Discuss and analyze how Hellenistic Greek sculpture representing elderly people reflects Greek attitude towards elderly people with specific examples of Hellenistic sculpture

Art is closely tied to cultural beliefs. Works of art have cultural significance. These artistic works hold meaning only within the context of cultural beliefs (Anderson 10). By considering art as the expression of culture, the arts provide a holistic quality of understanding (10) of cultural perspectives and life. The inevitable connection between art and its cultural context enabled the classification into artistic periods coinciding with cultural shifts.
   
The Hellenistic period is one such artistic and cultural period. The Hellenistic period is marked by the death of Alexander the Great that led to the demise of his empire. The result is the rise of multiple influences. The Greek influence strengthened. Other influences also emerged centered in key cities such as Rome on the western front and Parthia in north-eastern area. The period is marked by the inter-mingling of the Greek culture with the Roman and oriental cultures (Erskine 3). The mixing of cultures through inter-marriages and migration led to shifts in perspectives as the Greeks uncovered alternative beliefs and practices.
   
Diverse themes in art emerged from the new cultural period known as Hellenism. During the ancient or classical Greek period, the common themes were nude male and female bodies in reverence to the youthful body. This reflected the negative perception of old age in the classical Greek period that communicates the loss of influence and deterioration of the physical body. However, during the Hellenistic period, inter-cultural influences led to various themes including realistic art works that captured day-to-day life (Pomeroy 458). This period gave way to artworks, such as sculptures of elderly men and women. The discussion considers how this theme reflects attitudes towards the elderly in the Hellenistic period. 

Greek Sculptures of the Elderly during the Hellenistic Period
Sculptures of elderly people during the Hellenistic period depict age and ageing in a more realistic manner. This is in contrast to the idealism of ancient Greece. In ancient Greece, the aesthetic value of sculptures is the ability to represent the deities or god-like features and physique. Strength and beauty associated with youth are the common themes of sculptures. The elderly as a theme was non-existent during the ancient period.  In the Hellenistic period, the realistic perspective became more prominent in artistic works. During this period, a number of sculptures drew inspiration from everyday life. Part of the themes of sculptures that emerged during this period is of old men and women in the context of ordinary life. The fact that there are sculptures of the elderly reflects realism. The realistic expression of the elderly in sculptures can be gleaned from three aspects, which are physical characteristics, emotional or psychological state, and context of the sculptures. Similar observations apply to sculptures of the elderly for both male and female. 
   
The depiction of the elderly is through physical characteristics distinguishable from young people. The posture is bent as opposed to the straight posture of young people. The physique of the elderly also reflects frailty as opposed to the sturdy physique of young people. The skin is loose and wrinkled to express the long years of exposure to natural and man-made elements.
   
Another depiction of the elderly is through emotional characteristics observable through the facial expressions. There is a distinctive expression of sadness. Veyne, Aries and Duby commented that the sculptures of the elderly in the Hellenistic period were represented with brutal, exaggerated naturalism (135) because of the strong emotions shown by the facial expressions of the sculptures. The comment may have been made relative to the facial expressions of sculptures in other periods as well as the sculptures of other themes such as the deities and younger people in the same period.
   
The last depiction of the elderly in sculptures is the context expressed through these artworks. The sculptures were of commoners doing things observable in the ordinary life such as working and being drunk. On one hand, the comment over the brutality and exaggeration in depicting the elderly (Veyne, Aries and Duby 135) could be explained by attitude to the wealthy, as the people who commission the creation of sculptures, towards laborers or workers as delightful exotic species (134). On the other hand, portrayal of the elderly in the ordinary context of the working class represents age and ageing as a natural and common phenomenon (Falkner and De Luce 161 Pomeroy 458).
      
One example is the sculpture titled Drunken Old Woman with a Wine Jug See Fig. 1 below created by Myron of Thebes. The sculpture is dated between 430 to 420 BCE. The sculpture can be viewed at the Glyptothek in Munich, Germany. The woman is sitting on the ground. Her legs are set apart but her feet are crossed to cradle the jug of wine. The head of the old woman is tiled upwards to reveal a wrinkled neck. The old woman is nearly toothless. Her expression is that of a drunken stupor. The way that the woman holds on to the jug by cradling it shows the jug of wine as the sole consolation of this womans hideous old age (Fowler 71). Although the drunken old woman was portrayed in a lethargic manner, the treatment was more of sympathy instead of revulsion (71). This reflects a difference in attitude from the classical Greek period of condemnation for aging and the aged.
   
Another example of a sculpture of an old woman during the Hellenistic period is The Old Market Woman or Old Peasant Woman See Fig. 2 below. The sculpture is dated as falling under the latter part of the 2nd BCE to the early part of the 1st BCE. The sculpture can be found at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The sculpture strongly describes the physique of the elderly. The woman is stooping down to represent not only the weakness of the bone structure as well as the waning strength in carrying heavy things. The knees are bent. The face, especially the forehead, and the neck are wrinkled. The expression of the face reflects sadness and anguish together with resignation to the long years of toil that still continues at old age even if the physical strength and vigor has declined. The figure depicts the change in perspective to acceptance of ageing together with a reminder to the youth to enjoy their prime, as youth is described similar to the passing of the seasons observed through changes in the natural environment such as the blossoming in spring and withering in autumn (Falkner and De Luce 161)
   
A third example of a sculpture of an old woman was titled the Old Shepherdess. The sculpture is approximated to have been created during the 2nd or 1st BCE. The artwork can be found at the Palazzo dei Conservatori in Rome. While this sculpture is of an old woman in another occupation, that of shepherding, there are strong similarities with the other sculptures of old women. The sculpture has lost its head but the body depicts old age. The knees are bent. The arms are muscular from hard work but the back of the hands are wrinkled. The breasts are sagged and the torso bony. Although, the expression of the face cannot be seen, the sculpture is holding a lamb, which expresses the continued exercise of a nurturing role but with loss of youthful vigor. The message is youth as the prime of life and old age as youths passing as facts of life but there is a marked disdain of old age as reflected by the loss of aesthetic qualities of womanhood (Falkner and De Luce 161).
                            
There are also examples of sculptures of old men. The Old Fisherman is a sculpture of an old fisherman carrying a basket of fish. This is dated to be either in the 2nd or 1st BCE. The sculpture is kept at the Palazzo dei Conservatori in Rome. The knees appear sturdy but wrinkled. The torso, neck and face are also wrinkled. The shoulders appear to have been muscular once but have now sagged. The expression is sad and contemplative as if speaking to another person.
The last example is a bronze portrait of a man from Delos. This is dated to be 100 BCE and displayed at the National Museum of Athens. The neck area, chin, eyes and forehead are wrinkled. The expression is serious but calm. It expresses tiredness, sadness and maybe even regret over the things that happened with the decline in physical strength and energy.
   
The Greek attitude towards the elderly people during the Hellenistic period is one of contrast. This aligns with the contrast in attitudes and perceptions that emerged with the inter-mingling of cultural beliefs that led to the strengthening of realistic attitudes.

On one hand, there is sadness and resentment towards ageing. The visualization of the elderly embodies these attitudes. These are rooted from the passion for youth (Fowler 71 Veyne, Aries and Duby 135) that the Greeks have developed during the ancient period and carried over to the Hellenistic period. Descriptions of old age included ruinous, evil and incurable (Falker and De Luce 160) in Greek poetry. This could be because being old meant the loss of many things and qualities considered as good. Strength in the case of men declines with old age. Lack of strength meant the inability to pursue goals or dreams of becoming leaders, gaining wealth, or exercising influence in political and social affairs. There is the recognition that importance also wanes with age. Beauty and fertility are good qualities coveted by women.

These qualities wane or are lost with age. Loss of self-value is also a result with little appreciation received as elderly women and lesser purpose with children all grown up and with the limited capability to contribute to the household and society. It is through the loss of good qualities that comes with age, given the passion of the good qualities of youth by the Greeks, which explains that attitude of bitterness and resentment. Bent knees and backs as well as wrinkled and sagging skin are representations of the loss of good qualities. Frustration with old age was expressed by Semonides in saying that old age, which no one wants, overtakes a man before he reaches his goal (Falkner and De Luce 160). This reflects the view towards youth as fleeting and old age as the condition that steals youth. As such, the elderly represents to many the loss of their qualities and frustration of not being able to achieve dreams.

