View allAll Photos Tagged visually
Photo Title: Visually impaired student equipped with portable video magnifier
Submitted by: Yazan Gammoh
Category: ♥ HOPE
Country: Jordan
Organization: Lions Clubs Jordan
Photo Caption: Ayoub, a severely visually impaired AlDhiaa Association graduate has finished high school and is embarking on the next journey of studying at the university.
We were able to donate a portable CCTV that would allow him to see the college textbooks through donations from LCIF and Lions Clubs Jordan.
Good luck Ayoub!
Disclaimer: Photo taken with permission of the student’s parents. All Dhiaa Association parents sign a consent form that grants AlDhiaa permission to access and publish any material including photos.
Professional or Amateur Photographer: Amateur
Country where the photo was taken: Jordan
Photo uploaded for the #LoveYourEyes Photo Competition on iapb.org held for World Sight Day 2021.
Photographer:
How Sierra On-Line’s King’s Quest Pushed the Limits of Technology in the Early 1980s
In the early 1980s, personal computers were transitioning from text-based interfaces to more visually engaging environments. Sierra On-Line’s King’s Quest: Quest for the Crown, developed in 1984 for the IBM PCjr, was a landmark achievement in this evolution. It wasn’t just another adventure game—it redefined the genre by leveraging the limited hardware capabilities of the time to create an immersive, interactive experience that felt years ahead of its contemporaries.
Technical Innovations in King’s Quest
1. The Birth of a 3D Adventure Game
At a time when most games were text-based or limited to simple 2D visuals, King’s Quest introduced a pseudo-3D graphical environment. Players could guide the protagonist, Sir Graham, through a dynamic, scrolling landscape where he could walk behind or in front of objects—an innovation known as "2.5D."
● Pseudo-3D Effect: Using creative layers, the AGI (Adventure Game Interpreter) engine divided the screen into foreground, background, and player layers, giving the illusion of depth.
● Character Movement: The ability to move in eight directions and interact with objects in a convincing space set a new standard for adventure games.
2. Adventure Game Interpreter (AGI) Engine
Sierra developed the AGI engine specifically for King’s Quest. This framework was groundbreaking, allowing:
● Cross-Platform Compatibility: AGI worked across systems like the IBM PCjr, Apple II, and Tandy 1000.
● Event-Driven Programming: AGI decoupled game logic from graphics, enabling dynamic event scripting—revolutionary for its time.
3. Advanced Graphics for the IBM PCjr
The IBM PCjr, though underpowered, offered some unique features:
● Intel 8088 Processor (4.77 MHz): A modest CPU that required optimized programming to handle the game.
● 16-Color Graphics (CGA Palette): Allowed vibrant visuals compared to the typical four-color CGA palette.
● 3-Voice Sound (TI SN76496 Chip): A leap beyond the basic PC speaker, enabling richer soundscapes.
Sierra fully utilized these features:
● Rich Color Palette: Designed scenes to maximize the 16-color limit, creating lush, vibrant environments.
● Smooth Animation: Despite limitations, animations and transitions were fluid and detailed.
4. Text Parser and Command System
While retaining the classic text-input tradition, King’s Quest refined the system:
● Contextual Parsing: More sophisticated than earlier games, it understood varied inputs like "Take sword" or "Open door."
● Visual Feedback: Actions entered in text were directly reflected in the graphical world, enhancing player immersion.
5. Disk Streaming and Memory Optimization
With only 128 KB of RAM and floppy disk storage, Sierra implemented innovative solutions:
● Dynamic Asset Loading: Loaded only necessary assets into memory, minimizing RAM usage.
● Compression Techniques: Heavily compressed graphics and animations were decompressed on-the-fly, saving storage space.
The Impact of King’s Quest
Pushing Hardware to Its Limits: King’s Quest demonstrated what was possible even on modest systems like the IBM PCjr.
Setting a Standard for Interactive Storytelling: Its rich narrative, combined with visuals and player agency, became a benchmark for adventure games.
● Expanding the Gaming Audience: The colorful, family-friendly design appealed to casual gamers and younger players.
● Influencing Game Design: The AGI engine became the foundation for iconic Sierra titles like Space Quest, Police Quest, and Leisure Suit Larry.
It's tough to drive around New Zealand because you really want to look out the windows at the landscape around you.
