Bavaria

ORGOSOLO

A first stroke of paint on a brick wall in the middle of the night. An abstract image, a few words. What started with a silent political protest has run out of control. Decades later this little village that could have been named after a kind of pasta is filled with expressive murals.

After seeing most of the more than 170 paintings with different themes ranging between local government, Silvio, global issues and Obama. Zeitgeist. we get the impression that Picasso might still be alive. Cubism. On out way into the village we stopped at an abandoned monastery. Buzzing bee hives and a rather sinister atmosphere. Sardinia is not Italy. Orgosolo, a heavy local place with its own inspiring story. A must visit if you are around in the area!

-Matt.

DEEPER UNDERGROUND

After getting my usual sun burn on day two, the Grotte su Marmuri is a welcoming intermezzo. Deeper underground turns out to be as inspirational as snorkeling the sea. Impressive.

-Matt.

SARDINIA

    

A hot summer on Sardinia. The right place to slow down for a couple of weeks. After the first kilometers I am convinced, this is a landscape to drive! Curved mountain roads, flowing hills and a lot of flowers. Go visit! First impressions, with a lot of endangered species, the Panda and an icon without a spoiler.

-Matt.

NEW COLLECTION

Look behind the gaudi Ramblas and get into the Ciutat Vella with its universities and musea. We spend some time here to watch skaters and contemporary art. Macba, CCCB and more. Go visit!

-Matt.

SAGRADA FAMILIA

One man, one vision. It's amazing to see how someone can leave such a permanent impression in this place. After more than one hundred years history is still in the making at the Sagrada Familia. The complex is still not finished yet, but compared to 1993 it has undergone enormous progress. Back then it was a collection of towers, today it is a functioning building. I am impressed by the many ideas, the twisting columns and the love for detail. The ceiling with its origami surfaces is my favorite. I will be back in twenty years for the next picture shoot.

-Matt.

MILA GRACIAS

God is in the details. Thousand pieces of ceramic tiles are carefully arranged  in a fluffy, creamy, chimney. Shiny here, matte there, crisp transitions, twisted surfaces. Origami galore. We are spending quiet some time on the roof tops of the Casa Mila, another Gaudi house. The fantasy, the range of formal concepts, it's simply overwhelming. Don't forget to take a look inside. This is holism  to the max; one vision, one idea pushed to the limits of the used materials. A couple of blocks down the road they still build with these ideas in mind. LSD not included. Thank you Antonio for the inspiration.

-Matt.

MI CASA SU CASA

 

If in Barcelona, obviously  Casa Batllo is a must see for the tourist. Is a visit a cliche? We queue up behind a class of American kids and wait for the tour. Head sets, ready, go! After a while we are alone and have a better view. Almost twenty years after my first visit I am still inspired.

-Matt.

PARK

One of the best outlook points of Barcelona and a perfect spot to hang out. In surreal Park Guell gravity does not mean anything. Waves out of stones, columns like palm trees and a lot of tiny tiles on wavy surfaces.

-Matt.

BARCELONA

Urban Barcelona. A couple of days inside the Barrio. Stickers on lamp post tell you more than that lonely planet. Gentrification of the local neighboorhood, danish eco wellness store in between arab markets. Grannies doing 99%, Landies going green, I like this chaos. An attempt to capture the spirit. Enjoy!

-Matt.

EINDHOVEN

Eindhoven for a change. Bricked houses, little boutiques, home town. Lots of unknown places, at least to me.

-Matt.