Murals Wall Paintings And Frescoes Cultural Studies Essay

Murals Wall Paintings And Frescoes Cultural Studies Essay It is interesting to note that people who are not inclined with a reverent passion for the arts would only think of it in superficial terms (Goodyear, 1897). They only consider arts as something lavish, interesting, and pleasing to the eye. They believe that art pieces (such as paintings, murals, mosaics, sculptures, and others) are something to be displayed on a prominent area, depending on its creator. The trend for these art pieces would be the more well-known the creator is, the better the location of the masterpiece would be. For instance, if the artist would be someone really renowned as Leonardo da Vinci, then the painting would be placed on the front room of a house. Van Draanen Parsons mentions that people want to display old books because they believe that it gives them an aura of intelligence (1998, p. 52). It doesnt matter what the books were about, interior designers and rich people would buy them by the bulk and display them on expensive bookshelves. These books would have a worn-out, dusty feel which will make mask the owners ignorance and play in their favor when guests come a calling. The books will be displayed without being read or understood: they would just be placed in bookshelves, looking dusty and old, being utterly ignored. The same goes for paintings and other works of art. People will buy expensive and impressive pieces with the purpose of not hailing the artist, but for boasting that they are cultured, without really understanding what the artwork is trying to say. Behind the smooth surface of sculptures, the notable curves and lines of paintings, and the alluring colors of art pieces would be a story that is crying to be told. There is a rich history behind art, such a fine discipline, such as the struggles of ancient artists as they tried their best to create a world that would be beautiful and appealing. Such an example of art that conveys such deep meanings would be the act of wall painting. Wall painting has been around for centuries, and were utilized before for different purposes as what they are being used for now. They were noted as pieces wherein artists could express themselves, and shout out to the world the current triumphs, fears, and dreams of a society. Indeed, there is more to wall painting than what meets the eye. As technology develops, these stories are coming out to the light. Art: a definition Art exists everywhere. In reality, all people have creative tendencies, though only a handful would react to this possibility. As Baldwin and Roskill (1997, p. 188) wrote, the impulse to create art is to realize form and order out of mere matter to recognize order in the world or to generate it oneself is universal and perpetual. Art is the act of creating something from nothing of significance such as murals and wall paintings that have served as a form of storytelling. It has served as a way for cultures from all parts of the globe in order to make their stories known and to preserve the rich heritage of their tribe or nation. Murals and wall paintings are also considered as the link of the past to the present, and to what the world could be in the future. Baldwin and Roskill (1997, p. 188) supported this idea when they wrote it is a present experience as well as a record of the past, and it is valued, preserved. Due to this, today is a careful era wherein past artworks such as murals and frescoes are being restored, in order to bring to life once again their beauty and majesty, so that generations after this generation will be able to stand spellbound in front of them, and know the story of their forefathers. Trigiani (2005, p. 221) once wrote about a group of people who was restoring and redecorating an old church in New Jersey. The old church was left as it was throughout hundreds of years, and when the type of restoration came, the group didnt hold back in the task. There they found one such marvel: they discovered that a fresco was actually just painting on a canvas which was placed on a wall. This is already a marvel of discovery at itself, yet when they peeled back the canvas, the painting of the Blessed Mother; there they saw that there was another canvas behind the original. And the hidden canvas portrays a naked, sexy, voluptuous woman. Though this is but an interesting twist in a novel, this point clearly emphasizes that artists have used murals, frescoes, and wall paintings as a form of expression and of storytelling. For the artist who have hidden a picture of a beautiful woman beneath a blessed image, it is his form of acknowledging the beauty of his loved ones, as he tries to capture one moment of an important moment. And each time he glances up at the painting of the