Shadow Shot Sunday 189 - Turin

One of Turin's elegant portico arcades which dominate the classic architecture in this very underrated Italian city - Italy's first capital post-unification no less. For more shadow shots click HERE for Shadow Shot Sunday. Enjoy!!

Taking the culture vulture trail in Turin.....

Italy’s first capital, Turin, is a city of elegant porticos, grand piazzas, historic coffeehouses and cultural treasures which will charm any visitor who decides to spend a few days here. Friendly and welcoming, it seems a place highly under-rated, and you certainly don’t have to look far to find the best of its galleries and museums.

1)      Museo Nazionale del Cinema

First up is a real treat for any cinema buff and you can spend literally hours wandering through the darkened themed rooms, watching film clips, reclining in the lounge area surrounded by screens, learning about the history, practitioners and technology of the silver screen. It is open until 11pm on Saturdays, is currently hosting a fantastic special Scorcese exhibition until September, and allows you to whiz up to the top of the Mole Antonelliana tower courtesy of a glass panoramic lift suspended only by cables, to reach an unparalleled vista of Turin’s rooftops and landmarks.

2)      Museo Egizia

Opened in 1824, this stunning museum houses the most significant collection of Egyptian treasures outside of Cairo. Wander through rooms containing papyrus scrolls, hieroglyphics, bandaged (and unbandaged) mummies of humans (and crocodiles!), beautifully painted sarcophagi, and then descend downstairs into rooms containing an impressive array of Egyptian statuary ranging from Ramesses II to items found in the tomb of Kha and Merit. Pause face to face with the Sphinx, and you will certainly find it hard to believe you are in the Italian city of Turin. If there is a queue to get in initially, simply return at lunchtime!

3)      Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli

Take the metro down to Lingotto, and high on the roof of Turin’s former Fiat factory (Lingotto Fiere) you will find suspended a capsule-like art gallery designed by world renowned architect Renzo Piano. The collection is small but exquisite with a number of memorable works by Canaletto and matisse on display. Afterwards, be sure to find on the same site Eataly – the supermarket of the Slow Food Movement which has in-house cafes and restaurants for a memorable lunch washed down by a glass of Barolo wine.

4)      GAM - Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea

Next, take the metro to Vinzaglio, and a short walk through a quiet, leafy neighbourhood of impressive villas will bring you to Turin’s gallery of modern art. On display you will find works by 19^th and 20^th century artists selected from the 45,000 works held in storage. The gallery also hosts temporary exhibitions and currently you can view the bright and colourful works by Nicola de Maria.

5)      Palazzo Reale

Built for Carlo Emanuele II in 1646 in the heart of Turin on Piazza Castello, you can first wander through the lavish gilt-encrusted State Apartment rooms, and when sufficiently dazzled by all that gold and red velvet wall-hangings, turn your attention to the temporary exhibition space. Currently there is a very striking exhibition of photography by Robert Capa.

There are many more interesting galleries and museums to visit, and I would highly recommend buying the Torino and Piedmont Card (2/5/7 days – 34 Euros for 5 days) as this guarantees free entry to all museums, galleries and temporary exhibitions as well as the Mole glass lift, boats on the River Po, and the Superga cable car. Other museums of note include Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento Italiano which traces Italy’s turbulent path towards Unification, and the Museo della Sindone which traces the fascinating history of the Turin Shroud which you can then view at the Cathedral (Duomo di San Giovanni). After all that culture there are plenty of ways to relax in Turin – a boat ride along the River Po, an aperitivo at one of the bars in the Quadrilatero Romano neighbourhood, a coffee at one of the chanderliered cafes……Enjoy!

Weekend Reflections 31 - Turin

Late afternoon summer sun created these serene reflections along the River Po in the elegant city of Turin - more on this underrated first capital of Italy  in the next few posts....in the meantime check out WEEKEND REFLECTIONS for more photography...Enjoy!!

NicePhotoMarathon 2013.....

Twelve photos, twelve themes, twelve hours!! Would you be up for the challenge?? Two hundred of us keen photographers certainly were as we eagerly took part in the 8^th annual NicePhotoMarathon held on  Saturday June 8^th from 9am – 9pm organized by J.Jerrik and his team from JJ Photo in Old Nice. The rules of the contest were simple – advance 20 Euro subscription, register by 9am on the day, collect your memory card, Tram pass, and T shirt, check back to base at 1pm and 5pm to get your card stamped, and then return by 9pm with your 12 final shots on the memory card sequentially in the order that the themes were released – no cropping, no photoshopping, no alterations of any kind……

 Simple right?? Well certainly the organization was simple – smooth and efficient, fun and friendly, but the themes themselves were far from simple, and immediately set up a real testing challenge for the day (especially for an Anglophone like me struggling with the subtle nuances, double-meanings and connotations of the French language!!) Here they are in the order they were announced (1-4 at 9am, 5-8 at 1pm, and 9-12 at 5pm)

1)      Abstraction

2)      Sixties

3)      Pilier de Bar  (Bar Fly)

4)      Degun   (Nobody)

5)      Double Face

6)      Grosse Chaleur  (Big Heat)

7)      Rituel

8)      Decadrage (Outside of the Frame)

9)      Trainee(s)  (Trails or prostitute)

10)   Le monde a l’envers (The World Upside Down)

11)   Recreation

12)   Mon numero de participation (My participation Number)

For those of you who may be struggling a little like me, “pilier du bar” is a barfly (who had to be found at 11am in the morning), “degun”is Nicois slang for “personne” (nobody), decadrage is where the main subject is outside the frame, “grosse chaleur” does have a sexual connotation of being “hot” and “trainee” as well as meaning a trail or track, is also slang for prostitute!! The last theme had me completely stumped as my number of participation was 1832, and the best I could come up with at the end of a long day was a very literal close-up of a velo bleu bike lock! But, I do have to say that the level of challenge did really get the brain working, and enhanced a really fun but tiring day…..

