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Place: Zhaoxing, Liping County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province
My next destination during my trip in southern China was in remote Guizhou province, traditionally one of the poorest provinces in China. I took the high-speed train to Congjiang station. In the train I met a Frenchman who worked for some nuclear plant company in France and had an internship for a few months somewhere in Guangdong Province. He happened to go to Zhaoxing village, so we left at the same station and took the bus. After arriving in the village, we found out that we stayed in the same hostel too.
Zhaoxing is the largest settlement of the Dong minority. The Dong (also known as Kam) people are one of 56 recognized ethnic groups of China. Most Dong people (in total around 3,000,000) live in eastern Guizhou, western Hunan and northern Guangxi in China. Sadly, due to urbanization and assimilation into mainstream Chinese society, their culture is slowly evaporating, a fate similar to many ethnic minorities. Dong villages can be recognized by drum towers (鼓楼), wooden stilt houses and wind-and-rain bridges (风雨桥).
Zhaoxing is a popular tourist destination, helped by the new high-speed train which connects Guangdong Province with Guangxi and Guizhou, and it quite shows. So how traditional is the charming village? We entered the village by paying an entrance fee at the gate (the local community obviously doesn't benefit from this), a couple of hundred metres from the village itself, where they created a huge complex in traditional Dong style. From there we were driven to the village itself via the newly created artificial pond and rice paddy fields and yet another impressive, but newly created gate. There were walked via the boulevard, a new broad paved road with many KTV bars, restaurants and hostels, to our hostel. All houses are constructed in traditional Dong style, but most have by now been replaced by concrete buildings with wooden facade, replacing the traditional fully wooden structures. That night we watched a performance of supposedly Dong minority people, showing their culture, but it didn't feel genuine. In fact, we were told that the local Dong people aren't even allowed to play their traditional music anymore. Their are quite some reasons to be critical of these developments, similar to the fate of many touristic places in China, but as more and more especially young people are leaving villages for cities in Guizhou, the future of Zhaoxing is at least secured. When you look past the main road, there are still plenty of signs of traditional Dong culture visible. In fact, even on the main road you can see Dong people running their own shops, mostly catering to local people, and continuing life, wearing traditional clothing, colouring clothes by the fermentation process of plants and farming their lands.
The hostel (Zhaoxing Ruyuan Family Inn) itself was run by very friendly people. He prepared a great, spicy local dish - typical for the kitchen of Guizhou and rather similar to the Sichuan kitchen, the neighbouring province north of Guizhou. He even gave us (me, the French guy and another Spanish girl) a beer and they didn't even allow us to pay for all this goodness (price for one night was less than 10 euros...).
Saw these live at Salisbury Art Center last year a great tribute act. Nearly all Phil Collins Era but still great night out
Evening Rochester local L031 ties onto a handful of empty covered hoppers at Cargill Animal Nutrition in Batavia, NY about ten minutes after sunset on a damp May night.
Formerly known as Batavia Agway, and still referred to as such by railroad crews and dispatch alike, this customer is somewhat hidden along the mainline between Buffalo and Rochester. The siding to access the the customer is located on track one just west of CP 406 at QC 406.8. 406 is also the west end of Batavia Yard where interchange with the Depew, Lancaster & Western takes place three times a week. Typically L031 will drop cars for DLWR on M/W/F while Cargill is a Tu/Th switch with other days as-needed. The siding and spur has existed for at least 40 years, being listed in Conrail ZTS maps from the 1980s as Agway Feed. The procedure to work here is pretty simple. The local will tuck in the controlled siding starting at CP 402, cut away from their cars at the west end of Batavia Yard, use one of the few remaining yard tracks to run around, then shove out at 406. The shove move from the runaround point to the Cargill switch is about two miles. Some days the crew will use the caboose from Goodman Yard in Rochester as a shoving platform if it's available. On this occasion however they did not have it with them. Once the switch on the main is lined and locked normal, it's another tenth of a mile to get to the customer switch. This is where things tend to slow down for the crew even on a good night. While most of the time CSX crews can easily switch on their own terms with only a derail, locked gate, or both separating them from the customer cars, Cargill is in full control of the spur here. A blue work flag protects the start of the sour before it splits into two tracks, and only a Cargill employee may take the flag down to allow CSX to begin their work. From what I was told by Doug the engineer and his conductor Tony that night, the majority of the time they're made to wait for lengthy periods of time while trucks load/unload, or the trackmobile finishes moving empty cars back onto the interchange tracks. In fact, it's uncommon for them to even make it here in daylight most nights, making a shot here really only possible during the summer months or the rare daylight run. Seldom as it is, one of the daytime locals L033 will sometimes make a morning run out to Batavia if absolutely necessary. There was one day in August recently when they ran out to switch Cargill on L031's regular service day, and L031 still switched them again later that same day. That's pretty good customer service in this day and age of class 1s shedding their small customers.