On the other hand, there is also the bittersweet acceptance of aging as a reality and that the young will eventually become the elderly. This is a realistic perception of aging that became more pronounced during the Hellenistic period. While the preoccupation of youth remained, there is also the acceptance of aging as a part of life. However, even with the acceptance of the inevitability of aging, aging is not easy and this is painful for the Greeks. To become old means succumbing to ugliness and ugliness means repulsion by other people and even oneself (Falkner and De Luce 162). Apart from sadness, pain also forms part of the emotions expressed by the Greek sculptures of the elderly. With acceptance of aging as a reality, the sculptures of the elderly represent a sign of what the youth expect to become. By having this expectation, young people are strongly reminded to enjoy their youth to the fullest.
   
The Hellenistic period marked the emergence or strengthening of the realistic perspective brought about by the convergence of the Greek, Roman and oriental cultural beliefs. This is relative to the idealism of the ancient Greeks. The elderly was a theme that newly emerged in the Hellenistic period to express a natural and ordinary phenomenon. Depictions of the elderly were through physical, emotional and contextual dimensions. Examples of sculptures of old men and women show weakness, loss of the beauty aesthetic, expressions of sadness and contemplation, and aging in the ordinary work context. These sculptures exemplify the contrasting attitude of the Greeks towards aging and the elderly. On one hand, there was resentment towards aging represented by the elderly in society, a condition or state that the Greeks do not want to reach. On the other hand, there was also acceptance of the inevitability of aging with the elderly signifying the loss of youth and the pain of aging to remind young people to live to the fullest while they are still young.    

Edgar Alwin Payne

Edgar Alwin Payne is one of Americas twentieth century most distinguished muralist, illustrator and landscape painter. He lived between the first of March 1883 and the 8th of April 1947. He lived his early life in the south west of Missouri, Barry County in the farmlands of Washburn where he was born. During his teenage years, he had a passion for traveling where he toured most of the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe. He was most fascinated by the western side of America where he would later settle. When he was 14, his artistic journey began when he started painting signs, houses, murals, and stage in theatres in order to finance his tours. When he was 19, he embarked on a major tour that took him across the Ozarks, southeast and central United States, and Mexico to onto Chicago where he would settle for a moment to enroll for picture art studies in the Arts institute of Chicago.  He only studied at the institute for a fortnight after he found the learning to be very bureaucratic and instead opting self learning through practice.
   
Edgar did struggle for a time, and he would start exhibiting landscape pictures at a local club called Palette and Chisels and also engaging in occasional wall painting for extra income. In 1909 when he was 26, he made his first trip to California where he stayed for several months engaged in painting at the Laguna Beach. He then went to San Francisco where he met many artists notable among them Elsie palmer who was working as a commercial artist there. He then went back to Chicago for two years and then came back to California. In 1911, he went back to Illinois and met Elsie who at the time had taken job as an artist there. The bonds between them become stronger due to their shared interest in art and they married in November 9th 1912. Edgar was very fascinated with art that during the wedding ceremony, he had to postpone it for some time in order to allow for a more perfect lighting. Luckily, his bride accepted. The couples become popular in the art scene around Chicago and their first major collaborative mural piece was at the institute of arts in Chicago and another one that was a hallmark for them in 1914 when they got their first daughter.
   
His first major work was the Topeka Atchison and Santa Fe railroad company which contracted him to paint impressions of trainline landscape. Payne traveled with his wife to four corners area where they painted murals depicting rocky landscapes with Navajo riders riding horses. The Paynes used the artistic impression of light that made the pictures to portray the unique open nature of the southwest. His success continued and in 1917, he was contracted by congress hotel at San Francisco in painting a huge mural using a piece of muslin. The project was done with the aid of many local artists and after this contract they returned to Laguna Beach. At Laguna Beach, Payne was critical in founding the Laguna beach art association. This organization made him to network with other art organizations in California and at one time he was made the president of California art club (Cook, n.d).
   
In 1922, Payne traveled with his family to Europe for two years in many locations. At this time, he continued painting and one of his works an artistic impression of the Alps, was cited in the honorable category in 1923 at the Paris salon. He researched a lot about the paintings he was making although most of them were inspired by what he observed. When he returned to America, he continued to paint together with his wife and daughter mostly in expeditions to mountains like Lake Louise in Canada and sierras. He became well acquitted with the mountains that the lake called Humphrey basin was renamed after him in his honor (Cook, n.d). In 1929 at the time of the great depression, they were hit hard due to declining commissions from their work and they returned to California and bought a permanent home in Los Angeles.
   
When there daughter married soon after their return to Los Angeles, Payne separated from his wife but they did not divorce. Elsie later remarried but Payne relocated to Hollywood where he continued his artistic work recording a documentary called sierra journey and he also wrote a book called composition of outdoor painting which outlined his painting methods and skills (Cook, n.d.).The book expounded on the techniques painting landscapes, rhythm, color, value and repetition. In 1946, Payne was battling with cancer and his wife returned after a separation lasting fourteen years. Elsie nursed his former husband in the last stages of his cancer until he died in 1947. Payne won many prizes for his work, like the National academy of sciences prize in 1929 and Californian state affairs prize in 1917 among a series of other prizes and honors (cook, n.d).

Ansel Adams is one of the most famous photographers in history. His work proves his credibility in photography and art. During the viewing of his photograph, Mount Williamson Clearing Storm, there was one thing that came to mind when viewing it. While performing the research for the topic of this piece created by Adams, the interpretation behind it became clear. Ansel Adams Mount Williamson Clearing Storm is an attribute to those who may be climbing over a mountain in life can be inspired to complete the task and see the light ahead.
   
This is really a lot to say in a single photograph. The layout of the photograph is really what says it all. Ansel Adams has used the horizon to focus the attention beyond the rocks and straight to the mountains that loom above the land. In using horizon and the rock set right in front of the mountains, Adams made a triangular view (upside down). According to Paul Zelanski and Mary Pat Fisher, analyzing a painting that has used triangles can symbolize a pattern that is a subconscious, invisible structure unifying the painting (1996, 37).
   
In Adams photograph, the triangle is clearly seen between the rock and the mountains. The rock is the tip of the triangle while the mountains are the base. It seems that the relationship of the rock to the mountains can be interpreted as the person. The rock is the starting place for the journey across the other rocks towards the mountains.
   
The triangle serves another purpose within this photograph. Staring across the rock field it would make any person daunt at the possibility of crossing it. That is why Adams lined up the photograph the way that he did. Using the triangle formation, he directs the viewers eyes from the foremost rock up towards the mountains. The light then looks beautiful to the eyes and makes it appear easier to cross the rock field. It almost seems that the person could simply float over to the mountains.
   
In the book Design Principles and Problems, written by Zelanski and Fisher, the triangles that were used in the painting The Crucifixion with the Virgin, Saint John, Saint Jerome, and Saint Mary Magdalene (1485, 37), were created by the gazes of the two ladies at the base of Christs cross (1996, 37). This was one relationship created using triangles, according to Zelanski and Fisher, and the other was created from the two men who also gazed at Christ, creating another triangle to direct the viewers eyes (1996, 37). The relationship in Adams photograph is not necessarily a relationship between people, however.
  
In many songs and poems, as well as other literary forms, mountains have often been described as problems. In Miley Cyrus most recent song, The Climb, she says the following
Theres always gonna be another mountain
Im always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes Im gonna have to lose

Aint about how fast I get there
Aint about whats waiting on the other side
Its the climb
(Miley Cyrus, 2009)

The mountain has been referred to be symbolized as the struggle or problem to overcome in a persons life. It seems that in this photograph from the layout using the triangle, horizon, and light that Adams was trying to make the point that Miley made in her song. The rock field looks daunting when glancing around, but through Adams layout makes the climb appear easy.
   
The use of light by Adams in this photograph also leaves the impression that the climb or walk towards the mountains is attainable. Even though the road is rocky, the view is inspiring when our eyes are led toward the top of the mountains. Seeing the clouds with the light shining down on them and the mountains gives the viewer a lighter feeling as well. It makes it seem that the viewer could almost float to the top. The breathtaking view that Adams caught at the right time of day and with the right composition gives hope to anyone experiencing a mountain sized problem, similar to Mileys song.
       
During the taking of this photograph by Adams, he had been invited to the camp (Manzanar, a camp for Japanese-Americans detained during World War II) by Ralph Merritt, the newly appointed director, who ran the camp with an enlightened attitude, according to Burt Chernow Galleries (Adams, 65-69). The detainees were set in a desert with the view of the Sierra Mountains around them, as mentioned by the Burt Chernow galleries (Adams, 65-69). It seems that these people who may have been unlawfully detained during this time period certainly had a struggle to go through.
   