Blessed Mother, he will be able to see the woman he loves underneath her. History of Wall Painting The art of wall painting was only enjoyed before by governments and wealthy people (Geracismos, 2006). Though it has been around for hundreds of years, only the elite had access to wall painting. The term mural comes from the Latin word murus, which means wall. Therefore, the literal translation of a mural painting would be wall painting. This is not surprising, since murals are often placed on walls and ceilings of private residences and other public buildings. The first known muralists were the Egyptians, who decorated walls of tombs with scenes of war, hunting, and ceremonies during 3d millennium BC (Berman, 1997). This corresponds to the rich Egyptian culture then, as well as their technology wherein people have to rely on the spoils of war, as well on hunting for their daily food and meals. The ceremonies indicate the Egyptian culture of having intricate ceremonies to honor gods, because foregoing a ceremony could bring ill luck and might bring the wrath of the displeased god to the people. This could be one of the reasons why Egyptian painted murals on their tombs: in order to remind the souls of their departed loved ones of their rich history, and the gods they need to please in the afterlife. From then on the art of wall painting grew and developed, with the Greeks and Italian taking advantage of the discipline and creating even more intricate and beautiful designs. During the 6th to 5th centuries BC, the Greeks created epic murals which coincide with the battles described in Greek literature (Berman, 1997). This portrays another use for murals such as keeping the story, preserving the culture, and the current status of their lives. During the Hellenistic Period of Olynthos mosaics by Greeks, the Romans copied the prospect of murals and applied this to their homes and temples, while bordering the approach to naturalism. This started the rage fir mosaics in Europe, which was at its peak during the 4th to 13th century. The richness of color in the Early Christian Art makes it outstanding, with realistic murals of saints and angels in stationed in churches to provide a more heavenly aura for churchgoers (Bernan, 1997). Wall painting still continues to grow and develop even in the present era. It has gone through the era of classical art, which resulted to fewer mosaics, and the art direction went from naturalism to romanticism and to revolutionary themes. Though throughout the ages, one thing remains constant: a mural conveys what message the artist wants to impart with the audience. Mexican muralists Diego River and Jà ³se Clemente Orozco painted murals with revolutionary themes. This embodies their hopes in reforms and in the support of the people. Perhaps one of the most talked about early murals would be the cave paintings found at Altamira Spain during 1879, and in Lascaux, France during 1940 (Berman, 1997). These paintings are unique for that particular area, so it was easy to identify when the murals were created. These aged murals have a hunting theme, with overlapping forms which are elongate flight, and it also gives the impression of a prey cowering to death (Hiester, 1989, p. 27). This is similar to the murals of early Egyptians which portrayed on their walls how to make a living. Before men and women became intelligent and sophisticated, they were first and foremost primeval hunters who preyed on animals in order to live. Types of wall paintings There are many materials being used, and methods and techniques being used for wall paintings. Each method depends on the current era and culture, and the materials available as they developed by technology. The most common of them are frescoes, encaustic murals, mosaic, stained glass, baked enamels, modern synthetic materials, and photographic murals (Berman, 1997). As technology develops, more and more materials are being used for murals, such as casual paint and an ordinary brush which are painted on street walls. Frescoes The origins of frescoes are unknown are unclear, since there were only few early pieces which survived (Gealt, 1997). However, around c. 1700 BC, frescoes were discovered to be used in the Minoan Art of Crete (Berman, 1997). This perhaps would be the earliest piece of fresco during that time. During 2008, Dietsch provided a better picture of modern murals that were found in the Pompeii Exhibit. She described how the frescoes took a turn toward naturalism, wherein every detail is exact and precise. Birds and statuary indicated that there was a garden nearby the original location of the fresco, since it was an ancient Pompeian residence which was only excavated during 1978 and 1983. In an awestruck tone, Dietsch continued to describe the beauty of the Pompeian fresco as