Before I arrived in Roma I had this vision of the woman: air and ice - elegant creatures in haute couture and Amalfi coast tans - La Bella Figura. Well I don't see much of that on the number 84 bus in the morning or even at the opera - though I must admit there where some dressed-to-the-nines woman the night we went to the opera at the Baths of Caracella. I realize now they may well have been tourists.
But for five months in late summer and early fall there was a place where feminine elegance was supreme here in Roma. The newly housed Ara Pacis was the venue for a retrospective celebrating 45 years of the fashion style of Valentino.
Visually it was a stunning use of the incredible space that is the Ara Pacis and curators Patrick Kinmonth and Antonio Monfredo created colour groups that had impact and excitement. I honestly couldn't believe that I spent two hours the first visit and over an hour the second looking at an exhibit of haute couture.
Its taken a while to get this video together - mostly because I can't seem to get any music download that Windows Movie Maker finds usable. I know its a little long but there was so much to see and as always I took way to many photographs. Please let me know how it works as I may have to break it down into segments.
13 novembre - San Diego D'Alcalà
9 comments:
Didn't work.
DF
There was a show of haute couture at the MFA about a year ago. It really was fascinating. Valentino was one of the designers featured and his collection was just gorgeous. They ran continuous loop films from the Paris show on screens in back of the exhibits and it was nice visually, though this looks a lot more elegant.
It seems you liked the "incredible space." The architect,Richard Meyer, also designed the Jubilee Church in Tor Tre Teste here in Rome.
OT - or better OT re: the post, in topic with footnote: San Diego di Alcalà (or San Diego di Baccalà, as my sister and I have dubbed him... :D) is yet another controversial feist: some calendars say it's to be celebrated on Nov 12th, others on Nov 13th.
(just like Santi Cosma e Damiano, the "doctor saints": on calendars they're celebrated on 26th September, but in southern Italy they're celebrated on the 27th... never got my head 'round to understand why, tho.)
(I know about San Diego as my nephew's name is Diego :), and about Ss Cosma e Damiano as there's a sanctuary in my parents' hometown, and that's very famous among believers, plus it's local "bank holiday" on 27th September, even if they're not the actual patrons of the town - for the record, the real patron saint of Eboli is San Vito.)
p.s.: as for the "incredible space", it's "unbelievable", more like. And not in a good way: the whole thing has nothing to do with its surroundings, it just looks wrong standing there on the lungotevere and covering up with a white wall empereor August's mausoleum...
(just re-read my last comment and sounds harsh/rude... which wasn't my intention, of course, I was just trying to explain my two cents on Richard Meier's "thing". Sorry. :))
Wow, beautiful job on the slide show. OK - does anybody ever wear a train that long in real life? Ever? The stained glass dress was interesting - but completely unrealistic for changing furnace filters.
EG: That's exactly the word that sums this exhibition up - elegant.
Amoroma/Giorgia: I find the interior of the new Ara Pacis building incredible as a display place. Certain as it was used here. The exterior I am less than comfortable with - it seems more Greek than Roman. That expanse of white wall just doesn't work. And Giorgia I know it has raised passions here so your comments are more than acceptable.
Cowbell: That wedding dress was worn by Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti when she married Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands in 2002. And you're right that little stain glass number was not meant for crawl spaces.
Stunning! I have always admired (lusted after) his designs.. Thank you ever so much for the visual lust fest ;)
Post a Comment