Gustav Klimt

很久沒有update，想著，其實我仍很喜歡畫！
借了一本書，介紹從classicism 到 modernism 作品！
看了Gustav Klimt: The Kiss，發現幾有特色，便寫一下！


之前在Aberdeen的朋友房間裡看過這幅畫，感覺到有種passion！好喜愛她的馬賽克背景和畫裡豐富的情感！
Step 1: Observation

Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig

好耐無update:)
尋日去左美術館，又幾enjoy睇畫！
間美術館都有3層，由16c 去到現代都有！
著名畫作

Lucas Cranach the Elder: Adam and Eve

Bach's Project

3. Symphonies
I have heard Symphonies Op.6 nos 1-6

Bach left some 60 symphonies as well as 20 concertante symphonies for one or more solo instruments, not counting 30 solo fortepiano or harpsichord concertos.

I feel brightness, freedom from sorrow, joy in the symphonies. The scope of the orchestra is relatively small compared to the Mahler's. It's simple and relax.

Some famous works of Bach that u can't miss:
1. Minuet in G major, BWV Anh. 114
Im sure most ppl hv heard this piece when we were a kid. It's a minuet which is for dancing. The rhythm is simple.
2.Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
It's the 10th movement of the cantata Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147. The piece is so sweet and it's a paise to God. There are lyrics and u can sing along. I feel sacred and warm when I listen to it.
3.Cello suites No.1 Prelude
I feel quite tranquil when I listened to it. I love the arpeggiated chords and the increasing intensity of the piece.
4.Toccata and Fugue in D minor
It is often used at Halloween and for horror films and is a piece of organ music.

Bach's Project

2. Bach Kantaten (Bach Cantatas)
Bach wrote more than 200 Kantaten when he was a Kantor at the St. Thomas Church, Leipzig and the St. Nicholas Church.It was part of his job to perform a church cantata every Sunday and Holiday, related to the readings prescribed by the Lutheran liturgy for the specific occasion. In his first years in Leipzig, starting after Trinity of 1723, he composed a new work every week and conducted soloists, the Thomanerchor and orchestra as part of the church service.
Three annual cycles of cantatas survived.

1.church cantatas he composed sacred cantatas for functions like weddings or Ratswahl (the inauguration of a new town council)

2.secular cantatas for anniversaries and entertainment in nobility and society

3.Glückwunschkantaten (congratulatory cantatas) and Huldigungskantaten (homage cantatas).

The words for many cantatas combine Bible quotes, contemporary poetry and chorale, but he also composed a cycle of chorale cantatas based exclusively on the verses of one chorale.

A typical Bach cantata of his first year in Leipzig follows the scheme:

Coro - opening chorus
Recitativo
Aria
Recitativo (or Arioso)
Aria
Chorale


I hv heard Canatatas BMV 110, 40 and 71
BMV 110 and 40 are for liturgical ceremonies marking the 1st and 2nd day of Christmas, so it is more religional! The mood is solemn, but on the other hand,the chorus erputs into jubilant cheers.
BMV 71 is composed for a secular celebration so the tone is a bit different.
But to tell the truth, i duno how to appreciate opera and canatatas. It's sth that i want to learn.

Bach's Project

Try to listen as much as Bach as possible the past week!
1. Variations Goldberg
The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, are a set of an aria and 30 variations for harpsichord by Johann Sebastian Bach. First published in 1741, the work is considered to be one of the most important examples of variation form. The Variations are named after Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, who may have been the first performer.

The work opens and closes with a tranquil Aria in the form of an ornamented sarabande in the French style.

In these variations without a theme in G major (only 3 variations, nos 15,21 and 25 are in minor, all three of them highly expressive), in which Glenn Gould saw 'neither a beginning nor an end', Bach systematically explores all the possibilities of keyboard style with an intensity rarly attained.

More details in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldberg_Variations

My favourite pieces:
No.1 so cheerful and lively! Think of the springtime in Leipzig!
No.5 I love the hand-crossing n the lively beat n rapid melody-line! It keeps on going and going!
No.7 Love the trills and the 6/8 meter n it is suggested that it's for dancing:)
No.23 I love the rhythm, so energetic and u can hear different voices at once!
No.28 love the great deal of hand-crossing and the fast pace! It's so colourful
No.29 Big surprises in the beginning and a sharp difference from no.28!It's so exciting:)
No.30 The end! Bach ended with a touch of humour, on a joyous quodlibet (A quodlibet is a piece of music combining several different melodies, usually popular tunes, in counterpoint and often a light-hearted, humorous manner. The term is Latin, meaning "whatever" or literally, "what pleases." ) built on the combination of 2 folk tunes!

Bach's Project

Niki and I start a music project. We have chosen 15 composers and would like to introduce one every week!
This week is Bach's week!


During the week, we will listen to Bach's music and find our favourite and the most famous pieces and introduce them to you!

First, I want to share my experience with Bach's music

Leipzig, the city that im living in, is a Bach's city! There is Bach museum and Bach has been working as the Cantor of the Thomasschule at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, as well as Director of Music in the principal churches in the town for 27 years. Bach's tomb is in St. Thomas Church in Leipzig and I have been there as well. I have also listened to his music inside St. Thomas Church. It was an amazing experience. The organ in the church used to play by Bach and the lovely St. Thomas choir sang the beautiful lyrics and music created by Bach.

