modern transcendence.

the wrong way: don't drink water or coffee all day, even though in the back of your mind you know you're probably going to walk about 3 miles again.

the Wright way: get over your focus on health for just this one day-- share a gelato with good company, and pop a few Tylenol. The migraine isn't worth it. Then remember that keeping yourself hydrated is in fact a really important issue during hot days in Roma.

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The act of getting to the MAXXI in itself was an art form, or maybe more of an acrobatic feat. Never try to fit 30+ people into a mini-bus unless you're trying to win something. It gets a bit claustrophobic. I would say that we all got a bit CLOSER as a group.

If you've ever been to the MAXXI museum in Roma, the first thing that should strike you is the architecture around the exhibition spaces. The circulation is simple and somewhat muted in order to highlight the purpose of the building, the art itself. But like successful works by Carlo Scarpa, the building maintains a modern aire as it adds subtle charm to the spaces with its materials, texture, and lighting outside of the exhibition spaces.

There are multiple ramps suspended over the main lobby space which carry the flow of people to different spaces in separate quadrants of the building. There are metal grates you can look down through which constantly remind you of suspension, as the landings give you a break from the translucency of material and replace it with lighting, casting interesting shadows and emphasizing the pattern of the metal grates. These ramps are mixed in with some steps [which 9 out of 10 people in our group were spotted tripping over] and are completely separated from the art exhibition spaces, which are absolutely focused on the artists. I felt that the museum was excellent in this regard, and my taste for modern art just made the museum come alive. It was enchanting.

I decided to go into today with more positivity than I've been feeling recently. It helped me to focus more on the experience, and on the art itself. I keep forgetting how I almost became an art major. I constantly get dragged away from compositions in museums. I tend to linger too long for many peoples' tastes. If you ever go to a museum with me, be prepared to be there for a few hours, minimum.

Here are some of the more memorable pieces I took pictures of from today. I didn't get many shots because of the 'no pictures' rule.