If you want something cool check out the new Cosmos, narrated by Neil DeGrasse Tyson. You can find it on Hulu or Fox.com.
Friday, March 14, 2014
No New Post This Week
Sorry guys, I am completely swamped this week so no new post. I'll return on Tuesday with a Share Spotlight.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Share Spotlight: Long Neck Karen Tribe
This week's Share Spotlight comes from Living in Another Language.
Long Neck Karen Tribe
I have been a big fan of Living in Another Language for a while now. Amanda's writing sounds like a real person, someone who gets tired and upset, but also does her best to live life to the fullest and be happy in the now. Not to mention her absolutely incredible photographs.
One of my favorite parts of this post is how Amanda hits on one of the biggest problems I have with cultural tourism: treating people like zoo animals.
Not only is this a fascinating story, but I am so impressed with how she deals with this group of people who have largely been set up to be exploited. Its important to remember that no matter how someone looks or what they do for a living, they are real people, people with hopes and dreams, likes and dislikes.
So treat them like you'd want to be treated.
What do you think of cultural tourism? How do we ensure that folks don't wind up being treated like an exhibit?
Long Neck Karen Tribe
I have been a big fan of Living in Another Language for a while now. Amanda's writing sounds like a real person, someone who gets tired and upset, but also does her best to live life to the fullest and be happy in the now. Not to mention her absolutely incredible photographs.
One of my favorite parts of this post is how Amanda hits on one of the biggest problems I have with cultural tourism: treating people like zoo animals.
Not only is this a fascinating story, but I am so impressed with how she deals with this group of people who have largely been set up to be exploited. Its important to remember that no matter how someone looks or what they do for a living, they are real people, people with hopes and dreams, likes and dislikes.
So treat them like you'd want to be treated.
What do you think of cultural tourism? How do we ensure that folks don't wind up being treated like an exhibit?
Friday, March 7, 2014
The Monuments Men
The recent movie The Monuments Men is based on an epic true story about men and women who saved the soul of Europe.
Being a museum studies graduate student, of course I had to go see the new movie The Monuments Men. The movie is an interesting historical drama, though not an action movie, like the previews would have you think. While the movie is well worth the watch, they did take a number of liberties with the actual story. Here's the story of the true Monuments Men and the many people who supported them.
From the beginning of WWII, the American Council of Learned Societies and the Harvard Group called for the US military to protect and preserve the cultural heritage of Europe. Hitler was systematically looting art from the great museums and collectors of Europe in preparation to stock his own personal museum and the US army destroyed important buildings while invading Europe. However, it wasn't until 1943 that the efforts of these groups finally bore fruit.
The Monuments Men started with a group called whose official name was the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Artistic and Historic Monuments in War Areas, but was more commonly referred to as the Roberts Commission, after its chairman, Supreme Court Justice Owen Roberts. Proposed by Francis Henry Taylor, the director of the Museum of Modern Art, the group was created in 1943 to advise military actions in order to best protect and preserve national treasures during World War II, provided they did not interfere with military operations. They created the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section, for which 345 men and women volunteered, coming from the United States, Britain, France, Austria, and Belgium.
These men and women were primarily middle-aged; some were even WWI veterans. They were professors, museum curators, archivists, and librarians. Together, they saved an estimated 5 million art pieces and cultural objects.
These artworks included numerous masters, such as the Ghent Altarpiece and Michaelangelo's Madonna, both featured in the movie.
After the war, a smaller contingent of Monuments Men continued to hunt down stolen art. Many of the members of the MFAA returned or went on to prominent jobs in cultural institutions. They are responsible for the foundation of the New York City Ballet, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Despite their incredible efforts, a number of other artworks remain missing. And, due to Hitler's "Nero Decree," stating that all evidence that could be used in a war crimes trial be destroyed, many may never be recovered.
The story of the Monuments Men was rediscovered in 1995 and in 2009, Robert Edsel wrote his book The Monuments Men and started the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art. He and the foundation aim to acknowledge the work of these incredible men and women, continue their quest to return stolen artworks, and attempt to return the preservation of cultural heritage to the consciousness of the American military.
In 2007, the Monuments Men Foundation was awarded the National Humanities Award by President George W. Bush. You can go to their website to learn more about the Monuments Men and assist in the effort to recover and repatriate stolen goods.
Being a museum studies graduate student, of course I had to go see the new movie The Monuments Men. The movie is an interesting historical drama, though not an action movie, like the previews would have you think. While the movie is well worth the watch, they did take a number of liberties with the actual story. Here's the story of the true Monuments Men and the many people who supported them.
From the beginning of WWII, the American Council of Learned Societies and the Harvard Group called for the US military to protect and preserve the cultural heritage of Europe. Hitler was systematically looting art from the great museums and collectors of Europe in preparation to stock his own personal museum and the US army destroyed important buildings while invading Europe. However, it wasn't until 1943 that the efforts of these groups finally bore fruit.
