For this assignment, I found this photo by Sarah Zanini so striking and almost aesthetically pleasing, I had to share. This is a picture of Gangi, Sicily. The way this city is formed, with houses and buildings built one on top of the other, looking like a mountain. The aerial view looks almost like a mozaic, I love how no building is shaped the same. It looks intentionally imperfect, and I love how the mountains on the top capture what’s outside of the hilltop. Most cities are built outwards, and I love how it’s built upwards but not industrial. The historic hilltop looks like it still preserves this historical element to the city.
I paired this photo with Agnus Dei, a religious Latin chant. This particular copy is from Michał Ziółkowski. I thought it was very fitting with the history of Gangi. A Latin chant to show how Sicily’s culture and history of being primarily Roman Catholic. The architecture reminded me of this chant, and I think the two fit together. The audio is almost eerie and enchanting as well, which is what I immediately thought of the photo when I saw it.
I like that the audio fits well with the photo, but not in a very expected way. The image on it’s own is very busy, but there is a sense of peace in the image and perspective from the sky. The audio on it’s own takes me right to a church. Separately, the audio and image take me to different places, but with the explanation they pair together well.
I might use a different audio pairing to take you into the streets of Gangi. I expect them to be very narrow and full of honking and traffic. Locals familiar with the streets probably honk at tourists driving around all the time. I can also imagine mopeds speeding around, weaving through traffic. I might pair the image with audio of honking and driving around to take you down into the commotion of the streets rather than in the serenity of the view you see in the image.
Hi Natalie Spivak, nice to meet you! This pairing was unexpected but really well done, great approach! You mention how no building is shaped the same, but from an aerial perspective, they collectively blend together and look similar to me. That could be an interesting narrative to enhance the image, especially with your song pairing, encouraging viewers to take a step back and see everything as a whole. The music adds to the rich history of its religious background for the culture. Alternatively, a sound clip of war could relate to its use as a battleground, but I’m glad you picked something different.
Hi Natalie! I think the audio fits very well with the image of Sicily you chose. The picture is filled with countless buildings and might feel chaotic but the audio brings me a feeling of tranquility. The captivating aerial view indeed transforms the cityscape into a mesmerizing mosaic of architectural wonders. The connection between the historical, Roman Catholic culture of Sicily and the Latin chant enhances the overall experience. A sound clip of distant church bells echoing through the narrow streets could create a tranquil yet profound ambiance that resonates with the historical and cultural aspects of Gangi.