The Green Icon
Photo on Paper
24" by 20"
Annie Hesse
Bellevue, WA
I have been legally blind since birth as a result of Congenital Cataracts. After eye surgery for glaucoma 12 years ago, I lost the sight in what was the better eye. I see color, shape, form and contrast globally without any detail or depth perception from only one eye. I am visually attracted to what I cannot see with the unaided eye. The camera’s lens enables me to freeze time, as in a still from a film, and focus on the fast-paced, moving world that is a kaleidoscopic blur, especially in an unfamiliar environment as in the images presented here. In other cases, I am inspired by the various combinations of light, shadow and texture at close range. My intention is to show the viewer not only what I see, but how I see it. When I focus on something with the unaided eye, I see only a very small detailed area. I cannot always do this without my camera. Travel, culture, lifestyle and close-up details are major themes in my artwork.
Visually Goose Fair is adorned with amazing artwork which possibly gets overlooked. In 2022 I created a short video focusing on it, check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ix1jE9Nt80
These series of photos were taken 28 Sept 2023, the day before the official opening of the fair. People were busy making final adjustments to rides, checking electrics, stock of foods, drinks, gifts and so on.
The Nottingham Goose Fair is an annual travelling funfair held at the Forest Recreation Ground here in Nottingham. This year, 2023, it runs for 10 days, usually it's 3 days.
Album: Goose Fair. Nottingham
--
No Group Banners, thanks.
Day 2. Angkor Wat is visually, architecturally and artistically breathtaking. It is a massive three-tiered pyramid crowned by five lotus-like towers rising 65 meters from ground level. Angkor Wat is the centerpiece of any visit to the temples of Angkor.
At the apex of Khmer political and military dominance in the region, Suryavarman II constructed Angkor Wat in the form of a massive 'temple-mountain' dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu. It served as his state temple, though the temple’s uncommon westward orientation has led some to suggest that it was constructed as Suryavarman II’s funerary temple. Other temples of the same style and period include Thommanon, Banteay Samre, Wat Atwea and Beng Melea, which may have served as a prototype to Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat and an exterior wall measuring 1300 meters x 1500 meters. The temple itself is 1 km square and consists of three levels surmounted by a central tower. The walls of the temple are covered inside and out with bas-reliefs and carvings. Nearly 2000 distinctively rendered apsara carvings adorn the walls throughout the temple and represent some of the finest examples of apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. But it is the exterior walls of the lower level that display the most extraordinary bas-reliefs, depicting stories and characters from Hindu mythology and the historical wars of Suryavarman II. It is in the viewing of the bas-reliefs that a tour guide can be very helpful.
The northern reflecting pool in front is the most popular sunrise location. For sunrise, arrive very early, well before sunrise begins. The sun will rise behind Angkor Wat providing a silhouette of Angkor’s distinctively shaped towers against a colored sunrise sky. Some of the best colors appear just before the sun breaks over the horizon.
The visual impact of Angkor Wat, particularly on one's first visit, is awesome. As you pass through the outer gate and get your first glimpse, its size and architecture make it appear two dimensional, like a giant postcard photo against the sky. After you cross through the gate and approach the temple along the walkway it slowly gains depth and complexity. To maximize this effect you should make your first visit in optimal lighting conditions, i.e. after 2:00PM. Do not make your first visit to Angkor Wat in the morning when the backlighting obscures the view.
The first level of is the most artistically interesting. Most visitors begin their exploration with the bas-reliefs that cover the exterior wall of the first level, following the bas-reliefs counterclockwise around the temple. Bas-relief highlights include the mythological Battle of Kuru on the west wall; the historical march of the army of Suryavarman II, builder of Angkor Wat, against the Cham, followed by scenes from Heaven and Hell on the south wall; and the classic ‘Churning of the Ocean Milk’ on the east wall.
The temple interior is not as densely carved as the first level exterior, but still sports hundreds of fine carvings of apsaras and scenes from Hindu mythology. A guide can be quite helpful in explaining the stories of the various chambers, statues and architectural forms to be found in the interior. At the upper-most of your tour of the temple, the central tower on the third level houses four Buddha images, each facing a different cardinal point, highlighting the fact that though Angkor Wat was constructed as a Hindu temple, it has served as a Buddhist temple since Buddhism became Cambodia’s dominant religion in the 14th century. Some say that it is good luck to pay homage to all four Buddha images before departing Angkor.