As mentioned earlier, I believe that given this information and reason why Adams was invited to the camp, he may have represented the struggles of these people in his photographs at the time. Whether he did this consciously or subconsciously, it is not known. Adams was a master at layout in his photographs as well as light and shadow. Adams was also mentioned by the Burt Chernow Galleries that he believed the Japanese-Americans, a nature-loving people, must have been inspired and strengthened by the setting, which gave the people a certain respite from their mood of isolation and concern for the future (Adams,65-69).
   
The setting of the photograph in using the triangular layout with the single stone in the forefront expanding to the mountains with light dancing around the tip seems to have been created for inspiration. The inspiration that the Japanese-American people may have experienced from day to day in the camp was captured in this photograph.

These people probably did not know what was going to happen to them from day to day. They were forced to be in the camp far away from their home. Most of these people, if not all, were innocent from crime during this time period. The injustice of discriminating against them beyond their will should be viewed as an undue hardship and struggle that they faced. Since they were bordered by desert, rocks, and mountains, there was no possibility of escape.
   
The day to day thoughts that they may have had could have been eased by the spectacular view that they could behold in the surrounding landscape. The mountains are beautiful to behold and can give strength to anyone who takes them in. Simply knowing that the mountains still stand can give encouragement to anyone who lives around them.
   
The photographs that Adams created while visiting to the camp were said to be among the best he created during 1943  1945 (Adams, 65-69). With the composition of this photograph and the research behind where it was taken that Adams created more than just a picture. This breathtaking view had a double meaning behind it. The capture of the Japanese-Americans struggle of being held captive was inspired by the surrounding view and recorded in this photograph. While the struggle for these people, and any person, may be along a rocky path, the light shines ahead over the mountains. The task to overcome or make the best of the climb comes from the clearing of the storm and the presence of hope and light on the other side, beyond the rocky path.
   
With the evidence given through the research, I conclude that Adams presented the photograph of Mount Williamson Clearing Storm as inspiration to the Japanese-American prisoners. It seems also since the director was one that had the theory of enlightenment, perhaps this was his purpose of inviting Adams. Based on what is known about the camp and the time period, this would be a logical conclusion to the structure of the photograph by Adams. There is no known record of him saying that this is why he created the piece in this way, but based on the information given and first glance of the photograph itself, this is a logical conclusion. After glancing at the photograph the very first time, the view is certainly breathtaking. While delving into the layout and underlying pattern of the photograph, the symbolization comes out.

Art is a component of culture and as much as the latter varies across societies, the understanding and interpretation of art can only vary significantly. Thus, to be able to successfully do so, there is a need to develop a fundamental understanding the motivations, forms, modes and elements of art to be able to fully interpret them rather than defining what art is. According to Barrett (1994), artworks naturally demand interpretation. To illustrate this idea, Barrett refers to the research developed by Nelson Goodman and Arthur Danto who both point out that art has to be viewed beyond its existential form or state to be able to develop relevance and consequence, suggesting a dynamic value-building relationship between the viewer and the art object. However Adams (1996) points out that this can be difficult since art is difficult define.

More, Carey (2006) believes that efforts to define art are likely to fail because the process of defining art itself is contrary to its nature. Thus, people do not have just different views or criteria for aesthetic and artistic value but also in how these evaluation systems are developed and defined. Varying levels of competence can also impact art interpretation during the Renaissance, art education was regarded very highly and there was a high degree of emphasis on formal and technical art skills. Thus, the most celebrate art works were of the time were works that were representative of these qualities, creating acclaim for artists such as Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti. However, despite this emphasis on the technical value of art, since they were often commissioned to impress, there was still an emphasis on their capacity to have an impact of its viewers. In conclusion, this implies that art value is culminates in the interpretations that are made about it.

Describing Photographs

Describing a photo could have been one of the most sensuous ways in defining artistry. Through this you can view ones soul regardless of the culture, personalities or hobbies you may have. Through those given pictures, these are my views per image presented to us respectively. Thus starting this, I gave name on each photo based on my inferences.

Suburban. Streaked with the monotonous bond of yellow and brown color, this shot produces an anxious atmosphere. The electric wirings hanging all along this line of a typical suburb plainly captures its activities while the setting of the sun addends to the anxiousness of the picture. Ironically, it pictures a restless city life despite of the scenic vista it produces.

A Photographer Thing. Photographers have this fascination of being pictured by someone else it could be the clich of a stolen shot or even the portrayed one. One thing is true about photographers they express their selves through their lenses. Nevertheless this picture overseeing the sea behind is a copy of an image every photographer would love to have-simple yet very attractive.

Rock Star. Composed by 45-degree lighting, this shot becomes naturally dramatic. The subjects facial expression pointed to his left, directly looking to the note he is into, expresses a soft tone despite of the rock star image he is portraying. This is an image vividly portraying of an artist during his meditation.

Baby. Like with the rock star image, this photo has also the respective 45 degree lighting thus also producing a dramatic aura. The dogs left eye is focused down to the remaining dark side of the picture gives an atmosphere of sadness. The composition is totally imbalance since the photographer here maintained the focal point to his subjects eyes.

Intersections. Lines are great when it comes to composition, especially when plays with the magic of contrast and imbalanced of colors like what this picture is entailing. Firstly, the black and white that is very usual into color combination is seen here. The intersected lines those are particular in corporate towers like this have really a lot of credits in this respective shot. The linear or being minimal of a photographer is clearly portrayed here.

Kitty at the Fish Lens. Fish lens are great when it comes to larger-than-life images. Though this lens was invented for meteorological causes and not just for a little sick kitten right here, in photography, anything goes around. Nonetheless, this image has captured the eccentricity of an animals eyes- dramatic in such a way of the monotonous color it produces plus the blurry effect from behind.

Imitation. Imitation is also another thing in doing a unique shot. This image has a typical sunny-day-lighting-set up with the Buddha and an imitating tourist. To make it more unusual, the photographer took the image from lower ground thus created the subject larger than he is actually is.

Grandeur. Grandest to its grandest This could have been took using a wide lens hence the image became more grand because of its size. The subject here including a red sports car and a mansion behind, using a balance composition greatly emphasize the beauty of the subject as a whole. One thing that disturbed me is the shadow that could be intentionally or unintentionally taken by the photographer here. Nonetheless, it was an exemplar

The Thing. Imbalanced and enough only to capture the subject of the entire craft, this is this picture. The subject of course is the DSLR camera all alone on a side of a bay-grill onto the wide image of the city. The spectacular with this is how the photographer managed to control the light in focusing the camera while not excluding the beauty of its backdrop.

Economy. Typical scenarios if youre out of the village, but not in here when go fishing and you can still touch the city beyond. The light emitted from the sun is enough for the photographer in creating this composition clear enough. Besides of its spectacular view, the picture tells facts what kind of economy this place has.

Color Eccentric. There are three things that are playing in this picture color, lines and combination. The power of combination extremely portrays the requirement of an eye into patterns and this picture tells it all. These are enough in creating ones masterpiece especially if played by reflectors such as the mirror in this photo. Definitely, you can see the eccentricity on this one.

The Langham. This gigantic shopping mall in Hong Kong became a miniature because of this shot. It clearly understated the hugeness of this piece of architecture while its golden reflection became more spectacular because of the central focus on its name- the Langham Place leaving its logo blurred. Nevertheless, this city piece indiscriminately portrays what a life Hong Kong can offer.

Underwater. Though underwater photography has been an expensive hobby for every aspiring water photographer, this has stolen the heart of the many. Underwater images produce different variety of color combinations like what this image is portraying. Almost blue simply explicates the naturalist side of being underwater. The schools of fish and the hole through where the light passes through became one of this images prominent figures. 

The Big City. This image could have been took a 360 degree lens. This is basically because of the complete length composing the big city shown in this image. This is also considered night photography since the photographer mainly focused on the varying lights produced by a number of buildings not far beyond where he is taking this fantastic shot, in the night. Spectacular indeed

The Ship. Lastly, this image is also a by-product of night photography. Taken during the night time, the line described out the lighting bulb hanging on the ship made an impression of a total luxury of the image. The pattern created by the ships chimneys also created a soothing atmosphere plus the backdrop of its nearest harbor. The color is mostly playing with yellow and brown, a typical combination for sad but grand aura.

A. Background on Betsey Johnson

Betsey Johnson is both a fashion designer and fashion brand known for uniquely creative and imaginative designs for a fun lifestyle. She was born on 10 August 1942 in the quiet town of Wethersfield, Connecticut (Blausen and Stacey). As a child, she took numerous dancing lessons (Blausen and Stacey) that developed her interest in the feminine through the frilly and bright colored dance costumes worn during practice, recitals and plays.