Another factor contributing to the difficulty of the shot is the fact that the spur tracks point directly into the sun (if it were still light out when switching began). Not knowing that they needed Cargill's permission to work prior to my attempt, I aimed for a cloudy day to avoid sun interference altogether. It had pretty much rained all day around Buffalo and the surrounding towns, but stopped in time for my lengthy walk out to the siding from the nearest road crossing. Having to walk along the main was the only sketchy part about this, with the possibility of fast moving road trains spotting me and becoming concerned. Around Buffalo, the vast majority of customers are located on branches and industrials, which helps keep shooting them more low key. The only customers really located on the mainline like this would be Metalico Buffalo near 437 on track one, and 84 Lumber in Depew, although the spur is long enough and spaced away from the main that it's never been a concern in that instance. So really just Metalico is the only real mainline customer on CSX in Buffalo. By contrast, from Batavia to Syracuse most of the customers are directly located off of the mainline, with a couple having small handthrow sidings, and a couple with their own signaled sidings. Suffice to say, mainline switching has taken a little getting used to, after being pampered with industrial branches galore around home, but I like a good challenge and a walk. (That's not to say there aren't lengthy walks around Buffalo either, just not along busy mainlines.) With this being my first true encounter with L031's crew, they were very friendly guys and thankfully didn't try to shew me away. We exchanged pleasant conversation and I gained some insight into Rochester ops while waiting for Cargill to let them in. Fortunately, it was right around sunset when they finally came out to take the blue flag down, and contrary to my initial worries the sun would have never been an issue even if it had been out. With the loads still on the head end, they shoved in to pull a string of 15+ cars out, setting a few over to the siding, then stashing the rest back inside. By the time they shoved in the clear to get the elevator tower in view, it was going on ten minutes after sunset. Nothing I wasn't used to from previous experience. Incredibly I didn't think to bring either of my low light lenses with me, but was able to make it work on my wide lens being in close proximity. The rest of the elevator facility can be made out a bit between the hoppers and behind the tree line. I wish it was a little more visible, but you work with what you're given. The fact I had any light at all to work with was a blessing, and in the end I'm quite content with how this one came out. Not to mention having an engine facing east for once on a Rochester job is another major win. Fittingly 2504 has stuck around for both of my L031 triumphs this summer. All things considered, not bad for a one and done at Cargill.
M101 is a spiral galaxy in Ursa Major. Near miss by another galaxy in near past has disarranged the spiral arms. It also sparked furious star production. Star nurseries are clearly visible as bright light blue patches inside the spirals where billions of stars are being born as we watch.
Distance: 21 million light years; Diameter: 170,000 light years; Trillion stars; Apparent magnitude 7,86.
Date: 22.05.2020.
Location: Kosmaj (Bortle 4), Serbia;
Moon: 0%;
Scope: SW MN190;
Mount: SW EQ6-R;
Camera: ZWO ASI294MC Pro @ -10C Gain 120;
Filter: No filter;
Integration: 3h (36x5min);
Picture size: 6110x 4618;
Post processing: PixInsight and Photoshop.
by Kirsten Berg
Berkeley, CA
(In)Visible is a juncture of finite forms and light. Its sleek, iridescent cuboid forms rise 21’ high, a pillar of prisms, balanced point on point.
Iridescence: a visible metaphor for the invisible shimmer of spirit and flash of creative insight. Iridescent color is not directly found in pigment of an object’s surfaces, but as a result of its combined reflections…eluding our grasp and resisting containment, like our own embodied spirit.
