Rendering 2

The article published on the website of the newspaper “New York Times” on February 22, 2013 is headlined “A Plain White Square, and Yet So Fascinating”. This article reports at length about Rutherford Chang’s collection of The Beatles’ “The White Album”. Mr. Chang, an artist, was inspired by this album and decided to collect the whole edition which was limited. Actually, about three million numbered copies were printed in the United States before EMI stopped numbering them in 1970. 

The author of the article, Allan Kozinn, gives readers some information about Mr. Chang.  He is a soft-spoken, 33-year-old artist who was born in Houston and grew up in California. What is interesting, he is sure that though all covers are all-white and have only one difference-that is number, all of them have their own story. He has a special site named “We Buy White Albums,” which is an installation at Recess devoted to this fascination and its artistic ramifications.

What is more, the albums lost their initial view and now some of them are in near-mint condition, others bearing former owners’ names, psychedelic renderings of “The Beatles,” colorful drawings or, in many cases, patterns created by rotting cardboard.

 Analyzing the text, we find out that Mr. Chang has a gallery under the name “The White Album”. There he assorted them according their number. The lowest-numbered copy Mr. Chang has is 13539. The highest is A3129174. Mr. Chang adds that the highest price for the disc was $20.

The author remarks that some anomalies can be found in Mr. Chang’s collection. One cover is embossed “Los Beatles,” and lists the song titles in Spanish. Copy No. A0458104 is a misprint: the inner gatefold is printed upside down. European pressings opened on the top, rather than on the sides, and had black inner sleeves. 

It is important to mention that now the collection consists of 694 copies, a small fraction of the three million numbered sets.

From my point of view, it is wonderful when a person has a hobby especially when other people are interested in it, but I think that this gallery will be attractive only for a true devotee of the Beatles.

Link http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/23/arts/design/artists-obsession-with-beatles-white-album-on-display.html?src=recg

Rendering 1

The article published on the website of the newspaper “New York Times” on February 22, 2013 is headlined “As One Renaissance Door Closes, Others Open”. This article reports at length about the second-floor apartment of the Pontifical palace which was painted by Raphael and will be opened for visitors over the next few weeks. Raphael, an artist and an architect, painted frescos in four rooms where the pope conducted his business. Begun in 1982, the restoration was carried out one fresco at a time so that visitors could continue to see Raphael’s famed works.

The author of the article, Elisabetta Povoledo, assures readers that the restoration campaign brought new insights into how Raphael worked, including how he transferred his drawings from a nearly nine-yard-wide cartoon onto the walls, the methods he used to apply plaster, how quickly he painted and the organization of his workshop. What is more, Arnold Nesselrath, delegate for the scientific department and laboratories of the Vatican Museums, compared Raphael with Michelangelo and evaluated Raphael’s frescos higher.

It is necessary to point out that during the restoration some beans were found in inside a small hole in the fresco of the “Fire in the Borgo”, painted from 1514 to 1517. It is appeared to be an interesting fact for historians and gives new information about Columbus’ expeditions.

Analyzing the situation, it is necessary to note that restores believe that significant traces of the earlier frescoes remain, including the fresco attributed to the Renaissance artist Lorenzo Lotto, who had been drafted by Julius II before Raphael was brought in.

In conclusion the author gives some information about other projects such as the restoration of the Borgia apartments and the Room of Constantine, a huge banquet hall whose frescoes were designed by Raphael. The Rev. Mark Haydu, the group’s international coordinator, said that it would be impossible without the help of the Patrons of the Arts as they help to fund restorations and keep the Vatican beautiful and attractive.

From my point of view, the problem of saving cultural heritage nowadays is very vital. It is wonderful that there are people who are trying to carry down masterpieces of the Past because should not deprive our progeny without such pure and magnificent beauty.

Link http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/23/arts/design/30-year-restoration-of-raphaels-frescoes-in-vatican-is-done.html?ref=arts&_r=0

Individual Reading W. S. Maugham "The Moon and Sixpence" Summary Chapters 1-11

The narrator, a young writer, met Mrs. Strickland on one of numerous receptions. Having become good friends he began to visit her dinner parties and there he made the acquaintance of Mr. Strickland. Strickland was a middle-class stockbroker,  a typical man with no interests, but one day he left his wife and went to Paris without any explanations. Mrs. Strickland was puzzled as she considered her marriage successful. As she couldn't find any reason for such behaviour she decided that her husband had an affair with someone. There were also many vague rumour that he was living in a luxurious apartment and wasting money. His wife wrote him letters begging him to return but he was unbending. That's why Any Strickland asked the narrator to go to Paris and convice her husband to come home. The young writer agreed. However, having come to Paris, he found Strickland in a cheap hotel without any lover. What is more, the reason of his such a sudden decision was a wish to be an artist.

Pleasure Reading

Year I Term I - Conan Doyle "The Hound of The Baskervilles"
Year I Term II - William S. Maugham "Theatre"
Year II Term III - Anne Fotrier "Juliet"
Year II Term IV - D. H. Lawrence "Women in Love" 
Year III Term V - Terry Pratchett "Hogfather"
Year III Term VI - Virginia Woolf "Mrs Dalloway"