And then there was Spain!

Or should I say Islamic Spain? During the Italian Renaissance, the Iberian Peninsula, which is now Portugal, Spain and Andorra, was very much Islamic territory. Moors, Muslims who resided in this area during the Middle Ages, " who were initially [...] Berber and Arab peoples from North Africa" (1) have been said to live in harmony with a large Jewish population until Christendom entered the area with an iron hand, exiling many of the knowledgeable and skilled farmers, engineers, scientists and craftspeople represented by these demographics.(2)

While following the early Western Europe textile trade routes of the early Renaissance, I have discovered that Spain until the late 1400's was very much isolated from the trade and cultural influences of Italy and even its neighbour France until Spanish nobility and royalty began to work with Rome to create a Catholic empire that would unite the lands of Spain, France, Italy and beyond. This isolation of Islamic Spain did not mean that the area was not culturally advanced in its own right, but rather had developed agricultural, scientific and cultural advancements in their own right prior to the increased exchange of imagery, ideas and innovation between Spain and more central European countries in the 1500's.

In fact Islamic Spain very much had its own vibrant textile industry in silk, wool, leather and eventually cotton due to their own trade relations. The quote below speaks of the regions industriousness.

“Then Toledo, Cuenca, Segovia, Cordova, Granada, Ciudad Real, Villacastin, Baeza, and other towns flourished as important seats of manufacturing industries. According to so sober and careful a writer as Baralt, "Seville, in which was concentrated the commerce of America, had then, no less than sixteen thousand work-shops and one hundred and thirty thousand workmen employed in making textile fabrics of silk and of wool; the Peninsula had then more than a thousand merchant vessels in all of the known seas, a number very much greater than that of any other nation of Europe at that time;” (2)

Monumental mosques, churches, palaces and fortified city walls seem to physically represent the excess of wealth being generated within the major trade and manufacturing trade centres. Filled with as many magnificent paintings, frescoes, and ornamental shrines as those found in Florence. Upon the uniting of the Catholic monarchs Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon a Add to dictionary would occur which aimed to rid the Iberian peninsula of Muslims and Jews as they were of the belief that these other people of faith would undermine the spread and power of Catholicism. The building of Renaissance inspired cathedrals atop of old mosques began to cast physical and psychological shadows on parts of Spain where different religions used to live in peace. However, due to the complete integration of Muslim, Jewish and Christian cultures found within many of the urban centres, the designs found within the architecture, mosaics, tile work and textiles of Islamic Spain would live on and continue to reflect the multi-culturism that once made this such a rich and collaborative centre of innovation. We can see these Moorsish influences within the photo below taken while walking the streets of Toledo, a city that has managed to retain its medieval feel despite all of the technological advances and suburban sprawl that has affected many of tghe other major manufacturing centres and trading ports from the time.

Unfortunately, Spain saw a huge drop in their population during the 1500’s due to both the plague and expulsion of non-Christians from their cities. This greatly affected the quality of the goods being produced within different regions and at times resulted in economic decline in certain areas. Spain also sent all of its best farmers, engineers, scientists and other professionals to colonize the south Americas, resulting in a brain drain for the local economies. “In 1492, after the expul- sion of the Jews, it was 9,800,000. In the next hundred years the population of Spain sank to 8,ooo,ooo. During the sixteen years following I592, years in which the Moriscos were expelled, it fell to 7,500,000; and in I700 it stood at 6,ooo,ooo.” (4)

It would seem that the loss of skilled farmers resulted in the decline of irrigation strategies that "passed from the attention of both king and cortes, and [...] by the people.” (5), ultimately contributing to decline of the growing of agricultural crops needed for the textile industry as well as the sustenance of livestock required for the leather trade.

