Visual Arts of the World Essay Example for Free

Visual Arts of the World Essay Visual arts ranged from a variety of objects. These are works of art that are crafted with visual in nature such as paintings, photography, architecture, filmmaking and sculpture. Thus, these pieces of art are primarily meant for visual consumptions. This study will tackle on wooden sculptures belonging to two different cultures: the bulol or Ifugao rice god of the Philippines and one of the early wooden sculptures of Yoruba Nigeria of Africa. The said art forms will then be examined, analyzed, compared and contrasted. The formal elements or physical appearance of the work will be discussed first and second, its cultural representations and significance. According to the British Council Arts, sculpture is the art or process of creating representational or abstract forms, either in the round or in relief. It is a form of art that is being carve either on wood, ivory or any material that the artist decide to do so. Ifugaos are inhabitants of the Central Cordillera in northern Luzon in the Philippines. Their origin is derived from the term Ipugo which means â€Å"from the hill†. According to Ifugao mythology, the name â€Å"Ifugao† is derived from Ipugo which refers to the rice grain given to them by their god Matungulan. Until today, this kind of rice grain is cultivated by the Ifugaos (Sianghio). On the other hand, according to The Africa Guide, Yoruba are people who live in Southwest Nigeria and Benin. They have developed a variety of diverse artistic forms which include pottery, weaving, beadwork, metalwork, and mask making. There are more than 401 known Yoruba gods so most of the artworks, which include sculptures, are made in order to honor the gods and ancestors The bulol, generally means deity, is specifically a granary idol. It is considered as an effigy of deceased ancestors (Asian Studies 63). In accordance to the C. E. Smith Museum of Anthropology, it is carved human figurines that is usually made in pairs—male and female—and are kept in the house or granary. Some bulols are standing while some are squatting with folded arms (Masferre and de Villa 54). It is an abstract art, according to Alfredo Evangelista of National Museum of the Philippines (1970), because the Ifugao carver expresses his feelings rather than attempts realistic representation. The deformations are results on the emphasis on the quality of other worldliness or the preternatural. The bulol is the most crucial art form because it embodies the Ifugao’s most sacred traditional values (Asian Studies 62). On the contrary, the Yoruba Nigeria sculpture follows the typical form of an African sculpture—cylindrical. African wooden sculptures are primarily cylindrical in appearance and are also made of wood. The statues are carved from trunks or branches (Segy 14). According to Frank Willet, the head is very much depicted because the Yoruba believes that it is the seat of one’s destiny, therefore it must be symbolically bigger and more prominent than any other part of the body. He has also identified three characteristics of Yoruba sculpture: bulging eyes, protruding lips and simplified ears which can clearly see in the chosen piece. The selected sculpture is not defined whether the art form is a female because the chosen Yoruba sculpture is naked, showing its stout breast or a male, exposing its phallus. Carving a bulol usually takes six weeks to finish and it is accompanied by rituals and dancing. The male and female bulols are carved at the same time (Masferre and de Villa 54). In contrast, the Africans believe that trees are home of spirits so in order to pacify the spirit of the tree, a special ritual is done before the cutting of the tree. The two selected sculptures are both anthropomorphic in forms which mean that the works of art ascribe human characteristics. They are both made of wood. If the bulol is often placed in a granary to protect the harvest, the Yoruba sculpture is used as an adornment and indicates a social status. The chosen works of art have utilitarian and historical relationship with the culture of the carver. They are both religious symbols and are accompanied by certain rituals. If bulols are considered as ancestors whose spirits can protect the living (Alvina and Sta. Maria 199), the Yoruba sculpture is a manifestation of the relationship of the African and the spirits of dead members of his family, which is extremely important in their culture. From the cultural background of bulol, it can clearly be seen that Ifugao are farmers. They live in an agricultural area where they primarily rely their lives. On the other hand, the Yoruba sculpture, as a social symbol, indicates that the owner is from a wealthy class, however, it is not clearly indicated or stated that the carver is also from a domineering class in their society, thus, the carver can come from the lower class in the society. Those chosen visual arts need to be seen, perceived and judged with an open mind. They should