Circling this tower of spectral mirror and steel, colors morph and surfaces shift between translucent and reflective. The experience of catching a flash of brilliant color is direct, unfiltered by mind or concept, like the childhood thrill of glimpsing the rainbow, or the excitation felt in a flash of insight. Shifting heads and bodies to chase the unpredictable flashes of color, evoking the rainbow to rise from the surfaces … we find ourselves in a dance with the spectrum.
URL: www.kirstenberg.com/invisible/
Contact: kberginfo@gmail.com
by Kirsten Berg
Berkeley, CA
(In)Visible is a juncture of finite forms and light. Its sleek, iridescent cuboid forms rise 21’ high, a pillar of prisms, balanced point on point.
Iridescence: a visible metaphor for the invisible shimmer of spirit and flash of creative insight. Iridescent color is not directly found in pigment of an object’s surfaces, but as a result of its combined reflections…eluding our grasp and resisting containment, like our own embodied spirit.
Circling this tower of spectral mirror and steel, colors morph and surfaces shift between translucent and reflective. The experience of catching a flash of brilliant color is direct, unfiltered by mind or concept, like the childhood thrill of glimpsing the rainbow, or the excitation felt in a flash of insight. Shifting heads and bodies to chase the unpredictable flashes of color, evoking the rainbow to rise from the surfaces … we find ourselves in a dance with the spectrum.
URL: www.kirstenberg.com/invisible/
Contact: kberginfo@gmail.com
Davis Bay is a small community located just south of Sechelt BC on the lower section of the Sunshine Coast. The identifying feature of Davis Bay is the long pebbled beach coastline with a well developed paved walking path lined with viewing benches while highlighted with a long wooden fishing pier jutting out from the shoreline. Often the pier is occupied by fisherman and swimmers.
The Davis Bay coastline cannot be missed if you travel along the main route, the Sunshine Coast Hwy. Entering Davis Bay follows down a hill from, both north and south, and then suddenly the trees part way and the oceans and shores of Davis Bay jumps out at you. It is impossible to miss!
At Davis Bay when the tide rolls out tidal pools and sand bars appear. A good opportunity for observing some of the smaller marine life or to build a sandcastle. Otherwise on high tides the beach is mainly rocky covered with driftwood and sea shells. The Davis Bay coastline is a very popular Sunshine Coast destination to windsurf, beach comb, stroll the Seawalk or try your hand at fishing from the pier.
On a clear day, the views of Georgia Strait and Vancouver Island are visible enough that the individual communities on the island stand out. Chapman Creek is a hiking and biking trail located in Davis Bay. It is an moderate grade trail that follows the creek leading to a small waterfall and hatchery.
www.ehcanadatravel.com/british-columbia/sunshine-coast/se...
Image best viewed in Large screen. Thank-you for your visit! I really appreciate it! ~Sonja
Indoor experimenting with different combinations of light tools, shapes and patterns. Maybe a bit too much of it all but I like it so uploaded it anyway.
The weather forecast for this weekend is good so I can finally go play outside and try some new ideas.
- on the evening of February 5th, before the passage of the float with Saint Agatha, via Etnea "seems to be on fire" due to the presence of large burning candles; gradually, with great effort and effort, these burning candles are carried on the shoulders along the procession route; in ancient times, in the absence of artificial lighting, they illuminated the path with their flame, anticipating the passage of the float;
- la sera del 5 febbraio, prima del passaggio della vara con Sant'Agata, via Etnea "sembra incendiarsi" per la presenza dei grossi ceri che ardono; progressivamente, con grande impegno e fatica, questi ceri ardenti, vengono portati in spalla lungo il percorso della processione; anticamente in mancanza della illuminazione artificiale, illuminavano con la loro fiamma il percorso, anticipando il passaggio della vara;
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Poster (Locandina):
www.warnerbros.it/scheda-film/genere-romantico/me-you/
m.media-amazon.com/images/S/pv-target-images/b3eb47bb2236...
i0.wp.com/www.cinematik.it/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2...
i0.wp.com/www.cinematik.it/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2...
