bridgetfleischer

[bridgetfleischer]

10/24/17:

Here is a photo I took of the Horse Guards Parade. On our way to the London Eye, we came across this beautiful building and saw two guards dressed in red coats on horses at the front of the building. Just as we got there, another guard dressed in red walked out and led the two men on horses back inside near the palace. After the guards were gone, the large group of people, as well as my friends and I, were able to cross to the other side of the building. The pale building consists of two large towers on the sides, and the entire building forms a square-like shape. The London Eye can even be spotted in the background.

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10/24/17:

During our last day in London, my group and I visited Buckingham Palace.  Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. The gorgeous building is located in the City of Westminster. The most recent structural additions were made in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Additions include the East front, which consists of the balcony on which the royal family assembles in order to greet crowds. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to live at the palace. Following her residence in 1837, the palace finally became the principal royal residence of the United Kingdom.

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10/24/17:

I was very disappointed when I found out from my parents that Big Ben would be under construction during my visit in London. In fact, the clock tower won’t be fully functioning for another 4 years. (That’s just an excuse to visit London again in a few years, right?) Big Ben, previously known as the Clock Tower, is actually called Elizabeth Tower. Big Ben is just the nickname that the structure has acquired over the years. The tower was completed in 1859 and the clock and dials were designed by Augusts Pugin. Big Ben is one of the most iconic symbols of the United Kingdom, especially when it comes to visual media.

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10/24/17:

Over the weekend, a group of my friends and I visited London. During our stay, we had the chance to visit the London Eye and even take a ride on it. Above is a picture of the London Eye that I took from across the water, as well as a picture I took from the top of the wheel. The London Eye opened in 2000 and has been one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions ever since. While the London Eye provides passengers with a beautiful view of the city, it can also be considered art because of its poise and gracefulness that can be viewed from miles away. Its entirely accurate geometric shape is composed of a large circle, as well as carriages that line the outside of the circle.

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17/10/17:

These unique structures were located near Lake Zurich, and stood about 9 feet tall. They appear to be constructed out of metal and show two elongated male figures. Their limbs are extremely long and skinny, while their bodies are wide and form a square shape. They both seem to be dressed professionally and appear to be walking towards the viewer. I really liked this artwork because it was so unique, and seemed to be oddly placed. I thought it was very unusual to see such unique statues within a residential area. The style and structure of the figures lead me to believe that they can be considered contemporary artwork.

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17/10/17:

For this next post, I wanted to step a little outside of the box. This photo shows two circular drains built into a concrete wall. Someone came along and drew a triangular shape and half of a circle in order to compose a smiley face. Something so simple caught the attention of my friends and I and gave us a laugh. The word “graffiti” is derived from the Italian word “graffiato,” which means “scratched.” Graffiti can be defined as writings or drawings that have been scribbled, scratched, or painted illicitly on a wall or other surface. Graffiti is extremely common today, but actually dates back to Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire.  At this time, graffiti referred to the inscriptions and figure drawings found on the walls of ancient sepulchers or ruins. I believe that the photo I took can be considered artwork because someone was able to transform something as simple as two drains in a wall into a creative spectacle for others to enjoy.

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17/10/17:

Above is a beautiful structure that I came across while exploring the city of Zurich. The outside of the structure stands at about 4 feet tall, forms a pentagon shape, and is constructed out of concrete. At the front, “A 1701 – 1992” can be read. The inside of the pentagon is filled about halfway up with water. Above the water are gorgeous pink, yellow, and purple flowers. Above those are sunflowers sprouting about 1 foot tall. At the very top, we see a statue of a young woman dressed in long clothing, her hair pulled back, and a vase of flowers in her right hand.

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17/10/17:

Over the weekend, I visited Zurich, Switzerland. In this photo is a monument of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, a Swiss pedagogue and educational reformer who lived from 1746-1827. Illiteracy in 18th-century Switzerland was almost completely overcome due to the help of Pestalozzi. He founded various French- and German-speaking educational institutions within Switzerland. Pestalozzi’s motto was “Learning by head, hand and heart.” The monument located outside of Globus, a large department store, is made of copper and shows Pestalozzi with a young boy—most likely meant to represent how he positively influenced the education and lives of young children during his time.

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10/10/17:

Above is a photo of sculptures right down the street from our apartment this weekend. Prior to my visit to Prague, I had no idea that these figures even existed. After a bit of research, I discovered the meaning behind the bizarre sculptures and that the name for this collection of figures is called The Broken Men. This monument was created by sculptor Olbram Zoubek and is a memorial to the victims of Communism. It represents 7 brass men coming down from a flight of stairs. Their bodies are breaking open and they are losing limbs. It is meant to symbolize how Communism affected political prisoners. In addition, there is a bronze strip along the center of the memorial that shows the number of people impacted by Communism. A nearby bronze plaque reads, “The memorial to the victims of Communism is dedicated to all victims not only those who were jailed or executed but also those whose lives were ruined by totalitarian despotism.”

