I’m a big fan of Gaudi: the artist and the man.
Deeply religious but esoteric, he believed that that no mortal could improve on God’s designs as found in nature, so he drew his inspiration from plants and creatures. “There are no straight lines in nature,” he’d say, and since God created no straight lines, he refused to allow them into his art, which gives it that unmistakeable curvy, infinite quality.
This is the man who designed the great, still unfinished Sagrada Familia church, decorating the tops of the spindly towers with the words “Hosanna”, “Excelsis”, and “Sanctus”.
Legend has it that there was resistance to the inclusion of these words on the towers, for purely practical reasons. He was asked, “Why in the world are you going to waste time, energy and money decorating the tops of the towers with words that no one will be able to see?” Gaudi answered: The angels will see them!
Was he a kook? Was he a religious nut or an egomaniac? Here’s my answer: Who fucking cares? His work speaks for itself.
This is the man who thought of decorating the sidewalk tiles of the Passeig de Gracia with ocean creatures such as shells, seaweed and octupi so we wouldn’t have to walk on a plain, boring sidewalk. Instead, he put the ocean beneath our feet. And whenever we wish to, we can stop… look down… and admire that lovely world below.
These days, the Passeig de Gracia is little more than a temple of conspicuous consumption; a dolled-up shopping mall for tourists and the wealthy. It’s been swallowed by exclusive, international chain stores and overpriced touristic restaurants. There is no soul left on the Passeig de Gracia. It’s been long bought out by Gucci, Massimo Dutti and McDonalds.
Unless you look down, towards your feet. There, embedded in the sidewalk, something real remains. Something that’s always been there, way before any of these businesses that come and go without leaving any mark on the collective consciousness. Then you’re reminded: What the hell am I doing here? I should be at the beach!
Since Gaudís death -- on that same Passeig de Gracia -- how many generations have been able to enjoy this simple pleasure? How many millions of people from all over the world? It’s a treasure that costs nothing. You don’t have to pay admission. Just look down, and you’ll see something beautiful.
And that’s why I love Gaudí. He has such tremendous heart. Thanks to him, we can be like Jesus, and walk on water.
The sidewalks of the Passeig de Gracia, Barcelona: mar (ocean) above; montaña (mountain) below.
Needless to say these are the little priceless treasures life offers to us the pedestrians of Passeig de Gràcia. This morning, when the sea seemed to raise and get us all wet from top to bottom (joder con la lluvia) I looked at my feet and there they were. Yeah, I thought, I feel like a sailor on a stormy day in the deep blue sea.
No matter how many Gucci’s settle there, I love it. I love to see you do.
Hi Rachel, I think our future designers will have to enclose part of passeo Grace to change the color of the tiles so that we will use 3-D glasses so collaborates with industry. Time to time
Un comentario interesante de alguien más experto que yo, con formación de arquitecto, que deseaba ser anónimo:
“Solo una aclaración sobre tu posta modo de dato. Para los pavimentos de ciertas zonas de las viviendas primero casa Batllo y luego casa Mila, Gaudí diseñó en 1904, un modelo de baldosa hidráulica de forma hexagonal y decoración en relieve con motivos basados en la fauna marina. Este pavimento se aplicó a partir de los años sesenta a todo el Passeig de Gràcia, por iniciativa del Ayuntamiento de la Ciudad Condal. Osea, es claramente un regalo que nos ha dejado Gaudi con tan lindos diseños, pero el nunca pensó en aplicarlo a todo paseo de gracia…… esto vino bastante después. De echo las baldosas producidas con los moldes originales por la misma empresa que las fabricó a principios del siglo XX, fueron removidas por los plastas del ayuntamiento, creo el año 2002, y las cambiaron por unas mas pequeñas y bastante mas feas que son las que podemos ver hoy en día.
Ya se que soy un pesado, pero para que estés advertida (en interno) por si otro tipo MAS PESADO que yo se ponga a postear en tu blog sobre esta pequeña discrepancia histórica y cronológica.
En todo caso concuerdo contigo el efecto mar que da todo eso y las ganas que te dan de ir a la playa y ponerte a bucear tesoros marinos. Algo bueno que hagan los del ayuntamiento, claro que como te cuento se encargaron ellos mismos de joderla (a medias) años mas tarde.
como eres big fan de Gaudi, estos pequeños datos de otro Big Fan ¡!¡”