I also played many pieces composed by Bach and I quite enjoyed playing them!
Not long ago, I learnt to play Inventions No.1 in C major and No.13 in A minor. There are many ups and downs, f and p, the rhythm and the theme is simple. It's fun to play these pieces:)

I also played the Toccatta in E when I was in Aberdeen. The 1st part is serious and intense, as a pianist, you need to use more strength when attaching the keyboard. The 2nd part becomes a bit relaxing and you can hear a few ups and downs and Bach creates different variations. The 3rd part is funny. There are some excitements and surprises. Sometimes the tempo is fast, sometimes is slow. It feels like children are playing in a field and they are hving fun. The 4th part (Fugue) is even faster and more exciting. It's like a dance. Ppl are drinking and the party is ongoing:) Many chitchats and the scene is reli lively. Or maybe it's a sunday market! Ppl are selling and buying nice stuff and fresh meat and fruits. Ppl are shouting. There are always energy around the market:)

I found a reli nice webiste which is called Bach's project. It invitied musicials to play Bach's music and express their views towards Bach:)
http://www.mlfilms.com/frontpage
Bach's cello works is amazing:) http://www.mlfilms.com/productions/bach_project/zuill_bailey

Hope you enjoy it:)
To be cont.

Lisbon Story

New and fresh thoughts about images and sounds:)
A glimpse of the city Lisbon! Simple and naive:)

The story is quite speical which is abt Rudiger Vogler is called to Lisbon by Friedrich Monroe (Patrick Bauchau), a filmmaker who has mysteriously vanished. Using his microphone as a divining rod, Winter begins roaming Lisbon in search of sounds. And as he looks for the exact accompaniment to match Friedrich's abandoned images, the film creates the urban portrait that is much of its raison d'etre.

This film is different from the film made in Hollywood!
It's nature,rural and philosophical.

philosophical:''What use is the universe?'' ''We want to imitate God and that's why we have artists.''

Passionate ending:''Why waste your life on junk images when you can make indispensable ones with your heart on magic celluloid?

Encouragement for all human beings on earth:)

Wols: The blue Phantom

Interested in Abstract art/modern art after the visit of the art gallery in Hk!
There are now abstract paintings in my room. I reli feel gr8 when i c them everyday.

Try to learn to appreciate abstract paintings. For some ppl, they are not art at all, i still need some time to figure out this question.

Wols-aka Alfred Otto Wolfgang was a German painter and he was famous for his post war movement in painting often referred to as “gestural abstraction”

In this painting, i can imagine a machine or creature lives deep down in the sea. In fact, the creature is quite interesting, hving some sparkling and shining, octopus like light bulbs. They are moving in different directions and attempt to extend the territory and prove their existence to the deep and big world (sea). The creature also has a tail and some other generations.
It's interesting to notice that the creatures are surrounded by a coloured edge. I love the mix of different colour. With the edge, it confirms the existence of the creatures and give ppl a sense of security and peace. Like if sth bad dev from the dark creature, the colour would absorb and turn it into good.

I also like the different degree of the colour blue and textures in the painting. It's clear to see both horizontal and vertical lines in the blue sea. For me, the blue sea remains a mystery. It comforts and disturbs you at the same time.

Some quotes or gd pts of an article talking abt Wols:

His paintings are a search for a way of visualizing the inhuman (following the end of World War II)

His photographs are neither optimistic nor pessimistic as these are ethical categories whereas the subject matter of his photography is the object as it exists beyond moral judgment.

For a photographer such as Wols the world is not to be made more knowable through the lens of the camera – but more mysterious and inexplicable. His photographs stand as enigmatic evidence of a (somewhat surreal) world composed of fragments.

It is precisely in these images that Wols reveals how much he understands about the power of the object and the ultimate unknowability of the human – even in a self portrait. For Wols, no matter how close we get with the camera, the mask each of us wear in public remains at least somewhat intact.

Hope u enjoy studying the painting:)

Edward Hopper: Nighthawks

以前睇Alain de Botton 的書，總有加上Edward Hopper的畫作，來顯示都市人的寂寞(in english: solitude)，我又覺得他的畫予人有內在反思的能力。
Edward Hopper (1882-1967) 生於美國紐約，他是紐約寫實畫派的畫家，是北美最受歡迎的藝術家之一。

他的繪畫手法寫實具象, 但放棄精細的描畫, 畫中人和物都只畫出大面的整體立體層次, 而題材多是社會寫實生活情景, 平平無奇的日常片段。他的畫中的主角只是普通人，沒有特別個性，讓人感覺空洞和孤獨，畫出現代人的疏離與孤獨, 有一種沈默、孤立無助的感覺。