Source: Canby Publications Co., Ltd
Visually the most amazing gig I ever photographed. Amon Tobin ISAM live at the London Roundhouse. See the full set on live on 35mm
YouEtch.com aluminum business cards are made of high quality aircraft grade anodized aluminum with fully sealed coating. Text and Logo's are laser etched permenantly, which means it will never fade away or rub off.
These metal business cards are visually and physically impressive with bright, durable colors and will not be lost easily by your prospects and customers like regular business cards.
Beneath each photograph taken by the visually impaired persons are descriptions using Braille ( 凸字or 點字 ) and an "extruded" picture. These two items are for the blind people to appreciate the photos.
I closed my eyes and placed my hand onto the slightly extruded picture. I tried very hard, but I could not "feel" the image. We are just too fortunate to have healthy eye sights. Imagine how we can take pictures, appreciate our friends' photos on Flickr or live our daily life if we are blind. (......... help the disadvantaged people if you can!)
Although class 59s and class 66s look visually similar seeing as they were both designed and built by General Motors in the 1980s and 1990s, they have different operating and electrical systems so class 59s and class 66s normally operate within their own class instead of as mixed pairs. If in the rare event a class 59 and a class 66 have to work together in multiple with one another then a driver is normally assigned to supervise and control both locomotives.
West Kelowna is a visually stunning community and a four-seasons playground, located on the western shores and hillsides of Okanagan Lake.
The Westside (as the locals like to call it) has always been appreciated for its quiet beaches, rolling hills of orchards, and fantastic outdoor activities.
West Kelowna has a diverse economy, which includes agriculture, construction, finance, food and retail services, light industry, lumber manufacturing, technology, tourism and world renowned wineries.
Image best viewed in Large screen. Thank-you for your visit!
It is very much appreciated...
Sonja
The Illusion of Free Choice - When the system controls the complete spectrum of ideas they can limit the issues debated. This picture visually explains the False/Left Right Paradigm. Learning on each other the Republicans and Democrats can lead us to the slaughter house. SurvivalBros.com
Angkor Wat is visually, architecturally and artistically breathtaking. It is a massive three-tiered pyramid crowned by five lotus-like towers rising 65 meters from ground level. Angkor Wat is the centerpiece of any visit to the temples of Angkor.
At the apex of Khmer political and military dominance in the region, Suryavarman II constructed Angkor Wat in the form of a massive 'temple-mountain' dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu. It served as his state temple, though the temple’s uncommon westward orientation has led some to suggest that it was constructed as Suryavarman II’s funerary temple. Other temples of the same style and period include Thommanon, Banteay Samre, Wat Atwea and Beng Melea, which may have served as a prototype to Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat and an exterior wall measuring 1300 meters x 1500 meters. The temple itself is 1 km square and consists of three levels surmounted by a central tower. The walls of the temple are covered inside and out with bas-reliefs and carvings. Nearly 2000 distinctively rendered apsara carvings adorn the walls throughout the temple and represent some of the finest examples of apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. But it is the exterior walls of the lower level that display the most extraordinary bas-reliefs, depicting stories and characters from Hindu mythology and the historical wars of Suryavarman II. It is in the viewing of the bas-reliefs that a tour guide can be very helpful.
The northern reflecting pool in front is the most popular sunrise location. For sunrise, arrive very early, well before sunrise begins. The sun will rise behind Angkor Wat providing a silhouette of Angkor’s distinctively shaped towers against a colored sunrise sky. Some of the best colors appear just before the sun breaks over the horizon.
The visual impact of Angkor Wat, particularly on one's first visit, is awesome. As you pass through the outer gate and get your first glimpse, its size and architecture make it appear two dimensional, like a giant postcard photo against the sky. After you cross through the gate and approach the temple along the walkway it slowly gains depth and complexity. To maximize this effect you should make your first visit in optimal lighting conditions, i.e. after 2:00PM. Do not make your first visit to Angkor Wat in the morning when the backlighting obscures the view.