I am sure that there were some really interesting and creative photographs produced on the day, and the best will be displayed at the artspace MUSEEAAV from Thursday June 27^th when the winners will also be announced at 6.30pm and awarded with their prizes. So, if you are a budding photographer, and keen to participate in NicePhotoMarathon 2014 why not go and take a look?? Remember, as a participant,  you will certainly get the T shirt!

Contact Details www.nicephotomarathon.com

PS -  Can you work out which of these images goes with which theme??

Shadow Shot Sunday 188 - Milan

Milan's Sunday flea market down in the charming Canal District along Navigli Grande provides this week's sequence of shadow shots - I was particularly taken with all these cool chairs although there was plenty of other stuff for sale...For more shadow shots this week, click HERE for Shadow Shot Sunday. Enjoy!

Weekend Reflections 30 - Milan

A couple of reflection shots from the charming canal district of Milan on a calm, Spring evening.....

For more reflection shots this week, check out WEEKEND REFLECTIONS - Enjoy!

Gallery Hopping in Milan.....

Milan has always been a magnet for visitors flocking for fashion and design, gourmet restaurants and lively bars and nightlife, but if you are a serious culture vulture it is also well worth sticking around for the galleries and museums that are perhaps not nearly as well known as those of Rome, Venice and Florence….

1)      Pinocoteca di Brera  (www.brera.benicultural.it) (Entrance 9 Euros)

Top of the charts is this collection of old masters ranging from Titian and Tintoretto to Bellini and Caravaggio. Make sure you also see Mantegna’s masterpiece – “Cristo morto nel sepolcro e tre Dolenti” (Lamentation over the Dead Christ) and also wander through the art school to the magnificent ancient library which is free to visitors. The surrounding neighbourhood of Brera is one of charming cobbled streets and cafes perfect for lingering over lunch.

2)      Museo del Novecento (www.museodelnovecento.org) (Entrance 5 Euros)    

Milan’s first Museum of Modern Art, this gallery has wonderful views of the Duomo from its floor-to-ceiling windows, and also houses a stunning collection of Italian art ranging from Boccioni and De Chirico to Morandi and Fontana as well as the work of Italy’s most significant twentieth century sculptor Arturo Martini. A temporary exhibition of Andy Warhol’s silkscreen prints further enhanced the visit, plus the in-house restaurant Giacomo Arengario on the top floor also comes highly recommended.

3)       Triennale (www.triennaledesignmuseum.it) (Entrance 8 Euros)

Located in one of Milan’s few green spaces Parco Sempione, the Triennale is a permanent museum paying homage to Italian design. It is a funky, cool space filled with intriguing temporary exhibitions ranging from the design of safety equipment to masters such as Ponti, Alessi etc and photographic work. It has a great, buzzy café with the cheapest cup of tea found anywhere in Milan at 1.50 – a perfect place to take a breather. Nearby and also worth visiting is Castello Sforzesco which also houses a whole range of specialized museums.

4)      Museo  Poldi-Pezoli (www.museopoldipezzoli.it) (Entrance 9 Euros)

This is a private art collection once home to the wealthy, aristocratic Giacomo family and it displays a vast collection of old masters with the star attraction being an exquisite Botticelli “Madonna and Child”. The works are displayed in a series of historically themed rooms such as the Black Room and the Dante Study.

5)      Villa Necchi Campliglio (www.fainecchi@fondoambiente.it) Entrance 9 Euros

A little off the beaten track, this 1930s villa restored and run by the Foundation FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano) is a real gem and well worth visiting. Designed by architect Piero Portaluppi between 1932 and 1935, it was built for industrial magnate Angelo Campliglio, his wife Gigina Necchi and sister-in-law Nedda. Foundation volunteers conduct highly informative guided tours around this art deco jewel with its 1930s décor, design and additional art collections, notably the Claudia Gian Ferrari Collection of 20^th-century Italian artworks.

After visiting all these galleries you will be in need of urgent refreshment, so my advice is head straight down to the canal area of Milan (Naviglio Grande – Metro Porta Genova) where a long row of waterside bars, cafes and restaurants await you. The atmosphere is lively and fun and you can partake of that delightful Italian tradition between 6pm and 9pm – Happy Hour Aperitivo whereby 10 Euros secures you a drink and unlimited access to a tasty buffet. If you are lucky enough to be in town the last Sunday of the month, head here during the day for the city’s largest antique and flea market (Mercatore Di Navigli – www.naviglilive.it)