William Blake Biography and Works

William Blake is one of the well-known literary figures in England who is still in the memory of most people because of his excellent skills in painting, visionary mystic, engraving, and poetry. He was born on 28 November 1757 to an underprivileged household living in London and this condition of his family made him to receive little education and privileges when he was in his early years.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on William Blake Biography and Works specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Blake was largely unrecognized during his lifetime, may be because he dropped out of school in order to work in his father’s shop. However, he is now regarded as one of the influential figures in the history of both poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age since his works talk about the supremacy of the imagination over the rationalism and materialism of that period. Blake started to embrace biblical teachings ea rly in life, and these remained his source of motivation even in his later life (Blunt; Bronowski). In his early life, he also began engraving copies of drawings of Greek antiquities given to him by his father, and these drawings gave him an early exposure to a number of classical works by various authors. Because of his love for drawing, he was enrolled in drawing classes and he also made explorations into the world of poetry during that period. At fourteen years of age, he was apprenticed for a period of seven years to the British engraver, James Basire. After the completion of this term, he became a professional engraver. On October, 1779, he was enrolled at The Royal Academy for a six-year period. While at the school, he maintained the classical precision of his previous influences. Blake was married to Catherine Boucher on 18 August, 1782, whom he taught how to read and write as well as engrave. Catherine thereafter assisted her husband in coloring his poems and giving him bene ficial suggestions. In one of his books, The Book of Thel, Blake writes about the pain he had after the demise of his first daughter and last child. Apart from the few years he spent in school, Blake was self-educated and most of his pictorial work mainly represented biblical subjects. Blake’s elaborate paintings and engravings were therefore mainly associated to literature. The interdependence of poetry and painting formed the key principle in all his work and represented his idiosyncratic views. Even though he spent most of his lifetime around the city of London, he authored a wide variety of literary works, which embraced the human imagination as â€Å"the very body of God.† Blake was seen as mad because of the peculiar views he held. On the other hand, his expressiveness and creativity has currently made him an influential figure in the poetry world. The philosophical and mystical undercurrents that are demonstrated within his work were characterized to be part of the Romantic Movement and â€Å"Pre-Romantic,† because of their huge appearance during the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century.Advertising Looking for research paper on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More During this period, his country was ruled by the oppressive British Monarchy and the corrupt Church of England; therefore, this atmosphere of oppression was suffocating to the talented, intelligent Blake. These happenings made him to voice out his views in the disguise of romantic poems. The principles and aspirations of the French as well as of the American revolutions largely influenced his life and such theorists like Jacob Bohme and Emanuel Swendenborg also played a pivotal role in shaping his ideals. In spite of these known influences, the singularity of his work complicates any efforts to classify his work, for example, William Rossetti classified him as a â€Å"glorious luminary ,† while Peter Marshall classified him as one of the forerunners of modern anarchism. The development of Blake’s views can be seen in the differences that are evident between his early and late works. For that reason, Blake’s later literary work includes a private mythology with complicated use of symbols, his late work has received less preference than his earlier easily available work, for instance, the recent Vintage anthology of Blake was based on his earlier work. His earlier work has been seen by many scholars as mainly rebellious in character; therefore, it as been regarded as a form of protestation against dogmatic religion, for example, â€Å"The Marriage of Heaven and Hell† depicts Satan as the victor who rebels against an imposter authoritarian deity. In Blake’s later works, for example, â€Å"Milton† and â€Å"Jerusalem,† he portrays a distinguishing image of mankind as redeemed through self-sacrifice and forgiveness. He, h owever, maintains his previous position concerning the inflexible and gruesome authoritarianism of traditional belief system. Very few people have been able to understand the association that exists between Blake’s earlier and later works. Some scholars have suggested that his late works showed a growth of the ideas he had when writing his earlier works, for instance, the humanitarian objective of realizing personal wholeness of body and spirit was displayed in his late works. This is evident in one of his later writings, â€Å"The Unholy Bible,† which has a section that depicts the â€Å"Bible of Hell† pledged in one of his earlier works. Even though Blake criticized conservative religion, his denunciation of religiosity did not mean that he was totally against religion. His thoughts regarding orthodoxy Christianity is seen in â€Å"The Marriage of Heaven and Hell,† which are series passages that emulate the Biblical prophecy wherein he lists numerous Pr overbs of Hell. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on William Blake Biography and Works specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In â€Å"The Everlasting Gospel,† he gives a well-thought description of Jesus. He describes Him as a supremely created being, which is above code of belief, logic, and even principles. However, he does not present him as philosopher or conventional messianic figure. He sees Jesus as the one who forms the important connection and union that exists between divinity and humanity. He was respectful to the word of God as given in the Bible but aggressive to the Church of England (Blake, 34). Blake formulated his own mythology that is evident in all his prophetic writings wherein he introduces some characters such as ‘Urizen,’ and ‘Bromion.’ Blake derived his mythology from the Bible and from some Greek scholars. His ideas of the everlasting gospel are mostly ba sed on this mythology. One of his major criticisms of conventional religion stems from the fact that he felt that it fostered the containment of human natural desires and depressed earthly happiness. This position that he takes is evident in â€Å"A vision of the Last Judgment† where he says that men get entrance into heaven, not because they have controlled their passions, but because they have been able to cultivate their inner understandings (Frye). In â€Å"The Marriage of Heaven and Hell,† he says that he does not agree to the orthodox ideology of a distinct body from the soul, and which must be under the submission of the soul. However, he says that the body is an extension of the soul taken from the ‘discernment’ of the human five senses. Therefore, the importance traditionalism puts on the rejection of earthly joy is a dualistic error. This error is derived from misapprehension of the association that exists between the body and the soul. In anothe r place, he describes Satan as in the ‘State of error’ and as in a condition wherein he cannot come to repentance. Blake had a complicated connection with Enlightenment philosophy and because of his religious affiliation, he did not agree with the Newtonian view of the universe. This way of thinking is depicted in â€Å"Jerusalem† where he also illustrates his opposition to the ‘single-vision’ of scientific materialism. In spite of his clear disagreement to Enlightenment philosophy, he reached at a linear aesthetic. This position was somewhat the same to the neoclassical engravings of John Flaxman than to the works of the Romantics. Consequently, he has been seen as one of the enlightenment poets and artists. This is because he was in agreement with that movement’s denial of received ideas, regulations, and conventions.Advertising Looking for research paper on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, Blake was viewed as being in opposition of what he thought as the elevation of reason to the level of a tyrannical regime. In his disapproval of reason, law, and uniformity, he has been seen as contradicting the enlightenment principles. However, a number of scholars have argued that, in a dialectical sense, he employed the enlightenment drive of denunciation to disapprove narrow notions of the enlightenment principles. In many of his poems and paintings, Blake talked about the concept of universal humanity, abhorrence to slavery, and strong belief in racial and sexual equality. For example, in one of his poems, â€Å"The Book of Thel,† he asked about the essence of living here in the world. This poem is thought to be a composition in honor of his dead newborn child. Until his death on 12 August, 1827, Blake maintained an active interest in the social and political happenings that were taking place during that time (De Selincourt). He presented his statements using m ystical symbolism. His position on what he perceived as intolerable extended to the Christian faith. His religious views are depicted in Songs of Experience. In this book, he differentiates between the Old Testament God, and the New Testament God. The restrictions of the former were rejected while those of the latter were accepted. In response to Blake’s Songs of Experience, D.C. Williams (1899-1983), said that Blake used the literary work to depict the suffering and loss posed by the nature of society and the world of his time. Throughout history, poets have been influenced to a large extent by the environment that they live in, and William Blake was no exception. His literary works have influential opposing views and comments