Some personal observations that I made while engaging with different cities is how many of them had major rivers that would have served both in the irrigation of the fields, the processing of textiles and the transport of raw and manufactured goods. I also couldn't help but recognize how motifs were repeated across different types of cultural artefacts. I had to wonder what came first, the ornamentation of the architecture or the designs of the textiles, or was it not what came first, but rather that nature inspired it all. I find this ironic that from the birth of materialism we have simultaneously drawn on nature for inspiration while disregarding how our design and manufacturing of goods will destroy or change it forever.

On a personal note, as my thesis is looking at the shadows of material excess, I couldn't help but reflect on the wealth and privilege interwoven into the exploratory journey I was on, not very unlike the Grand Tours taken by the elite during the 1600’s. However, in those cases, I suspect the nobility and royals did not have to carry their own luggage or stay in hostels and share rooms with strangers. With each museum and church I entered, paying a fee each time, I began to recognize how the access to knowledge is often shrouded in the darkness of capitalism and yet at the same time too much knowledge may in fact cast shadows on our outlook about the world around us. Will I be able to see and enjoy the beauty of textiles in the future or am I destined to only now see materials for their ecological impact?

With respect to my the material excess I was carrying on my back, it was the very first climb up three flights of winding stairs after maneuvering through the hilly cobblestone streets of Toledo from a not so close parking lot that I began to feel the weight of textiles upon my back. Upon opening my pack to change clothes I began to calculate what I could do without upon the second leg of my journey during which I would be travelling alone and using public forms of transportation.

Photo documentation in a variety of museums also led to observation of the material excess required for the archival presentation and preservation of materials. Not only were objects on display casting shadows, but I also noted how vitrines and shelves used in their presentation were casting dramatic shadows around the room. I saw this as an opportunity to explore within my own exhibit in August.

(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moors

(2) Moses, B. (1893). The Economic Condition of Spain in the Sixteenth Century. Journal of Political Economy, 1, 513-534. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ocadu.idm.oclc.org/stable/1819513, pgs 520 -521 (3) Ibid, pg 513

(4) Ibid, pg 514

(5) Ibid, pg 522

Other Sources:

http://islamic-arts.org/2011/the-art-of-islamic-spain/

Enlightened Italian Departure

Well, it is my last night in Florence and I couldn’t help but run around the city one last time before I leave tomorrow morning. I hadn’t realized it, but it was actually my first time exploring the city at night! Part of me really regrets not getting out more in the evening, but my days have been so long, I have needed to simply retreat to my quaint, market side apartment to work on sketches or snuggle up with one of the many books I have on the go.

So why did I head out tonight? With the intent of buying some last minute biscotti for folks at home, I also headed to the Uffizi to document all of the statues that line the museum’s outdoor corridor. Along the way and upon heading back, I enjoyed everything I have seen for the last twenty-four days anew. Monuments, architecture and just the everyday were all lit up in dramatic ways and casting shadows that remain constant with the artificial lights of Florence. To see the city illuminated like this was a nice end to the trip as I was beginning to see the ugly shadows that inhabit every urban centre.

The darkness began to creep in about a week ago when I acknowledged that as wonderful as my life has been for the last couple of weeks, that would not be the case if I lived here. Artists here have it as hard as anywhere else. Lining every square in the stifling heat or hidden in workshops repairing or restoring all that has come before them, one can’t imagine how hard it would be to create contemporary or even classical art in an area of the world where each and every moment you are compared to the likes of Michelangelo, Da

Vinci, Giotto, etc ….

As I ventured out this evening, the roads were lined with refuse from the daily markets, the overabundance of leather shops made me start counting dead cows and the romantic facades of the buildings no longer hide how many empty storefronts there actually are. During the hot afternoons, the smells of urine and sewage become very strong with the increase in temperature and the barrage of tourists flocking to and clogging the city. Selfie sticks have become an incessant obstacle when walking and street vendors have yelled at me for buying at another booth! Anyways, tonight seemed to reinstitute my love for Florence and all that it has to offer.