The Monuments Men started with a group called whose official name was the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Artistic and Historic Monuments in War Areas, but was more commonly referred to as the Roberts Commission, after its chairman, Supreme Court Justice Owen Roberts. Proposed by Francis Henry Taylor, the director of the Museum of Modern Art, the group was created in 1943 to advise military actions in order to best protect and preserve national treasures during World War II, provided they did not interfere with military operations. They created the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section, for which 345 men and women volunteered, coming from the United States, Britain, France, Austria, and Belgium.
These men and women were primarily middle-aged; some were even WWI veterans. They were professors, museum curators, archivists, and librarians. Together, they saved an estimated 5 million art pieces and cultural objects.
 |
| Some of the Monuments Men at the Altuasee Salt Mine in 1945. (Wikimedia) |
These artworks included numerous masters, such as the Ghent Altarpiece and Michaelangelo's Madonna, both featured in the movie.
 |
| The Monuments Men recovering the Ghent Altarpiece at Altusee. (Wikimedia) |
After the war, a smaller contingent of Monuments Men continued to hunt down stolen art. Many of the members of the MFAA returned or went on to prominent jobs in cultural institutions. They are responsible for the foundation of the New York City Ballet, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Despite their incredible efforts, a number of other artworks remain missing. And, due to Hitler's "Nero Decree," stating that all evidence that could be used in a war crimes trial be destroyed, many may never be recovered.
The story of the Monuments Men was rediscovered in 1995 and in 2009, Robert Edsel wrote his book The Monuments Men and started the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art. He and the foundation aim to acknowledge the work of these incredible men and women, continue their quest to return stolen artworks, and attempt to return the preservation of cultural heritage to the consciousness of the American military.
 |
| President George W. Bush presents the 2007 National Humanities Medal for the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art to, from left, Robert Edsel and World War II veterans Jim Reeds, Harry Ettlinger, Horace Apgar and Seymore Pomrenze. (Wikimedia) |
In 2007, the Monuments Men Foundation was awarded the National Humanities Award by President George W. Bush. You can go to their website to learn more about the Monuments Men and assist in the effort to recover and repatriate stolen goods.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Share Spotlight: Love What You Do
This week's Share Spotlight comes from Verily Magazine.
Love What You Do
You have to find happiness where you are. That's the theme of this Verily blog post. No matter what you do, you can find some joy in it.
While it's great if you can grow where you're planted, if you can't find joy in what you do, you have two options. 1. Find something that you can find joy in doing. 2. Change your attitude.
I've been thinking about this a lot recently. I keep noticing that there are so many people in school that seem fundamentally unhappy, but are studying to do what they love. Make sure you find joy in what you do. It makes your life so much better, and, when you are happy, you make the people around you happy.
So, what do you think? Do what you love or love what you do?
Love What You Do
You have to find happiness where you are. That's the theme of this Verily blog post. No matter what you do, you can find some joy in it.
While it's great if you can grow where you're planted, if you can't find joy in what you do, you have two options. 1. Find something that you can find joy in doing. 2. Change your attitude.
I've been thinking about this a lot recently. I keep noticing that there are so many people in school that seem fundamentally unhappy, but are studying to do what they love. Make sure you find joy in what you do. It makes your life so much better, and, when you are happy, you make the people around you happy.
So, what do you think? Do what you love or love what you do?
Saturday, March 1, 2014
February Book Roundup
As I do at the end of each month, here's a list of some of the books I've been reading.
When the Marquess Met
His Match by Laura Lee Guhrke
A wonderful take on a traditional Romance novel plot:
dedicated bachelor finds he must marry, so he finds a matchmaker to find him a
bride, he doesn’t expect to fall for the matchmaker! Still, I loved this book.
The characters felt very real, with an incredible depth. Both characters have
their flaws but you still want to root for them, especially as they start to
understand themselves and fight to change for the better. A great afternoon
read that will leave you sighing in contentment.
Paris in Love by
Eloisa James
Continuing the Romance theme, Paris in Love is the memoir of romance author Eloisa James (one of
my favorites). The memoir grew out of Facebook and Twitter posts, so the book
is mainly written in short paragraphs, interspersed with longer essays. The
posts are generally witty and made me laugh, a lot. I was reading every other
one out loud to my roommate. A great read for anyone who needs to travel by
armchair.
Divergent by Veronica
Roth
A fantastic first book! The narrator seems very real to me
and the thought processes that are so integral to making the main character
important come through loud and clear, without it feeling as though the author
is aiming to make her think differently. Yeah, that was a messy explanation,
but I have to say that this is one book that lived up to the hype.
I'm always looking for new books, so leave a recommendation! Just keep it spoiler free. ;)
Friday, February 28, 2014
Piasa
A fearsome being from the cosmology of the ancient Mississpians, the Underwater Panther ruled the watery Underworld.
I'm volunteering with a museum here in town, putting together an exhibition on Native Americans and their connection to animals. I've been writing a lot of labels, but one of my favorite cases has to do with the Underwater Panther.