The first level of is the most artistically interesting. Most visitors begin their exploration with the bas-reliefs that cover the exterior wall of the first level, following the bas-reliefs counterclockwise around the temple. Bas-relief highlights include the mythological Battle of Kuru on the west wall; the historical march of the army of Suryavarman II, builder of Angkor Wat, against the Cham, followed by scenes from Heaven and Hell on the south wall; and the classic ‘Churning of the Ocean Milk’ on the east wall.
The temple interior is not as densely carved as the first level exterior, but still sports hundreds of fine carvings of apsaras and scenes from Hindu mythology. A guide can be quite helpful in explaining the stories of the various chambers, statues and architectural forms to be found in the interior. At the upper-most of your tour of the temple, the central tower on the third level houses four Buddha images, each facing a different cardinal point, highlighting the fact that though Angkor Wat was constructed as a Hindu temple, it has served as a Buddhist temple since Buddhism became Cambodia’s dominant religion in the 14th century. Some say that it is good luck to pay homage to all four Buddha images before departing Angkor.
Source: Canby Publications Co., Ltd
Day 2. Angkor Wat is visually, architecturally and artistically breathtaking. It is a massive three-tiered pyramid crowned by five lotus-like towers rising 65 meters from ground level. Angkor Wat is the centerpiece of any visit to the temples of Angkor.
At the apex of Khmer political and military dominance in the region, Suryavarman II constructed Angkor Wat in the form of a massive 'temple-mountain' dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu. It served as his state temple, though the temple’s uncommon westward orientation has led some to suggest that it was constructed as Suryavarman II’s funerary temple. Other temples of the same style and period include Thommanon, Banteay Samre, Wat Atwea and Beng Melea, which may have served as a prototype to Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat and an exterior wall measuring 1300 meters x 1500 meters. The temple itself is 1 km square and consists of three levels surmounted by a central tower. The walls of the temple are covered inside and out with bas-reliefs and carvings. Nearly 2000 distinctively rendered apsara carvings adorn the walls throughout the temple and represent some of the finest examples of apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. But it is the exterior walls of the lower level that display the most extraordinary bas-reliefs, depicting stories and characters from Hindu mythology and the historical wars of Suryavarman II. It is in the viewing of the bas-reliefs that a tour guide can be very helpful.
The northern reflecting pool in front is the most popular sunrise location. For sunrise, arrive very early, well before sunrise begins. The sun will rise behind Angkor Wat providing a silhouette of Angkor’s distinctively shaped towers against a colored sunrise sky. Some of the best colors appear just before the sun breaks over the horizon.
The visual impact of Angkor Wat, particularly on one's first visit, is awesome. As you pass through the outer gate and get your first glimpse, its size and architecture make it appear two dimensional, like a giant postcard photo against the sky. After you cross through the gate and approach the temple along the walkway it slowly gains depth and complexity. To maximize this effect you should make your first visit in optimal lighting conditions, i.e. after 2:00PM. Do not make your first visit to Angkor Wat in the morning when the backlighting obscures the view.
The first level of is the most artistically interesting. Most visitors begin their exploration with the bas-reliefs that cover the exterior wall of the first level, following the bas-reliefs counterclockwise around the temple. Bas-relief highlights include the mythological Battle of Kuru on the west wall; the historical march of the army of Suryavarman II, builder of Angkor Wat, against the Cham, followed by scenes from Heaven and Hell on the south wall; and the classic ‘Churning of the Ocean Milk’ on the east wall.
The temple interior is not as densely carved as the first level exterior, but still sports hundreds of fine carvings of apsaras and scenes from Hindu mythology. A guide can be quite helpful in explaining the stories of the various chambers, statues and architectural forms to be found in the interior. At the upper-most of your tour of the temple, the central tower on the third level houses four Buddha images, each facing a different cardinal point, highlighting the fact that though Angkor Wat was constructed as a Hindu temple, it has served as a Buddhist temple since Buddhism became Cambodia’s dominant religion in the 14th century. Some say that it is good luck to pay homage to all four Buddha images before departing Angkor.
Source: Canby Publications Co., Ltd
Pop Art - a rolling daily diary comprising a manipulated digital art collage that visually documents a local, political or international event of popular culture based on fractured photographic images.
The work is premised on the basis that Pop art in its beginnings, freeze-framed what consumers of popular culture experienced into iconic visual abstractions. With the advent of the techno age, visual information circulates in such quantities, so rapidly and exponentially, that to comprehend a fraction of it all becomes a kind of production process in itself.
