Here are some images of my situation.  I am staying in an apartment in the Jewish Quarter of Budapest.  It is a side street, but still realtively active, as there are plenty of shops and restaurants.  At first I was relieved that we had a 24-hour convenience store (here called a “non-stop”, which is displayed on the storefront in English) across the street, but then realized that all of the commotion I heard through my window the night before was people hanging out at the non-stop.  I am relieved to have brought my earplugs.  Here are some images of the apartment:

the living room (not that we spend much time watching TV- a little of The Office here and there)

there’s a kitchen- hooray!

the courtyard

our little terrace, good for unwinding

my studio space

I have a roommate, who I get along with really well. Mark had a chance to meet him too.  This residency is unique in that explicit studio space is not designated.  Since the living conditions are a lot nicer than some other residencies, it’s an okay trade-off.  It was difficult to negotiate at first, but since Beata, the woman who runs the program, found us a studio space outside the apartment, we decided that my roommate would work there and I would work in the apartment.  The arrangement seems to suit our particular practices nicely.  Finally, and importantly, here is where I get to eat breakfast every morning:

Mint Cafe and the nice people who serve up my espresso each morning

I have a voucher for breakfast each morning (cereal, rolls, jams, margarine, orange juice and tea or coffee), so I don’t pay each time.  So, even though I have already paid, it feels as though I am getting it for free.  Ege’szege’dre! (Hungarian for Cheers!)

Speaking of unfamiliar languages, I think when in a foreign land, the words we learn to say really reveal what we value.  For instance, I now know how to ask for soda water and a large black coffee in Italian, German, and Hungarian.

How many blogs begin with this title I wonder?  I don’t care, because it took my coming half-way around the world for this blog to come into existence in Budapest.  I hope there aren’t problems in customs when I come back to the U.S…  So I think the impetus for this infant blog is this trip to Europe and artist residency.  The banner image is part of a photograph I took in Rome.  Here is the entire image:

The title “Gulping Beauty” is a little bit ugly (gulping sounds so guttural) but pretty much sums up what the blog is about.  It seems like the kind of comment that pops out when one is actually overcome by beauty or the sublime and has forgotten the self.  These words were used by Amelia Earhart to describe the view during her first flight over the Atlantic.  I have been giving a lot of thought to the importance of beauty in my life and artwork, so I thought these words an apt title for this blog.

The trip has been amazing so far: Rome, Florence, Venice (for the biennale and the opening of the Pinault collection), Vienna and finally Budapest where the residency is located.  I will do my best to post about the trip, art we’ve seen, and events here over the next couple of weeks.  Budapest is amazing.  Here are a couple of images from my and Mark’s amazing day of glorious adventures last Sunday:

Mark and I at the citadel (on top of a very large hill- phew!)

A view of Pest from the Buda side at sunset

Buda Castle at sunset

that’s just a taste…

I’ll post more about our time here soon. I hope this blog becomes an ongoing way to share my artwork and experiences even after my return to “normal” life–whatever that is.   Thanks for looking!