Education, Honors  Organizations
After high school, she entered Pratt Institute (Blausen and Stacey), a prestigious art school in New York. This period marked Betseys pursuit of her passion and career in the arts. She continued her studies at Syracuse University to graduate in 1964 with a magna cum laude honor (Blausen and Stacey). In college, she formed part of the Phi Beta Kappa, an honor society and joined Alpha Xi Delta, a sorority committed to supporting womens empowerment and growth (Blausen and Stacey).

Entry into the Fashion World
Betsey Johnson became part of the fashion world by winning the Guest Editor Contest sponsored by Mademoiselle Magazine in 1964 (Biography). This allowed her to research and experience different designs and fashion events. In 1965, she was hired as a top designer by Paraphernalia (Biography), a boutique employing a number of fashion talents. Her signature designs were sexy, hippie and fabulous. Offers from boutiques and fashion houses such as Alvin Duskin located in San Francisco and Alley Cat took most of her time (Blausen and Stacey). Finally, in 1978, Betsey collaborated with Chantal Bacon to launch the Betsey Johnson brand (WWD). Thirty years later, Betsey Johnson received numerous fashion awards and the Betsey Johnson brand has reached markets in Europe and Asia.

Betsey Johnson and Her Brand Signature
Source httpwww.betseyjohnson.combio.html

B. Market Segment Targeted by Betsey Johnson Age
In terms of age, Betsey Johnson has been able to draw costumers of varying ages. The fashion designs appeal to veteran celebrities such as Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett, Debbie Harry, and Janis Joplin and to young stars such as Paris Hilton and Katy Perry (Betsey Johnson). The feminine aspect of the designs appeal to women of all ages and the whimsical components of the design provides options for age-specific preferences. However, most of her signature designs appearing to be non-age specific by appealing to women in the different age groups.

Income and Social Class
Relative to market segmentation by income, Betsey Johnson is a high-end brand. When the brand was launched in 1978, the designs were worn by music artists and featured in theater and other shows. As an exclusive brand boutique, Betsey Johnson stores are located in Soho and Madison Avenue in New York and Melrose Avenue in San Francisco California, which are locations known for high fashion. In 1996, the Ultra fashion line was launched to cater to an exclusive market and picked-up by exclusive retailers such as Charivari and Ultimo (White). However, in 2009, plans for Betsey Johnson to create an affordable line retailed through the online stores QVC and HSN were underway (Douglas).   

Occupation
The targeted market segment by occupation is limited. Betsey Johnson designs strongly appealed to people in the entertainment industry. Although the designs also expressed femininity, the designs had lesser appeal to people in occupations requiring more formal and simple designs. The designs appealed most to movie stars, music artists, and other art aficionados who want to be seen. Nevertheless, Betsey Johnson designs have strong appeal to women of different occupations seeking fabulous attires for their social activities. 

Lifestyle
Betsey Johnson designs appeal to a fun and fabulous lifestyle. It targets the pool in the urban market of individuals with fun or hi-strung personalities who enjoy visibility in their social circles or even in public. The Betsey Johnson market can be considered a niche.

Geographic Location
The designs target a global market but concentrated in key fashion cities such as New York and Los Angeles in the United States, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver in Canada, London in the United Kingdom, and Tokyo in Japan.
C. Description of Betsey Johnson Designs

Design Descriptions   
Betsey Johnson designs can be described as very American, feminine, sexy, eccentric and whimsical (Betsey Johnson). The designs are far from ordinary. A look at some of the fashion items taken from the official online retail website  HYPERLINK httpwww.betseyjohnson.com www.betseyjohnson.com captures the feminine but with flare especially by the colorful prints, lacy shoes, and peak-a-boo socks.
     
Fit  Flare Dress      Intimate Wear      Heartland Satchel          Lacy Shoes      Peak-a-Boo Socks
Fabrics Used in Designs
   
Betsey Johnson also experiments with various fabrics used in designs that accentuate the womans body. A selected list of dresses taken from shows the use of various fabrics from cotton to chiffon and to satin.
     
Embroidered Cotton    CottonLycra     ChiffonCharmeuse         Crochet                      Satin
Production of Merchandise
Betsey Johnson merchandise is produced at the design studio and show room at the 21st floor of 498 7th Avenue in New York. This is the headquarters and also where Betsey Johnson resides more frequently. The designs drawn and sewed in the studio are then sent to the factory to be manufactured. Betsey Johnson clothes are produced in the United States. The main shops in London and Japan also have factories that manufacture the designs coming from New York. There are items designed and manufactured exclusively for international markets such as scarf exclusively distributed in Tokyo Japan. Other merchandise including jewelry, shoes, bags and belts, accessories, and lingerie are licensed for production to business partners (WWD).
D. Promotion and Sales of Betsey Johnson Merchandise

Promotions
Promotion of Betsey Johnson merchandise is through the New York Fashion Week, media exposure through celebrities that wear the Betsey Johnson label, collaborations with organizations for business and social causes, and features of the designer and brand in various fashion and lifestyle magazines, newspaper columns, and shows. Betsey Johnson is an established designer and brand in the global fashion market. She is also a celebrity icon in both the fashion world and in advocate organizations, especially with her active participation in campaign on breast cancer awareness and support. These promote the Betsey Johnson brand.

Sales
Betsey Johnson merchandise is sold in three venues, exclusive brand boutiques, retail stores, and the online website. The boutiques now number more than 70 stores in different North American, European and Asian countries (WWD). A diverse range of retailers including exclusive retailers, department stores, and other retail stores also distribute Betsey Johnson merchandise. The online website is  HYPERLINK httpwww.betseyjohnson.com www.betseyjohnson.com, with online sales coordinated by the office in 2346 E. Pacifica Place, Rancho Dominguez in California.
E. Betsey Johnson as an Important Designer
   
Betsey Johnson is an important designer by creating timeless and relevant pieces in a genre all her own. Even pieces from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s are still selling strong in vintage shops with the rare items selling at high prices (WWD). Even after more than 30 years, Betsey Johnson has been able to capture many generations of women and is likely to continue doing so in the future. Although, there are designers and brands compared with Betsey Johnson, she has created a place for herself in the fashion world that cannot be replaced by another. 

Titian or the commonly known Italian painter Tiziano Vecellio was one of the most famous hands of the Renaissance Period. Born in the small town of Cadore, a northern part of Venice, Titian grew from a family of noblemen. His genius in arts had been evident even at the age of ten that caused his family to enroll him under Giovanni Bellini, who was also a very famous painter then. 

Being a beginner, it was inevitable for Titian to imitate others genre. He abandoned the Giovanni method and considered Giorgione of Castelfrancos kind of painting which is more into rich and atmospheric quality. Through experience and learning from several men of the fifteenth century such as Michelangelo and Giorgione him self, Titian learned how to explore his undoubted talent and made an exceptional fame not only in Italy but within the entire Europe through courts and palaces of the monarchs. (Vasari, 1568)

His work Ecce Homo or Christ Shown to the People was one of his masterpieces that had earned him fame and called the attention of many high-ranking officials of the land. This piece of oil canvas dated way back at around 1485-90 to 1576 is an emblem how social stratification had existed during the life of Jesus Christ. It can be seen how eloquently Titian detailed the contrast between Pilates richly fined clothing and the way Christ has being naked.

The humble and emotive aura and the way Christ enfolding his hands depict the fight between the antagonist and the protagonist. It is all shown the way Titian featured the sensitive modeling of Christs torso, the muted definition of his profile, and the evocative demeanor of his hands are characteristics of his brilliant late style.(Saint Louis Art Museum)

Pablo Picassos genius was firstly discovered by his father who also happened to be an art teacher. At the age of 14, he had already demonstrated high level of technical proficiency on his early drawings such as the Study of a Torso, After a Plaster Cast (1894-1895, Muse Picasso, Paris, France).

He was admitted at the Academy of Fine Arts in Barcelona wherein his teacher also taught arts. He studied under advanced classes after completing a series of entrance exams within just a day that were said given for a month to finish. He left Barcelona and came back in Madrid until 1904 when he settled in France and invented cubism and where the rest of his story happened.

Though considered to be the one who pioneered cubism, it was not only Picasso who invented this modern art movement. He was with French artist Georges Braque who made its launching in the mid of 1907 and 1908. Defined as paintings containing ambiguous sense of space through geometric shapes that flatten and simplify form, spatial planes that are broken into fragments, and forms that overlap and penetrate one another thus cubism was born.

