El dia pasado de clase

Getting ready for the final jury at this point. We have all been fairly busy with last minute sight seeing and studio work in preparation for the final jury that the days are just rolling by. Last week, we took a trip to Colonial Guell to see another Gaudi church and the Catalonian town itself. This weekend was packed with work, and occasional trips to the beach on the beautiful days at the beginning of the weekend. Here are some collage previews from my studio project that is currently in the works. I will formally conclude my Barcelona section of the blog at the end of the week with last minute sight seeing trips/pre-departure endeavors.

Universitat?

I finally made it into Plaza Universitat for an hour of skateboarding after my History final exam yesterday morning. It has been 4 months since my arrival in Barcelona, and ironically enough, the first place other than the airport that my feet touched in the city, was Plaza Universitat. It was beautiful yesterday and I finished my exam around noon. With two hours to kill before studio, I grabbed my stuff and spent an hour there amongst the passers by and few other local kids. Here are a few photos of the architectural elements I found the most enjoyable during the hour.

Next stop, Rambla de Raval to come.

Ink in Spring

Over the last few weeks, I have been studying scale and procession in my sketches in ink. The transition to ink from pencil has produced a more accurate display of scale and efficiency in the time per each sketch. The selected sketches below are a series from Morocco that take on a rhythm and objective to each, rather than the static and tunnel vision pencil drawings that were produced in Andalusia. Another art post I know, enjoy at your own risk.

Independent Study

I have been working on a series of paintings starting in mid-February -April. I found a little paint shop on Carrer Ferran and decided to buy a few tubes since I did not bring all of mine with me. Here are a few studies I have been interested in throughout the semester that I have done on those nights that I just cant get to bed.

a. Gran Via 5am

b. Barceloneta

b

Ice

With the end of the semester nearing, a few of our classes are starting to end. The required Spanish classes ended last week, and Easter brought about a 6 day break from the school work before the final stretch. During this break, I was able to get out and roam around, including a trip down to the beach for some skateboarding and a short lived stay at the infamous ice bar on the beach. The pictures speak for themselves.

Exhibition

About a month ago, some of my friends and I entered a competition for an exhibition of work for the 20 of us studying here in Barcelona. We were selected to plan, and build the exhibition/gallery and the showing took place last night. The turn out was less than expected but fun nonetheless with the visit from Dave Shove-Brown and the excessive amount of wine that we purchased. 

All of the students were represented via photographs, drawings, models, and all students were present to discuss with the guest the projects and/or studio itself. 

Morocco

Its been a little over a week since our return from Morocco. In the midst of the most disorienting experience on this trip, I never stopped asking myself if I would have attempted to navigate the Fes Medina as a tourist. I am extremely excited and more culturally aware and honestly would not have been so adventurous as to travel to Morocco on my own a few years down the road.

No skateboarding in the intimidating Medina, but rather lessons on bargaining and Moroccan cuisine. We started off with a 5 course dinner in our hotel, also referred to as a palace. Woke up the next morning and met a guide who stuck with us for the remainder of the trip. While in the Medina over the span of 3 days, we visited and sketched mosques, schools, urban spaces, and analyzed the variety of Muslim style houses and hotels. 

We also took a day trip to Volubilis to see Roman ruins and small mountain towns, and then to Meknes, where we were permitted to enter the King's mosque and analyze worship procedures. The trip ended with a walk around the perimeter of the palace in Fes, and shopping in Moroccan metal and ceramic shops. 

All in all, a gigantic culture shock that has taken a week to shake from my system. In the most positive way.

The Forum

Earlier in the semester, we took a trip to the Barcelona Forum, 1992 project by Herzog and de Meuron for the 1992 Olympics. We found a small skatepark installed amongst the many recreational facilities on the grounds. 

On a warm tuesday after Spanish class, we went back and messed around for a while and walked across a pedestrian bridge installation and saw the site from a few different persepectives including the large industrial occupation in Barcelona's Ciutat Vila Olympicia.