it became a bridge between the physical objects of that era, to the objects depicted on the fresco. Italian painter Constantino Brumidi created such a fresco filled with flowers, birds, and beasts which is a classic grotesque painting during 1856 to 1880. This fresco was able to picture clearly the daily events of human life, such as the flowers one would see every day, and captured it in a frozen moment that will last for all time. True to the frescos purpose, it was able to provide accurate representations of that era (Geracimos, 1997). A fresco conservator who was restoring Brumidis fresco noted how she was able to see how visitors are in awestruck amazement of the fresco as she is. Geracimos (1997) mentioned during the interview that the conservator was quoted to have said, There is a friendly, happy feeling around the frescoes. I have a sense that people see the recovery of the spirit and dignity in the original. Frescoes and murals alike were used to convey the story of a particular era, as well as to release emotions from those who will see them. They do not only beautify a place, but add to the atmosphere as well. An example of such fresco being able to depict feelings would be the Last Judgment in Romes Sistine Chapel. For a church, the breathtaking and forbidding fresco on the ceiling was able to both awe the churchgoers with its beauty and majesty, yet is also able to make them feel a little daunted by their sins. The fresco clearly illustrate the thin line between heaven and hell, and for every churchgoer who would look up and glance at its beauty, they will be reminded that they will have to live in the right side in order to avoid being in hell when the last judgment comes. Types of frescoes The 1300s to 1800s brought with them the boom of frescoes as they were painted on walls and ceilings of public buildings, churches, and private residences (Gealt, 1997). Among the many methods of wall painting in the early days, frescoes could be said as the more popular method of wall painting. There are two types of fresco: a buon fresco (or a true fresco) is created by applying a fresh wet layer of plaster on a wall surface, and is painted with pigments that are mixed with water (Gealt, 1997). This is the most utilized form of fresco, as the output would be very impressive and beautiful. Then there is the other type of fresco which is referred to as a secco fresco (or dry fresco). This is used by painting a dry surface with adhesive binder flakes (Gealt, 1997). Unlike buon fresco, this type of fresco is not permanent, and could be removed once the owner has used it to his or her preference. Wall Painting now Though a lot about wall painting has changed, there are some things that remain constant. Though there are more materials, and more purposes of murals and wall paintings, such as beautifying a home, or covering an ugly street, they still provide a sense of culture during the present time. What began as symbolic wall paintings that were sacred in caves, churches, and other early dwellings, became common and usual household paintings. Murals, frescoes, and other forms of wall painting are even see in government buildings, schools, and subway stations throughout the country (Hiester, 1989). Wall painting changed depending on culture, from the Roman and Greek warfare, to the epics of the Greek and the early Christian charges, to the Renaissance and revolutionary murals depicted to show life as it progresses. Heister (1989) continues with the changes in the mural setting, as she and her colleagues in the Education department team up with students to paint a mural for their school. They used everyday materials, such as Latex wall paint and foam brushes. The technology provides more uses for murals and frescoes than never before. An example would be Heister building a paneled mural for the school, as well as it being utilized in interior decoration by middle-class families. What used to be a declaration of wealth before is now something casual and usual, thanks to technology which enabled middle-class people to have access to frescoes (Geracimos, 2006). Murals and frescoes are now being used in interior designing. An interior decorator could also paint on a canvas as thin as wallpaper, so that the home owners will be able to take the canvas with them if they decide to move homes. It is also very mobile, such as what Hiester (1989) did with their mural, wherein the panels could be removed to accommodate new murals of future students that are more fitting for the time. In a way, murals are still used to beautify homes. Geracimos (2006) says that the trend is part of a larger pattern around the country that has people investing heavily in their domestic environment, the trend being the personalized murals in each home. There are many ways of