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click to activate the small icon of slideshow: the small triangle inscribed in the small rectangle, at the top right, in the photostream (it means the monitor);
or…. Press the “L” button to zoom in the image;
clicca sulla piccola icona per attivare lo slideshow: sulla facciata principale del photostream, in alto a destra c'è un piccolo rettangolo (rappresenta il monitor) con dentro un piccolo triangolo nero;
oppure…. premi il tasto “L” per ingrandire l'immagine;
www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards/winners-...
www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...
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Religious devotion, at times, in Sicily seems to take on the face of women, like that of the two Sicilian saints Agata and Lucia along the Ionian coast of Sicily, or the face of Rosalia, on the opposite side, in Palermo. The lives of Agata and Lucia are closely linked, even though they never met. Agata was martyred in 251, Lucia was not yet born, she was born 32 years later. On February 5, 301, she went to Catania to pray at Agata's tomb to invoke her intercession, hoping to obtain the healing of her mother, who was seriously ill. Agata appeared to her in a dream, confirmed her mother's healing (her mother was healed), but also confided in her that she would be martyred because of her faith in Christ: Lucia was martyred on December 13, 304, during the persecutions of Diocletian. What has been said as an incipit of the photographic story that I present here, created on the occasion of the celebration that Catania dedicates to its Patron Saint Agatha, described as the most important religious celebration in Catania, also considered the third Catholic religious celebration in the world (first are the “Semana Santa” in Seville, and the “Corpus Domini” in Cuzco in Peru), a ranking that takes into account the huge number of people who participate every year. The celebration of Saint Agatha takes place on several dates, from 3 to 6 February, on 12 February and on 17 August: the February celebration is linked to her martyrdom, the August celebration commemorates the return to Catania of her mortal remains, initially taken to Constantinople as spoils of war by the Byzantine general Maniaces, and remained there for 86 years. The young Agata lived in the 3rd century, she belonged to a rich patrician family of Catania, since she was young she had embraced the cult of the Christian religion, the governor Quinziano (or Quintiliano) fell in love with her, Agata to escape him hid in his house in Palermo, Quinziano managed to find out where she was hiding, so he had her taken to Catania, here his attempts to bend Agata's will and make her give in to his flattery were in vain, after her umpteenth refusal he changed his intentions, accused her of being of the Christian religion, condemned her to death, not without first having led her to martyrdom, he amputated her by tearing off both her breasts, in this way in addition to the torment of physical pain, the psychological one was added, humiliating the girl in her femininity, then he gave her death by dragging her on burning coals, Agata was 20 years old. After her death, the cult of her began to spread, even the pagans began to venerate her figure, there is news about her origins starting from 252, the year after her death: the inhabitants of Catania were proud of this young woman who rebelled against the will of the dictator. The feast of Saint Agatha begins on February 3, there is the procession "for the offering of wax", the two eighteenth-century carriages of the senate pulled by horses come out along the streets of the city, "the candelore" make their appearance; on February 4th the celebration begins with the “Mass of Dawn” which is celebrated in the cathedral, after the reliquary bust of the Saint and the silver casket, they are placed on the “vara” (or “fercolo”), to be carried in procession in its “external tour”, the procession begins by crossing the “Porta Uzeda” and thus reaching the arches of the marina, the procession then circumscribes the historic center of the city, going to the places where Agatha’s martyrdom took place; : On February 5th the “Pontifical Mass” is celebrated, on this occasion by lining up in the cathedral, you can go and see the reliquary bust of the Saint, as evening comes, the bust and the casket are placed back on the heavy float for the last procession, which goes along the “internal tour” (or “noble tour”), which crosses the historic center of Catania, a procession preceded by the passage of lit candles carried on the shoulders of devotees (of various