As part of the Contemporary Roman Art Class, we had the opportunity to visit the British School of Rome and tour the facilities. The three-current award holder’s; Jacob Wolf, Holly Davey, and Sikelela Owen took us through their studios and explained their practice here in Rome. One thing I noticed was that they all mentioned being inspired by the city itself. They spoke of their urge to walk around, to escape the studio (even though technically that’s where their work is), and to inundate themselves with the treasures of Rome physically. They apologized for what they termed their lack of work, explaining that they had spent a lot of time ‘in the field’ so to speak. According to them, these experiences provided more value than the actual studio work they did.
Even though I don’t make art myself, I found their words and sentiment incredibly inspiring. Returning from Fall break after touring Budapest, Prague, and London, I find myself equal part inspired and exhausted. Visiting the facilities, and hearing the words of those incredible artists felt unexpectedly comforting. Travelling and seeing and taking in every sound, smell, and sight has been part of the important work of my abroad experience. Maybe it’s not the same work as sitting at a desk and memorizing vocabulary or typing notes, but that does not mean I’m not learning and growing.
I notice myself changing from my experiences in so many ways– both academic and personal. I orient myself with city rivers rather than Google maps, and I pay attention to pilasters and crenulated stone work. I opt for trying goulash rather than the safer chicken cutlet. I genuinely wanted to know about Brexit, and understand the political changes happening around me. I feel as though being abroad has fed an appetite inside me that I had no idea existed, and I am incredibly grateful for that. I am also aware that this new learning is equal parts exciting and tiring, so my runny nose and sore throat are probably a result of travel as well. However, rather than beat myself up for being tired, I am trying to take a lesson from the artists I met yesterday, and to remind myself that real work is being done! Now, off to drink tea and relax!
Ciao for today!
Ariel