Tag: photograhy

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Women in the Arts

Lately, one of my favorite haunts has been the National Museum of Women in the Arts {NMWA}. I frequent the gallery to view the latest work dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements in the visual, performing and literary arts.

The first piece I was immediately drawn to was What if Women Ruled the World. The artist Yael Bartana explores imagery of identity and politics of her native country, Israel. What women wouldn’t want this neon sign blazed across her desk at work! Next was Spider III by Louise Bourgeois who associated maternal protectiveness with this arachnid. She frequently remarked on her mother’s shared attributes with the spider: patience, cleverness and industriousness…. personally these eight-legged critters still give me the “creepies”.

Yael Bartana (b. 1970, Kfar Yehezkel, Israel) What if Women Ruled the World, 2016

Louise Bourgeois (b. 1911, Paris; d. 2010, New York City) Spider III, 1995

Niki de Saint-Phalle (b.1930, Neuilly-sur-Seine; d.2002, La Jolla, California] Pregnant Nana, 1993

Niki de Saint-Phalle will always have a special place in my heart, after grad-school I went to Paris. Walking the Centre Pompidou and the Church of Saint-Merri I saw the Stravinsky Fountain sculptures dotted around the plaza. They were so gorgeous that I couldn’t stop taking photos of the works.

Once in the NMWA you instantly notice the signature style of de Saint-Phalle with her colorful, patterned art work, and the French term for “nana” means a woman, chick, or girlfriend.

Stay stylish,
K

 

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Architecture Suisse

This Alpine nation has designed exquisitely within their mountains for centuries. The traditional wooden farm and rural structures are dotted throughout Vals along with cows tucked next to the “chalets” or “alpine cabins” to create that country feel. The foundations of the structures are usually made of stone or cement, and built into the downhill side of a slope with numerous windows for viewing the astounding countryside.

Architect Peter Zumthor built The Therme Vals a wonderful hotel and spa over thermal springs in the Graubünden Canton in Switzerland. The idea was to create a cave or quarry like structure into the natural surroundings of the hillside using locally quarried Valser Quarzite slabs.

Traverse stylishly throughout the countryside,
Kathleen