Magic in Siena: A Tale of Two Homecomings (of Sorts)

by JC Camelio, Cohort '24

The ancient city of Siena is tucked amid Tuscan hills. Its design is said to have been a work of art intended to blend into the surrounding landscape. The city dates back to the time of the Etruscans, and its historic center is distinguished by Gothic and medieval architecture. It was one of the important and fascinating stops during the IDSVA intensive residency in Italy.

Last May 2024, 18 first-year IDSVA candidates from the September 2023 and May 2024 cohorts converged in Rome to begin an intensive residency that would include visits to Florence and Siena and stays at Castello Spannocchia and in Venice for La Biennale di Venezia, “Strangers Everywhere.” The experience was rich in art theory, cultural history, topological studies, and philosophy, with the aim of preparing students to navigate the argument-driven, research-based writing program at IDSVA. The rigorous and demanding schedule earned the title of “boot camp” in the candidates’ very first orientation in Rome. 

After a week and a half of carrying the Art in Theory book, the physical part of “boot camp” began getting a little easier. Candidates were prepared to take on the day-long trips to Florence and Siena, and each was eagerly anticipated. First a day in Florence…need I say more? A bus ride through the Tuscan countryside, then a tour of the Uffizi Gallery, Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, followed by a cooling rain shower, lunch, an explore at Palazzo Strozzi, the Anselm Kiefer exhibit, followed by another cooling rain shower, dinner, then everyone back on the bus to Spannocchia, drained, damp, and dreamlike.

The bus ride to Siena started in a similar fashion as the one to Florence; a paper and presentation were due in a day or so, and we would be away from our computers and books for a full day, yet there was an air of excitement. On route, visiting faculty Writing Fellow Dr. Jason Hoelscher remarked how buildings are built close together and suggested looking up (occasionally) while walking through the streets of Siena. The bus deposited the group at the city gate, Porta San Marco, and off we went, looking up occasionally and admiring the angles, spaces, and lines overhead as we headed to Santa Maria della Scala, St. Mary of the Ladder. The walk seemed to transport one back in time. Maybe I was looking up too much. The museum visit was fascinating; the ancient hospital, the internal road, and the artifacts and artworks piqued my interest in a way new to me. The next thing I knew, I was in the bookstore, soaking in more of Siena’s culture and history through stories, lore, and kitsch. Its unique system of neighborhoods or contrade, each with its own identity and governance, and the competition among them reminded me of something from my childhood. I knew at once which contrada I would belong to, the owl, so I bought a token for that contrada.

The rest of the morning and early afternoon touring Siena with Dr. Simonetta Moro, Dr. Hoelscher, and Dr. Silvia Mazzini only intensified my feelings of belonging. I can only say the familiarity I felt as a “stranger” came through all my senses; I knew I could not get lost. I shared my experience and connection with Doctor Moro and Doctor Mazzini, who seemed amused by my new contrada allegiance. Late that afternoon, visiting faculty and international artist Franca Marini took a group of candidates on what could be described as a deeper look into the history and present of Siena’s main center. At one point, while giving background on the city’s contrade, she seemed to randomly stop to allow a few moments at one such neighborhood, the Priora della Civetta–the Owl!  Another sensation of being home enveloped me.

We spent time exploring the area, watching young men practice flag-twirling routines to prepare for the Palio in July and August, and were welcomed into the small Contrada chapel. Dr. Mazzini explained to an elder about my feeling of connection to the Contrada of the Owl, and the elder answered: “Sei il benvenuto nella nostra Contrada,” inviting me back next year to be “baptized” as an official member of Priora della Civetta. It was very entertaining, and I secretly wished it could happen.

The combined cohorts of ’23 and ‘24 concluded their time at Spannocchia as it had begun: deep reading, writing, enjoying lectures, and time together. The final segment of the residency would bring another group of candidates from Athens to join us in experiencing the wonder of Venice and the 2024 Biennale, “Strangers Everywhere.” Every moment spent in the Italy residency was a once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity; each candidate will have their own special memory or perhaps even a transcendent moment. As I was leaving Venice on the final day, I overheard someone say, “I feel like I’m in a lifeboat from the Titanic and wondering what just happened.” My thoughts exactly! Through the whirlwind of art, philosophy, and discovery, the IDSVA Italy residency offered not just knowledge but profound moments of connection, belonging, and the promise of future returns.