He called his theory of art "transautomatism.” It is the idea that different people see different things in the same picture and that picture should be less what the artist wants us to see, and more about how we interpret it.
Hundertwasser believed that straight lines are 'godless and immoral.' He thought that, as humans, we have lost out connection to the organic geometry of nature by forcing ourselves to exist in boxes as homes. He believed in the fluidity of line and shape and was fascinated with spirals. He thought they represented us perfectly as humans; going in circles, yet never exactly in the same place and never identical to the last loop.
He created revolutionary architectural designs, which incorporate natural features of the landscape, and irregular forms of building designs. The features include undulating floors ("an uneven floor is a melody to the feet"), a roof covered with earth and grass, and large trees growing from inside the rooms, with limbs extending from windows. In creating parks of grass and trees above the buildings he thought we would be able to double the space and improve the environment.
His last project was named Die Grüne Zitadelle von Magdeburg. Although he never finished this work completely, the building was put up a few years later in central Germany. It is the picture above.
He believed, “The flat floor is an invention of the architects. It fits engines - not human beings. If modern man is forced to walk on flat asphalt and concrete floors as they were planned thoughtlessely in designers' offices, estranged from man's age old relationship and contact to earth, a crucial part of man withers and dies. This has catastrophic consequences for the soul, the equilibrium, the well-being and the health of man. An uneven and animated floor is the recoverery of man's mental equilibrium, of the dignity of man which has been violated in our levelling, unnatural and hostile urban grid system. The uneven floor becomes a symphony, a melody for the feet and brings back natural vibrations to man and architecture should elevate and not subdue man. It is good to walk on uneven floors and regain our human balance.” I love that!
He designed KuntHausWien (the museum in Vienna we went to) and took no payment for the design, declaring that it was worth it, to "prevent something ugly from going up in its place". He was also asked to design one of the Ronald Mc Donald House's for children suffering from cancer in Essen/Grugapark, and i think thats lovely.
Finally.....In the museum in Vienna, they had some of his quotes displayed and Lyds and I wrote down some we liked. These are them:
"Our present, planned architecture cannot be considered art. Our modern buildings are detached and pitiable compromises by men of bad conscience who work with straight - edged rulers."
"If we do not honor our past, we lose our future. If we destroy our roots, we cannot grow."
"Our real illiteracy is our inability to create. To paint is a religious activity."
"God is a creator. If man wants to fulfill his purpose as God's image he also has to be creative. If man is creative he comes nearer to God." (If you know me at all you would understand why I love this. Its like he quoted my thoughts)
"A church should be beautiful. One should like to go inside and they should feel at home inside. One should find in it a bridge to GOd, to nature, and to creation. God should like to go into this house of God, built by man, to meet with him there."
The thing I really loved about his art was just that it was an expression. It was made to be beautiful. It was made because he enjoyed it. It was made because he wanted others to celebrate creativity and realize its energy. And I think thats what art should be about. There shouldn't be rules or expectations, and everyone is capable of creating something...anything...it should organically spring forth from their own, individual ability, however it manifests itself within that person. Ok, I'll stop...
This should have been a photo of lyds and I on a warm train, in the very-early-morning hours of December 27th, on our way to Salzburg. In reality, it is a photo of lyds and I on the coldest bus ever, in the evening-to-late hours of December 28th, on our way to Prague. Once we found out how expensive the train to salzburg and then the train out of salzburg was going to cost, we changed our plans. So we extended our Vienna trip almost two days and headed to Prague a day earlier than we had originally planned....thus saving us over 150 euros. 
Once in Prague we got to meet up with friends from Hungary, like Mem, which was really great. 
And lyds and I were finally able to be in a photo together instead of just one of us... having that third friend to take the picture is oh so useful! And Prague was FREEZING! I think that was the coldest i had ever been. I wanted to rip my hands and feet off they burned so bad. And, when walking around, I would start to internally panic about when i could get inside somewhere again. Ha! Good old Florida upbringing didnt prepare me for the frozen burn of no mittens and thin socks. Lyds parents came in town on the 30th. It was nice to be around parents for a bit.... even though they weren't mine. 
Finally... January 1st, in Prague, is when the city puts on their firework display. 6 pm. Much more family friendly. Lyds had left with her parents to go to Germany, but i was hoping that one of the 7 people i knew in Prague at the moment would want to go and see the fireworks, but no one did. I was thinking i should go alone and then thinking how i just cant seem to be one of those people that does stuff alone and how thats kind of lame of me, but since I am that way, I should just head to the train station and back to Ostrava. So i was supposed to take tram 9 to hlavni n.d.....i looked at the board and it was coming in a minute...i looked up and a tram was coming, its super full but i shoved in....clearly assuming it was the 9 because of time. But it was so full i was pushed against the door and couldnt see the info. So finally it started getting less crowded and i could move to see the board and i saw that Hlavni was never on the tram stop options. So i looked up and yup..im on the 12. not the 9. I have never ever done that. SO i was like great. Ill get off at the next stop and look at the sign and get on one that will take me somewhere where there is a metro because i knew how to get there from any metro. 
Picture 1: Don't you love the architecture? I loved the hustle-bustle of pre-christmas! 
