Profile of a Sacred Space: The Great Pyramid by Jennifer Daniel



General Description:
The seventh wonder of the world, the Great Pyramid of Giza is also the single, largest pyramid in the world from antiquity. It is located in Egypt just outside Cairo on the west bank of the Nile River. Constructed in the 4th Dynasty B.C., it was built to hold the remains of King Khufu whose reign lasted from 2551 B.C. to 2528 B.C. The Great Pyramid is part of a complex of pyramids, funerary temples, causeways, and boat pits that form a pyramid complex that is essentially a large scale cemetery for dead kings. The Great Pyramid only took 20-25 years to build which occurred during King Khufu’s reign. In the pyramid complex, each pyramid, including the Great Pyramid, has a mortuary temple and valley temple linked by a long causeway that were roofed and walled.






Architectural Design:
The Great Pyramid was built utilizing the technology developed from previous mastaba and pyramid builders. Its building stones are made of limestone and granite blocks ranging from 2 ½ tons to over 6 million tons, covering 13 ½ acres on a 3,000 base perimeter displacing a volume of solid masonry of 94 million cubic feet. The largest blocks are place at the top of the pyramid to distribute the weight of the pyramid evenly throughout the structure. While the core of the pyramid contains a hill of rubble that makes estimating the exact number of blocks impossible, it is estimated that approximately 2.3 million blocks were used to construct the pyramid. The pyramid stands at 280 meters high or 50 stories tall and 140 meters at each base at 51 to 52 degrees of an inch angle.
The Great Pyramid stands oriented to face the four cardinal directions: true north, south, east, and west. The first level of stones was laid out on a platform of solid bedrock to provide a stable foundation. Then, the pyramid was constructed in horizontal levels; one on top of the other. One of the significances of the complexity of the Great Pyramid is that it was constructed using pi which is an advanced form of mathematics involving the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.
The interior of the pyramid contains a series of passages leading to the King’s chamber positioned exactly at the center of the pyramid. Other chambers exist, including a Queen’s chamber and chambers to assist the dead into the afterlife.
Once the pyramid was finished, the scaffolding was removed and workers proceeded to polish the white lime stones to reveal a brilliant white mass in the desert.

Harmony with Nature:
While the brilliant white lime stone layer has faded away or been quarried away, the sheer magnitude of the Great Pyramid stands tall along the Nile River. It now blends in with the surrounding desert.
According to Dr. Kwame Nantambu, the Great Pyramid in a complex with the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, form a series in exact alignment with the Orion belt as it occurred in the sky at the time of the Egyptians.
Symbolism and Sacred Objects:
The Egyptians believed that the monarch’s spirit left the body and traveled through the sky with the sun each day. Each day when the sun set, the royal spirits settled into their pyramid tombs to renew themselves. Glorious paintings, relief carvings, and monumental statues were created for the interior of the pyramid. Artists were able to capture the emotional and psychological distinctions as well as depicting ritual scenes and daily life on pyramid walls. Sculptures of the deceased heads called “reserve heads” were actual representations of the dead themselves. Pyramid texts which include hymns, magical spells, and instruments on how to act in front of the gods were also displayed in the chambers of the pyramid. A carved Medu Netcher on the walls of the burial chamber acted to protect the dead monarch’s passage into the afterlife.

How it was used by worshippers:
The Great Pyramid and its complex were dedicated to the funerary cult of the Kings and worship of the deities. It also served as a tomb for Kings, Queens, Royal family members, and high ranking officials. Worshippers maintained the site in the attempt to ensure that their dead pharaohs ascended into the afterlife with little complexity.

Sources:

Lehner, M. (1992). The location and importance of the pyramid settlement. The Oriental News And Notes, 135. Retrieved from http://oi.uchicago.edu/research/pubs/nn/fal92_giz.html

Lepre, J.P. (1990). The egyptian pyramids: A comprehensive, illustrated reference.
London, England: McFarland & Company, Inc.

