Cornelia Stahl The flaneur

WALKING THROUGH ANTWERP Do you remember – how, as children, we explored our surroundings step by step with curiosity and completely immersed in ourselves? We were simply guided by our instincts, all our senses and drifted away. In exactly the same way, I invite you to stroll through the wonderful city of Antwerp – follow me unobtrusively... Carried by the confidence of a silent observer, we glide through the unknown crowd: We follow the smell of Belgian waffles and the sounds of the piano or organ player. Attracted by laughter and whispering in the streets and squares, the doors of the past open: history is reflected in backyards and small gardens, behind medieval brick walls and baroque ornated gates. In the footsteps of ancestors, we witness cultural, sacred or artistic sites of bygone days. Passing by window displays, our eyes turn to something new, surprising or curious, seamlessly forgetting time. While we immerse ourselves in this city, we sit down in a small bistro, full of happiness and bliss, in one of the charming little streets. Freshly roasted coffee flows through our nostrils and a delightful piece of patisserie entices our eyes. The unique luminosity of the often described gray of the Scheldt also finds our attention. We observe passers by on their way to fulfill their daily duties and draw our conclusions. At night, our experiences intertwine in our dreams, to wake up with the certainty of having experienced something that we have stored in our memory in a very special way – like memories of long gone childhoods. Dear reader, I am pleased, that we have met here in this attentive way and I hope you are well entertained with this pictorial reading from impressions and episodes of Antwerp. Cornelia Stahl

CORNELIA STAHL (Auteur) - Verschenen op 07/02/2019 bij Stockmans Art Books