1 Million Pages

Contemporary painting and sculpture     
 
Art and Culture
  
 
Throughout the twentieth century, artists in the vanguard have repeatedly challenged convention by exploring new avenues of expression and seeking alternative forms to embody new ideas. In the early years of the century, the so-called fauve artists (”wild beasts”) in France, led by Henri Matisse, experimented with vivid, highly saturated colors and bold brushwork to evoke intense emotional responses. Later, artists such as the Russian Wassily Kandinsky carried these experiments further, creating abbreviated shapes that, however abstract, were meant to stand for specific concepts or forms.
Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque were responsible for one of the most radical innovations of the century. In their cubist paintings, these artists defied the long-held notion that painting provided a “window” into deep fictional space. Instead, they fractured forms and space into shifting planes and reduced their palette to a few muted tones. Yet Picasso never favored absolute abstraction as did Piet Mondrian, who eventually eliminated any reference to the natural world from the rigorous compositions of straight lines and primary colors that he intended as the expression of an ideal and universal order.

Surrealist artists, through a variety of styles and media, sought to exploit the internal world of imaginings and the unconscious. René Magritte, for example, employed precise illusionism to subvert expectations about reality. Others, including Joan Miró, employed the technique of automatism, making doodles or random marks on paper or canvas to trigger associations in the viewer’s imagination. European surrealists provided a critical example for postwar American artists such as David Smith and Jackson Pollock. In his welded metal sculpture Smith incorporated “found” objects that, as a kind of sculptural equivalent to automatism, were often arranged to evoke the standing figure.

Pollock recorded his ideas and gestures on the canvas in dense webs of poured paint. Like his fellow abstract expressionists Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko, Pollock believed that abstraction would achieve all the expressive potential of representational art. By the 1960s, Pop artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein were exploring alternatives to abstract expressionism with subjects drawn from popular culture and a style informed by mass mechanical reproduction.

Introducing the Djembe     
 
Music,Entertainment,Art and Culture
  
 
The djembe is part of the membranophone group of drums. In its traditional form this drum is constructed of wood shaped like a large goblet that has animal skin stretched over it. One of West Africas favourite drums it creates a deep bass sound when played correctly due to its goblet shaped shell.

The drum’s history can be traced all the way back to the Mali Empire of the twelfth century and to the tribes of either the Mandinka or Susu (also known as Numu). As the Mandika tribe crossed Africa the djembe travelled with them , it was readily adopted and over time its usage became widespread. The people of these tribes believe that the drum contains three spirits, one of the person who makes the djembe, one from the tree from which the wood is taken, and one from the animal whose hide is used to complete the drum. Today, people prefer to use goatskin to cover the drum and they decorate it by carving designs into the wood and attaching braided rope to give each one a unique appearance and flair.

Surprisingly the word djembe is actually French in origin and not African as you might suspect. The French colonised parts of Africa where they studied the music of the people as well as their instruments. As they do not have a hard ‘j’ in their language they chose to use ‘dj’ and it is this spelling that has gained the greatest recognition. There are currently numerous accepted spellings of the drum including jembe, djimbe and yembe. It was in the 1950’s and 1960’s around Paris that the djembe grew in public awareness due to be it extensively used by the ballet ensemble Les Ballet Africains. From then on the drum has grown in popularity around the world, particularly amongst drummers who appreciate its unique sound.

In Africa the drum rhythm, known as the diansa, is played at celebrations such as baptisms and weddings and also to commemorate important events such as full moons and the changing of the seasons. Some have even suggested that African peoples have used the sound produced by the drum in order to send messages over long distances, making use of the different sounds to communicate different meanings like a type of musical code.

The people of Africa also use other instruments to accompany the djembe, typically bells and dundun drums. The Wolof tribe from Senegal uses the djembe as part of an elaborate dance performed by their women. While the instrument is played the women dance the ‘Sabar’, a provocative dance meant to attract and entice their men.