weights and sizes, some reach exceptional dimensions and weight, historically these candles illuminated, when electricity did not exist, the passage of the Saint), then the “candelore” pass, they are gigantic and heavy wooden “candelabra”, in baroque style, painted in gold, each one represents an ancient corporation (butchers, fishmongers, bakers, pork butchers, greengrocers, etc.), finally the float with Saint Agatha passes, the long-awaited moment, with the reliquary bust that it contains inside some parts of her body, the other parts of her body are inside the casket, so, with both on the float, Agata's entire body can travel the streets of the city of Catania. The float is pulled by hand, by the many devotees who wish to participate spontaneously in this very particular rite, using two large cords more than 200 meters long, to the end of which are connected four handles. The photographs were taken on February 4 and 5, 2024 and 2025, they are not organized in series taking into account either the year or the days; I obtained a "bilocation effect" by using different shooting points in the two years, visible especially when the float passes through the Porta Uzeda; I made portraits of the devotees, posed and not, in particular the portrait of a devotee who seemed almost enraptured in ecstasy at the passage of Sant'Agata (and perhaps she really was), it represented for me the absolute, profound and concrete synthesis of the attachment of the "citizens" (synonym of "devotees") of Catania towards this young martyr, who has become a symbol of those who oppose violence against women, and protector of women suffering from breast cancer. I photographed two beautiful and sweet models who embodied the "two ages of Agata", with the aim of raising awareness among women in the prevention of breast cancer (the ceramic decorations corresponding to the breasts are the work of "Nenè sculptures of art by Nancy Coco); I captured in some images, the custom of some devotees, to carry with them images of loved ones who passed away too soon (photos placed on candles or printed on the characteristic white habit, called "sacco", which is part of the characteristic way of dressing of the devotees); finally I thank the owner of the Beniamin Art Gallery, in via Umberto, an artist himself, for giving me the opportunity to photograph the Pop icon exhibited in his gallery entitled "Aga Pop".
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La devozione religiosa, a volte, in Sicilia sembra assumere il volto delle donne, come quello delle due sante siciliane Agata e Lucia lungo la fascia Ionica della costa sicula, od il volto di Rosalia, sul versante opposto, in quel di Palermo. Le vite di Agata e Lucia sono tra loro legate in maniera strettamente indissolubile, pur non essendosi mai conosciute, Agata morì martirizzata nel 251, Lucia non era ancora nata, nascerà 32 anni dopo, il 5 febbraio del 301 si recherà a Catania a pregare sul sepolcro di Agata per invocare la sua intercessione sperando così di ottenere la guarigione di sua madre, gravemente malata, Agata le appare in sogno, le conferma la guarigione di sua madre (sua madre ebbe la guarigione), ma anche, le confida, che per lei ci sarà il martirio a causa della sua fede in Cristo: Lucia fu martirizzata il 13 dicembre del 304, durante le persecuzioni di Diocleziano. Quanto detto come incipit del racconto fotografico che qui presento, realizzato in occasione della festa che Catania dedica alla sua Santa Patrona Agata, descritta come la più importante festa religiosa di Catania, considerata anche la terza festa religiosa cattolica al mondo (prime la “Semana Santa” di Siviglia, ed il “Corpus Domini” di Cuzco in Perù), graduatoria che tiene conto del grandissimo numero di persone ogni anno vi partecipano. La festa di Santa’Agata si svolge in più date, dal 3 al 6 febbraio, il 12 febbraio ed il 17 agosto: la ricorrenza di febbraio è legata al suo martirio, quella di Agosto rievoca il ritorno a Catania delle sue spoglie mortali, portate inizialmente a Costantinopoli come bottino di guerra dal generale bizantino Maniace, e li rimaste per 86 anni. La giovane Agata visse nel 3° secolo, apparteneva ad una ricca famiglia patrizia di Catania, sin dalla giovane età aveva abbracciato il culto per la religione cristiana, di lei si invaghì il governatore Quinziano (o Quintiliano), Agata per sfuggirgli si nascose in una sua casa a Palermo, Quinziano riuscì a sapere dove si nascondeva, quindi la fece condurre a Catania, qui i suoi tentativi di piegare la volontà di Agata e farla cedere alle sue lusinghe furono vani, all’ennesimo suo rifiuto egli mutò i suoi propositi, la accusò di essere di religione