27 February 2015
What’s it like looking into a mirror for the first time? Dogs bark at their own reflection and run full speed ahead to play with the ‘newcomer,’ only to crash headlong into themselves. Cats stop, stare, and even pounce on the doppelganger. Babies smile, laugh and dance with the other little person in the mirror, even if they can’t stand up. Even as adults, whe...
20 February 2015
Propaganda posters featuring Mao appeared as early as the 1950s but it was during the Chinese Cultural Revolution that they reached their peak. The ‘Little Red Book’ was so named because it was small enough to be carried around in everyone’s pockets – and carry it they did. If a Red Guard demanded to see your book and you failed to produce it from your pocket the pu...
13 February 2015
Back before modern stuffed pillows emerged, when the concept of headrests first began in ancient civilizations, wooden or stone pillows were quite common all across the world. It should be noted, the main function of these pillows was not for comfort as we know it today, but instead, as a means to raise the head so insects could not crawl into your mouth, nose, ear, or hair. It seems huma...
03 February 2015
At one point during high school my room was home to nine chairs: a desk chair, a couch, an armchair, an ottoman, two bar stools, one dining chair, one swivel chair, and a bean bag cushion. As you can imagine, there was more sitting room than walking space, and my room wasn’t too big anyway. In looking back, the question arises: why did I have so many chairs? There is no convincing a...
23 January 2015
In 1865, Tibet was closed to foreigners. Authorities feared foreign exposure would destroy the country’s culture and religion; and worse that foreigners wanted to colonize the country. It’s probably true. The British were encroaching from India to the South; China was encroaching from the East; and Russia was expanding from the North. Tibet was a country under siege. It appeare...
09 January 2015
You’re in a cave and it is pitch black. There is no sense of direction, distance or boundaries. You’re alone with yourself and your imagination. You can’t decide if it’s comforting or terrifying. You light a gas lamp and suddenly you spot small white dots in the blackness; first one, then more, some round, others oval. Are they shells? You reach out and touch one,...
02 January 2015
During the early 20th century African art began impacting the western art world when a group of artists known as the School of Paris friends began incorporating certain elements into their works. Their names and artworks are now promoted by first rate auctioneers across the world: Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, Joan Miro, Constantin Brancusi, among others. It’s no s...
12 December 2014
Though there are many mudras with fascinating meanings and stories. Here are several of the most common ones:
05 December 2014
Here’s a question: can you name a single ancient civilization that did not create and utilize baskets? The answer is probably no. Which means that baskets may well be one of the oldest art forms in human history. Unfortunately, the natural fibers used to create baskets made it difficult for many samples to be preserved over thousands of years. However, archeologists have discovered ...
26 November 2014
To begin the divination process, the Babalawo dusts the Opon Ifa with powder from irosun trees. He traces sacred signs and then taps the Opon Ifa with the pointed end of a tapper known as the ‘Iroke Ifa.’ He establishes a rhythmic beat, invoking the presence of Orunmila. While a tarot card reader will rely on a deck of 78 cards, the Babalawo throws 16 sacred palm nuts called I...