One example of painting that exemplifies cubism is Picassos Pitcher and Fruit Bowl. Finished in 1931, the painting made of oil canvas is standing for about 51 14 x 76 34 in. (130.2 x 194.9 cm). The wideness of the painting represents the pitcher, leaves, fruit and table. It as if you are looking in a composition that is made of stained glass but is not. The entirety suggests a decorative different geometric pattern combined while the twisted lines and round forms seen in here infers that this painting serves as a Picassos young mistress-Marie-Thrse Walter. (Saint Louis Art Museum)

It can also be said that being one of the most prominent figures in the history of arts especially in the previous to the latter part of the 20th century, Picasso had been a people-person. Many women became attracted to her and this painting seemed to connote how he was a sweet yet very clever man then. It still amazes everyone how Picasso established his name from the point he made his first paintings until he entered sculpting, in expand of almost 70 years. In the end, his superb intellect born the many art movements including futurism in Italy, suprematism and constructivism in Russia, de Stijl in the Netherlands, and vorticism in England. (Encarta, 2009)

Influence of pop art movement on the realm of Jewelry

The 1950s and 60s were characterized by a widespread fascination with visual art christened pop art particularly in America and Britain. Pop culture closely mimicked traditional forms and styles of art by integrating popular artistic objects and surfaces with sophisticated and dramatic styles in order to produce a new perspective of the art forms. The incorporation of diverse cultural elements rich in imagery and humorous overtones gave art its definitive impetus in the period in the wake of the modernism era.
Modernism is a term coined in the 1900s that describes a sweeping cultural change of traditional societies particularly in the West in the wake of urbanization (Pericles 38). Modernism encompasses the emergence and adoption of new forms of expression such as popular art (Pop art), religion, political and social organization by the world, which challenged traditional thought.  Modernism is comparable to some sort of fanatical enlightenment through which people attempt to restructure their existence by experimenting with new ideas and technology (Berman 16).
   
Modernism and the movement of pop art significantly influenced the production of jewelry in way that expanded the realms of ornament design. Makers of fine art adopted radical concepts in the design of jewelry which encompassed the manipulation of tactile materials such as cans, fabric and metal in new ways that challenged conventional fashion (Astfalck, Broadhead, and Derrez, 197). According to Astfalck, Broadhead, and Derrez, most contemporary jewelers of the first half twentieth century distinguished themselves by integrating atypical styles, shapes and material for the sole purpose of making a strong fashion statement instead of considering the practicality of their pieces (198). Bob, Winston, Bruce, Metcalf, Margaret Craver, Armand, Winfield, Paul Lobel and Alexander Calder were among the artist who redefined the realms of jewelry through the 1900s. The artists reflected in their designs a new awareness of art which defied the mainstream designs.
   
Winston, a San Franciscan jeweler made an eccentric pendant which today would probably be worn only on the catwalk or other fashion gala events than a practical adornment for an everyday look. The pendant was made using an assortment of leather, brass, silver, a claw-structure and ivory (Schon 12). The piece represents a creative kind of expressionism which captured the free thinking nature of contemporary artists to whom art comprised the incorporation of tangible things found in their environment with a tinge of personality.
Ed Wiener is another renowned modernist jeweler who incorporated in his ornaments abstract expressionism.  Wieners made unique and stunning hand-made jewelry especially necklaces inspired by the work of fellow artist, Alexander Calder. The most outstanding and successful piece by Wiener was his twelve inch pendant made of copper and Brass and a tinge of silver. Wiener masterfully blends simplicity with masterful crafting of elements to produce an outstanding and wearable piece which reflects the modernist wave of the early 20th century.

Modern art was characterized by radical realism and abstract expressionism by various artists of the time such as Jackson Pollock, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns. The artists set themselves apart from traditional artists by using common objects such as bottles, surfaces, numbers, paint, flags, metal and cans as the focal subjects of their art and portraiture. Their collaborations with ordinary objects reinvented modern art as it was known and spurred ingenious inventions in the wake of modernism.
David Watkins is a legendary minimalist artist who doubled as a pianist and jeweler artist. He particularly sculpted vibrant jewelry with a distinct personal touch such that wearers could relate to the pieces at an intimate level (Chadour-Sampson 2). His neck pieces acted as metaphors linking the human body to the artistic process.

The last self-Portrait by Andy Warhol is the most famous artwork which emerged from the pop culture in the 1960s. Arguably, no artist typified pop art and culture as much as Warhol did. Warhol adopted a liberal approach to painting which contravened the traditional approach to expressionist art.  Warhol purposely based his paintings on real life personalities such as Elvis Presley, Zedong and sometimes himself. The uncanny self-portrait which he produced in 1986 is premonitory piece presented in the form of a dark and ghostly head painted with shades of black, green and gray colors (colors commonly associated with camouflage in the military) (Amason, 501). The head appears to be floating in a somewhat dark space with the face intently gazing into oblivion. Connotative of this strange portrayal of himself is his premonition of his impending death because he died a few months after painting the portrait the portrait was created by screening our photographs of himself using a silk screen onto a piece of canvas. The image is not only bewildering but also intense.
   
The Flag by John Jasper is a collage painting associated with pop art. Supposedly, Jaspers creation was inspired by a dream of the national flag of America which he had in 1954 (Weiss, 12). The flag was created using fabric and newspaper cuttings embossed on a plain ply wood surface using wax. John purposely selected common objects that people see but do not pay much attention to as his subjects. The flag is solid and still like a sculpture, an aspect which sets it apart from an authentic flag (Bernstein,). Underlying the stories in the newspaper clips that make up the flag is the portrayal of the diversity of the American society. Within its simple encaustic depths, the flag monumentally captures the true nature of Americans, their fears, aspirations and hope. 

In 1955, Rauschenberg produced an intriguing painting of a bed on a piece of quilt. The uprightly positioned which seems to be hanging against a wall is tinged with sexual overtones. The bed comprises of a partially revealed patched quilt with a pillow arbitrarily placed on top of it.  The sheets on the bed are crumpled in a way that implies lovemaking may have taken place on the bed. Rauschenberg combines different assemblages such as fabric, paint drippings and oil grids in a way that seems to attract a closer examination of the painting in a way that provokes deeper examination and interpretation of the painting. According to Rauschenberg, the key to truly understanding art lays in the way a person views a piece of art and not just ordinarily looking at it. Although an artistic piece, the painting portrays real aspects of life such as sensuality, intimacy and privacy (Leggio 79). 

Campbells Soup Cans is a painting by Andy Warhol which was created on thirty two pieces of canvas in 1962. The piece of art comprised of thirty two cans of which represented all the varieties of soup produced by the Campbell soup company at the time.  Each individual canvas painting was created by using a porous screen known as the silk screen. The concept of the painting was motivated by various commercial products in addition to his fondness for the brand.

Joseph Cornell was a sculptor who predominantly dealt in the artistic assemblage of memorabilia collections.  Cornells work was characterized by the pooling together of different artifacts and juxtaposing them with objects such as charts, newspaper clippings, glass boxes and even feathers in a way that created a three-dimensional appearance.  In 1942, Cornell produced the Medici slot machine which typified a modern vending machine. The slot machine comprised of the marbles, portraits and sliding boxes.
   
Robert Rauschenberg is one of the best assemblage artists during the mind 1950s. One of his renowned works is the bed which is a conceptual painting of a real bed. The painting combines common objects with paint to bring out captivating collage. Rauschenberg uses a single bed, a pillow, a quilt and dripping paint in an abstract way that reflects a new style of art. From a literal perspective, the image represents a typical bed which has probably been slept on. The sheets on the bed are crumpled in a way that implies lovemaking may have taken place on the bed. Rauschenberg combines different assemblages such as fabric, paint drippings and oil grids in a way that seems to attract a closer examination of the painting in a way that provokes deeper examination and interpretation of the painting. According to Rauschenberg, the key to truly understanding art lays in the way a person views a piece of art and not just ordinarily looking at it. However, the way the bed has been framed against a wall, the splattered paint on the pillow and the glossy smudges on the surface o the bed provokes a contextual look and understanding of the painting. Inherent in the startling juxtaposition of different real world elements is Rauschenbergs desire to bring out a balanced meaning between real life and art.
   
Allan Kaprow was an assemblage painter and one of the earliest initiators of performance art. In the 1950s and early 60s, Kaprow helped in the creation of artistic experience events known as the happenings. According to Kaprow, a happening was an exploratory experience of art which occurred in an unstructured manner and whose uniqueness was inimitable. Some of Kaprows happenings included the 1959 Eighteen Happenings in Six Parts. Happenings are self-contained performances which require very little or no dialogue at all to execute their performance.
   
