MAKE aMERIka GR8 AGAIN

Charnai Anderson


By CHARNAI ANDERSON

1. i <3 Russia

2. what is sexual harassment?

3. my hair > yours

4. "obamacare is dead"

5. orange iz my fav color

6. fake media: the lies

7. silly north korea

8. $$$

9. wallzz

10. boo demokrats

RoNaLd Dump a resounding underground artist. This is his first official album since joining the record label, Korupshun Party. He has gained previous accolades from his two singles College Rip-off and Towerzz, so it was anticipated that this album be nothing less than great, and rightfully so. RoNaLd Dump is an artist that won't soon be forgotten. No onehit wonder here. So far it seems as if he's invincible. This album not only reflects his somber outlook on many concepts of life and political ideologies, but also his external self. The goal of this album is for the audience to really be able to know RoNaLd Dump to greater extents than before. This album really allows its listeners to be able to relate to RoNaLd Dump on a deeper level. The album cover pretty much says it all RoNaLd Dump as a whole. 


Editor's Note: Students happened upon a cache of hidden records with cover art from the Baroque masters. They were charged to investigate the vinyls. The above are their findings. 
  • 7:00 AM

Oratorio San Filippo Neri-

Charnai Anderson
Francesco Borromini, Oratorio San Filippo Neri, 1637
by CHARNAI ANDERSON
Francesco Borromini a well-renowned Roman Baroque architect, built the Oratorio San Filippo Neri in 1637. This oratorio was built in honor of Philip Neri, an Italian priest noted for founding a society of secular clergy called the Congregation of the Oratory. Philip Neri is also known as the Third Apostle of Rome, behindSsaints Peter and Paul. After the death of Philip the Oratorians chose have Borromini work with Signor Paolo Maruscelli.


"By deciding to have two architects on the project, the Oratorians created an arrangement destined to fail. And it did" (Morissey 26). 

Borrimini's initial role was to execute Maruscelli's blueprints, Borromini almost instantly proposed alterations. Soon after his appointment with Borromini, Maruscelli resigned from the project, not able to handle Borromini's overbearing persona. Though Oratorio became what is now not by Borromini himself, considering that it was built in large part to Maruscelli's creation. "He had determined where it would stand and how the rooms around it should be arranged. What Borromini added was a greater sense of importance, of seriousness. Right beside the oratory is a church called the Santa Maria or also known as the Chiesa Nuova. Borromini's job was not to  compete with the Chiesa Nuova, but to make the oratory compelling enough to be worthy of residing next to it.

Martino Longhi the Elder, Santa Maria in Vallicella,1575

  • 7:00 AM

Saint Agatha

Charnai Anderson
Francisco de Zurbarán, Saint Agatha, 1633
by CHARNAI ANDERSON
If you could not tell...there on that platter Saint Agatha of Sicily holds her severed breasts. Just like most ancient anecdotes there are multiple versions of Saint Agatha's story. Saint Agatha is one of the most highly-venerated virgin martyrs of the Catholic Church. She notably fully dedicated her life to God. She had a very flattering appearance, and decided to remain celibate and devote her life entirely to Jesus and the Church in a life of prayer and service. Though she had made such a decision that did not stop men from wanting and desiring her. 

One in particular was Quintianus. He was a very well respected male of high diplomatic ranking, and he thought he could force Saint Agatha to go against her vow to God. Upon many rejections he decided to have her arrested and tried before a judge. The judge was no other than Quintianus himself. He anticipated her giving in to his demands when he explained she would be tortured and and be faced with possible death. Instead she reassured her faith in God praying for courage and strength. To once again attempt to change her mind, the determinated Quintianus imprisoned her in a brothel. Through such undeserved conditions she still never lost faith. She was interrogated and during her interrogation she told him that to be a servant of Jesus Christ was her true freedom. In retaliation of her undesireable reactions, the infuriated Quintianus sent Saint Agatha to prison instead of the brothel hoping to instill more fear in her - though it possibly brought a bit of relief. 

Bothered by her joy Quintianus ordered that Saint Agatha be tortured and in some versions as he noticed her endure these different forms of torture, such as being whipped or burned with torches, with a sense of cheer. He ordered that her breasts be cut off. In other versions she cut them off herself. Since Saint Agatha is the patron for breast cancer patients,  rape victims, and wet nurses, I'm pretty sure all would agree that it would make the most sense for her to have severed her own breast simply showing her own power and agency as a women and also it's simpluy more badass, but we as receivers and readers are not the ones who make the story, we are just the ones who may tell it. 
  • 7:00 AM

Medusa

Caravaggio
Caravaggio, Medusa, 1597 
By CHARNAI ANDERSON

Though most are familiar with the story of ill-fated Medusa, I must retell the story because even though her myth continues through verbal telling, as I read about her myth I must admit that there are details that no one has mentioned to me before, and if you only know Medusa through what you have heard then you might feel the same after reading this.

