How does art happen?
Art today can be made in so many different ways, and the way one person sees art and creates it, can be completely different than the way another person sees it. It all depends on how one looks at art and what they’re inspired by. For example, when Michelangelo was creating one of his masterpieces, “The David,” he said that he sculpted away everything on the marble that wasn’t David. I think that’s such an interesting way to make art. He had a vision and made one of the most famous sculptures in the world!

For me to make art I need to be inspired by something, whether if it’s by nature or fashion, it has to be something I’m interested in. I have noticed too that just like when I get writers block I experience the same feeling for when I am drawing. If I have to think too hard about what I want to create, it just doesn’t happen for me. Usually, I will brainstorm ideas and what I want to create will just dawn on me all of a sudden, and it has to come naturally.

For other people it’s probably way different, but I know that ever since I have been young I’ve been doing art. To become good at art you have to practice on a normal basis, just like you would for everything else. Granted, some people are more talented at art than others and it might come easier for certain people but practice makes perfect. It depends too on what you like to draw and what you excel in. I know I’ve always preferred drawing people’s faces because there is a beauty about the human face that I find intriguing and beautiful. Drawing faces can be difficult but I’ve get a sense of satisfaction once I complete a piece.

Even though I have somewhat abandoned art in the last couple of years because I have been so busy with other things, I still absolutely love it. It’s such a great hobby for me because it relaxes me and as I said before it gives me satisfaction when I can look at something I have created and know that it is mine, so no one can take that away from me.

Gypsies, Jews, North Africans, and Mexicans 9/28/2010

Gypsies, Jews, North Africans, and Mexicans are all connected and have something in common. They’re all minority groups and in my eyes have many stereotypes placed against them. Not only are they stereotyped, but they have all been persecuted at some point or another.

Gypsies are stereotyped as, “greedy, nit-picky, and stingy misers.” They have been depicted counting money or collecting diamonds. Gypsies are stereotyped as thieves, hopelessly nomadic, lazy and inherent, swindlers, beggars, uneducated, and sometimes as fortune tellers. North Africans and Mexicans are stereotyped as being illegal immigrants, poor, dirty, and uneducated. All these stereotypes are extremely negative and people judge these groups by only a small percentage of the group. It’s extremely unfair to take the group as whole and put an assumption on only a small portion of people. To me passing judgment on Mexicans as a whole and saying that, “All Mexicans are illegal and can’t speak a lick of English,” is very ignorant. I think that people today need to try to put themselves in someone else’s shoes before passing judgment but these stereotypes are put on certain minority groups and oppress them.

Throughout history, these minority groups have been persecuted and as I mentioned stereotyping is only one form of persecution put on these groups, but I decided to focus on stereotyping because I thought it was the biggest problem. The start of persecution of the Jews was when the Romans locked up the Jews and did not let them leave at night, also known as the “Jewish Ghettos.” Gypsies are still being persecuted today when they’re shipped illegally to other countries, including Italy and forced to sell things on the streets and for them there is no hope for tomorrow. When I first arrived in Rome I was so disgusted and quite frankly annoyed with the amount of Gypsies coming up to me begging for money and trying to sell useless products to me. Now that I know more about the history behind most of the Gypsies, I really feel for them because some of them were forced into this life, and the money they’re making, most of the time, does not go to them and they are working for nothing.

While being in Italy for the last seven weeks, I have learned so much about these minority groups: The Jews, Gypsies, North Africans, and Mexicans. Stereotyping was and still is a huge problem for these groups unfortunately. It’s very typical for people to judge certain groups because they go by what they hear and don’t really know everything behind them.

Rome: Stories and Tradition Journal 9/21/10

The Pope’s address on Easter and Christmas always begins; “Urbi et Orbi” – “To the city of Rome and to the World.” The term “Roman Catholic” also suggests that there is something “roman” and something “universal” about the church. In what sense is the Church “roman” and in what sense is it “global?”

The Catholic Church is both “Roman” and “Universal.” Within the span of many years, The Catholic faith has spread across the world and the practices all start with the Romans.

The Catholic Church is “Roman” and the history of Roman Catholicism dates back in 313 by Constantine and became the state religion of the Empire in 380, but before Catholicism became an official religion, many things happen that led up to this decision. As the apostles of Jesus spread the Gospel, they provided the beginning structure for the early Christian Church. During the time of the Roman Empire, Jesus’ apostles gained Jewish converts, and because of this Christianity strayed away from the Jewish beliefs and came up with their own religion. And overtime Catholicism was made a new religion, and became the official religion of the Roman Empire. During the following 1000 years, Catholics were the only people recognized as Christians. According to wikipedia.org/Catholic_church, “After Constantine moved the imperial capital to Constantinople and allowed the bishops, now called “Popes,” to have a lot of power.” With the power of the Pope, the Catholic Church was able to gain wealth. Therefore, the Catholic Church had money to build beautiful churches throughout Rome and continued expanding.