Adapting Pop Arts notion of mass media imagery into a context of the contemporary digital age, this work draws on a myriad points of reference. Utilizing fractured images to provide an allusion to the digital noise pounding away daily into our subconsciousness.
This work diverges from the traditional Pop Art notion of a pronounced repetition of a consumer icon, instead focusing on the deluge of contemporary digital content. The compilation of the fragmented imagery is vividly distractive, not unlike cable surfing or a jaunt through Times Square.
This work considers elements of Pop Art through an artistic and conceptual exploration of specific people and events of the day. The works are diaristic in nature that metaphorically record a spectators experience of the contemporary digital age.
Visually this might be the best-looking dish just like a watercolor painting. This was also by far the best dish of the night. The squid was so soft that they almost taste like glass noodles to me. The black garlic definitely helped enhance the flavors.
Visually sums up how I'm feeling today. Maybe it's the rain, or the rain combined with listening to the soundtrack to Showtime's Dexter (which is eerily beautiful; the music that is and particularly the link below), or the fact that we're out of bacon in the house . . . I dunno, but I'm feeling blah.
Visually, a failed "gradient experiment". I <3 these mics, tho-- the B.L.U.E. Baby Bottle and the Shure SM57. This is my usual vocal setup...
Visually and sonically, this was one of the sexiest shows I've ever seen. A new fave.
All images Copyright © David Brendan Hall. Please do NOT steal or repost my images without prior consent & proper credit. Please e-mail directly for inquiries regarding prints and licensing.
Visually Goose Fair is adorned with amazing artwork which possibly gets overlooked. In 2022 I created a short video focusing on it, check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ix1jE9Nt80
These series of photos were taken 28 Sept 2023, the day before the official opening of the fair. People were busy making final adjustments to rides, checking electrics, stock of foods, drinks, gifts and so on.
The Nottingham Goose Fair is an annual travelling funfair held at the Forest Recreation Ground here in Nottingham. This year, 2023, it runs for 10 days, usually it's 3 days.
Album: Goose Fair. Nottingham
--
No Group Banners, thanks.
My 'Art Mache Paint Palette Beads' are finally finished and I feel a great sense of achievement as well as a feeling of relief and 'thank the lord, they're finished!!!'
They have turned out as I planned them to - a 'lentil bead' shape with a textured surface, painted with a background colour (black or white) with gold metallic paint brushed gently across the bead to visually enhance the texture. Yippeeeeeeeeee!!!
This shows the British Blind & Visually Impaired Shooting Championships taking place at the WMRSC at Aldersley, Wolverhampton. These are two of the shooters competing in the seated class, shooting air rifles in the 10-metre range. Each shooter has a helper who will assist with re-loading, and the initial lining-up of the rifle with the target so that the shooter can pick up the sound signal from the acoustic aiming equipment in his or her headphones.
Visually challenged youth clueless after duped by Saradha in Guwahati
twocircles.net/2013apr29/visually_challenged_youth_cluele...
"Visually, the male is highly distinctive and is easily recognized by its mane. The head of the male lion is one of the most widely recognized animal symbols in human culture. It has been depicted extensively in literature, in sculptures, in paintings, on national flags, and in contemporary films and literature" (Wikipedia)
The church of St Nicholas at Mavesyn Ridware is a remarkable building, half medieval and half Georgian combining to create a unique whole. The medieval church was Norman in original but little remains from that period now asides from the font. The 14th century nave was flanked by aisles on both sides but only that to the north remains following the rebuilding of 1782 that saw chancel, nave and south aisle replaced by a more spacious brick structure in 18th century Gothick style, The 15th century tower in grey sandstone remains at the north west corner making an interesting contrast visually with the red brick of the rebuilt parts of the church.
