Walking in Gaudí’s Footsteps
Antoni Gaudí/(1852-1926)/devoted his life to the Sagrada Família. In the following interview,/Sotoo Etsuro,/the chief sculptor,/talks about his experiences.
You are now a world-famous sculptor,/but did you want to become one/when you were young?
I graduated from an art school/majoring in sculpture,/and became an art teacher. In those days,/I didn’t know/what I really wanted to do. One day,/I was driving/and saw a pile of construction stones. It may sound strange,/but I heard my inner voice say,/“I want to carve stones.”
I quit my job/and decided to go to Europe. I had only a little money with me,/but I never asked,/“What if this doesn’t work out?”
Did you go straight to Barcelona?
No, I went to Paris first,/but I felt/there was no place for me. The whole city was so solidly built. It was as if you couldn’t touch anything. I hopped onto a train for Barcelona.
I arrived late in the evening. I walked out of the station,/and found myself on a street/lined with bars. I still remember/the taste of the sardines, tomatoes, and wine/I had that night. Although I hardly understood Spanish or Catalan,/the simple food and warm atmosphere/made me feel at home.
What did you think/when you first saw the Sagrada Família?
I was strolling around Barcelona/and chanced upon a building site/where there was a mountain of stones. In fact,/it was the construction site/of the Sagrada Família. Although construction had been underway since 1882,/there was still a lot of work to be done. My instinct told me/that those stones were waiting for me.
You got a job as a stone-cutter. How did you manage that?
I went to see the chief architect,/but I was turned away at the door. Nobody knew me,/and in their eyes,/I was simply an outsider. Their refusal, however,/didn’t discourage me. I kept going back. A month later,/with the help of a Barcelona sculptor,/I finally met the chief architect. He gave me a chance/to take a test as a stone-cutter. The question was/whether I could meet his expectations. You can’t imagine how nervous I was/while waiting for the result,/or how overjoyed I was/when somebody said,/“Congratulations!” That was how I became/a sculptor for the Sagrada Família. It’s now my life’s work.
You were practically just out of art school. The other stone-cutters/had been working for years. It must have been hard to fit in.
At first,/the other stone-cutters/treated me with suspicion. They called me japonés ,/meaning “Japanese.”
Mornings began with an ordeal. At 7 a.m.,/all of us stone-cutters/would get together for a drink. I had to drink to fit in. But it was not by drinking/that I won their acceptance;/it was by proving myself. I impressed them with my first sculpture,/a statue of an angel playing a harp. It was then/they started to call me “Sotoo.”
Did you experience any misunderstandings/due to cultural differences?
Definitely. There were misunderstandings/almost every day. For instance,/when I was working,/the other stone-cutters/would come around to chat. That got on my nerves,/so I said,/“Let me work!” That made them talk even more. In the end,/I got so angry/that I threw my hammer/to make them go away. After that,/they left me alone. For my part,/I had no idea/why they kept annoying me. I should have known/that they were just trying to be friendly. They wanted me to feel relaxed.
You’ve dedicated yourself to the Sagrada Família/for over 40 years. What keeps you going?
Gaudí is my inspiration. He started working on this project,/knowing that he wouldn’t be able to complete it. When he died,/he didn’t leave detailed plans;/he left only some sketches,/models, and followers. I consider myself/as one of his followers.
Working without detailed plans/must have been hard,/right?
Absolutely. I really had to struggle/to find how to make sculptures/that would fit into Gaudí’s work. One day,/when I was visiting Gaudí’s tomb,/I heard his voice:/“Don’t look at what I have done;/look at what I was looking at.” I thought,/“This is a path I can follow.”
From that day on,/I have been trying/to understand Gaudí’s philosophy,/his respect for nature,/and the inspiration he received from it. In short,/I am walking in Gaudí’s footsteps.
One last question:/Do you have mottos you live by?
Life is full of encounters and challenges. Be ready to take up any challenges/with passion and courage. Have good friends/who make you optimistic. And one more thing:/Cut loose once in a while.
