Fiery Pool: The Maya and the Mythic Sea

From a current exhibition on the Maya organized by the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA, which is now coming to the Kimbell Art Museum in Forth Worth, TX, at the end of the summer. (website link)

Anything is Possible

Here is a teaser video for the new hour-long film from the producers of the "Art in the Twenty-First Century" television series, premiering October 21, 2010, on PBS.

Gyeonghoeru Pavilion In South Korea (National Treasure NO.224)

Hi! Let me introduce about Gyeonghoeru Pavilion in South Korea! This pavilion, built on the pond west of Gangnye-ongieon, the king's living quarters, was where the king threw feasts for foreign envoys or his court officials. The name means that the king is capable of handling national affairs only when he has the right people around him, it was usesd on joyous occasions.

Gyeonghoeru, a pavilion located on a pond to the west of the living quarters, was built as a venue for feasts for foreign envoys and for the king and his court officials. When Gyeongbok palace was constructed, a mall pavilion was builit there, but in 1412 (the 12th year of king Taejong), the pond was enlarged and a pavilion of the current size was built. this pavilion tilted, so it was rebuilt during king Seongjong's reign(r. 1469-1506). At the time, the stone pillars were decorated with dragons and flowers.

During Yeonsangun's reign, the hills called Mansesan were created on the other two smaller man-made islets decorated with artificial flowers. All those were burned down in a fire during the Japanese Invasions (1592-1598). Although the pavilion disappeared, the king would periodically officiate at rites to pray for rain at the pond until Gyeongbok Palace was rebuilt in the late 19th century.

The current Gyeonghoeru pavilion was built in 1867. Other rebuilt structures in Gyeongbok Palace were burned down at various times but Gyeonghoeru pavilion remained intact. A wall encircled the pond, but it was torn down during the Japanese occupation. The wall on the north and east side were restored in 2004 and 2005 repectively. Sculpted animals sit atop the front railing stones on three stone bridges leading to the pavilion; this is to ward off evil spirits.

Gothic Period

Gothic Architecture developed after the Romanesque Period in Europe from the years 1040 - 1521. The characteristics included the ribbed vaulting, the flying buttress, the pointed arch, more spacing for larger stained glasswork. The word Gothic did not represent the term as we use it today, someone who is walking around in all black listening to heavy metal, it was actually used to describe them as vandals or barbaric. I personally have never been to see one in person, but they look astonishingly beautiful, an experience that all should see in person.

Ribbed Vaulting Flying Buttress Pointed Arch

Stained Glass

EXAMPLES:

Notre Dame Abbey Saint Dennis

Laon Cathedral

Jeff Jordan

Jeff Jordan is an American surrealist painter (not to be confused with the basketball player) located in Eureka California. He is primarily known for his album art work for experimental rock group "The Mars Volta" but has done plenty of other amazing works.

Jeff Jordan incorporates a rang of stylistic influences in his art work but his primary influence is surrealism. His paintings are known for their amazing backgrounds and fantastic characters ranging from giant chicks, fish with wings, a bird with an antenna coming out of its head, giant bugs ect, and then there are more abstract and geometric creatures or objects. Jeff Jordan creates his own worlds with his brush and there is no limit to the strange and amazing things you can find in one of his paintings. Another stylistic element i see in his paintings is in the way he paints people. It has a Latin feel and almost reminds me of a Frida Khalo or Diego Rivera. Good Examples of this are in his paintings "Big Mutant" and "Revelation".

Although Jeff Jordan's primary style involves realist rendering and Surrealist content, he also has done some actual collage work such as "Dwarf Dancing" and has done some amazing paintings with a collaged feel such as the cover for "Octahedron" (by The Mars Volta) and "Enigma". It looks like he may be starting some sculptures as well, he has one posted on his website and I am very exited to see what else he will come up with.

