INVISIBILE CITIES
FIRST YEAR PRESENTATION
PROJECT ONE
In the book Invisible Cities, Italo Calvino elaborates on a conversation where Marco Polo conjures up magical cities and
describes them to the emperor Kublai Khan. Each city different, but all describing certain aspects of Venice.
describes them to the emperor Kublai Khan. Each city different, but all describing certain aspects of Venice.
Baucis stands out to the reader as it relates to nature and more specifically the woodlands. The city is raised off the ground by stilts and sits above the clouds. One interpretation is that the city is built amongst tall trees and comprises of a web of treehouses. The treehouses can be connected with rope bridges which allow for the movement of the trees.
The inhabitants of Baucis are rarely seen on the ground as they have all they need up in the trees. Three hypothesis are proposed about this behaviour. The first is that they hate the earth and are repelled. The second is that they respect it so much they don't wish to disturb it. The last is that they love it as it existed before it was disturbed and they are trying to preserve it’s purity. One can therefore see that there is an emphasis on the awareness that this city has of it’s environment.
The composition of the collage is a mix of scale and placement of elements. It comprises of a city section, city plan, house section and house plan. Textured cardboard resembles the natural landscape. Black paper is used to create the sense of a silhouette outlining the section and plan of the city. In order to differentiate the house, newspaper slithers are used and intertwine creating a birds nest arrangement.
Life in Baucis up in the trees has its benefits: security from invaders; a sense of connection with nature and spectacular views. Unfortunately there are drawbacks from living off the ground: food and water is scarce; limited transport options and confined living spaces. The collage does not answer the proposed hypothesis, but leaves the viewer to contemplate these reasons for the separation of the inhabitants from the earth.
