how you can help.

Check out her blog entry:

http://www.msadventuresinitaly.com/blog/2009/04/07/earthquake-in-abruzzo-italy-and-reflections-on-another-california-earthquake/