The Jonathan Maxcy monument was constructed to honor the University of South Carolina’s first president, Jonathan Maxcy. Its appearance is similar to that of an obelisk like structure with an orb or globe at its top. It is placed directly at the center of the horseshoe, which is central to the university as a whole, making this monument the university’s most central feature. The monument was dedicated in 1827 to Jonathan Maxcy. The monument was commissioned and built by the university and is made of brass and concrete. There is a long and drawn out accompanying text to the monument however, in short it says that Jonathan Maxcy was a great man and an even better president and that he made the university what it is to this day. This monument
is constructed in an effort to tell the story of Jonathan Maxcy and what an integral part of the university that he is. It’s accompanying text reveals some of the life works of Maxcy and makes the story clear that the University of South Carolina’s opening is largely his doing. This is made clear by the location and architecture of the surrounding areas of the monument. The Maxcy monument is located at the exact center of the horseshoe, not only that but the horseshoe is central to the university, and the crisscrossing walking paths of the horseshoe itself that literally tie the monument into the fabric of the university mak it very clear that Jonathan Maxcy played a huge role in the development of the University of South Carolina. The monument over the years has become an iconic image at the university becoming synonymous with USC itself. Without it USC would lose a large part of its identity and it would feel as though the campus were missing something. However, the monument does not tell the story of the racism and segregation that surrounded USC at its beginnings. Maxcy was a slave owner himself and did little to neglect the use of slaves at USC during his time. The monument however makes no mention of that hiding this story of oppression behind its towering concrete and brass.
The two artworks I decided to discuss are A thousand peaks and myriad ravines by Wang Hui for the Chinese artwork and View of Kojima Bay by Ike Taiga as the Japanese artwork. Both these share a few similarities including the subject of the artwork being the landscape and naturalism. In A thousand peaks and myriad ravines by Wang Hui you can notice very clear detailing and lining from the top trees of the mountains to the very small fishers and scholars portrayed towards the bottom and center of the artwork. Primarily, this artwork emphasizes the detail. The portrait is mostly taken up by the mountains and that around it. The range of colors used in this hanging scroll consist of the grey scale and a golden bronze done with a very thin brush.
In the novels Counselor Ayres’ Memorial by Machado de Assis and The Sound of the Mountain by Yasunari Kawabata, there are common themes and motifs that are present in both books. There is a strong element of love (both romantic and familial) and of separation. These themes have significant effects on the characters and the plot. Both novels also present a similar message about life and the world. Although the novels have similar themes, they are expressed differently in each.
Monument 14 is an exciting, compelling novel, written by Emmy Laybourne with 352 pages that tells the story of 14 kids that are living through what seems to be the apocalypse. It was published by Square Fish Inc. on May 28, 2013 and it is a realistic fiction novel. I chose to read this book because the informant at the bookstore told me that it was popular and had a great story to it, which she described to me briefly. I hoped to have a book that put me in a situation that would not normally happen with lots of action, adventure, and unpredictability.
The Pyramids Of Giza were chosen as they are three extraordinary structures that give a rich insight into the context, culture, function, technology, power and experiential aspects of the time period and the buildings themselves. The three pyramids showcase the Egyptian’s advanced construction and design methods, their religious beliefs and practices, their rich and diverse culture, the power of the king, as well as the context that surrounded these magnificent structures.
Dillard refers to the corpses of the moths beneath the spider web in her bathroom for the 16 years she had quit writing as if it was the death of her writing as the moths died to the spider.
Winston Churchill once said “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent.” (Churchill). When he said this he was coining a term that would be used in history books decades later. He was of course referring to the complete separation of one major city into two smaller separately governed cities by the Berlin Wall. In China Mieville's novel, The City and The City, we see a similar situation in which the two fictional and completely opposite cities of Besźel and Ul Qoma are separated by a wall. Not a physical wall but an ideological wall; one that is so ingrained into the existence of the cities themselves that it might as well be physical made of brick and mortar. I believe that Mieville is using these two cities and the wall between them as a symbol for the Cold War and the chaos created by the Berlin Wall.
