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Dear herr Bock
Here we are in a new chapter of our czek odissey.
This one could be called
Got blue feet-in Vila Tugendhat
When I told you we were comming to Brno, this “house by Mies van der Rohe” was the thing you told me about. So today, finally, we went to check it out.
..........Today was an awesome sunny day for this akward winter in which, and despite of usual grey cimented sky, every day gets hotter. That brings to mind, by the opposite, that I saw the neighbourg we borrowed the fridge from, and she, Lea, explained in french (she speaks five lenguages) they were installing a new heating terminal (normal neighbours small talk, why they call it “small talk”, when it can last for hours?) and how they discovered that the neighbor next door was stealing gas – yeah, can you believe it? Here, they steal gas!!! And somehow the police got to know, she affirmed vehemently that wasn’ t her making the call, and came and tooked pictures (I wonder if they used a digital camera or analogic one). Then Lea told me about other incidents we will skip, but the main thing is that all the smell of gas was not paranoia (relax) and it is good to know that perhaps one of these days we will be thrust to the roof ‘cause a wako gas thief lives just below us (tense again).
..........Back to the Vila.
A TOTAL RIPOFF, in all senses.
First was awfully expensive.
..........Second the house was so neglected and in bad shape, ceiling falling appart, uncleaned.
Third the guided visit was in czeck when most of us were not czeck talkers...(?)
Fourth they made us wear a blue sheath over the shoes – indeed much more “not-clean” that our shoe soles – wich the guide didn’t and anyway the floor was quite dirty.
Fifth they showed like one third of house space, and when it came the time to see the gardens, that are at least ten times the house area, they didn’t allowed, the reason given was that it is wintertime!!!
..........It reminded me of the worst things in/over the best things. It remind me of things I’ve seen and specilly hated specilly in Portugal but also specilly in other places . When we got out one old nice czeck lady said (with the sense of humor of the used to) “in Czeck Republic and specilly in Brno it is always a problem”.
..........And these problems brings you down, because of the marvelous piece of arquitecture you’ve got in front of your eyes. The doors only, made out of a dark dense wood and with almost three meters high (I love big tall doors) ... or about the windows, made of a single (the original) piece of antireflections glass, from top to bottom, being possible to retract them into the floor and them you are not inside this wonder anymore you are flying with the birds over the gardens aahhhhhhhHHH. Or how Mies care about these windows and so that couldn’t get misty he installed a special heating system, or the general heating spreaded from the ground mixed with natural fragances... I can transport myself to those times... oh wonderfull, wonderfull.
..........I’m not going to talk about the african fist thick (like a freezed watterfall, like the one in jeff wall pictures, as thick too) wall reflecting the enviroment or how the straigh lines were sharpen even more by the curves and how both embraced the nature and also embrace what it is of being human. This man loved his work, he understood it.
Ahoy sir van der Rohe, nice shack!!!
..........I must admit that allthough sad and angry, I couldn’t help to notice how funny we were walking around, all those blue sheaths, and the different attitudes in each one of us, aren’t these strange ocasions when you do the same activity, sharing the moment and space, with a group of persons you don’ t know from anywhere and wich, afterwards, you would probably never see again. We all transport a sort of coreographed stories without noticing it... I truly enjoyed this man with dark skin, black litle and sharp small eyes that serached everywhere and opened every door and droor as if he tried to find something he alreday knew wasn’ t there, as he had to make it worth that money he had payed... and, at certain time he weared his purple glasses, there he goes trying to sneak under and over them, twisting the neck as a bultre...
.........I am a bit frustatded of not seing the facade from the garden.
And I understand that shortly they are going to reppair the house, and that it has pass through many hands. From the nazis (almost destroyed when russians fought back) to dance school to hospital. But for Christ sake it has been Unesco monument for nearly thirteen years now. And anyways to sweap and wash the floor it is not so expensive, is it?. Or to have a english speaking guide (I think not speaking english being a plus in the search of a job here, or “I’m proud of you son, you don’t speak any english at all”). The same you can aply some plaster on (it is curious that’s “on”, being under) the ceiling. Don’t these people feel embaraced and a litle ashamed of what they haven’t donne? – it is said that is Mies most important work in Europe. Of their forgotness?
..........Well, I said it.
VIVA MIES VAN DER ROHE!!!
Abajo los escarabajos burocratas!
Viva el funcionalismo integrado!
Abajo los idiotas integrales!
VIVA EL ARTE!!!
Abajo el dejarte!
Ah..., and
Thanks jurgen for the tip
...................
...........
......
..........
