Getty Museum

The Getty Museum is an enormous museum I ever had a visit in U.S.A. Everything in the Getty Museum is an art include buildings, backgrounds, market, and exhibitions inside the buildings. There is a long beautiful pool between two buildings, wonderful green trees, small- rounded cactuses, the cactus flowers that I do not know a name, and some trees placed in snake shape. In addition, a scene of a city and mountain first and second floor was really great. There are total about six buildings, and four buildings have different exhibitions such as past European paintings, royal furniture, Greece mysterious gods, photos, ceramics, sculptures, and Christianity paintings (my mom loves the candles).

European paintings are so classical and have several specific details with a detailed brush - touch. So, it seemed like the plants, waves, and people alive and move at any moment. For instance, folding parts of the robe which Roman pope was where were painted in dark red (the deepest part), light red (top surface of folding), and red paint (in between dark and light red paintings). This man holding a book, its each page was well disrupting. This is another example: there is a landscape painting of the port. It just seems simpler wave when I see it from farther direction but I could see several shapes of the waves like a seagull, half- rounded curve, and etc.- when I came to the painting closely. These waves seem to move, and it makes me feel like I stood on port to watch the wave.

Royal furniture is extremely magnificence with decorated pieces such as angel, human, and lion feet. Some furniture legs have the lion feet, and I make a small theory about it like lion feet means power, leadership, and charisma of a king. Royal candles hang on the wall or top of the room. These candles will be bright like a star if put a fire on the candles.

Two rooms were about Greece mystery gods (one is painted and one is sculpture). I could see Athena, Venus, and other mystery gods I plasters or bronze form. I didn’t recognize they are Greece gods at first, they have very smooth surface, so it doesn’t seem like it was made by plasters or bronze. The sculptor gave specific details on each piece of clothes, hair, and expressions include its paintings. Unlike the sculpture, the paintings show a scene about the mysteries of the gods involved with more than one god.

There are also two rooms for Christianity paintings. One room I did not stay in some minutes, there are too many rooms to see it; however, I stayed another room some minutes. These paintings were about the scenes that how Jesus got tortured, died, and rebirth. It also has an amazing brush touch.

There is room for photo exhibition but I didn’t like this exhibition because I am not like to take photos even though I like drawing and making, and I could not understand the photos such as part of the human face or building.

After I visited to this museum, I learned some lessons that the past art works are very classical and can call it ‘art’ when I compare to current art. Some current art works are deteriorating and cannot call it ‘art’ like the photos of hitting the scene. All current art has diversity but involved less art technique and abilities like brush touch, color variation, detail, and color balance.

Counterfactual Identity in 2070

She is a college student and attending online classes only as other normal students does. There is no classroom and no school buildings but one small office which connects a network between student and professors, provide the academic and online system information, and solve students’ problems through a network. Thus, she just needs to see lecture videos, post homework on class blogs, send e-mail to professor to ask a question any time of a day through a 7 inch minicomputer which has 32GB memory, high speed internet, and diversity programs such as NCA (National Career Association) - which helps people to develop and explore their career through the online. She was registered in NCA for the medical career by a code usf0250, but not a name. Her name is Verona but it was used only when she talks with friends, family, and neighbors. School, job, and business application or paper works require her code only neither a birth date nor social security number needed. Her daily schedule is not changing most time, wake up every morning with computer alarm, see lecture videos, do part time works through the computer, and turn on cleaner robot which do all his works like vacuum the ground, wash the dishes, and take the trash out. She mostly spent a day in sitting position and not goes outside the home mostly but she is skinny and does not have a fat because there is a product which reduces a fat by just push a button on and wear around a stomach like a belt. Holiday is no meaningless, and people count it as a normal day. The only difference between a holiday and normal day is no work and no lecture. Therefore, she tries to make some difference every holiday to go to shopping and visit many beautiful places, the mountains because she likes the diversity and wants to be different from other people who well ok with the same life schedule. Most mountains of the world have been disappeared to build more buildings and hard to see original mountains. Furthermore, these are more paintings about still life than landscape. Therefore, she wears a band starts ‘I love green’ to participate earth- club activities such as written a propaganda or long essays on an earth protection website with other club mates. Like above, she likes little complicated life but she still depends her life on the techniques of the computer.

Art of Africa: Ornament vs. the Palace Altar

Africa had plenty of natural resources in 7^th century such as gold, ivory, ebony, incense, and animal skin (leopard); therefore, African Arts has been used with natural resources like the artwork ‘Ornament’ and ‘the Palace Altar’. Some of Islamic Arts spread to the South Africa, and it affected African Arts.

