Austria, Vienna. Secession building and “Mark-Anton Group”

I come back to the story of route which we began travel the last year. I’ll remind, the start point became Karlskirche, and today we still stayin’ Karlsplatz and stand in front of building of Secession. It is a difficult task to tell about Secession as the building itself and movement of Secession are described in every tourist guides and it’s real challenge for me.

I’ve looked through the photos took at different years and have chosen some ones that attached along with well-known views to my today’s post. First: “Mark-Anton Gruppe” situated on the right hand of Secession. The second: I’ll maintain my telling about Secession movement with some last year’s photos as illustration of close connection of generations living in different time. A little bit “hooligan” but continuing to break moral principles of society.

In spring 2010 the Exhibition by Christoph Büchel “Raum für Sexkultur“, was held in Secession.  Artist represents an installation decorated as a room of Vienna Swinging Club. Unfortunately I returned to Vienna at the end of April and couldn’t visit it. I haven’t even  chance to tell about as Secession official web site didn’t published the report yet and there is an announcement “coming soon” till now but nevertheless, there was something that remained about exhibition up to the autumn. In front of entrance niche there was an original poster and we can enter the building crossing (passing going) “between legs of the naked girl”.

 

Now, it is time to mention about Secession movement. It seems to me, that this remark will set all on the places and it will clear why similar exhibition are pertinent in Secession.

Vienna Secession was founded at the end of 19^th century and the members of it were Gustav Klimt, Koloman Mozer, Joseph Maria Olbrich, Oskar Kokoshka, Egon Schile and other artists.  I believe these names speak about much. Even who only saw movie “Klimt” can imagine an atmosphere and ideas of those years without effort. These artists have torn with traditional concepts of art and have created new association, which we name Vienna Secession since then. Approximately at the same time Joseph Maria Olbrich has designed exhibition pavilion Secession. Today the building of Secession named a key work of Viennese Art Nouveau. Everything was designed and made by group members and even decorative vases in front of entrance are the art objects.

It is getting clear now, why the “Mark Anton Gruppe” sculpture is situated on the right hand of Secession. Originally the sculptural group was established temporarily on this place and there are no any explanation inscriptions about this decision. The choice of place was hot debated and in result the sculpture was established near Secession temporarily (I remind, it was a time of active development of vacant territory of Karlsplatz) but the commission never discussed this question in future and we see “Mark Anton Gruppe” at the same place.  The sculpture was created by Secession member of Arthur Strasser and probably this fact became the main reason of the choice of place near Secession. The Sculpture was created especially for a world’s fair in Paris, 1900.

Now, about Secession building a little. The building occupies the area 1000 m². Walls represent massive cubic blocks; however these rather rigid geometrical lines soften the curves indoors. The round dome is executed of 3000 gilded bronze laurel leaves (laurel leaf is the dominant symbol of building) and 700 round berries. The entrance area is decorated by the masks of the three Gorgons, which symbolize architecture, sculpture and painting. The motto of Secession movement is written above the entrance of the pavilion: “To every age its art, to art its freedom”. The building was damaged by bombs during WWII and set on fire by the retreating German army). Today we see renovated building of Secession.

(information about building and a photo of destroyed Secession from official web site of Secession).

Genoa and Euroflora Flower Show

Genoa. I wanna tell about this trip though we visited Genoa five years ago. We planned a trip to this city especially because in 2006 the flower show took place in Genoa. In spring of 2011 the show was held again (the Euroflora take place every five years) so today I recall Euroflora 2006.

We went to Genoa on Italy Liberation Day. When we arrived at train station, we definitely were glad that bought tickets the day before but yesterday we were wondered really, why the terminal device the places in different compartments but not at the same. While we were waiting the train, I’ve paid attention to the girl who again and again unsuccessfully tried to buy ticket to any train to Genoa but every time the answer was the same – no free places. In this case there is only way: to buy ticket without a place and pass the time (one and half hour) standing or sitting on the own bag out of compartment. We took places and the train has left to Genoa. Soon I’ve tried to go out of compartment to look at magnificent views on the opposite but couldn’t make any steps. People sat on a floor or stood so densely I should step through them.

In one and the half hour about we walk down the platform at Genoa and it seems that all Italy goes somewhere this day.

I’ll remind that Exhibition Euroflora took place in Genoa these days and organizes of this event met visitors already at station. The special marks lead step by step to an assembly point where it was possible to buy entrance tickets, get the full information about exhibition and take a bus running between railway station and exhibition.

But in the beginning we decided to walk through Porto Antico (we missed of the sea during the some days in Milan) and to stroll a little through narrow streets of old Genoa. You see an Old Genoa beacon and the replica of Columbus galleon “Neptune” in photos. This galleon was especially built in 1986 for movie “Pirates” of Roman Polansky and after was transferred to the Genoa’s Porto Antico.

But my place to remember in Genoa become the Garibaldi street exactly because it impressed me most of all. Take a look at some photos.

So little by little we reached expocentre, bought entrance tickets (tickets cost 10 € in 2006 but this year the entrance tax was doubled) and come in the first pavilion.

And now I’ll tell about exhibition Euroflora 2006. For the first time this flower show was held in 1966 and in 2006 the ninth edition of amazing worldwide event took place in Genoa. The leitmotif of Euroflora 2006 was: water as the primordial source of life and precious natural resources.  The giant waterfall was created at main pavilion and a lot of fountains and, speaking the modern language – water gadgets or jeux d’eau.  Certainly, it was impossible to ignore fishing village Portofino situated nearby. Nearby so closely that speaks: Genoa and Portofino are in stone’s through one from another. The creation of one of the participants is devoted to Portofino (photo with an old boat on sand).

There were a lot of visitors at show, so much that it was very difficult to take photos.  At least, we reached the pavilion where were on display the creations of famous florists. I examined all in details and noted also the familiar name to me – Swedish florist Swedenson (he read seminar “Cascade bouquets” at my florist college.  

Since old times Genoa was an entry gate to the Ligurian region so: "the sea became one of the new entries at Euroflora 2006 with the reconstruction of an “old America” port and with a boat filled with plants. It has been a fascinating step back into the history of spices, herbs, and fruits like tea, coffee and cocoa, date palms and banana trees, all of which came to Europe sown through the centuries from the farthest corners of the Earth"

We spent day up to the closing at exhibition and then returned to city center; strolled a little along quay and left for Milan. Certainly, it isn’t enough, only day in Genoa, but I’m ready to tell more and more as Genoa impressed me so much.