Malek, J. (2000). The old kingdom. In Shaw, I. Editor, The oxford history of ancient egypt(pp. 89-117). Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Nantambu, K. (2002). Who built the pyramids and why? Retrieved from http://www.trinicenter.com/kwame/2002/Apr/212002.htm

Willard, P. (2009). Who built the pyramids? Retrieved from http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pyramids/pyramids.html#who

Shinto Shrine-Main Shrine at Ise- Profile of a Sacred Space

Carla Chavez



General Description

The Main Shrine at Ise, discovered in A.D. 690, is located in southern Honshu Japan. It is also known as the Grand Shrine of Ise. This magnificent building is a large tourist attraction, and has been denoted by the Japanese government as a national treasure. The term Shrine is a basic referral to a place where worship of different kinds takes place. It has been said that several million worshipers visit every year. Even though this is referring to only this specific Shrine, there are thousands of different types located across Japan. The Ise Shrine is considered to be an imperial shrine. However some of the other categories that they may fall into are Inari, Hachiman, Tenjin, Sengen, and those that are dedicated to the founders of powerful clans. Each group has its specific leaders and Gods that it usually follows.

Architectural Design

The architectural design of this shrine is quite interesting. It is reconstructed every twenty years to match the exact same structure as the previous one. The wood that is used in the rebuilding is none other than that of the surrounding forest. It is mainly composed of earth materials such as wood and thatch. It is considered to be traditional architecture with a timber frame. The style is based on more natural ideas of structure, than those of typical architecture. Its style is known as Shinmeizukuri.



Harmony with Nature

Something that is a very significance with this landmark is it’s harmony with nature. Just by the simple fact that when it is reconstructed every twenty years, it is done so with the wood coming from the surrounding forest. The forest is filled with cypress trees that were worshiped in earlier years. A specific tree was used in the cutting of a post that is still central to the Ise Shrine as of today.

Symbolism and Sacred Objects



Outside, inside, and around the shrine are many objects that have deeper meaning than what is present to the naked eye. Some of these objects are just for show, but you will find them outside all Japanese Shrines. A torri is a usually orange or black woken gate that lies at the entrance to the shrine. Komainu are a pair of dogs, lions, or foxes that guard the entrance of the shrines. There is also a purification trough in which you are to clean your hands and mouth before approaching the main hall. An ema is a wooden plat that pilgrims write their wishes for better things on to leave in the shrine in hopes of them coming true.

How it is used by Worshippers

As mentioned above, several million people come annually to worship at the Ise Shrine. It is home to the sacred mirror, which is one of the most holy sites in the country. There is a specific procedure that pilgrim worshipers must follow when visiting. One most first blow deeply twice, clap hands at the chest level, worship with hands together, then blow deeply twice again. There are two outer shrines as you enter the main one. However, due to the delicacy of the main shrines, only high ranking priests are allowed into this point.
Sources
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/ise-shrine
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2059.html
http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/entry.php?entryID=781
http://factsanddetails.com/japan.php?itemid=974&catid=25&subcatid=168

Rothko Chapel- Sacred Space

DeCarlo Coleman


General Description

The Rothko Chapel is located in Houston, Texas. John and Dominique de Menil both founded the Rothko Chapel in 1971. The Rothko Chapel was built in order to advance human rights and interfaith understanding across the world. The Rothko Chapel serves as a chapel and as a museum. It is non denominational sanctuary where all religions are welcome to visit from all over the world. The museum features art work done by Mark Rothko. The Rothko Chapel is visited by thousands of people each year for research purposes, spiritual worshiping, as well as personal enjoyment.

Architectural Design

The design of the Rothko Chapel was done by Mark Rothko which began in 1964. Mark Rothko is one of the most influential artists of the mid century. The Rothko Chapel is a product of six years of ideas and dedication of Mark Rothko, Phillip Johnson, Eugene Aubry and Howard Barnstone. Mark Rothko’s inspiration for the architectural design of the building and the art work came from Roman Catholicism. The Byzantine church of St. Maria Assunta was the inspiration for the Rothko Chapel to be shaped like an octagon. The amount of strength and work needed to be done in order to complete the art work could not all be done by Mark Rothko himself which is why he hired the help of two assistants for painting.



