... the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.
Inside is a home with fabulous art, sculptures and paintings alike, and they are just right there. I have to say this wasn't someplace I was chomping at the bit to see and, since going, have totally changed my mind. Maybe it was the garden area with sculptures here and there, maybe it was the idea of a hidden gem people couldn't find and crossed off their list of must see's, and maybe it was the incredible art [Duchamp, Picasso, Magritte are just a few] I found there and hadn't expected to find. Actually I think it was Peggy Guggenheim herself and her mindset to help artists survive during the war - I liked that, a lot.
While I fell in love with and would enjoy sharing the Silver Bedhead by Alexander Calder, a wall piece that was literally Guggenheim's headboard, it's another piece at the Guggenheim that is a must see and that is ...
... The Angel of the City by Marino Marini.
No, he isn't just about the penis, he's so much more than that, hence the pics below.
I opened the doors and saw The Angels back and was immediately drawn to the view - it is absolutely stunning. I walked down the steep steps to take it all in and looked to the side and, hello hard-on! It was funny how many people were taking pics of this and yes, I did as well. As I was waiting for people to get out of the shot, another person also waiting filled me in on what makes this sculpture even more spectacular - his penis unscrews. Yes, it is removeable! Apparently when the nuns were set to float by, they would remove the penis so as not to upset or offend. Totally Peggy Guggenheim was a great lady!
... while the vaporetto was good to ride, walking definitely offered the best view of Venitian life. It was so easy to get lost and that was all right, the adventure of discovery was fulfilling. Yes, St Marks Square is wonderful, but to be honest, it was the back streets that I loved. I want to come back to Venice again and see what I missed by making a left instead of right, or the other way around.
2 comments:
I want to see Venice. My cousin went on a gondola ride and it was quite pricey, but it's a must do.
You know what, we had planned on doing a gondola ride but it looked uncomfortably awkward so we passed. The vaporettos were cheaper and fun - at times it was like a commuter bus :-)
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