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quinta-feira, 25 de dezembro de 2014

Ancient Glass Bracelet Decorated with Menorahs Found in Israel

Archaeologists in Israel recently unearthed a glass bracelet decorated with a timely design. The ancient piece of jewelry is engraved with a seven-branched candelabrum, or menorah — the symbol of the Hanukkah holiday.



This glass fragment, embossed with two menorahs, was discovered by archaeologists in Israel on the second night of Hanukkah.
Credit: Yoli Shwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority





The bracelet was discovered in Mount Carmel National Park, which researchers think was a large settlement during the late Roman or early Byzantine period. Archaeologistshave been working in the park, a declared antiquities site, before the excavation of a new water reservoir in the area. During a routine dig last Thursday (Dec. 18), a team of excavators uncovered a box containing hundreds of glass fragments that had been thrown into a refuse pit. Among the old pieces of glass was a small fragment of decorated glass from an ancient bracelet.




"After cleaning, we were excited to discover that the bracelet, which is made of turquoise colored glass, is decorated with symbols of the seven-branched menorah – the same menorah which according to tradition was kept alight in the temple for eight days by means of a single cruse of oil," Limor Talmi and Dan Krizner, excavation directors for the Israel Antiquities Authority, said in a statement.

The bracelet was likely stamped with the menorah symbols when it was still hot, according to the excavation directors. The single fragment features two menorahs, each with the traditional seven branches, but with one menorah also depicting a single flame above each branch.

Glass bracelets embossed with the menorah symbol are not an unusual find in the region, according to Yael Gorin-Rosen, head of the ancient glass department of the Israel Antiquities Authority, who said that such symbols have been found on jewelry in Lebanon, Syria and Israel. Other common symbols found on glass jewelry from this period (at the end of the fourth century or beginning of the fifth century A.D.) include lions and other animals, as well as images of gods, he said.

"Jewelry such as this was found in excavations, usually in the context of funerary offerings. It is unusual to find such objects in settlement strata, and even rarer to discover them in an ancient refuse pit," Rosen-Gorin said in a statement.




Researchers are now trying to determine what this piece of jewelry decorated with Jewish symbols was doing in the garbage pit of an ancient settlement in the upper Carmel region. While it's possible that Jews lived in the area during the late Roman and early Byzantine periods, archaeologists have also hypothesized that the large settlement in the region was once home to Christians, pagans or Samaritans.

The researchers think the bracelet may have been made in a workshop in the region to be shipped elsewhere. This hypothesis makes sense in light of the fact that other glass debris, including pieces of windowpanes and glass vessels, were found in the same refuse pit. The region where the bracelet was found may have been part of an industrial area, where goods were produced for nearby households, as well as other markets, the researchers said.

fonte: @edisonmariotti #edisonmariotti http://www.livescience.com/49240-glass-bracelet-menorah-decorations.html?adbpl=tw

Fowler Museum presents first major U.S. touring exhibition of Emirati contemporary art ‘Past Forward: Contemporary Art from the Emirates’ opens January 25


Lateefa bint Maktoum’s “The Last Look” (2009) is one of more than 50 works by 25 artists from the UAE.


Courtesy Lamees Hamdan
Lateefa bint Maktoum’s “The Last Look” (2009)
is one of more than 50 works by 25 artists from the UAE.

The Fowler Museum at UCLA presents “Past Forward: Contemporary Art from the Emirates,” the first major touring exhibition of Emirati art. The exhibition was organized by the Meridian International Center and the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates and premiered in Washington, D.C., in May 2014.

As part of its 18-month U.S. tour — which includes stops in Texas, California and Washington — the exhibition will be on view at the Fowler Museum at UCLA from Jan. 25 to March 8, 2015.

This comprehensive exhibition features more than 50 paintings, sculptures, photographs and works in other media by a group of 25 notable male and female artists who together represent all seven Emirates. The exhibition showcases the rich history and culture of the UAE, emphasizing the importance of kinship and home, nature and landscape, and the nation’s rapid development and focus on innovation. A lively contemporary art scene began in the UAE more than 40 years ago, and “Past Forward” includes works by several of the scene’s pioneering artists, including Abdul Qader Al Rais, Najat Makki and Obaid Suroor.

