Gary J. Kirkpatrick

Tag: architecture

  • Gaudi’s Barcelona 2- Casa Milà

    March 2, 1019

    Casa Milà is one of several residential structures for which Gaudi is famous, including Casa Vicens, Palau Güell, Casa Batlló, and Casa Calvet, and the last of them.  Casa Milà is known for the fantasy faces on the roof and its wavy facade.  It was built for Pere Milà and his wife Roser Segimon between 1906 and 1912.  It is a World Heritage Site.  The wrought iron balconies and other iron work by Josep Maria Jujol.  Innovations include a self-supporting stone facade.  This means that the walls are not load bearing, allowing for great flexibility in interior design.  There is an underground garage and a fabulous roof terrace.

     

    [envira-gallery id=”8231″]

    These furnishings are also Gaudi, highly innovative ergonomic designs before the concept was elucidated.  

    [envira-gallery id=”8252″]

     
    My celebration of two outstanding elements of Barcelona’s culture:

     

     

    Gaudi Jazz, acrylics, 40 x 30 xm, 11.5 x 16.5″

     

    Casa Mila website

    There is much detail here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Mil%C3%A0

  • Building in Kiev

    Building in Kiev, digital painting

    Building in Kiev, digital painting

  • Couple in Vilnius

     

    Among the notable things in Vilnius, the capitol of Lithuania,  are the spires and the architecture, featured in the background of this painting.  Lithuania is nominally a Roman Catholic country, with 75% of the population purportedly members.  However the statistics show that half the population does not believe in the Christian deity.  I have portrayed the irony of this apparent contradiction through the unusual placement and distortion of the spires, which serve at once to unite and divide the couple.

    Couple in Vilnius, acrylics on paper, 11.7 x 16.5", A4 30 x 42 cm
    Couple in Vilnius, acrylics on paper, 11.7 x 16.5″, A4 30 x 42 cm