camminando | My First 2011 Spring view of the Sun Setting at Olana

The view of the Sun setting behind the Catskill mountains is always magical...even in a very cold spring evening. My annual pilgrimage at Olana, gave some energy to continue work at Sun Farm, dealing with the results of a very harsh winter in the hope of the spring rebirth ---also metaphorical.

Excerpts from the conceptual multimedia project

“Axes Mundi: Perceptions and Understanding of Places as Intersections of Space, Time and Culture"

Camminando | Pilgrimage at the Hudson River Art Trail :: 1. Olana

Perhaps inspired by rivisiting the Luis Bunuel's masterpiece "La Voie Lactée" , on Independence Day I started my own pilgrimage --- at the Hudson River School of Painting places.

When I started Sun Farm in 1999 I was of course aware of the XIX art history of the Hudson Valley. The views of the landscape, the sky, the meadows, the mountains, the clouds and dramatic changes of light portrayed by the Hudson School artists were probably in my subconscious, but deliberately I did not want to immerse myself in the same places which inspired that glorious art. Perhaps I was afraid of being influenced in my own work of recording similar landscape framing the views in time.
After thousands of photos and hundred of hours of video recording I am finally ready for the pilgrimage. I had a great start at Olana, Frederic Church's estate, Olana, overlooking the river with the spectacular views of the Catskills mountains. It was the time the sun was setting on Independence Day ---perhaps the first real summer day in the region, this year hit by so many major precipitations.

the Sun setting behind the Catskills

The Sun Setting...

...and the Moon rising

cedar fences curve in the garden outside Church's home