Andy Warhols last self-portrait is an obscure painting which presents an image of Warhol in a reflective posture. The portrait was created by in 1986 by screening out photographs of himself using a silk screen onto a piece of canvas. The image is not only perplexing but also strong. The pose assumed by Warhol foreshadows his detached demeanor as an individual (Rosenblum, 2004). The Camouflage like shadow across the front of Warhols face connotes a sort of protective faade from the public eye.  The mysterious self-portrait seems to be gazing absorbedly into the unknown. Underlying the strange portrayal of himself is his intuition of his imminent death because he died a few months after painting the portrait.
   
Agnes Martins Night Sea is a grid lined painting created in 1963. The oil based abstract painting which is set on canvas seems like interplay of light and texture. It does not have a definitive centre to balance its different surfaces, an aspect which Martin apart from other minimalist artists of the time. The painting seems like a straightforward invocation of nature which is devoid of metaphors. The irregular strokes of lines on the white areas in the grid imply a clear sky while the horizontal lines represent a tranquil sea at night. The painting of the night sea is powerful and profound.
   
Clearly, the incursion modernity transformed the way art is perceived and defined. Abstract expressionism made it possible for people to acknowledge the diversity of art and to understand pieces of art from different perspectives. Undoubtedly, modernism contributed significantly to the creation of statement and wearable jewelry in the twentieth century and subsequent years. Jewelry is a term that defines discrete tangible objects created for the adornment of the human body. Conventional jewelry was made for decorative purposes only. However, the 19th century bore a new breed of jewelers who created distinct ornaments from different elements of nature which not only served as decorative pieces but had a unique life of their own separate from the wearers body. Pop artists deviated from the prototypical creation of grounded, decorative pieces to the creation of pure art forms that reflect free thought, cultural and individual identity.
   
Typically, designers in any kind of discipline work within a certain set of constraints or feasible limits. However, Modern designers and crafters of jewelry find an uncanny attraction in the restrictive nature of jewelry. A majority of contemporary jewelers strive to surpass the established limits by daringly exploring new territories. All renowned figures of 19th and 20th century art ranging from Kaprow, Warhol to Lichtenstein challenged artists of successive generations to abandon subtle expressionism and adopt conceptual representation of art, to go beyond permissible limits in order to create sensational masterpieces.
   
Notably, the pop movement spearheaded by modernist artists radically shifted the paradigms through which jewelry is conceived and understood. The seemingly simple and controlled medium of expressions presents new challenging and complex possibilities which enable artists to create progressively intelligent and innovative metaphors. Jewelry is significant in the art world because of its ability to express ideas of the creator or artist in a more attached and personal way than any other art form. The pop art movement made it possible for the creative establishment of a common ground between the artists and the public thus ensuring permanence of the creative process.

Art Analysis of Last Judgment of Hu-Nefer

Our last painting on the museum tour is the Last Judgment of Hu-Nefer, which portrays Hu-Nefers walk through his tomb at Thebes. This particular painting is on papyrus scroll and dates from 1290-1280 B.C. or around the time of the early nineteenth dynasty of Egypt (Egyptian Art 2010). This particular scene is part of the judgment that all Egyptians must face before entering into the afterlife. The primary purpose of this painted scene is to emphasize the Egyptian belief in the importance of the Afterlife (Egyptian Art 2010).

The Last Judgment is an important event in an Egyptians afterlife in that it determines how the afterlife will be spent. In this painting, Hu-Nefer is being guided into the hall of judgment by Anubis, the jackal-headed god of embalming (Egyptian Art 2010). The god leads Hu-Nefer down the hall and to the first scene where Anubis places Hu-Nefers heart on a balance to determine whether his actions on earth were moral and true enough to outweigh the feather of Maat, the goddess and protectoress of truth and everything right (Egyptian Art 2010). If his heart does not outweigh the feather then the crocodile headed god Ammit will devour it and Hu-Nefer will be denied entrance into a positive and good afterlife (Norfleet 2009). If it outweighs the feather then Hu-Nefer will be judged true and he will be led to Horus (Osiris son), the falcon headed god who will then lead Hu-Nefer to Osiris the judge and god of the underworld (Papyrus Scroll 2010).
Hu-Nefers moral goodness on earth is portrayed by the scene in the top register of the painting in which he is presenting gifts and offerings to a line of sitting gods (Egyptian Art 2010).

The god Osiris is always portrayed as a mummy wrapped with white bandages with green skin. In this painting Osiris is also with the goddesses Isis and Nephthys. They are said be standing behind Osiris in a somewhat of a protective mode (Papyrus Scroll 2010). Both Isis (Osiris wife) and Nephthys are providing protection and services to Osiris as he takes on the final role of passing the last judgment of Hu-Nefer. Hu-Nefer actually will pass through the veil of Isis to reach the domain of Osiris. Passing through the veil is a symbol of raising or opening of the veil of the material world, thus obtaining of state of true spiritual awareness concerning the mysteries of nature (Platapagan). Hu-Nefer will walk through and meet Osiris before moving on into the afterlife or the Aaru (Norfleet 2009).

Each god plays a particular role in the Last Judgment of Hu-Nefer. Their parts are key in walking Hu-Nefer through the phases of the judgment and ushering him into the afterlife. Their presence is of vital importance to the Egyptian people. Isis and Osiris are dominating themes throughout the ancient Egyptians religion. The worshipping of Osiris came about as a result of a legend portraying Osiris as a former pharaoh of Egypt. His ruling was a time of prosperity however, his brother Seth was jealous and set out to kill Osiris. According to legend, Seth dumped Osiris body in the Nile where its said to have floated out into the Mediterranean Sea. It was Isis who located the dead body and brought it back to Egypt where she used magic to conceive of Osiris and gave birth to Horus. Seth discovered the body, cut it into pieces and got rid of it. Isis found the pieces and bandaged him up in mummy clothing. It was said that Osiris was then brought back to life and descended to the underworld where he became the new ruler (Norfleet 2009). By New Kingdom times, virtually every deceased man or woman was entombed with observances honoring Osiris (Norfleet 2009).

The painting Last Judgment of Hu-Nefer tells the story and emphasizes the importance of the Egyptians belief in the afterlife as well as reminding Egyptians of the importance of living a moral life of integrity and purity. Actions in the present determine where they will find themselves in the life to come. It is a masterpiece of Egyptian culture representing centuries of religious beliefs and culture.

Ancient Egyptian Art in Museums

Expressed in form of sculptures, architecture, crafts and paintings, ancient Egyptian art is show cased in innumerable museums across the world since it has had an immense impact on the civilizations of the world. Art was and remains an important part of not only the civilization of Egypt but also across the world. The ancient Egyptian art has its roots in the canonical second and third Dynasty art initiated in Egypt in about 3000 BC and whose presence continued through the third century until today (Andrews, 1981, p. 35). The art has had such influence due to the fact that its highly symbolic and stylized. Much of the art displayed in museums both in Egypt and the West has been collected form tombs, monuments, temples and other territories. This has therefore continually emphasized on past knowledge preservation and legacy after death. For instance, the Right Eye preserved in Brooklyn Museum in the West was obtained from Anthropoid coffins in used in Egypt between 1539-30 BCE (Brooklyn Museum). This culture has been transferred from generation to generation through museums.

Various museums across the world preserve this culture differently through varying collections. In Brooklyn museum, there are collections of close to thirty five art materials representing different human body features. Many of these body parts are displayed here for the first time, and are in the form of fragments of objects and sculptures created to resemble the distinctly individual body features present in canonical sculpture in Egypt (Brooklyn Museum). According to Andrews, artists in ancient Egypt portrayed almost all parts of the human body in detail and hence these sculptures in Brooklyn represent notions held in the ancient times regarding the human body as well as workmanship details. Opened in 1975, Luxor museum for instance has been regarded as displaying the best antiquities in Egypt though to a limited extent. In Luxor museum, there are items such as Amenhotep III granite head symbolizing pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty discovered in 1967 in a water shaft and the head of the cow-goddess form the Tutankhamun tomb depicting how ancient Egyptians used art to represent authority.

At the Luxor museum still, sober the crocodile god is represented in form of a double calcite statue. More antiquities of ancient Egypt are displayed and include items such as arrows, saddles and boats collected from the Tutankhamun tomb (Mark). Most museums display walls reassembled to exhibits about 283 painted blocks of sand stone illustrating an ancient wall in the Karnaks dismantled temple inhabited by the heretic 18th Dynasty king Akhenaten.  Ancient coffins and items representing the periods that followed the demise of Egypts pharaoh are also on display. In Brooklyn Museum for instance funerary artistic materials such as 1989s stone sculptures found in Luxor temple are displayed. Funerary items such as offering tables, tomb furniture, mummy cases, cartonages and dozen other shabtis and statuettes are displayed in innumerable museums across the world. Ritual items, jewelry and daily life artifacts garage also displayed in the museums. 
      