If you are interested in seeing more Jeff Jordan's work, he has a website (link below) and is featured in Hold Up Art Gallery. http://www.jeffjordanart.com/index.htm
http://www.holdupart.com/artist/16-Jeff_Jordan.html

The Nazca Lines

The famous and mysterious Nazca lines, are found in the pampas of Jumana, formed by the pampas of Nazca, Palpa, Ingenio, and Socos in the desert of Nazca between the provinces of Nazca and Palpa in Peru. It is a reddish and blackish land that turns violet at night. In this zone the surface has a light dark layer over a clear subsoil and that is why we can get a easy visual contrast. The soil of the region, which is one of the driest desert in the world, is brown, but under the first layer hides another yellow. When walking, a footprint leaves a lasting white spot.

Nazca is a city of Peru, capital of the province located in the department of Ica, bathed by the river Nazca. It is world famous for hosting on its territory to the Nazca culture, a pre-Inca culture that reached its height occurred between the sixth centuries BC and AD This culture noted for its pottery and stylized symbolic figures, which dominates the picture colors . Are formed by many figures, from simple designs like lines to complex anthropomorphous figures (human appearance), zoomorphic (animals), phytomorphic (vegetables) and geometrics that appear in the surface of this arid desert.

The amazing thing of this lines is that they can just be observed totally from the air flying over the desert that has pop up many questions about the intentions and skills of the builders.

The depth of the lines never pass 30cm and some are simple scratches in the surface, even though they can be recognized with there is not much sun and the relief is accentuated.

In 1927, archaeologist Mejia Xespe-disciple of Julio C. Tello, the Father of the Peruvian-Archeology was informed about the presence of some mysterious geoglyphs or lines on the ground in the Peruvian coast but at that time it wasn´t given much importance. They were more attracted to other archaeological sites like the majestic Machu Picchu in Cuzco and the fascinating cultures of Chavin and Chan Chan among others.

The same year, 1927, another researcher arrived to Peru, Dr. Paul Kosok, he was very attracted to these cultural pre-Columbian expressions. In one of his first trips to the south of the country, he stopped at the top of a plateau and saw extensive lines on both sides of the road near the mountains. After some onsite research, he was amazed to find that one of the figures had the unmistakable shape of a bird flying.

In 1946, Kosok returned to his country but not before suggesting to Maria Reiche, who had assisted him on the investigations, to continue studying the Nazca line drawings that he had begun to decode. María devoted her life to this work.

Maria Reiche, studied the Nazca line drawings for 50 years. She explained how these lines were used by ancient peruvian astronomers as if they were a gigantic solar and lunar calendar, nestled in the sand, legends and myths of the locals.In 1970 the INC declared Nazca as a protected zone in order to avoid the deterioration of the lines.

Sumerian Art

The Ancient Sumerians’ veneration of gods and goddesses affected their artistic endeavors. Heavily devoted to their religion, Sumerians built most of their artistic piece in honor or reference to a specific god or goddess. The Ziggurat at Ur, Iraq and the Statuettes of two worshippers, from the square temple at Eshnunna, Iraq, portray the heavily emphasis Sumerians placed in religion and pious practices and its effects on the art of the civilization.

Being one of the largest early monuments of the Near East, the Ziggurat at Ur, Iraq, demonstrates the Sumerians religious practices and building capabilities. The Sumerians were heavily devoted to their polytheistic religion and built numerous temples to specific deities. The Ziggurat’s size and height demonstrates the desire of Sumerians to be as close as possible to the heavens believing that the gods resided above the world. The building would have been at the middle of the city, further emphasizing the importance Sumerians placed in pleasing their gods and goddesses, since the Sumerians believed they had influence over daily life and had to be constantly venerated to be pleased. Also, the Ziggurat’s temple would have been reserved for a select few, since the stratification of society led to some people having more rights and privileges than others. In other words, the temple was reserved for the ruling elite, since they believed were the gods’ representatives on the world.