Both ‘Ornament’ and ‘the Palace Altar’ are royalty remains in 10sth century and the very valuable remains of the country. ‘Ornament’ belongs to the queen and ‘the Palace Altar’ belongs to the king. They have been made with natural resources like ‘Ornament’ made with gold and ‘the Palace Altar’ made with ebony and ivory. They are also the symbols of the country and used in important matters. Each of these has symbolic meanings and added part of the animal body which are found easily in Africa.

The most materials of ‘Ornament’ are a pure gold and some paintings were over the some areas like a neckline of the figure in half moon shape. The ram’s head in the middle of it is the only creature in this piece, and the disk and half-moon-shaped piece are subjects to organize this artwork. The ream’s head is a symbol of Kush. A round - shaped figure behind the ram’s head face represents the sun and the disk represents an entryway to Kushan Temple. The round and the diamond patterns are repeated in half-moon- shaped figure. This artwork belongs to the tomb of Queen Amanishakheto.

Unlike ‘Ornament’, ‘the Palace Altar’ made with the ivory and ebony. This artwork is not combining and separated into several pieces. Four ebony materials of humanly faced shop are surrounded the king’s figure, and each of them has half- rounded ivory figure in different size on top of the head’s hole. Two small figures support king figure with a shield like they protect the king from the danger. Plenty of the bamboo was lined up behind the king figure, and bells in different shapes and sizes are around the king figure to show the center of the country is a king.

It is interesting to see the artwork with ebony and ivory materials. The color and texture of each material are smooth and very fantastic. I want to have some chance to sculpt with materials.

Architecture Art: Mosques vs. Palace

 Mosque started to establish in 900 C.E. by Islamic ruler who needed a place for congregational prayer. According to the textbook, there is a phrase that ‘early Islamic architectures drew inspiration from the description of the Prophet’s house’ as Muhammad’s house to preach and gather the faithful. Palace is a construction for royal families who had a daily exercise in here and call it ‘home’. Royal families also using this palace to discuss important political issues with nobles, set a celebration, and make a relationship with the foreign countries.

Both mosques and palace have been a huge impact on people’s life and their cultural construction art. These constructions built by best architecture and were good examples of architecture in that century. Each wall of these constructions has its own pattern of mosaics and shapes like ‘dome in front of the Mihrab’ and ‘court of the lions at Alhambra Palace’. Both ‘Mihrab’ and ‘Alhambra Palace’ are magnificent and most detail constructions. Several detail pillars on each side of these constructions support the roof and prevent the destruction.

Inside the mosques, there is the wall with mark ‘qibla’, and this place was built for Muslims who face forward during praying. Also, there are room called ‘iwans which used for study, rest, or schooling. The surface of every entrance of the mosques was covered with two colorful glazed tile mosaics, and the wall was covered with geometric patterns and stylized plant forms such as flowers, tendrils, foliages, and stems. Furthermore, there are two domes visible on the roof, and structure of constructions allows for light to enter through an opened window by the arches play over the glittering gold mosaics.

Unlike the mosques, the surfaces of entrance of the palace do not have glazed tile mosaics but simple wall with simple geometric shapes. There are many empty and open spaces through porches, open entryways, and pavilions. The foundation in outdoor connected to hole indoor of the palace by long and thin tunnel. Middle of the court of the palace was open, so the air and the sunshine can through both indoor and outdoor. Additionally, several diamond patterns covered the top of each pillar.

These constructions are very beautiful and artistic but it is useless and charged huge area of land. People must be using these places for the museum or other event places, so people can get two benefits: see old cultural constructions closely and directly, and find the right place to enjoy ceremonies or see other artist’s artworks.

What is a Beauty?

The word ‘beauty’ has many meanings, and there is a no specific definition of beauty. Its meaning is either keeping changing or establishes it permanent by individual person who set right definition of beauty based on their backgrounds, situations, principles, and views. Moreover, people can establish the meaning of beauty more than one, and it does not confuse the people. For instance, some artistic student prefers both physical and mental beauty to create new art work. This student found pretty landscape as a subject and start to draw the landscape on the canvas. But, at the same time, this study also adds more points that do not exist in real landscape bit it comes from the view of the mind and feelings because adding more paints bring a deep impression  to the mind or the mind finds ‘hidden beauty’ of the nature which cannot see it physically.

By the ‘beauty’ lecture on last Tuesday night, the classmates and the professor found several beauties: physical beauty which makes people’ eye pleasures, the mental beauty which comes from the mind, and etc. My definitions of ‘beauty’ are same as them, and I probably have more definitions of beauty in my life that I have not recognized yet. However, these are minor definitions to me; I think the major definition of beauty is people’s hard work for the goals, dreams, careers, and dreams. The result of hard work can be ended without a success or get worse condition but their best trying for anything is bright as a star and remains as a wonderful moment permanently after few moments later. Strong attraction to the career is another majority definition of beauty. Strong attraction to the career makes work brilliant. It means that person who feels very attached to one specific subject like a music or literature art, they do incredible work. Their mental voice and the knowledge of career are combine together perfectly, and become brilliant as the star in darkness space.