Medusa was one of Phorcy, a sea god, and Ceto, his sister-wife's, three daughters. Medusa was said to have luscious golden hair. She was also a priestess of Athena with a supposed life devoted to celibacy. After being enticed by Poseidon, she left her vows behind and married him. Medusa abandonment of her vows is the reason we have the Medusa we now infamously know and love. To punish her, Athena turned each and every wavy golden lock of hair that Poseidon so admired into a venomous snake, and her once gentle, affectionate eyes turned into "blood-shot, furious orbs, which excited fear and disgust in the mind of the on-looker." Discernibly Medusa was appalled and not very pleased with her new look, and it's said that in despair she fled from her home to Africa, where as she wandered restlessly a young snaked dropped from her head. This, according the to Ancient Greeks is why Africa became the hotbed for venomous reptiles. Medusa continued to turn everything she gazed upon into to stone until conclusively Perseus put her out of her misery by chopping her head off therefore killing her.

Something I have realized while looking at Caravaggio paintings is how well he is at showing emotion and motion through 2-D objects such as paintings. He is also really good at detail as well from the outside rim of this circular background to the very detailed snakes and splattered blood. Another thing that amazes me about Caravaggio paintings is how modern and clean they look. The emotion being displayed on Medusa's face is beyond amazing.
  • 7:00 AM

Leda and the Swan

Charnai Anderson
Pontormo, Leda and the Swan, 1512
By CHARNAI ANDERSON

The influence of this painting comes from a Greek myth. In the painting the god Zeus is represented by the swan. Zeus, in the form of a swan, raped Leda. In some versions it is said that he merely seduced Leda. Though in most versions that is not the case because Leda bore four children. According to many versions of the story Zeus raped Leda on the same night she slept with her husband Tyndareus, king of Sparta. As shown in the painting Leda laid two eggs from which the children hatched from. Helen and Polydueces are children of Zeus while Castor and Clytemnestra are children of Tyndareus. 

This painting by Pontormo is very similar to the one painted by Leonardo da Vinci, who was one of Pontormo's great influences and mentors. Although da Vinci's version of the painting is significantly better than Pontormo's they still share similarities. In Leonardo da Vinci's version there is more life and livelihood versus Pontormo's dull and harder colors and tones. There is more life in the background and there emotion and movement within the subjects of Leonardo de Vinci's painting. Something that is interesting is that in his painting he only accounts for two of Leda's children which I would assume are the children of Zeus. Pontormo also did not carry out the proportions of Leda correctly. Her body is in a sort of triangular shape, and it almost looks as if he didn't fully include and paint all her supposedly visible body parts. 
  • 7:00 AM

Charnai Anderson
Bruegel, The Dark Day, 1505
By CHARNAI ANDERSON

I must say that this has to be the first Renaissance painting I have studied that shows an artist's ability to consistently persist with heavy dark tones throughout the entirety of their piece. The lighter parts of this painting hardly stand out partially because they are engulfed in such darkness, and also because they merely minor details rather than larger subjects. The clouds and the people chopping fire wood warn us that there will soon be a storm impending. 
The murky uneasy waters inform us that sail if you must, but you are very susceptible to crashing. I also really like how Bruegel exhibits perspective in this painting. The things that are closer to us are more defined and clear whereas the closer we get towards the mountains the houses within the village becomes a blur. The overall dark tones in this painting paired with hints a lighter colors give a moods of gloom along with a future. This painting gives the impression that yes something unpleasant is going to happen soon, but it is something that you shall overcome and surpass.
  • 7:00 AM

Adam

Adam
Albrecht Dürer, Adam, 1507
by CHARNAI ANDERSON

This here is Adam. Adam was made by God from dust, and placed in the Garden of Eden with Eve. The Garden of Eden was a beautiful paradise made to perfection. Eve was made from one of Adam's ribs to be his companion. God told Adam that he could roam and eat from any tree he wanted to except for the tree of knowledge of good and evil or else he and Eve would die. One day a serpent came by and persuaded Eve that the fruit from the tree of knowledge would give her wisdom if she ate from it, and that she would know right from wrong just like God. Convinced, Eve took a piece of fruit from the fruit and took a bite and then offered it to Adam. He then ate some of the fruit, too. Unfortunately the fruit did not grant either of them wisdom they soon realized the meaning of nudity, and, embarrassed, they soon made themselves skirts out of fig leaves.

