Jan 30
The East Coast of the US has been blasted with some terribly cold weather the last two weeks. To warm up, I’ve been digging through my summer photos! I’ve noticed a nice handful of picture in the genre of “Flowers & Old Stones.” There is something really beautiful about juxtaposing the rich texture of archaeological remains and colorful flowers.
Ephesus, Turkey
Whether you follow contemporary art or international politics, you’ve probably heard of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. Renowned for his “Birds Nest” stadium at the Beijing Olympics, it was his social activism and criticism of the Chinese government that earned him 81 days of detention, house arrest and the loss of his passport. An intelligent artist and social commentator, his exhibit, Ai Weiwei: According to What? is currently touring the US. I had the opportunity to see it at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC last year. I’ve been blown away by the beauty of a painting before, but it wasn’t until Ai Weiwei’s piece “Straight” that I encountered a work of art so emotionally powerful that I am still thinking about it a year after seeing the show.
Ai Weiwei, “Straight”, 2008–12. Collection of the artist. Installation view at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC, 2012. (Photo: Cathy Carver, Hirshhorn Museum)
A few years ago I had the opportunity in Boston to see a traveling exhibit of Dale Chihuly’s glass installations while they awaited construction of their permanent home in Seattle. I’m really fascinated by how Chihuly’s conceptualizes and builds his pieces and so I was excited to see these works this December at the Seattle Center in the completed Chihuly Garden and Glass.
Layers of brilliant glass in the “Mille Fiori” exhbit
Happy 2014! Ready for another exciting year of the ArtSmart Roundtable? Of course! This group brings together some of the best art-focused travel blogs to post on a common theme each month. To wish you all a happy New Year, this month we’re focusing on Art to see in 2014! Check out all of the ArtSmart posts below.
While I’m sure my friends are taking a very optimistic interpretation of this month’s topic, it actually got me thinking, “What do I need to see now before it is gone?” This last year brought us the destruction of UNESCO World Heritage sites in Mali, rising tides encroaching on Pacific Islands, further decay at Pompeii and threats to the archaeological sites in Egypt due to on-going political turmoil. There is a distinct possibility that our human actions (whether environmental or political) will destroy magnificent works of art and history critical to our cultural heritage. I can think of one complicated and threatened city that deserves a visit before it changes irrevocably. If you haven’t been, now is the time to see Venice. Hopefully you will see how beautiful and timeless the city is and can become an advocate for its preservation.
View along the Grand Canal in Venice
I hope everyone had a great 2013! I’m looking over the Daydream Tourist and must say I’m pretty happy with my year! My goal was 1-2 posts a week and I accomplished that (well, on average). I wrote about a lot of cool things and saw even more amazing things in my travels, whether across the Atlantic or in my own hometown. Here’s some of the highlights:
Daydream Tourist 