Flickr photo by NatashaP
I knew I had to do a post on Gaudi's Architecture when I was putting together yesterday's post on scales and saw that picture of his Casa Batllo.
Gaudi was a genius. Or maybe a crazy nut.
Just look at this window.
Flickr photo by Oceano Mare
Incredible, huh? To make a window look like an eye!
(Okay, a weird alien eye.)
Once you start really examining his work, it's clear that nature inspired Gaudi.
Remember my post on drippy sandcastles and Gaudi's sandcastle cathedral in his city of Barcelona, Spain? The Sagrada Familia?
Flickr photo by magic_eye
Just take a look inside.
Flickr photo by davidly1975
I see flowers and plant stalks and seashells.
What do you see?
What about his Casa Mila?
Flickr photo by Klaus Dolle
Doesn't that building look alive to you? Like some kind of sea creature...or mushroom? Or maybe Jabba the Hutt wearing a ruffled dress? Or maybe not.
Take just a minute and see some of his inspiration in this video. It's very cool, even without Jabba the Hutt.
What do you think inspired this curvy bench in Park Guell?
Flickr photo by acastellano
A snake, maybe? Any other ideas?
Here's a view of part of Gaudi's Park Guell.
Flickr photo by Thomas Dalosis
We spent an afternoon there walking around, sitting on snake benches and listening to people play guitar under a giant rib cage. It tickled my senses and made me want to get out paints and modeling clay. And I'm not even an artist!
Park Guell is just as fun for adults as it is for kids.
Look! I know those kids!
Here's a better pic of that same lizard, kidless.
Flickr photo by rpthorne
You have to love an architect inspired by lizards and bellybuttons and snail shells.
Public Domain photo
Antoni Gaudi, a devout Catholic, who said, "Originality means returning to the origin."
As corny as it sounds, his work makes me take a second look at the wonders of life all around me. It makes me ask myself, "How can I express the beauty I find in life? What can I do with that inspiration?"
Would you like to know more about him, or see more of his work? Go HERE and enjoy!
(And believe it or not, I just watched the video and noticed they chose music from Star Wars for part of the background. See! I'm not the only one that starts thinking about Jabba the Hutt when admiring Gaudi architecture!)
Have a wonder-full Tuesday, y'all!
Love, Becky
PS I almost forgot! I found out that I was wrong about something. (My husband won't believe I'm admitting it! Ha ha.) Back in the earlier post when I mentioned Gaudi, I said that the word gaudy comes from Gaudi. Not true! My sources were wrong. Apparently gaudy even shows up in several works by Shakespeare, way before Antoni was around. Sorry about that, folks! My apologies, Gaudi!
23 comments:
Great post…
Amazing Architecture!!!!!
I adore the curvy bench, it’s beautiful…
I wonder if Shakespeare coined the word gaudy.
Louise
I always thought that "gaudy" came from the Latin "gaudere"--to rejoice or to delight in. I think the artwork or architecture initially was decorated excessively to show the artists delight in the object (having a positive connotation). As tastes changed it was considered over the top and gaudy (the negative connotation). Sorry if my geekiness shows. My undergraduate major was Latin so sometimes I just can't help myself.
Gaudi had some amazing concepts. I see caves and flowers and animals and all sorts of things that take us back to the origin. (even the words--haha!)
I especially loved the curvy bench and the video clip!
Thank you for sharing...I LOVE Gaudi's work. The ebb and flow of his architecture truly takes my breath away. It reminds me of an undersea world...
Kind of like Dale Chihuly's glass creations...simply amazing artistry! The video clip was FAB! Thanks again!
Wow. To take art to such a level. It is truly amazing, isn't it?
Thank you for this post!!!
Wow! This makes my mosaics seem very simple and tame. I loved seeing this!
Hugs,
Penny
Well, I'm glad you got that all straightened out.
Great post. Have a fun day, and look for your Halloween decorations.
Rosemary
Oh, I loved this post! I am learning more to appreciate Gaudi. Sometimes when I would make things as a child my sister (a math major~NOT that there's anything wrong with math major's, LOL!) would say (with a sneer, mind you), "Oh, that is SO Gaudi!!! Ugh!".