Inside the church the first impression is that of space and width, the new nave occupying the site of the former nave and south aisle combined, thus unifying the space as a single room under a flat plaster ceiling of similar height to its predecessor. The new chancel beyond is a relatively small apse with a pretty plaster vault. Internally the walls are largely lined with stonework recycled from the earlier building except on the north side where the old north arcade remains in situ, separating the nave from the north aisle that was repurposed to form the Mavesyn Chapel, This chapel is the most interesting part of the church as it is filled with memorials to the local aristocratic families with two knight's effigies and incised slabs on further tombs and set within the floor. Further incised figures surround the chapel, some forming screen-walls to the nave, but these aren't to be trusted, since despite their archaic look they are deliberately designed to blend with the original work in the chapel but are actually examples of late 18th / early 19th century pastiche a most unusual display.
Mavesyn Ridware church is a little off the beaten track, the village being hidden away down quiet lanes, bypassed by all the main thoroughfares. The church is worth seeking out, however one will also need to seek out the key to get inside as the building is normally kept locked. A keyholder is given, but this information needs updating (I can only hope it has been since my visit last summer) as it sent me to what is now the wrong address, where I loitered for some time having got no answer but hearing someone inside on the phone, only to eventually be told they no longer had a key there, but they were very helpful in telling me where to find it, so in the end my waiting paid off; I am very grateful too as it would have been most disappointing to have missed this one!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St_Nicholas,_Mavesyn_Ridware
Courageous, visually spectacular, emotionally engaging production of raw, provocative dance theatre, inspired by Japanese Butoh, burlesque and cabaret, performed by infamous Australian physical theatre company Zen Zen Zo. Played to packed houses across Australia.
Day 2. Angkor Wat is visually, architecturally and artistically breathtaking. It is a massive three-tiered pyramid crowned by five lotus-like towers rising 65 meters from ground level. Angkor Wat is the centerpiece of any visit to the temples of Angkor.
At the apex of Khmer political and military dominance in the region, Suryavarman II constructed Angkor Wat in the form of a massive 'temple-mountain' dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu. It served as his state temple, though the temple’s uncommon westward orientation has led some to suggest that it was constructed as Suryavarman II’s funerary temple. Other temples of the same style and period include Thommanon, Banteay Samre, Wat Atwea and Beng Melea, which may have served as a prototype to Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat and an exterior wall measuring 1300 meters x 1500 meters. The temple itself is 1 km square and consists of three levels surmounted by a central tower. The walls of the temple are covered inside and out with bas-reliefs and carvings. Nearly 2000 distinctively rendered apsara carvings adorn the walls throughout the temple and represent some of the finest examples of apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. But it is the exterior walls of the lower level that display the most extraordinary bas-reliefs, depicting stories and characters from Hindu mythology and the historical wars of Suryavarman II. It is in the viewing of the bas-reliefs that a tour guide can be very helpful.
The northern reflecting pool in front is the most popular sunrise location. For sunrise, arrive very early, well before sunrise begins. The sun will rise behind Angkor Wat providing a silhouette of Angkor’s distinctively shaped towers against a colored sunrise sky. Some of the best colors appear just before the sun breaks over the horizon.
The visual impact of Angkor Wat, particularly on one's first visit, is awesome. As you pass through the outer gate and get your first glimpse, its size and architecture make it appear two dimensional, like a giant postcard photo against the sky. After you cross through the gate and approach the temple along the walkway it slowly gains depth and complexity. To maximize this effect you should make your first visit in optimal lighting conditions, i.e. after 2:00PM. Do not make your first visit to Angkor Wat in the morning when the backlighting obscures the view.
The first level of is the most artistically interesting. Most visitors begin their exploration with the bas-reliefs that cover the exterior wall of the first level, following the bas-reliefs counterclockwise around the temple. Bas-relief highlights include the mythological Battle of Kuru on the west wall; the historical march of the army of Suryavarman II, builder of Angkor Wat, against the Cham, followed by scenes from Heaven and Hell on the south wall; and the classic ‘Churning of the Ocean Milk’ on the east wall.
The temple interior is not as densely carved as the first level exterior, but still sports hundreds of fine carvings of apsaras and scenes from Hindu mythology. A guide can be quite helpful in explaining the stories of the various chambers, statues and architectural forms to be found in the interior. At the upper-most of your tour of the temple, the central tower on the third level houses four Buddha images, each facing a different cardinal point, highlighting the fact that though Angkor Wat was constructed as a Hindu temple, it has served as a Buddhist temple since Buddhism became Cambodia’s dominant religion in the 14th century. Some say that it is good luck to pay homage to all four Buddha images before departing Angkor.
