Art History Self-Test... IN FRENCH!

There's a really interesting self-test, or let's say quiz, for people studying or interested in art history on the French website of L'Internaute magazine. It's really useful for people who may be doing an art history degree at university, or even just AP Art History at high school.

The art history quiz (here) is in French, but even without any knowledge, you should be able to guess what the questions, and possible answers are. They're works of famous artists like Gaugin, Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Monet, and other great masters of art. Traditionally, the names you'd expect to see, but also a few surprises you may not know. You should be looking to get everything right!

Cities Shaped Like Animals - True Art

Here are the plans for a Rhino-shaped city in Sudan as
will be visible from the sky. Source: VOA News.

Instead of simply calling cities like NYC "The Big Apple", why not actually make them shaped like fruit, or even animals? The government of Southern Sudan in northeastern Africa (south of Egypt) has decided to do exactly so by commissioning artists and landscape architects. Way to take art into the real world!

Although still in the planning stage, many new and old cities have been lined up to become shaped like animals such as rhinos, pineapples and giraffes. The shapes won't be assigned randomly, but will be based on the regions/cities national fruit or animal. To my knowledge, this is the first instance in history where something like this has been undertaken – and will truly remain visible for centuries. Perhaps in ancient history, there was no need to do so, as no flying machines existed – but now, given modern commercial flights, shaping cities like still-lifes has a great touristic and artistic value.

They're even turning former slum cities, into nice, modern places for all social classes to live. The government is planning big expenditures here, and this will be a rather costly project ($10-billion USD).

A turbulent self-governing region of Sudan, Southern Sudan has seen many atrocities in it's history – and is currently a place of high poverty, very poor health, and high occurrence of HIV/AIDS. Perhaps these investments will help those who need it most – not only help with physical living conditions (e.g. cleanliness and a disease-free environment), but also on the moral side – provide a happier place for people.

AIDS and the Iraq Invasion

Difference & Desire in American Portraiture

The US government, in all it's democracy, doesn't exactly have the best track-record for free-speech. Although constitutionally protected, some things just happen to end up in illegal avenues. The US often criticizes other nations for their un-democratic actions, but it has itself in the past (e.g. in propaganda against the Soviet Union's version of Communism) committed a lot of offenses against human-rights... and still continues to do so today – notably with the Iraq war, and gay rights.

In recent news of the art world (NYT), an exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington to bring awareness to AIDS was silenced by Republicans and religious groups. The artist's freedom of expression and speech was not recognized, and more importantly - not honored. It seems to be unconstitutional, as although controversial, it contained no hate-speech of any sorts:

The artwork, a video by the artist David Wojnarowicz that included an image of ants crawling on a crucifix, was denounced by members of the religious right and several Republican congressmen. It has since become a rallying point for artists, gay activists and others who view its removal as censorship. The larger show, titled “Hide/Seek,” is about homosexual themes in American portraiture.

Censorship on criticizing the Iraq War.

It was no removed due to direct government intervention, but more as the result of criticism from certain government officials. It was in fact removed by the Smithsonian parent-institution itself. Another such example happened in L.A. California at the Museum of Contemporary Art, where street-art criticizing the evidence-less Iraq invasion by G.W. Bush was removed – an act of censorship in art. Interestingly, although the current administration (hopefully) disagrees with Bush's actions – it still happened. Perhaps there is something wrong with the current system of governing the nation?

The mural depicted coffins covered in dollar bills – a sentiment that likely rings true for anyone familiar with the protest, "No blood for oil." However, the museum shares a neighborhood with a Veterans Affairs hospital and a war memorial to Japanese American soldiers. What do you think...? Was this censorship in action, or sensitivity?

Read more: Hide/Seek: Too Shocking for America.

Big Deal: Egyptology & Metropolitan Museum of Art

Hatsheptsut Temple. Pronounced: Hat-Cheap-Suit

I would like to bring to your attention a very interesting article about "the Met's Work in Egypt", which is coincidentally the title of it. It's a very interesting look at ancient-Egypt and how it fits into the life of modern-Egypt, and comes from the director himself. It says:

In eighteen months on the job, I [Thomas P. Campbell, director of the Met] have traveled all over the globe, and it is incredible to understand the scope of the Met's international reach. In fact, I have just returned from a tour of the Met's archaeological work in Egypt, activity that extends back to the earliest days of the Museum.

Natural History (How I Met Your Mother)

Barney riding a lion, Robin opening a beer on it's teeth.

The recent How I Met Your Mother episode (Season 6, Episode 8) featured the Natural History Museum in NYC - one of my favorites! The crew went around touching various ancient art exhibits - something I always wanted to do. Ironically, this episode was filmed at the Natural History Museum in California, and not New York - but most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference (though I was a bit puzzled as I know the place pretty well).

Reclaiming Stolen Ancient Art from the West

Bust of ancient Egypt's queen Nefertiti in Berlin

Trying to reclaim the numerous artifacts of ancient Egypt that are scattered around the world, Egyptian authorities name the Louvre in France and the British Museum in the UK as two of the biggest culprits in robbing Egypt of it's ancient legacy.

Interestingly, the Met Museum in NYC has conformed to the Egyptian requests, and returned a few objects from Tut's tomb. While at the same time, Californian arts dealers have been caught smuggling ancient Mesopotamian items stolen from Iraq during the war. Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern art is the most sought-after in the world, due to it's delicate colors, patterns, and truly ancient history.

Stuff to see at the Met (museum)

While living in NYC, art is always at your fingertips. Whether it be ancient, classical or modern—you always have something to be inspired from. There's some new stuff in the Met (I mean the museum, not the operah, duh!), so for anyone who's interested, I suggest you check it out. Particularly, this piece which was acquired a few years ago, but is on show now:

2000 year old bearer or something (the unknown)

It originated in Mexico, and much like most ancient South American art (called pre-Columbian as the time before Columbus "discovered" the place) it is very elegant, and unlike the traditional stuff we're used to seeing in the West, originating from the Old World of ancient Greece, Rome, Near East, that kinda stuff. This piece is from Colima, a state in south-western Mexico, at the coast of the Pacific Ocean, and it's elaborate history is detailed in the The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin of Fall 2008:

In the centuries on either side of the first millennium, much three-dimensional ceramic sculpture was made in the western Mexican region that now corresponds to the modern states of Colima, Nayarit, and Jalisco. The three states have given their names to the styles of three groups of ancient ceramics that have been identified within their borders. The Colima style, today the most popular of the three, is generally known for its contained volumes, simplified detail, and almost monochrome surfaces, which are most frequently a rich red-brown that at its best is brilliant in appearance. 

Substantial numbers of Colima ceramic sculptures like this one have been discovered in burials, where they were placed as funerary offerings. Some large, probably family tombs held dozens of them.The specific meaning of many of the depictions can only be conjectured. Warriors, for instance, are identified by the slings they carry and their pugnacious attitudes.This example may be a standard bearer. The raised right arm and empty fist that could well have supported a staff with a banner suggest that it might be. Standard bearers are more common in later Mexican sculpture, when they are frequently depicted in stone.