taking advantage of murals in a home, such as painting a fairytale theme in a childs room, or something that might be able to ignite a childs imagination. Main rooms are also given the impression that they are bigger, thanks to murals. The materials being used are not as restricted as well. Nowadays interior decorators could create walls to look like limestone, burlap, or linen only by using paint. Such technology was unavailable before, but nowadays people can take advantage of this wonder (Geracimos, 2006). What is disheartening is that despite the boom of wall painting in the present era, there is a sad price that artists have to pay. Nowadays people do not see frescoes and murals as what they really are (which are pictures that have captured life and is a way of bringing into the present some of the past, which provides continuity); instead what people see is a murals shallow beauty. To illustrate better this point, Lothar (2007) writes about Lavaudieu village in France, describing the place as unspoiled stone village, no shops, no bars, no nightlife, just a restaurant or two. This quiet is supplemented with Lothars next words which are, what makes the village worth a visit are the exquisite 11th-century Benedictine abbeyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the refectory is a glow with Byzantine-influenced murals. With that simple sentence, Lothar was able to depict the murals in the area as something that was supposed to be appealing and peaceful. Never mind if, say for example, the murals painted on the abbey is filled with demons and angels fighting for the Lord. The people stopped caring about things that really matter, such as what a piece means, and instead preferred to think about just how shallow a murals image is. From sacred images, graffiti, and interior decoration It is clearly emphasized in the paper that the previous purpose of murals would be to beautify homes and to preserve the culture of one society. It has evolved to the purpose of beautifying homes, to draw epic tales and to encourage beautiful stories throughout history. With each technological advancement and marvel come different application of murals and frescoes. The Egyptians used murals to show their rich history in terms of their celebrations, deaths, and other important occasions, while there are those that showed war, revolution, and hunger on the walls. Now everywhere one looks, there are murals and paintings on the streets and walls. Politicians use walls as another way of campaigning, teenagers and gang members would put graffiti in the blank and clean walls. Did it grow or diminish over the years? From the sacred images in churches that were able to raise fear and astonishment to those who see it, to the common graffiti that are being splattered on blank walls in the neighborhoods. Thanks to the developments of todays technology, murals are accessible to everybody. Yet this accessibility could also wreck the beauty of murals, as they could be taken for granted.

Guide Dogs :: essays research papers

My report is going to be on guide dogs. In this I will show how the guide dogs are used in everyday life. I will show how they are trained to help the blind. I will show you about guide dogs and service dogs. I will also show you the dog breeds used for guide and service dogs. In this I will show you the importance of guide dogs to the disabled.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Guide dogs begin training at just a puppy. The dogs are taught basic things like to sit, stay, wait, down, off, etc. and of course they are taught to be house broken. The social training for the dog is one of the most important of all they will learn. During this training dogs are introduced to sights, smells, sounds, and unusual surfaces. The trainers also keep close attention to their socializing toward dogs, people, and traffic. And this is a basic training for a guide dog.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many people refer to these dogs as guide dogs, but there is another way to call a dog that leads, a service dog. They are very alike in ways that they both have to watch out closely to everything that’s going on around them. A service dog are hearing dogs, they are used for the deaf. Another type of service dog is a seizure alert dog, but these dogs are very uncommon to see. And these are the types of service dogs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many breeds of dogs to choose from some of the most common are golden retriever, German shepherd, and Labrador retriever. Many people can pick almost any breed they are looking for though. The common breeds I pointed out are used because of their intelligence, willingness to work, and their mobility. The dogs that help are really filling a hole that these people have.

