Friday, May 31, 2024

Batman

Batman by 3D Eye, Scenes in the Square, Leicester Square, London

Batman by 3D Eye, 2020
Scenes in the Square
Leicester Square
London, May 2023

“The Scenes in the Square project celebrated the history of film in London’s historic Leicester Square, boosting exposure and highlighting their long and notable relationship. 3D Eye sculpted and installed iconic film stars such as Mr Bean, Laurel and Hardy, Gene Kelly, Bugs Bunny, Paddington, Big Red Dog, The Iron Throne and Harry Potter. Each sculpture was sculpted in clay, cast in fibreglass with structural steel armature then given a metallic bronze finish. A hugely popular success that brought to life well loved characters from our past.” (Scenes in the Square, 3D Eye)

Thursday, May 30, 2024

Palazzo di Giustizia

Palazzo di Giustizia (Court of Justice), Viale Guidoni, Novoli, Florence

Palazzo di Giustizia (Court of Justice)
Viale Guidoni, Novoli
Florence, January 2023

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Roman theatre and Alcazaba

Roman theatre with the Alcazaba in background, Calle Alcazabilla, Málaga

Roman theatre with the Alcazaba in background
Calle Alcazabilla
Málaga, September 2023

“The Alcazaba (from Arabic: القَصَبَة, romanized: al-qaṣabah, lit. ‘citadel’) is a palatial fortification in Málaga, Spain, built during the period of Muslim-ruled Al-Andalus. The current complex was begun in the 11th century and was modified or rebuilt multiple times up to the 14th century. It is one of the best-preserved alcazabas in Spain. The Alcazaba is also connected by a walled corridor to the higher Castle of Gibralfaro, and adjacent to the entrance of the Alcazaba are remnants of a Roman theatre dating to the 1st century AD. The Gibralfaro and the hill on which the Alcazaba is built was previously occupied by Phoenicians since around 600 BC, and remains of a Phoenician fortification wall have been uncovered there. During the Roman period of the city (after 205 BC), the area was occupied by a Roman villa and industrial facilities. A Roman theater, excavated and visible today, was built into the western slope of the hill in the 1st century AD.” (Alcazaba of Málaga, Wikipedia)

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman by 3D Eye, Scenes in the Square, Leicester Square, London

Wonder Woman by 3D Eye, 2020
Scenes in the Square
Leicester Square
London, May 2023

“The Scenes in the Square project celebrated the history of film in London’s historic Leicester Square, boosting exposure and highlighting their long and notable relationship. 3D Eye sculpted and installed iconic film stars such as Mr Bean, Laurel and Hardy, Gene Kelly, Bugs Bunny, Paddington, Big Red Dog, The Iron Throne and Harry Potter. Each sculpture was sculpted in clay, cast in fibreglass with structural steel armature then given a metallic bronze finish. A hugely popular success that brought to life well loved characters from our past.” (Scenes in the Square, 3D Eye)

Monday, May 27, 2024

Prima del tramonto

Prima del tramonto (Before sunset) by Shigeru Saito, Palazzo di Giustizia, Novoli, Florence

“Prima del tramonto” (Before sunset) by Shigeru Saito, 2018
Palazzo di Giustizia (Court of Justice)
Viale Guidoni, Novoli
Florence, January 2023

Sunday, May 26, 2024

Patio de la Sultana

Patio de la Sultana, Court of the Sultana, Generalife, Camino Fuente del Avellano, Granada

Patio de la Sultana (Court of the Sultana)
Generalife
Camino Fuente del Avellano
Granada, September 2023