You can create a sound with the djembe using one of three basic techniques. The first technique is where you create a ‘bass’ note by hitting the middle of the drum with the palm of an open hand. A ‘tone’ is produced when you hit the rim of the drum with flat fingers and a ’slap’ is the same action but with your fingers relaxed.

Djembesare now made by specialist drum makers all over the world and are sought after by students, tourists, professional musicians and hobbyists alike. Musically it is hard to resist moving to the driving beats of a well-played djembe, and even novices to drumming enjoy the primal energy of handling a djembe.

Mp3 And Its Advantages     
 
Art and Culture,Music
  
 
Few things in my life do I use more often and enjoy than my mp3 music player. Well, maybe its not all that great, but I do really love the idea of mp3 music players. I’m so tired of CDs I could just scream. Sure, they’re way better than the different forms of music storage mediums that came before, but that’s not saying a whole lot. There’s nothing more frustrating than putting on your favorite CD only to hear it skip like crazy during the best songs.
Even taking extremely good care of my CDs, they still somehow get scratched all the time. Furthermore, just trying to keep all my CDs organized is a major hassle. I think I’ve spent many hours putting CDs away in different folds and organizing the different CD cases, and while this used to be kind of fun back when I was in high school and didn’t own many albums, now that I’ve got a large collection it is a total drag. For these reasons alone, I’ve been a big fan of mp3 music players since they first started hitting markets several years ago.

The first mp3 music players were ridiculously expensive, but I just had to have one. Maybe I’m just a technology junkie, or maybe I had just finally had enough of CDs. I do remember the first mp3 music players came out shortly after I’d had my main CD holding folder filled with 90% of the music I’d collected over the years stolen. I’m sure that also had something to do with my decision to make the plunge and get an mp3 music player. I’d already spent a small fortune rebuilding my CD collection, so I guess I figured why not spend another small fortune, get an mp3 music player, and never have to worry about stolen or scratched CDs again?

While I haven’t been worrying much about stolen or scratched CDs since then, I have been worrying about crappy mp3 music players a lot. The first one I bought was such a piece of garbage compared to the newer ones, its not even funny. Fortunately, the mp3 music player I have now is pretty sweet. It’s made by Panasonic, works with my car and has all sorts of neat little features.

Of course, now that the mp3 music players have gotten good, Apple just had to come out with something better. Their iPods are in fact pretty nice, but they of course have their own spiffy music format that doesn’t work with other mp3 music players. Isn’t that just so typically Apple?

Spiritualism and magic     
 
Art and Culture
  
 
It is a curious commentary on the public’s love of the occult that people wish to believe that magicians are mediums. If a magician poses as a medium and presents his effects as spiritualistic phenomena, his earnings are greatly enhanced. Even if later (as has been done by the Davenport Brothers, J. S. Davies, George Leo Wilkins, and others), he exposes his methods and explains in detail how he fooled his audiences, many spiritualists will continue to believe him to be a genuine medium.
In spite of the campaign of the late Houdini against fraudulent mediums in Chicago and his exposes from the stage of the Princess Theater, many people were convinced that Houdini was a true medium and was only using exposures as a means of throwing people off the track from the real methods of accomplishing his other effects. Many people today still think that Houdini was a medium and that he escaped from his many manacles by dematerializing himself into spirit form and then materializing again.

Ernest F. Mansfield, of Chicago, a well-informed magician and inventor of magical effects, has had numerous apparently supernormal experiences and has made a deep study of spiritualism. Since 1905 he has been close in touch with the movement and is well known to mediums and lay spiritualists and scientific psychic investigators as a lecturer and investigator. For investigating purposes, he specialized in the methods of counterfeit mediums and is today probably the best informed man in America on that subject. His own original spiritualistic effects have mystified magicians as well as counterfeit mediums. Many of the latter sought to buy his secrets, but Mr. Mansfield refused to divulge them except to legitimate magicians. Because of that, many spiritualists believe his magic to be genuine psychic phenomena. In spite of his knowledge of magic and its divorce from spiritualism, however, Mr. Mansfield believes in the reality of certain phases of physical and mental spiritualistic phenomena, gained through some peculiar experiences.