cristiana, la condannò a morte, non senza averla prima condotta al martirio, le amputò strappandole entrambi i seni, in tal modo oltre allo strazio del dolore fisico, si aggiungeva quello psicologico, umiliando la ragazza nella sua femminilità, poi le diede la morte trascinandola sui carboni ardenti, Agata aveva 20 anni. Dopo la sua morte si iniziò a diffondere il culto verso di lei, anche i pagani iniziarono a venerare la sua figura, si hanno notizie sulle sue origini già a partire dal 252, anno successivo alla sua morte: gli abitanti di Catania erano orgogliosi di questa giovane donna che si ribellò al volere del dittatore. La festa per Sant’Agata inizia il 3 febbraio, si ha la processione “per l’offerta della cera”, escono lungo le vie della città le due settecentesche carrozze del senato trainate da cavalli, fanno la loro comparsa “le candelore”; il 4 febbraio la festa inizia con la “Messa dell’Aurora” che si celebra nella cattedrale, dopo il busto reliquiario della Santa e lo scrigno d’argento, vengono messi sulla “vara” (o “fercolo”), per essere portati in processione nel suo “giro esterno”, la processione inizia attraversando la "Porta Uzeda" e giungendo così agli archi della marina, la processione quindi circoscrive il centro storico della città, recandosi nei luoghi ove avvenne il martirio di Agata; il 5 febbraio si celebra la “Messa Pontificale”, in questa occasione mettendosi in fila nella cattedrale, si può andare a vedere il busto reliquiario della Santa, col sopraggiungere della sera, busto e scrigno, vengono nuovamente messi sulla pesante vara per l’ultima processione, che percorre il “giro interno” (o “giro nobile”), che attraversa il centro storico di Catania, processione preceduta dal passaggio dei ceri accesi portati in spalla dai devoti (di vario peso e dimensioni, alcuni raggiungono dimensioni e peso eccezionali, storicamente questi ceri illuminavano, quando non esisteva l’energia elettrica, il passaggio della Santa), poi passano le “candelore”, sono dei giganteschi e pesanti "candelabri" in legno, in stile barocco, dipinti in oro, ognuna rappresenta una antica corporazione (macellai, pescivendoli, panettieri, pizzicagnoli, fruttivendoli, ecc.), infine passa la vara con Sant’Agata, il momento tanto atteso, col busto reliquiario che racchiude al suo interno alcune parti del suo corpo, le altre parti del corpo si trovano all’interno dello scrigno, in tal modo, con entrambi sulla vara, tutto il corpo di Agata può percorrere le strade della città di Catania. La vara è trainata a mano, dai tantissimi devoti che desiderano partecipare spontaneamente a questo rito così particolare, tramite due grossi cordoni lunghi più di 200 metri, al cui capo sono collegate quattro maniglie. Le fotografie sono state realizzate il 4 ed il 5 febbraio del 2024 e del 2025, esse non sono organizzate in serie tenendo conto né dell’anno, nè delle giornate; ho ottenuto un “effetto di bilocazione” sfruttando differenti punti di ripresa nei due anni, visibile soprattutto quando la vara passa attraverso la Porta Uzeda; ho realizzato ritratti dei devoti, posati e non, in particolare il ritratto di una devota che sembrava quasi rapita in estasi al passaggio di Sant’Agata (e forse lo era veramente), ha rappresentato per me la sintesi assoluta, profonda e concreta dell’attaccamento dei “cittadini” (sinonimo di “devoti”) catanesi nei confronti di questa giovane martire, diventata simbolo di chi si oppone alla violenza sulle donne, e protettrice delle donne ammalate di cancro al seno. Ho fotografato due belle e dolci modelle che impersonavano le “due età di Agata”, con lo scopo di sensibilizzare le donne nella prevenzione delle neoplasie alla mammella (i decori in ceramica in corrispondenza dei seni, sono opera di “Nenè sculture d’arte di Nancy Coco); ho colto in alcune immagini, l’usanza di alcuni devoti, di recare con se immagini di persone care scomparse troppo presto (foto messe sui ceri o stampate sul caratteristico saio bianco, chiamato “sacco”, che fa parte del modo caratteristico di vestire dei devoti); infine ringrazio il proprietario della Beniamin Art Gallery, in via Umberto, artista egli stesso, per avermi dato la possibilità di fotografare l’icona Pop esposta nella sua galleria dal titolo “Aga Pop”.
The International Space Station's robotic arm, Canadarm2, is visible over Earth in this Nov. 27, 2015 photograph. On Dec. 6, Commander Scott Kelly and Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren will operate the Canadarm2 from inside the station's cupola, using it for the rendezvous and grapple of Orbital ATK's Cygnus commercial cargo craft. via NASA ift.tt/1NHLZCC
This is one of my "Latest" watercolors...