Picture 2: On our last night in Vienna (the 27th) we went to the Opera house (isn't is classic?) and saw the Nutcracker Ballet (Ballett: Der Nussknacker).... standing tickets were only 4 euros! And it was so lovely! The costumes were amazing and even though i have seen this ballet before, i was so impressed with the idea that a whole story can be conveyed through dance and lyric-less music. Whole emotions are expressed through their passion for dance and dedication to the art.
Picture 3: (the 26th) This is the Belvedere.... two palaces, separated by a garden, that were built in the 18th century as the summer resident for Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736). It is known for its Baroque architecture, and design. Now, it holds art from the Middle Ages. Here we saw the Gustav Klimt collection, so of course "The Kiss" and "Judith." It was nice and I like Gustav more now... but i have to admit, lyds and i were distracted when we were here because we were supposed to leave the following morning and head to Salzburg but had just discovered our train tickets were going to add up to 100 euros each. We were internally trying to sort out alternative last minute options.
Picture 4: Christmas Night dinner! Everything closes Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day after Christmas. All Shops, restaurants and grocery stores. By night time we were starving and it looked as though our only option would be vending machine food from the hostel. But in our last minute of searching we saw a distant lite up sign. It ended up being this tiny, little, Italian restaurant. The only two workers (ma and pops) probably lived in the back or upstairs of this place. Since we were basically sitting in their kitchen, we watched them make our food from scratch and it was delicious!
Picture 5: (the 25th) Kunthauswein Museum. This is the outside of Hundertwasser's art gallary. He also designed the building, which had 10 trees growing out of it from the inside, uneven floors, organic materials, and no straight lines. I have lots to say about him so he will be a different blog post later... but this was the greatest Christmas gift i could have ever been given. It re-engergized me and reminded me of the goodness of art and the inspiration it offers me. Lyds agreed.
Picture 6: Christmas day still...lyds and i parked on the second floor of Starbucks for a few hours, with the view of the opera house, hot coffee, books, journals, and music. 
Picture 7: Hofburg Palace....we didn't have a chance to go inside it. But it was attached to the Albertina, which we did go to. It is a huuuuuge Art Museum with over 500 works. It shows the historical progress of art from impressionism to modernism. We saw pieces by Monet, Degas, Picasso, Rothko, Van Gogh, and more. Sometimes life doesn't feel real. You know you are doing things and seeing things, but the reality of it doesn't sink in. I had this moment there though where I thought..."This is now. This is real. Its Christmas day. I am in Europe, standing in front of a Monet. How did this happen and how grateful am i?" 
Picture 8: St. Stephans Cathedral. The picture does no justice. It's dark and gothic and beautiful. Inside was a bit of a tourist attraction which look away some of its mystery and appeal for me. But the building is impressive nontheless.
Picture 9: Christmas Eve. Haus der Musik is an interactive museum where music is audible and visual. There was a room that was a recreation of the womb. It sounds cheesy but it was powerful and comforting. It kind of vibrated and the colors and sounds were intoxicating. There interactive activities helped you create music, direct music, morph sounds, combine sounds, record sounds, visualize feelings, and so much more. It also had a bunch of amazing historical, brilliant musicians. There were whole rooms on Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Strauss, and more.... all of them had, at some point, lived in Vienna and created masterpieces. I can't imagine inventing the things they thought up. It's brilliant. Also.... someone find the cd "i mozart lounge" please. It has a weird bluish sculture on the front photo, if i remember correctly... it is so creative and so fabulous! and it is not the same as "Mozart Lounge" which is not as good at all.
Picture 10 - one of the christmas market booths. Meat. ew.
Picture 11 - One of the christmas market booths. Handmade items.
Picture 12: this was our first starbucks since being in the US. I have a whole new level of drip coffee to go. 
Picture 13: Christmas Eve. This is inside the Votiv church and it is where Lyds and I went to Christmas Eve mass. It was in english...and so cold we could see our breath the whole time. But I liked going back to my old roots and being in a catholic service. I have my own conflict with Catholic beliefs, but i must admit, there was something beautiful about the tradition of it all. That cross-culturally people are doing the same motions. Its a bizarre global connection and it was perfect for Christmas. And Im stealing Lyds words to describe the church because I agree: "you know the ones that catch bad flack for being too big and impersonal and cost too much money - those ones that steal your breath and remind you that the history of christianity is jaded and beautiful - one that couldn't be contained or boxed in by cathedrals or catholics or protestants - ones that make you realize the awe and majesty of one we serve that is greater than us - we had christmas eve mass in one of those." 
Photo 14 - hot wine....its so weird and sweet, and filled with pieces of fruit. They serve it all over the markets and you can keep the mug, or return it and get some of your money back.
Photo 15 - one of the magically decorated streets.
Photo 16 - lyds and i literally frolicked around the streets. they were overwhelmingly amazing.
Photo 17 - the biggest market. This was the most amazing christmas event i have ever seen. tons of booths, tons of food, tons of drinks, tons of lights! Even the trees had giant, light-up ornaments. Everyone was truly enjoying the season. I think it should be mandatory for everyone to go and experience Vienna at Christmas time. It is more beautiful than i know how to describe. 