Now I know it just means she had no sense of artistry, taste, or style...hehe. She'll never read this so I'm safe in saying it here...LOL! I really do love my sister, LOL! She just likes numbers more than people or art. Numbers are her art and that's okay! Anyway I thought that "Gaudi" was bad, overdone or tasteless and you have taught me differently, unless there really is a different meaning and the word is "GAUDY" and then that means I'm just confused all over again! LOL! Help me, Becky!!!
An acquired taste, to be sure! I'm more of a Wright girl, but variety is the spice of life;)
It's great to see things we forget about brought to focus in such a fun way - thank you - reminds me of the some of the work we have here in Germany, by "Hundertwasser" whose work you might like too. But this reminds me I MUST get to my #1 city I've-not-yet-visited-and want-to list :Barcelona!
Such a genius, and one of my very favorites! Wonderful post!
Hmmmm.... everything's curved or rounded - pretty cool. These days, try getting guys that can figure out how to layout a radius for an arch. I thought I was done 'teaching' once my boys were all grown n' on their own. Apparently not.
I'm working with an architect now who is 80 years old. His details are terrible & I end up doing sketches & drawings to make things work. He's a great guy. I just can't bring myself to 'beat him up' or complain to the client so I've been making costs, resulting from design errors that I catch too late, magically disappear to keep him out of hot water. Thankfully, we'll be done here in another 2 weeks - but at least I've made an 80 year old friend who loves to tell stories.
Some of his buildings remind me of Dr. Seuss architecture. And the interior of that cathedral brought to mind my mom's old ivory carved thingamagigs. You know... the balls that have balls inside them? I'm not making any sense, am I?
Wow! I learned a lot today. What fantastic architecture. Hubby will appreciate this too.
Jabba the Hutt was my son's favorite character. What does that say-hehe.
hugs,
Barb
Thank you for another wonderful learning lesson. And I LOVED the curvy bench area.
I loved the video and the quote! I never looked it up but always thought the term gaudy might come from Gaudi, too. Thanks for clearing it up.
Louise, I don't know about that...though I have read that his work is the first written use of the word.
Lotusloq, very interesting! That makes sense! I'm afraid all I remember from my college Latin courses is the time my professor (who looked like Jerry Lewis) ran into the classroom, threw his briefcase on the table, which then popped open, showering papers everywhere, and told us he'd just given birth!!! (I think it was his wife :)) Thanks for the Latin help!
Paula Clare, exactly! An undersea world!
Hey Kathryn, Penny, and Rosemary! Glad you enjoyed it!
Tattingchic, let's just go with gaudy being good. I don't care if Shakespeare used it. I still like to think it came from Gaudi...I think it's beautiful!
Green girl, I like Wright too. And if I had to live in a Gaudi house, I'd probably be overstimulated and need a sedative. But I do enjoy it anyway!
Amateur BB, I'll have to look up Hundertwasser. And you MUST go to Barcelona! We loved it all--the aquarium, the tapas, but Gaudi sightseeing was the best part!
Hi Pamela, glad you enjoyed it!
Jaxpop, I hadn't thought about the work from a builder's perspective! I bet it was a nightmare back then too! And very interesting about your architect friend. I bet he's got great stories!
Susan, you're right. So Dr. Seuss!
And I'm not sure what in the world you're talking about. But I will puzzle on it. Hmm.
Hey Barb, Jabba the Hutt was his favorite? Are you sure that it wasn't because he made Leah wear a bikini like thing?
Hi Alex and Adrienne, you're most welcome!
Hi Rebecca, wanted to let you know that I have given you an award on my site. Go check it out. Hugs***Renea
oh man! I love coincidences like that. Like when the dentist is named Dr. Mohlar or the mean girl's name is Nancy Screamer or the hearthrob is Hugh Darling.
cool! I get so teacheded from you! :)
WOW! I am always stunned by this kind of creativity. I would have loved to have been an architect!
Nancy
Renea, you sweet thing! Thank you, my dear! You made my day!
May, I love that too! It's amazing how often it happens. I wish it happened all every time--it would make the career search so much simpler. By the way, my dad had a friend named Lon Moore. I wonder if he was ever a landscaper?
CC, the same for you! That's part of why I enjoy your blog!
And you too, Nancy! Your creativity blows me away. Who would have thought of shoes from crepe paper?
"I wish it happened all ever time."
I clearly need more coffee.
Alright, Becky. I figured out that the thing I was talking about is called an "ivory puzzle/mystery ball"--google it. My Mom had one when I was a kid. See? I'm not crazy after all!
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