14 November 2014
The irony is the Greek texts had undergone several revisions in recent times and were close to the original Russian version Nikon wanted to reform. Ignorant of this knowledge, Nikon, backed by the Tsar, oppressed and persecuted the Old Believers who protested and refused to change. This was a terribly violent time in Russian history. Many people were exiled, flogged, starved or burned at t...
07 November 2014
In the case of most western art, provenance is the key to figuring out the history of the piece: the artist, origin, and the chain of ownership or auction houses the work has previously passed through. It is an important aspect in measuring the authenticity, quality, desirability, and value of a work of art. However, when it comes to African art the traditional view regarding provenance doe...
31 October 2014
Imagine you are new to the United States. You have just arrived after a long, grueling flight from India and before that a seemingly endless trek from Tibet, your home country. October 31st means little to you because you have never heard of Halloween. It is already dark outside by the time you arrive, and you’re tired. You’ve barely slept. The anxiety of start...
10 October 2014
The topic of who discovered what and when has long been debated by historians whom may never come to a singular agreement. One thing is certain: humans have continually dreamt of faraway lands and set sail to voyage to the edges of the earth and beyond. As with all things in human history, people have striven to leave records of their voyages and discoveries. From the earliest...
03 October 2014
Collecting art is an art form by itself. Whether you are collecting for fun, professionally, or for investment purposes, there is no set formula on how to properly collect art. Collectors of western art may weigh the values of a piece based on the artist, provenance, rarity, and aesthetic impression as well as current trends in the art world. Yet, in the case of African art, some of ...
05 September 2014
I recall days in my childhood when the whole family would stop and listen to unusual sounds coming from inside the house. It wasn’t that the house was haunted. It simply made unusual sounds. My mother was the best noise detective of us all; she would be still, listen, put her ear to the walls and doors, and wait. One time she tracked a noise down to the washing machine, which instead o...
15 August 2014
Carl Sagan once said, “Astronomy is a science that seeks to explain everything.” Although the late astronomer was a popular figure in modern times, people have been looking up towards the stars for thousands of years. Jainism, for instance, is one of the oldest religions in the world, yet it does just what Sagan declared in breathtaking detail. The origins of Jaini...
14 August 2014
Just a week after I moved to Chicago, I woke up to the rumble of airplanes zooming over my apartment. It was the annual Air and Water Show that my landlord had told me about. Rather than face a room full of moving boxes and half constructed furniture, I dashed out the door to see what all the fuss was about. The show was like nothing I had ever seen before. At times I was certain the...
08 August 2014
Traveling in Switzerland is ridiculously easy – a few hours on the road and you’re already in another country. I grew up in Switzerland and as a child my family traveled all the time. On one particular trip across several countries we ended up in Munich, enjoying a brunch stacked with sausages, potatoes and beer. When we were finished I helped my father count colorful Deutsche ...
01 August 2014
I never took her up on the offer, but I did recognize how difficult it was to craft pottery. Although she strived, my mother could never make two bowls look remotely alike in shape, size or design. This caused some trouble while trying to stack them in the kitchen cupboards, but I thought the irregularities were what made her dishes beautiful. They reminded me of ancient primitive pots &nda...