Gaudi, a Crazy Architectural Artist in Barcelona

Source: Author: Liu Fang Click: 1554 Release date: 2007-09-09.

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Gaudi's work Baloteau apartment photo/Mary

He is the most respected predecessor of Dali, Picasso and Miro.

His 17 works became Spanish national treasures, and 8 became "World Heritage".

He has never been married, just like a beggar who was killed in a poor hospital.

He's Ann Togno Gaudi-

Gaudi's biography

Gaudi's work Baloteau apartment photo/Mary

Antonio Gaudi, a Spanish architect (1852- 1926), is a representative figure of plastic architecture school. He studied at the Architectural School of Barcelona Province. After graduation, his early works were similar to the gorgeous Victorian style, and later he adopted the historical style, which is the mainstream of Gothic revival. His major architectural works include Sagrada Familia Cathedral (still under construction), Mira House, bartholomew Apartment and Gouel Park. There are 17 architectural works listed as national cultural relics by Spain and 8 as world cultural heritage by UNESCO.

Gaudi's work Baloteau apartment photo/Mary

The exhibition "Gaudi's World-Architecture, Geometry and Design" is being held in moca shanghai. This exhibition is one of the series of cultural activities of the Year of Spain in China, which fully shows the artistic essence of Spanish architect Gaudi and will last until September 23rd.

In this exhibition, there are 6 original works 16, 7 copies 17, 2 small models1and 5 large models designed by Gaudi. The exhibition shows the whole picture of Gaudi's works through three channels: images, models and objects.

Our reporter interviewed Daniel Gilat Muelegger, an expert and curator of Gaudi World, to talk about Gaudi's art.

Gaudi (profile picture)

Gaudi:

"Use crazy to describe.

Things that don't exist in the world. "

Barcelona 1926.

A bearded and gloomy old man was knocked down head-on by a tram in the street. Being in rags, like a beggar, the old man was sent to the poor hospital, where he died. Two days later, an old lady inadvertently recognized that the old man who was regarded as a poor tramp turned out to be a famous Spanish architect Gaudi, which saved Gaudi from being abandoned and buried in a public cemetery.

In fact, even Gaudi himself did not expect that his architecture would be regarded as a classic by surrealist lovers behind him, and he himself became the most respected predecessor of Dali, Picasso, Miro and other art masters.

Gaudi's Works Gaudi Quayle Park Photography/Mary

From August 19 to September 23, 2007, "Gaudi's World-Architecture, Geometry and Design" was exhibited in Shanghai moca, which completely reproduced the details of the most famous works of this surrealist pioneer. A door to Gaudi's mysterious world was gently opened to the people of China.

Gaudi was born in Reyes, a Catalan town less than 100 km from Barcelona in 1852. When he was born, it was the time of great changes in Barcelona. Architect is a hot job, and people flock to it, just like many boys are eager to become astronauts after many years. At that time, boys wanted to grow up quickly, build wonderful buildings and make themselves famous all over the world. It is against this background that Gaudi worked as a blacksmith in his youth, studied carpentry, cast iron and plastic film, and later studied in Barcelona Provincial School of Architecture, and gradually embarked on the road of architecture.

Gaudi's Works Gaudi Quayle Park Photography/Mary

But Gaudi received orthodox education when he was young and had no special hobbies. He has been unhappy for many years. The first work he designed was a black lamppost, which was satisfactory. No one expected that he would later show so many romantic and great ideas in architectural design.

From 65438 to 0877, Gaudi designed an auditorium for a university, which was also his graduation project. After this scheme came out, it caused great controversy, so that the president of the School of Architecture lamented, "I really don't know if I sent my diploma to a genius or a madman!" On the other hand, the young Gaudi responded almost humorously in his diary, "Only a madman would try to describe something that doesn't exist in the world. "

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Gaudi's Works Gaudi Quayle Park Photography/Mary

They,

Is the masterpiece of Madman—

"Gaudi's World" curator Daniel Gilat Muelegger:

"When designing a building, he never calculates the cost per square meter."