“The chambers already mentioned are to the left and to the right is the Court of the Sultana’s Cypress Tree (Patio del Ciprés de la Sultana). This patio has a central pond surrounded by a myrtle hedge and in the middle of the pond there is another little pond with a stone fountain. The patio is so called because of the old cypresses that are in the verandas, the most famous of which is the Cypress of the Sultana (Ciprés de la Sultana) in which, according to the legend, Boabdil's wife used to meet a knight of the Abencerrajes family. This triggered the death of the people of this noble tribe, whose throats were slit. A big 19th century stone staircase with a portico and two lions made of glazed pottery of Granada leads to the high part of the gardens, which go from the Hill of the Sun (Cerro del Sol) to the street Rey Chico. These gardens are hanging gardens that include simple vegetable gardens, myrtle clumps, trimmed boxes or hundred-year-old cypresses. ” (Court of the Sultana’s Cypress Tree, AlhambraDeGranada.org)

Saturday, May 25, 2024

Hyde Park Corner kiosk

Refreshment kiosk by Mizzi Studio, Hyde Park Corner, Hyde Park, London

Refreshment kiosk by Mizzi Studio
Hyde Park Corner
Hyde Park
London, May 2023

“The series began when Colicci approached Mizzi Studio some five years ago, to create Serpentine Coffee House. Its completion came with the design of nine more kiosks that were meant to be installed on various locations across the Royal Parks. In October 2018, the roll out began, slowly and steadily leading up to today's culmination point – the launch of the Buckingham Gate pavilion in St James' Park, the largest in the range. The kiosks were created to replace a number of older, tired structures in place, and to update the visitor experience at the famous London parks. They share a similar aesthetic, while being adapted to fit each of their respective sites.” (Architectural kiosks complete in London’s Royal Parks, Wallpaper)

Friday, May 24, 2024

Giuseppe Mazzini

Giuseppe Mazzini by Antonio Berti, Viale Gramsci, Florence

Giuseppe Mazzini by Antonio Berti, 1987
Viale Gramsci
Florence, January 2023

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos

The pools of the Lower Garden, Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs, Calle Caballerizas Reales, Córdoba

The pools of the Lower Garden
Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos
(Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs)
Calle Caballerizas Reales
Córdoba, September 2023

“A set of gardens and orchards have existed in this area since at least the 10th century when Abd ar-Rahman III constructed an aqueduct to bring water from the nearby Albolafia waterwheel (or noria). The gardens have been neglected or renewed at various times since then. In the late 15th century or at the beginning of the 16th century Queen Isabella I ordered the waterwheel's operation to be halted, and they went into a general decline. The current gardens date from a major remodeling around the mid-20th century, while at the same time the area of gardens was reduced in size due to the construction of the Avenue del Alcázar road on its southeast side.” (Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, Wikipedia)

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

The Magazine

The Magazine by Zaha Hadid Architects, Serpentine Sackler Gallery, West Carriage Drive, London

The Magazine by Zaha Hadid Architects, 2013
Serpentine Sackler Gallery
West Carriage Drive
London, May 2023

“Serpentine North or Serpentine North Gallery is a listed building in Hyde Park, London, which, with the South Gallery, constitutes the Serpentine Galleries, an art exposition space. It was originally known as The Magazine, and also, from 2013 to 2021, as the Serpentine Sackler Gallery. Since 2013, the name The Magazine specifically refers to an extension of the building, a restaurant designed by architect Zaha Hadid.” (Serpentine North, Wikipedia)

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Scaffolded facade

Scaffolded facade of the now demolished Teatro Comunale, Corso Italia, Florence

Scaffolded facade of the now demolished Teatro Comunale
Corso Italia
Florence, January 2023

“The former municipal theater of Florence, built at the end of the 19th century, was used until 2014. With the construction of the new Maggio theater, in fact, it remained in disuse. GLA was commissioned for the restoration and conservative work with the construction of residences. The work also includes the demolition and design of the masterplan. The functions that will be used within the project will be primarily residential, office and commercial for the ground floors.” (Ex Teatro Comunale di Firenze, Genius Loci Architettura)

