Antoni Gaudi

Antoni Gaudi was the son of a coppersmith, born in Reus in 1852. He studied at the Escola Superior d'Arquitectura in Barcelona Even though the university was dominated by neo-classical and romantic trends, Gaudi went into different directions.

Over the course of his career, he developed a design style what is best described as sensuous and curving. Many of his designs are almost surreal.

What made Gaudi stand out was he had little regard for formal order. He would juxtapose unrelated systems and alter an established visual order. For many, they saw Gaudi’s architecture as a warped form of Gothic architecture, which in the end, drew admiration from other avant-garde artists. He died in Barcelona in 1926.

I had seen some pictures of his buildings when I was young and they fascinated me. They even influenced me when I had to design a house for a technical drawing course I was taking in grade 11.

And then there was the Sagrada Familia. This massive church was started in 1882 and is currently unfinished. As one website states it (better than I could):

In an original way, he applied forms of ruled geometry to it. Hyperbolic paraboloids, convex vaults helicoids and hyperboloids only hint at the complexity of its structure which exemplifies the essence of the knowledge and constructive experience of Gaudí. All the elements of the temple, both architectural and ornamental, reveal a symbolic basis from the Christian tradition. [Link: Gaudi 2002]

What drew me to Gaudi was the renegade in him. He went against convention and produced something amazing. He bucked the system. And succeeded.

And for me, now, someone like Gaudi reminds me the power of vision and perseverance. And lasting influence. We all want to leave a mark on society, on people. That is a blinding drive for artists. We have a voice that needs to be heard and want it to be heard.

But all too often we find ourselves against the system. Against THEM. We work outside the system, inside the system and other permutations. And we get frustrated.

People like Antoni Gaudi stand before us as a reminder to keep at it. People may sneer and dismiss what we are doing. It won’t sell. There is no audience. Too long. Way to cerebral. No one will like your characters. And the list goes on. But you have to believe in what you are doing and keep at it.

J.R.R Tolkien started Lord of the Rings in 1939. The first volume did not get published until the summer of 1954. J.K Rowlings had 19 rejection letters before she published her Harry Potter books. Lessons any aspiring artist needs to remember.

In 1994, Christmas time I was able to go to Barcelona and see the sheer beauty of Gaudi’s buildings for myself. Each building built up my excitement and awe until the Sagrada Familia. Which was the capstone of my day.

Often, in one’s own time, an artist is not famous or accepted. It is only afterwards people appreciate the vision and dedication they had. That is often the fate of visionaries. But someone like Gaudi gives us strength to know that maybe right now, many may not be interested but they will. You will live on, even after you are dead. You can leave a mark.

On that note, I will leave you with a few of pictures I took in Barcelona, to let his architecture speak for itself. And a couple of links to see more professional shots of his genius.

• Gaudi 2002
• Antoni Gaudi - Great Buildings Online