To catch you up on what I have done over the last week or so, after our independent study critique, I finally saw the Madonna of the Shadows at Santo Marco, where I also discovered some wonderful examples of early surrealist work by Fra Frangelico. The 41 cells of the monks were all lined with light and unique frescoes. On Tuesday, the entire IAMD clan made our way back up to San Miniato al Monte to witness the lighting up of the nave on the solstice, proving that the churches / monasteries of the 1400’s were embracing science as a way of telling time and seasons. I can’t even begin to imagine the amount of planning that an architect would need to undertake to arrange for such a magical thing to occur! Apparently the light hits the floor to symbolize the procession of the monks in their rites of passage to go out into the world. One of the rays of light beams down on the sign of cancer inlayed within the mosaic on the floor.

Wednesday included a ride out into the country with Dan Soloman, Martha Ladly and an author named Richard Fremantle, a man who has books published about the works of Masacchio and the Medici family. Richard confided that it was his visit to Florence as a student that inspired him to become a researcher and writer. Richard helped us find a hidden Donatello crucifix hidden in a monastery in the hills of Tuscany beyond telling us wonderful background information about the Medici's buried within the pages of his books.

Thursday, I took in the interior of San Spirito, another church referred to as the little brother of San Lorenzo, once again designed by Brunelleschi. The light in here was exquisite and once agian the ceiling blew my mind. Adjacent to a small piazza south of the Arno, the interior was well worth the wait despite the heat, local homeless washing in the fountain, a three hour wait and the worst gelato I have had since I have been here. I also managed to run around and visit the Guggenheim collection of modern art showing at the Strozzi gallery. I went to see Motherwell, but I was surprised to be taken more by Ellsworth Kelly’s work and Lucio Fontana. Of course seeing Cy Twomby’s work first hand was a hoot, and I could’ve watched the shadows of Calder’s work all night.

One observation I made today was in a church adjacent to the Ospedale degli Innocenti, another Brunelleschi architectural contribution. The ceiling was laden with gold and the light was extremely haunting. There was one chapel in particular in which the light was coming in from a window and obscuring the painting that adorned the space. This visual occurrence reminded me that light can also obscure or blind us from the truth. Light as enlightenment or aligned with creating the spectacle? (Theory of a Young Girl – a must read!)

While the world is rallying around the crisis in the UK and providing a perfect example of the economic interconnectivity of our landscapes that I am researching, other outings have included a visit to Sant’Ambrogia market to buy some antique lace, checking out the astrolabe on the front of Santa Maria Novella (coolest thing here!), hitting the stores near the train station for some affordable Italian fashion, scouring the alley ways for a cheap carry-on to tote back my purchases home and frequenting local gardens and scenic spots to continue my sketches for all of my wonderful patrons who helped make this trip possible.

I look forward to sharing more images and updates when I get home, but for now, arrivederci.

Materiality Baby!

The last week has been an absolute whirlwind of information and travel. I will warn you that this blog may be a little longer as I will give a brief review of my trips to Cinque Terre, Rome and Siena while trying to reflect on any observations or realizations that may have come to me along the way.

So Cinque Terre, if you ever have the opportunity to visit this wonderful section of the coastline, pretend you are training for a marathon when it comes to attire and hydration. The day was spent climbing, descending and exploring with very little direction, but the vistas are breathtaking regardless of rain or sun. Of course all of the cool landmarks, like the quaint little chiesas (churches) and forts are always at the top of the cliffs. A a little pre-emptive research into the importance of the various sites might be a wise idea. If you are offered the option of lunch included during your tour, don’t take it! There are so many great cafes to choose from at each town. Other than the wonderfully coloured houses on the hilltop, it was really interesting to see the mountains of white Carrera marble on the way to the coast. They made me think about materiality and the countries use of local resources during the Renaissance.

Rome is big in every way! Beyond the big piazzas, huge architecture, gigantic monuments, extensive parks and monumental amount of historic sites, it was also the first time I felt fashionably under dressed. Fashion is huge here and I wanted in! It was also here that I began to really comprehend how intertwined and layered culture is. Etruscan ruins neighboured buildings commissioned by the fascist regime and roman marble sculptures were echoed in graffiti on windows. The one thing I regret not squeezing in is a full day in the Forum. I wanted to get in there and document every little shadow of these unbelievable artefacts.