concerning different social and political events during his time. In particular, he talked about important issues regarding human nature, the oppressive British monarchy, and the Christian faith. These views were safe from prosecution. This is because he skillfully masked them in symbolic language that could not be understood by many of his adversaries. Works Cited Blake, William. The complete poetry and prose of William Blake. Ed. David V. Erdman. New York: Anchor Books, 1982. Print. Blunt, Anthony. The art of William Blake. New York: Columbia University Press, 1959. Print. Bronowski, Jacob. William Blake, 1757-1827; a man without a mask. London: Secker Warburg, 1947. Print. De Selincourt, Basil. William Blake. New York: Haskell House Publishers, 1971. Print. Frye, Northrop. Blake; a collection of critical essays. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1966. Print. This research paper on William Blake Biography and Works was written and submitted by user Brown Starfish to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Essay on Dorothy E SMith

Essay on Dorothy E SMith Essay on Dorothy E SMith My First Day at High School Lubert Montero My first high school day I had mixed feelings I was actually excited and also nervous. I was sad and also happy that I got out of elementary school. I remember hearing story about Brebeuf and how hard of a school it was and how many fights happen daily and how everybody gets ninered. But surprisingly none of that ever happened. I was really excited to get into classes with my close friends in elementary but I didn’t get one class with them so I had to make new friends right away. I remember it being so quiet in the first day. It was hard at first introducing myself to people but later on the day I made some new friends. When I got to the school we had a big assembly first thing in the morning I remember seeing some many different type of people. Different race and size. But when I walked in I remember my close friends in elementary school coming up to me and introducing me to new people they just met and I just remember seeing everyone just standing next to each other awkwardly talking. It was first period and I had French. It remember being so quiet and nervous because I thought I was not going to have friends. But I sat beside I guy named Adam and at first it was awkward but then I started a conversation and it broke the awkwardness and we became friends. While at first we had to do a quick task were we introduced ourselves in the class and told a little something about ourselves and I said I was a basketball player and a friendly person. Allot of people said the same thing like what sports they like and what kind of person they were. I got really excited hearing allot of

Analysis of the National Preparedness System Assignment

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Suggest some actual government policies that might be used in your Essay

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Medical Insurance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Medical Insurance - Research Paper Example The exceptions include: smoking cessation drugs, over the counter drugs, fertility drugs, birth control, and non-prescription drugs. The dental plan covers 70% of fillings, cleanings, scalings, exams, and polishing on the first $575 and this will grant the client a maximum of $400 in coverage each year. Recall visits are included in that every nine months per person. The other benefits that are included are listed below. Extended health care (starter) which provides a maximum of $250000 per person. Best Doctors Solutions Services includes protection if a serious illness or injury is suspected. An evaluation of the client's medical records by world class specialists who can confirm the first diagnosis. They will also determine steps for the best treatment options. This protection is great when a misdiagnosis occurs and the local physician can then take the appropriate steps at that point. Additional services include: treatment planning, determination of best service provider, and mana gement of the client's care. Chiropractor, Chiropodist, Osteopath, Naturopath, Podiatrist, Registered Massage Therapist, and Acupuncturist coverage is also included. The maximum that is covered is $20 per visit for 20 visits each year. Chiropractic X-ray for $35 maximum per person per year is covered.

Wabi Sabi And Tadao Ando

