The Old and New

Italy is a striking intersection of the old and the new. My favorite piece of architecture, the Duomo di Milano, was started in1386 and completed in1956. It is comprised of an amazing level of detail and craftsmanship for this size of a structure. Looking out across the city from the roof of the Duomo, one can see the spires of modern sky scrapers, which took a significantly shorter period of time than 600 years to construct. Graffiti and street art dot the streets surrounding the Duomo. I personally like both the old and the new, but as we say in photography, "It's very contrasty."

Words and photographs by Meredith M Howard

The historical artifacts are plainly seen, but the street art, overlooked by many, can become a scavenger hunt.

Blub is a street artist who pastes up portraits of historical characters underwater with goggles in his current series titled "L’Arte Sa Nuotare." According to Daily Art Magazine, his art illustrates "the fact that the art survives and swims on regardless of whatever happens."

If you don't know to look for them, you will walk right by Clet Abraham's altered street signs. His recreation of these government installations makes a statement about their irony. The city places "No Entry" signs in an effort to preserve the aesthetics of the city – thereby disturbing the aesthetics of the city. Some people view Clet's modern guerrilla-style art as a degradation of the historical facade of the city, but Clet told The Florentine in an interview in 2011, "Street art, when done well, is a gift to the city and its residents."

Even the fashion in Italy is an intersection of the old and the new. Every year in January and June, Florence hosts Pitti Uomo, the most sartorial event in mens' fashion, featuring beautifully hand-tailored suits worn with a classic flair and often with a modern twist.

Mr. and Mrs. Decorum always appear in matching suits and pull it off like no one else can. They got engaged the day after this photo was taken, so I am predicting they will continue to make appearances like this for a long time to come.

Picolo (whom we interviewed on page 12) puts a new spin on custom-made shirts and suits by combining traditional Italian tailoring with African prints. The tailoring and hand-crafted details of the clothing worn at Pitti Uomo stand in contrast to the mass production of the bulk of fashion today.

Is there anything that is truly new? We are building on the past whether we realize it or not – responding to what has come before. And more than any time in history, we have the means to be aware of it if we seek it out. The co-existance of the old and the new provides a rich foundation on which we (and future generations) can build.