The Perpetual Dome

The "The Perpetual Dome" will include the perception of vastness
in the inside of the building. Upon walking in, the sacred space should have tall ceilings, and vast open space facilitated by large beams, weather wood, steel, concrete, or other. Similar to the construction of the new Cowboy Stadium in Arlington. The outside of the building should have large columns like the Pantheon in Rome. This will facilitate the perception of importance in the sacred space. The altar should be at the other end of the sanctuary from the front door, but be visible from the front door. This will promote the importance by accentuating the size.
In our Universal Sacred Place we suggested that the altar would sit high because this would be a preferred place of worship. An altar is a place where offerings and sacrifices are made for religious purposes. An altar can also be a place where spiritual ceremonies take place High places are in almost every culture as believers kneel in reference to their Highest Being. There is a throne that is surrounded with four columns that are plated with gold leafing. The altar includes a mural of clouds and there is a ceiling that opens up to the heavens. We have set an offering table under the throne so that those bringing offerings will have a place to lay them. The flooring is marble along with the columns. The walls are plastered in Gold leafing. There is a washing well located at the entrance for those who have to cleanse before entering the room.
We tried to include all aspects of many cultures altars/offering rooms so that different entities will feel free to worship, pray, sacrifice, or bring offering in a comfortable atmosphere. We found that many cultures incorporate a lot of the same things in their altars/offering rooms. We decided there would be no one statue, mural, of a higher being due to the fact, different entities would use this room. In this sense those that choose are able to bring pictures, statues, or any type of structure to show reverence to their own beliefs.
Circles, in most religions and even in the secular world, represent a never-ending cycle. Circles generally symbolize perfection and their lines are never-ending, infinite, and eternal. Most religions believe that their religion, in its perfection, will be a never ending circle, always there to help. A circle or dome could represent the idea of a never-ending life cycle. Many religions, with different variations, believe in an afterlife which, like a circle, is eternal. The dome will allow for worshipers to contemplate life and its everlasting cycle.
The group also chose to place a skylight in the center of the dome. Most religions believe in an ethereal being or they somehow incorporate light from "the
Heavens" into their religion. To help remind the worshiper of the help coming from above, the structure will have a skylight at the top so the "worshiper" is able to see the sky and light will be able to seep into the building.
Also, our group decided to incorporate mosaics all over the inside walls of the dome and the structure. The mosaics will incorporate different artist pieces of many different religions. There will be many colors incorporated as well. Different colors will symbolize different things. The colors will help to create tranquility, peace, and cohesiveness. There will also be many small windows around the structure that will help illuminate the inside. These windows can help bring the symbolism of the "Heavens." Some of the windows will be circular to keep the theme of the never-ending life cycle.

The Shinto Shrines - Alison Jungfleisch

Shinto shrines are widely popular throughout Japan (approximately 100,000). They are used as part of the Shinto (meaning “the way of the gods”), or the spirituality of the Japanese people, for the purpose of housing spirits (kami) in the honden. The Japanese people believed that the land and natural elements, even animals, were spiritual and powerful. Basically, the land and creatures are worshipped as gods which they call kami. I think that this shows how the people harmonize with their surroundings and what their culture is based on. Shinto shrines are much like what Christians would call churches. They hold wedding ceremonies in them, bring their babies to the shrine for luck, and visit on special holidays such as New Years.

Shinto shrines are all typically set up in the same way. Torii gates mark the entrance of a shrine. They are usually made of wood and sometimes painted. On either side of the entrance there are Komainu which are guardian dogs, foxes, or lions. A great example of this that I have personally seen are the lions outside of the Americanized Asian markets. Also found near the entrance of the shrines are purification troughs. Before entering the shrine, one must wash their hands for the purpose of purification and cleansing. Inside you will find either one building made up of the honden (main hall) and the haiden (offering hall) or the honden and haiden in separate buildings. Regardless of the separation or not, the honden is the most important part of the shrine and is usually placed above the rest of its surroundings in the center. Generally, besides during religious festivals, the honden is closed off to the public and fenced in. Inside the honden is where the “sacred body of the kami” (goshintai) is kept. Only the shinto priests may enter to perform rituals. However, regardless of their great importance, hondens don't even exist in some shrines because of the belief that the kami are bonded to their surrounding land or such. The haiden is where visitors do offering and pray. Another thing that can be found in some shrines as well as Buddhist temples are ema which are wooden plaques on which visitors write their wishes, the most popular being passing exams, love, and wealth. The ema are sold at the shrine to help secure the shrine financially. Talismans are also sold at shrines for good luck in child birth, traffic, etc. Another lucky thing found in some temples are omikuji which are fortune slips that contain anything from great good luck to bad luck. By tying the slips to a tree branch, either the good luck comes or the bad luck is prevented.