Haven't been doing much painting but this is one that gave some satisfaction...LOL
after trying a few other that didn't work.
this is a 9"x12" and wass painted on Arches (cold pressed".
was finished on Jan. the 30th '14
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Detail of the Swedish windows, located in the area immediately to the left of the great tapestry by the stairwell leading to the undercroft. They were the gift of the people of Sweden and made in the country by artist Einar Forseth (who also designed the mosaic floor of the Chapel of Unity).
The theme of the windows is the work of British missionaries in bringing the faith to Scandinavia, represented in the first three figurative windows, whilst the remaining two feature national and Christian symbols. The bright colouring and style set them apart from the other, more painterly windows in the Cathedral.
Coventry's Cathedral is a unique synthesis of old a new, born of wartime suffering and forged in the spirit of postwar optimism, famous for it's history and for being the most radically modern of Anglican cathedrals. Two cathedral's stand side by side, the ruins of the medieval building, destroyed by incendiary bombs in 1940 and the bold new building designed by Basil Spence and opened in 1962.
It is a common misconception that Coventry lost it's first cathedral in the wartime blitz, but the bombs actually destroyed it's second; the original medieval cathedral was the monastic St Mary's, a large cruciform building believed to have been similar in appearance to Lichfield Cathedral (whose diocese it shared). Tragically it became the only English cathedral to be destroyed during the Reformation, after which it was quickly quarried away, leaving only scant fragments, but enough evidence survives to indicate it's rich decoration (some pieces were displayed nearby in the Priory Visitors Centre, sadly since closed). Foundations of it's apse were found during the building of the new cathedral in the 1950s, thus technically three cathedrals share the same site.
The mainly 15th century St Michael's parish church became the seat of the new diocese of Coventry in 1918, and being one of the largest parish churches in the country it was upgraded to cathedral status without structural changes (unlike most 'parish church' cathedrals created in the early 20th century). It lasted in this role a mere 22 years before being burned to the ground in the 1940 Coventry Blitz, leaving only the outer walls and the magnificent tapering tower and spire (the extensive arcades and clerestoreys collapsed completely in the fire, precipitated by the roof reinforcement girders, installed in the Victorian restoration, that buckled in the intense heat).
The determination to rebuild the cathedral in some form was born on the day of the bombing, however it wasn't until the mid 1950s that a competition was held and Sir Basil Spence's design was chosen. Spence had been so moved by experiencing the ruined church he resolved to retain it entirely to serve as a forecourt to the new church. He envisaged the two being linked by a glass screen wall so that the old church would be visible from within the new.
Built between 1957-62 at a right-angle to the ruins, the new cathedral attracted controversy for it's modern form, and yet some modernists argued that it didn't go far enough, after all there are echoes of the Gothic style in the great stone-mullioned windows of the nave and the net vaulting (actually a free-standing canopy) within. What is exceptional is the way art has been used as such an integral part of the building, a watershed moment, revolutionising the concept of religious art in Britain.
Spence employed some of the biggest names in contemporary art to contribute their vision to his; the exterior is adorned with Jacob Epstein's triumphant bronze figures of Archangel Michael (patron of the cathedral) vanquishing the Devil. At the entrance is the remarkable glass wall, engraved by John Hutton with strikingly stylised figures of saints and angels, and allowing the interior of the new to communicate with the ruin. Inside, the great tapestry of Christ in majesty surrounded by the evangelistic creatures, draws the eye beyond the high altar; it was designed by Graham Sutherland and was the largest tapestry ever made.
However one of the greatest features of Coventry is it's wealth of modern stained glass, something Spence resolved to include having witnessed the bleakness of Chartres Cathedral in wartime, all it's stained glass having been removed. The first window encountered on entering is the enormous 'chess-board' baptistry window filled with stunning abstract glass by John Piper & Patrick Reyntiens, a symphony of glowing colour. The staggered nave walls are illuminated by ten narrow floor to ceiling windows filled with semi-abstract symbolic designs arranged in pairs of dominant colours (green, red, multi-coloured, purple/blue and gold) representing the souls journey to maturity, and revealed gradually as one approaches the altar. This amazing project was the work of three designers lead by master glass artist Lawrence Lee of the Royal College of Art along with Keith New and Geoffrey Clarke (each artist designed three of the windows individually and all collaborated on the last).