Tattoos in Society

Tattoos in Society Even though tattoos are sometimes viewed as unprofessional and offensive, tattoos are just a form of art because tattoos should not hinder someone from anything in life and people with tattoos are just as human as everyone else. Tattoos have been around for a long time and have always been a subject that causes conflicts and contradictions, both negatively and positively. Some companies do not allow their employees to have visible tattoos, some do. There are jobs out there that are strict with the dress code and grooming conduct. Where I work, one of the dress code restrictions are that if you do have visible tattoos or body art, they are to be covered by either band-aid or sleeves, if anyone has a tattoo or piercing other than the ears they have to cover them up with a band aid or wear clothing that cover the tattoos. On the flip side there are other jobs that do not have a problem at all with employees having visible tattoos. They are allowed to have then and show them freely. Society is forced to make a choice as to whether they should accept them or not. People now days especially those of younger ages, are more open to the idea of tattoos and the reason for having them. There are still people that believe that having a tattoo either means that you are a bad person or that you’ve been to jail, or that people use them as a way to rebel against society. Individuals who think that about a person are stereotyping without knowing the real meaning of them. Whatever the reason is for getting a tattoo be ready to get attention from it, it might be in a good way or in a bad way. There are many different reasons why people get tattoos. In ancient times tattoos were mainly used as status symbols, amulets, and signs of religion. Now days they are mainly used as a form of expression, adornments, a way to show their individuality, or also as a declaration of love. People get tattoos with their loved ones name or a symbol that would represent them. They also get pictures of things that have a special meaning to them or something that reminds them of something important in their lives. Religious tattoos are very common in some religions and in others they are een as a sin or a way to rebel against your religion, for example in the Buddhist and Hindu religions tattoos are a big part of their religion. They use them to represent their culture and their religious beliefs. In the Christian and Jewish religion tattoos are seen as a bad thing to do to your body, they believe that the body should be kept clean or without any modifications. For some individuals peer pressure from the new society to have tattoos makes them want t o get one even when it means to break your religious rules. In the Hindu religion the women get really creative tattoos in different parts of their bodies like on their hands. These are usually done when they get married, the tattoo artist will create a design on the palm of the brides hand and in the design they incorporate the name of the bride the groom has to find it first in order for them to consume their marriage. These traditions are still used today just like they were used for thousands of years. As time goes by tattoos are being accepted more in society, and they are seen differently. There will always be those who still disagree with them and that are still against them and that they would judge those who have them. Tattoos have been around for years. We believed that the oldest known tattoos have been found on Egyptian mummies, until in 1991 there was a mummy that was named The Ice Man and it is believed to be about 5,200 years old. It was discovered in the Italian-Austrian border. In Egypt, scientists have discovered the oldest tattooing tools dating back to 1450 BC. The oldest tattooed mummies found were mostly women it seems that men were not getting as many tattoos as women did. Excavators believed that these women were marked because it was believed that they were woman of â€Å"dubious status† as the author Joann Fletcher from the Smithsonian magazine mentioned it. This could be a reasonable reason for having found more mummies that were women. The tools used back in ancient times were described to be a sharp point set in a wooden handle, flattened needles that when tied together would provide repeated patterns of multiple dots. Now the tools have evolved but are still the same concept a needle that pierces the skin repeatedly creating the same effect on the skin. It was a painful process back then and it has not changed. You get severe burning when getting the tattoo and sometimes the person cannot take the pain and they have to stop the process, o they are left with a tattoo that is halve way and the they have to go through the removal process if they wish to remove it. Although the tools are more advanced the pain you get when getting a tattoo is still the same. The most used color in the Egyptian culture since ancient times has been black and in other cultures it has been the brighter colors that were most common. Now all of the colors are as equally popular. There are some that are more popular than others like Red, Green, Yellow, Blue, and White these colors are usually used as tint. There are different types of pigments that are used now days, there are organic based, mineral based, and plastic based, and the plastic based pigments are the one’s used for brighter colors. The ink used is usually FDA approved but there are still places that use the illegal ink, some of the ink that people use is not for the skin and this will result in an infection. As time goes by the pigments fade in the skin as they have sun exposure and with time the pigment goes deeper into the dermis so the image fades and becomes less recognizable. The colors that are more likely to fade are red, yellow, and