Harmony with Nature

Over the years The Rothko Chapel has become a spiritual landmark in Texas. The Rothko Chapel is surrounded by trees and is the ideal place for one to seek peace and solitude for meditation. There are groups and communities that do not yet have their own worshiping grounds who use the Rothko Chapel as a space to hold celebrations, and religious events throughout the year. Not only are religious holidays held here at the Rothko Chapel, there are also weddings, memorial services, and vigils held there as well.

Symbolism and Sacred Objects

The religious art work done at the Rothko Chapel has been comparable in thoughts of importance to the Chapel of the Rosary in Vence. The chapel of the Rosary in Vence was done by Henri Matisse. The most significant information about the Rothko Chapel is that it was the last major project that John and Dominique de Menil worked on together. Sacred objects featured at the Rothko Chapel are fourteen paintings specially made for this spiritual place.

How it is used by worshippers

Some of the different ways that the Rothko Chapel is used by worshippers today include religious holy days, celebrations for those who do not have a worshiping space of their own, memorial services, wedding ceremonies, and interfaith vigils. The Rothko Chapel is also a great place to visit for those who are interested in contemporary art. There are speakers that come from all over the world for meditation and concerts that are enjoyed occasionally for free by the public. Some of the events include Lunar New Year Celebration, Chanting in the Chapel, Mural in Concert, Gaza on the Ground, Encountering the Jewish Future, and the Martin Luther King Jr Birthday Celebration.

Sources
www.rothkochapel.org
http://www.houstonmuseumdistrict.org/default/museumpages/museumpage.asp?MID=14

Claude Monet- The Lens of Impressionism

Hotel des Roches

DeCarlo Coleman

I attended The Lens of Impressionism show at the Dallas Museum of Art in downtown Dallas. This show featured work from Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, Gustave Courbet, and Edgar Degas. Hotel des Roches Noires, Trouville is a painting done by Claude Monet in 1870. I chose this painting because from far away it seems to be very detailed, but the closer the view that is not the case. Claude Monet paints the figures in a way that forms them to work well together. The shading on the side of the hotel has a great deal to do with the tone and appearance. It was amazing to me that an artist would be able to create such an affect using oil paints. The lines used in this painting creates a sense of depth along the left side of the painting with the sun appearing to be coming from the right hand side of the oil painting. The people used in this painting strengthens the depth by the different size and placement of them by Claude Monet, he also makes sure their posture matches that of the flag poles to unify the composition. Most of the individuals toward the foregrounds are standing up straight which shows the balance on each side.



The space in Hotel des Roches seems to be a controlled interpretation with visual attempts to be balanced by showing a close up of the flag on the left side versus the hotel on the right side. The hotel on the right seems to over power the flag poles on the left, which is why I believe Claude Monet showed distance in the hotel and emphasis on the flag. Looking at the clouds in the sky identifies a natural source of light which is the sun. The sun as a light source highlights the shade difference mainly on the hotel. The shade against the wall differs with the shade in the corners of the building. This is to show physical shape, and formation. The colors used are cool colors that when brought together create a calm environment for the setting. I like that the color red is also used in the painting yet it is not over done and doesn't raise the level of intensity. Although this painting is not symmetrical it is very well balanced. The colors all complement one another along with the cast shadow of the hotel, which serves as an anchor thoughout the piece. The number of clouds also increases in the background to strengthen the idea of distance in the painting. The position from which the scene is painted normally would focus on the white tent in the middle as a focal point but the flag definitely takes over as it competes with the hotel presence. For this painting to be oil it has a three dimensional affect shown through the details in the architecture of the hotel. This is what I like most about this painting, the fact that blurry brush strokes were able to represent a form of natural depth and structure.