Howard Thurston, as part of his show, presents “materialization” in a spirit cabinet in a manner that convinces many spiritualists that he is a real medium. Some honestly believe that they recognize in the “spirit” a dead relative and go to the stage door to so inform Thurston and seek his advice on spiritualistic matters.

Needless to say, Thurston disclaims mediumship in his performance. Harry Blackstone has a performing handkerchief that suddenly seems to become alive, apparently possessed of spirit power. In another effect — his shadow illusion — he walks away from his shadow and it seems that unnatural power of some sort is at work. Likewise, his famous rope tie, in which his wrists are securely bound together behind his back by a spectator and yet his hands are free in about two seconds and back again in the rope as quickly, suggests invisible aid. However, Blackstone is a magician and his spook effects are produced only by magical means.

Robert Gysel, of Toledo, Ohio, is another magician who has spent years in the study of spiritualistic magic. His performances are weird and uncanny and seem to include ghostly manifestations. Yet Gysel performs pure magic and is strongly opposed to the pretenses of the fraudulent mediums. Joseffy, of Chicago, has a mysterious skull which he calls Balsamo. He places it on a piece of plate glass and suddenly the skull starts to look around and click its jaws. By clicking and opening its jaws, it answers questions. It performs as though endowed with life and operates under the most exacting conditions, even while resting on a spectator’s lap. This would lead some people to believe that Joseffy is a medium, but he is only a magician.

A number of years ago, Ralph W. Read and Phillip H. Meyers, of Chicago, became interested in “spook” effects and brought out a telephone into which one could talk to and hold a conversation with a spirit, apparently. The instrument was without wire connections, and it produced a good effect. Then they built a tea kettle that would talk and answer questions. They presented this tea kettle to David P. Abbott, of Omaha, Nebraska, author of “Behind the Scenes with the Mediums.” He modified it and gained a great reputation with his kettle presentation. The way Mr. Abbott presents it is uncanny. He also has another “spirit” effect. He takes pieces of canvas and produces spirit paintings on them, starting with a dim coloring and finally producing the finished picture. Anna Eva Fay some years ago made a profitable tour of the country with “spirit” ties, cabinet manifestations, and mind reading. In England, Maskelyne, Cook, and Devant produced mysterious “spirit” effects from time to time.

So you see, spiritualism and magic have had a close relationship for some time. The difference, however, between the fake medium and the magician is that the former deceives for fraudulent gain and the latter merely entertains and is paid for entertainment.

How to have a Hollywood-inspired Roman holiday.     
 
Travel & Tourism,Art and Culture
  
 
How to have a Hollywood-inspired Roman holiday.
Exuding an unbelievable character spun by the legacy of the past mixed with the energetic vibe of the future, Rome is indeed the Eternal City where time does not seem to rule. Both the new and the old find their place in Rome, which is full of timeless and significant monuments that appeal to every tourist’s need for awe-striking things to see. The classic multicultural tourism scene of Rome enjoys an enthusiastic mishmash of cultures and sensations and has made its appearance in popular films through the years.

Start Your Roman Holiday at the Piazza di Spagna

One of the most popular attractions of Rome is the Piazza di Spagna or the Spanish Square, a highly popular meeting place situated in the center of Rome’s historic district. The Piazza di Spagna is a good place to start your vacation in Rome, and the classic 1953 romantic comedy “Roman Holiday” attests to this.

The Piazza di Spagna is a long and spacious square flanked on three sides by three important Roman attractions, and “each, in its own way, is unforgettable,” as Hepburn’s Princess Ann expressed. These attractions are the Spanish Steps, the Barcaccia Fountain just at the foot of the Spanish Steps, and the Trinita dei Monti at the top of the Spanish Steps.