not be anchored to the Western standard of defining â€Å"what is beautiful† or â€Å"what is aesthetically pleasing† because they will definitely fail to abide to the Western standard with regards to â€Å"what is art,† which is confined then to fine arts—paintings, sculptures of artists that appeal to the senses and emotions—pieces that express the Western notion of â€Å"beauty† and portrays realistic figures especially when it comes paintings and sculptures just like how Michelangelo comes up with his â€Å"David,† the famous depiction of male beauty (History of Beauty). If the wooden sculptures of Yoruba and Ifugao are anchored to the Western standards and notions of ‘art’ and ‘beauty,’ those pieces will then categorically be labeled as â€Å"primitive† due to their irregular proportions and eerie appearance. Illustrations This Yoruba sculpture has originated at Yoruba Nigeria in Africa. It is an anthropomorphic figure and a manifestation of the nexus of the dead African family members to the living. It is a religious and status symbol. It is an early Yoruba sculpture. The artist or carver of the sculpture has not been stated but definitely he belongs to the culture of Yoruba. It is 34. 3 inches or 87 cm tall and made of wood (not specified). . This bulol is one of the forms of a rice god—sitting with folded arms. It is usually put in a house or in a granary for protection. It is often carve in pairs—a male and a female. It has a length of 6. 5 inches, a width of 6. 5 inches and a height of 24 inches. The artist or carver is not also stated but definitely he is an Ifugao. The sculpture is made of wood (not specified). Works Cited Asian Studies. University of the Philippines: Philippine Center for Advanced Studies Philippine Center for Advanced Studies, 1972.Alvina Corazon and Santa Maria Sta. Maria. Halupi. Capital Publishing House, 1989. Gagelonia, Pedro A. Concise Philippine History. Philippines: Far Eastern University Consumers Cooperative Incorporation, 1970. Masferre, E. and Jill Gale de Villa. A Tribute to the Philippine Cordillera. Makati City, Philippines: Brier projects, 1999. Perkins, Morgan and Howard Murphy. Anthropology of Art. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2006. Segy, Ladislas. African Sculpture. New York: Dover, 1958. Willet, Frank. African Art: An Introduction. Singapore: Thames and Hudson, 1971. â€Å"African People and Culture. † The African Guide. 02 December 2008. http://www. africaguide. com/culture/tribes/yoruba. htm. â€Å"Cutting: The Woodcarver. † 18 April 1995. Yoruba. Conner, Michael. 02 December 2008. http://www. fa. indiana. edu/~conner/yoruba/woodcarver. html â€Å"History of Beauty. † Answers. com. 02 December 2008. http://www. answers. com/topic/beauty â€Å"Ifugao. † Tripod. Sianghio, Christina. 02 December 2008. http://litera1no4. tripod. com/ifugao_frame. html. â€Å"Sculpture. † British Council Art. 02 December 2008. http://www. britishcouncil. org/arts-art-sculpture. htm List of Illustrations

Charles Lindbergh :: essays research papers

Charles Lindbergh was a man of many accomplishments. In his time, everybody loved him. Charles was well known all over the world. He was a hero, he represented all that could be accomplished in the future. He was a figure for doing what nobody else thought could be done. Lindbergh was one of those people that everyone else wanted to be. Charles Augustus Lindbergh was born in Detroit on February 4, 1902, to Charles Lindbergh, Sr., and Evangeline Land Lodge. Yet, he grew up in a small town in Nebraska. Lindbergh was a whiz with mechanics. By age twelve, he was in charge of driving and fixing the car. In high school, he assembled a tractor from a mail order kit. When he was eighteen he entered the University of Wisconsin to study engineering. He found he was more interested in flying, so after two years of college, he dropped out and became a barnstormer, which was a pilot who performed daredevil stunts at fairs, and airshows. Lindbergh was a favorite among the crowds. People would travel from all different places, even Europe, to come see his daredevil tricks. In 1924 Lindbergh enlisted in the U.S. Army so he could be trained to be a pilot. During this time he was given the nickname “Lucky Lindy'; because he would attempt daredevil stunts with his airplane, and always seem to evade punishment from upper officers. In 1925 he graduated as the top pilot in his class. He soon began working as a mail deliverer between St. Louis and Chicago. Lindbergh soon heard of an offer given in 1919 by a New York hotel owner named Raymond Orteig. The offer was this: the first aviator to fly nonstop from New York to Paris would receive 25,000 dollars. Nobody had succeeded by 1927, and Lindbergh decided he could do it if he had a suitable plane. Remember, in 1919 this was a very scary thing to do! There was no radio on your plane, so if it went down, you could not call for help, and nobody would know where you were. Also, there was no coast guard, no search and rescue teams, so if you crashed, you were dead. He arranged for nine St. Louis businessmen to help him finance his plane. A company in San Diego called Ryan Aeronautical Company was chosen to construct the plane, which Lindbergh helped design. The plane was named "The Spirit of St. Louis". A transcontinental record was immediately set in a test run when Lindbergh flew from San Diego to New York City in

