Gaudi

I bought a DVD a few weeks ago, a DVD showing the works of Antonio Gaudi. And last night I sat down to watch it on the big screen; I had previewed it on the small monitor.

It was simply amazing to see the great body of work that this architect/artist had completed. The DVD had no narration and soft music accompanied you as the camera pulled you along and through the many building that he had designed. Maybe design is not the right word as that implies that he made some drawings and then the buildings were built. I can't imagine him leaving the workplace until the last stone was set in place, His presence is seen in the smallest of details and I can imagine him leaning over a workman's shoulder and pointing out where he wanted a curve or a certain color.

The details; yes, they are everywhere and I know I could spend hours, even days, looking at them if I were ever lucky enough to be in Barcelona. And they are the kind of details and shapes that make you want to reach out and touch them. Great painting will cause you to stand in awe of their beauty, but Gaudi's work invites you to touch it, and by touching, you hope that you will absorb some of the spirit that drove him to create it. I know if I were ever in Barcelona, my hands would be raw from embracing his work.

And the craftsmen; what genius! Each worker was in an orchestra directed by Gaudi and playing masterworks! Where are craftsmen like this today?

And of course my practical side, with my construction background, was whispering, how did they do that? What kind of scaffolds did they use? Was there a schedule? And who paid for these extravaganzas? But, how do you put a price on what he did?

I can't imagine any architect coming close to the stature of Gaudi. Frank Gehry would be a runner up, maybe. And Gaudi's work isn't even complete yet; his monumental La Sagrada Familia is still under construction!

Some links…

Antonio Gaudi

Frank Gehry

Flickr for photos

La Sagrada Familia