Today, we arrived in London, our first stop on our three week journey across Europe. As soon as we arrived, me jumped right in to studying our topic of, Media's Impact on Western Civilization, beginning with the British Museum. Prior to visiting the museum, our class read an article, "The Art of Slowing Down in a Museum", by Stephanie Rosenbloom of the New York Times, focusing upon the quality versus quantity of what one captures throughout visiting a museum or exhibit, whilst letting a certain sculpture, piece, or painting speak to you.
While walking through the museum, I began wandering what possible piece of art or history could "speak to me" or that I could connect with. I found the assignment to be more difficult than I expected, until I realized the truth that came from the article, and realizing how I caught myself simply just passing by pieces without taking time to really view them and see what goes beyond the surface. Once I entered the department of Asia, the fine detail and beauty of each piece really stood out to me and forced me to take the time to value and study each piece. Finally I walked towards a large sculpture of a set of doors with very fine detail and attraction. It's size alone was a shock factor. I found myself spending more time looking at this one piece alone than any other, due to its size and beauty. The piece is called, "Doors to a Balinese palace", of the 19th century AD.
The set of doors were made of "nangka" or jackfruit wood, assembled from fifteen different pieces fitted together with tenon and mortise joints, with floral decoration, evidential of Chinese contacts. After reading about the piece and looking at it, straying away from what just meets the eye, I began to find a connection with it, in relation to my own life. The doors symboled to me, an opening, a pathway to something new, a new opportunity (much like this study abroad journey), or a chance. The collaboration mentioned of "fifteen different pieces fitted together" emphasized to me the various unique aspects of my life that come together to create who I am and new opportunities and challenges ahead of me. I may not know what will come next for me (what is to come through those doors?), but I know and appreciate the value and distinct aspects of my life that have brought me here to this point. Reflecting upon the beautiful and artistic detail surrounding the door, helped me reflect upon the unique aspects of my own life, or details of life that go unnoticed, that make up who I am and what accumulates to leading to my next step forward through those doors.
-Tori Ford
While walking through the museum, I began wandering what possible piece of art or history could "speak to me" or that I could connect with. I found the assignment to be more difficult than I expected, until I realized the truth that came from the article, and realizing how I caught myself simply just passing by pieces without taking time to really view them and see what goes beyond the surface. Once I entered the department of Asia, the fine detail and beauty of each piece really stood out to me and forced me to take the time to value and study each piece. Finally I walked towards a large sculpture of a set of doors with very fine detail and attraction. It's size alone was a shock factor. I found myself spending more time looking at this one piece alone than any other, due to its size and beauty. The piece is called, "Doors to a Balinese palace", of the 19th century AD.
The set of doors were made of "nangka" or jackfruit wood, assembled from fifteen different pieces fitted together with tenon and mortise joints, with floral decoration, evidential of Chinese contacts. After reading about the piece and looking at it, straying away from what just meets the eye, I began to find a connection with it, in relation to my own life. The doors symboled to me, an opening, a pathway to something new, a new opportunity (much like this study abroad journey), or a chance. The collaboration mentioned of "fifteen different pieces fitted together" emphasized to me the various unique aspects of my life that come together to create who I am and new opportunities and challenges ahead of me. I may not know what will come next for me (what is to come through those doors?), but I know and appreciate the value and distinct aspects of my life that have brought me here to this point. Reflecting upon the beautiful and artistic detail surrounding the door, helped me reflect upon the unique aspects of my own life, or details of life that go unnoticed, that make up who I am and what accumulates to leading to my next step forward through those doors.
-Tori Ford