Even if common people would have been allowed to use the temple in the Ziggurat, they would have been too occupied with their daily tasks. The Statuettes of two worshipers, found at the temple of Eshnunna, Iraq, depicts the common Sumerian’s venerating their gods. Since there was a heavy emphasis in paying respect to the gods in Sumerian culture and the majority of the population was occupied with cultivation, they created statuettes to place at temples in their absence. These statuettes demonstrate the Sumerian’s sense of duty and service to their gods. The figures have their hands clasped around a glass and are pointing it up, offering it to the gods and reinforcing the Sumerian emphasis on veneration and service. Also, the statuettes have large bulging eyes that were probably meant to symbolize the continual wakefulness and thoughts about the deities. Although the common Sumerian individual was not able to access the temples, statuettes symbolizing a specific person were placed in temples to show the continual homage to the gods.

Sumerian art heavily emphasized religious topics. The people of Summer continually paid homage to their gods and goddesses through their architecture and sculpture. The size and height of the Ziggurat at Ur, Iraq, attest for the grandiose of the Sumerian deities and the willingness to worship, probably due to fear, by the Sumerian people. The statuettes further prove this, since they depict the common man, whom was unable to use the temples on top of the ziggurats, respecting and serving the god even in absence.

Photo Realism

Recently while looking at the Los Angeles Times online art section, this image really stood out to me. It is of a normal occurrence for most people, driving in the rain and seeing the lights from the cars around you. In this image Elizabeth Patterson uses colored pencil drawings to bring Photo-Realism up to date. She does this by transforming imagery and observed subjects into fresh images of ordinary moments. She does that by showing what seems to be the view of a driver of a vehicle as they are looking through their windshield. They see the cars around them with their lights on, the street light up ahead, the trees around them and most important the rain on the windshield. I really liked this image because she transforms what is an everyday occurrence into a work of art. She does that by contrasting the lights around to all blend in. She also does this by using contrasting colors on the cars, by which it draws your attention to the lights around them.

The article can be found at: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/07/-art-review-elizabeth-patterson-at-louis-stern-fine-arts.html

The Main Gate of the Gyeong Bok Palace

Hi guys!

I'd like to introduce about Gwanghwamun!!

This structure is in South Korea.

Gwanghwamun is the main gate of the Gyeong Bok palace. it has a double-roofed pavilion over three arched openings set in a high stone foundation. the king used the central arch, while the crown prince and officials entered through the openings on either side. the gate pavilion housed a bell, which announced the time of day.

The current Gwanghwamun was restored in 1968 as a concrete structure. The original gate ahd been moved to the north of Geonchunmun, the east gate of the palace, wheb the headquarters of the Japanese Government-General in Korea was built right behind Gwanghwamun in the 1920s. Bombed during the Korean War (1950-1953), the pavilion of the original gate was destroyed and the stone foundatino was severely scarred.

The fact that Gyeonbokgung is the Joseon Dynasty's main place was evident by the style of its gate, including Gwanhwamun. Although the gates in other palaces stand on low steps, those of Gyeonbok Palace are replicas of fortress gates, with high stone foundations and arched entrances in the center. Gwanghwamun in the most formal of these gates with three arched openings, a good indication that Gwanghwamun is the main gate of the palace.

Human Expression

Throughout history, the environment has played a crucial role in the development of the human race. The interactions between man and nature have shape man’s culture; thus, it is artistic endeavors. Everywhere one turns, she or he finds human images that do not portray reality—they usually contain exaggerated features that portray a specific idealistic quality. Art about humans is generally unrealistic, because artists are driven by their culture, rather than the physical image of humans.

Humans began to give idealistic characteristics to images of themselves since the beginning of their existence. One of the earliest examples of the effects of culture, arising from the environment, is The Venus of Willendorf. This small female figure was found in Austria and dates back to the twentieth-fifth century B.C.E. Immediately one are able to distinguish the unrealistic anatomical features of the figurine. The artist exaggerated her breasts and thighs, giving her a robust complexion. The individuals who created the figurine, although hunter-gatherers, lived in areas with relatively similar climates, Central Europe. The artist might have exaggerated her physical attributes with robust complexions, because the people of the areas wanted to stay warm. In other words, the artist created The Venus of Willendorf based on his desires, which happened to be a thick body for warmth. Also, it is important to notice the large reproductive features, symbolizing fertility, that, again, relate back to the environment and it is affect on the culture, since humans wanted to reproduce in order to survive. The idealistic manner in which humans portrayed themselves did not change through the ages, but rather adapted to the new cultures.

