This style of garden was first seen during the Muromachi period (1392-1568).  Karesansui Gardens are also known as Zen Gardens because  it was greatly influenced by the Zen Buddhism.

Karesansui Gardens change throughout the years, because nature plays a great part in the piece.

When i was about 15, I went to Kyoto, Japan and actually saw a Karesansui Garden with my own eyes, and I remember hearing that someone rakes the garden Everyday so it stays looking nice. The amount of effort put into this piece is impressive. Though the garden has to be raked everyday, whoever that rakes it does a great job at making it look similar everyday. One of the most impressive thing about these gardens is that they don’t leave a foot print. It must take a lot of practice to be able to rake the garden without leaving a single foot print or accidentally missing a section.

sources

• http://www.zdsee.net/bbs/attachment/Mon_0804/62_17_02c8c5056f5457f.jpg
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_rock_garden
• http://love.ap.teacup.com/datemegane/timg/middle_1202836272.jpg

Steel drum music is actually a fairly new style of music. Each drum is created from an oil-drum, and is carefully hammered to create the dents that are precisely tuned. Each drum has a wide ange of notes, and is capable of produce just about any type of music.

The idea of using the oil-drum as an instrument first came from Trinidad after hand drums and bamboo sticks were ban by the government, but it wasn’t until the 1930s that someone discovered the dents in the drums created a tone. Winston “Spree” Simon is often credited for being the first person to put a note on the steel drum.

When the drums were first used, the top was more dome shaped, unlike the steel drums we see now that are concave (bowl shaped).  Ellie Manette is said to be the person to give steel drums its modern form.

I enjoy listening to steel drum music, because often times they play songs that are upbeat. Every time I listen to steel drum music it makes me want to get up and start dancing. Also, watching the people performing is fun because they give their all, and you can tell they are enjoying the moment.

Sources

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VeaMEiWo-4
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdkG1bZxeH0&feature=related
• http://www.toucans.net/Gallery/aboutPan.html

The first photo is a picture of Mariko Mori’s Dream Temple (1999). This piece of art was the main attraction for the Rooseum exhibition. This piece of art was created to imitate the Temple of Dreams in Horyuji. It symbolizes Energy, meditation, and technology. I like this piece of art because, it reminds me of home, and my culture. It makes me realizes how sacred our traditions are. This piece fits great as an installation art because it gives off a heavenly vibe. Definitely unearthly.

Dream Temple by Mariko Mori

The next photo you see, was also created by Mariko Mori. This is another glass installation art. Wave UFO (2005) was displayed at the Public Art Fund in New York. Viewers are allowed inside the display and look around. It is said that three people can sit inside comfortably. The first thing that attracted me to this piece of art

Wave UFO by Mariko Mori

was the colors. It reminded me of the Aurora.  Also, I liked that it gives UFOs a new perspective, instead of the typical saucer.

Mariko Mori is a Japanese Artist. Graduated from Bunka Fashion College in 1988, then continued to London’s Byam Shaw School of Art and Chelsea College of Art . Her style of art is a mix of pop art and techno.

This next piece of art is a Bead Installation Art. Stacee Kalmanovsky’s Rain (2005) is displayed in Ometti, Lo Spazio. When Kalmanvosky created this piece, she was trying to imitate rain,because raindrops move too fast, and we can

Rain by Stacee Kalmanvosky

never actually see them. She did a great job at accomplishing her goal. I like it because every time I look at the photo I feel like time has stopped, and sometimes, its nice to be able to just escape to our own little world.

Stacee Kalmanvosky was born in Belorussia in 1981 and moved to the US in 1989. She has being involved with art since she was young and to this day, is still pursuing her Artistic Career.

The next piece I would like to introduce to you is Kirsten Hassenfeld’s Paper Installtion Art Dans La Lune (2007) commissioned by Rice University Art Gallery. Hassenfeld is to have an “obsession” with paper art. She often uses non-precious material, such as paper and clear vellum, for her works. She is known for the elegance in her work.

Dans La Lune by Kirsten Hassenfeld

Dans La Lune was made to imitate chandeliers, but it reminded me more of a bird-cage when I first saw it. The lights on the inside makes me think of a mystical creature or something. I personally like the idea of it being a cage because it makes me feel like a little kid, and I would love to escape the craziness in our economy and go back to being a kid.

Bruce Munro’s Field of Light is a great piece of art. Munro thought of putting this piece together 15 years ago, when he was traveling through Australia. Field of Light comprises over 15,000 individual lights, and they change color slowly over time.

I liked this piece because it puts me at peace when I look at it. It reminds me of a nice summer night, which is my favorite season. The light bulbs remind me of fireflies. Growing up, Ive

Field of Light by Bruce Munro

always wanted to run through an open field full of fireflies on a summer night, and I like how it takes me back to the times I was able to be a kid and just fantasize about random things, because I don’t really have th time to do that sort of stuff anymore.

The last piece to be introduced is Chinese artist Zhan Wang’s Urban Landscape (2005) presented in Williams College Museum of Art. In this Piece, Zhan recreated the city of Beijing with all sort of cookware, including dishes, utensils, and even dishwashers, and many more. The thing that I like about this piece is that It reminds me of home. Though my home is in Japan, the image of a big city reminds me of home. Also all the silver makes me think of the future. And it just astonishes me to think that someone actually put that all together without it all crashing all over the place. I know if I were to even attempt to put it together, i wouldnt last for a whole minute with everything falling to the ground.

