The work is based around a small group of people who have been living and working in Barga for generations, but now as a group are close to extinction – the nuns of Barga. Their numbers can be counted on one hand, and they always seemed to move around in a group. Just what is the collective noun for a group of nuns .. a flock of nuns, a gaggle .. a pride maybe ? Very rarely is it possible to spot a single nun in the streets of the city. The main group comprising of three very aged women, all diminutive in stature, and all three of formidable character.
Local residents, describe these three nuns, as always appearing aged. It would seem that nobody can remember them as young women. And there lies the problem, the young Italian women are no longer becoming nuns. It is very difficult to find recent data on the precise number of nuns living and working in Italy but their numbers are decreasing rapidly and even the new novices coming in from Africa and Asia can no longer fill the gap. Shortly, this compact group of dark clad women moving ghost like through the streets of Barga will be just that – ghostly memories
Lovely work, a kind of pictorial silence hangs over it. A recessional mood.
But I have to wonder why the web program sees “Work shoring up the road around Barga” and “The landslide problem in Barga” as related articles. Have the nuns gone into the construction trades?
Monacu,
The Masonic nuns have long been intricately involved in much of the construction work in Italy from ancient times. It is a little know fact that does not even come out in books like The Celestine Prophecy. But there is a connection, I can assure you of that.
J
Masonic nuns! How could I have missed that connection? Kinda makes you wonder about our pal Down East though. What’s he doing in his spare time, and what really goes on in those “hotels?” Hmmmmmm.
Kidding ASIDE guys (sacrilege! 😉 ) if you click on the main image you’ll see rich details of these quiet, pensive, strong, resolute figures slowly walking away, but moving forward nonetheless.
I must say that these images capture the scene perfectly, living for a few weeks this spring in the shadow of the Duomo, I caught sight of this group (there were two) on several occasions, always walking away, always their habits creating am illusion that they were floating along…. (NO sacrilege intended above! :-))
Our friend Down East will be scarce these next few months as the season hits, I suppose he sometimes wonders why he chooses to be so busy at a time when the place where he is so wonderful and deserves to be enjoyed. He must have his seasons mixed up!!
Nuns becoming anachronistic…it’s just that the job description needs to change such that nuns/monks/priests can do what they do so well without regard to gender. Does that make sense?
And Jess, there will be a few of us so busy at a time and in a place that is so wonderful it deserves to be enjoyed, two or three in one of whom I can think of who seem to live by the philosophy of you can sleep when you’re dead, but it’s better to be very busy in a wonderful place than the other way around. Enjoy. K.
Well thank you for your kind words about situation and space…. I would like to think that being there is enough but sometimes one asks for more. But that we can talk about that later….
In the mean time Keane, Heidi is very excited about your work. Are there sale possibilities???
Jess
This is great work Keane. I love the almost monotone use of colour……I’ve been planing on doing a series of work myself with a ‘holier’ theme….infact Nuns……I’d love to talk to you about this. It kind of ties in with my MA studies and what I had planned to do.
I leave on Weds but im back in Barga on May 3rd….can we meet up?
H
Jess – thanks for your kind comments … sale possibilities? .. hmm, not really at the moment as this is still work in progress with only one finished painting to show for winter’s work …still got a long way to go and time is running out as the good weather is almost upon us (which means a change of hat and job title) … just out of interest – which image caught Heidi’s eye ?