Egyptian art provides another example of how humans altered reality to reflect their culture, based on their environment. The Egyptian Civilization was both economically and culturally dependent on the Nile River. The constants floods and formality of the Nile affected their cultural beliefs, which were reflected in their art. Egyptian depicted their human images in a stiff manner that was parallel to the formality of the Nile, as well as symbolic of the strong emphasis the Egyptians placed on order. In reality, no one is two-dimensional and can produce a frontal and profile perspective, such as the one found at the mastaba of Ti. Egyptians created unrealistic humans with stiff and permanent features that reflected their idealistic manner of being human.

Art does not portray how humans look, but rather, how humans want to look. The way humans create art has not changed but rather adapted to the different cultures. The Venus of Willendorf is clearly different from the Egyptian frescos found at the mastaba of Ti, but they both employ the technique of idealistic perspective. Human expression has always been the same, since the beginning of the species: They always want what they do not have.

Maya Tomb Discovered

Archaeologist recently announced the discovery of a tomb possibly dating back 1,600 years to the Early Classic period of Maya history. The discovery in Guatemala this last May is especially interesting due to how well the tomb has been preserved. In addition to the usual discoveries of ceramic and stone objects and bones, the airtight tomb contains objects of wood and textiles, which are extremely rare in this part of the world.

Early speculation may suggest this was a royal tomb, but much more research still needs to be completed before any definitive answers can be given.

"We still have a great deal of work to do," said Stephen Houston an archaeologist at Brown University in Rhode Island. "We've only been out of the field for a few weeks, and we're still catching our breath after a very difficult, technical excavation. Royal tombs are hugely dense with information and require years of study to understand."

Read more on this discovery here.

Maya tomb with carvings, ceramics, textiles and other artifacts. photo credit: Arturo Godoy.

Public Scribble

Recently while looking at the Los Angeles Times online Art section, this image really stood out to me. It is an 18 feet by 64 feet painted facade. This image is of a normal street corner and looks to be first taken as a photograph then expanded upon by painting. The artist Karl Haendal expands on what looks like a normal city like building by using the street light to brighten the image up and use that to showcase certain parts of the image. He also uses a scribble light design on the building which stands out among the dark building and the street light shining on it. The scribble is used to brighten up the image and be the focal point of the art.

Haendal uses the light as the basis by which this painting stands out. The light brightens up the image in the dark night and also is used to show waves and ripples along the sidewalk. But the focal point of the art and where your eyes are drawn to almost immediately when you see the image, is the scribbles in the building. That completes an image which would have been like a normal dark night and makes it a special and unique image.

This article can be found at: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-public-art-20100606,0,7952055.story

Brandon Tatera

The Ultimate Political Tool: Art

A picture is worth a thousand words and, for years, politicians have been using them to their advantage. Most, if not all, political candidates turn to the power of images in their campaigns for public office. Pictures play a crucial part: They are awe-inspiring portrayals that embody the values a specific candidate represents. Images are a powerful tool of propaganda that stir public opinion.

Louis XIV—the self proclaimed “Sun King” of the French Empire—knew how to manipulate the public through artistic endeavors. He ordered the renewal of the Versailles Palace. However, instead of serving as a hunting lodge, he planned it to be the seat of the French government. Taking heavily into account his nickname, Louis XIV wanted to create a site that displayed his power and affluence. The architects and engineers he commissioned accomplished just that; the result, a 700 room building in the baroque tradition. Besides its elegant and flamboyant aesthetics that depicted the economic might of the king, the palace also demonstrated the political prowess of the French king. Louis XIV called for all nobles to reside at the palace for at least three months per year. In other words, he brought the government and anyone that might threaten his absolute rule to Versailles. He made the luxurious, baroque château the embodiment of his rule: Versailles was the sun and everything and everyone revolved around it.

