Cross My Heart and Hope to Write: Carrara

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Carrara

It's been over a week now since my return from Italy and I am still very much attempting to grasp everything I saw and experienced. Because I was so overwhelmed visually, mentally, and even emotionally, I didn't have very much time to compose anything. I did, however, manage to write a little something simple.

I was inspired by the enormous prevalence of ancient structures and statues scattered all over that wonderful country. When you consider all the museums around the world that house slivers and chips of so many lost monuments, it's really quite incredible how the cultural history of Italy has contributed to the greater concept of human expression. Personally, when I look at such hulking structures as the Colosseum, Pompeii, the Pantheon, and others, I remind myself that each brick was shaped and set by hand; each carved hunk of marble was chiseled away by hand; and I wonder at how many hands had graced these massive monuments during their construction. Was the man who laid this brick thinking of his pregnant wife at home, eager to return to her as he finished his obligation? Was the face that here represents Demeter designed and pulled from the head of a woman whom the artist adored? There were emotions, personalities, identities, selfhood, life behind those gracing hands. And what ever became of them?

One can read the following poem from the point of view of either a sculpture itself or of an ancient individual lost to the cockles of time. Also, please enjoy some these quaint photos I took while abroad. Caio!