Diversity at Barclays Bank Essay

There are four top leading Banks in UK, Barclays Bank is one of the leading banks. Barclays Bank considers honest prompting an atmosphere or environment where diversity is highly respected and accepted. Diversity as defined by (Dictionary, 2009) is said to be the reality or standard of being diverse (Rajan Amin, 2003) Says diversity contains personal individuality explained by age, ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, sexual position. These differences are established and guarded by law. Diversity in workplace can also be viewed has the difference in qualities and attributes in people working in an organisation. Diversity in workplace can have positive influence in efficient and smooth running of an organisation and can cause chaos between the employees if not administered properly. In 1963 Late President of USA, John Kennedy met with the Americans leaders to discuss about (Drachsler, 2013) the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act which was made law on June 19 of 1964 to focus on Equal opportunity commission and affirmative action and policies, which made the organisations, focus more on just complying on legislation imposed by law, it moved to another stage during the early 1980s to incorporate minors and women into workforce in the late 1980s it moved from just complying to rules and regulations and focuses more on business survival. In the late 1990s there is much shift from complying to laws and to focus on incorporating women and minors into workforce to including everyone in the workforce to know the differences in each employee in the workforce and to be sensitised about the needs and distinctions of others. Now in this century Diversity has shifted attention to inclusion and diversity to increase the efficiency, profitability, wide scope and all factors that can lead to business success. There are two types of workforce diversity Surface level diversity and deep level diversity 1. Surface level diversity as defined by (Kenneth Price H, 2002) as distinctions to each of more members of a team in an overt demographic feature. It is also said to be the different features in workforce that can be seen and observed such Age, Gender, Religion, and Ethnicity. Marital status was also listed as an factors to be considered as a surface level diversity and all these aforementioned examples of surface level diversity  are quantifiable 2. Deep level diversity is defined as distinctions between values, personality and preferences in work. It also defined by (Kenneth Price H, 2002) as the predetermined distinctions among members of a team’ personalities included psychological characteristics, values and attitudes. They factors here can only be felt and cannot be seen they are qualified they cannot be quantified. There are benefits derived from workforce diversity, In Employee management they make good utilization of talents, improved quality of team problem- solving efforts and strength to attract and retain employee’s organisations benefits. In Strategic problem solving skills such as prospective to improve sales volume and to increase market capital base of the organisation, good ethical behaviours ( knowing the right thing to do) . In Organisational Operation they derive good team spirit among the employees, good problem solving strength and lowering cost that is connected to absenteeism and law suit s. Diversity is a two edged sword (Chrobot-Mason, 2013) which means it has positive and negative advantage. There are challenges to workforce diversity such as communication in multicultural environments has mentioned by (Fatima Oliviera, july 2013) and diversity involves not only how employees see themselves but how they see others. That insight affects the way they interact. (Sreedhar, 2011) Highlighted that there is need for professionals in human resource department to consider and administer effectively with issues of change, communication and adaptability. (CHUA, 2013) Also discussed that as organisations become more culturally diverse, conflicts and tensions are bound to happen among employees or people that are from different cultural backgrounds. With all these above mentioned merits and demerits I think diversity is the management of differences in employees effectively and eliminating conflicts that might arise afterwards. Barclays has the believe that to be among the first four leading banks in the world they need a rock solid diversity and inclusion strategy programme and policy to be in place to give them a huge advantage among their rivals in the banking sector . They started by knowing that