The decisive moment...

In San Francisco this week I visited the SF Museum of Modern Art where the first major retrospective of the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson (died 2004 at age 95) is on exhibit until late January.  From the exhibit:

"An innovative artist, trailblazing photojournalist, and quintessential world traveler, Henri Cartier-Bresson ranks among the most accomplished and original figures in the history of photography. His inventive images of the early 1930s helped define the creative potential of the medium, and his uncanny ability to capture life on the run made his work synonymous with "the decisive moment." This major retrospective offers a fresh look at Cartier-Bresson's entire career, revealing him as one of the great portraitists of the 20th century and one of its keenest observers of the global theater of human affairs."

The exhibit is vast and engrossing and left me wondering how much an original would cost.  From Artnet and various other places on web it looks like a signed photograph is typically between ten and twenty thousand US dollars.  This reminded me of a friend I had in graduate school in the 80s---Joanne had two firmly held goals in life, she wanted a signed Picasso drawing and a fur coat.  You might appreciate this seemed quite exotic to the rest of us scientist-students and I've often wondered since if she achieved these goals. 

In February the exhibit will go to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.

The exhibit book....gorgeous!

"It is through living that we discover ourselves, at the same time as we discover the world around us."

----Henri Cartier-Bresson, 1952

Building material recycling and historical imponderables

 The Basilica Cistern in/under Istanbul was built by Emperor Justinian in the sixth century.  Three hundred and thirty six marble columns, many recycled from former building sites, hold up the ceiling of an underground cistern capable of holding 80,000 cubic meters of water.  You might also remember this place from the James Bond movie "From Russia with Love".

Two columns are held up by massive Medusa heads.  Where did they come from?  And why not right-side up?  From wikipedia: "it is widely thought that they were placed sideways and upside down only to be the proper size to support their columns."  But this makes no sense for the upside-down one which presumably would be exactly same height if flipped 180°.  A wonderful historical mystery.....

An eternity of starry nights

 (head for scale)

What surprises one about Egypt is the sheer number of temples and tombs that are so well-preserved, in large part due to being buried in sand in an extremely dry climate.  Carved hieroglyphics and bas-reliefs are still vibrantly colored from pigments applied thousands of years ago.  One constant is the blue ceilings with gold stars, the evolutionary predecessor of those seen all over Europe (remember this Italy post?).  I love the more primitive shape of the stars, applied in geometric lines---who wouldn't want a ceiling like this in their house?  I'm told the Versace Mansion in Miami has a such a ceiling.

These particular ceilings are in the Temple of Hatchetsup on Luxor's west bank.

The God Thoth

Temple of Edfu

The God Horus

The puzzler as hedonist...

"Research suggests that the idea of doing a puzzle shifts the brain into an open, playful state that is itself a pleasing escape."  ....Cover of the Today's Science Section, New York Times. 

Gayer-Anderson Museum, Cairo

I know that the Egypt posts are getting old at this point but I have two more sets of pics to put up.  The first is the Gayer-Anderson Museum in Cairo, a house museum considered to represent the finest example of 17th century domestic architecture in Egypt.  The house was preserved by a British major (Gayer-Anderson), who lived there between 1935 and 1942.  He bequeathed his extensive collection of art objects and decor to the government on the condition that the residence was turned into a museum.

As always, what I love about house museums is you see exactly how normal people lived their lives (although obviously these are often people known for their exceptional aesthetic taste and artistry).  Lots of good ideas here, like the simple fringe valance above two panels of printed cotton.  You could buy an Indian tapestry just like these at Urban Outfitters.

 Mashrabiya, the architectural term which describes these traditional wooden screened windows.  One has a perfect view of street but with complete privacy.  If you remember the post which visited H. H. Richardson's famous house Stonehurst, you will see his inspired use of the mashrabiya element.

An interior courtyard...

Painted wooden mottos....

rooftop patio....

Used as set in James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me....

Egyptian stained glass uses plaster to separate glass.

built into corner of stairwell....it is made of stone but could just as easily be painted wood.

outdoor living....

Embrace me holographic jewel energy!

A thank you note from my talented aunt anne (click to enlarge).  I added a link to her work in the sidebar (the doll).  With respect to more mundane forms of energy, I have always considered compact fluorescent bulbs a necessary evil and cringe whenever I see them in antique light fixtures.  But somehow these ones in the mosque chandelier seem cool!

Buy a share in a satellite...

Faithful readers, do you remember my post about William Kamkwamba of Malawi who published an autobiography called "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind"?  In his book he recounts (among other things) the poignant story of being shown google and the internet for the first time.  The organization A Human Right believes everyone should have access to the internet and, to that end, William is helping them run a fund drive to purchase and relocate a major communications satellite over the developing world.  Check it out at Buy This Satellite.  If you're on paypal it will take about 30 seconds to click a few dollars/euros to them.

Blue Mosque tile fantasy

If Queen Victoria had asked William de Morgan to redo the interior of St. Paul's Cathedral, no expense (or tile) spared, it might have ended up looking like the Sultan Ahmed Mosque.  More familiarly known as the "Blue Mosque" after the more than 20,000 hand-made ceramic tiles that line its interior, it was built in Istanbul between 1609 and 1616.

Many of the tiles came from the town of Avanos in Cappadocia.  We visited one of the oldest ceramics businesses in town and got the soup to nuts tour, starting with the clay cave.
 

The final products.....stunning but not cheap, this plate would set you back hundreds of dollars.  I wish I had bought a few tiles at the time, if only to use as trivets...c'est la vie.

O Pioneer! William Morris Lace

 

 I went through my lace curtain phase in the 1990s but this new design from Cooper's Cottage Lace might just make me reconsider!  It would look right at home in my Morris Chrysanthemum dining room.  Great stuff Dan!

The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer

Kelmscott Chaucer (1896)

On display in the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library through January 30, 2011, “The Ideal Book - William Morris and the Kelmscott Press”.  Your chance to see one of the most famous books in the world, regarded by many as the greatest publication ever issued by a modern private press.

An older post about Morris and the private press movement (which he founded) here.