I finally finished my trip - eight countries and a whole lot of memories later. I'm now trying to start a whole new life. It's odd and a little hard.
I'm really excited about starting my studies - I've already bought a lot of textbooks and am making headway into the reading. It's so interesting but challenging. Going back to school full-time is going to be a major adjustment - especially as I'm probably going to be older than most of the professors.
The hardest part is trying to find a part-time job. If I wanted full-time work, I'd be in a job now. But to find a way of making money that fits around my university schedule is proving to be more difficult than I had anticipated. I've even registered with a movie extras agency. More on that in the future, perhaps.
The picture above was my favourite work in the Belvedere gallery in Vienna. It's 'Judith' by Gustav Klimt.
I know 'The Kiss' is a way more famous piece but I don't like it. I find it violent and unsettling. In 'The Kiss,' I feel the woman is turning away from the man's embrace, refusing his advances. She seems to be kneeling close to an edge, her feet already dangling precariously. The more he advances, the more at risk of falling she becomes. It's an odd painting. I don't see why so many people think of it as the epitome of romance.
Of course, 'Judith' is a very dark piece, too. I'm fascinated by Klimt's composition. Your eye is drawn almost entirely to Judith's haughty, self-satisfied expression. What is she so pleased with herself for? Her beauty? Her golden robes? Her necklace? And then, down in the dark corner you finally notice she's holding a severed head. Fabulous. I'm also interested in how he made her look really quite hard, very tough, but completely feminine. Isn't it just the best picture?
I had also intended to talk about a picture 'Dusk' by Carl Moll. But in looking for an image to post on the net, I found out that the artist was a fanatical Nazi sympathiser. It changed my whole view of the work. I'm no psychologist, but if I were I'd love to study how our reactions to art can be affected by what we know of the artist. If I'd known nothing of his life, I would have talked about a soft, calm, enigmatic painting. But now that I know about his private history, I can't look at the work in the same light. Any amatuer pyschologists out there, please discuss.
I'm really excited about starting my studies - I've already bought a lot of textbooks and am making headway into the reading. It's so interesting but challenging. Going back to school full-time is going to be a major adjustment - especially as I'm probably going to be older than most of the professors.
The hardest part is trying to find a part-time job. If I wanted full-time work, I'd be in a job now. But to find a way of making money that fits around my university schedule is proving to be more difficult than I had anticipated. I've even registered with a movie extras agency. More on that in the future, perhaps.
The picture above was my favourite work in the Belvedere gallery in Vienna. It's 'Judith' by Gustav Klimt.
I know 'The Kiss' is a way more famous piece but I don't like it. I find it violent and unsettling. In 'The Kiss,' I feel the woman is turning away from the man's embrace, refusing his advances. She seems to be kneeling close to an edge, her feet already dangling precariously. The more he advances, the more at risk of falling she becomes. It's an odd painting. I don't see why so many people think of it as the epitome of romance.
Of course, 'Judith' is a very dark piece, too. I'm fascinated by Klimt's composition. Your eye is drawn almost entirely to Judith's haughty, self-satisfied expression. What is she so pleased with herself for? Her beauty? Her golden robes? Her necklace? And then, down in the dark corner you finally notice she's holding a severed head. Fabulous. I'm also interested in how he made her look really quite hard, very tough, but completely feminine. Isn't it just the best picture?
I had also intended to talk about a picture 'Dusk' by Carl Moll. But in looking for an image to post on the net, I found out that the artist was a fanatical Nazi sympathiser. It changed my whole view of the work. I'm no psychologist, but if I were I'd love to study how our reactions to art can be affected by what we know of the artist. If I'd known nothing of his life, I would have talked about a soft, calm, enigmatic painting. But now that I know about his private history, I can't look at the work in the same light. Any amatuer pyschologists out there, please discuss.
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