the foundation of their success is in the talented people they employ, whatsoever lifestyle, age, personality, religion, race, disability, gender or sexual orientation. Barclays focuses on six principal areas of diversity; Gender- is the most important of Barclays diversity and inclusion policy, promoted by the Barclays executive diversity group and it was aimed at increasing the number of women in the senior roles by doing all that is possible to make women in the organisation fulfil their career potential with Barclays increasing female portrayal to at least 20% by the end of last year and rising more to more than 25% by 2015 at the board level. Recruiting is based on merit, and gender diversity is considered seriously when exerting talents across the globe, from the future leader programmes to the most senior recruit and they do make sure that all those that provide recruitment support, supports the vision to lure in diverse candidates around the world. However, other banks all over the globe have innovated Women’s Initiative Networks but the Barclays Women of the year award identifies talented personal and Professional attainment from female employees globally, as well as identifying male em ployee who champion and be of support to female career development. Disability Barclays has shown commitment to being a disability self- assured organisation. Their aim is to lure more highly expertise people, aid disabilities or health defect by making available the equipment and accommodation that enable their employee to be outstanding. Awareness of employee with disability is giving the Bank to recognise modern ways of making products, service and facilities available to everyone an illustration the organisation run disability listening groups, the forum provides staffs with disability with the chance to meet with high level employee and give materials into calculated transformation to improve the working society. Generational diversity Recognising generational diversity in workplace adds cognitive capital to Barclays bank, which promotes revolutions for employees, clients and the customers of the Bank. Barclays bank manages this by supporting the recruitment process and holding firm an age diverse workforce. Creating a workforce with no age limit on each vacant position at Barclays is set as a goal achievable. Merit is the criteria for any elevation; elevation is open to all employees through a yearly achievement and development review  procedure. They are among just few organisations that have taken the proactive measures to include multigenerational diverse workforce into the employee working tactics, the age employees also believes that skill, strength, capability and accomplishment are the backbone of all good performances, which is making the bank one of the leading banks in the world. Sexual Orientation Barclays has good records to encourage their Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered employees, customers and clients and the Bank have been known worldwide by numerous external establishments, Human Rights Campaign in the US are included. Barclays was at the stonewall workplace equality index (WEI) controlled by the United kingdom’s chief Lesbian Gay Bisexual charity, and they were ranked number three in year 2011 in acknowledgment of the work been done to make sure their workplace, products and services are included. They achieved 100 percent in the 2011 Human Rights campaign corporate equality index in the USA and it 95percent in the UK. Multiculturalism This is a very important tool for organisations in the current global business world, Barclays works with a great cultural diversity sense. Barclays Employees are from all around the globe, the employees throughout the Barclays around the world set a footmark to make up a constantly changing pattern of nationalities, cultures and heritage. The distinctive approaches are immeasurable in making sure the organisation comprehend what the need of their customers and clients all around the world is, and with that they provide expert products and services to meet the needs. More to this is the Cultural Awareness Employee network which brings together employees within all Barclays to make sure the bank continue to find up to date method to examine the world with the motive of evaluating and leveraging differences. CONCLUSION Globalisation has made businesses to see diversity has a must do thing, to be successful in modern day business, diversity in workplace should not be treated as complying to law and regulations, it is now a thing of inclusion  and diversity to increase the efficiency, profitability, wide scope and all factors that can lead to business success. For Barclays Bank, Diversity and inclusion is much more than just complying with the law. It means stating and having an active policy in place to make the very best of their diverse staff to serve the clients, customers and benefit their employee to make them retain the height they are in the business world. RECOMMENDATION