Wabi Sabi And Tadao Ando We can easily now conceive of a time when there will be only one culture and one civilization on the entire surface of the earth. I dont believe this will happen, because there are contradictory tendencies always at work on the one hand towards homogenization and on the other towards new distinctions. In the 1970s and 80s, architecture in Japan was developed as a quick imitation of some indistinct international style or much worse disneyfication of Japanese cities littered with out-of-place, or downright quirky, architecture. Attempts to be creative were easily blurred by sublimated ideas from pre-WWII period, as Japanese architects are lost in translating Western aesthetic forms for a Japanese public. Likewise attempts to be traditional remains most often restricted to the production of experimental skyscrapers with cut-outs and occasional pagoda roofs (note: need to find examples, images). Many Japanese architects of that period struggle to establish an identity for themselves in an increasingly homogeneous world (Isozaki, 2011: 35) Asahi Beer Building, Asakusa district, Tokyo, by renown product designer Phillip Strack, 1989. The same struggle is evident at the beginning of Tadao Andos career as he seeks to reconcile aspects of modern construction with aspects of Japanese tradition. His travels to the West in his late 20s, taught him extensively on the precedents of modern masters such as Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe and Louis Kahn (Dal Co, 1997). Yet, remarkably, Ando has never been described as a neo-Corbusian, a neo-Miesian, or a neo-Kahnian. His concrete surfaces have textures as smooth and delicate as fine Japanese craftwork. His compositions are spare and clean. By these means, Andos architecture embraces a contemplative, ascetic realm of stillness and abstraction. His works embodies a rare mastery of materials and light that seeks to reconnect mankind with nature, with a monastic sense of plainness. Kenneth Frampton in his essay Tadaos Andos Critical Modernism (Frampton, 1984) further celebrates Tadao Ando as a critical regionalist. So, how did Ando overcome his struggle for an identity? To answer this question, this dissertation begins with a look back into Japanese history. In the region of Kansai during the 16th century, the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his protà ©gà ©, tea master Sen No Rikyu, laid the foundation for the discipline of wabi-sabi: a strict adherence to the virtues of simplicity, poverty and modesty, in direct resistance to the unrefined pretention of wealth. It also reflects the dissatisfaction with institutional power and resistance to tyranny. Osaka, Kansais regional capital, is Tadao Andos native city. Thus, by birth and inclination, it is no coincidence that he belongs to wabi-sabi aesthetic which is still alive today, as do many of his clients. This dissertation therefore argues, for the first time, that the fundamental key to understanding Andos capacity for abstraction must be found in wabi-sabi aesthetics. This argument may best be illustrated by a comparison of his work with that of Sen no Rikyu (1522-91), one of the greatest of all tea ceremony masters, and an important architect of tea ceremony pavilions. This dissertation will then further discuss the role of wabi-sabi in making Ando a critical regionalist. By briefly exploring the concept of critical regionalism , its importance in contemporary architecture discourses and its criticism, the dissertation shall further reflect upon how Critical Regionalism functions within Japanese culture, in which its architectural past is often more of abstraction rather than physical. Wabi-sabi: A Context The Japanese aesthetic tradition, like any other cultural tradition, encompasses diverse tastes and arts. They range from the ordinariness of Noh theatre to the lavishness of Kabuki theatre, the severity of monochrome brush ink paintings to the opulence of gold-gilded screen paintings, and the simple rusticity of tea huts to the august majesty of castles. Among the variety of aesthetic pursuits, one theme stands out for being somewhat unconventional. It is a celebration of qualities commonly regarded as falling short of, or deteriorating from the optimal condition of the object (De Mente, 2006). While such works may appear somewhat homely and rough, at the same time they impart a sense of elegance and tranquillity, a kind of unsophisticated sophistication, like the moon obscured by clouds. (Koren, 1994). This study will refer to this Japanese aesthetics of the imperfection and insufficiency as wabi-sabi. The discussion in this chapter will briefly review the aesthetic, social, historical, and philosophical dimensions of this Japanese aesthetic taste. Wabi and sabi Wabi is derived from the verb wabu (to deteriorate) and the adjective wabishii (solitary, comfortless). The essence of wabi has been described as nonattachment and subtle profundity (De Mente, 2006: 45). The nonattachment essence of a wabi is part of the Zen School of Buddhism that teaches detachment from all material things and the ability to experience the essence of things (Koren, 1994: 12). On the other hand, the original meaning of sabi is rust or patina, but it also connotes loneliness and desolation as reflected in the adjective sabishii (lonely), particularly with reference to old age (1994: 13). Koren (1994: 21) primarily suggests wabi-sabi as the most conspicuous and characteristic feature of what we think of as traditional Japanese beauty, comparing its importance in Japanese aesthetics to the Greek ideals of beauty and perfection in the West. The essence of wabi aesthetic is perhqaps best captured in Sen No Ryikus words: never forget that the way of tea is nothing more than boiling water, making tea and drinking tea. And the tea ceremony conducted in the smallest of spaces serves primarily the