Another influence on Rome and the Catholic Church is the fact that the Pope lives in Vatican City, located in Rome. The Catholic Church is “Roman” just by having the Pope located in Vatican City in Rome. The Pope had so much power in Rome and all over the world making the Catholic Church “universal.”

The Catholic Church is not only “Roman,” but it is also “universal.” Catholicism turned universal when believers in this religion spread their faith all over the universe. An example of when the Church became global was during Vatican II and Pope John Paul II said, “Lets open the windows of the church.” This statement is extremely powerful in the sense that the Pope wanted people of all beliefs to feel welcome. From this, the more we see diversity, the more we realize we’re all one family. “Gaudium Et Spes” was another large influence on allowing diverse beliefs to be entered into the world.

In class today when Rabbi Spitzer talked about us going to see the papal audience tomorrow, he mentioned that about 14,000 people will be there and there is a diverse amount of faiths and everyone is welcome. That idea of “family” applies to the audience tomorrow and shows that the Pope John Paul II statement has lived on to this day.

Art & Culture of Rome Journal 9/20/2010

St. Peter’s Basilica
1. The artwork that I chose from St. Peter’s Basilica was the Baldacchino. It is a four pillared canopy that towers over the tomb of St. Peter
2. The Baldachin is in the center of the crossing and directly under the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica.
3. The Baldachin is made out of Bronze and the columns on the canopy are spiral and stand on 4 marble blocks and is Baroque styled. The four columns are 20 meters high (66 feet) and the base and the capital were cast separately and the shaft of each column was cast in three sections.
4. Historical Essay

The Baldacchino at St. Peter’s Basilica was the first piece of art that drew my eye in at the holy place, because it was so colossal and absolutely beautiful. The canopy was designed by Bernini and was the first of Bernini’s work to combine sculpture and architecture. It was a good representation of what Baroque styled interior designed looked like at the time. At the very top of the spiral columns of the canopy, there are 4 twice life size angels that stand at each corner. I think that the angels were put there to show that the angels are watching over St. Peter’s tomb.

The twisted shape of the spiral columns is said to be the same design that Jesus was put on before his crucifixion. On the columns are gold leaves and bees. The bees are there to represent Bernini’s family. During the time this was built the bronze on the canopy was an issue of contemporary controversy, and was said to have been taken from the ceiling of the Pantheon.
All in all, the spiral columned canopy was unlike anything I have ever seen before. The fact that it was so large, shows how important St. Peter really was, and that’s why it’s located right above his tomb today.

The Sistine Chapel
1. The artwork that I chose from The Sistine Chapel was the Creation of Adam by Michelangelo
2. The Creation of Adam was on the central section of the ceiling.
3. It was a painting and I’m sure of the size.
4. Historical Essay

In The Creation of Adam painting, Michelangelo shows God reaching out to touch Adam. This depiction alone is very serene. And in the words of Vasari explaining Adam he is, “a figure whose beauty pose and contours are such that it seems to have been fashioned that very moment by the first and supreme creator rather than by the drawing and brush of a mortal man.” It illustrates the biblical story from the Book of Genesis in which God breathes life into Adam by the touch of his finger reaching out to Adam.

God is made to look like an old man with a beard and is wearing a cloak, but Adam is completely naked, just like the story we’ve been taught about Adam and Eve. God’s finger reaching out to Adam and giving him “the spark of life” shows that “man is created in the image and likeness of God.” I was awed by this painting because the work that Michelangelo did to depict God giving life to Adam is simply stunning.

314 Journal 9/15/2010

314 Journal Prompt: What is the impact of the ghetto (in both the old sense and a contemporary sense) on the people inside and the people outside?

The Jewish Ghettos of Rome hold much history behind them. The ancient ghettos of Rome were completely different than they are today, but they still hold much value in our contemporary world. Both the people inside and outside of the ghettos were impacted and large amounts of tourists still visit the ancient ghettos today and learn about the significance behind them.

The first Roman ghetto was set up in 1555 because Pope Paul IV though the Jews should be segregated from the Christians because they did not hold the same religious beliefs. The Jews were forced to live in a walled quarter with three gates that were locked at night. In a sense the Jews weren’t treated as human beings and almost all their rights were stripped away from them. The Jews had only few freedoms and were separated from the Christian majority and were given a limited amount of space. A common occurrence in the building of the ghettos were that they weren’t allowed to expand and built outward so they were forced to build up, resulting in 5-6 story buildings. On the contrary, some Jews felt that the ghetto was a safe haven against Christian mobs.

The people who lived outside of the ghettos liked the idea of them. Well at least the Christians liked the idea because the Jews did not believe the same things. The Jews were caged in and unable to communicate with the rest of the world and the people on the outside liked that because they chose this outcome for the Jews. As stated earlier the Christians on the outside did not have a problem with the Jews living in the ghetto because they condoned it, oppressing the Jews.

During the Roman Republic, the Ghetto was legally abolished and then its last remains of the Papal States overthrew the ghettos in 1870. Today, the ghettos of Rome, for the most part, are full of life and contain many charming and eclectic neighborhoods. Not only is it a beautiful area to live, many tourists come to visit to learn the history behind them and sit down at the delicious restaurants and enjoy the appealing marketplaces, and take in the surrounding landscaping.

