Tags
architecture, Art, Casa Batlo, ceramic, Colour, Culture, Mosaic, Paint, Park Guell, Photography, Selaron Stairs, Tourism
“The ornamentation has been, is and will be coloured.
Nature does not produce anything that is monochrome
or uniform in colour: neither vegetation nor in geology,
nor in topography nor in the animal kingdom . . .”
– Diary entry, Antoni Gaudi
Chimneys, Casa Batlló – Barcelona
A lot of people believe – wrongly – that the word ‘gaudy’ was derived from the outlandish creations of the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. Many others wonder if perhaps the association between the adjective and his family name influenced his work, and inspired him to test the boundaries of space and colour like never before!
Not such a far fetched theory that. And not surprising that Barcelona was the first place that came to mind, when I started hunting for ‘gaudy‘ images for Ailsa’s Travel Theme.
Trencadis covered Lizard – Park Guell, Barcelona
Window display of hand painted ceramic figures – Barcelona
Followed by the equally fanciful Escaderia Selarón, the creation of Chilean artist Jorge Selarón! A total of 250 steps covered in over 2000 tiles from around the world.
The Selaron Steps – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Next up, more clashing colours from the Chatuchak weekend market, Bangkok
Psychedelic Flip flops, Chatuchak Market – Bangkok, Thailand
And you can’t get gaudier than the these Conventillos coated with leftover paint.
Conventillos, La Boca – Buenos Aires, Argentina
Granted I wouldn’t use any of these clashing combinations in my stark living room, but I have to admit, I find every one of them rather appealing 
Related articles:
The Antigua Casa Figueras
The Swan Song Of Antoni Gaudi
I love all of these and love Gaudi’s works! I have a blog post on his works in Barcelona: http://tinyurl.com/cz5s2ce
I love Barcelona!
I am starved of color in this monochrome environment where I currently reside. These were a nice splash to my placid pool. If I had the room, I think a wall of psychedelic flip flops might be nice!
Such an exciting gallery of colors – love them all!
I agree, they may be gaudy, but your photographs are both eye-catching and beautiful!
I do find Gaudi fascinating, I have to say. Never got to Park Guell, we didn’t spend long in Barcelona, although we did look at some of his city architecture.
A couple of years ago, we visited a relatively new monument, which reminded me slightly of the Gaudi style, I liked it anyway.
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The Selaron steps are beautiful! Any of these photographs would lend so much color to a room they were hung up in
Though the Conventillos look so bright and lovely in your photograph, I was quiet surprised to read the sad reality of these living spaces, in your previous post on them.
A real cocktail of colours indeed! I love the Gaudi buildings in Barcelona and especially like your header here
Ah, Madhu, what an exciting collection of vibrant colour! Gaudy? Well, I agree, perhaps in the confines of our living rooms, but out there in the world … a distillation of all the colours that surround us!
These fabulous colours go together so beautifully and you have captured them all so brilliantly! What would the world look like without them!?!!
It’s very loud in colors, but fun! Wonderful gallery.
That’s so wonderfully garish! Great pictures.
A veritable kaleidoscope! Love the flippies …
I like the photo of the flip flops
Whoa! Sensory overload. Although I do love that shoe display … and the colorful houses.
really very beautiful ..
Can’t say I find any of those combinations particularly gaudy or clashing – even the flip flops seem tastefully done! Thanks Madhu, for capturing these unrestrained bursts of colour.
Wooow!! Excellent photos. Loved them.
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Beautiful Madhu and like you I would rather go out to see such vibrant colour than live with it in my home! The Selaron steps have become well known, I would like to climb them
What a color burst!!!! I bet after that anything looks b/w!!!
I know what you mean about the living area. ı always struggle with this as I like to be surrounded by peace and subtle tones but then I love bright happy colors. I tend to have splashes of color in art and cushions. These photos are exploding with color, they are great and have put a morning smile on my face
a confetti of colour, i thought of gaudi too … i love to see photos of his work, thanks madhu … the others are equally marvellous, especially the steps in Rio … and the leftover paint …. they do the same in Sweden! …
I love seeing things through your lens… they look bright, happy and make perfect sense.
This is an artist’s delight – these photographs. In Delhi, I can think of Dilli Haat and Sarojini Nagar (the flip-flops kind of outrageously colorful displays). Have a good weekend. In Delhi, we are having a rainy weekend. 
It is amazing how the “colors” have no nations… anywhere in the world are beautiful examples… In South India, Kerala, I had seen many women beside the river with their colorful saris… in Pakistan, near Islamabad, in a sandy spot they had spread out to dry, a multitude of handmade carpets… in the rice fields of Bali, men with their checkered black / white sarong and women with sparkling dresses, were collecting the rice… I could go on! Wish you a lovely weekend
claudine
Yes, colour in the East is such an intrinsic part of our lives. All I need to do is click pictures of my silk saris
It seems more unexpected in the West somehow.
A lovely weekend to you too Claudine
The variety of colours is amazing and beautiful, I like it very much!!!!!
Regards….
nothing can be more colourful than this Madhu!
Except an Indian wedding perhaps?
Thanks Soumya.
Ha ha!
yes
I love these. Like you, I’m not sure I could include such a cachophony of colors in my own house, but admire people who do. I don’t think I’m brave enough. But my kitchen is bright red.
I want a pair of those Flip flops
What a great selection, I especially love the tiled steps.
Wonderful, wonderful color. I, like you, enjoy seeing vibrant color but I don’t want to live in it. Once again, you have provided us with wonderful photos.
I find myself to be a rather bland gal but when I see vibrant colors like these, I feel the urge to step out and live a little! Great photos as always Madhu.
colourful ceases to be a word after this post!
Barcelona .. is one of the most colorful cities in Europe. All the hidden plazas .. the houses .. the ocean .. the people. And of course the food and the chocolate – the have the world champion in chocolate making in Barcelona. One of my favorite cities. I wish I had visit Rio de Janeiro when I was in South America.
The Psychedelic Flip flops, Chatuchak Market in Bangkok, Thailand – all these shoes a paradise for some and expensive for those who are with them…
All wonderful captured photos…
Madhu, these are absolutely wonderful! Thanks for so many smiles. ;~} Terri
These are all lovely, colourful and – I love Gaudí. I have never thought about him and the word gaudy – that there could be any connection.
I have yet to find an interesting stair like what you showed here. I don’t care if it’s gaudy. I wanna see one.
Very nice collection of tacky exhibitions.
hi Madhu, your gallery = a great tribute to the soothing power of colors!
Something about clashing colors inspires me… I like the freedom and boldness it exudes and then some… Gaudi’s work is always fascinating to me and true or not, the name and word are fitting.
Those are some fancy cocktails! A great collection of color explosion!
Rainbows of color …. here – there and everywhere.
Fabulous entry …. super photo’s.
Namaste …
Isadora
A very colourful selection! My favourites are the mosaics
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