practice of meditation and its goal is enlightenment. Originally, the meanings of neither wabi nor sabi were specifically related to aesthetic qualities. The development of the wabi-sabi aesthetic began in earnest during the Kamakura Period (1185-1333) coinciding with the spread of Zen Buddhism in Japan (Koren 1994: 12). Zen ideas about transcending the mundane world and conventional ways of looking at things through concepts like emptiness, impermanence and renunciation inspired a kind of appreciation of negative experiences such as old age, poverty and loneliness (Suzuki, 1972: 42). Hermits, priests and poets leading a solitary wandering life in search of spiritual insight incorporated this sense of appreciation in their works and teachings. As these ideas gained momentum, people tried to resign themselves to the sufferings of life and began to see a kind of beauty in them. Expressed in artistic forms, this in turn evolved into the aesthetic appreciation of wabi-sabi (Koren, 1994:14). Later, the development of the tea ceremony in the 16th century marks an important step in the evolution of wabi-sabi. Sen no Rikyu, credited with establishing the tea ceremony in its current form, was also influential in establishing wabi-sabi as an aesthetic concept (Okakura, 2005: 33). He extolled the use of simple, indigenous home-style tea utensils over the expensive and highly decorative tea utensils imported from China, placing objects expressing wabi-sabi at the pinnacle of aesthetic appreciation (2005:34). Initially, these new aesthetics could only be discovered in the humble utensils used by the common people, or in a neglected stone lantern overgrown with moss. However, as time progressed, design works were intentionally created to reflect wabi-sabi, for example, raku earthenware tea bowls or the design of the tea-house, which took on the style of a simple rural hut, with space inside for only two tatami mats (around 3.5m ²) (De Mente, 2006:45). Futhermore in art and design, two other elements that are often associated with sabi objects are asymmetry and austerity. Kakuzo Okakura (2005:15), the Japanese tea master, labelled this asymmetry beauty as the art of imperfection. Surprises are achieved by the unbalanced by the apparent randomness of things that allows the observer to complete the image. This stands in contrast to the Western compulsion to symmetry and mathematical balance, leaving no surprises and nothing for the viewer to add. Also worth nothing is that in modern Japan, the definition of a wabi-sabi style of living evolves into the elimination of things which that are inessential. The tranquillity aspect of wabi dictates a look and feel that radiates an aura of calm and solace. The natural aspect of sabi results from avoiding machination of any sort. This includes making an object or area look as if it were created by nature, not by human or machine (Koren, 1994). Wabi-sabi and Tadao Ando [further writing here on Tadao Andos background and why Tadao Ando: his significance in Japanese architecture since the 1980s] Several themes related to wabi-sabi can be identified in Andos works, and these will be discussed under the following distinct but interrelated headings: light, overlapping spaces and materials. This study will engage the expression of these themes through the analysis of his better known works, alongside an examination of similar principles in traditional Japanese exemplars. Light The spaces in Andos works are typified by light within darkness. Common features among Ando works are their meditative calmness and dimness. While describing Andos Church of Light in Ibaraki, Jodidio (2004) sums it up: If the enclosed world is a microcosm, the shaft of sunlight penetrating it is a ray of hope rendered vivid by the enclosure and the surrounding darkness. On the other hand, the fragile beauty of shadows that marked the Japanese cultural identity, as were praised by novelist Junichiro Tanizaki (1977), are utilised by Ando to infuse his buildings with an uncanny mood which enrich the void with darkness. In Andos Shiba Ryotaro Memorial Museum in Higashiosaka, visitors experience a space saturated with a heavy darkness, yet made significant by the sudden burst of light in the south-west elevation. Spatial Enclosure Though set in an urban environment, in true spirit of wabi-sabi, Andos buildings strive for the mood of a mountain retreat. Andos buildings are often described as an enclosed world, shut off from the exterior environment (Jodidio 2004:10). It shuts out the exterior world but introduces nature, in symbolic form. The symbolic representation of nature is a major expression of wabi-sabi aesthetic, and is prevalent in all Japanese art. One outstanding example is the Zen rock gardens of the Ryoan-ji, a 13th century Buddhist temple in Kyoto, where stones and white sand are used to depict islands and the sea. In Andos Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, near Kobe, visitors are greeted with a deceptively closed, minimalist volume of raw concrete. Dal Co (1997:125) describes the form of the museum as one which is radically new, yet there is still the old feeling of seclusion, of an architecture that creates another world remote from the everyday. He further describes the overall spatial structure is as closed to the outside yet open within, the former tempered by a few slits and the latter by layered planes (1997:125). One can argue that this is suggestive of the wabi-sabi approach in older, traditional Japanese architecture, where buildings are enclosed with a simple mud wall and made inwardly porous by layered screens. Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, outside Kobe Thus, spaces which overlap and figuratively fold in on each other add depth and richness to the composition and stimulate excitement and expectation in the person experiencing the space. The effect is achievable through the approach to the building. For example, the approach to a tea ceremony pavilion often leads through a garden space called a roji. This is exemplified in tea-ceremony huts in Kyotos Katsura Imperial Villa, one of Japans best known architectural heritage. In the course of traversing this garden, the visitor must pass through several gates, usually designed delicately and minimally, before finally reaching the pavilion where the tea ceremony will be performed. Detours are deliberately included in the stepping-stone walkway to generate similar anticipation and excitement. The same kind of indirect approach is characteristic of Andos buildings. Materials Traditional Japanese house architecture often employs unfinished logs, simply split bamboo, and walls made of clay with an admixture of chopped straw, as in Katsuras tea-ceremony hut. One can notice that materials were deliberately used without finishes for the sake of creating an aesthetically pure, ideal world of sobriety, calm and refined rusticity (Okakura, 2005). One can conclude that designers of tea ceremony architecture carefully selected only those materials conducive to production of a microcosm compatible with the aesthetics of wabi. Designers of such architecture tend to use natural materials, to have them look as natural as possible, and to employ muted -almost monochrome colour schemes. One could argue that Andos works severely limits the range of interior colours. In Andos buildings one could observe almost entirely unfinished concrete with the exception of floors and furnishings, which are of natural materials. Window sashes, which, though steel, are always painted gray, never bright self-assertive colours. This approach used both by designers of tea ceremony buildings and by Ando, is determined by a concern for the materials themselves and for spatial composition (Baek, 2008). Furthermore, in the spaces in Andos works, one can observe the same peaceful, almost desolate spirit of wabi-sabi that informs the design of a teahouse or lonely mountain temple. Apart from warm touches of wooden flooring and nature beyond, every surface of concrete, steel or mass presents a chilly monotonous grey. These black-and-white tonalities are distinctly Japanese, apparent in traditional buildings in silvery roof tiles, grey-weathered boards, neutral plaster and white paper screens. Tadao Andos Critical Modernism This chapter of the dissertation begins with a brief overview of critical regionalism, its importance in contemporary architecture discourse in Japan, and the criticisms against. Building on the discussion of wabi-sabi in chapters before, the chapter further discusses the role of wabi-sabi in making Ando a critical regionalist. Critical regionalism and Japan In history, regionalism is a manifested concept since the times of the Romans. Regional variations has been extensively discussed in Vitruvius treaties De Architectura (Ten Books on Architecture). The Romantics further propounded picturesque regionalism during the 19th and early 20th century. (Nesbitt 1996: 486) Critical regionalism, on the other hand, was first coined as an architectural concept in the early 1980s in essays by Alexander Tzonis, Liane Lefaivre and, subsequently, Kenneth Frampton. Tadao Andos works are situated within this backdrop of a newly defined focus on regionalism. This new focus is seen as a reaction to the authority of modernism and the imitating scenography of postmodernism, both of which were thought to have failed to address the human condition in their extreme stances towards historicism. The core question which arises is how to become modern and to return to sources?. In their 1981 article The Grid and the Pathway, Tzonis and Lefaivre hypothesise critical regionalism as the solution. In the context of architecture in Greece, they defined the term critical regionalism as the third and latest type of regionalism, following the English picturesque of nationalist regionalism, and the Neoclassical historicist regionalism. They further argued that modern architecture is impersonal and monolithic, destroying the humanistic qualities in architectural expression which would be reinstated by a new form of regionalism. (Tzonis Lefaivre, 1981) Frampton later followed their lead in propounding critical regionalism. In his 1983 seminal essay Towards a Critical Regionalism, he embeds the concept with a higher sense of urgency and highlights