7th Artist’s Book Triennial in Vercelli Ended

Artists-Book-Triennial-in-Vercelli

“Museo Leone”, Vercelli

On 19th of September the 7th International Artist’s Book Triennial in Vercelli Ended. The Artist’s Book Exhibition in the “Museo Leone” and “Studio 10” was visited by 600 people. I had gone with my car to drove the exhibition back in Lithuania. It was about 4500 km. In reality it is totally craziness to drive such distance only for taking back the Exhibition, event that I had to drive the Triennial to Vercelli 3 weeks before…

Re-installing-the-Artists-Book_Triennial-in-Vercelli-2

Packed the Triennial in the boxes

During my “travel” to Vercelli and back I had to ride the narrow and obscure ways to prevent refugees flows from Austria to Germany, also passport control and big traffics on the highways. To Vercelli I was driving through Switzerland. The custom office asked me: “Are you sure you do not have in cash 10.000 euro?” When I said, “no”, he asked: “Even more???”. Yes, I would like to had even more.

San-Bernardino-Pass-1

San Bernardino Pass

In Switzerland I took the “San Bernardino Pass” recommended by “Top Gear” – I didn’t wanted to drive on highway where is 120km/hour speed limit and everybody drive only 110. “Top Gear”  wrote: “The San Bernardino Pass is a beautiful stretch of road running through a high mountain moore and going past the glorious lake Moesola”. It was simple, not very high pass – 2066 m., but beautiful road for driving lovers.

San-Bernardino-Pass-4

San Bernardino Pass

From Vercelli you can see the Monte Rosa, it has meaning “Pink Mountain”, is the highest mountain in Switzerland and the second-highest in both the Alps and western Europe. To reinstall the Artist’s Book Triennial took only one day.

Near-Vercelli-rice-field-and-Monte-Rosa

Near Vercelli rice field and Monte Rosa

For returning back to Lithuania I can’t drive through Switzerland – I would had to pay duty for the Artist’s Book Exhibition. I had to take small roads and I took the direction to Austria. Near Austria I did the next pass – “Stelvio Pass” (“Passo dello Stelvio”).

Passo-dello-Stelvio-02

Passo dello Stelvio

Passo-dello-Stelvio-09

Passo dello Stelvio

Passo-dello-Stelvio-19

Passo dello Stelvio

“Top Gear” wrote about this road: “With 60 hairpins, 48 on the Northern and 12 on the Southern ramp, this is considered one of the toughest driving roads in the world”. Also: “…this road is extremely technical, tight, twisty and just downright scary on the North side.” Nice to hear that from Clarkson and Hammond. But I didn’t found that it would be difficult road for driving, even I had to drive in a fog or clouds. But it was really wonderful and beautiful road. And here I rose above the snow. The high of the pass is 2758 m.

Passo-dello-Stelvio-06

Passo dello Stelvio

In the next day I had to cross the Italian – Austrian border. On my road was the Reschen Pass (passo di Resia), the high only – 1504 m. It was raining. The temperature fell to +1C and started to snow, it was very beautiful. Good feeling when you are with summer wheels. Here in the  Lago di Resia (Reschensee) I “found” the bell tower in the lake.

Reschensee

Lago di Resia (Reschensee)

Later it was only simple and obscure roads through Austria and narrow road to Germany. The main thing  – I was moving forward, not standing near the border.
The next stop for the “7th Artist’s Book Triennial” – Vilnius. On 22nd of October the “7th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2015” will be opened in the gallery “Titanikas”, in Vilnius.

Thanks to all artists for beautiful Artist’s Book Exhibition.

More Travels

 

Kestutis Vasiliunas
curator of the Triennial