Category: Rome Scholarship Winner 2018

Over the past weeks I have been fascinated by the wide spread of signs for blind people in support of self directed navigation around public transport and places!

Last year’s Rome Scholarship recipient Natalia Glinoer made sure I did not miss San Luigi dei Francesi and Caravaggio’s work there. This is a wonderful opportunity to see religious art in its intended environment. After my visit at Villa Borghese my admiration towards Caravaggio could not have been compared with Canova or Bernini, but this visit changed my mind again. Caravaggio’s Inspiration of St. Matthew was after all one of my favourites of the past weeks.

It was delightful that some of my family members were able to visit me for a week-end. 20 years ago, I was in awe when my Dad showed me Michelango’s Moses in Rome. We went back there to see this sculpture together again, this time adding the Risen Christs by Michelangelo and Bernini too. I could not have had a better tour guide growing up!

I happened to start my stay in Rome with the Caracalla ruins and it turned out that I ended my stay with them too. I wasn’t quite sure if I went there again to mainly see the opera or to see Mauro Staccioli’s sculptures light by night!

Going to Musei Capitolini on my last full day in Rome was the last bit of input I could manage. It was wonderful. More draping, more incredible compositions transferred to stone and me looking forward to get back to my studio in the north!

Teresa’s Blog One:

1st July 2018:
I am at the airport and very excited. A couple of more hours until my arrival. What a privilege to go to Rome for a month! Thank you so much!
Luckily I will arrive in the evening, hoping that I get the night to adjust to the temperatures a bit..

3rd July 2018:
I have arrived very well and Mary Angela Schroth has taken good care of me showing me around. I have a feeling that time will be short already!

It’s not as hot as expected luckily, so far, or lets say I seem to manage without major issues. They put up a mosquito screen in front of my window in my room so I have no troubles with these little friends. These were my only worries really.

So much to see. Cobblestones and seagulls are no different to Edinburgh!

12th July:
I am moving towards the end of my second week already! There is so much to see I can hardly sleep some nights because its so overwhelming. Rome in the past as well as Rome in the present. Its good that the first crazy week is over with “needing” to see a long list of artworks not to miss. I befriended people in the gallery and the atmosphere is super friendly, supportive and interesting. I also feel lucky to be next to a former sculptors studio (Tito), even though it’s unfortunate that I don’t get to meet him any more. It’s still great to have things to share with the people working there now.

Unfortunately Mary Angela will leave this Sunday. She has been very valuable, in particular at the start, in regard to talks about Rome’s history and things to see in the historical as well as contemporary art context.

15th July:
Its good that the first crazy weeks are over with things I needed to see. By now I started to slow down a bit and my daily rhythm is adjusting to the present climate, and the massive amount of tourists. These are best to be avoided and it helps getting up early when its still cool-ish, seeing things in the morning, skipping the crowds, then being back for late lunch, working in the afternoon and possibly going out again to openings in the evening or preparing for the next day.

When I went to sign my name for breakfast I realized that I have reached half time! I feel overly statured and I am looking forward to a day or two of rest before the second half of my stay continues.

It has been in particular enriching to meet Lydia Witt from the Sewing Cooperative. This is an initiative to promote the social and labor integration of immigrants by recognising and enhancing the tailoring skills of talented African artisans.

Teresa’s Blog Two:

25th July 2018:

A feeling of having arrived spread this week. I was delighted to visit ak2deru’s Studio the other day. An Italian painter I met through SalaUno. A second day at the Vatican Museums was still not enough. Truly looks like I need to come back to Rome! This time at the Vatican Museums I was able to take part in a tour for blind and partially sighted to learn about their approach. It was a delight to be allowed to touch some of their sculptures as well. To my surprise I met two Scottish people at this tour! I will see them again in September at an “In Touch Tour” event me and my colleague are organising at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop.

My highlight from this last week was the Pamphilj Palazzo and the discovery of the work by not so well known painter: Domenico Fetti. I was also happy to make it to the Callisto and St. Sebastians Catacombs where I heard a lot about the Roman’s Christian history and iconography, tightening up some of the things I saw at Churches and their Saints in the city. With 15 degrees in the catacombs this was also this was the first time I wore a jumper since I arrived here. Now I am looking forward to visiting Tivoli and its villas the next two days!