Nighthawks的靈感來自一個在Hopper居住地，紐約格林威治村的餐廳。霍普在珍珠港事件後不久就開始畫夜遊者，因為在珍珠港之後，他深深地感受到籠罩着美國的一片愁雲慘霧，而他也把這種感覺融入這幅畫作裡。在餐廳外，城市的街都是空空如也的，在餐廳裡的三個人也沒有對對方談話或看着其他人，但都在自己的世界中迷失了。左邊的兩人是情人，背對的男人孤獨地坐着。而餐廳內的唯一一個侍應生，雖然有抬起頭來，但似乎是望着顧客們後面的窗戶。各人看似身處同一幅畫面，但又其實各自活在自己的空間中

畫作描繪了現代城市生活的苦悶、孤獨；這是Hopper一向慣用的主題。如果細心一點看，會發現餐廳沒有明顯的門口可以讓客人走出去，突顯了畫作的另一個主旨：囚禁與限制。霍普否認他是故意畫成這樣的，但他承認「也許，我的確是無意識地在描繪一個大城市的孤獨。」

Emanuel Ax plays Schubert

今日很有幸可以聽到Emanuel Ax的concert
他演奏的樂曲全是Schubert:
SCHUBERT 4 Impromptus Op 142/ D935
SCHUBERT Sonata in A major Op 120/D664
SCHUBERT Sonata in B flat Op 31/D960
常覺得Schubert很難彈，但他把Sonata彈得像一句又一句美麗的句子，變成一首美麗的詩，令人聽得很舒服。而且富有層次感，色彩，tone也很豐富，亦很能發揮每一小節的變化。而且他彈得十分流暢自然，沒有誇張造作。
他在演奏時自己還十分陶醉地哼出旋律來，十分有趣，亦可見他已經完全進入在樂曲裡！
聽完這concert，也想多接觸Schubert的音樂，它的lyrical flow真是太完美了！

More information about Emanuel Ax, pls visit http://www.askonasholt.co.uk/artists/instrumentalists/piano/emanuel-ax

蕭勤

在台中的美術館中看到蕭勤的畫作，有一見鐘情的感覺。
抽像的畫中令我感到熟悉和快樂，還有溫暖的。畫作大多用和暖的色系，令人感到生命的活潑和積極的人生觀。

Background:
蕭勤，原籍廣東省中山縣，一九三五年生於上海，一九四九年隨姑父母至台灣，一九六五年以留學生身份，離台赴西班牙；之後轉往義大利、紐約，創作、教學，前後四十餘年。作為一個成功的藝術家，蕭勤的意義還不僅僅在對台灣現代美術運動的推動與影響；而是在「中國美術現代化運動」的時代課題下，他為中國傳統的思想與媒材，找到了一個新的結合與呈現的方式，在國際前衛藝術的舞臺上，他也提供了一個東方人特有的觀點與形貌。然而更重要的，是他透過藝術，展現了一個敏銳的心靈，在孤寂漫漫的宇宙逆旅中，獨特的領悟與因應態度，值得所有對生命有所思索的人們，共同瞭解、認識與珍惜。


蕭勤說：

「對我來說，作畫這件事的第一重要性，並非『作畫』，而是透過作畫來對自己的人生始源的探討，人生經歷的紀錄及感受，和人生展望的發揮。

「『創作』二字目前對我來說，已無甚重大意義，蓋我所做的東西，並非我『個人的』創作，而是宇宙的生命力直接透過我的心手做出來的東西，我並非一個『創作家』，而只是一個『傳達者』而已。」

那綿密連續的線條，就像中國太極拳招式中緩慢卻力道十足的動作，帶著一種深沉的呼吸律動，和身體、意念，乃至宇宙的運行同步。藝術對蕭勤而言，就是一種修持、一種超越、一種救贖。

對蕭勤而言，這些質感構成的宇宙，不僅僅是一個物理知識的世界，更是一個哲學、理念的精神世界。萬物因這些秩序的理解，而得到平衡穩定，精神也因這樣的理解，而獲得超越、安頓。

很喜歡他對藝術的堅持和看法，我也想透過寫作和音樂來對自己的人生始源的探討，人生經歷的紀錄及感受，和人生展望的發揮。
覺得這樣才是活著的意義和憑據:)

其實他的畫作線條十分簡單，表達的意思也明確，很有簡單就是美的感覺。



「宇宙之放射」是蕭勤早期的作品，圖案性的「太陽系列」的擴展，色面幾何，雙重色相圓心及放射性的幾何色面形成，太陽為宇宙的核心，不停旋轉，不斷放射能量，在恆靜及恆動之間永恆的對照，闡述宇宙大能。

很喜歡畫作的顏色配搭，在一片星空中，充滿神秘感和有無限力量的宇宙發射能量給人類，彷彿給我們打了強心針，令我們充滿正能量。還有黃色的粗邊更突出宇宙核心的光芒。



「落日」以土黃色的大色面喻示夕陽西下蘊光的情境，藉由暖色調的彩度，指射出非比尋常的情境與能量。很喜歡作品的名稱—「落日」，而不是日落，令我對日落有另一番看法。畫中的太陽亦象徵強大的生命力，有點像火山爆發噴出來的熔岩，完全不像快熄滅的燈火。其實日落也能表現得樂觀，積極。