Having observed all the analysis of diversity and inclusion it is therefore suggested that the following be done to enjoy more benefits of diversity Minimise inequalities among employee to reduce conflicts among the employee. Training and re training programme on human relation should be put in place for employee to enable the employee to know how best to interact among their contemporary. Change is constant so therefore diversity policies and procedures guide lines should be amended yearly. Bibliography Chrobot-Mason, D. A. N. P., 2013. The psychological benefits of creating an affirming climate for workplace diversity. Professiona and management development training, 38(1059-6011), p. 31. CHUA, R. Y. J., 2013. The costs of ambient cultural disharmony: Indirect intercultural Conflicts in social environment undermine creativity. Academy of Management Journal, 56(0001-4273), p. 33. Dictionary, A. H., 2009. Mifflin Houghton. [Online] Available at: http://www.eref-trade.hmco.com/ [Accessed 21 01 2014]. Drachsler, D. A., 2013. Supreme court sets high bar for Title vii retaliation claims.. Labour law journal, 64(4-0023-6586), p. 6. Fatima Oliviera, M. d., july 2013. Multicultural Environments and Thier Challenges to Crisis Communication. Business In Communication , 50(0021- 9436). Kenneth Price H, D. H. A. J. G. H. A. F. T., 2002. TIME, TEAMS, AND TASK PERFORMANCE: CHANGING EFFECTS OF SURFACE- AND DEEP-LEVEL DIVERSITY ON GROUP FUNCTIONING. Academy of Management Journal, 45(5), pp. 1029-1045. Rajan Amin, H. S., 2003. The business impact of diversity. Business Source Premier, Issue 0959-5848, p. 1471 Words. Sreedhar, U., 2011. Workforce Diversity and HR Challenges. OB and HRM Department, IBS, Bangalore (Karnataka), INDIA, 4(0974-2611), pp. p33-36.

The Concert Of The Packed Recital Hall - 1676 Words

In the packed recital hall, an orchestra performs their warmup rituals. The venue boasts of chandeliers, perfect lighting, cushioned seats and richly carpeted aisles leading to the stage on which stands a Steinway grand piano in front of the orchestra. The pianist and conductor mount the stage. The soloist bows while the audience claps. Silence descends on the room and the performer takes a seat at the piano. Strains of beautiful music emanate from the instruments and fill the room. The pianist’s fingers fly across the keys. Amazed, the audience listens in total silence. One of the greatest composers had left his mark on this audience. The piece was the Concerto No.1 in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach. He was the greatest composer not just because of that piece but also considering music history, his personal story, his popularity during lifetime, the volume of his compositions, the make-up of his music, and familiarity today. Music history is divided four main time periods. Famous musicians lived and composed masterpieces throughout all four eras. The Baroque period, from 1600-1750, was characterized by ornamented and extravagant pieces. Well known musicians, Bach and Handel, achieved recognition for their choral works during this time. The Classical period spanning from 1750-1825, differentiates from the Baroque period in that music employed strict and simple technique. At the peak of the Classical period, Mozart and Beethoven produced orchestral and instrumental works.Show MoreRelatedDance Performance Review Essay758 Words   |  4 PagesP.1 November 4, 2012 Music14 Music Concert essay Extra-Credit Dance Theater Music Art On the 3 November 2012, my classmates and I were to attend a music dance concert in the Feddersen Recital Hall in Mount San Antonio College. we were being seat in the circle, where I can observed most things from the floor above. The hall is quite a small grand but in simple and elegant way, and with simple lighting. I love it although it is not as large-scale as others performance at Los Angeles downtownRead MoreLangston Hughes Research Paper25309 Words   |  102 Pageswrite Amy Spingarn continued to pay Hughess tuition to Lincoln, but the small royalty checks barely covered his basic needs. Langston became skillful at being invited as a guest to dinners, the theater, and opera in New York City. At a recital in Carnegie Hall, Alain Locke introduced him to a small, elderly white woman, Charlotte Mason, a wealthy widow, who collected African and American Indian art. Her goal was to elevate African [and Native American] culture to its rightful place of honor againstRead MoreStatement of Purpose23848 Words   |  96 Pagesof my dream. It would enable me to work in an environment with people who share similar interests, providing me with an opportunity to contribute to a product that reaches a broad audience of people who subscribe to the magazine, visit Explorer s Hall, or glance through a National Geographic book. It would provide me with the practical experience that would aid me tremendously in pursuing my future goals, and reveal paths I might otherwise never discover. (―Short Personal Statement: Geography.â€â€"