The unique shape of Piazza di Spagna makes it one of the most distinct plazas in the world, and it is surrounded by a rich and colorful Roman baroque environment that distinguished its many attractions, hotels, residences, inns, cafes, and restaurants.

This distinct area of Piazza di Spagna serves as the main setting of Roman Holiday, which was the first film that introduced film icon Audrey Hepburn. She was joined in the film by Gregory Peck and Eddie Albert. The film centered around the secret but carefree Roman holiday enjoyed by Hepburn’s character Ann, a princess who escapes from her official visit to Rome to be able to roam the city by herself. By the Spanish Steps, she meets Joe, played by Peck, who encourages her to try a gelato and loosen up so she can fully embrace her Roman holiday.

Wound Your Way through Rome by the Via Veneto

A few steps away from the Trinita dei Monti lies the Via Veneto, one of the most famous and most expensive streets of Rome. The famous street factors into certain significant scenes in the iconic 1960 film La Dolce Vita or The Sweet Life, an unforgettable film that offered an equally memorable mirage of classic and romantic Rome.

The film, directed by renowned director Federico Fellini, centered around the life of Marcello, a journalist exploring Rome and searching for real happiness and love. In the span of seven days, he meets two beautiful women, Maddalena and Sylvia, as well as an old friend and his father.

Due to the popularity sparked by the film, Via Veneto became a bustling market for the upper classes, and tourists looking for the sweet luxurious life of Rome need only to go to Via Veneto for the best cafes and shops. The street of Via Veneto is lined with trees and flower beds, as well as with famous celebrities from all over the world. The street then branches out into little lanes that lead to the famous trattorias of Rome.

Live the Sweet Life at the Trevi Fountain

The famous film, La Dolce Vita, also made another important Roman attraction, the Trevi Fountain, a world icon. The Fontana di Trevi is undoubtedly the most beautiful fountain in Rome. Fashioned in baroque style, the fountain now serves as an important Roman landmark where three roads and Rome’s ancient aqueducts met. It was commissioned in 1732 and completed in 1762. It was originally designed by Bernini, but the completion of the project was led by Nicola Salvi.

The fountain’s central figure is a statue of Neptune, the god of the sea, while riding on a shell-shaped chariot. The chariot is pulled by two sea horses of differing characters, one calm and the other restless. The site of the fountain is now often overflowing with tourists, and many can be seen tossing a coin into the fountain and envisioning their return to Rome.

This famous fountain was made even more famous thanks to the iconic and controversial scene in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. In the movie, Anita Ekberg played the role of Sylvia, a Swedish-American movie star Marcello desired. And in the unforgettable scene, Sylvia waded into the fountain and was followed by Marcello. In many reviews, Sylvia was later dubbed as Aphrodite incarnate. The scene fast became a cinematic revolution, and played a role in the fame of the Trevi Fountain.

Celebrate Rome at the Pantheon

Finally, don’t forget to drop by the Pantheon to complete your Roman holiday. The Pantheon is one of the most historically important monuments in Rome. It is considered as the temple of all the gods. It was constructed between 118 and 125 AD and is well-known for its large dome. Wonderfully preserved, the Pantheon provides a glimpse of the unforgettable past. It is now teeming with cafes and a piazza where Roman tourists and residents can mingle and relax.

The Pantheon was recently featured in the Hollywood film Angels and Demons, based on the famous novel by controversial author Dan Brown. In the film, Robert Langdon’s frantic search for the Illuminati led him to the Pantheon, which lies to the north of the Piazza della Rotunda. The Pantheon was already a famous monument prior to the making of the movie, but the recent film once again immortalized the historical story surrounding the ancient temple and celebrated the grandeur of Rome.

To experience the breathtaking history of Rome, book a room at the Hotel Barocco in Rome to make your Roman holiday an even more unforgettable one.