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10/10/17:

Here is a photo I took of the Old Town Bridge Tower located in Old Town, and leads to the Charles Bridge. This Gothic-style tower was built in 1373 and contains sculpture of Saint Vitus, the King Wenceslas IV, and Charles IV on the first floor. Above are the statues of Czech patrons Saint Sigismund and Saint Adalbert. The tower was attacked many times during the 14th century by enemy troops. In 1848 during the revolution, it was damaged so bad that extensive reconstruction was required. Josef Mocker, a Czech renovator, led the reconstruction of the tower. First, the tower was decorated by concrete, and then later sandstone imitations were used. In the lower part of the tower, there are smaller plastics. Right above that is a part formed by the significant coats of arms of those historic lands where the Luxembourg monarchs had once reigned.

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10/10/17:

Above is a picture I took of The Church of Our Lady Before Tyn located in the Old Town Square. The size and Gothic style really caught my eye when exploring the square. The twin towers of the church can be seen from a few miles away. They both stand 80 meters tall, but differ in width. One of the towers, named Adam, is larger than the other one, Eve. This was done to represent both masculine and feminine aspects of the world. This type of representation is very prominent within Gothic architecture. In 1679, a fire inside of the church led to interior redesign, which now takes on Baroque styles. To this day, Roman Catholic services take place at the church. In addition, I thought it was really interesting that classical music concerts take place at the church on occasions.

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10/10/17:

This weekend I visited Prague, Czech Republic. Above is a picture I took of the John Lennon Wall. At first, the wall began as just a normal wall, but eventually transformed into a place for John Lennon-inspired graffiti following his death in December 1980. John Lennon’s music always promoted peace and freedom. Prior to 1989 when communism ruled, western pop music and culture was banned by Communist authorities – including Lennon’s music. His love for peace and freedom was inspirational to Czech people, thus leading to the creation of the Lennon Wall. To this day, the Lennon wall represents a memorial for John Lennon, as well as his a place to honor, free speech, and the non-violent rebellion of Czech youth against the regime. In the photo I took, you can see peace signs, a portrait of John Lennon, a sun, the Earth, and countless other forms of graffiti scattered across the wall.

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5/10/17:

Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art: Above is a photo of Niki de Saint Phalle’s “Vénus.” This was my favorite artwork from the Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art. Because I gave a presentation about Saint Phalle, I learned a lot about her and her artwork. However, prior to our visitation of the Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art, I had not taken the time to truly examine “Vénus.” As far as I can tell, this life-size nana is constructed out of papier-mâché. The curvy woman does not have any hair, and appears to be softly smiling. Her hips are wide and her large shoulders stand tall above the rest of her body. The entire piece of artwork is decorated with many miscellaneous items — including flowers, grapes, miniature leg sculptures, and even a fan. Personally, I really liked this artwork because of its originality. Overall, I really enjoyed learning about the life of Niki de Saint Phalle and her passion for the feminist movement.

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Here are a few additional pictures from the trip! :) 

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5/10/17:

While in Barcelona, I was able to visit the Sagrada Familia. The Sagrada Familia is an extremely large, unfinished Roman Catholic Church designed by Antoni Gaudí, a Catalan architect. The creation of the Sagrada Familia falls within the Art Nouveau period. In fact, Gaudí was able to carry out the Art Nouveau style far beyond its typical application as a surface decoration. The overall design of the Sagrada Familia also takes on characteristics of Spanish Late Gothic styles and Catalan Modernism. The elongated components of the church are examples of its Gothic features. Gaudí wanted to create a structure that had an impact on the skyline, but at the same time showed respect for the work of God. At 172.5 meters tall, the Sagrada Familia is one of the tallest religious buildings of the world today. In addition, part of Gaudí’s plan was to make the temple like a wood that invites prayer to visitors. The branching columns of the church carried out this idea.

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5/10/17:

Following a visit to Aquarium Barcelona, I came across this older gentleman painting for money. Surrounding his workspace were other paintings for sale—including artworks of landscape, people, and flowers. Within the painting that he is working on, the main focus is a small boat floating on the water. The water consists of many different shades, ranging from sky blue to dark blue. Next, I see a shore that consists of a sandy beach, followed by a couple dozen white buildings in this background. Green trees and other aspects of nature are located behind the buildings. It appears as if the sun is just about to set, as the color of the sky consists of light pink and purple. I took a few minutes to stand behind the man and observe his artwork. I was really impressed by how detailed and precise each and every one of his paintings were. The consistency of the paint was extremely thick, and it appeared that each of the paintings consisted of many layers.

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5/10/17:

While in Monte-Carlo, I passed by this immaculate building, which was located behind the Gucci and Prada shops. I tried to research the name of the structure, but unfortunately could not anything on it. However, the shape and color of the building, along with the golden and blue lights really caught my attention. The pale color of the exterior matched many of the other buildings in the surrounding area. Although this building is extremely more modern, the circular shape and overall presence reminded me of the Coliseum in Rome, Italy. Both the Coliseum and the building I discovered in Monte-Carlo consist of a cylinder shape and are primarily composed of large windows. It is quite possible that the design and overall structure of the 70 A.D. Coliseum influenced this gorgeous building found in Monte-Carlo.