Study in Venice
Posted On 26-08-2024
Sofia studies Art History at the University of Vienna and in July she attended the 2nd edition of the Arts in Venice Summer School. Here is what she told us about her two weeks in Venice.
Hi Sofia, can you please introduce yourself?
Hi! My name is Sofia, I´m 23 years old and I study Art History at the University of Vienna. Previously I studied Conservation and Restoration of paintings in the Academy of Fine Arts in Saint-Petersburg. I love to do arts on my own – to paint, draw or make some ceramics and sculpture. I´m interested in history and art history, so I like to visit museums, exhibitions and travelling, learning new languages, and exploring new cultures.
How did you first find out about the Arts in Venice Summer School 'The Shape of Water'?
The Shape of water is the third Summer School I have attended during my bachelor studies, normally I was taking part in programs organized by the University of Vienna, but this time I opted for moving abroad in a new university. So, I began to surf the web in search for a summer school connected with art history or arts and on www.studyinvenice.it I read about the Shape of Water programme. I was very excited to apply and to spend two weeks in Italy in Venice and to experience so many areas of arts.
Are you happy with your overall experience?
Yes, I am even happier than I had expected. I learned a lot, explored Venice, met new friends and got to know a lot of interesting and friendly people.
How was spending two weeks within an international group of students?
I had a lot of fun. The students came from all around the world – a lot of English native speakers – the communication with them helped me to improve my English skills. The group and the people were very diverse – I really enjoyed the dynamic of the group, of the team. We had fun, laughed a lot, helped each other with anything, learned from and with each other and became good friends – we are already booking flights and trains to visit each other soon.
Can you please choose one lecture/activity that you especially enjoyed and tell us something about it?
I can surely say that I enjoyed every day of the program. If I must choose only one – I would pick the archeological trip to Torcello. I am on my way to become an art historian, so I could enjoy getting information that I can apply into my studies. The lecture was very informative – the Professor was talking about the organization of the water system in the early Middle Ages, how the first inhabitants came to settle in Torcello, about the connection of Venice with the Byzantium – especially with Constantinople. We have visited the old monastery – the Professor explained to us that the church was rebuild three times along the centuries and he showed us how we can see the changes in the building structure of the church and in the inner architecture and décor. I didn’t just enjoy the lecture but also the nature and environment of the island – calm and surrounded by water, very green and with long and rich history.
Was it the first time for you in Venice?
Yes, for me it was the first time in Venice and I loved the city. It was a great experience to see and to explore the beauty of the city by myself and with my group. I especially enjoyed listening about history, arts, culture of Venice from locals, people who live, study and teach in the island – all of them were speaking so passionate about the city so it was hard not to like Venice even if the weather in July sometimes was too warm!
Did you attend any of the extracurricular activities offered within the programme?
I took part in two. The first one was a tour about overtourism in Venice. It was super interesting and informative and helped me to see overtourism as a phenomenon of soft power and about some of the not obvious problems it brings.
The second activity was a guided tour at the Biennale. The tour took place at the main venue in Giardini. It was very interesting and helped me to better understand the exhibition, to observe its curatorial structure and to understand the connection of arts with the topic of the Biennale – Strangers Everywhere.
Where did you find accomodation?
After being admitted to the program, the organization staff of the Summer School sent me a list with possible accommodations in dormitories in Venice. I chose the one in Mestre and even though I missed the official booking deadline, I could easily book a room. Furthermore, I got a good discount since I booked as a student enrolled in the Summer School programme.
What are you up to after the summer?
After the two weeks of the Summer School I decided to stay in Venice for two more weeks to learn Italian – it was a good decision, I enjoyed it a lot. And now I can already communicate a bit in Italian! I would love to come to Venice soon! In autumn I will visit a friend who I got to know during these two weeks: she is moving from Vienna to Venice for her postgrad studies at Iuav University (Master’s degree). Next summer I will apply for an internship in the Peggy Guggenheim Collection – this Summer School helped me to realize that it would be a great experience for me to live in Venice for a longer time in the future.