aintings by Tuscan artist, designer and architect Andrea Ponsi are on display at the Italian Cultural Institute Jakarta until Aug. 22.
The exhibition, entitled Florence: A Map of Perceptions, features Ponsi’s unique point of view of the Tuscany region through architectural drawings made with watercolor techniques. Collected from different periods, the drawings display various perspectives of landscapes and architectural structures of Tuscany's capital city Florence, including the famous Ponte Vecchio and Santa Trinitia.
“You can’t compare Florence to Bologna, Genoa or Naples due to its size, but the city has a medieval sense of characteristic, a very strong feel of the 13th to 15th centuries,” Ponsi, who was born near Florence, specifically in Viareggio, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
(Read also: 23 Indonesian architects to showcase designs in Venice)
When asked why he chose watercolors as his medium for work, Ponsi said, "Watercolors have a lot of components that you can’t control; so you allow the water to be where it wants to be. You just push for a little bit and then you see the result."
“I like it because it’s not so controlling of everything. It is controlled but at the same time you don’t know the result. [I like it being that way] because I think life is something that you can’t control. You can’t control it but you can somehow go with the flow,” he added.
In an era when everything is going digital, the artist, who said he drew for his own pleasure, still chose to use hand drawing methods and visit the places of his subjects for direct observation.
To the younger generations, the adjunct professor at Syracuse University and Kent State University advised: “Use the technology, potential, possibilities, but don’t let the technology [set you aside] from enjoying your surroundings. Go to new places and rediscover the place around you." (kes)
Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.