.............
Dear herr Bock
Here we are in a new chapter of our czek odissey.
This one could be called
Got blue feet-in Vila Tugendhat
When I told you we were comming to Brno, this “house by Mies van der Rohe” was the thing you told me about. So today, finally, we went to check it out.
..........Today was an awesome sunny day for this akward winter in which, and despite of usual grey cimented sky, every day gets hotter. That brings to mind, by the opposite, that I saw the neighbourg we borrowed the fridge from, and she, Lea, explained in french (she speaks five lenguages) they were installing a new heating terminal (normal neighbours small talk, why they call it “small talk”, when it can last for hours?) and how they discovered that the neighbor next door was stealing gas – yeah, can you believe it? Here, they steal gas!!! And somehow the police got to know, she affirmed vehemently that wasn’ t her making the call, and came and tooked pictures (I wonder if they used a digital camera or analogic one). Then Lea told me about other incidents we will skip, but the main thing is that all the smell of gas was not paranoia (relax) and it is good to know that perhaps one of these days we will be thrust to the roof ‘cause a wako gas thief lives just below us (tense again).
..........Back to the Vila.
A TOTAL RIPOFF, in all senses.
First was awfully expensive.
..........Second the house was so neglected and in bad shape, ceiling falling appart, uncleaned.
Third the guided visit was in czeck when most of us were not czeck talkers...(?)
Fourth they made us wear a blue sheath over the shoes – indeed much more “not-clean” that our shoe soles – wich the guide didn’t and anyway the floor was quite dirty.
Fifth they showed like one third of house space, and when it came the time to see the gardens, that are at least ten times the house area, they didn’t allowed, the reason given was that it is wintertime!!!
..........It reminded me of the worst things in/over the best things. It remind me of things I’ve seen and specilly hated specilly in Portugal but also specilly in other places . When we got out one old nice czeck lady said (with the sense of humor of the used to) “in Czeck Republic and specilly in Brno it is always a problem”.
..........And these problems brings you down, because of the marvelous piece of arquitecture you’ve got in front of your eyes. The doors only, made out of a dark dense wood and with almost three meters high (I love big tall doors) ... or about the windows, made of a single (the original) piece of antireflections glass, from top to bottom, being possible to retract them into the floor and them you are not inside this wonder anymore you are flying with the birds over the gardens aahhhhhhhHHH. Or how Mies care about these windows and so that couldn’t get misty he installed a special heating system, or the general heating spreaded from the ground mixed with natural fragances... I can transport myself to those times... oh wonderfull, wonderfull.
..........I’m not going to talk about the african fist thick (like a freezed watterfall, like the one in jeff wall pictures, as thick too) wall reflecting the enviroment or how the straigh lines were sharpen even more by the curves and how both embraced the nature and also embrace what it is of being human. This man loved his work, he understood it.
Ahoy sir van der Rohe, nice shack!!!
..........I must admit that allthough sad and angry, I couldn’t help to notice how funny we were walking around, all those blue sheaths, and the different attitudes in each one of us, aren’t these strange ocasions when you do the same activity, sharing the moment and space, with a group of persons you don’ t know from anywhere and wich, afterwards, you would probably never see again. We all transport a sort of coreographed stories without noticing it... I truly enjoyed this man with dark skin, black litle and sharp small eyes that serached everywhere and opened every door and droor as if he tried to find something he alreday knew wasn’ t there, as he had to make it worth that money he had payed... and, at certain time he weared his purple glasses, there he goes trying to sneak under and over them, twisting the neck as a bultre...
.........I am a bit frustatded of not seing the facade from the garden.
And I understand that shortly they are going to reppair the house, and that it has pass through many hands. From the nazis (almost destroyed when russians fought back) to dance school to hospital. But for Christ sake it has been Unesco monument for nearly thirteen years now. And anyways to sweap and wash the floor it is not so expensive, is it?. Or to have a english speaking guide (I think not speaking english being a plus in the search of a job here, or “I’m proud of you son, you don’t speak any english at all”). The same you can aply some plaster on (it is curious that’s “on”, being under) the ceiling. Don’t these people feel embaraced and a litle ashamed of what they haven’t donne? – it is said that is Mies most important work in Europe. Of their forgotness?
..........Well, I said it.
VIVA MIES VAN DER ROHE!!!
Abajo los escarabajos burocratas!
Viva el funcionalismo integrado!
Abajo los idiotas integrales!
VIVA EL ARTE!!!
Abajo el dejarte!
Ah..., and
Thanks jurgen for the tip
...................
...........
......
