By Rachel Chaikof
My art history class, Treasures of Provence, at SCAD-Lacoste is definitely different from most classes I’ve taken. Since the quarter started, I’ve been in the classroom for only two class sessions. At rest of the class sessions, I’ve been on field trips, and that experience has been immeasurable — seeing the artwork, architecture and artifacts at first-hand, as opposed to reading about them in books or looking at replications, has so far been an enriching experience.
For instance, I went to an outdoor site called “Le Village des Bories,” a group of huts made of limestone. Being at this site first-hand was incredible because I could touch the stones and see the actual size of the huts. The experience really brought the art closer to me, and felt more real.
In another session, we went to a village near Lacoste called Fontaine de Vaucluse to see and study the river source surging from under a massive ravine, as there are several theories about the water’s source of origin. I was able to watch and hear the water flowing. It was very relaxing and the whole scene was one of the most beautiful I had seen in France, and was a welcome change from the usual galleries you might usually go to on a SCAD field trip.
Speaking of galleries and museums, I went to an archaeology museum where we saw Roman artifacts that were found in Apt, a city about 20 minutes from Lacoste. There were huge pots made of soil on display and some sculptures, and I was able to walk around them to see all sides to understand how they were created.
The tour of the Roman theater ruins in the basement that was especially interesting. Because I was able to walk through the theater, I was able to see all the parts of the theater rather than one piece of it in a snapshot or photo. This allowed me to understand the architectural structure much better.
Recently, we went to the home of an artist who creates mosaics, and he gave us a demonstration on how he creates his works. He took larger chunks of stones and hammered them into smaller pieces, then he placed the stones on a board with glue that had an outline of his design. He explained to us that once the design was done, he placed cement on the top. When the cement was dried, he would remove the board. Seeing the demonstration first-hand was an experience because I was able to understand better how artwork was done.
The best thing about all these experiences was how they showed me that art isn’t just made in a studio or a dorm room. Art can be made anywhere, with nearly anything, and opening yourself to seeing and experiencing the beauty of art in places beyond the gallery is an important step for growing as an artist.