pink. You can use sunscreen lotion to help protect the skin from the sun that in the long run will help maintain the look of the tattoo and it will help from fading. One of the cons of tattoos other than the rejection from society is the bad side of tattoo removal. When you decide that you made a bad choice on a tattoo or you decide it’s not something you want anymore you have the choice to remove it with a laser. The procedure is said to be pain full and the tattoos are not removed in its entirety it still leaves a scar. You also run the risk of catching an infection when getting the tattoos since the skin is getting pierced several times and it is left open after the tattoo is done. The worst case scenario would be if you catch HIV, this happens when a person that is infected with this deadly virus has gotten a tattoo and the tattoo artist did not disinfect the needle properly so the next person that gets a tattoo will run the risk of getting infected. The different countries that use tattoos the most are Japan, Samoa, Africa, and New Zealand. They all have different parts of the body that they prefer to get tattoos; in New Zealand they tattoo the face to represent status, lines of decent and tribal affiliations. These tattoos are called â€Å"Moko†. In India and Thailand they preferred tattoos on the arms and legs they use the tattoos to show strength. In Africa they used tattoos in a different way; since it is very hard to see the tattoos on their dark skin they would make indents in the skin like Braille. In ancient Greece and Rome the Persians would tattoo the woman with exotic beauty marks. In Central America the Mayas would use tattoos as a sign of courage. The most common tattoos now days are those of the zodiac signs, names, pictures of family members, or someone they admire. In the ancient times the most common tattoos were of symbols that were used as amulets or were part of the religion. Now most tattoos are colorful and there are even tattoos that glow in the dark. These are not so common since you can only see then under a black light; they are becoming very popular in clubs. Tattoos have evolved throughout time and people become more and more fascinated by them. Society will always have different opinions about tattoos, People’s religions and their different beliefs will always play a major roll in the way people perceive tattoos and those who have them. Society should consider the opinion of the opposite side before judging and before stereotyping someone. The people that have tattoos should also consider the other persons point of view and their reasons for not liking a tattoo or not wanting a tattoo. If we educate ourselves more about the reasons for some to have them and the reasons of those that oppose to them we would be more open to the subject of tattoos. http://www. smithsonianmag. com/history-archaeology/tattoo. html http://historyoftattoos. org/ http://www. essortment. com/all/historyoftatto_rkyb. htm http://www. colourlovers. com/blog/category/articles http://www. livestrong. com/article/12437-tattoos-and-tattooing/

Global Strategy Course Work

Introduction: Global organization is an international alliance which involves many different countries. The following elements are all affected by a company as it moves through evolutional phases for it to be a global organization. The first one is product. A global company creates a single product so that it can only have to pinch elements for different markets. The other key element is price. Price varies from market to market. Price is usually affected by many variables that are the cost of ingredients and cost of delivery. The third one is placement. Placement decisions must consider the position of the product in the market place. Building a global organization is different from domestic organization because of the environmental changes across international borders. A firm understands well its domestic environment but is less familiar with international environment. This will make the firm to spend more time and resources in understanding new environment. The following are the major three metrics for tracking implementation of a global market. First is the customer relationship management, which is a broadly-implemented strategy when managing interactions of a company customers, sales prospects and clients. The general goals of CRM are to find, win and attract new clients. The second metrics is the marketing operations which is a new discipline within the function of Corporate Marketing. Its main purpose is to increase efficiency of marketing and building an excellent foundation by marketing with processes, technology and best practices. The last one is the collaborative software which is computer software designed by helping people to achieve their goals. These metrics helps to ensure that the business efforts match to the plan. Monitoring also allows for the corrective actions by making necessary changes (Birnbaum, B. 2009) Implementation of global strategic risks is greater than domestic strategy. Different strategies results in facing environmental tasks that varies in levels of uncertainty and implementation of a particular strategy requires different levels of risk taking. Domestic strategy may result in higher level of uncertainty than when comparing it with global strategy. Global scale economies are a central source on competitive advantage for global strategy. This makes global strategic risks to be greater than domestic strategy. Build strategies have higher environmental conflict and external dependencies, necessitated greater willingness in taking risks as compared to the harvest strategy. Reference: Birnbaum, B. (2009): Monitoring Implementation of Your Strategic Plan. Retrieved on December 22, 2010 from http://www.birnbaumassociates.com/monitoring.htm