its critical nature against placeless monotony. Frampton saw critical regionalism exemplified by Jà ¸rn Utzons Bagsvaerd Church (1973-76) near Copenhagen, which represents, according to Frampton, a self-conscious synthesis of universal civilization and world culture. The combination of universal elements like the concrete outer shell of the church, with an organic and individualistic interior and a roof shape reminiscent of pagodas as a reference to world culture, make, in the eyes of Frampton, this architecture simultaneously resistant and modern (Frampton, 1983: 16) This resistance, one could argue, is also apparent in 1980s Japan in the midst of an economic boom. There exists a typified reaction against universal standards, western culture homogenisation and placeless modernism, but at the same time the reaction is critical in its outlook. Likewise, one could also argue that critical regionalism in Japan is self-evaluating such that it is confrontational with not only the world but also to itself. Although the Japanese (like the Chinese) had developed doctrines relatively early that emphasised the necessity of space essence, ma, and Western functionality and aimed, at least sporadically, at a reconciliation of Chinese and Western elements in architecture, regionalism has never been established as a critical architectural movement (Isozaki, 2001: 131). (note: further elaboration needed) On the contrary, Peter Eisenman argued there is no tradition of resistance in Asia. Thus, he concludes, rendering architecture in Asia, in principle, conservative and accommodating. Eisenman refers to the importance attributed to critical thinking in late 18th century Europe developed, in particular, by Kant and Giovanni Battista Piranesi that strongly contributed to the formation of a critical consciousness among European architects. Eisenman pointed out that such tradition cannot be traced in Asia. (Eisenman, 1995) (note: further elaboration needed) Tadao Ando: a wabi-sabi Critical Regionalist Frampton celebrates Tadao Ando as a critical regionalist. This is most evident in his essay Tadaos Andos Critical Modernism (Frampton, 1984) in which Frampton uses the label to discuss Andos architecture One of Framptons criteria for critical regionalism is a direct dialectical relation with nature, a dialog with the environment that Andos architecture embodies in the articulation of structure through the changing impact of terrain. This is exemplified in Andos Chikatsu-Asuka Museum outside Osaka. The work is characterised by the valley which surrounds the site. Ando decisively situated the museum on the severe slopes to make it a quiet building standing quietly in nature (Ando, 1989a: 46). In contrast to the modernist clean slate approach of levelling the site, Andos approach is in true adherence to the spirit of wabi-sabi of preserving the tectonic quality of the nature. In Chikatsu-Asuka, the work is tactile, another component of Framptons (1983:28) definition which resides in the fact that (the building) can only be decoded in terms of experience itself. Indeed, Ando professes that a building exists to be seen and experienced and not to be talked about (eds. Knabe Noennig, 1999: 118). It could also be argued that, in abidance to the tenets of wabi-sabi, Ando is seeking to tackle the tactile range of human perception. This romanticised emotion of wabi-sabi can be seen in the way Ando describes his buildings and context, which he refers to as cruel urban surroundings (Ando, 1997:12). As discussed earlier, within his territorial walls and spatial enclosure, Ando is determined to establish a natural, Zen-like relationship between the person, material and natural phenomena. His works are designed to be experienced in body and spirit. (eds. Knabe Noennig, 1999: 118) At the same time, Ando often speaks of the spirit and emotional contents which he has translated from the Japanese vernacular and the richness of the tradition of sukiya1 and minka2 which is lost in urban chaos and economic growth (Ando, 1982). In fact, his architecture is largely influenced by the nostalgia of his childhood memories: We all have had certain experiences in our childhood that have stayed with us for our entire lives. The house that I grew up in was very important to me à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ It is very long, and when you come in from the street you walk through a corridor and then into a small courtyard and then another long space that takes you deeper into the house. The courtyard is very important because the house is very long and the amount of light is very limited. Light is very precious à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Living in a space like that, where light and darkness are constantly interacting, was a critical experience for me. (Auping, 2002: 22) Ando (Auping, 2002: 22) speaks of himself, I value cultural treasures and would like to develop them in a creative way, revealing his, and many Japanese architects, fondness for cultural artefacts and a related lament at the loss of such an environment due to unrelenting urban development. On the other hand, the argument that posits