Moving away from the absolute power of many 18^th century monarchs, but still in the context of the political message of art, the images utilized by Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign demonstrate the evolution of art as a political tool into the 21^st century democratic politics. On one of the most acute economic recession in American history, Obama choose a sun emerging from the horizon as his campaign image. This picture depicted his message of change and hope. The sun emerging demonstrated a new age dawning upon America under the leadership of Barack Obama. This had tremendous impact on the general populace as many proudly demonstrated his campaign image in their automobiles. Furthermore, Obama’s face also became iconic. As an orator, he did inspire hope in his followers and his face became synonymous with it. Poster of him publicized him and his message, greatly contributing to his election.

Since the dawn of art, it has serve as a tool to portray and express. Over time, rulers and politicians began to see its power, particularly the influence it had on the general masses. Louis XIV and Barack Obama are just two examples of individuals that have recognized the power of art in shaping politics and public opinion.

The Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Agra, India, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his most beloved and favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

The Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Islamic, Indian, and Perian architectural styles. It is on the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The Taj Mahal is considered by people around the world as one of the most romantic places on Earth. This is because Shah Jahan built the tomb in loving memory of his wife. He was grief-stricken when she passed away giving birth to their fourth child, and built the Taj Mahal so that his love for her would be known by millions of people for years to come.

I think the Taj Mahal is beautifully crafted and it indeed is a very romantic venue. Its no wonder that something so beautiful took so long to build. Construction began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, and employed thousands of artisans and craftsmen. The Taj Mahal has changed since it was first built in the 17th century. IN 1857, during the time of the Indian Rebellion, the Taj Mahal was defaced by British soldiers and government officials, who chiseled out precious stones from its walls. At the end of the 19th century, British viceroy Lord Curzon ordered a sweeping restoration project, which was completed in 1908. He also commissioned the large lamp in the interior chamber, modeled after one in a Cairo mosque. During this time the garden was remodeled with British-style lawns that are still in place today. To this day, the Taj Mahal invokes awe and wonder among all those who lay their eyes on this monument.

Beautiful Hanbok: Pride of Korean People

Hi Guys! Let me introduce you about Hanbok, Korean traditional dress.

In all cultures, traditional costume is an indicator of national character and values. Koreans have designed there to cover thier whole body but for comfortable use. Traditional clothing is called Hanbok, an abbreviation of the term Han-gukboksik (Korean attire). Hanbok forms a highly effective expression of Korean identity and changes in Hanbok design from the past to the present paralled the nation's historical development. Moreover, forms, materials and designs in Hanbok proivde a glimpse into Korean lifestyle, while its colors indicate the values and world view of the korean people. It is like the Kimono of Japan or Chipao of the China. The straight line of Hanbok and curved line form perfect harmony and balance. It also provides beauty. There is a reason why the Hanbok covers almost the whole body. Confucianism has ruled the Korean minds for much of the country's history. The Hanbok reflects there traditional values and the various types of Hanboks reflect the social position of the wearers.

Female's Hanbok has short jacket which is called "Jeogori" and its long skirts are full to provide sufficient harmony with the Jeogori. It looks elegant and neat. Male's Hanbok is consists with Jeogori and Bahji (Trouser) as the basic clthes. They add up the charms with vest and "Magoja" which is a short top coat we wear over the Jeogori. Actually, its basic color is white, but depens on season and social position, there are defferences in how to wearing them, color and meterial they use. Generally, people are wearing Hanboks during the New Year's Day or the Choo-Suk which is like Thanksgiving Day. Especially, Hanbok fits well Korean people who have small body size.

In brief, Hanbok is one of the most famous and popular dresses which representive Korea. Needless to say, I also have my Hanbok and I like it! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

No Olvidado (Not Forgotten)

Recently while looking at the Los Angeles Times online art section, this image really stood out to me. It is a 10 foot tall and nearly 100 feet wide drawing , made on more than 20 sheets of paper that wrap three walls made by Andrea Bowens. From looking at the image you can see names along the wall and those names just going and extending on for a great length of time. The image at first looks like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, listing row after row of names of people who died in Vietnam.

