A Giò Ponti Interior

Padua, Italy.
In the Late 1930's, Carlo Anti, the rector of Padua University, instructed Giò Ponti to design the interiors of a new wing.  Here are the results! Prepare to drool... (Images from World of Interiors, Nov. 2011. Photography: Bill Batten)
Below: Galleria del Rettorato (connecting the wing with the rest of the building). Lighting by Ponti.  Frescos by Piero Fornasetti.

The reading room of the Circolo dei Professori.  The floor is made up of marble mosaic fragments in stripes.  The panels and doors are in cherrywood.

The Staircase of Knowledge includes frescoes by Ponti, with the assistance of Giovanni Dandolo and Fulvio Pendini.  Palinuro, 1946, is the statue by Arturo Martini.  Coat tree and bench by Ponti.

Dining room.  Lighting, doors and furniture by Ponti.  Woven-textile walls.  Framed still life by Antonio Fasan.



* A note about the last post:
Late last night, I was flipping through TV channels, when I landed on The Wizard of Oz, a film I haven't seen in a decade.  It was just at the start of the scene I described!

Two Thoughts.

1.
"We know so little about other people,"
said the late Rev. Clarence Mobley one Sunday.
"Even close friends and siblings we've grown up with.  In the deepest sense, we know so little about them."
He put his hand on a minister's shoulder.  "I may, say, have spent a lot of time with Christine, but unless I've truly walked in her shoes, experienced her pains and joys, her relationships and lessons, unless I've done that, much of her self is still a mystery to me."

2.
...Isn't the role of a guide to nudge us in the right direction, rather than provide us with The Answer to our problem?
The movie The Wizard of Oz came to my mind recently.  At the end, the Wizard seemed to be a let-down; a man with no special powers or answers.  But look closer.  He let the heroes know that they already possessed what they sought from the outside.  Scarecrow, you want to know you are intelligent?  Here's a silly paper diploma if it'll make you feel better.  Tinman, need a heart?  Let this clock's ticking remind you of the ticker you already possess. And Dorothy?  He tried to send her elsewhere, to get back home, but she was already there, she just had to klick her heals - simply had to "wake up" to that reality.

Intro P.S.

                   Open the Kingdom.

                                                                                                                         © 2011 Dennis Callahan

Introduction

Setting: Dolce & Salato Café, Laurel Heights, San Francisco.

Music playing: • Italian pop.  Is this beat tapping into my Italian heritage?

Wearing: A Vespa t-shirt my older brother • Loris got for me in Venice, during one of his extended stays in Italy.

Family, Friends, Religious settings, Music, and Art-book ideas intermingled this morning.

I'm seated at the same table • Stephanie Martin often sat & read at.  I would pop in and ask her "Are you open for business?", If yes, then we'd share and chat about all sorts of things.  What a gem of a soul she was.  Educated, sensitive, humble, a touch eccentric... I didn't appreciate her friendship enough, but then the nature of how our lifelines intersect with others is up to the skillful hand of the Artist of artists.

To be able to sit relaxed and comfortable with a friend, and to share ideas, hopes, fears, intimate and otherwise, well, it is such a blessing.  She was at least 20 years my senior, but we could connect nonetheless.  A sudden illness struck Stephanie. She hopped off the train of the living not long ago, and so I can only share the journey with the remaining passengers.  Is she still sitting here in spirit, with her New York Times and English Breakfast tea?

Earlier this morning I attended mass 1/2 way across town, at • Most Holy Redeemer.  It was a special mass, for • Sister Cleta was honored.  She is now 90, and all her work for peace and justice was remembered.  The loveable Fr. Kirk came over from St. Boniface to act as celebrant.  The faithful and warm-hearted morning • regulars were present.  A reception was held in the elegant rectory dining room.  Everything was set up by the supreme taskmaster Nick.  A delicioso heavenly chocolate mousse creation by Jerry was doled out.  ...being surrounded by such a loving group of people... it felt like I was sitting in a scene from a BBC production.

Where am I going with all of this?  Basically, I'm telling you I feel very grounded this morning as I embark on this blog-journey.  Won't you connect the dots with me as we find the meaning weaved within our days?

This blog will contain:

• Dreams

• Visions

• Notes on book and art projects

• Artistic influences and interesting creators

        Etc.

The music playing as I type away (OK, so I wrote by hand while at the café) is the symphonic poem for Bass-Baritone (I'm a baritone!), chorus & orch.: "The Execution of Stepan Razin" by Shostakovich, a piece I've had for a while but just recently started getting into.  Is this a death of the old Stepan? 

Many thanks to my roommate Jack, who encouraged me to finally put this boat in the water. 

Together, let us raise the curtain. 

     Open the Kingdom!