Monday, May 20, 2024

Cádiz Cathedral

Catedral de la Santa Cruz, Plaza Catedral, Cádiz

Catedral de la Santa Cruz
Plaza Catedral
Cádiz, September 2023

“Cádiz Cathedral (Catedral de Cádiz, Catedral de Santa Cruz de Cádiz) is a Roman Catholic church in Cádiz, southern Spain, and the seat of the Diocese of Cadiz y Ceuta. It was built between 1722 and 1838. The cathedral was declared Bien de Interés Cultural in 1931. The Plaza de la Catedral houses both the Cathedral and the Baroque Santiago church, built in 1635. The church was known as ‘The Cathedral of The Americas’ because it was built with money from the trade between Spain and America. The 18th century was a golden age for Cádiz, and the other cathedral that the city had got, Santa Cruz, was very small for this new moment of Cádiz. The new cathedral was built from 1722 to 1838.” (Cádiz Cathedral, Wikipedia)

Sunday, May 19, 2024

Egyptian goose goslings

Egyptian goose goslings, Round Pond, Kensington Garden, London

Egyptian goose goslings
Round Pond, Kensington Garden
London, May 2023

“The British populations of the Egptian goose date back to the 17th century when it was introduced to estates and parks, though the species was only formally added to the British bird list in 1971. The British introductions were the first outside its native range; however, these did not spread widely and are not known to have expanded into other countries. In Great Britain, it is found mainly in East Anglia, and in various locations along the River Thames, where it breeds at sites with open water, short grass and suitable nesting locations (either islands, holes in old trees or amongst epicormic shoots on old trees). During the winter, they are widely dispersed within river valleys, where they feed on short grass and cereals. In the United Kingdom in 2009, it was officially declared a non-native species. Accordingly, Egyptian geese in Great Britain may be shot without special permission if they cause problems.” (Egyptian goose, Wikipedia)

Saturday, May 18, 2024

Be true be wild

Be true be wild, Ponte di Varlungo (Varlungo bridge), Florence

“Be true be wild”
Ponte di Varlungo (Varlungo bridge)
Florence, January 2023

Friday, May 17, 2024

Metropol Parasol

Setas de Sevilla (Mushrooms of Seville) or Metropol Parasol by Jürgen Mayer, Plaza de la Encarnación, Seville

Setas de Sevilla (Mushrooms of Seville) or Metropol Parasol by Jürgen Mayer, 2011
Plaza de la Encarnación
Seville, September 2023

“Setas de Sevilla (Mushrooms of Seville) or Las Setas (The Mushrooms), initially titled Metropol Parasol, is a large, predominantly wood structure located at La Encarnación square in the old quarter of Seville, Spain. It accommodates a traditional market, restaurants, a performance square, archaeological museum — and 'rooftop' terrace with a panoramic view of Seville's old city. Selected from 65 submissions in a city-sponsored competition, the structure was designed by German architect Jürgen Mayer, was completed in April 2011, and is roughly 150 by 70 metres (490 by 230 ft) with an approximate height of 26 metres (85 ft). Initially beset with technical problems as well as budget and schedule overruns, the parasols are constructed of 3,500 cubic meters of micro-laminated Finnish pine and are marketed as the world's largest wood structure. Since their opening, the parasols have become Seville's third-most visited urban landmark.” (Metropol Parasol, Wikipedia)

Thursday, May 16, 2024

Adams Plaza Bridge

Makeover by Camille Walala, Adams Plaza Bridge (Crossrail Place footbridge), Canary Wharf, London

Makeover by Camille Walala, 2020
Adams Plaza Bridge (Crossrail Place footbridge)
Adams Plaza, Canary Wharf
London, May 2023