But the names on the wall are actually of the men, women and children who died trying to cross the border from Mexico into the United States.

Bowens uses a different style of art as she uses light and shadows to reflect off the wall and show the names in a unique form. The artist also shows the wall in an angle so both sides are able to be shown. Also some symbolism as the barbed wire shows the struggle to get to the United States.

The article can be found at: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/07/art-review-andrea-bowers-susanne-vielmetter-los-angeles-projects.html

Brandon Tatera

The Master of Neoclassicism: David!

Following the frivolous period of Rococo art, artist reveled against the established playful nature of artistic endeavors and began to revive Classical motifs and styles. The French Jacques-Louis David became the leading artist during this era, as he sought to portray the Enlighten ideas that mirrored Classical philosophy. Moreover, as an active political activist, his positions greatly influenced his art, exposing the democratic ideals behind the French Revolution.

Following a long period of aristocratic excess—exemplified through the flamboyant Rococo style—the French general populace revolted against the aristocracy and sought to establish a democratic elected government. This new ideals were reflected in the emerging artistic style of Neoclassicism. Artists, including David, aimed at portraying works for an educated audience that was acquainted with Classical motifs and imagery. David in particular, just did not focus on the revival of reason, but also on the importance of the French Revolution. In works such as The Oath of the Horatti and Oath of the Tennis Court, David exposes the self-sacrifice and patriotism that clouded the French Revolution. Furthermore, one is better able to appreciate the historical events of the Revolution through his many historical paintings. His works—such as Oath of the Tennis Court and Marie Antoinette on the Way to the Guillotine—depict portrayals of actual historical events that both portray the sequence of the revolution and the deep psychological and patriotic elements. However, David’s work and activism came to a sudden end when he was imprisoned due to his close association to radicals.

As the Revolution ended due to the rise of Napoleon, David—once again—revived his political activism and artistic might. He became the leading court painter of Napoleon and portrayed the mighty French emperor in numerous glorious posses. This shift demonstrates David's desire for glory as he tried to compose art under to leadership of two different regimes. He went out of his way to obtain artistic stardom and international recognition. Although many saw Napoleon as a betrayal of the French Revolution, David saw it as an opportunity to heighten his popularity, which brings into question his political beliefs.

The British Museum, London

The British History Museum in London arguably has one of the greatest collections of ancient artifacts and art in the world. It is not difficult to see why when you walk inside. It is impossible to cover the whole thing in one day!

These are Assyrian Lamassu, which means bull-man, statues. They used to flank the entrance to the throne room of Ashurbanipal and date back to the 6th century BC. They were revolutionary to the art world due to the fact that the artist attempted to make the statues look as though they were in motion. Each lamassu has an extra leg, so that as the viewer passed into the throne room, they appeared to be walking.

So, why, out of all the artifacts in the British Museum, did I decide to post a picture of these guys? For whatever reason, I distinctly remember discussing these particular statues in my summer art 100 class. I was so excited to get to see them. =)

The Arnolfini Double Portrait

This painting is called The Arnolfini Double Portrait, but also has other names such as The Arnolfini Wedding, The Arnolfini Marriage, or the Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife. This was painted by the Early Netherlandish painter Jan van Eyck. The painting dates back to 1434 and it is an oil painting on an oak panel.

I think this painting is a masterpiece and an important piece for art history. It gives us an idea of life back in that time. This painting embodies themes such as intimacy, love, marriage, and maybe even fertility. The way the wife is holding her gown gives off the impression that she is pregnant, but we do not know for sure whether she was or not at that time. Another interesting thing about this painting is the mirror on the wall that reflects the back of both Arnolfini and his wife. Perhaps Jan van Eyck painted himself as well; the picture isn't clear enough to zoom and see a defined portrait of himself, but one can wonder if Jan van Eyck painted himself into Arnolfini Double Portrait.