Although Dali, Picasso, Miro and many other artists regard Gaudi as a "predecessor", and though Gaudi was controversial and questioned as an architect before his death, Daniel Gilarte Muelegger, an expert and curator of Gaudi's world, insisted that Gaudi could not be simply understood as an artist. He was an excellent architect first, but he was an out-and-out idealist.

Gaudi's work Milla House photo/Mary

Daniel said that if you carefully look at the exhibition "Gaudi's World-Architecture, Geometry and Design", you will know how Gaudi combines architecture, design and geometry, and you will know how deep his foundation is. It is because he has such a good foundation that he can innovate in the appearance of the building. Regarding the problem that Gaudi's buildings spend too much money and time, Daniel said that in fact, all the designs of Gaudi have been completed except Sagrada Familia Cathedral, and these buildings of Gaudi are used as residences and office buildings. The buildings designed by Gaudi never calculate how much they cost per square meter. What he considers is whether people live happily and comfortably in it. He said that he has worked in Mira House for 10 years, and the feeling of working in Mira House is different from that of working in other offices. The space is clear and happy, and every day is like a dream.

Daniel said that although Gaudi won a great reputation behind him, his architecture became a world cultural heritage for the first time in less than 100 years. Among them, 1958 was successfully declared for the first time, and five Gaudi works were successfully declared in 2002. At present, eight of Gaudi's architectural works have become world cultural heritage, but Gaudi was actually very lonely before his death. "He has few friends, has never been married, and has no descendants. His works were first discovered and recognized by American and Dutch architects after his death, and then recognized by Barcelona people. "

Photo of Sagrada Familia Cathedral/Mary

Although Gaudi's architecture was controversial, he always believed that walking in the dark was temporary and there must be light somewhere ahead. "He is an out-and-out idealist. The radian of the waves, the lines of the conch and the elegance of the hive are all sources of inspiration for Gaudi's architectural design. " Daniel said that Gaudi hates stiff straight lines and prefers to express everything with soft curves and colorful colors. Among the architectural models on display this time, one is called "Vicen House", and its wall tiles are all covered with wild chrysanthemums. Daniel said, "Why did Gaudi think of decorating wall tiles with wild chrysanthemums? It turned out that he had to remove all the wild chrysanthemums on the construction site before he could build this building. Gaudi couldn't bear to uproot those beautiful wild chrysanthemums, so he simply filled the house with wild chrysanthemums. "

As for the unfinished Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Daniel said that the main reason for the unfinished church is the lack of financial resources. "At present, the church relies on ticket revenue to build a part every year. According to this situation, it will take about 20 years. " However, it is predicted that even if the investment of Sagrada Familia Cathedral is stable (spending 3 million dollars every year), it will take at least 65 years to complete, and the possibility that it will never be completed cannot be ruled out. In this regard, Daniel said, "In fact, it is not necessarily a bad thing that it cannot be completed. If it is really completed, it will not attract a large number of tourists as it is now. It is precisely because the church is still under construction and there are big cranes around, so everyone is watching a performance. Sagrada Familia Cathedral is that stage. "

Become a world heritage site

Gaudi's Eight Great Works

Geer home

La Pedrera

Sagrada Familia Cathedral (under construction)

Batlo home

Casa Vicens

Gouel Park.

Sancta familia cemetery

Cronia Gouel Cemetery

"Dream architecture"

Gouel Park.

1878 is the most crucial year in Gaudi's career. This year, he won the title of architect. More importantly, he met his friend Eusébio Gouel, who later became his protector and ally.

Gouel doesn't care about Gaudi's aloof personality or his eccentric temper. Every novel idea of Gaudi may be absolutely crazy in other people's eyes, but it always causes ecstatic reaction in Gouel. 1900, Gouel had a whim and decided to build a garden-like city, which was later called "Gouel Park". Gouel's original intention was to build a residential area for the wealthy in Barcelona's upper class, but his location was too far away from the city and the terrain was too steep. Even today, people have to walk a long and steep mountain road to get there besides using two large elevators, so many people think it is crazy to choose such a place to build residential areas.