「宇宙風」(版畫1986年)是蕭勤藝術創作上，柳暗花明之作品，在心領神會下，淋漓盡致地以本能性的形象，加上順勢繽紛燦爛的色斑，喻示宇宙的大能量。
一看這幅畫，便想風是從那邊吹來，但是細想其實並不重要。紫色代表宇宙的神秘和具有Spirituality，灰色代表宇宙的平衡和neutrality，中間的顏色點代表人在宇宙中流動，不同人對生命的演繹，和而不同，又能共存。

劉國松的心靈風景

上星期到了台中渡假，不忘到台中國立美術館參觀，還參加了導賞團。導賞團只有我們3人，可以聽得清楚，又可以發問，獲益良多！

發現台灣藝術家的藝術造詣也十分高，十分欣賞他們的作品和表達的意義。
美術館有多個展覽，其中最正的是「百嵅百畫－台灣當代畫家邀請展」的展覽。此展覽邀集125位台灣當代畫家進行聯展，慶祝中華民國建國100週年。所以此展覽回應台灣藝術百年發展的取樣，也能一覽台灣藝術家的作品。

導賞介紹數十位的台灣藝術家，我也有一些喜愛的，想和大家介紹。

第一位是劉國松，他被譽為「水墨現代化之父」。常覺得中國的傳統水墨畫很沉悶，沒有新意，不過看了劉國松的水墨畫，頓時覺得水墨畫的美，自然山水和畫帶出的韻味。
他是50年代末期第1位認真研究西方藝術的華人藝術家，他花了40年的時間，創造一種新的語言，將西方藝術的概念帶進中國古典的文明裡，將西方與中國融合，賦予中國藝術新生命。

余光中在〈造化弄人，我弄造化〉一文中認為劉國松的畫「畫面雖然千變萬化，但其視覺的本質，總不離大自然的意象。那些恍惚迷離的山水煙雲，未必能夠一一指認，但是觀者的印象，總像是面對風景。這樣的畫境超越、改變了現實，因為他把現實靜化了、純化了，把不美的雜質淘汰了。劉國松的畫既遺山水之貌而取山水之神，與其籠統的把他的作品稱為抽象畫，還不如另撰一詞，叫它做形而上的山水畫。」

有人問他希望西方觀眾如何欣賞他的畫作？劉國松說，相對於西方畫系以寫實為主的精神，以水墨畫為主的東方畫系則有較深的蘊意，「需要對四週的事物經過吸收、消化、昇華後再表現在作品上，因此中國的繪畫較為永恆」。大家嘗試用他提供的方法去欣賞他的畫作，了解畫作的內涵和美。

精選作品：

秋之記憶　 1993

很喜歡這幅作品，記錄了秋天的美，有紅黃的葉，清澈的湖水，能看出倒影來，用書法刻畫了樹幹，還有光暗的配合，營造出秋天的意境。艷麗的紅色代表秋意是暖暖的，乍涼還暖，秋意也秋意是滿滿的，累累的果實 金黃色的稻穗，表示了對大地事物的喜悅 依賴。暗淡的黑色和灰白色道出壓扁玫瑰回憶的季節，有點感傷 有些惆悵。冬天將要到臨，地上已感一點寒意。

天天公仔

This is part of the exhibtion called 香港：創意生態 — 商機、生活、創意
Inside the exhibition, there are many designs from Hk designers!

天天公仔 Project
Invite HK designers to design the dressing of a smart guy:)


Little prince



Water!




插畫style:)


Wow, superman:)


小雲style! I like her body (full of colourful insects)
仲有2條辮，like 小甜甜! Art is reli fun



This one is reli creative. U cant c the person anymore, but a big tree with roots.But it's not reli health, as there are some mosses n there r little green leaves. I think it represents Hk. HK is not a green city n there r pollution pbs!

當下‧活在 — 香港國際海報三年展2010 part 2

There are so many nice posters in the exhibition:)
Love to introduce more n explore more n appreciate more



This poster says sth abt HK identity! It performs by using form of Kowloon King.
The background is 紅白藍plastic bags which is a HK product, reminding ppl of the 60s (visit to Mainland)
Read the words carefully, u c read political messages, like New Hong Kong, New China, HK ppl rule Hk
N many HK features, like Festival Walk, Chau Tai Fok
In fact, who we are? Are we unique or different from the Chinese in China?
Do we hv any HK spirit? What is it? wealth, fairness, justice, hard work?





Jp style!
Wt do u think of when cing the 2nd poster!
I do think of the maple n variegated carp (錦鯉). Wt's more?
I like both design n it reli makes me think of Japan!

當下‧活在 — 香港國際海報三年展2010

當下‧活在 — 香港國際海報三年展2010
香港文化博物館

Some inspirations from the posters all over the world


Are we all short-sighted?
Money,life-partner, relationships wiv others, nature...
Wt is the most important thing in our life?



