Back in the saddle

Sicily 

Sitting here in our little apartment in Ortigia (Siracusa) I couldn’t be happier. It is very quite. The Ninja Monkey is fast asleep.  The only noise is the occasional scooter whizzing by and one or other neighbour calling in their dog.

Ortigia is held together with scaffolding and sheer will. The effects of thousands of years of saltwater erosion are evident in every corner of the buildings, inside and out. Restoration continues at a pace that accepts the inevitability of decay yet is resigned to the need for humans to attempt to dominate nature.

Some buildings have long since turned to rubble. Only the facades remain, braced against the wall of the building opposite. Other buildings are boarded up, windows and doors clearly missing, but roof intact.

While Ikea has taken control of the interiors of many Sicilian homes, the exteriors are left to local builders and artisans to restore and maintain.  The local carpenter is kept busy making doors and shutters to fit the old buildings. The walls are stone, brick and render. The ironwork rusted and replaced many times over.

In dim light, on the evening we arrived, I mistook power lines for the tendrils of a vigorous climbing plant. 

 Coming up this year

In April I will complete an Artist Residency in Spain Can Serrat

In June another Artist Residency in Portugal OBRAS Portugal

Until April I will be getting my groove back in Italy.