Rendering №3

The article “Life on the South China Sea” was published on February 12, 2013 in “The Art Newsparer”. It discusses Hong Kong’s maritime museum, which is going to be reopened on a pier in Victoria Harbour. The author,  Alexandra Seno, makes clear that Hong Kong’s museum-in-the-making of contemporary visual culture, attracts international attention, a museum that tells the history of the port city’s rise to global importance is due to reopen on 26 February. It is an open secret that The Hong Kong Maritime Museum is moving to a three-storey pier in the city’s central business district. The space will boast coveted views of Victoria Harbour and, at 35,000 sq. ft, will be six times bigger than the museum’s previous home, a colonial building in Stanley, a suburb of Hong Kong. It is necessary to mention that one of the highlights of the museum, which was founded in 2003, is an exhibition created around Pacifying the South China Sea, a rare and highly detailed Qing Dynasty scroll. It happens because historians consider the event vital to the Qing Dynasty’s ability to exercise power in the early 19th century.

It is pointed out that the work was acquired by the museum from a French family’s collection in 2006. It was made by an unknown artist in the early 1800s, around the time of the campaign. Analyzing the situation it becomes clear that other galleries will shed light on Hong Kong’s history as a world maritime capital, the evolution of seafaring life through the centuries, and the development of China’s export trade in ceramics and other coastal-based trades and industries. Anthony Hardy says that the museum also plans to bring at least two major exhibitions from world-class collections to Hong Kong in 2013. There are sighed that the new space will include 13 permanent galleries, two spaces for visiting exhibitions, a cafe and two shops. Representatives estimate that the museum, with its new, more convenient location and larger floor plan, can attract at least 140,000 visitors in its first year—more than triple the number it drew in Stanley.

In conclusion the author mentions that although the museum has the backing of the government, it is a privately run institution, and will be financed primarily by funding from the local shipping industry. Hardy, who is a collector, was the chairman of the Wallem Group shipping company until 2006, when he retired and focused his energy on the maritime museum. As for my opinion, I think that it is good decision to reconstruct the museum because it will help it to hold people’s attention and become more popular museum than now. 

Rendering №2

The article “The Starving Artist atMoMA’s Doors” was published on October 5, 2012 in NY Times. It discusses that the Museum of Modern Art without noticing, just outside the entrance on West 53rd Street, the lean, fresh-faced young man with paint-caked clothes standing next to his paint-caked table. The author, Corey Kilgannon, notices Mark Nilsson, 25, who for $50, he will depict you in a bold brushwork style, a unique, moody interpretation in acrylics on a stiff, nine-inch-square bit of paper. It is mentioned that people always talk about starving artists who die without ever seeing their work ascend to the walls of places like the Modern. Well, here is Mr. Nilsson, right outside its doors, in the prime of his starving period — starving for paying customers, anyway, ones willing to sit still for an hour for a likeness that is far from one of those sugary caricatures you get in Times Square. Moreover, many days, Mr. Nilsson, who has been working outside the museum since the summer of 2011, goes without a single taker.

Speaking about the artist the only problem of him is having to wait for work. The correspondent points out that people consider his works as great art but they do not recognize how fast those things are made. It is necessary to mention that for the past few weeks, a construction crew has forced him to a less opportune location, across the street from the museum’s entrance, where there seem to be fewer of the foreign tourists who make up the bulk of his clientele. Analyzing the situation Mr. Nilsson, who grew up in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and studied painting at the State University of New York at Purchase, is a common sight inside the museum, too, where he uses the bathroom and studies the Matisses and Cezannes on the fifth floor. It is an open secret that the well-appointed museumgoers, mostly tourists, seemed tickled to see the gangly artist in the paint-hardened jeans and splotchy shirt speaking passionately about the paintings. Ms. Moody admired Mr. Nilsson’s work space, a lightweight $30 card table now laden with thick layers of paint — really a huge palette that itself is a colorful curiosity to passers-by.

There was a friend teaching art in Taiwan who urged Mr. Nilsson to join him, and the couple from the Napa Valley who offered to fly him out for a few weeks to paint portraits, and the studio downtown that said it wanted to commission him to paint subjects it chose. In conclusion the author gives Nilsson’s former classmate’s quote: “You’re the only one of us I know who’s making a living painting’. In my opinion, art is a mandatory part of every person’s life. But for Mr. Nilsson art is more much bigger because his art is the life. I admire people who can draw because I cannot. 

Pleasure Reading №3

Chapters 17-24

Mr. Hurstwood gathered an elite audience to the performance to help Carrie to become successful but she was so nervous and the first act did not express her talent. She told her speech without necessary feelings but with a monotonous voice. Mr. Drouet came to Caroline during the intermission and tried to cheer her up and the woman did her best and impressed the audience greatly. Mr. Drouet and Mr. Hurstwood recognized that they wanted Carrie to be only their woman; however, the latter had no enough rights to stay alone with her. That day Carrie was successful and very happy and even Drouet’s company did not interfere with her.

Mr. Hurstwood was absolutely sure that he wanted to be with Caroline despite everything. He was not interested in his wife and did not want to communicate with her at all. However, having known about her husband’s lover, Mrs. Hurstwood decided to explain him that she needed only money from him. The man invited Carrie to go for a walk and asked her to leave Drouet again, the woman who did not know that Hurstwood was married, agreed only if he made her his wife. Meanwhile a gossip maid told Drouet interesting information from which he understood that his Carrie deceived him and dated his friend.

That evening their conversation was to understand what was happening between Carrie and Mr. Hurstwood. Mr. Drouet thought that it was not fair how Carrie behaved with him because he had helped her in a difficult situation. Firstly, Carrie denied but when the man informed her about Mr. Hurstwood’s wife, she could not deal with her feelings: she loved Hurstwood, respected him and trusted but he had lain her all this time. Drouet left her and Carrie again stayed alone.