This poster is from Israel, so i think it relates to world peace or at least peace within Middle East. I like it coz every alphabet tells us sth. Like the alphabet 'E', a grave can be imagined, like many ppl have died in the conflicts and wars. 'D' shows the ugliness of human nature. The face is full of hatred and disguist. 'A' reflects the conflicts and wars between 2 countries or 2 ideologies or religions. But i think the designer is optimistic as there are some positive elements in the poster. 'Y' shows 2 ppl holding hands together and 'I' is a peaceful and lovely scene where birds are happily sininging on the grass:)
I try to reflect this slogen in my life. I think i dun try hard enough, like my studies or my relationship wiv others. Sometimes im selfish n lazy.
Thx 4 the reminder:)



This is one of my favourite. Karl Marx(the founder of communistism)and plastic bags
Wt is the relation between the 2?
Karl Marx believed that communistism can create a better world, but is it reli the case? Is it like an invention like plastic bags?
Are we living better wiv the idea of communistism or hving plastic bags?
Or do they create more harm than good to human beings?
It is nice that the poster puts communistism and plastic bags in the same context.
I think communistism is an ideal which wont be fully achieved in the reality. This ideology reli does hard to human beings, like the civil wars, destruction of env (it makes me think of the sad history in modern China). But some ppl still believe in Communistism and it can create a better world where ppl r equal and property can be disturbuted equally. Maybe it's just a utopia.
Plastic bags do harm to the nature as it's hard to incinerate but at the same time, it creates convenience:) It's gd to know that ppl now use less plastic bags and bring their own bags to go shopping.

Some other nice posters:


Eyebrow, Eye, nose, mouth!
It's quite cool to notice that there r eyes from ppl over the world! Double eyelid and single eyelid, men and women, wiv glasses and without glasses.
Noses and mouths are in different sizes and shapes:)



This is a Polish film abt 2 men and a woman. But without any background of this film, i think the poster shows a man n a woman kissing. My fd suggests that the red thing is the tounge of the woman (which looks like a snake)He said the Chinese proverb 最毒婦人心.I think he is pretty creative:) Acc to the bible, tounge is the most evil part of our body coz though it's small, it can hurt others easily.
If u r interested, u can watch the trailer of the film in Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaBa2Wj3gHk





I just like the design!





The black one states Mahler's last breath. The poster shows an incomplete butterfly (one of its wings is broken) Mahler died in his young age when he was composing his 10th Sympohny. His life was tragic, his daughter died during young age and his heart was defective which caused him to death. He always feel incomplete in his composition and felt inferior to Beethoven and other composers.

The red one states Mahler's love. I quite like this poster which is composed by many red hearts. It's like flowers as well. Love is the great passion to Mahler to compose. Though he lost his first daughter and got illness, his wife supported him and encouaged him to compose. At the last years, he still worked hard on his symphonies and he became famous and confident.



Duno y i think of 詹瑞文 when i saw this poster!
A human head wiv a Arabian hat, pinapple beard n butterfly wings:0
check the designer background a bit:
'色彩魔術師 – Keiichi Tanaami(田名網敬一)於1965初次製作動畫片"戴面具的魁儡們"，1968年獲卡通動畫技術賞，1975年任日本版playboy美術指導，現任日本京都造型藝術大情報設計系主任'
'他原創性的視覺風格、獨特的用色和混合了夢境與記憶的迷幻式圖像，對觀看的人產生了巨大的沖擊與震撼，不斷挑戰著觀者的視覺神經。人稱“視覺的魔術師”的他游走于混沌奇想的意識世界中，捕捉腦中閃現的幻覺與記憶，用各種形式拼貼、轉化、反覆、混雜映射出心理奇幻的視覺圖像。有別于西方“超合理主義”的思維，田名網敬一試圖探尋非日常的種種心靈幻像，他所描繪的不是美好真實的世界，而是被一種莫名趨力扭曲的認知體驗。'
A blogger said he also designed Uniquo T-shirt:) Maybe i bought one be4:)
One of his exhibitions in Singapore: http://www.juksy.com/?p=93517
It's reli colourful n his art is fun n it does make me smile.

Ｔouching art: Ｌouvre's Ｓculptures in Ｍovement

法國羅浮宮博物館的特展在香港作巡迴展，幸而趕上尾班車，又join導賞，對雕塑又有另一睇法。
之前上history of art，認識過意大利大師Ｂernini 的Ａpollo and Ｄephne，感受到雕塑的震撼力，雕塑可以360度欣賞，表現不同的動態和動感。

今次展覽希望跳出傳統上只以視覺欣賞藝術的模式，將「觸摸」展品躍昇為欣賞藝術的主要手段，讓大眾利用觸感去體驗藝術之美。 透過親手觸摸雕塑，我更能去感受雕塑的細節，動感，有全新的感受。

展館提供黑色眼鏡，讓大家可以變成視障人士，感受一下雕塑。不過戴上黑眼鏡後，斷時失去安全感，發現原來有良好視力已經值得感恩。

參加導賞團介紹展館裡重要雕塑，最重要是斷臂維納斯雕像（Venus de Milo）


由於今次所有的展品都是仿製品，觀眾可以用觸摸來感受展品。Ｖenus de Ｍilo創作於公元前130-100年，被發現時已是1820年，而且它的兩臂已斷掉。導賞員叫我們想像一下它的雙臂的姿勢，嘗試從站立姿勢和微微向右傾斜的頭部和肩部傾斜的程度來估計，提升對雕塑的原作的感知。經過大家的討論和參考法國艦長杜蒙-居維爾的回憶錄後，得出維納斯出土時雙臂還是完整時，右臂下垂，手扶衣衿，左上臂伸過頭，握着一隻蘋果。蘋果為維納斯女神的象徵，她是掌管愛和美的。而且從雕塑的衣紋也能感受到維納斯她的曲線美和自然，十分驚嘆雕塑帶來的震撼力。在觸摸期間，背部和衣紋的質感十分特別，背部平滑，衣紋的凹凸不平令視障人士更了解雕塑的image.