Today’s young Emirati artists are increasingly immersed in a fast-moving environment that is continually updated with the latest technology. Nonetheless, they remain deeply connected to their roots and traditions.

Shamma Al Amri, Mohammed Al Qassab, Alia Saeed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Buti Al Shamsi, Lamya Gargash, Alia Lootah, Lateefa bint Maktoum and Khalid Shafar approach rapid urbanization by creating works that reference earlier times.

To preserve long-standing traditions, Mattar Bin Lahej, Alaa Edris and Salama Nasib illustrate the significance of oral histories and local pastimes in the UAE, while Ammar Al Attar, Farah Al Qasimi and Afra Bin Dhaher photograph everyday life. Works by Khalid Al Banna, Shaikha Al Mazrou and Khalid Mezaina look at the psychology of contemporary existence and depict the artists’ visions for the future.

Meanwhile, Ebtisam AbdulAziz, Zeinab Al Hashemi, Maitha Al Mehairbi, Maitha Demithan and Mohammed Saeed Harib experiment with inventive techniques — including animation and other digital media — to convey traditional themes.

”Past Forward” is complemented by public programming and education outreach to encourage increased cultural understanding. Khalid Shafar and Shaikha Al Mazrou, two Emirati artists featured in the exhibition, will attend the Fowler opening and participate in workshops and lecture programs in the area. The UAE was recently chosen as the featured guest country for the 2015 LA Art Show (Jan. 15–18 at the Los Angeles Convention Center), and a selection of works from “Past Forward” will be displayed at that event before coming to the Fowler.

The exhibition was organized and circulated by Meridian International Center with support from the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Washington, D.C. Additional support for “Past Forward” is provided by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, the Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and Etihad Airways. The exhibition is co-curated by Curtis Sandberg, senior vice president for arts and cultural programs at the Meridian International Center, and Noor Al Suwaidi, an expert on contemporary Emirati art. The Meridian International Center is headquartered in Washington, D.C. It works with the U.S. Department of State and with government, private and NGO educational sectors globally to create lasting international partnerships through leadership programs and cultural exchange. For more information, visit www.meridian.org.

The Fowler Museum at UCLA is one of the country’s most respected institutions devoted to exploring the arts and cultures of Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and the Americas. The Fowler is open Wednesdays through Sundays, from noon to 5 p.m.; and on Thursdays, from noon until 8 p.m. The museum is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The Fowler Museum, part of UCLA Arts, is located in the north part of the UCLA campus. Admission is free. Parking is available for a maximum of $12 in Lot 4.

Public events

Sunday, Jan. 25, 3 p.m.

Fowler OutSpoken: “Past Forward”: A Conversation about Contemporary Art and Design from the Emirates

Exhibition co-curators Noor Al Suweidi and Curtis Sandberg and exhibiting artists Khalid Shafar and Shaikha Al Mazrou share their insights on Emerati contemporary life and the emerging art scene there. An Emirati coffee and tea reception follows the panel.

Sunday, Jan. 25, 1–3 p.m.

Kids in the Courtyard: Purdy Birdy

In the United Arab Emirates and many other parts of the world, the falcon is a greatly admired bird. Explore “Past Forward” to find artworks depicting falcons and other birds. Meet real feathered friends from around the world in a special live bird presentation at 1 p.m. Use recycled materials such as bottles, cardboard and popsicle sticks to make your very own birdhouse at 2 p.m. Let your imagination soar with this special activity inspired by “Past Forward” and Pascale Marthine Tayou’s collection of birdhouses, entitled “Favelas ABC.”

Thursday, Jan. 29, 12 p.m.

Culture Fix: Noor Al Suwaidi on New Art from the Emirates

The United Arab Emirates has a growing art scene that emerged in the 1950s and is flourishing today. “Past Forward: Contemporary Art from the Emirates” showcases recent works by artists engaging a variety of media. Exhibition co-curator Noor Al Suwaidi introduces the work of a selection of featured Emirati artists and discusses the environment in which they build their own traditions and thrive at home and on the international scene.

Thursday, Jan. 29, 6 p.m.