Seizing The New World

Katelyn Crockett

It was difficult to pick a piece of art. There were all so amazing and I spent so much time looking at each one. I was disappointed though, because I was not allowed to take pictures in a lot of the museum. I did get pictures of some beautiful jade art sculptures though. Anyways, I chose a piece of art by Yang Jin Long, from the Seizing The New World exhibit in the Crow Collection of Asian Art. Yang Jin Long seems to incorporate the Chinese zodiac into much of his work. He also uses mostly oil on canvas. The piece I chose was called Autumn. It was part of a set of season pieces. There was one called Winter, Spring, and Summer as well.



All of his pieces looked like this. There are so many things in this painting that make it totally amazing. Looking at this photo up close, I could see all of his beginning lines that he did with a pencil. But it added to the entire piece. It almost gave it a raw feel. As far as shape goes, he uses a lot of curved and circular figures. It gives it a wonderful flow. It makes the things in the piece so fluid and meld together to so well. Also, almost every spot on this canvas has been filled with something. Although it seems like things are clustered together, I do not see cluster. This painting definitely projects into our space. Some of the objects seem to almost jump out at you. This painting, as well as most of his others, is huge. I felt so small next to them, and I was. This piece was quite a few feet taller then I was, and I’m five feet five inches. You can also see the light he added to the painting. I can mostly see it in the women’s skin. He uses different tones in their skin to go with the angles they are standing at. The colors he uses in this piece are amazing! He uses many bright colors, which include: different shades of blue, green, yellow, red, pink, purple, brown, orange, and more. Although it is hard to tell there are some blacks and grays. He has also combined colors to make other brighter colors. The white shows the highlights. The texture in this piece is nothing but smooth. Although it is an oil painting, it did not seem like oil. I always see oil painting with lots of texture and paint kind of protruding from the canvas. This painting almost seemed like acrylic. I was surprised when I read that it wasn’t. On the other hand, the paint was a thick as far as color goes. Another thing I noticed and liked about this piece is that it was on two different canvases that were put side by side. That made this piece all the more interesting and seemed to really make this piece what it is. And aside from incorporating the Chinese zodiac into his pieces, he also incorporates a lot of traditional Chinese or Asian elements. Overall I do not think any of his pieces are better then the others. It took me a while to pick one and it was difficult to find one online. Again, I was not allowed to take pictures of these pieces. I will include some pictures of the other jade sculptures though.

Green Ray- Heather Marcus

Carla Chavez

Deep in the streets of Dallas, TX is the Geometric MADI Museum of Geometric and MADI art. Inside the walls of this museum are splashed with pieces of art that include extreme color, pattern, and texture. MADI art is known for its bright colors and bold geometric forms. Walking through the halls, one is presented with vivid shapes that almost literally jump out at you. One of these pieces is Green Ray, oil on aluminum design created by artist Heather Marcus. Marcus, a Dallas native, has exhibitions in New York, Texas, and Florida. She began creating painted metal constructions like one included in the MADI Museum exhibition RE: Constructions. She has become known for her three dimensional geometric designs that are filled with large waves, spheres, circles, and arches. Green Ray was created by curving aluminum pieces with a large roll press while the sharp folds were created with a box press. The edges of the shapes create the illusion of lines. Color would be one of this works main focal attributes. Just as described above, complimentary color is the first attention grabbing feature. High intensity pine green, lemonade yellow and Red brick protrude from this creation. I would like to think that these colors suggest liveliness and positive energy.



Shape and space are two very important elements in this particular artwork. Large three dimensional irregular shaped waves folded over one another causing this in the round art to have large volume. All the circular shapes intertwine creating a strong and beautiful figure. There is no specific emphasis of focal point. The eyes tend to wander into the different sections that have been formed due to the various folding. An Asymmetrical balance is created. Light does not play a major part in this particular artwork. All patterns that have been created are done so with the different colors of paint that overlap each other. The texture of the aluminum rolls is a smooth one.



A matte finish has been created with the paint that has been used to disguise the bland color of the aluminum. The overall architecture of the piece is one that I would consider welcoming. It’s unique and colorful presence alone draw the viewer in. Since it is three dimensional, it stands out from the traditional flat surfaced artwork. Even though it does welcome you, it still domineers over surrounding art.