Urban Landscape by Zhan Wang

Resources

• http://www.staceekalmanovsky.com/Portfolio-Gallery/Installations/index.html
• http://www.publicartfund.org/pafweb/projects/04/metrotech/semprecious_hassenfeld_04.html
• http://www.fieldoflight.co.uk/event.php?event_id=2
• http://www.deitch.com/artists/sub.php?artistId=15
• http://www.wcma.org/press/06/06_ZhangWang.shtml
• http://caliber.ucpress.net/doi/abs/10.1525/gfc.2007.7.2.9?journalCode=gfc

The Ascent of Ethiopia

The Ascent of Ethiopia, 1932, was painted by Lois Mailou Jones. She was an African-American painter during the Harlem Renaissance.

Dr. Jones has once commented that her contribution to the arts was a “proof of the talent of black artists. The African-American artist is important in the history of art and I have demonstrated it by working and painting here and all over the world.”

At first glance, I liked this painting because the colors are eye-catching and and to me it’s funky and fun. I also liked how the painting doesn’t just represent paintings, but also both  theatre and music.

BUT that is not all this painting is about. This painting actually has a very deep meaning behind it. This painting represents “PRIDE.” Pride of the African-Americans’ accomplishments and achievements of having to make sacrifices in order to make it through the harsh society and life.

Not only did Dr. Jones influence the Harlem Renaissance, but her paintings were empowering to many African-American.

Sources used were…

• Wikipedia
• negroartist.com

Ludwig van Beethoven is a well known musician from the Classical Era. Beethoven was born into middle class family. His father was a musician and his mother is known to be a very kind lady. Beethoven started learning music at a very young age and had his first public performance when he was 7 and a half years old. The fact that Beethoven’s music influenced many people even to this day symbolizes hope to the middle and lower class.

Of all his work, the most popular work would be the 5th Symphony, which Beethoven composed between 1804 and 1808. I like this piece of music because I am familiar with it.  i have never truely enjoyed classical music, but the tunes to the 5th symphony is very catchy and though the tone sounds serious, it has a playfulness hidden inside. We often only hear the beginning which has a very dramatic tune, but the other parts of the composition can have an upbeat tune, and it can keep my attention long enough that I won’t fall asleep. Which is what I liked the most about the composition.

I recieved some of my information from called Biography: Beethoven’s Life <http://www.lvbeethoven.com/Bio/BiographyLudwig.html>

Also I used youtube to find the music clip.

Triumph of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Andrea Pazzo’s Triumph of St. Ignatius of Loyola ( painted on the Sant’Ignazio church‘s ceiling, located in Rome, Italy is considered to be Pazzo’s best work ever. Unfortunately the date of which the painting on the ceiling was completed is unknown, but according to absoluteastronomy.com we can estimate that it was painted sometime between 1685 and 1694.

Pazzo’s paintings were most likely influenced by The Council of Trent. The Council of Trent took place in Italy, where Pazzo spent most of his life, and also the council mainly concered the churches in Italy. Pazzo’s paintings were widely known in the churches, and this painting in specific was painted on the ceiling of a church, which makes it obvious that there was a most definite connection between Pazzo and the churches during this time period.

Because the picture above is so small it is very hard to see the little details, but if you are able to see a bigger copy you can see that Pazzo put effort into every little detail, including facial expressions and muscules. Also, the four corners with the pilar each represents a continent; Africa, America, Asia, and one that I could not identify, but I am assuming that it is Europe. To me the most appealing thing about the painting was that it was done on flat ceiling. Looking at the painting you would think that the ceiling was dome-shaped, but no. It is all technique that allowed Pazzo to create the illusion of depth. Also, I liked the vibrant colors used in the painting. I think depending on who looks at the painting, it can be very inspiring. Though the people in the painting look like they are struggling, they all look lively, (and the sky is blue.)  Then In the center, there is Ignatius standing proud, with confidence. To me, that screams “Everything’s going to be ok. The sun is still shining and tomorrow will come.”

Netherlandish Proverbs

At first glance, you may think the painting simply illustrates the people of the Netherlands. That was what I thought. But as I looked into this painting, Netherlandish Proverbs (1559), painted by Pieter Bruegel the Elder in Staatliche Museen, Berlin (now Gemaldegaerie, Berlin), I learned that every individual, object, and action all have a satirical significance. There is said to be over 100 proverbs illustrated in this paining, in which some are still used in the Netherlands and Dutch.

Some of the proverbs illustrated in the paintings are….

• To bang one’s head against a brick wall.
  Which means to try to achieve the impossible

• The world is turned upside down.
  Which means everything is the opposite of what it should be

• She puts the blue cloak on her husband.
  Which means she deceives him

An interesting fact about Pieter Bruegel the Elder and his paintings is that, though as a Flemish Painter he received support from the royalties of Spain (Charles V and the Hapsburgs,) his paintings are said to reflect the peasants of the time rather than the church or the royalties.

Bruegel’s paintings are most influenced by Humanism and Hieronymous Bosch. Humanism allows him to paint the human nature as it is. Of course, in this case he isn’t exactly illustrating the beauty of human nature, but it’s still spin off of it. With  Bosch’s influence, his paintings are satirical. So with the combination of the two influences, bruegel’s paintings are possible.

The reason why I enjoy this painting so much is probably because I feel like there is so much more meaning to it than other painting I often see. I can make a direct connection, and for a person that has very little interest in painting, the theme is straight forward enough that I can understand the signmificance of the painting. When I mentioned that the painting has more meaning earlier, I was reffering to the fact that instead of the painting illustrating people’s beliefs and faith, it illustrates the people themselves as they were. With this painting we can actually see how people acted back in the day, which it ios not so far from how we act today. I believe everyday actions have much more significance compared to one big event, and because Netherlandish Proverbs is a collection of everyday actions I am more attracted to it and I feel like I can connect to it more.

simply me.

I suppose this is where it all starts.

So good luck to me.