“The airport-style footbridge at Canary Wharf connecting to the future Elizabeth line station has been given a brightly coloured makeover. The makeover was carried out by the East London based French artist Camille Walala, and is intended to be a permanent display. The design sees the bridge wrapped in bold geometric shapes and colours, and the intention is that the display will change as daylight and darkness filters through to alter the visuals inside the structure. In addition to the daylight coming in from the sides, the sidebars have lights in them, and these are also now tinted colours along the footbridge. The long length of the bridge also changes hue as you walk along from blues graduating to brighter oranges. It’s going to be popping up on your instagram feed as the new hot selfie spot as soon as the lockdown ends. Do look for the artist’s name in the design as well – by the southern end of the tunnel.” (A multicoloured makeover for Crossrail Place footbridge, IanVisits)

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

All in

All in, Ponte di Varlungo (Varlungo bridge), Florence

“All in”
Ponte di Varlungo (Varlungo bridge)
Florence, January 2023

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Bakkano

Bakkano Drinks and Food, Calle Casapalma, Málaga

Bakkano Drinks & Food
Calle Casapalma
Málaga, September 2023

Monday, May 13, 2024

Tube

Tube by Alexander Taylor, Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Crossrail Place, Canary Wharf, London

“Tube” by Alexander Taylor, 2012
Crossrail Place Roof Garden
Crossrail Place, Canary Wharf
London, May 2023

“Taylor’s Tube bench takes inspiration from the form of felled logs. He has used a mirror polishing technique to achieve the reflective surface and show off the full potential of his materials. The cross sections of the bench are punctuated with a striking red, lending it a modern and unique twist. Tube was purchased along with Pier, Pe de Porco, and Infinity Bench as a collection, and were originally designed for the 2012 London Design Festival.” (Art, Canary Wharf)

Sunday, May 12, 2024

Tabernacolo di via dei Malcontenti

Tabernacolo (Gothic-style shrine), Via dei Malcontenti / Via delle Casine, Florence

“Tabernacolo” (Gothic-style shrine)
Via dei Malcontenti / Via delle Casine
Florence, January 2023

“The large tabernacle of via dei Malcontenti, or of Sant'Onofrio, is located at the intersection of via dei Malcontenti, via delle Casine and via San Giuseppe in Florence. It was formerly part of the Spedale dei Tintori.” (Tabernacolo di via dei Malcontenti, Wikipedia)

Saturday, May 11, 2024

Circular patio

Two level circular patio, Palacio de Carlos V (Palace of Charles V), Calle Real de la Alhambra, Granada

Two level circular patio
Palacio de Carlos V (Palace of Charles V)
Calle Real de la Alhambra
Granada, September 2023

“The circular patio has also two levels. The lower consists of a Doric colonnade of conglomerate stone, with an orthodox classical entablature formed of triglyphs and metopes. The upper floor is formed by a stylized Ionic colonnade whose entablature has no decoration. This organisation of the patio shows a deep knowledge of Roman architecture, and would be framed in pure Renaissance style but for its curved shape, which surprises the visitor entering from the main façades. The interior spaces and the staircases are also governed by the combination of square and circle. Similar aesthetic devices would be developed in the following decades under the classification of Mannerism.” (Palace of Charles V, Wikipedia)

Friday, May 10, 2024

Shepherd of the Sun

Shepherd of the Sun by Michael Lyons, Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Canary Wharf, London

“Shepherd of the Sun” by Michael Lyons, 1994
Crossrail Place Roof Garden
Crossrail Place, Canary Wharf
London, May 2023

“While creating ‘Shepherd of the Sun’ Michael Lyons began to think of the good shepherd of Christianity, but the discs also seemed to have a planetary or solar reference, bringing a more primitive or pagan association. Both notions are reflected in the title: Orion, the mythological hunter, is often referred to as The Shepherd and the constellation is associated with the sun-god. This work and Unity of Opposites: Vortex were purchased following Lyons’ exhibition at Canary Wharf in 2014.” (Art, Canary Wharf)

Thursday, May 9, 2024

Family Group

Family Group by Henry Moore, San Miniato al Monte, Via delle Porte Sante, Florence

“Family Group” by Henry Moore, 1949
San Miniato al Monte
Via delle Porte Sante
Florence, December 2022