Source: Canby Publications Co., Ltd
Pop Art - a rolling daily diary comprising a manipulated digital art collage that visually documents a local, political or international event of popular culture based on fractured photographic images.
The work is premised on the basis that Pop art in its beginnings, freeze-framed what consumers of popular culture experienced into iconic visual abstractions. With the advent of the techno age, visual information circulates in such quantities, so rapidly and exponentially, that to comprehend a fraction of it all becomes a kind of production process in itself.
Adapting Pop Arts notion of mass media imagery into a context of the contemporary digital age, this work draws on a myriad points of reference. Utilizing fractured images to provide an allusion to the digital noise pounding away daily into our subconsciousness.
This work diverges from the traditional Pop Art notion of a pronounced repetition of a consumer icon, instead focusing on the deluge of contemporary digital content. The compilation of the fragmented imagery is vividly distractive, not unlike cable surfing or a jaunt through Times Square.
This work considers elements of Pop Art through an artistic and conceptual exploration of specific people and events of the day. The works are diaristic in nature that metaphorically record a spectators experience of the contemporary digital age.
Photo, from left to right, of Amy Lucas, TBBC member, James, and Rebecca Esperschred. Amy and Rebecca joined us from the NJ Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (NJCBVI).
Angkor Wat is visually, architecturally and artistically breathtaking. It is a massive three-tiered pyramid crowned by five lotus-like towers rising 65 meters from ground level. Angkor Wat is the centerpiece of any visit to the temples of Angkor.
At the apex of Khmer political and military dominance in the region, Suryavarman II constructed Angkor Wat in the form of a massive 'temple-mountain' dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu. It served as his state temple, though the temple’s uncommon westward orientation has led some to suggest that it was constructed as Suryavarman II’s funerary temple. Other temples of the same style and period include Thommanon, Banteay Samre, Wat Atwea and Beng Melea, which may have served as a prototype to Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat and an exterior wall measuring 1300 meters x 1500 meters. The temple itself is 1 km square and consists of three levels surmounted by a central tower. The walls of the temple are covered inside and out with bas-reliefs and carvings. Nearly 2000 distinctively rendered apsara carvings adorn the walls throughout the temple and represent some of the finest examples of apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. But it is the exterior walls of the lower level that display the most extraordinary bas-reliefs, depicting stories and characters from Hindu mythology and the historical wars of Suryavarman II. It is in the viewing of the bas-reliefs that a tour guide can be very helpful.
The northern reflecting pool in front is the most popular sunrise location. For sunrise, arrive very early, well before sunrise begins. The sun will rise behind Angkor Wat providing a silhouette of Angkor’s distinctively shaped towers against a colored sunrise sky. Some of the best colors appear just before the sun breaks over the horizon.
The visual impact of Angkor Wat, particularly on one's first visit, is awesome. As you pass through the outer gate and get your first glimpse, its size and architecture make it appear two dimensional, like a giant postcard photo against the sky. After you cross through the gate and approach the temple along the walkway it slowly gains depth and complexity. To maximize this effect you should make your first visit in optimal lighting conditions, i.e. after 2:00PM. Do not make your first visit to Angkor Wat in the morning when the backlighting obscures the view.
The first level of is the most artistically interesting. Most visitors begin their exploration with the bas-reliefs that cover the exterior wall of the first level, following the bas-reliefs counterclockwise around the temple. Bas-relief highlights include the mythological Battle of Kuru on the west wall; the historical march of the army of Suryavarman II, builder of Angkor Wat, against the Cham, followed by scenes from Heaven and Hell on the south wall; and the classic ‘Churning of the Ocean Milk’ on the east wall.
The temple interior is not as densely carved as the first level exterior, but still sports hundreds of fine carvings of apsaras and scenes from Hindu mythology. A guide can be quite helpful in explaining the stories of the various chambers, statues and architectural forms to be found in the interior. At the upper-most of your tour of the temple, the central tower on the third level houses four Buddha images, each facing a different cardinal point, highlighting the fact that though Angkor Wat was constructed as a Hindu temple, it has served as a Buddhist temple since Buddhism became Cambodia’s dominant religion in the 14th century. Some say that it is good luck to pay homage to all four Buddha images before departing Angkor.
Source: Canby Publications Co., Ltd