Undirected blog #4 Museum visit

I thoroughly enjoyed the Museum. It was the first time I had visited the New de Young and it was impressive. We went there with no real plan or expectation. Just to see it and wander a bit. I was so unprepared for the adventure that when the cashier person asked if I wanted to pay extra to see the YSL exhibit I wondered silently (thankfully) why the Youth Soccer League would have anything at the de Young! Fortunately I came to my artistic senses before looking for a soccer ball. It was a wide ranging adventure, from the early south American creations to the modern arts and crafts exhibit to the sculpture of various styles and sizes. The glass exhibit were as fascinating as ever. It was a pleasant surprise to be walking right up to pieces of art by artist I had only had the opportunity to read about previously. There was one exhibit that was the artists statement about religion and war, with his creations made completely out of bullets and guns, it grabbed your attention. I'm looking forward to returning soon. Oh Yea, the top story observation deck is a must, BEAUTIFUL VIEWS!

Undirected Blog 3

A couple of things have been on my mind over the last week or so. I think the Etruscons need more attention. I was struck by one comment in particular in our reading on page 174, It stated " The Etruscons seemed willing to sacrifice structural logic for lively action in their art." I'm thinking they may have been a rather fun loving crowd when compared to the Greeks or Romans. When I look at the pictures of their Burial Chamber, Tomb of Reliefs I am totally impressed with everything they have included for the comfort of the dead, right down to including the family dog. Good attitude Etruscons! Further, the Sarcophagus from Cerveteri seems to depict a calm acceptance of death as part of the natural extension of life, they appear to be at peace with the situation. The Etruscons borrowed from the Greek and contributed to the Romans as they were conquered, but they left their unique mark on history.

My other point is that I think the Romans and the Greeks took themselves a bit to serious. Of course if they hadn't we probably wouldn't be studying them today but still perfection perfection perfection. On a more serious vein though it dawned on me that allot of what the Greeks and Romans did with their Art, Sculpture and Architecture was try to portray a story, sway an audience, build themselves up, compare themselves favorably to other I think it was an example of advertising just like we have today. They were using the best technology of their time to make a point. What do you think?

Undirected Blog #2

The Minoan pottery caught my interest, probably for its distinctive style and decoration. As I was doing more research, looking for images to share I happened upon the fact that the Kamares ware apparently had a votive type history and a nice well preserved collection of them were found in the caves of Kamares. The article brought out the fact that pottery ends up being an excellent means of dating as it is one thing that endures over time.

The emerging overall view of art history so far leads me to conclude that mankind has a real drive to create. The motivation might be practical as the use of the above jars for storage, it might be religious as a means of showing respect or devotion, it might be political or it could be as a part of commerce or trade. Regardless, humankind is productive and apparently endlessly creative. Even natural disaster such as earthquake, political turmoil, religious upheavel and war has never ended the desire or ability to create. It may have slowed it, bent it, redirected it, but never destroyed it!

undirected blog #1

I had become a little fascinated with the city of Jericho and the picture available i n our textbook.
The picture in the textbook gave no real means of scale comparison except for physical measurement. The size of the construction and its importance at the time helped qualify it as "one of the oldest cities in the world." I was reflecting on its history that goes back about 10,000 years from our point in history. The city of Jericho was a leader in construction and technology in its ancient past. To obtain the pinnacle that it achieved in its day it incorporated the same ideas concerning cooperation and planning that are need today except on a larger scale. The images available online were not easily downloaded so the pictorial comparison isn't available. I was hoping to compare it with the city of San Francisco today, certainly a world class city that we are all familiar with. My point of reflection was a question for contempation, considering where Jericho is today after 10,000 years where might San Francisco be after the same amount of time?

about me

[IF]
If you can keep your head when all about youAre losing theirs and blaming it on you,If you can trust yourself when all men doubt youBut make allowance for their doubting too,If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,Or being hated, don't give way to hating,And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;If you can meet with Triumph and DisasterAnd treat those two impostors just the same;If you can bear to hear the truth you've spokenTwisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winningsAnd risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,And lose, and start again at your beginningsAnd never breath a word about your loss;If you can force your heart and nerve and sinewTo serve your turn long after they are gone,And so hold on when there is nothing in youExcept the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;If all men count with you, but none too much,If you can fill the unforgiving minuteWith sixty seconds' worth of distance run,Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!
--Rudyard Kipling

about me

hey, this is me in clay. rather than some realistic rendering this represents more of a attitude about enduring and overcoming and doing it with a positive outlook.

about me