{quotable thursdays}

This week I've been leading a social media campaign on #whyarthistorymatters. You can follow the blog posts on Open Arts Extra and can watch some great films on Open Arts Archive youtube.
so today's quote is all about creativity!

{matisse}

xo,
L

{quotable thursdays}

This week I blogged that my book came out. I have a good quote for that one:

{go after what you want}

I had a lot of times I didn't think it would happen. I've had a lot of frustrations in academia; it's an institution made of people who keep failing, but keep trying until they get what they want. It's not an easy world to live in, but I've learned to believe in myself, surround myself with supportive people, and reach high.
x
L

{quotable thursdays}

hi blogland!

This will be very quick, but I couldn't leave today without a quote. If you're in the UK, you probably heard the news that they're going to pull Art History from the A level curriculum in schools. This is devastating for us Art Historians. I am heading up a new initiative at the Open University on providing new tools and resources for teaching art history in schools, so this is really rather close to my heart.

I firmly believe that Art History isn't simply about looking at images, but teaching people how to look critically at images--Art History opens up a whole new way of looking at life--from politics to economics to gender relations.

So, a quote about the role that art has in our lives--its ability to make us see differently.

{degas}

If you feel strongly about this, like I do, sign the petition to save Art History from being cut from the A level curriculum.

and post a message to twitter on #whyarthistorymatters. spread the word.

xo

L

{postcards from Israel-Church of the Holy Sepulchre}

Hopefully you'll have been following my posts on Israel, but if not, you can find them here on the Holy City and here on the markets & here on our arrival...
I've decided to dedicate a whole post on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre just because it is a really unique building and it was quite an experience.

{on the rootfops of the church}

The door to the complex is  through a tiny unassuming hole in the wall from one of the souks:

{exterior architecture}

Once inside, you are overwhelmed by the glitter of gold from the mosaics and the flickering of candles:

To orient yourself, you might find this map useful: 

Upon entering the church, you find the stone of unction, where Christ's body is said to have been prepared for burial by Joseph of Arimathea:

 

From here you can take steps up to the chapel, where an altar, a gift from the Medici grazes one corner, and Byzantine mosaics glitter above.

Here at the centre, the main altar is said to be directly above where Christ was crucified.

From here you descend again into the main church, where you can circumambulate the side chapels, and visit the tombs of Jesus' contemporaries, as well as enter the Holy Tomb of Jesus.

{the stunning dome}

{side chapels}

 
Everywhere you look, you can see traces of centuries of worship...from different architectural styles, to faded frescoes, to pilgrims' graffiti...

{layers of architecture over time}

{signs of pilgrims over the centuries}

 Down the steps to Helena's chapel:

 What is the most striking thing you can do, and the most moving, is to join in one of the processions held every evening at 4pm or 5pm depending on the time of the year.
Holding candles, you process through the church, saying prayers, and following the stations of the cross, as well as accompanying the monks as they sing. For me, this made the significance of the space much more real, rather than a tourist attraction. It is still a church used by these holy men, but of different denominations. At one point the Franciscans chanting were in competition with the nearby Orthodox chanting, underlining how many different denominations of Christianity call this site holy.

 The monks chanting:

{orthodox procession}

 

{in procession with candle (Franciscan procession)}

The striking thing about Jerusalem is the evidence everywhere you look of co-existence between the various religions. Right outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a mosque, and while we were standing there we heard the muezzin call for prayer:

Stay tuned for one last instalment on Galilee and Nazareth!
xo
L

{10 years on...a reflection}

{MA graduation at the Courtauld, Somerset House}

10 years ago today I walked down an aisle in a church on the Strand and received a new status. No, I didn't get married, I received an MA in the History of Art from the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London. It was the best year of my life--the most challenging but also one of the happiest. It also put me in the biggest debt, something I'm still paying off. 

10 years on, I'm happy to say that pursuing an MA in an amazing institution was the best decision I have ever made. At the Courtauld I made some lasting friendships--including meeting my best friend and other life-long friends. It hasn't been easy since. I certainly can say I've achieved some accomplishments as well encountered some obstacles--four years after receiving my MA, I had a PhD in hand and was facing the brave new world of doctorhood during an economic crisis that meant hiring freezes in most universities. Those institutions that were hiring also saw 100s of applicants just like me, going for the same jobs. I worked in 3 academic posts in three different institutions in three different cities, in two different countries, before landing a permanent post in another country (which so happened to be the location of my dreams).
Words of advice to my former self: none. Well done for setting the bar high when I was still dreaming so that my later self would seek to meet those high expectations. It certainly wasn't easy, but boy am I happy with where I ended up. The struggles were worth it.

{Courtauld MA graduation 2005. Note nude statue in background. How appropriate!}

{ my sister Christina was doing her PhD at Oxford at the time & was able to attend my MA graduation}

{friendships to last a lifetime}

{celebrating!}

{a charity dinner at the House of Lords, just one of the great memories from the year}

{my best friend Katie & me, in Cefalu, Sicily after submitting our MA thesis}

{celebrating outside in the gorgeous courtyard of Somerset House. 4 July 2005}

Congrats to all my fellow Courtauld graduates who have sought & found their various paths--I wish we were having an actual reunion, but sending love across the internet!
xo,
L

{masterpiece fair london}

This past weekend I went to Masterpiece Fair, a large fair of antique/masterpiece dealers selling amazing works from sketches by Picasso to medieval betrothal rings. simply fantastic! It was amazing to see Monets, Matisses, & Warhols displayed for sale.
Last Thursday I wrote about the fair in anticipation, sharing some reviews. But below I have a few pics from my visit...For some more pics of the kind of 'masterpieces' and show rooms, check out fellow blogger, Liberty London Girl's blog here.

{the fair was in Chelsea at the site of the Royal Hospital}

{the main hall}

{free champagne tasting at Ruinart}

{me on the Red Carpet}

{guests leaving}

{with a masterpiece no less!}

xo,
L