After two days trouncing around the big city, Siena felt like a lovely escape to the country despite its very own feats of engineering and cultural artefacts. The winding streets up the hill to the Duomo provided many wonderful geometric shadows and the Campo Piazza really captured the closeness of the community. The Museo Civico also provided some delightful symbolic surprises at the end of the day, making the wait for my yoghurt gelato bearable. What I found inspiring and relevant in Siena was their recognition of good and evil within their symbolism. Indicative of both their dark and glorious past, Siena’s crest is black and white and the mythical Shewolf suckling the twins Remus and Romulus (good and evil), serves as their animal emblem. Their intricate mosaic floors with Escher like patterning also spoke to the balance of these two forces as visualized through the dark and the light marble, with each needing the other for their existence or recognition. While reviewing the Allegories of Good and Bad in the museum, I reflected with Martha Ladly about there only being 6 virtues and 7 sins. I wondered if this is why our world seems to be in constant strife. Do we need to discover, identify or perhaps just embrace one more virtue to balance the playing field?

With regards to all this travelling and my photographs exploring light and dark, I would like to start by clarifying that my interest in shadows is not my primary topic of my research, but is rather the method in which I aim to visualize my research. My intent is to create an illusionary minimal aesthetic using all white materials that appear peaceful and beautiful in their simplicity of colour and form, letting the shadows point to the underbellies of the visual facades presented to us.

Up until now I have been throwing around the words agency, interconnectivity, interdependency and rhizome to speak to the global landscape we live upon. In that all of these topics are infinite, I will eventually need to narrow my focus in order to master my understanding of the information I will present for my defense. There are many ways I could work to shrink my investigation, but I am toying with choosing one material that would work to communicate how the world’s economies and therefore ecologies are extremely interwoven. I actually came up with a word today to speak to this network that often binds or connects us to environmental and / or ethical concerns. ECONOMOLOGIES!

There are two materials I have been exploring to date. The first material I started to play with was plastic in that we have been living in the Anthropocene era as the industrial revolution developed new materials for mass production. This means that the geological makeup of our earth now consists of a dense layer of metals and plastics. The amount of packaging and molded plastic one sees in a simple drugstore is sickening and exponential. This really hit home for me when I went to buy some razors before my trip. You would’ve thought I was buying an electronic device the way my five blade, flexible head and rubber gripped, pink razor was all sealed up. As we all know plastic is a global concern, however I don’t really see a connection between the history of Florence, Italy and the history of plastic.

Cotton, on the other hand, has a rich history within these parts. Although Italy stopped producing cotton in 1991, “Italy was the first Christian nation to understand the significance of cotton, and began marketing it from the 12th century onwards.” http://costumedabbler.ca/cotton Able to clothe the general population while keeping production costs low, The Popolo Minuto, Florence’s poor during the Renaissance, “obtained employment in the area’s cloth industry and went hungry when, as frequently happened, the shops closed down in times of war, plague or business depression.” (Brucker, 213) Able to still see the textile industry on the market streets surrounding every Italian piazza, the larger textile industry that caters to the masses, not only continues to enslave workers around the world, it also wreaks havoc on the environment due to the amount of water consumed during its production. Additionally, “All major processing stages along the cotton value chain such as dyeing, bleaching and finishing use large amounts of chemicals of various toxicity and hazardousness.“ http://www.organiccotton.org/oc/Cotton-general/Impact-of-cotton/Risk-of-cotton-processing.php What I find interesting is that Canada does not grow cotton and yet it is our main textile of consumption. We do grow linen and hemp! Environmentally it would make a lot more sense if we were to embrace our local fibres and decrease the environmental and ethical shadows of the textile industry.

Feel free to share your ideas or impressions about plastic or cotton in the comment section of my blog.