Chinese Art Vs. Japanese Art

 There was repeated-invasions and conquest from north to south in China; it shaped Chinese thinking and arts. Most Chinese Arts have been found with artifacts in jade and ceramics. The Japanese Art of Neolithic Cultures established on the island by 10,000 B.C.E. Japanese culture came into clear focus (burial mounds and architectures) during the first century. Its geography –separated from another country or lands- affects of Japanese Art.

Both Chinese Art and Japanese Art based on Neolithic Cultures during the first century. Since the art material was ceramic sands, their art works being called ‘burial mounds’. These art works relate to their beliefs or their important object in their century as ‘Haniwa’ from Japanese Art. During the first century, the horse is very important to Japan because it is one of transportation and represents ‘honor of Samurai’- means soldiers. Additionally, their art works are not colorful as current art pieces and can recognize its natural resources to just see it closely as shown in the bottom of this paragraph.

Chinese Arts are based on their beliefs. Shihuangei was the first emperor in China, and he worked on his underground burial site called ‘Terra-Cotta-Army’ based on his believe ‘immortality’. He made the soldiers, archers, cavalrymen, and charioteers’ burials in ghostly gray color, whose stand around his tomb because he believed he needs them after him dead. He also placed soldiers to facing east and the directions that danger might occur suddenly to protect his tomb. ‘Bronze’ is another example of Chinese Art; the only elite family could use it valuably as a wine vessel or banquets to offering foods to the ancestor. Two figures on top of it means horn, legs are stylized as a dragon, and appear birds on band; therefore, in past Chinese’ belief, people can practice communication with the spirit world through animal go- betweens.

Unlike Chinese Art, Japanese Art in the first century was more focus on architectures around the natures as shown in photograph called ‘Inner Shrine’. It is an unusual costume in this century. It involves a belief of the numerous nature deities that are felt to be. For instance, this house built near the waterfall because they believed purification through water helps communication with and appeasement of sprits. Their construction materials are gnarled trees, and they only allow to their family and priest to enter this house. The shrine’s appearance looks like the face of a soldier with a war hat. Each endpoint of a root has two horns, and sharp six thin rounded- branches forwardly.

Their art works are very amazing and help to have an easy understanding about past cultural life of each nation. They are very characteristic and have many specific details based on ancestors’ belief and daily life.

Buddhism Art Vs. Hinduism Art

The word ‘Buddhism’ come from Siddhartha Gautama, later know as the Buddha. He imposes rigid ideas about social order derived from the Verdus. He believed social equality and personal access to the spiritual realm. His believing and desire has been extinguished by cultivating non- attachment as ‘Stupas’. Hinduism became the dominant religion in India much later that Buddhism was established. Hinduism emphasis ritual sacrifice, evolved in its thinking. There are more than one religion in Hinduism, and established by Indian’s belief about religions in Hindu.

Both Buddhism and Hinduism Arts are based on Indian’s belief about a life cycle. Each their God or Gods who five them liberation from the life cycle, which repeat their life over and over as the three stages: life (creation), death (destruction), and rebirth. Each side also adds or put their religion’s creator into their art pieced as shown in next to the third and fourth paragraph. These art pieces are their symbols and there more following art pieces about their creators. Creator’s pose in art work has meanings like footprints in art work means the direction that creator goes to.

Buddhism Art represents an eight fold path of moral and ethical behavior to see the true nature as shown in next to this paragraph. It is one of Sanchi’s eight memorial mounds called stupas. It is a solid earthen mound and represents gateway of the life cycle, the honor of their religions, and shelter as a woman in this stone shows the power of the women and blessing of the animals, natures, and people who enter this gate. The man stone in meditated position indicated his present as a symbol and means his first sermon to the people.

To contrast Buddhism Art, Hinduism Art represents many gods as shown next to this paragraph. This stone is being called ‘Vishnu Dreaming the Universe’. There is goddess Lakshmi who holds a man’s foot who wear a cylindrical crown, it represents the energy of the female. The man who is in meditation position is god Brahama, who represents the creation of space and time by thinking. According to the textbook, he has been saying ’may I become many’. The total meaning of this stone is that ‘god guarantees their liberation from the life cycle with pure consciousness.

Theses two different arts have a very interesting meaning about life cycle, and it is well shown peoples'’ belief at this time.