Through my position as an IMAF Drawing Centre Assistant in London’s Courtauld Gallery, I was given the opportunity to curate a works on paper display to accompany a major Piet Mondrian and Ben Nicholson exhibition, Mondrian || Nicholson, In Parallel. The theme (the “grid”) and the centrepiece (Linda Karshan’s Untitled, 1995 ) were predetermined, and my role was to compose a coherent display on the grid using works from the Courtauld drawing and print collection that reflected the theme while also complementing Karshan’s impressive graphite “grid” drawing.

Figure 1. Linda Karshan, Untitled, 1995. Graphite on Paper.

The resulting display, entitled Lines Crossed: Grids + Rhythms on Paper, contains 17 works on paper that reveal different ways the grid has emerged from the 16th century to today. I have found the experience of preparing this exhibition to be incredibly rewarding, and thought it would be apt to post an article I have written on the display…even though it isn’t exactly suitable for a Travel Blog! This article is part of a Courtauld Gallery teachers’ resource pack, and is therefore intended for all levels of readership.

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Day Three: Nicosia/Lefkosia- the last divided capitol in the world.

16th Century map of Nicosia from the Leventis Museum showing its Venetian 'petal' walls

An art nouveau style door from 1909 in Nicosia

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Day Two: Kolassi Castle, Ancient Kourion Ruins and Beach, and Aphrodite’s Rock

Kolossi Castle

Me in an archway of the Basilica in Ancient Kourion

View to the Rock of Aphrodite.

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The sunny beach of Limassol!

Hello! After a long hiatus from travel blogging I AM BACK! I have been living in London since the Fall of 2010, attending graduate school, and I have another blog which is dedicated to my London experience soon to come: Londinner.com. I will also add something about London to this blog.

I have had some other small travel excursions since I moved to London: a weekend in Paris, a hellish 36 hour return flight to the US during the snow dusting of Western Europe in order to have much needed friend and family holiday time, and a class trip to Belgium. However I have chosen my next two trips to include on the blog: Cyprus and Spain. For the second week of April I am spending the week in Cyprus with my roommate, M. We will be staying with family friends in Limassol and visiting various places around the island and relaxing. The reason I decided to visit Cyprus is: the possibility for good weather/beach, the Byzantine icons, and Meze (Turkish/Greek/Syrian/Lebanese/axis of evil version of Tapas…see my Turkey posts for more on this). Also I enjoy the family friends we are staying with so that was another reason to visit!

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3/28-3/31

Mango truck

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3/20-3/30 FOOD FROM AYACUCHO, CUSCO, AND LIMA! INCLUDING MY “LAST MEAL”!

AMAZING TACU TACU FROM PUNTA AZUL

Great group shot at AlmaZen for my last meal!

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3/24/10-3/27/10

Cleaning a St. Michael statue from the top of La Cathedral

One of the cusco school paintings and frames I purchased

detail

The purpose of this visit to Cusco was to speak to artisans and workshops that produce Colonial Cusco School style paintings. I arrived to Cusco on my own but I met up with Erin, a good friend from high school, as well as with Gloria, Renee, Anita, and Carey (Renee’s father) who arrived the day after I did. Unlike Ayacucho, I did not have an art exporter to help me find workshops so I had to go around and ask the artisans who had shops if I could see their workshops. Most of them shook their heads and said that their workshops were too far away to visit easily. My limited Spanish was also a hindrance and I depended both on my friends and people that I met in Cusco to help me communicate more smoothly. In the end I was able to visit one painting workshop which was very fruitful. I am very pleased that I was able to return to Cusco as I found it rewarding in terms of my Gelman Project and had a lot of fun with my friends as well.

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3/27/10

Handing down the craft to the next generation! (photo courtesy of the artist) www.pinturascusco.galeon.com

This Cusco Painting School workshop was exactly what I wanted to see in Cusco! I was initially very impressed by these Colonial style paintings when I came to Cusco back in February and since then I have become determined to see a workshop that produces these reproductions and reinterpretations of 16th-18th century Cusco School paintings.   My goal, as it is with all the workshops I have been visiting, is to see the technique, the materials, and find out how the workshop is organized.

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3/22-3/23/10

Mari's Collection at Las Pallas Shop and Gallery: Perfecto!

Courtyard at Las Pallas shop and gallery

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