Halloween Nights

......"The  corpse that walks, its solemn line.  The vampire stalks, finds blood to dine.
The werewolf howls at the silver moon. His human form what's showing at noon.
The mummy cries of pain and loss. His wraps that smell of must and moss.
The witch that flies, upon her broom, casting curses and spelling doom".....

http://patch.com/massachusetts/newton/halloween-happenings-in-newton-this-weekend

One witch - 'Hexe' - is flying all the way to Europe to 'trick or treat' them there!

Ice Hockey with Flair

BC and their Ice hockey teams are known about in Boston. For New England with its tradition of long winters it is a favorite sport .  There are always many supporters for the male team but now there is a growing awareness for the women's team. Long ponytails are often the only 'female' sign when the players move on the ice rink quick and forceful.

Their next game will be October 31 at 7 pm in the Conte Forum on the BC campus. They play against the Friars from Providence.  Go and see for yourself, fill those seats and cheer for the BC hockey players!

http://www.bceagles.com/sports/w-hockey/bc-w-hockey-body.html

No photos please!

The long awaited show of Goya's works opened in the MFA and art critics are full of praise.  Years of curatorial research and preparations resulted in this interesting exhibition.  The guards have the difficult task to catch and inform 'innocent' visitors using their smartphones to take pictures.   I followed the rule and took the above photo of the slide show before entering.

    http://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/goya   

Taking photos in museums has become a distraction from focused looking and examining  the actual art objects as they are.   Next to the exit is the well stocked bookstore with much more then just  the exhibit catalogue and books about Goya.  Will sales rise when no photos are allowed?

Noddle's Island

In 1620 William Noddle settled on an Island - therefore called Noddle's Island - before Boston was founded by the Pilgrims.  As a memory to both him and then the thousands of immigrants who arrived later in Boston, an attractive pavilion was built in East Boston's Pier Park.  This park has a picture book view of downtown Boston and all the passing boats.

The pavilion is richly decorated with symbols of the many countries from which immigrants arrived in Boston during the last 300 years.  They came from all parts of the world escaping to find a better future in the United States.  Now more and more young and hip Americans moving to Boston find that East Boston is an attractive part of town. The parting and landing airplanes from Logan airport fortify their dreams of international travels. 

http://www.bostonharborwalk.com/placestogo/location.php?nid=4&sid=24

"LAM" who?

His name is WIFREDO LAM!  You would not be the only one not yet knowing this artist. However, remember this name because there will be retrospective shows in the Tate Modern Gallery in London and in the Centre Pompidou in Paris coming soon.  Far in advance and right now, many of his paintings and drawings are exhibited in the McMullen Museum in Boston College.

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/artmuseum/exhibitions/archive/lam/index.html

Wilfredo Lam with multiracial background lived in Cuba, Spain, Italy and in Paris, France.  It is engaging to recognize in his paintings the influence of artists known to us. 

Once we think of Matisse, once we think of Picasso and we can find even Pollock's drip technique. 

There are imprints of many styles and in conclusion we meet an artist open-minded to all the cultures he lived in and an acceptance of a life filled with social engagement, love, war, tragedy and happiness.  His paintings - perhaps a metamorphose into poetry in visual form?  

MFA revisited

It is still warm enough to sit outside the Garden Cafeteria in the Calderwood Courtyard of the MFA. Most of the time I keep my distance to large dogs but with this 'Pair of Great Danes' I feel relaxed and can enjoy the beauty of these watch dogs.

Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington (1876-1973) was one of the most famous American animal sculptors and created these Great Danes in 1907.  The sculptures where installed in the courtyard last Spring and after a naming contest with over 20.000 entries they are now named BRENDA and HUGO. 

http://youtu.be/zgz8HkH8OXo

Inspirations

The Decorative Art Museum in Paris, in the same building as the Louvre in Rue de Rivoli is a comprehensive museum in its own right.  In one part, the permanent exhibition of the history of decorative arts from the middle ages up to our times. In another part, special exhibitions which is right now (until Nov. 2) about the Belgian fashion designer Dries van Noten.  No photos allowed - but the entrance is already an introduction to this sparkling exhibition.  The designer refers to the many different inspirations he obtained by visiting the collection of this museum.    http://www.driesvannoten.be/news.php   

The cabinet makers who created a cabinet with this large flower arrangement in marquetry - were they inspired by Belgian paintings?  Since the Egyptians flowers and plants are our eternal source for happiness and awe for the beauty and power of Mother Nature.

http://www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr/english-439/