But Gaudi enthusiastically supported the plan. He divided a large mountainous area selected by Gouel into dozens of independent plots, marked them with huge stones, and then started a huge construction project. This "Gouel Park" was later regarded as "successfully combining nature and architecture into a perfect whole"-bridges, roads and benches inlaid with colored porcelain all meandered, forming a poetic artistic conception. The whole park is like a fairy tale world, a giant artwork hanging in the air. But at that time, economically speaking, Gouel Park was definitely a big failure. Only one plot of 16, which was planned for private residential construction in the park, was sold because "Barcelona people don't want to climb mountains every day, they are not goats". Because of this, some critics say that Gaudi is a sculptor at best, not an architect, and even began to spread the saying that Gaudi is half a madman and half a genius.

Photo of Sagrada Familia Cathedral/Mary

absurd

"Mira House"

1906, after visiting the apartment in bartholomew, a rich man named Pere Milla was envious and decided to build a more amazing building. So he found Gaudi and promised him full freedom of creation and action. This is the origin of what later became Gaudi's most famous apartment design work "Mira House".

After the "Mira House" was completed, many Barcelona residents couldn't get used to it: the roof was patchy, the walls were uneven, and winding curves could be seen everywhere, and the whole building was like a rough sea; Gaudi also built some grotesque protrusions on the roof of the apartment, some like armed soldiers, some like mythical monsters, and some like church bells. In a word, Mira House is strange inside and outside, even absurd.

But Gaudi insists that this is the best house he has ever built, because he thinks it is "the most convincing work that embodies romanticism and anti-traditional spirit in architecture with naturalism". This building has become the favorite of many photographers because of its different effects in all directions and the wonderful reflection of light by its special structure. Famous photographers such as Raphael Belkas and Clovis Prevost left many classic images for "Mira House", which were found in later photos and gradually became one of the representative buildings in Barcelona.

It will never end.

Sagrada Familia cathedral

Among all Gaudi's architectural works, the most unique is undoubtedly the Sagrada Familia Cathedral. The church was originally designed and presided over by the architect Francisco Derbria, but soon after the construction, the architect stopped carrying the load and Gaudi took over. However, since 1883, when Gaudi was in charge of the project, 124 has been completed, and it is still not completed.

Today, Gaudi is buried in the catacombs of Sagrada Familia Cathedral. There is a saying that Gaudi has long known that this project can be completed without him (if it can be completed). Perhaps it is Gaudi's gift to the world and Gaudi's original intention to make this church an eternal construction project and a process as eternal as nature.

This is of course just a joke. In fact, from 1883 to 1926, Gaudi never stopped building the cathedral, nor did he stop revising the design draft of the cathedral. In the last 12 years before his death, he even completely declined other projects and devoted himself to the construction of this church. When funds were scarce, Gaudi even went door-to-door to raise money like a beggar. The Sagrada Familia Cathedral is not only an architectural work for Gaudi, but also a spiritual sustenance. Later, he lived in a church, worked day and night every day, and even often built it himself. When designing the interior decoration of the church, he tried his best to portray the characters in the Bible story as true and credible. To this end, he took great pains to find the right real person to be a model. In order to show the image of hundreds of babies slaughtered by the cruel and heartless Jewish king Herod on the front of a door, he also went to look for dead babies, made plaster models and hung them under the ceiling of the workshop, which made the workers feel creepy.

At that time, some people even called Sagrada Familia Cathedral "a nightmare made of stones", because it really has an indescribable magic, majestic and sacred, full of profound mystery. But Gaudi is still dotted with children's fairy tales in abstract and bizarre themes. He decorated the spire with colorful colors and rich shapes, and decorated the church windows. So Sagrada Familia is full of sunshine and hope in the profound and mysterious abstraction.