Ando as a critical regionalist lies in this very statement by Frampton (1995:12), in which Ando is described as at once both an unequivocally modern architect and a figure whose values lie embedded in some archaic moment. In the same text, he further argued that Ando is committed to some other time before the machinations of progress has turned into an every present nemesis. Hence, one can conclude that Ando is critically opposed of the chaotic Japanese urban context and reproduction traditional Japanese physical elements. In his work there are none. One can hardly find the traditional open pavilion, bare timber skeleton, deeply overhanging roofs, or sliding shoji doors of spotless white paper (Jodidio, 2004: 21). Nevertheless Ando has transmuted these properties into something new, grounding his architecture in an ancient culture while freeing it of depiction. Wabi-sabi as a representation Japanese architectural identity. One could argue, like wabi-sabi itself, the notion of Japanese identity is perceived sensually rather than visually. Notes Sukiya is a type of Japanese architectural style. It can be literally translated as sophisticated, cultivated experience, often a reference to delight of the elegantly performed tea-ceremony. Minka are private dwellings of farmers, artisans, and merchants, constructed in traditional Japanese building styles. Illustration credits Leonard Koren, from his book Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets Philosophers, fig. 2-3 Author, fig. 1, 4-10 Word count 3493

Cover Girl Cosmetics Essay examples -- marketing business

Cover Girl Cosmetics Why Cover Girl is one of the most successful cosmetic organizations since the 1960’s? Cover Girl cosmetics have been the top-seller since 1961 and are still going strong. It is hard, with all the advanced lines of make-up for one product to go as far as Cover girl has, so how does Cover Girl cosmetics do it? A lot of Cover Girl’s strong, on going successes are due to changing the look of the product, exceptional promotions which the public can’t look over, giving a cosmetic appeal to both older and younger aged women and most importantly by using near perfect women and teens to model their products. Although it’s wonderful that Cover Girl has been and still is so successful, it has put a dentation in today’s society in what women’s appearance should and shouldn’t be. Women and young adolescence are confused of what their appearance should be. Cover Girl has many famous models; one inparticular is the famous country singer Faith Hill. Faith is tall, skinny, and flawless. When women see models like her doing the advertising for Cover Girl, they automatically feel that they should look the same. Later in this paper I will go into semiotics which derives from the Greek word semeion meaning sign, it basically describes how people interpret different signs, such as models, and how these signs might effect one’s life and self-esteem. Proctor & Gamble are the owners and starters of Cover Girl cosmetics. To keep up the success of Cover Girl they must keep on top of the advertising game to stay above the competitors. To do this they do many promotions, some include using famous singers, changing displays, giving away samples and one of the most important advertisement of all is the models Cover Girls incorporates in their ads. Cover Girls did one promotion with Target stores to promote their product. They used the famous group 98 Degrees to make a sweepstakes called, â€Å"Fall in Love with 98 Degrees Sweepstakes.† The grand prizewinner of this sweepstakes is an appearance in the new 98 Degrees music video. This advertising doesn’t just take place in the Target stores; it also takes place in Teen magazine, stickers on the new 98 Degrees CDs, a national radio campaign, and the national Teen People magazine. Because it’s teens that mainly listen to the music that 98 Degrees produces, it’s the teens that this particular promotion is focused on. I s... ...so very successful because of their unique forms of advertising and promotions. Contacting certain audiences which is their main target during different promotions is a wonderful way to go. Understanding advertising will better help you understand yourself and make you realize whom you really are and whom you will always be no matter how many cosmetics you buy. Works Cited Adweek, L.P. â€Å"Cover Girl to sponsor a special June issue of YM on topic relationships.† Mediaweek 26 April 1993 v3 n17 p4 (1) Adweek, L.P. â€Å"Cover Girl Sweepstakes Ties to Target Stores.† Brandweek 26 July 1999 v40 i30 p1. Adweek, L.P. â€Å"Makeover for Makeup.† Brandweek 6 Sept. 1999 v40 i33 p1. Cosmetics International Cosmetic Products Report, â€Å"Cover Girl Bolsters it’s Foundation.† July 1999 v15 i174 p11. http://www.covergirl.com/models/sara/sara1.html, â€Å"Sarah Thomas.† http://members.xoom.com/ XMCM/faith/news.htm, â€Å"Faith Hill.† http://www.aber.ac.uk/~ednwww/Undgrad/ed30610/nnr501.html â€Å"Semiotic Analysis.† Progressive Grocer, â€Å"Wicked for Halloween.† Oct. 1999 v78 i10 p122 Sloan, Pat. â€Å"Cover Girl Pays Attention to Both Brand and Product.† Advertising Age 3 March 1997. v68 n9 P12 (1).