“Family Group (LH 269) is a sculpture by Henry Moore. It was his first large-scale bronze sculpture, and his first large bronze with multiple castings. Made for Barclay School in Stevenage, it evolved from drawings in the 1930s, through a series of models to bronze castings in 1950–51. It also one of the last important sculptures that Moore developed from preliminary drawings: in future, he worked mainly from found objects, maquettes and models. The sculpture depicts a group of three human figures, a stereotypical nuclear family comprising a man, a woman and a small child. The two adults are sitting on a bench, holding the child between them. The figures are slightly smaller than life size. Three of the five castings from the 1950s are still owned by the original owners, Barclay School, the Tate Gallery, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The others are held by the Hakone Open-Air Museum in Japan, and the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, with a later cast at the Henry Moore Foundation in Perry Green, Hertfordshire.” (Family Group, Wikipedia)

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Cuesta del Bailío

Cuesta del Bailío (The Bailio Steps), Calle Alfaros, Córdoba

Cuesta del Bailío (The Bailio Steps)
Calle Alfaros
Córdoba, September 2023

“The central street calle Alfaros leads to the street named Cuesta del Bailío (the Bailio Steps), which was originally one of the entrances of the city walls which connected the Axerquia with the Medina. At the top stands the Casa del Bailío (Bailio House), with its attractive Renaissance façade. This well-loved street leads to the square Plaza de Capuchinos, with the popular statue of Cristo de los Faroles (Christ of the Lanterns) at one end.” (Cuesta del Bailío, Córdoba es más)

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Coquino Coral

Coquino Coral by Yvonne Domenge, Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London

“Coquino Coral” by Yvonne Domenge, 2015
Bank Street, Canary Wharf
London, May 2023

“Yvonne Domenge was one of four contemporary Mexican artists exhibiting their work at Canary Wharf as part of Mexico UK Year of the Arts 2015. Her work is defined by its abstract and organic nature, her subject matter reflecting the relationship between man and the natural world. Here she evokes a marine scene, inviting the viewer to step back from the commotion of urban life to contemplate the beauty and fragility of coral formations.” (Coquino Coral, Art UK)

Monday, May 6, 2024

Cappella Corsini

Cappella Corsini (Corsini Chapel), Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence

Cappella Corsini (Corsini Chapel)
Santa Maria del Carmine
Florence, December 2022

“The Corsini, one of the richest families in Florence during the 17th–18th centuries, had this chapel built in 1675–1683, to hold the remains of an ancestral member of the family, St Andrea Corsini (1301–1374), who became a Carmelite friar and the Bishop of Fiesole, and who was canonized in 1629. The architect Pier Francesco Silvani choose for it the Baroque style then popular in Rome. The altar has a marble bas-relief depicting the Glory of St Andrea Corsini, sculpted by Foggini, and above a God the Father sculpted by Carlo Marcellini. On the sides of the altar are two more Foggini marble bas-reliefs: one depicts Sant'Andrea descends girded with sword to lead the Florentines to victory during the Battle of Anghiari and the other recalls a Miraculous vision of the Virgin by a young Sant'Andrea (occurring in the church of the Convent delle Selve). The small dome was frescoed by Giordano in 1682. The frescoes suffered in the great church fire, and were restored by Stefano Fabbrini.” (Santa Maria del Carmine, Wikipedia)

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Capilla del castillo

Capilla (Chapel, now a multi-purpose space), Castillo de Santa Catalina, Calle Antonio Burgos, Cádiz

Capilla (Chapel, now a multi-purpose space)
Castillo de Santa Catalina
Calle Antonio Burgos
Cádiz, September 2023

“The Castle of Santa Catalina (Baluarte de Santa catalina y Castillo) is a castle located in Cádiz, Spain. It was declared ‘Bien de Interés Cultural’ in 1993.” (Castle of Santa Catalina, Wikipedia)