Fowler Out Loud: Takht Dirty


Bringing a contemporary twist to the traditional Middle Eastern takht ensemble and celebrating the new exhibition, “Past Forward: Contemporary Art from the Emirates,” Takht Dirty returns for a riveting performance spotlighting the musical arts of the Persian Gulf and greater Arab world.



fonte: @edisonmariotti #edisonmariottihttp://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/fowler-museum-presents-first-major-u-s-touring-exhibition-of-emirati-contemporary-art

Mystery of Ancient Chinese Civilization's Disappearance Explained

An earthquake nearly 3,000 years ago may be the culprit in the mysterious disappearance of one of China's ancient civilizations, new research suggests.


sanxingdui bronze mask 

An archaeological site unearthed in 1986 in China revealed giant bronze statues from a lost Chinese civilization called Sanxingdui. Here, one of the bronze masks uncovered at the site, which is roughly 3,000 years old. A new theory suggests the ancient culture moved after an earthquake rerouted the flow of the city's river.


The massive temblor may have caused catastrophic landslides, damming up the Sanxingdui culture's main water source and diverting it to a new location.

That, in turn, may have spurred the ancient Chinese culture to move closer to the new river flow, study co-author Niannian Fan, a river sciences researcher at Tsinghua University in Chengdu, China, said Dec. 18 at the 47th annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.

Ancient civilization

In 1929, a peasant in Sichuan province uncovered jade and stone artifacts while repairing a sewage ditch located about 24 miles (40 kilometers) from Chengdu. But their significance wasn't understood until 1986, when archaeologists unearthed two pits of Bronze Age treasures, such as jades, about 100 elephant tusks and stunning 8-feet-high (2.4 meters) bronze sculptures that suggest an impressive technical ability that was present nowhere else in the world at the time, said Peter Keller, a geologist and president of the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California, which is currently hosting an exhibit of some of these treasures.

The treasures, which had been broken and buried as if they were sacrificed, came from a lost civilization, now known as the Sanxingdui, a walled city on the banks of the Minjiang River.

"It's a big mystery," said Keller, who was not involved in the current study.

Archaeologists now believe that the culture willfully dismantled itself sometime between 3,000 and 2,800 years ago, Fan said.

"The current explanations for why it disappeared are war and flood, but both are not very convincing," Fan told Live Science.

But about 14 years ago, archaeologists found the remains of another ancient city called Jinsha near Chengdu. The Jinsha site, though it contained none of the impressive bronzes of Sanxingdui, did have a gold crown with a similar engraved motif of fish, arrows and birds as a golden staff found at Sanxingdui, Keller said. That has led some scholars to believe that the people from Sanxingdui may have relocated to Jinsha.

But why has remained a mystery.

Geological and historical clues

Fan and his colleagues wondered whether an earthquake may have caused landslides that dammed the river high up in the mountains and rerouted it to Jinsha. That catastrophe may have reduced Sanxingdui's water supply, spurring its inhabitants to move. [History's 10 Most Overlooked Mysteries]

The valley where Sanxingdui sits has a large floodplain, with 4.3 miles (7 kilometers) of high terraced walls that were unlikely to have been cut by the small river that now flows through it, Fan said.

And some historical records support their hypothesis. In 1099 B.C., ancient writers recorded an earthquake in the capital of the Zhou dynasty, in Shaanxi province, Fan said. Though that spot is roughly 250 miles (400 kilometers) from the historic site of Sanxingdui, the latter culture didn't have writing at the time, so it's possible the earthquake epicenter was actually close to Sanxingdui — but it just wasn't recorded there, Fan said. Geological evidence also suggests that an earthquake occurred in the general region between 3,330 and 2,200 years ago, he added.

Around the same time, geological sediments suggest massive flooding occurred, and the later-Han dynasty document "The Chronicles of the Kings of Shu" records ancient floods pouring from a mountain in a spot that suggests the flow being rerouted, Fan said. (Around 800 years later, Jinsha residents built a wall to prevent flooding.)

A river rerouted?

Together, the findings hint that a major earthquake triggered a landslide that dammed the river, rerouting its flow and reducing water flow to Sanxingdui, Fan said.

But if so, where did the river get rerouted? The team found clues high up in the mountains in the deep and wide Yanmen Ravine, at about 12,460 feet (3,800 meters) above sea level.

The modern-day river cuts through the ravine, which was carved by glaciers about 12,000 years ago. Yet the telltale signs of that glacial erosion — bowl-shaped basins known as cirques — are mysteriously absent for a long stretch of the ravine. The team hypothesizes that an earthquake spurred an avalanche that then wiped out some of the cirques about 3,000 years ago.

