example of “Escuela de Arte”
Roberto listened to our tales around Venice, especially about some areas of the city where he had lived , grown up and studied. He asked on the state of architectural problems in the city as to tides , and also about Vicenza where he had used to come to meet his cultural point “Carlo Scarpa” living in the dependence of an old Palladian villa-
YET he would come to our region very often , toVenice in particular, (his family still lives there), for meetings, talking to students, presenting books and telling his history ,always mentioning his never ending brotherly friendship with architects Garatti and the Cuban Ricardo Porro met in Milan, whom he cooperated and worked in Venezuala with , then in Cuba to carry out the hard task to build a “NEW FORM OF ARCHITECTURE” for Cuba, maintaining its origins, examples of Liberty, Colonial style, however a new image made of cultural areas for people who had never had the opportunity to improve their qualities and knowledge before , submitted to the restrictions of General Batista dictatorship.
“How do you live in italy?, Please, speak about you..tell me of that country so near to my heart so far from my life”- We answered as if we should be questioned in class, even if he quietly wished and was hungry to hear about the path Europe was going to run, and the circle always ended with the University of Architecture in Venice, stressing his anti rationalism in buildings and his admiration to Scarpa and Rogers..
“I do know you know why I live here, the reason I left Italy and the real motivation I decided to stay here for” I answered “yes Roberto, it is well known your open heart and ideal to suddenly accept the invitation of creating (after the victory in the revolution ) a new form of living for this popululation , just starting from education and culture.
Education and Health : two key words that should be considered as the very beginning and basis for any kind of starting point towards social and individual conscience.
Such was his humility, despite being the creator , designer of the marvellous dream of las Escuelas de Arte, called “the National Art Schools of Cuba”, by Porro, Garatti, Gottardi .(AD,Classic quote) that we felt conceited in thinking that Carlo could really help in ending the final dream ,begun with enthusiasm and left unfinished because financial sources diminished and soon sold out. The dream seemed to break untill the year 2000 when the three architects were again involved to give a final definition.
Roberto continued “you probably think that being known by the architectural world may imply a wealthy life, as in in Usa or Europe!HE AFFIRMED SERIOUSLY”NO” No, if money lacks for common people, then it doesn’t exist to us as well, and above all our aim was not to get rich but to see a country where, for instance, the Havana Country Club,paradise for the rich and healthy visitors from other countries staying in luxury hotels, gambling in casinos , could be destinated to areas for students from all Latin America, with Schools and Meeting points, eliciting to move from their countries suffering from poverty , with the real possibility to express their abilities in any field. This was the very aim to achieve ,the true value of a nation: its people “educated”.
In 1961 Fidel Castro said”Cuba will count as having the most beaufiful academy lof arts in the world” (G.Merin quote)
Now we were in a sort of pizzeria with one of the protagonist of the change, sinuous form recalling original prototypes of constructions, using natural materials, especially their kind of “terracotta” without disturbing the environment , and yet the design IS avant garde, flexible , mirroring the curvilines of some bays as well as primitive shelters, however absolutely seizing the future in a magic flowing of spaces like contemporary stages suitable to any artistic expression .
His words were not stranger to us but sounded as something new, and yet we read them plenty of times: Roberto , in a low sweet voice, kept on talking and still dreaming. We appeared like children into something wider than we expected, and above all “we hadn’t experienced their enthusiam in 1961, their capacity to design preserving the history of this nation, studying its materials and original forms to translate them into THE NEW, now become Unesco heritage.
”I feel like stupid, I don’t know, I miss decades of lived history.. “ said I , Carlo stood in silence, astonished by Roberto ‘s culture, he knew any new current ,any motion towards a new architectural path..”I like to focus on this since contemporary neo architects, all dressed in black , minimal, as if this outfit was a sort of uniform to affirm “we are ARTISTS”, a Brotherhood of elected , probably unaware of what changed the history of architecture in Cuba, Chicago or Venezuela, an aspect which underlines the very hard work the three young architects carried on, animated by a great dream ,offering their young age, their technical knowledge, cultural training in various firms of the world in the 50s, finally leaving their families for the great Cuban Dream!
Oh mary! these architects all look the same , expression of fashionable trend which has nothing in common with the crumpled pullover, the cleaned old shirt and Roberto’s tie out of our respect, nothing in common with his “honorable, wise with a strong ideal stature”
“You work in restoring ancient buildings, don’t you?”asked Carlo
“Yes, Roberto, I ve been working now on a big Palladian Edifice ”, “well, not the Schools of Art , however all Havana is supposed to be restored, the department will give you instructions and explanation about, you could give a hand under this aspect..
Carlo was shivering from the wind and the proposal, or probably..he was thinking, “Am I able to set up a team, a restoration site from Italy to Cuba, to and fro??Doubts, uncertainties defeated Carlo’s ideals and enthusiasm to help the vision of Havana,that night he wouln’t sleep..so wouldn’t I.
Roberto continued on the importance of studying, reading , being informed:
“I receive books despite “el bloqueo”, it’s hard, but they arrive, I need them,in my very small flat “en el VEDADO”, it’s easy to fill our few meters with books and magazines..you know, I live with my wife, oh I have had other families, sons and partners for long time, now this isthe right one, she is very like me in tastes and aims, he has her work as a dancing teacher, a bit actress, we both love art, above all she is sensible. Most probabaly we ‘ll be lucky if we manage to move upper floor, there is a flat with one more room, where I could work at home more easily..
Our silence could express everything: our thoughts, our vanity or better, my vanity and, as a a couple, my nonsense in living in a three -levelled attic in downtown, picture of Carlo’s skill in his work.
We hadn’t written any page of history, nor dared to move from our place working in other countries to widen our knowledge, we had simply studied and read, as to myself, dreamt.
I lived in a marvellous place , where any corner mirrors the history of design, but for the first time I faced what being really great in mind and heart means, I discovered that designing a home deserving to be in magazines is not synonim of reciprocal love, it is a monument to someone ‘s passion and a seal for one’s pride for ,in simple words, few, without decadent romanticism, Roberto had affirmd: “she is my life companion, sensible, I love her”
“Surprised where I live?, “, no Roberto, not surprised, a bit disappointed since In Italy young people are more and more spoilt and whimsical, I can see them at school, in class,they want everything, their parents satisfy them in any request, from very expensive sneakers to branded jumpers and cells..I am reflecting..where is our world going?, You are known all over the world, you have built part of history, you dress normally- “GREAT!!!”, you are not a fashion victim after fashionable artistic look, you share one car in three, you drive slowly not to waste gasoline, , you know much more than many others, you met great honorable men, you DO LOVE and you re satisfied! .Your Schools and buildings are object for analysis and thesis, I wonder “what can I give you more than you do? “
One question “ WHY at a certain point Porro decided to move to Paris and Gavatti got back to Italy? why you here??still?
It was around one a.m. We greeted him, he looked like cold and tired, he thanked for having had dinner! He thanked for conversation and memories from Venice, places and architects,he was grateful for Carlo ‘s offer in renovation:
“I ‘m tired, I ‘ve been working a lot and it’s very hard to earn little, another bloqueo and..Sandra, you wanted to know why I decided to stay here?
“Well, yes” I replied
See you tomorrow at the National Art School..remember, my car is as old as me..be patient! IT’s CUBA
Roberto.
Part 2,