Also called the Piasa and Mishipeshu, the Underwater Panther is the ruler of the Underwater realm. To back up a couple of steps, many of the Eastern Woodlands Native Americans believed in a world with four corners that rested on top of a watery realm (the underworld) which then rotated up to form the night sky. Or, in another version, the world was made on a Turtle's back, with creatures diving through the watery Underworld to bring up the dirt necessary to make the land.
The Underwater Panther was described as having the head and body of a cat, perhaps a mountain lion or lynx, the horns of a deer, and the tail of snake. One image of the Underwater Panther was described by Father Jacques Marquette, a French explorer on his travels on the Mississippi River.
The Underwater Panther uses his tail to whip up whirlpools, and he was said to appear in places where whirlpools occurred. He could be very dangerous, often drowning those who got too close, but for those bold enough to seek him out, he could also give great rewards of power, knowledge, and strength.
The image of the Underwater Panther, particularly his tail, appears all over Eastern Native American imagery.
The red and white swirl indicate the whirlpool the Underwater Panther creates and allow the artist to distinguish the creature without having to actually depict a long tail, something a bit difficult to do in ceramics.
The tail was also said to be made of copper, a valuable material, particularly in Mississippian times. Many copper items have been found across Eastern North America in shape of spirals, echoing the whirlpool made by the creature from which they came.
Unlike many European cosmologies, the Underworld is not evil, and neither is the Underwater Panther. Powerful spirits, whether they be from the Underworld or the Aboveworld, were dangerous if approached inappropriately. The Underwater Panther is simply a powerful being, one who could use his powers to reward the bold or punish the proud.
I'm volunteering with a museum here in town, putting together an exhibition on Native Americans and their connection to animals. I've been writing a lot of labels, but one of my favorite cases has to do with the Underwater Panther.
Also called the Piasa and Mishipeshu, the Underwater Panther is the ruler of the Underwater realm. To back up a couple of steps, many of the Eastern Woodlands Native Americans believed in a world with four corners that rested on top of a watery realm (the underworld) which then rotated up to form the night sky. Or, in another version, the world was made on a Turtle's back, with creatures diving through the watery Underworld to bring up the dirt necessary to make the land.
The Underwater Panther was described as having the head and body of a cat, perhaps a mountain lion or lynx, the horns of a deer, and the tail of snake. One image of the Underwater Panther was described by Father Jacques Marquette, a French explorer on his travels on the Mississippi River.
 | ||
| Drawing based on Father Marquette's description of the Underwater Panther. |
The Underwater Panther uses his tail to whip up whirlpools, and he was said to appear in places where whirlpools occurred. He could be very dangerous, often drowning those who got too close, but for those bold enough to seek him out, he could also give great rewards of power, knowledge, and strength.
The image of the Underwater Panther, particularly his tail, appears all over Eastern Native American imagery.
 |
| Piasa pot in the National Museum of the American Indian. (Wikimedia) |
The red and white swirl indicate the whirlpool the Underwater Panther creates and allow the artist to distinguish the creature without having to actually depict a long tail, something a bit difficult to do in ceramics.
The tail was also said to be made of copper, a valuable material, particularly in Mississippian times. Many copper items have been found across Eastern North America in shape of spirals, echoing the whirlpool made by the creature from which they came.
Unlike many European cosmologies, the Underworld is not evil, and neither is the Underwater Panther. Powerful spirits, whether they be from the Underworld or the Aboveworld, were dangerous if approached inappropriately. The Underwater Panther is simply a powerful being, one who could use his powers to reward the bold or punish the proud.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Share Spotlight: How Schools Kill Creativity
This week's Share Spotlight comes from Sir Ken Robinson through TED.
How schools kill creativity
In this 20 minute talk from 2006, Sir Ken Robinson, amid numerous jokes, lays out the biggest problem in out current education system: kids are taught that to be wrong or make mistakes is the worst possible thing they can do.
But is a mistake really that bad? Think of all the scientific breakthroughs that came through mistakes. Safety Glass came about because someone didn't clean out a beaker well enough, the first plastic was meant to be a shellac replacement, and tire rubber came from accidentally dropping a rubber mixture onto a hot plate. (Check out this video for more)
How do we make sure that kids (and adults) know that it is alright to make mistakes? What did you think of his other points, on how important the arts are?
How schools kill creativity
In this 20 minute talk from 2006, Sir Ken Robinson, amid numerous jokes, lays out the biggest problem in out current education system: kids are taught that to be wrong or make mistakes is the worst possible thing they can do.
But is a mistake really that bad? Think of all the scientific breakthroughs that came through mistakes. Safety Glass came about because someone didn't clean out a beaker well enough, the first plastic was meant to be a shellac replacement, and tire rubber came from accidentally dropping a rubber mixture onto a hot plate. (Check out this video for more)
How do we make sure that kids (and adults) know that it is alright to make mistakes? What did you think of his other points, on how important the arts are?
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