In British museums, the paintings from the Nebamun chapel are among the greatest ancient Egypt art treasures (Andrews, 1981. P. 38). Mummy cases are displayed in the British museums to represent the upper Egyptians art of drying deceased bodies to preserve them for after life. In most instances, the mummy cases are displayed alongside Anubis statue the god with the jackal head and who was believed to usher the deceased to the underworld.  Animal mummies such as Khnumram with the gilded elephantine case, a cat and crocodiles are displayed to symbolize mummification. Some museums such as Luxor museum have art exhibitions representing a military theme which is focused on displaying the glorious empire of Egypt. These displays include the two great Egyptian warrior kings Rameses I and Ahmose. More military art include the hunting chariot and weaponry of the Tutankhamun (Freed, 1981. P. 78). The talatat-sand stone blocks are on display in various museums such as the British museums to represent the art of the famous relief carving. Moreover, the talatat wall is such as the one in Loxus museum is put on display to signify the ancient art of reconstructuring an entire wall of the talatat blocks during the ancient time (Mark). Over 40,000 talatat blocks are on display in museums across the world to display the building works of Amenhotep IVs Karnak.

A number of ancient Egyptian gods and kings statues are on display in various museums the world over. A range of these art displays  represent exceptionally sculptured works of the  Karnaks Akhenaten state, Thebes dynasty Amenhotep, Karnaks Rameses III, goddess linty statue and Horemheb.  Museums also have an extensive collection of papyrus rolls that were rediscovered in the 1940s and which represent the art of writing through crafting on papyrus and painting in ancient Egypt (Mark). Museums in Egypt such as Loxus have in display steatite, carved vases, and amulets and most uniquely the enamel covered Egyptian pots. In a number of other museums, there are Hieroglyphs which are scripts written in pictures and symbols (Freed 1981. P. 83). These have been paramount to the work of Egyptologists and archeologists. The museum walls displays encompass the use of scrab, motifs, and covers. These architectural structures are displayed in museums to display important events in life such as mammoths in the Loxus museum representing the art of mummification.

OBAKKI DESIGNSTAKING VANCOUVER FASHION TO A WORLD STAGE

Globalization. You can love it. You can hate it. You can shake your fists at the sky and condemn it.  But, it s not going away any time soon.   Thanks to technology,  global trade agreements and the ever-increasing presence of China the world stage, the globalization genie is out of the bottle and it s not going back in.  For the Canadian garment industry, this has meant devastating effects and near-demolition.   Since it s heyday in the early 70 s, thousands upon thousands of jobs have disappeared.  Plants have been closed, and the wages of the jobs that remain have dwindled to inhumanly low levels (got to compete with China).

So, what can we do I mean, if we care, as Canadians, about this economic devastation and want to empower the wealth of our communities  Well, we can educate ourselves for one thing.  Knowing which designers manufacture their garments locally is a big step. I don t mean we have to avoid ever stepping foot in a Walmart and buy local only - that is an unrealistic expectation at this point.  But, we can be more balance and conscious of what we purchase and try, whenever possible, to purchase Canadian (or, even better, Vancouvan).  With our busy lives, it s hard to make time to learn who designs and manufactures locally, but maybe it s worth the time.  Here, I ll start you off with one   If you didn t know the name of OBAKKI, now you know.

With stores in Canada, Kuwait, China and the USA, OBAKKI is a design house that already understands the significance of a global market.  It s modern, visually-pleasing website (www.obakki.com) not only showcases it s clean, beautiful collections, but also details it s manufacturing practice.  OBAKKI is known for super high quality, detailed craftsmanship (i.e. it is not even trying to compete with Walmart and Target).  The design house, a collective founded by Treana Peake (wife of Nickelback guitarist, Ryan Peake), features the designs of talented artists like Vancouvers own Genevieve Graham.  OBAKKI s head office and flagship retail store is based in Vancouver and so is their  prestigious atelier called  The Studio  (www.thestudiovancouver.com). Check out OBBAKI s website to either purchase their clean, luxurious creations, or find a location near you.

The Author as Producer

Analyzing the argument by Walter Benjamin, he argues the boundaries of an artist under a highly politicized format often taking a Marxist and Socialist approaches over tackling these issues. With this apparent, it can be seen that there has been considerable effort in connecting this theme with the overall principles associated with the author as producer. Somewhat, it is the struggle towards recognizing the value of the proletariat that Benjamin relates it also to the way an artist should operate. Seeing this, the article makes a clear distinction of the necessary parameters in order to become an artist.
   
Understanding this perspective, it can be seen the interplay of political line and quality must be apparent within the writer. It is through this process that perception plays an important part in not only supplementing the two but creating a concrete artistic value. In the article, it can be seen illustrated this particular point and said such a formulation if of course unsatisfactory as long as the connection between the two factors, political line and quality has not been perceived (Arato and Gebhardt, 1982, p. 255).
   
Under this precept, the corresponding purpose of this approach is to allow artists to exhibit an image. In this process, heshe should be able to connect and link together important aspects related both in the literary and political aspects. In essence, the value of creating production stems from the ability to utilize these aspects and create a unified perspective between these two. In particular, the author as producer discovers  in discovering his solidarity with the proletariat  that simultaneously with certain producers who earlier seemed scarcely to concern him (Arato and Gebhardt, 1982, p. 255). It is through such aspect that the process of connection is achieved and creates a lasting impression among audiences.
   
Another essential criterion involves having the capacity of an artist to balance the political tendency of the work and its corresponding literary tendency. This remains to be important because it tries to denote the aspect of quality and portrays the ability to impart meaning and value to a certain piece. As Benjamin points out and I would add straight away this literary tendency, which is implicitly or explicitly contained in every political tendency, alone constitutes the quality of work (Arato and Gebhardt, 1982, p. 256).
   
Expanding on this idea further, it is the ability of the artist to reflect on the value of social norms and value as it relates to the way individuals and humans live accordingly. Moreover, this process also corresponds to the functions of outlining existing conditions shaping reality and its manifestations in the way each one perceives such. And when materialist criticism approached a work, it was accustomed to ask how this work stood in relation to the social relations of production of its time (Arato and Gebhardt, 1982, p. 256). Seeing this, the condition then of appreciating the value of such work coincides with the ability to create a distinct reflection of what truly occurs and ability to connect socially.
   
The last aspect that Benjamin considers vital surrounds the aspect of organization wherein it creates and defines their particular purpose and meaning. Here, such claim establishes the function towards redefining its ability to transcend to viewers in different interpretations possible. Seeing this, the idea of artists as producers constantly sees the ability to foster better means to become dynamic in their capacity to contribute something to society. As Benjamin points out his products must have, over and above their character as works, an organizing function, and in no way must their organizational usefulness be confined to their value as propaganda (Arato and Gebhardt, 1982, p. 265).
   
In the end, is the capacity of art to induce new patterns of behavior that it becomes significant in creating opportunity to inform and showcase a unique pattern different from what conventional artists are stimulated with. The article of Walter Benjamin examines the appropriate conditions that illustrate an effective artist. It corresponds not mainly in their ability to create contributions within different arenas but have the ability to create a distinct perspective that corresponds to the defining its true meaning and value of each particular endeavor.

TSUNAMI EARTHQUAKE

Tsunami is termed as a long wavelength wave of water that is usually generated by the sudden displacement of the seafloor of the standing water. Tsunami is often termed as seismic sea waves. As it usually occurs suddenly, thus it has huge as well as extremely dangerous effects to that particular area. Now a days, there are many instruments, which are termed as the detector instruments, which measure the up coming effects and thus alarm the particular area. However, this area, which was hit by tsunami in 2004, was an area, which was less sufficient in resources and thus has no such kind of alarming detectors, which can detect any kind of situations. This nation was not having enough resources, was lacking in technology, communication and from many other problems. We can in short say that due to these all lacking elements, this nation suffered to a great extent and people of this nation suffered a lot. Those areas, which are generally situated near sea or river, are termed as the dangerous one this was also one of the major cause. However, apart from all these causes, an important as well as main cause was the lack of every single resource. If, in some case, this nation was not suffering from lack of technology and resources, then there was some chance of surviving. However, unfortunately this nation was already suffering from lack of technology, from lack of resources and when it faced this tsunami disaster, they were completely damaged. (Cummins, 2009)

Tsunami earthquake, a natural disaster that damaged around 12 countries, emerged in Indian Ocean. This was the un bearable and un forgettable time when many people lost their lives, there were many people who lost almost everything, their houses, their property and their loved ones too. Due to a devastating damage, communication system was also affected and this was the main reason that why people were not getting the aid at right time. The infrastructure and the regional, local as well as international communication system were damaged and due to this people did suffer a lot. By this, we also concluded that how and why better and advanced telecommunication system is required, in order to generate better and enhanced results. There should be a better and advanced telecommunication system, which should be strong enough, in order to face all the difficulties and can help people when they are in problem. Along with this, an extensive damage, which was caused by tsunami, also results in different kinds of difficulties. Due to this huge disaster, people were not getting enough resources and they were also not getting the main resources which they really need in order to survive. (Cummins, 2009)

It was 24th December, 2004, when the people of East Africa and South Asia, were hit by tsunami. This was an unexpected disaster, which results in many problems. Along with this, Sri Lanka was also affected largely.