On that same day, God was taking a stroll through the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve tried to hide in the trees because they were ashamed and afraid to face God, but God already knew about the sin they committed. Adam tried to blame Eve and Eve tried to blame the serpent, but God was rightfully mad at all of them. Their punishments were not solely for them, but for their many descendants that came after them as well. The initial punishment was that they were no longer allowed in the Garden of Eden. And thanks to Adam men would have to struggle and sweat for their existence. And for Eve women would have to endure the pain of bearing a child and managing submission to their husband. As for the serpent God punished his kind by making their only form of transportation crawling on their bellies, and also tolerating the hate of mankind. 

I enjoy the dark background of this painting. I also think that the body proportions are done very well especially compared to Dürer's, The Expulsion from Paradise, considering that it was made of Adam. Although we must take into consideration that these pieces are two different types of art, one being painting the other being a wood carving. Not to sexualize here, but the butts on Adam and Eve are pretty massive, and their calves are also muscular. I also like how Dürer incorporates Adam's story by using the said forbidden fruit to cover himself from the nudity that he initially never knew existed. In conclusion, thanks to Adam and Eve clothes have become requirement of our daily lives, and they also take as great portion of our income, which may be not be a bad thing because it fuels our economy. 
Albrecht Dürer, The Expulsion from Paradise, 1510

  • 7:00 AM

Love

Charnai Anderson
Georgina Ciotti, Unknown, 2000s
LOVE
by Phillip Larkin

The difficult part of love
Is being selfish enough,
Is having the blind persistence
To upset an existence
Just for you own sake.
What cheek it must take.

And then the unselfish side -
How can you be satisfied, 
Putting someone else first
So that you come off worst?
My life is for me.
As well ignore gravity.

Still, vicious or virtuous,
Love suits most of us. 
Only the bleeder found
Selfish this wrong way round
Is ever wholly rebuffed, 
And he can get stuffed.


Editor's Note: Students were asked to pair a poem and painting with no explanation of the connection. 
  • 7:00 AM

The Broken Column

Charnai Anderson
Frida Kahlo, The Broken Column, 1944
by CHARNAI ANDERSON

Dear Charnise,

I dedicate this painting to you, my beloved sister. In this letter I shall show how I interpret this painting and how it pertains to you. First, I will begin with the background of this painting. The background is the most tranquil and content part of this painting. It represents a future of hope and optimism for better times. Next, the foreground that leads up to the sky depicts how beautiful life could be with nature and so forth, but the simple fact that it's not, in the moment it is very desolate and somewhat cynical, and that no matter what, it takes lots of persistence and distress with a touch of agony to reach the beautiful sky. Now, we move on to the main subject matter. You, my friend are the head.

Here in this painting the head is the only part of the painting that is not split in half like the rest of the body. You are the head because ironically you a very levelheaded, you keep me from being immoral, and for the most part from spasming out all the time. A head is made up of multiple components such as a brain, eyes, a nose, eyebrows, hair, ears, and others.

I would say you are the eyes, you see the things I don't. The head along with wrapping around the body represent adhesiveness. No matter how much I hate you, inevitably something makes me like you again. The metal we see is broken - I think that represents all the idiots that thought they could come into our lives and help our circumstances without first listening and understanding. It could also represent mom, but I'll leave that up to you to interpret why. The metal is trying to help, but it can't because it too is broken, though it does still serve a purpose. The nude subject is opposite of me and you though, so far we've just kept things inside. Maybe Frida is trying to tell us to open up and rid ourselves of the burdens. Oh well who knows. The nails throughout the body represent not only the things we go through separately, but also together. Our struggles within life including our arguments. 

Sincerely, 
Charnai Anderson

P.S. Peace out homie  - you da real MVP

Editor's Note: Students were asked to give a painting to someone they cared for. These are their moving responses. 
  • 7:00 AM

Triptych with Saint Anthony, Abbot Roch, and Catherine of Alexandria

Abbot Roch
Filippino Lippi, Triptych with Saint Anthony, Abbot Roch, and Catherine of Alexandria, 15th Century
By CHARNAI ANDERSON

The first thing I noticed about this painting was the attractive leg that Abbot Roch presents to us. Along with the pleasant leg action he is wearing very fashionable clothing and high knee boots. I like the golden outline of this painting, and I think that the colors contrast well. The bright colors of the clothing contrast and go well with the nude background. I find it interesting that the subjects in this painting have different halos. Another thing is that I am not entirely sure on if the background of each section is together or if each section has its' own separate background I know and understand that this piece is a triptych meaning that these are separate paintings most likely hinged together to be used as an alter piece. Another interesting factor I took into consideration when looking at this painting was that there is not much blue. 

In Art History we just recently completed a book by Michael Baxandall called Painting & Experience in Fifteenth-Century Italy. In the book, there is a section that Baxandall explains the representation of colors throughout fifteenth-century paintings. I won't list all of his suggestions because that would be nsipid and tedious, but I'll just point out a few correlations between his ideas and this painting. 