Antoni Gaudí/(1852-1926)/devoted his life to the Sagrada Família. In the following interview,/Sotoo Etsuro,/the chief sculptor,/talks about his experiences.
You are now a world-famous sculptor,/but did you want to become one/when you were young?
I graduated from an art school/majoring in sculpture,/and became an art teacher. In those days,/I didn’t know/what I really wanted to do. One day,/I was driving/and saw a pile of construction stones. It may sound strange,/but I heard my inner voice say,/“I want to carve stones.”
I quit my job/and decided to go to Europe. I had only a little money with me,/but I never asked,/“What if this doesn’t work out?”
Did you go straight to Barcelona?
No, I went to Paris first,/but I felt/there was no place for me. The whole city was so solidly built. It was as if you couldn’t touch anything. I hopped onto a train for Barcelona.
I arrived late in the evening. I walked out of the station,/and found myself on a street/lined with bars. I still remember/the taste of the sardines, tomatoes, and wine/I had that night. Although I hardly understood Spanish or Catalan,/the simple food and warm atmosphere/made me feel at home.
What did you think/when you first saw the Sagrada Família?
I was strolling around Barcelona/and chanced upon a building site/where there was a mountain of stones. In fact,/it was the construction site/of the Sagrada Família. Although construction had been underway since 1882,/there was still a lot of work to be done. My instinct told me/that those stones were waiting for me.
You got a job as a stone-cutter. How did you manage that?
I went to see the chief architect,/but I was turned away at the door. Nobody knew me,/and in their eyes,/I was simply an outsider. Their refusal, however,/didn’t discourage me. I kept going back. A month later,/with the help of a Barcelona sculptor,/I finally met the chief architect. He gave me a chance/to take a test as a stone-cutter. The question was/whether I could meet his expectations. You can’t imagine how nervous I was/while waiting for the result,/or how overjoyed I was/when somebody said,/“Congratulations!” That was how I became/a sculptor for the Sagrada Família. It’s now my life’s work.
You were practically just out of art school. The other stone-cutters/had been working for years. It must have been hard to fit in.
At first,/the other stone-cutters/treated me with suspicion. They called me japonés ,/meaning “Japanese.”
Mornings began with an ordeal. At 7 a.m.,/all of us stone-cutters/would get together for a drink. I had to drink to fit in. But it was not by drinking/that I won their acceptance;/it was by proving myself. I impressed them with my first sculpture,/a statue of an angel playing a harp. It was then/they started to call me “Sotoo.”
Did you experience any misunderstandings/due to cultural differences?
Definitely. There were misunderstandings/almost every day. For instance,/when I was working,/the other stone-cutters/would come around to chat. That got on my nerves,/so I said,/“Let me work!” That made them talk even more. In the end,/I got so angry/that I threw my hammer/to make them go away. After that,/they left me alone. For my part,/I had no idea/why they kept annoying me. I should have known/that they were just trying to be friendly. They wanted me to feel relaxed.
You’ve dedicated yourself to the Sagrada Família/for over 40 years. What keeps you going?
Gaudí is my inspiration. He started working on this project,/knowing that he wouldn’t be able to complete it. When he died,/he didn’t leave detailed plans;/he left only some sketches,/models, and followers. I consider myself/as one of his followers.
Working without detailed plans/must have been hard,/right?
Absolutely. I really had to struggle/to find how to make sculptures/that would fit into Gaudí’s work. One day,/when I was visiting Gaudí’s tomb,/I heard his voice:/“Don’t look at what I have done;/look at what I was looking at.” I thought,/“This is a path I can follow.”
From that day on,/I have been trying/to understand Gaudí’s philosophy,/his respect for nature,/and the inspiration he received from it. In short,/I am walking in Gaudí’s footsteps.
One last question:/Do you have mottos you live by?
Life is full of encounters and challenges. Be ready to take up any challenges/with passion and courage. Have good friends/who make you optimistic. And one more thing:/Cut loose once in a while.