Study in Venice
Posted On 30-07-2024
Laura was one of 15 people who took part in the second edition of the Arts in Venice Summer School ‘The Shape of Water’ held in Venice during the first two weeks of July. We interviewed her to let her tell us about her Venetian experience.
Hi Laura, can you briefly introduce yourself?
Hi everybody! My name is Laura, I’m an Italian teacher and I live in France, in Lyon. I work in the promotion of the Italian language and culture abroad and I have Neapolitan origins, so maybe this is the reason I am passionate for humanities, art history and music.
Which was the main reason for you to apply to this summer programme?
What struck me from the outset about the Summer School programme was its variety and cultural richness due, probably, to the original collaboration between the four Venetian institutions: Ca' Foscari University, the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory, the Venice Academy of Fine Arts and the Iuav University. Moreover, the general theme of water appealed to me because it reminded me of the birth of life, the origins of Venice, its lagoon, its sounds, its smells, its lights, its colours... I was looking for a Summer School in Venice and this one perfectly matched my research interests so I sent my application.
Now that the two weeks in Venice are behind us, do you think your expectations have been met?
My expectations were met and even exceeded, thanks to the involvement of all the Summer School staff: teachers and tutors included. They were all really thoughtful and attentive, not only in the choice of the daily programme, but also in carving out leisure moments to allow us to get to know each other better: the dragon boat outing in the lagoon, the social dinner, the aperitifs, the elegant final ‘pizza’ evening... It was a very intense experience but an unforgettable one and helped create a team spirit among us.
*Which lesson or activity did you enjoy the most?**
I enjoyed all the lessons and activities. **I particularly liked the idea of having lessons in the morning and going out in the afternoon, to put into practice the information received in class and fix in my mind the places visited. For me, this was also an interesting exercise in inner orientation in Venice, where it is so easy to get lost because of its labyrinths.
The teachers of the summer school are passionate about their work and passed on their passion to us. What I enjoyed most the visit to the Doge's Palace, the visit to Torcello, with the valuable mosaics in the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, masterpieces of Veneto-Byzantine art; the music of the Venetian Organ in St Mark's Basilica, the visit to the churches (Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Santi Giovanni e Paolo, San Pantalon, San Salvador), the visit to the Biennale d'Arte Contemporanea in the magnificent Arsenale, the concerts and workshops at the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in the splendid setting of the 18th-century Palazzo Pisani.
How was working and living with a group of international students?
Working with an international group was a wonderful experience and something I had experienced before during my master's degree in FLE (French as a foreign language) at the CLA University in Besançon. The participants, who come from all over the world, have so much to share: their culture, their traditions, their jobs, their history, their emotions and perceptions, their enthusiasm and beliefs, but also their language and customs.
How did you find accommodation in Venice?
The first week I stayed in a hotel, while during the second week in a friend's flat in the Dorsoduro district. I was lucky!
Would you give any particular advice to someone wishing to attend the Summer School next year?
I would suggest that future participants prepare to see Venice as they have never seen it before. They should take advantage of every moment, night and day: everything they learn and see (or draw) could prove useful for their future projects and research. I would tell them: "Enjoy it as much as you can because Venice is an endless dream".
Do you think that what you learnt during the Summer School can be useful in your profession?
Yes, of course, I intend to reuse what I learnt in my profession when I return to Lyon. This summer school allowed me to exchange practices, notions and information with other students and teachers. All this knowledge will be part of my future teaching and, I believe, will also inspire and motivate other students to go and study in Venice. It has been a total immersion experience, a journey through the history of Venice, its beauty, its glorious past, but also a focus on its present life, its daily struggle to survive the flow of tourists, its resilience in facing the consequences of man-made climate change, now and in the future. I feel involved and determined to do something to help Venice become a great sustainable city, something more than the romantic city we all know.