The cathedral still dazzles the visitor with the boldness of it's vision, but alas, half a century on, it was not a vision to be repeated and few of the churches and cathedrals built since can claim to have embraced the synthesis of art and architecture in the way Basil Spence did at Coventry.
The cathedral is generally open to visitors most days. For more see below:-
Over the break between modules we were given a task to produce a series of images as a small book, inspired by one or more of Ed Ruscha’s.
I decided to use and reinterpret Ruscha’s Colored People, 1972. Taking the simple minimalistic aesthetics, as well as subversive message within, but twisting and changing the message and intent to a slightly different topic. Nolen et al aptly describe Ruscha’s intentions as being a book that:
“… indirectly addresses “colored people” with photographs of cacti and palm trees stripped of background and floating against white wall paper.”
Nolan, B.J., Cohen, M. & Zabaszkiewicz, S. (2014)
Instead of depicting exotic plants against a white background to symbolize people of colour, I chose to subvert the topic to “Visible Women” using a variety of flowers to indirectly address how women are judged on a narrow boundary of beauty standards (as well as making an indirect reference to Caroline Criado-Perez’s 2019 Invisible Women). Much like Ruscha I do not intend to describe my images via captions nor as a statement solely relying on the title as a subtle means to communicate my concept, and much like Ruschas the primary vehicle I will use to present my images will be a bound book, but unlike Ruscha this will be in landscape format. However I am not adverse to utilising modern technology and creating a virtual book as another method of presentation.
The small part of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to human beings.
Read more at my blog post Visible Spectrum – Our tiny Window into the World
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Durga, 12, waits by the side of the road while his sister begs from passing motorists beneath the IIT flyover where their family sleep, New Delhi, India.
Until a few years ago, urban poverty, whilst being starkly visible to the policy makers in India, received far less attention from the Indian government than rural poverty, both in terms of range of intervention and the scale of financial outlay. Despite evidence of burgeoning urban population, fuelled by distress migration that followed the new economic policies during early Nineties, it remained an area of significant and persistent neglect from public policy.
In March of the year 2000, a group of young people and committed social workers, with support from ActionAid India, came together under the banner of ‘Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan (AAA)’ . The initiative is set to stop exploitation and marginalization of the homeless people in Delhi, with the aim to empower, mobilise and strengthen the capacity of the homeless so that they can assert their rights and live with honour and dignity.
Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan runs 12 regular shelters in buildings provided by the Delhi government. 7 of these shelters are run on ‘pay to use’ basis while 5 are being run without any user fee.
Other work done by AAA during 2010:
A free legal aid mechanism at Delhi Beggars Court was set up to provide legal aid to the inmates arrested under Bombay Prevention of Begging Act.
Education for homeless children:
Twelve homeless children completed their 6 years of formal education from MCD Schools (state supported school). This group of children is based at Fatehpuri shelter where they are supported with 24 hour shelter, food, tuition, counselling and recreation etc. The direct cost of education (e.g text books etc.) was covered by the State but the other expenses of education like school uniforms, clothing, food, and, healthcare etc. are being covered by donors recruited by AAA.
The Health Intervention Group for Homeless (HIGH)
This clinic has been providing health care to the homeless on every Monday and Thursday evening in Jama Masjid area. Through this clinic, more than 3000 homeless patients got free treatment, and 12 severely mentally ill homeless patients were referred to the exclusive Jama Masjijd clinic. Homeless people are also trained as health support workers to provide their services as care workers to patients at various hospitals.
The Chemical Dependents meeting.
This drug users meeting is organised at Urdu Park and Jama Masjid on every Wednesday evening, and at Fountain Chowk shelter on every Friday evening. From these sessions the patients get referred to the Health Intervention Group for Homeless clinic (HIGH). Continued attendance to these meetings is mandatory for those patients referred and treated at the HIGH clinic.
Photo: Stuart Freedman/ActionAid
©2011 Stuart Freedman