I was eager to reach Aix-en-Provence, a place I would call home, at least for a week. This is where my french lessons would commence. On the way I stopped in Nice, on the Cote d’Azur, for a visit to the museum of a most revered artist of the South of France, Marc Chagall. A lunch of fine art and french wine, two things I value dearly in life.
I agree with Duchamp’s conception of art that a person’s “life” is “art” in a way, and neither is more important than the other. 798 Art Centre is one of China’s largest art spaces, the former facility of state-run 798 electronic factories. Since 2002 artists have built their studios in these old warehouses, now home to impressive artwork that is being recognized internationally. These warehouses also boast independent designer boutiques and cafes, a world of not-so-hidden treasures.
‘To understand your highest self you must live in that rhythm’, as did William Ricketts, an eccentric artist who lived and worked at Mt Dandenong until 1993, at the age of ninety-four. He felt a deep connection to the desert people of the Pitjantjara and Arrernte, as though he were one himself, perhaps in a past life. Walking through his sanctuary amidst this visual poetry of over 90 ceramic sculptures in which the human and natural spirit become one, I could feel his love and devotion to these people and the environment. An inner peace filled me in this space created by a single man who believed in something with a rare, soulful passion.
I was not sure what to expect arriving in Santiago, Chile, other than great wine. It is a rather non-descript city. A safe and comfortable place to live and work where you can enjoy a good quality of life. There is a European flair here, particularly in my favorite bohemian neighborhood, Bellavista, with many outdoor cafes and galleries. That is where we found the home of Pablo Naruda, as well as beautiful murals exhibiting his likeness and poetry. He was quite a witty man and had a most particular design sensibility. His home was created to feel as though you are on a boat, crooked floors, low ceilings, circular windows…ironically, he was afraid of the sea.
