Tag: art

Story of the Day: Tracking modern art in Ghent

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I’ve been a regular in Flanders over the last couple of years. The combination of an easy Eurostar hop and lots of city-break angles – from Belgian fries to urban regeneration – have made for a rich seam of stories for me to mine.

This piece, taken from the Weekend Financial Times, has a modern-art angle on Ghent.

Sometimes the story looks better in the planning and turns out to be something of a letdown in situ. This was one of those.

Here’s an extract:

“My favourite work is an open-air library overseen by the Italian artist Massimo Bartolini [pictured above]. Set amid vineyards, against the medieval backdrop of St Peter’s Abbey, the 12 rows of bookshelves are filled with 8,000 donated books. The order is random and visitors are encouraged to borrow books and return new ones.

“Ssh,” grins Bartolini, adopting the persona of head librarian as I greet him between the tightly packed shelves. “I first saw an outdoor library in Hay-on-Wye. This place feels like an extension of the cloisters: part interior, part exterior. I like that.”

Read the full story, A Postcard from Ghent.

Did I miss the point here? Or was Track more arse than art?

Post your comments below.

Story of the Day: Cruising with Klimt

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A new year resolution is to try a cruise story this year. Meanwhile, here’s a toe in the, ahem, water from last year’s Telegraph Cruise Style.

Last year was Klimt year in Vienna and I visited late Feb for a preview of the cultural jamboree.

Here’s an extract:

The “holy grail” for Klimt fans, however, is the final stop – an audience with The Kiss (1908). Klimt’s masterpiece is known throughout the world for its woven patterns of gold, floral motifs and kaleidoscope of colours.

It is on display at the Upper Belvedere, alongside the largest collection of Klimt paintings in the world – 23 of his works, including many from his so-called “golden period”.

Klimt died in February 1918 following a stroke, but his legacy to Vienna’s Belle Epoque is still very much alive. “The Kiss is a sensual masterpiece,” says Alfred Weidinger, the Belvedere Museum’s vice-director. “Personally, it gives me a new sensation each day. It’s an ongoing dialogue.”

Read the full story, Gustave Klimt and Vienna’s brush with decadence.

Did you visit Vienna during Klimt year? Or do you have an idea for a cruise story just waiting to be written?

Post your comments below.