At this point, the theory is still very speculative, and additional geological data is needed to buttress it, Fan said.

And while the geological story is possible, Keller said, it doesn't answer the basic question: "What would motivate people to destroy their entire culture and bury it in two pits? And why didn't the culture reemerge at Jinsha?"

Follow Tia Ghose on Twitter and Google+. Follow LiveScience @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science.




fonte: @edisonmariotti #edisonmariotti http://www.livescience.com/49247-chinese-civilization-disappearance-explained.html

Mutations, l'exposition au Musée des Arts Déco


Le Musée des Arts Décoratifs revient sur les "mutations", le temps d'une exposition-manifeste visible du 26 mars au 5 juillet 2015. Cette exposition propose une vision plus moderne des objets emblématiques des collections du musée des arts décoratifs !




Organisée par l'Institut national des Métiers d'Art à l'occasion des Journées des métiers d'art (du 27 au 27 mars 2015), l'exposition Mutations est le résultat d'une commande spécifique d'objets d'art contemporain. Des collectifs de créateurs (artisans et ateliers d’art, designers, plasticiens), ont ainsi relevé le challenge de revisiter le répertoire des techniques et des matières représentés sur des objets symboliques du Musée des Arts décoratifs.

Ici, tout conduit à la mutation, à une évolution. La matière utilisée, l’usage, la forme, l’ornement, le décor et même le geste de l'artisan rappellent les mutations permanentes de l’objet et l'évolution des métiers d’art. Dans chaque salle, chaque objet d’art contemporain est confronté à l’objet historique qui l’aura inspiré, comme pour nous révéler l'effort de singularisation, de recherche des artisans contemporains, entre tradition et modernité, entre rupture et filiation.

Informations pratiques :
Site internet : exposition Mutations
Du 26 mars au 5 juillet 2015
Lieu : Musée des Arts Décoratifs, 107 rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
Horaires : 11h-18h mardi-dimanche, nocturne jeudi jusqu'à 21h
Tarifs : 11€, 8,5€ tarif réduit


 fonte: @edisonmariotti #edisonmariotti http://www.sortiraparis.com/arts-culture/exposition/articles/79060-mutations-l-exposition-au-musee-des-arts-deco

La gendarmerie historique de Saint-Tropez en travaux pour devenir un musée

La mythique brigade de Saint-Tropez, en cours de réhabilitation pour devenue un musée du cinéma et de la gendarmerie est recouverte d'un trompe l'oeil pendant les travaux.








Lire l'article complet de Var Matin

Environ 14 mois de chantier sont prévus afin de livrer le futur espace muséal dédié à la gendarmerie et au cinéma tropézien.

Pour masquer l'aspect visuel de ces travaux, une représentation sur toile de l'ancienne gendarmerie a été affichée devant la façade mythique, l'un des symboles cinématographiques de la série des Gendarmes à Saint-Tropez.

Celle-ci sera réhabilitée dans l'esprit originel pour conserver le cachet et l'enthousiasme des touristes pour cet édifice, photographié chaque année par des milliers de touristes.

1,6 M€ de travaux

L'ouvrage, dont le montant est estimé à 1.613.376 euros, ne sera livré qu'en octobre 2015.


fonte: @edisonmariotti #edisonmariotti http://securitedefense.nicematin.com/2014/12/la-gendarmerie-historique-de-saint-tropez-en-travaux-pour-devenir-un-mus%C3%A9e-.html

La statue du Centaure rendue au musée du Cayla

Depuis 1952, la statue du Centaure trônait square Rhin et Danube. En 2015, elle rejoindra le musée du Cayla dédié à Maurice et Eugénie de Guérin à la demande de l'association des amis du poéte.

D'ici quelques mois, voire quelques semaines, la statue du Centaure, trônant fièrement sur son socle, square Rhin et Danube (carrefour de l'avenue de Lattre-de-Tassigny et rue Marcel-Ricard) depuis plus de 60 ans, aura disparu du paysage albigeois. Elle va être installée dans le parc du château du Cayla à Andillac, site qui devait l'accueillir à l'origine. Petit rappel historique. La statue du Centaure a été sculptée en 1943 par André Abbal sur commande du ministère des Beaux-Arts émise en 1941. L'État souhaitait alors rendre hommage au poète Maurice de Guérin auteur du poème Le Centaure. Lorsque la statue fut achevée elle ne put être installée, on ne sait pourquoi, au musée Guérin du château du Cayla.