另外，又介紹了兩位雕塑家對天神信差墨丘利的不同搭繪。

這是來自尚－巴布蒂斯特．皮卡里 的作品。還記得Ｍercury的特徵和職業嗎？他的特徵有飛天帽，一枝有兩條蛇的權杖和一對翼，他掌管trade和是天神的messenger。在這個雕塑中可見年輕貌美男子，正彎着腰繫緊左腳踝上的翅膀，準備飛翔。他的上身向右扭轉，頭部抬起，似乎對自己繫緊翅膀的動作心不在焉。作品表現了一種人性化的平常姿態。他權杖上的兩條蛇還在睡覺，可能處於準備開工，未完全睡醒的狀態。


這個來自尚．波羅尼 的作品，亦是他最著名的作品之一，是矯飾主義風格的代表作，造型優雅而充滿活力。 他所想的Ｍercury比較理想化，Ｍercury正要飛翔，手指和眼目成一方向，具象化的風透過底座風神頭像的嘴巴吹出來，頂着他的左腳尖。他的右腿和左臂向後伸，右臂舉過頭頂，通過四肢的動作保持着優美的平衡。由於原作是青銅，比大理石輕，所以只要有一隻腳尖著地便能支撐整個身體，顯出飛翔的輕盈狀態。另外，此雕塑比較少，之前曾安裝在噴泉中央，當泉水噴出時更加強了它的浮動感。



我又幾鐘意博爾蓋斯的女舞者，它是浮雕(relief)，與之前的雕塑有分別。藝術家在一塊平板上將他要塑造的形象雕刻出來，使它脫離原來材料的平面。浮雕的材料有石頭、木頭、象牙和金屬等，一般分為淺浮雕、高浮雕和凹雕3種。用觸感去接觸時，感官比雕塑差了一點，不過仔細用眼去觀賞依然一流。這件建築橫飾淺浮雕上刻劃了五位正在跳舞的女子。她們穿着帶褶的長裙和古希臘式長袍，手拉着手跳舞。她們分別向相反的兩個方向前進，三個向左，兩個向右，長袍隨着各人身軀的扭動而飄盪，富有韻律感。她們的腳有點離地，很享受跳舞的過程，還可想像有organ的音樂在舞廳飄揚。整個場景在一列柱廊前展開，四根直線壁柱穿插在擁有女性曲線美舞者之間，為她們的動態增加了節奏和顯出藝術家的心思。

裡面還有不少的展品，可到http://edblog.hkedcity.net/sculpture睇睇！
另外導賞員向我介紹一來隨Ｌouvre雕塑來的書，專給視障人士看，裡面將著名畫作變成凹凸和用不同物料顯示不同的質料，用觸摸的角度去感受藝術帶來新體驗和樂趣！

Rome, Santa Pudenziana, Apse mosaic

介紹一下比較早期的教堂的壁畫。題材是關於聖經故事，不過也十分驚嘆它們的細緻和美感。



Santa Pudenziana 被譽為在Rome最早期的基督教教堂，建於2世紀，初頭是教宗Pius I的居所和用作浴場，之後改建為擁有3個中殿的教堂。

在教堂的祭壇正中有一幅馬賽克壁畫，此畫被譽為羅馬最美的馬賽克。馬賽克（Mosaic）是一種裝飾藝術，通常使用許多小石塊或有色玻璃碎片拼成圖案。
記得之前中學都有個馬賽克priject，將學校的枱面砌上馬賽克，都幾靚啊！


這是畫中耶穌的圖示，真是十分仔細，畫家Bernardino Nocchi都好有心機！
這幅畫可分為上下兩部分來睇，上面可以見到有個城市和四隻走獸，下面有十個男人和兩個女人。

這幅馬賽克最好作為基督教的iconography（肖像研究），中間的是耶穌，他身穿金色托加長袍(toga)，坐在寶座上。他頭有光環，右手拿著書，書上寫著"Dominus conservator ecclesiae Pudentianae" (The Lord is the preserver of the church of Pudenziana). 左手用兩隻手指指著旁邊的人，像是在教訓人。在他頭上，有個金色十字架，十字架上鑲滿寶石，是Crux gemmata ，與一般的十字架有分別，其實諭意耶穌被釘死於十字架上。
在耶穌的左右兩旁，坐著他的門徒，左邊是使徒保羅，可從他的希臘特徵和個子矮小估計，右邊的是彼得，是漁夫的兒子，所以比較健碩和強壯。

畫中的背景城市是耶路撒冷，還有各各他山。
四隻飛行的走獸是新約四福音書，天使代表馬太、獅子代表馬可、馬代表路加、鷹代表約翰。

Diego Velázquez: Las Meninas

Axe (Lynx) Excite - even Angels will fall; Song: Air / Fallen Angels mit...

