2014.08.30 01:00 - Contrast

The Guardian for this meeting was No Self. The comments are by No Self.

Wol Euler: buongiorno, qt
Qt Core: buongiorno Wol
Wol Euler: how's the touristing going? :)
Qt Core: pretty well, two times this past week, and i finally saw the Last Supper too
Wol Euler: ah yes!
Wol Euler: and? what did you think?
Qt Core: i had a couple idea that i'd like to verify in some books/article, but the surprise was the contrast with the painting on the other side of the room
Wol Euler: ... which nobody ever mentions. What is it?
Qt Core: so much that i already forgotten its author, it is a painting about the crucifixion (so the room has the start and end of passion
Wol Euler nods.
Qt Core: but so much contrasts: starting from the coloring, it was made with more standard techniques so its colors are more vivid
Wol Euler: is it of the same period?
Qt Core: yes
Qt Core: it is almost chaotic and so full of people, in contrast of the almost serene (it is jesus acceptance of his fate) of the supper
Qt Core: *fate ?
Wol Euler: function, one might say
Wol Euler: christianity would be in poor shape had he refused :)
Qt Core: it is not very realistic as the crosses are depicted as some 5 or 6 meters high
Wol Euler: worse still if Pilate had released him uncrucified!
Qt Core: while on the supper things ae so lifelike
Wol Euler listens.
--BELL--
Qt Core: in many paintings the second or third class objects are often simplified, probably even thanks to its unorthodox technique Leonardo had the time (and the stubborness) to make them perfect/real
Qt Core: another (sad) observation, in the visiting group (you go inside in groups of 30 and for 15 minutes) only me and maybe other two were italian
Wol Euler nods.
Qt Core: and in the square outside too, i was the stranger, even the guy selling souvenirs spoke in japanese ;-)
Wol Euler chuckles.
Wol Euler: commercial reality, I'm afraid
Wol Euler: do schoolkids these days get taken to museums and galleries as I did?`
Wol Euler: in school trips, I mean
Wol Euler: not just by parents
Qt Core: i think so as many had signs explaining how/when groups/classes could enter (even in other museums i went this past months), In the archaeological ones there are already signs about plans for schools (6.10 age group)
Wol Euler: it was standard in my day that we would visit public places like that
Wol Euler: good, I'm glad that is still around
Qt Core: yes, especially as it is quite rare that family will do beside the most spectacular museums, lake aquariums (the Genova one is quite good they say)
Qt Core: *like
Wol Euler nods.
Qt Core: then there would be the opposite, with family draging child to museums before the child express an interest in the thing (maybe subtly pushed )
Wol Euler: mmhmm
Wol Euler: that happens too, of course
Wol Euler: but the thing is, how is the kid to express an interest before it knows that the thing exists at all?
--BELL--
Qt Core: i'm for subtly exposing things to them, as in gifting a meccano or lego techincs and going to the science and technology museums in a fw months
Wol Euler: it's like asking a child who's never tasted pineapple whether she likes them
Wol Euler nods.
Qt Core: i was never pushed to read, but i found many booiks lying around ;-)
Qt Core: many i found when i was a kid were science schoolbooks so i love dinosaurs now ;-)
Wol Euler: anohter fine example :)
Wol Euler smiles.
Qt Core: even the Jurassik park movie started many interest for dinosaurs too
Wol Euler: yep
Wol Euler: my sister's kids
Wol Euler: though actually no, they were on that long before the film
Wol Euler: I took them several times to the Natural History museum when I visited, when they were under ten yrs old
Qt Core: even with correct scientific base i believe museums should awe, there are other time to go deeper and find all the facts
Wol Euler nods.
Wol Euler: and it's possible to do both, given the ubiquitous internet
Qt Core: maybe right at the museums books.souvenir shop
Wol Euler: the simple short label can have a QR tag for those who want more
Wol Euler: can and SHOULD in my opinion :)
Qt Core: i saw a few lately, just forgotten where and even some using the NFC capabilities of samsung phones (it was a samsung sponsored thing)
Wol Euler: probably it would have to be, museums are very conservative places
Wol Euler: until the idea catches on
Qt Core: isn't conservation and musems almost a synonym ? ;-)
Wol Euler: conservation is their job after all!
--BELL--
Wol Euler: but it need not apply to the institution, or its public face
Wol Euler: I was talking to galleries here more than ten years ago about putting public computer terminals in their foyers to give a taste (and location!) of their works
Wol Euler: hasn't appeared yet
Qt Core: they have to conserve the things for posterity, so for showing them/us
Wol Euler: right, but not merely conserve. That could be done more efficiently in a sealed underground vault
Wol Euler: their role is to explain, as well
Qt Core: that remind me that many italian museums (the Uffiizi in Firenze just to say one) have so much and wonderful things in store, not shown to the public that would fill several international level museums themselves
Qt Core: but then many of those things are too delicate to travel
Wol Euler nods.
Qt Core: speaking of thet there are voices/controversy about moving the "Bronzi di Riace" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riace_bronzes) to Milan for Expo 2015
Wol Euler: why?
Qt Core: they are nice, beautiful too, but not really in theme with the food theme of expo, delicate and just been restored and moved to theyr new home/museum... them milan proved how able is in protecting them having three ancient paintings stolen from the Sforza castle musem during the museum open hours
Qt Core: ancient as being from 1300/1400
Qt Core: the paintings, the bronzes are from 460/420 BC
Wol Euler: hmmmm
--BELL--
Wol Euler: I appreciate the point about risk of loss
Qt Core: i think that a transport like that would mainly benefit italians and europeans, people from more distant areas would have no problem doing the almost 1000 kms from Milan to Reggio Calabria while people nearer would not consider it
Wol Euler: though I guess it is mostly intended to benefit the owners of the exhibition, who will sell more tickets :)
Wol Euler: *would
Qt Core: don't know, they are speaking about 15/20 millions visitor, don't know how many the bronzes would add
Qt Core: maybe the Monnalisa ;-)
Wol Euler: heheheh
Wol Euler: second-hand glamour, then
Wol Euler: "look how wonderful and important our messe is"
Qt Core: or just pushing the last supper more, after all it is a supper, it is food related!
Wol Euler: right! heheh
Wol Euler: they could organize blocks of tickets for exhibition visitors to see it together
Wol Euler: at a price, of course.
Qt Core: yeah, they have to get back the bribes money after all ;-)
Wol Euler: right!
Wol Euler grins.
Qt Core: one of the last expo news is that the "Tree of life" one of the main feature of the italian pavilion may be so late it would be eliminated from it
Wol Euler: :(
Wol Euler: perhaps they could blame that on the bees dying off?
Qt Core: every passing day my fears about it rise, we will probably end up with a, as we say "figura di merda" (making a shitty impression)
Wol Euler nods.
--BELL--
Qt Core: it will probably end up being a celebration of italian talent of being always able to put something together ;-)
Wol Euler smiles.
Wol Euler: which is an achievement in its own right
Qt Core: time to start the day... and see what i can... put something together for lunch ;-)
Wol Euler nods.
Wol Euler: improvisation at work
Wol Euler: enjoy the day, and the meal, qt
Qt Core: you too, bye Wol