Rendering №1

The article “Timeless Dutch painting displayed at de Young Museum” was published on January 31, 2013 in “The Daily Califonian”. It discusses the exhibition, where “Girl with a Pearl Earring: Dutch Paintings from the Mauritshuis,” is a carefully selected group of 17th century Dutch paintings originally from the Netherlands’s Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, which is currently undergoing a major renovation. Addy Bhasin points out that known as the “Dutch Mona Lisa,” “Girl with a Pearl Earring” has seen much popularity in the last couple decades. The author makes clear that Author Tracy Chevalier based her 1999 novel “Girl with a Pearl Earring” on the famous Vermeer portrait. It is necessary to mention that little is known about Vermeer or the model of the world-renowned portrait. Analyzing the picture the author explains that the subtle flashes of light on the earring and in the eyes give the painting a mysterious effect of capturing a moment in time.

There are signs which set this portrait apart from others is the compelling expression of the girl. Her eyes immediately silence you — something that is apparent only in her presence. The correspondent mentions that she is small, but she is captivating; the aura of tranquility surrounding the portrait can be felt. Something important to note is how splendidly preserved the painting is. Recent renovations have been applied to it including varnishing and retouching to remove cracks in the paint. Though “Girl with a Pearl Earring” is certainly a good reason to make a trip to the de Young Museum in the coming weeks, other pieces should not be missed.  The journalist explains that an impressive collection of Rembrandt van Rijn’s portraits, sketches and etchings can be viewed in “Rembrandt’s Century,” a display that one can gain entry to with a ticket for the “Girl with a Pearl Earring” exhibition.  Highlights include Pieter Claesz’s “Still Life with a Lighted Candle” and Jacques Linard’s “Still Life of Exotic Shells,” along with a series of Jacob van Ruisdael’s portraits of the natural world and William Heda’s vanitas paintings.  It is an open secret that these works of art paint the Netherlands in a luxurious light. The display of exotic seashells, blooming bouquets and rich still life scenes reflects the opulent taste and wealth of the Dutch Golden Age of painting.

In conclusion Addy Bhasin told that the beauty of the majestic, turbaned woman is not temporary and with the beautiful refurbishing she will certainly draw crowds this spring. As for me, I like this picture because it makes me think about beauty of our world. Art always helps people to express their feelings or just enjoy it. And, of course, I agree with the author that “Girl with a Pearl Earring” will transport us to a world of yore — where beauty lay in invisible brushstrokes and piercing eyes. 

Pleasure Reading №2

Chapters 9-16

Carrie seemed only as a nice and good-looking target for Mr. Douet and to proof his skills in seduction and show his success the man decided to introduce Caroline to his reputable and well-to-do friend, Mr. Hurstwood. The latter was a married man but his family did not bring him happiness. Mrs. Hurstwood always thought about her appearance and she was only interested in people’s opinions about their family; their son and daughter were pampered and the parents did not spend much time to educate them.

Being invited Mr. Hurstwood suggested to see just a beautiful woman without interesting life-views and clever thoughts, however, Carrie impressed him greatly and he wanted to continue communication with her. Caroline, in her turn, had changed and from that Carrie, who came to a big city in cheap dress without job and any near-term perspectives, had nothing to remain. They three visited theaters several times, had dinners together and when Mr. Drouet left Chicago Mr. Hurstwood promised to take care of Caroline. He did not only visit her but made Carrie love him but she did not know about his wife and children.

A new couple met secretly even when Drouet was in the city and one day Hustwood asked Carrie to leave her friend to him. Caroline’s feelings were different: she loved him but could not leave Drouet because he had helped her in a difficult moment. Moreover, he found a role for her in the theatre and Carrie’s rehearsal was perfect during which the director noticed her talent.

Term VI. Pleasure Reading №1

Chapters 1-8

Caroline Meeber, a young woman who had always lived in her parents’ house in Columbia City, decided to move to Chicago to start her own life. During the train-travel a handsome man paid attention to her. Carrie noticed that he was well-dressed, intelligent and polite; however, her education did not allow her to speak to him. The man, called Mr. Drouet, did not want to lose a chance and by the end of the travel he had her address and promised to visit the place on Monday night.

In Chicago Carrie was met by her sister Minnie and together they went to Minnie’s home. Her sister was married to Sven Hanson, a money-oriented man whose every day was similar to the previous one: he woke up in early morning, went to work, worked, went to home, played with the child and went to bed. The Hansons was poor and used sparingly every cent and, of course, Carrie could live with them only by giving money. Her first day in the job searching ended with an offer to come on Monday. She came and it was hard work accompanied with ill-mannered men and women dressed in old-fashioned and dirty clothes. Caroline did nor used to work and communicate with such people and was happy to go home. However, her happiness was not long because she imagined her sister’s home and their life as drabness. She wanted Mr. Drouet to come but she had written him a letter that it was not a good time.

Carrie had paid for living and her residence had not been a problem till she got ill and lost the job. It was late autumn and if the woman had not found a new job she would have left Chicago. Caroline did not find any but met Mr. Drouet who promised to help her. The man rented a room for Carrie and she moved there. The new friend gave her money for new clothes and did not allow her to back in Columbia City.

Pleasure Reading

Year I Term I - "Robinson Crusoe" Daniel Defoe
Year I Term II - "M or N" Agatha Cristie
Year II Term III - "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" Joanne Rowling
Year II Term IV - "Playing for Pizza" John Grisham
Year III Term V - "Pride and Prejudice" Jane Austen (325 pages)
Year III Term VI - "Sister Carrie" Theodore Dreiser