Most young college student who graduate often have difficulty finding work after graduation. The students go to school for many years and graduate from school with no clue on where to work and how to find work. Receiving advice from someone who knows the struggle of finding and keeping a job could be the best step you take into finding a job, because they know all the in’s and out’s as they have lived through it. Troy Maxson, of the classic American play, Fences, was always one who was dedicated to working hard to make a living. If a recent college graduate took advice from Troy Maxson, they would very much find, keep, and prosper in their career. Taking advice from Troy would teach them all the do’s and don’ts of finding a job.
The Korean War Veterans Memorial is an ominous depiction of an American squad on patrol alongside a 164 foot mural wall, to show that freedom is not free. The memorial is dedicated to those who served in the Korean War but more importantly those of them who were killed in action, are still missing in action, or were held as prisoners of war. The memorial was created by Frank Gaylord and Louis Nelson. The objective of the memorial is to remind the public of the dedication to the United States of the men and women who served in the Korean War. The memorial was designed to show the trials and tribulations that many of the military personnel faced during the war.
Carver’s the “Cathedral” to Hopper’s Ground Swell. The short story, “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver and the painting, Ground Swell by Edward Hopper, are similar in certain aspects, even though they take place in different settings. There is major conflict in each piece of art that creates confusion in the tone. The “Cathedral” is a first person story, but the narrator remains unnamed throughout the writing. This is a different point of view than the painting, which is first person, Ground Swell pictures individuals on a sailboat looking at a buoy floating in the ocean.
Rev. Dr. Derrick B. Wells Leads Mega Church Founded by Rev. Johnnie Colemon into the Future
The museum I chose to visit this week was the North Carolina Museum of History located in Raleigh, North Carolina on March 13, 2014. It was a good time for this assignment because we were traveling this week to North Carolina so it made a great stop for us during our stay. Taking World Cultures has given me a new perspective on the foundation of our history and heritage. North Carolina holds a large amount of history for the United States. It was one of the original 13 colonies and was the first state to declare its independence from the British. North Carolina was known for its slave planation system to cultivate tobacco and cotton to be exported. An exhibit that I found to be interesting at the North Carolina Museum of History was The Story of North Carolina. This museum is the largest exhibit ever produced at the N.C. Museum of History. This exhibit is one that would inspire anyone new or visiting the state to experience the history of North Carolina and to develop more of an appreciation and understanding of the culture and communities.
When I visited the museum, it had a wide variety of exhibits and artworks. It had two temporary Exhibits. The first temporary Exhibit I had the pleasure of seeing was Peter Max’s 50 Years of Cosmic Dreaming, which is on display from June 10th thru September 11th. Max was born in Berlin, but has lived in China, Israel, and finally the United States. Max was a rising star in the 1960s, with a passion for astronomy, sages and spiritual life. His work is strongly “associated with pop art, neo-fauvism, and abstract expressionism” (Peter Max). Max’s artwork contains multiple United States symbols and cultural icons. Symbols included the statue
Many art works such as statues are placed throughout the world in different settings. The most common setting for statues is found in funerary settings. The importance of statues in funerary settings is that they are use to project the power the person had before his death. The seated statue of Khafre enthroned from Gizeh, Egypt, illustrates the idealized pharaoh. Another sculpture is Kouros, from Anavysos, Greece that depicts the heroism of Kroisos dying in battle. The Kouros and Khafre are similar in the way that they both radiate power and serve the purpose of honoring the dead men, yet Khafre has a greater significance because it illustrates the pharaoh in a flawless form and the audience can tell that he was a great ruler by the perfect cut sculpture.
The Aqueduct, while not an invention of the Romans, was made effective and marvels of the engineering world. Some of the techniques of the aqueducts are still used by modern engineers. Roman aqueducts were immense feats of engineering and architecture
Monuments are a symbol of a significant time in history. Monuments represent life, death, success, and struggle just to name a few. They have become as important to society as the events they represent. They bring history alive to new generations and memories to those who experience them firsthand. Monuments create a bridge between generations. Many parents feel a certain indescribable joyfulness when they see the look in their child’s eyes they had went they viewed the same monument.