Artnotes: and Take Notes

 

Bier Garten   Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas 12 x 20" 30 x  50cm   490.00

This week we decided to take summer by the horns and direct ourselves to someplace WE wanted to go.  There is a show of Charlotte Salomon in Munich.  The temperature in Munich is 15 degrees Fahrenheit less than Roccamalatina.  Berlino and I love hotdogs.  So we hopped into our air-conditioned car and drove North.  . Blair and I hadn’t been to Munich for 25 years, at least.

Too Hot for the Horses   Blair Pessemier   Acrylic/canvas   commission

The 90+ heat did not relent until the Brenner Pass, at 1370 meters (4,500 feet), and then it slipped back down to 80.    We finally felt we could debark from the car and got a hot dog at the roadside restaurant in Austria.  Interestingly, the entire restaurant (Rosenberg’s) was run by  mostly women, all wearing veils (niqab); all the other assorted male employees were north African men.  I was pleased we could still bring Berlino into the restaurant, and the staff was very helpful, as I juggled our two trays to the table (allow me, madam).    It was an indication of what was to come:  many, many restaurants, stores, and establishments in Germany were staffed by non-Germans, many Turkish people, Albanians, and Kosovars.   On our hotel street we were able to eat food from all nations – Persian, Thai, Chinese, Turkish.   Nary a schnitzel in sight.    Actually almost no other dogs, either.  I couldn’t tell if the Germans didn’t like dogs, or our area was just too touristy.   On the way home, we stopped immediately at Vipento Sterzing on the Italian side of the pass and ate dumplings in the colors of the Italian flag: beet, spinach and potato.  Dogs were plentiful again.

Dinner at an Italian Restaurant    Laurie Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas 32 x 55.5"   81 x 141cm  790.00

Our Munich neighborhood was the Maxvorstadt, chosen for its proximity to the museum we wanted to visit.  We could walk there, and parks  were all around for our furry friend to enjoy.   We parked the car for 19 euros a day (everything was expensive).    The other bonus to seeing this show in Germany, is that it was practically empty (who goes to Munich except in October?). The show was at the Lenbachhaus, which also has the best collection of Der Blaue Reiter paintings in the world.  Munich was the home of Gabriele (yes, a woman!) Munter, who, with Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky founded that movement (1911-1914) which has inspired me, and in the big picture, abstract art.   I visited the Blue Rider collection twice.  And the Charlotte Salomon was even better than I had expected.   I felt like I ate a little too much art.

We sat out in the Beer Garden (above) over steak and avocado, mangoes and spinach.  Being “under der linden” was all one could do.  Our room, not air-conditioned, was on a street with a tram, which at first seemed charming but not as much at 4:30 AM.   We had two balconies.  Berlino was most impressed with mirror-lined elevator, where he stood, gobsmacked at just how handsome he is (he WANTED to get in the elevator).  I can scarcely think of a bigger contrast than that of Germany and Italy, a phenomenon which totally delights me.  One can almost hear the mathematical, musical score of Bavaria while looking at the Baroque/Rococo architecture.  Clean and bright, a la edelweiss.  There is equally a Bauhaus-y, square, precise sense.  From door knockers to window spacing, it was all so…well, German.  I was impressed over and over again and hope to go back to take more notes (and drink more beer).

I thought you might like to see my final "holy card" rendition, from a few weeks ago...

Sign up for Artnotes by contacting me at lfpessemier@gmail.com

INVITING All Artists to present their Work:   Paint, Literature, Crafts, Food.... Pessemier's Sunday Salon Weekly on Sunday  No Reservation Necessary   How it works: Bring a piece of your ART: that could be visual, like painting or printmaking; or literary, as in poetry or prose; or crafts, like metalwork or knitting; or food, or music.  Something you made, or feel particularly inspired by.  You have about 5 minutes to present, and we'll ooh, ahh, or answer questions you have.  You can also come and see how we work before diving in.  Just show up on Zoom at a minute or two before the hour.    No selling, no networking until after everyone has presented. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88093708954?pwd=M04zNHB4dFZkREp3bThweUd1YnVDZz09 1(7.1%) Meeting ID: 880 9370 8954 Passcode: 886402 Rome 8PM; NY 2 PM; LosAngeles 11AM