Some symbolism for France ? On verra ....

On April 2, 2014 the work by French light artist Claude Lévêque was installed in the iconic glass pyramid by IM Pei above the entrance of the Louvre.  The 22 meter zigzag line in blood red neon is installed between the top of the pyramid and the stairs below. After the terrorist attacks in Paris on January 7 it appears to me like an upsetting symbol for the danger in which the unity of the French Republic finds itself.

The artist, who is sensitive to social issues, mentioned in an interview at the inauguration of his work last year "The political situation in France is very serious and must be countered through civic positions clear and determined. We must be very vigilant."

I do not know how it happened, but for the first time, one of the glass squares in the inverted pyramid had cracked. As security the perimeter is now roped off.  A certain beauty is in the spidery pattern but  I hope it can be restored very soon.

http://www.hotellouvremarsollier.com/blog/leveque-exhibition/

Park without castle

The Park St. Cloud just to the West of Paris and Boulogne-Billancourt, can easily be reached by public transportation.  There one can walk for hours in a designed landscape under large trees and on straight walks designed by Le Notre already in the 18th Century. The castle which then was existing for the brother of Louis XIV, was destroyed 1871 and now its layout is just marked with pyramidical formed trees.  To our surprise there are plans to reconstruct the castle again!   http://www.reconstruisonssaintcloud.fr/english.html

Actually, the interesting topography and the 450 acres of parkland are gratifying enough. The view from the park's terrace shows plenty of buildings.  Dare we say, that there are already enough castles in France?

Chilled to the bone

Looking at the Rhododendron leaves in the garden, we can quickly judge how cold it is. Faster then looking up the weather app on the iPad!  This morning with temperatures of -20C they were curled like cigarettes and now - early afternoon - by the warmth of the sun they opened up somewhat.
More cold and the (long awaited) snow will come this weekend:  http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/snow-midwest-northeast-thursday-friday/40234992

With all the civilized world we feel icy even inside when hearing the news from the terror attack in Paris.

Where are the good and warming rays of empathy which will give hope to thaw the hearts?

New Year's reflections

One of the Buddha sculptures in the Yale Art Gallery in New Haven communicates to us, with his hands making the Abhaya mudra: "have no fear, peace, protection and benevolence".  Suitable to take to heart these days and for the coming months.

Our reason to travel to New Haven was to see the show "Roman in the Provinces".
http://artgallery.yale.edu/exhibitions/exhibition/roman-provinces-art-periphery-empire

This exhibition will travel to the McMullen at BC and can be visited there starting February 14.
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/artmuseum/

All over in Europe there are still Roman ruins and the cultures and languages are rooted in the Roman empire. Therefore this long gone empire is always fascinating to learn more about. The facts of human nature are surprisingly familiar even to us in the 21th Century.

This early Byzantine mosaic (ca 6th century BC), for example, with the personifications of Pleasure and Wealth as something to wish for is indeed still in our aspirations.  Apolau (pleasure) a beautiful women leaning and holding on to Plouto (wealth) who is a man spreading gold coins. A situation continuing to be familiar to us in modern times.

Just follow the list

Did you have a Merry Christmas with FUN?   If not, for the next Christmas (we will soon have one again) just follow this list, written down by our advisor Eva Mai:

We started with step one at the beginning of December, omitted step 4 and finished with step 8 today.

Now we are working on a list for the New Year 2015!

https://www.newyear.in/new-year-resolutions/

List or no list: Happy New Year, peace on earth and goodwill to all!

O Tannenbaum ...

In the rotunda of the MFA, the many lights of the traditional Christmas tree are both festive and shine on the illustrious Sargent murals.  If the symbolism of the figures is not easy to interpret, there is now a book in the bookstore, part of the MFA Spotlight series, which is a comprehensive guide to the murals and their surroundings.

The image above the tree and the first one that visitors see when walking up the great staircase symbolizes the role most museums have in allegorical form:

Athena, goddess of wisdom shields Architectura, Sculptura and Pictura from god Kronos and the ravages of time.

                                  http://www.sargentmurals.bpl.org/site/sargent/01_mfa.html

One of the reasons to visit museums as often as possible, to be shielded from time.....  

Two entrances to one museum

Entering the new 'Fogg' from Quincy street across Harvard Yard, all seems the same as before the renovation and enlargement works had been done behind closed doors.

However,  inside and looking up to the glass roof one  realizes the new spaciousness. Three museum collections - the Busch-Reisinger, the Arthur M. Sackler and the Fogg - are now united and the art objects juxtaposed in the galleries.  A 'teaching machine' which will give opportunities to look and learn not just for Harvard students but for the many other students in the Boston area.  

The Fogg building has now two entrances/exits and invites students and the public to use it as a 'shortcut' from Prescott street to Harvard Yard. The museum cafe and the museum shop can be visited without a museum ticket and invite passersby to forget the 'shortcut' and stay to enjoy the interior courtyard's space.

Compared to the Quincy entrance, the Prescott entrance has no trace of familiarity but the look of a new museum we waited for for so many years. Renzo Piano, the architect had to meet loud complains
by the neighbors. Too late for them now and better for them to enter and enjoy the inside and  all the beauty there.
http://www.harvardartmuseums.org/about/mission