AFTER AFFECTS OF TSUNAMI
There were many long term affects of tsunami. Many people lost their lives, there were some people who lost their homes, their lands and all the revenues. People were rushing here and there in search of a shade where they can survive. (Cummins, 2009)

According to a survey, following percentages were measured while taking interviews from the victims of tsunami
According to them
80 of people felt that their life was in danger
51 of people were there whose family member die due to tsunami.
80 of people lost their friends or loved ones.
35 of people were there whose family members were seriously injured.
45 of people were there whose friends were seriously injured.

From this above percentages, it is very much clear and vivid many people who lost their lives. This natural disaster was a shock for every single person who was there and for rest of the world. People never thought they would die in this way. That was the time when need for different resources was lacking, the area was in a bad and critical situation and people were not able to communicate, were not able to have resources in order to survive. As mentioned above, 80 of people were those whose family members were seriously injured. Out of this percentage, around 50 people died. This was a shocking situation for all over the world. One of the major effect which tsunami caused was also decrease in population. Many people were there who lost their lives, there were many people who lost their legs, arms or in short they became handicapped. People were actually suffering from numerous problems, they were in such a situation where they were not even able to contact with one another and to ask for help. Lack of technology was one of the major factors, which tend people not to contact with anyone so that they can ask for help. (Cummins, 2009)

Due to this lack of resources, many people lost their lives too. Tsunami was a natural disaster which cannot be stop by any source, but it can be heal down by curing and by care. The area was suffering from many problems as well as difficulties. People were facing many problems, and were not in a situation to survive. Lack of resources and many other problems were there which results in a great damage for all the area, which was suffering from tsunami disaster. This region was already in a position where resources were demanded from people, thus, when this disaster evoked many people faced a lot of problems and were in a situation where they were not able to do anything. There were numerous after affects of tsunami, which results in further damages too. People as mentioned above faced many problems they were suffering from a very critical situation, there were no resources with the help of which they can live. In order to help those people, many countries, especially the neighboring countries helped a lot. Many countries supported a lot, they send many resources such as, food, clothes, shelter etc. (Rose, 2004)

The after affects of tsunami are very hard to measure. They usually comes in a very different ways. The nation suffered a lot and it was actually the time when people were facing a lot of problems. The affects had numerous influences on many other aspects of life. People faced a lot of problems. They were no where. They faced such problems that they came to realize why we are here. people were literally praying for death because life had nothing for them. They lost almost every single thing. There were nothing for them. There were such a bad and critical situation that people were crying and were in search of food, shelter and clothes.

The main reason or the effect of that particular nation can be explained in a single word i.e. LACK. There was lack of food, lack of shelter, lack of clothes, in short, lack of all the resources. People were facing many problems. One of the main and important thing which should be mentioned here is, the lack of all the resources. This particular nation was already suffering from many problems before this tsunami disaster. But when, this disaster hits the lives of those people, they were no where. People were unable to contact with each other, they were not even in a situation to communicate with their loved ones who can some how help them. There was no electricity. People were facing many problems. We can not measure or count all the effects, because there were many effects. People were in search of all the basic resources. They were searching here and there, they were searching in order to get better and better place, better and better resources.

When we talk about effects, there are many kind of effects. Effects can be related to resources, land and revenue. Apart from this, tsunami also affected many buildings, places, in short we can say that, tsunami affected the over all infrastructure of that particular area. Apart from the lives of people, tsunami also affected the lives of animal. We can say that it affects each and every single living being. Apart from this, all the buildings were damaged, life was thus completely destroyed. People were searching for every single need, they had nothing, they were in search of food, shelter, clothes etc. As we all know, life is one of a major element. Tsunami thus, also affected the health of people. Many people were suffering from health related problems. (Rose, 2004)

As mentioned above, tsunami is caused by earthquakes and thus it is termed as tsunami earthquakes. This area was as mentioned above was less sufficient in resources, thus has nothing such kind of technology, which can help in detecting the upcoming dangers. (Satake, 2007)
Effects of tsunami are very much and they should be maintained properly. In order to safe an area or country or any region from any kind of upcoming danger, following measures should be taken
Better technology.
Better and improved resources.
Sufficient resources.
Well efficient and effective area.

These above mentioned elements are very much important and a country or any region should work in such a situation where they can safe themselves from any kind of further danger. Any country or any region can face any kind of problem, no one is informed before the problem, it is therefore the foremost duty of an area of a country to develop itself in such a situation which can help that particular region or area or country when it is in danger. As it is mentioned above, lack of everything was one of the major factor which caused in much harm for that particular region. Lack of sufficient resources was at top of the list. People faced a lot of problems only because of the shortage of resources.

They were suffering to a greater extent and no one was there to help. This is main reason that why it is always said to have a better and well developed government. Because with the help of a developed and well developed government, one can work in a proper manner and can help its country or region when the people of that particular country or region really needs help. The government was not working in a proper manner, and this caused in lack of resources, and these lack in resources generally caused in great danger and harm for all over the area. People were striving hard in order to get something, so that they can survive. Children were there who were suffering a lot.

They were crying, rushing and were in a very bad as well as in a critical situation. People were in a very bad situation and were homeless and were needy. UNO was the main power which helped these regions a lot. It provided a lot of resources with the help of which they can start a better way of life. They were provided with food, shelter, clothes and with basic things. Along with this many other countries donated a lot of things with the help of which people were coming back to their old way of life. If an area of a country has a better technology, then the area can survive to a great extent. Along with this if it has a better as well as an improved resources, the area has well sufficient resources and along with this it is well developed with the help of which it can help the needy people, then there is no need to worry.

But, on the other hand, if the area is already suffering from many different kinds of problems and suddenly it faced many other problems too, then the results will be in a bad direction and it will damage the country or area to a greater extent. Therefore, it is well said that having enough resources and having such resources with the help of which you can survive when you are in danger is an important element and it should be maintained in an orderly manner, in order to safe a nation from any further dangers. Many factors are there which can help a lot in order to have better and advanced resources and also to have such resources with the help of which you can save your nation from any kind of dangers.

Having better relationship with the other nations is one of the main factor which can help you a lot in your bad days. As mentioned earlier, many nations or countries helped this affected nation a lot and therefore, it was able to survive and was also able to start a better and developed life. No doubt, today that affected area is not the same as it was years ago, but it is moving towards a betterment and it is also moving towards a new way of life, where people can live according to their style and can termed as the developed nation too. (Satake, 2007)

PRESENT PROBLEMS RELATED TO TSUNAMI
Awakening news that alerts us and make us alarmed when quake hit Chile. After this Chile quake, many alerts were given to different areas and New Zealand was the one that also received alert for tsunami. People of Chile are facing same damage after the quake people are needy and need many resources.

As mentioned above, this was a natural disaster, and natural disasters are the one which are caused by not alarming. Therefore, it is the foremost duty of every single nation, country, or region to be in such a situation where the country or  any region can survive when they are in a bad situation. it is very much necessary as well as important to have enough or sufficient resources which can help you when you are needy. The term LACK should be deleted from the dictionary and every single nation or country should have enough resources in order to fight back from difficult days.

This is very much important for every single nation. We can take an example from this tsunami earthquake which due to lack of resources results in great harm and due to this, many people suffered a lot and in the end they lost their lives. Therefore, such situations should be there with the help of which one can maintain a balance and can keep enough resources in order to have a better way of life. Government along with many other superior powers actually plays an important role in making their particular nation or region the stronger one. It is now the duty or responsibility of every single nation to take this as a serious example and start working very hard from the very first day, in order to generate better and better outcome.

One should not forget this main as well as an important thing that, having sufficient resources is an important element and one should have sufficient resources in order to survive from the hard days. People should work in such a situation, with the help of which they can save something for the bad days. Because, you never know when bad days knock your doors. Therefore, one nation should always be ready to face any kind of problem and should be strong enough, so that it a fight from all the problems or difficulties which it faced due to any disaster or problems. All the above mentioned factors should be kept in mind. (Satake, 2007)