Reli like this ad:) I reli cant imagine that they r selling...
Hv fun:)

Charlie Siem

Im now in love wiv him n his music. I like Paganini's music as well.

Zaha Hadid Architects: JS Bach Music Chamber Hall UK

Is architecture art? I believe it's, so I would love to introduce some nice buildings around the world to you:)

After reading Alain de Botton's The Architecture of Happiness, I believe buildings speak of visions of happiness. And Alain believes more:
'Architecture may well possess moral messages, it simply has no power to enforce them. It offers suggestions instead of making laws. It invites, rather than orders, us to emulate its spirits and cannot prevent its own abuse.'

'Any object of design will give off an impression of the psychological and moral attitudes it supports. '

'In essence, what works of design and architecture talk to us about is the kind of life that would most appropriately unfold within and around them. They tell us of certain moods that they seek to encourage and sustain in their inhabitants'

If u r interested in his argument, just borrow the book n read:) I reli enjoy reading his works coz his English is well-written and humourous.




Just want to introduce this nice and lovely chamber hall in Manchester.
This Chamber Hall is specially designed to house solo performances of the exquisite music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Wow, JS Bach is reli gr8:) I like his music too.
A voluminous ribbon swirls within the room, carving out a spatial and visual response to the intricate relationships of Bach’s harmonies. As the ribbon careens above the performer, cascades into the ground and wraps around the audience, the original room as a box is sculpted into fluid spaces swelling,merging, and slipping through one another. Im reli impressed by the white ribbon. It also creates a layering of spaces. It makes me think of the different layers and tone colours in Bach's music. Also, the black n white reli makes me think of the keyboards. It's such a masterpiece.I reli find this chamber hall amazing n I reli wana go n c.

For more information (like wt kind of materials being used), you can visit http://www.zaha-hadid.com/built-works/js-bach-music-hall

Bernini: Apollo and Daphne

If you are interested in hving a closer look on the sculpture, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3RSRrUL1Os

這件雕塑的作者Bernini是曾經在羅馬設計教堂的意大利雕塑家，他是17世紀歐洲的巴洛克時期最著名的藝術家之一。此雕塑於1622年至1625年間製作，在意大利羅馬完成。作為巴洛克藝術，此作品的內容較富戲劇性，是神話故事劇情中的一瞬間，描述了最有活力和最引人注目的時刻。

Step 1: Identification
雕塑由一男一女組成，背後有個故仔，好正啊！

Step 2: Theme
Apollo and Daphne是羅馬神話中太陽神阿波羅的初戀故事，他的初戀對象為河神彼紐斯的女兒黛芙妮。對於這件作品的內容，用了奧維德的《變形記》中描述得較詳細的版本。

變形記 (拉丁原版Metamorphoseon libri)是羅馬的詩人奧維德的作品，大約開始寫於公元1年或3年，完成於公元8年，是使用六步格詩體記錄了關於變形的神話作品。「變形記」有15冊，每冊大概700到900行，描述了羅馬和希臘神話中的世界歷史。其中總共包括了大約250個左右的傳說。從其第一次發行開始，「變形記」就成為了最受歡迎的神話作品之一，也大受中世紀的作家和詩人的喜愛，因此其對中世紀的文學作品以及中世紀甚至到巴羅克時期的繪畫藝術有深遠的影響。得閒都想睇下。

此故事的其中一位主角Daphne是河神之女兒，她不願受拘束，只想在山林逐鹿獵禽，最怕碰觸婚姻與愛情。另一方面，太陽神阿波羅下凡人間，因與愛神丘比特起爭執，遂被其愛情金箭射中。故當他遇上Daphne，登時愛火中燒，神迷心狂。Daphne被嚇得慌張起來，夭夭逃亡。Apollo滿心愛情渴望，一下把她追上了。此時，Daphne向父親呼叫，寧願毀了自己的美貌，也不要討人喜愛。河神答應，她的身體便慢慢變成一棵月桂樹了。

這磚雕塑表現了故事結局的壯麗場景，Apollo衝向Daphne、剛要觸摸她的一刻。

此雕塑只用了米白色的大理石為材料，並無其他裝飾，使雕刻出來的形狀更清晰，令故事劇情及雕刻技巧都更突出。與加上冥界的三頭犬的《普若瑟比娜之擄獲》，不同，此作品並沒有加上任何代表阿波羅的神獸，以突出主題。個人風格上，雖然貝尼尼擅長雕塑及建築，但是他沒有故意將此作品與建築聯繫，而是獨立的藝術品。

另外，從其他風格來看，都可見到一些忠於傳統之處。在古希臘時期的藝術品，古人通常會以中性的形象來描寫阿波羅，他的身材纖瘦，樣貌年輕，沒留有鬍鬚，並配有女性般頗長的頭髮。貝尼尼運用了上述所有描述到這個雕塑之中，保留了阿波羅的傳統形象。