Bilbao + San Sebastian

Its been a week since Bilbao and I have taken a week in Barcelona to compare and contrast my travels from spring break to Paris, our field trips to Andalusia, and most recent personal trip to San Sebastian. Bilbao was beautiful;tons of skateboarding gems, mostly stair sets and marble benches near the Foster metro entrances. It was extremely reminiscent of Paris in that I found the same spots around Parisian metro areas, but more importantly in terms of its river sculpting the industrial riverfront. I spend 6 hours at the Guggenheim on Thursday afternoon sketching and laying down on the floor trying to understand its geometry. On Friday we took a trip to Rioja to do wine tasting and to sketch wineries done by Zaha Hadid, Gehry, and Calatrava. Again, I found myself infatuated with Gehry's hotel/winery complex and did a few sketches between wine sips. Returned to Bilbao around 530 and tried out the nightlife and culture which can relate to Barcelona's in terms of bars and tapas (pinchos)

On Saturday, a friend and I parted from the Barcelona bound ground and took a bus trip to San Sebastian for under 50 euros round trip. Once again, a city on the river offered much in terms of analysis of urban development as San Sebastian's new city now encompasses most of its fabric. This new city however frowns on skateboarders and the majority of them that I saw were being chased or yelled at by shop owners or angry drivers who had to wait an extra second at the crosswalk. We took a tour of the Moneo building around 5 after sketching its exterior during siesta hours and then set out to explore the culture and nightlife.

In terms of Andalusia comparisons, northern Spain offers a much different cultural experience and intensity level. The Andalusians are relaxed and laid back; Sevilla was one of the most relaxing experiences I have had, getting lost in the old beautiful city fabric. Bilbao, Paris, and San Sebastian connect with Barcelona on an architectural level with their segregation of industrial areas and new city grids, along with their strong and seemingly rebellious cultures. 

Paris

Just got in from Paris. Major highlights of mine included the Pompidou Centre, Notre Dame, The Louvre, Jean Nouvell's new skyscraper project, Jean Nouvell's Seine park, and the urban fabric in general as related to Paris' metro system. The metro was fascinating to me and takes on the same image as Manhattan's old approach of suspending the rails above the streets, which I think lets the metro better interact with the fabric of the city below. I could have dealt without the way I was treated though, my attempts to communicate were done with respect but the people I interacted with spoke English and refused to speak it with me. 

Skateboarding in Paris is tough; I wasn't aware of all of the main areas for doing so and got a lot of bad looks from pedestrians as I was moving from one place to the next. Of all of the architecture I came into contact with, I found Paris' usage of the short stone public benches to be the main subject for skateboard-able architecture. I am in the process of dissecting the 500 photos I took and will post them for whoever follows this very soon.

Andalusia

We are back from our first field trip to Cordoba, Granada, Sevilla, Merida, and Madrid and it was great. Granada was one of the most interesting experiences I have had on a personal and architectural level; very unique and culturally fascinating. Merida and Cordoba were the 1 day trips and I do not think I spent enough time navigating in those cities to generate a respectful opinion. Sevilla was beautiful and holds its own identity in Andalusia. We visited the Alcazar and I was lost in its labyrinth of beautiful gardens.

Highlights included the Mezquita in Cordoba, La Alhambra in Granada, Roman ruins in Merida, Reina Sofia and Caixa Forum in Madrid, and other small cultural run-ins in each city.

Running on a theme, the skateboard-able architecture lacked in Cordoba, and it was too cold in Madrid, but Granada, Sevilla, and Merida each had their own skate culture inter mixed with the art scene that I found intriguing. Points of interest in the skate genre include Placa Espanya in Merida, The Cathedral and Alcazar placa's in Sevilla, and Granada's new city.

Sketchbook updates to come 

Drawing

It's February and its safe to say that entire month of January was spent drawing. Field trips to the Gehry fish, and the Pablo Picasso Museum - studio projects - and independent trips to Paseo de Gracia are only a few of the drawing activities that have taken place far. Sketches and pictures still to come stay tuned.

In other news, I have had the flu for a few days now and was not able to get out and skate Barcelona's architecture this weekend. I've been noticing a few spots that seem to be dominantly local areas, but I am excited to get back out this week and explore beyond the infamous MACBA.

We are heading to southern Spain next week and excitement rises, so lets hope the flu dies

Lower you eyelids to die with the sun

It's friday, beautiful outside, and i have pink-eye. 

For any follower of this documentation, the following posts will be themed around my sketches and the skateboard-able architecture of fabulous Barcelona

Red Shoes

1 week in with no issues or problems. so far so good. skated at el macba yesterday morning, a little cold but so worth it. lots of sketching for studio so far, nothing dominantly dealing with design, more on the analysis side. pictures to come