La statue du Centaure va bientôt quitter Albi pour être installée au musée du Cayla./Photo DDM, R.R


Deux délibérations

En 1952, l'État propriétaire de l'œuvre, décide de la confier à la ville d'Albi. Le conseil municipal réuni le 12 juin accepte et installe la statue où elle se trouve aujourd'hui.

Le transfert de la statue au Cayla est maintenant soumis à diverses procédures administratives. Muriel Roques Étienne, élue chargée de l'urbanisme explique : «La ville a été approchée par l'association des amis des Guérin pour déplacer la statue au Cayla. Pour cela, ajoute l'élue, il faut une délibération de la ville et du conseil général propriétaire du château du Cayla». En outre l'association doit avoir l'aval du centre national des arts plastiques. Si les deux collectivités ont donné leur accord, c'est toujours l'attente du côté de l'État, mais une mauvaise surprise paraît exclue. Ainsi, plus de 60 ans après sont installation à Albi, le Centaure va bientôt s'installer au Cayla. L'association se chargera des frais de transfert, la ville offre le socle. En lieu et place de la statue square Rhin et Danube, un espace vert fleurira.
Le chiffre : 1 952

Centaure >Albi. Depuis cette date, la statue du Centaure trône sur le square Rhin et Danube.
La statue fait débat au conseil

Extraits de la délibération à propos du Centaure, en 1952. Marcel Ricard était maire. Mme Audrerie : «Est-on obligé de l'accepter ? - Non. - Elle me fait peur». M. Calvayrac : «On aurait pu nous offrir quelque chose de mieux, c'est une catastrophe cette statue. - Quand Toulouse-Lautrec est mort le Louvre a refusé ses œuvres les jugeant horribles. - Je constate qu'elle nous coûte 50 000 francs». M. Pézous : «Il faudrait savoir si suivant le poids de la pierre comme matériau de construction on a fait une bonne affaire. - Vous cultivez le paradoxe avec une virtuosité peu commune». La délibération sera finalement adoptée.

fonte: @edisonmariotti #edisonmariotti http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2014/12/25/2018299-la-statue-du-centaure-rendue-au-musee-du-cayla.html

MASP remove paredes falsas e convida o público a ver o restauro de suas galerias

Após a escolha de Martin Corullon, sócio do escritório METRO Arquitetos, como responsável pela área de expografia, redesenho e readequação dos espaços internos do MASP, a instituição convida o público agora a ver o processo de restauro de suas galerias.
  Fonte da Imagem: Folha de São Paulo



O espaço, antes compartimentado por paredes falsas, se encontra agora aberto, revelando o entorno e recebendo mais uma vez luz natural. Segundo o novo diretor artístico da instituição, Adriano Pedrosa, derrubar as paredes foi um gesto de “revelar a arquitetura” do icônico edifício de Lina Bo Bardi na Avenida Paulista.

A amplitude revelada do espaço das galerias é a grande atração de uma mostra que convida o público a testemunhar o processo de renascimento após 20 anos em que o maior museu da América Latina vinha perdendo relevância num cenário artístico que passa por aceleradas mudanças.

A nova administração do museu procura no passado o futuro da instituição. Pedrosa já anunciou que resgatará os famosos cavaletes de vidro de Lina – expositores transparentes usados até os anos 90 para sustentar as pinturas, proporcionando uma experiência singular através das obras que pareciam flutuar.

Outras obras compõem a mostra MASP em processo, como a escultura “Ar” de Rubens Gerchman, localizada no primeiro andar, que faz alusão ao “arejamento” dessa nova era na administração do museu.

O museu é aberto à visitação de terça a domingo, das 10h às 18h (quintas-feiras até as 20h), com ingressos por R$15,00, exceto nas terças-feiras, quando a entrada é gratuita.

fonte: @edisonmariotti #edisonmariotti http://www.archdaily.com.br/br/759516/masp-remove-paredes-falas-e-convida-o-publico-a-ver-o-restaura-de-suas-galerias