Simon Norfolk

Simon Norfolk is an interesting contemporary photographer who explores the effects of modern warfare and its place in the creation of our history as well as contemporary society. He primarily focuses on landscapes and their relationship to war in order to communicate the power of the environment and mankind. An interesting observation of his photographs is that, although the power of the environment may not play such an obvious role, many of them introduce elements of the sublime. Instead of focusing on the cataclysmic forces of nature, Norfolk seems to focus on the cataclysmic forces of man and man’s natural tendency to produce war and destruction that often results in the same feelings of terror and awe that follow natural disasters. Many of his photographs illustrate the aftermath of war and its newly accepted place within the environment. The following photograph, taken in Afghanistan, depicts a scene of a once-used road for soldiers and other traffic during war.

This photograph was taken on Gold Beach in Normandy:

Additional information and photographs for Simon Norfolk can be gathered from his website: http://www.simonnorfolk.com/pop.html

Mecca

Hey guys, this is Al-Masjid al-Haram also called Masjid al-Shariff found in Saudi Arabia. It is the largest and most famous Islamic mosque (also referred to as a masjid) in the world. This mosque is located in the strict Islamic city of Makkah (Mecca), which borders the east side of the Red Sea. This magnanimous structure covers an area of about 990 acres and includes outdoor and indoor praying spaces that can accomodate up to four million Muslim worshippers during Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam. Islamic tradition holds that the mosque was built by angels before the creation of mankind. Masjid Al-Haram also known as the Grand Mosque is the direction in which all muslims pray, so as you can see, the Masjid surrounds the Khana Ka'ba (the black figure) which encases the black stone. The black stone was originally white and was said to have fallen from the heavens. The stone is now black because it holds the power to absorb sins from the people. If you ever get close enough to it, there is lots of pushing and shoving because of the mass of people trying to kiss and touch the stone. The first picture is me taking a glance at the Ka'ba still wondering how this incredible work of religious art came to be.

Scanimation!!

Hi Guys~!
I want to introduce Scanimation! I learned it from CINEMA-25 class when I took last spring semester. Then what is Scanimation? It is rechnique that combines the eye's ability to use parallax perception moire style multiple-line patterns, and a sheet of acetate.

This literary movement was created by Rufus Butler Seder, a filmmaker, inventor, toymaker and author of several moving-picture books that use his inventive Scanimation creation, including Gallop!(2007), Swing! (2008) and his 2009 release, Waddle! In 1990, he was inspired to take the concept of moving puctures to a new dimension, so he figured out how to create murals that use no electricity, moving parts or special lighting-but still appear to move as the viewer walk by. After some experimentation, Seder developed 3-pound, 8 inch-square, lens-ribbed glass tile that appear to move. He calls them "Lifetiles". I think that it is really amazing . When you walk on the street, you can see that the tile is moving withoug not only electricity but also any power.

You can also visit his website, http://www.eyethinkinc.com/

Connecting the Dots of Digital Art

Recently while looking at the Los Angeles Times online art section, this image really stood out to me. It is an exhibit that is being shown at the Subliminal Projects Gallery on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. It is the work of a street artist, Skullphone, and part of his examination of modern landscape.

This image describes a new way of art with the use of photoshop, scanners and other new ways of using technology to make art. Art like this is becoming more popular and well known. Such art is becoming a way for artists to expand their horizons and use graffiti, spray paint and other non traditional art techniques and supplies to make a piece that even more traditional artists before them could appreciate.

The article can be found at: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-digital-street-art-20100702,0,2383555.story

Brandon Tatera

Toothpick Sculpture

Art takes many forms. This link shows one such form.

Scott Weaver has been building a sculpture of San Francisco for 35 years. He used over 100,000 toothpicks in his creation. This video shows its debut at the Sonoma County Fair.

I admire the foresight and dedication it took to create something so unusual. Not only is it a sculpture, he has also built a track inside that carries ping pong balls through the different areas of the city, including Coit Tower, Lombard Street and Alcatraz. While watching the video, you can see some of the viewers in awe and others laughing. Either way, it is a great example of a heartfelt project.

I hope you enjoy the video.

http://video.msn.com?mkt=en-us&vid=9d122d6a-8ad7-43d9-9b11-cc97c731fc09