Even though the ghettos were finally abolished during the Republic era, they were reintroduced to the Nazi party, but the ghettos remain intact and have so much history behind them. Learning about the ghettos of Rome really opened my eyes to what the Jews went through. It was such a rough time in history to learn about because they were treated so cruelly, for having different religious beliefs. Throughout the years the ghettos have impacted so many people’s lives. And it goes to show how much the Jewish community has changed for the better in our contemporary world.

How does the piazza provide a lens toward Italian culture? 9/6/10

How does the piazza provide a lens toward Italian culture?

A piazza is an open public square, usually surrounded by buildings. You’ll usually find a bar or café and a church on one side of a piazza. But, unlike some other internationally renowned cities, the piazzas of Rome are truly gathering places for people who love the beauty of outdoor art in all its forms. The Italian piazza’s are the center of Italian life and therefore provides a lens towards Italian culture. For most locals and tourists an Italian piazza is an escape, a place to relax and enjoy the simple pleasures life has to offer. At a typical piazza you will find many artists, musicians, restaurants, nightlife, public art, and places of worship.

There are many piazzas in Italy but my favorite is Piazza Navona. It is the perfect example of Italian culture and has much to offer, and is one of the most famous of Italy’s squares. It is a place for musicians and artists to show off their talents, but to also make a living. Many Italians and tourists gather around the entertainers, awed by their work.

Next, Piazza Navona has many restaurants, open-air-cafes, and nightlife. Even though some of the restaurants are somewhat pricey, there are somewhat affordable ones that have many different plates to offer. The open-air-cafes are nice if you want to get a coffee and relax and the nightlife is what brings the younger generations to the piazza to meet locals and people their age from all over the world.

The public art of Piazza Navona is what I find to be the most interesting from all the other piazzas in Rome. Bernini’s famous fountain: The Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi is a great gathering place for locals and tourists to sit at the ledge of the fountain sipping their coffees and talking to one another. Although Bernini’s fountain in the center of the piazza is one of the most famous there are three other fountains that people can gather by.

Not only is Piazza Navona a place for entertainment and relaxation, but it is also a place of worship, such as: The church of Sant’Agnese in Agone and the Pampphilj Palace. Having places of worship in a piazza is very important to Italian life because religion is what many Italians base their lives around.

Piazzas really are an important part of Italian life and draw in many outside cultures from all over the world. The example of Piazza Navona is to show that it has many amenities to offer for pretty much everyone. From the artists and the musicians making a living to the restaurants and public artwork, Piazza Navona provides a lens toward Italian culture today.

Rome and Jerusalem "What is a hero"

What does the phrase “authentic hero” mean? And how is Giorgio Perlasca an authentic hero?

What is a hero? According to an online dictionary, “A hero is a male(hero) or female(heroine) who, in the face danger and adversity of from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self sacrifice-that is, heroism-for some greater good of humanity.”

There are many different kinds of heroes in our world today and each and every one of them impact someone’s life significantly. A hero could be a soldier risking their life to fight for their country, a father to his daughter, or a teacher to a student. Whatever it may be they’re sacrificing a part of themselves to do good.

What makes a hero an authentic one? Authentic is defined as, “Not false or copied, genuine, or real.” Giorgio Perlasca fits the definition of an authentic hero because what he did was extremely courageous and no one can copy his heroic actions. After attempting to watch the movie about him, I learned so much about this man whose actions were rarely told of. Perlasca started off as serving in the Italian army and was swept up in Mussolini’s fascist’s movement. Once the conflict was over, he returned to Italy where the start of WWII and the alliance between Mussolini and Adolf Hitler took him by surprise and abandoned his former fascist beliefs. A quote that I found online from Giorgio Perslaca himself states was, “I was neither fascist nor anti-fascist; I was anti-Nazi.”

Over time Perlasca joined ties with the Spanish Embassy and became a Spanish citizen. He then impersonates the Spanish Ambassador and smuggles Jews that were supposed to be taken to Auschwitz. Overall, Perlasca saved about 5,000 Jewish people simply by guts, tenacity, and innate skills. The war later came to an end and he returned home to Italy to his wife and never told anyone about his bravery.

Perlasca fulfills the title of an authentic hero because he risked his life numerous times to save the lives of the Jews. He could have been killed on the spot if would have been caught and that is a scary reality. He rescued thousands of Jews and impacting their lives deeply for his bravery and his still remained humble after everything he had done.

The word hero is used quite freely today. Many people perform good deeds on a daily basis and are automatically called a hero. I believe people sacrifice a lot in their lives to do good for others are heroes, but it takes a brave and courageous person to become an authentic one. That is why Perlsaca should always be remembered for what he did. It takes a genuine person to do all that he did and then not tell anyone and remain humble. Even though what he did was dangerous, he knew from the bottom of his heart that it was his duty to risk his life to save those in desperate need and that is why he is an authentic hero.