Step 3 Interpretation
其實主題都好清楚，講下我鐘意呢舺個雕塑的原因啦！我覺得呢個雕塑好有活力，大師Bernini可以將硬的Marble變成活生生的雕塑，真係好勁！樹幹上的樹皮看似是乾燥的、堅硬的，樹葉是新鮮的、非硬的，Apollo身上的布看似是柔軟的、飄逸的，黛芙妮的嘴唇、面額及身體是嫩滑的、有彈性的，Apollo的身體是扎實的。對於Daphne身體的柔軟，可從Apollo的手用力按下的位置清楚見到。仲有雕塑很能捉到那刻的情緒，Daphne的雙眼瞪大、嘴兒張開，表現出緊張、驚訝的神情，這是由於背後追求自己的人已跟上了，以及對自己突然變成月桂樹的恐慌。她由腳開始變成樹幹、手指開始長出樹葉等，可推演出她身體其他部位將會變成樹木。
Apollo亦是表情激動的，他微微張開的嘴巴表露出一絲失落，但仍遮蓋不了雙眼露出他對Daphne的愛。當Apollo追上愛人時，他便是一手抓住對方的身體，若Daphne不是已變成一棵樹，早就被他抱過來了！

星期三考試，最近溫下書，發現希臘神話又係個有趣的theme.
其實之前上完堂，都有借本書來睇下，真係唔錯！
不過可能在香港長大，對希臘神話的熟悉程度沒有比歐洲同學深，他們已經能從畫中認得希臘諸神，好勁。
今次介紹奧林帕斯十二主神，他們是古代希臘神話傳統崇拜的諸神中的主要神祇。這些神祇以宙斯為中心，居住在奧林匹斯山上。這些神祇中有十二位神，相對其他神祇更為重要，被稱為奧林帕斯十二主神。不過，由於不同時期有不同的神被列入十二主神之內，實際上享有這榮譽的神有14位。
畫作其實是濕壁畫，是一種十分耐久的壁飾繪畫，泛指在鋪上灰泥的牆壁及天花板上繪畫的畫作，通常是先將研磨好的乾粉顏料摻入清水，製成水性顏料，再將顏料塗在剛抹在牆壁表面的濕灰泥，再等待灰泥乾燥凝固之後，便永久保存於牆壁表面。現在在意大利羅馬的Villa Farnesina，充滿Renaissance 的特色。有機會都想去睇下真跡！



今次主要係讓大家認識一下希臘的十二位主神，所以只有identification。

這是畫的右邊，放大容易點辨認。
最左邊係Pluto，他是Jupiter的兄弟，是掌管地獄的。他手上拿著一個兩尖器，身旁有隻地獄看門狗。
旁邊係Neptun，他亦是Jupiter的兄弟，是掌管海洋的。他手上拿著一個三尖器，而且他有人魚尾巴。
旁邊係Jupiter 亦名宙斯，他是眾神的父親，是掌管整個olympic殿，他是掌管天空的。他有鷹，閃電標記，還有地球。
旁邊係Juno，是Jupiter的其中太太，是掌管婚姻和家庭。在她身旁，有隻孔雀和頭上戴有鑲有寶石的古波斯人的頭飾或皇冠。
右2係Diana，係Jupiter的女兒，亦是Apollo的twin sister，掌管打臘的。她頭上有半月的頭飾，還有弓和箭，身旁還有隻雌鹿，不過在這幅畫裡看不到。
最右係Minerva，是Jupiter的第一個女兒，是掌管智慧、藝術和知識。她穿著盔甲，戴頭盔，手拿speer。



這是畫的中間部分。
最左係Bacchus，是Jupiter的兒子，是掌管酒和狂喜。他頭上有葡萄，通常他身旁都會有葡萄園，不過這裡看不見。
旁邊係Apollo，他亦是Jupiter的兒子。他是掌管光，音樂，詩歌。他拉著西塔拉琴或七弦豎琴。
旁邊係Mars，亦是Jupiter的兒子。他是掌管戰爭的，身穿盔甲。
右2係Venus，是Jupiter的女兒，她是掌管美麗和愛情，她是裸體的，有時身旁會有白鴿和鏡子。
最右邊係Amor，我好鐘意佢。他是Venus的兒子，是掌管愛情的，有一對翼，弓和箭和箭袋。



這是畫的右邊。
最右係Merkur，是Jupiter的兒子，是上帝的messenger，掌管經濟，旅遊和盜賊。他戴著有翼的cap和手拿著Caduceus，即係支野有2條蛇。
旁邊係Janus ，是掌管開始和結束，過去和將來，他有2個頭，望著不同方向，一個頭回顧上年，另一個頭期盼著明年，代表過去和將來。
右2係Vulkan，是Juno的兒子，掌管火和手工師傅如木匠，手拿著鐵匠的工具。
最後是Herkules，是大力士，細細個都有睇過佢的cartoon。是神聖的英雄，他有獅子的皮和有弓和箭和箭袋。

我覺得希臘神話幾有趣，大家得閒可以參考書籍和網上資料，好多藝術畫作，詩詞等文學作品都跟希臘神話有關。