One thing that caught my eye was that Alberti's elemental code insist that green is a depiction of water. I found that absurd because I was still reading the book with a twenty-first century eye instead of a period eye as Baxandall suggest, but this Lippi painting proves Baxandall correct in the sense that the color green can be used for water. I also think that there is some meaning behind the broken golden wheel that is at the feet of Catherine of Alexandria because although her red dress signifies charity the yellow-gold wheel represents dignity something that she could have possibly have lost and no longer possess. 
  • 6:08 PM

Art History Hotties: Oceanus

Charnai Anderson
Giambologna, Oceanus, 1571
By CHARNAI ANDERSON

Here I have presented before you the great Oceanus. First can we just note that he is perfection from his perfect curly hair to his muscular feet. He will definitely be my ManCrushMonday next week. First I'll start by saying I am infatuated with his hair and the flawless structure if his face. Then, as we move down his body we notice very pleasant arm and pectoral muscles. And of course I would not trade those marvelous abs for anything. As we continue our journey down we see that Mr. Oceanus respects himself enough to keep his genitalia covered, but we also gratefully learn that he never skips leg day. If you ask me I think that it is quite important that Oceanus maintains a proportional body.

This beautiful sculpture was done by a man that went by the name of Giambologna, but whose real name is Jean Boulogne. Giambologna was a Flemish architect and sculptor honored for his extravagant work with bronze and marble. He was influenced my Michelangelo, but eventually developed his own Mannerist style putting for emphasis on refined surfaces, elegance, and beauty rather than emotion. Most of Giambologna's prolific years were spent in Italy where he was commissioned by the Medici's. The Medici's never allowed Giambologna to leave Florence in fear that the Austrian or Spanish Habsburgs would allure him into permanent employment.
  • 7:00 AM

The Banquet in the Pine Forest

Charnai Anderson
Sandro Botticelli, The Banquet in the Pine Forest, 1483
by CHARNAI ANDERSON
Initially, I fell in love with the openness and taste of warmth I get from this painting. But, similar to when you are finding a book or a perhaps a mate, we must not judge this painting by what appeals to the eye, rather we must explore the inner beauty. One must be informed that this painting does not stand alone, it is a part of a series called, The Story of Nastagio degli Onesti. The four paintings show four scenes from The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio. The four panels of this story are all centrally located around the theme of love, but have many different themes at work, such as degradation of women, which is certainly present within this story.

Nastagio is the man in the red pants standing near the woman, who is not only being attacked by vicious dogs, but also chased by a knight on a horse with a drawn sword. This one painting could unquestionably stand alone, but it does not. It's the the third of four panels. In the first panel Nastagio is seen taking a stroll in despair because the lady he loves rejected him and won't marry him. On his stroll he notices a naked woman being pursued by dogs and also the man on his horse.  He picks up a branch to attempt to help or possibly save the woman. In the second panel we see that the woman has fallen in the forefront, but you can see the knight cutting open her back and in the corner you can see the dogs feasting on what would be her guts, most likely her heart. Nastagio, still at the scene, is very confused as to why the knight feels the need to torture this damsel. The knight informs him that he was deeply in love with this woman, and she spitefully rejected and ignored him. Fed up with rejection, the knight used the same sword to commit suicide. Soon after the woman died, too, and as punishment for her enjoyment in his suffering and his sin of suicide they both must repeat this act periodically. Where he chases her, catches her, cuts out her heart, and feeds it to the hounds. The usual. This is shown in the background of panel two.

When Nastagio learns the reasoning behind the knight's actions he gets an idea. Nastagio decides to invite a lady who has rejected him and her family to a picnic in the forest where this very deed occurs. As you can see here in this painting the woman is once again being pursued by demented hounds followed by the knight. The audience now frozen, forks down, waits for an explanation. The knight then describes his story to the family members, and next thing you know the lady (I believe she is the one dressed in white at the head of the table) Nastagio wants is crawling into his arms assuring him that of course she'll marry him for she could not possibly be given and within such fate. The fourth panel is the wedding. 

Though the removal of the heart in panel two is intriguing and tempting, I chose this painting because although it is the third panel it sort of wraps everything up. It is also the most positive - considering Nastagio gets the lady. Sadly this also makes me think of how women have, are and always will be seen as possessions. I speak from a societal standpoint not from a literal one. I even feel as if the fact that the damsel is nude is to make her lesser than all else around her. It's as if women don't have the right to say no if a male shall pursue her. Although progress has been made from 1483 to now. In a way it hasn't. I mean obviously Mrs. Evil Damsel Lady is out of dress code, and she is singled out because of that. Why couldn't she be clothed or why couldn't some of the others have been unclothed? Perhaps like Adam and Eve her nakedness is a form of punishment. I just find this series of paintings quite interesting because Bottecelli was commissioned by Lorenzo the Magnificent to paint them as a wedding gift for his godson.


  • 7:00 AM