Saturday, May 4, 2024

Mini Golf by Craig and Karl

Mini Golf by Craig and Karl, Montgomery Square, Canary Wharf, London

Mini Golf by Craig and Karl
Montgomery Square, Canary Wharf
London, May 2023

“In a move destined to unite the two worlds of minigolf fanatics and art obsessives, Canary Wharf has opened a free minigolf course designed by none other than acclaimed art duo Craig & Karl. Popping down in Montgomery Square, the course has arrived just in time for our ‘London summer’ bouts of sunnier weather. Now, this isn’t actually the first time the unique minigolf course has opened up – with 2022 marking the course’s debut. But it was so popular last year, that the Canary Wharf Group simply had to bring it back. The course is vibrantly colourful, in keeping with Craig & Karl’s playful style, with bold stripes of colour, and striking, checked patterns. It’s sure to pop up on many a social feed near you, soon.” (A Wonderfully Colourful Minigolf Course Has Landed In Canary Wharf, Secret London)

Friday, May 3, 2024

Cosimo Ridolfi

Monument to Cosimo Ridolfi by Raffaello Romanelli, Piazza Santo Spirito, Florence

Monument to Cosimo Ridolfi by Raffaello Romanelli, 1898
Piazza Santo Spirito
Florence, December 2022

“As cars, buses and motorbikes hurtle by in via San Agostino, a white marble monument seems defenceless as it stands precariously on the southern tip of Florence’s piazza Santo Spirito. Deep in thought, with one hand under his chin and the other resting on a book perched on top of a draped pedestal, the elegantly dressed man in the statue seems oblivious to any impending danger surrounding him. Placed in the piazza in 1898, the sculpture is the work of Raffaello Romanelli, one of a still-existing dynasty of Florentine sculptors whose work includes the bust of Benvenuto Cellini on the Ponte Vecchio. The inscription on pink marble at the base of statue tells us we are looking at the agronomist and politician Cosimo Ridolfi, who was ‘an outstanding teacher of the great agrarian disciplines and the untiring promoter of Italian farmers.’ Cosimo Ridolfi, the son of Marchese Luigi Ridolfi and his wife, Anastasia Frescobaldi, was born in Florence on November 28, 1794, into an old and privileged aristocratic family. When Cosimo was six, his father died. His mother not only oversaw his academic education but ensured that the boy spent time out in the open air on the family estate at Meleto, near Castelfiorentino in Val d’Elsa. There he quickly developed a love of the land and under the tutelage of the estate manager, Agostino Testaferrata, learnt the basics of agronomy, which he soon supplemented by studying physics, chemistry, botany, economics and geography.” (The statue of Cosimo Ridolfi, The Florentine)

Thursday, May 2, 2024

Plaza de San Francisco

Plaza de San Francisco, Casco Antiguo, Seville

Plaza de San Francisco
Casco Antiguo
Seville, September 2023

“Plaza de San Francisco (Saint Francis Square) is a square in the Casco Antiguo of Seville, Spain. The Ayuntamiento (City Hall), known as Casa consistorial de Sevilla, built in the 16th century, runs along the entire western side of the square. On the other side of the City Hall is the Plaza Nueva. Both plazas are connected to the Avenida de la Constitución.” (Plaza de San Francisco, Wikipedia)

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Amazon Fresh

Amazon Fresh Wood Wharf, Water Street, Canary Wharf, London

Amazon Fresh Wood Wharf
Water Street, Canary Wharf
London, May 2023

“Amazon Fresh is a subsidiary of the American e-commerce company Amazon in Seattle, Washington. It is a grocery retailer with physical stores and delivery services in most major U.S. cities, as well as some international cities, such as Berlin, Hamburg, London, Milan, Munich, Rome, Tokyo, and some other locations in Singapore and India. Amazon Fresh was initially a delivery service. In 2020 the concept changed to a chain of physical, cashier-less supermarkets.” (Amazon Fresh, Wikipedia)