Photography
Cortona, We Meet Again
Oct
The first time I visited Corona was November of 2016. I remember being alone in the city, which was basically entirely empty except for a handful of people in the main square. I was able to explore the city in peace without distractions, or needing to wait for people to exit my frame for any photos and really took my time zig-zagging my way to the top of the hill to overlook the city. While this trip wasn’t too different from my original experience – even in the midst of the pandemic there were more people out and about.
Cortona is a perfect example of those places you read about in famous stories – in this case Eat, Pray, Love – but at least in my case I had neutral expectations for what I would find there. Living in the Center of Florence you sometimes can feel like going to an even smaller town like Cortona might feel a bit stuffy when you think about the crowds, but both times I’ve visited in October and Early November I’ve found it quite relaxing and charming. This trip was also a bit different as I had my girlfriend and her parents along for the journey, but I always love visiting places and finding myself remembering the old streets as I rediscover the memories I had previously made. Where I stopped for coffee, or had a picnic on the side of the road. I’ve found over time that I enjoy telling stories, touching stones I once walked across and walls I once ran my hands over as I walked by.
If you’ve known me for at least a few years you probably recognize the following photograph which I took of myself during my first trip to Cortona. These stones have Etruscan engravings on them, and are located atop a small clearing that I bet most people that visit Cortona have never set foot upon, as it has the feeling of being off limits – even though it’s not. You actually have to climb a bit of a goat path to access it which I quite like, and it’s actually a pretty accurate way of describing how I prefer to travel – to find what lays beyond the typical touristic spots.
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Since I had been to Cortona before and hadn’t been back for some time I thought it would be fun to recreate this image. The original is a photo I’ve felt pretty close to for many years, as this image of me in many ways is an extension of my adventurous spirit – my need to explore, the way I feel inspired and connected to myself and my surroundings when I set off alone to explore new cities, immerse myself in new cultures, and create art that I feel inspired by. It’s also the place that taught me who Etruscans even were – which are the people that existed before, and amongst the Romans in the Italian Peninsula. The letters they used are also influenced by the Greek alphabet, so obviously they came in contact with them as well. I honestly find history like this to be so inspiring, and also continuously feel quite humbled when I realize over and over again how much I really can never known about this world.
Do you love Cortona, and would love to see me create a collection of art that focuses on this beautiful city? If so, please contact me directly to let me know! I’d love to hear from you 🙂