There are many different kinds of Shinto Shrines. There are thousands of shrines across Japan dedicated to Inari (the kami of rice), the most famous being Kyoto's Fushimi Inari. There are also many thousand shrines dedicated to Hachiman (the kami of war), the most famous being Kamakura's Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. There are many Sengen Shrines which are dedicated to Princess Konohanasakuya who is the deity of Mount Fuji. There are also many shrines dedicated to past leaders and scholars.



http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2059.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinto_shrine

http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/shinto/shrines.html

"Stonehenge" Profile of Sacred Space Assignment

Tim Laudan

Professor Debbie DeWitte

Art 1301

April 8, 2010

Stonehenge

General Description

Stonehenge is a megalithic rock monument of 150 enormous stones set in a circular pattern, located on the Salisbury Plain of southern England, the main portion of it built about 2000 BC. The outside circle of Stonehenge includes 17 enormous upright trimmed stones of hard sandstone called sarsen; some paired with a lintel over the top. This circle is about 100 feet in diameter, and, stands about 16 feet tall. Inside the circle are five more paired-and-linteled stones of sarsen, called trilithons, each of these weighing 50-60 tons and the tallest 23 feet high. Inside that, a few smaller stones of bluestone, quarried 200 kilometers away in the Preseli Mountains of western Wales, are set in two horseshoe patterns. Finally, one large block of Welsh sandstone marks the center of the monument. The exact reason Stonehenge was built is still not known, it is believed that Stonehenge was built as a sacred monument used for meetings and religious purposes. The key stones are aligned with major solar and lunar events including Solstices and Equinoxes. The most incredible thing about Stonehenge is that it’s considered a major engineering feat because of the size and weight of the stones, and the distances they had to be moved without any modern equipment.

Architectural Design

The 30 Sarsen stones, or sandstones, with lintels weighed up to 25 tons and stood about four meters high. The Bluestones, called Megaliths, weighed up to 4 tons and the Trilithons were the heaviest of them all weighing about 45 tons each. The first stone construction to be placed at the site was the Heel Stone which was 16 feet (4.9m) tall. The stones increased in size towards the centre of the monument. The shape of the stones alternated between tall, thin pillars and tall tapering stones. The Stonehenge Avenue was a ceremonial approach to the stones which was aligned to the midsummer sunrise. Along the Avenue is a 'gate' to the main monument called the "Slaughter Stone", It is believed that this may once have been one of a pair of stones. Two pillar stones, called the "Station Stones” are placed in the shape of a rectangle. It is believed that these may once have been four stones. A circle of 30 Sarsen outer stones, or sandstones, with lintels, and 60 Bluestones - smaller rocks, called Megaliths, set in a circle between the Sarsen stone circle and Sarsen stone horseshoe. Within the Bluestone horseshoe is the construction called the "Altar stone", and Five huge upright Sarsen stones, called Trilithons, in a Sarsen stone horseshoe. The stones of Stonehenge were placed so that they increased in size towards the center and alternated in shape between tall, thin pillar-like stones and stones of a tapering obelisk shape.

Harmony with Nature

Stonehenge symbolizes harmony with nature in the way that it is arranged to indicate summer solstice, and winter equinox. It also is thought to have been a product of 50 generations of people working together in its’ construction. Stonehenge seems to indicate a close relationship between nature, and the mathematical components of time. The stones are very carefully positioned to serve a functional purpose, but also serve aesthetic and symbolic functions.

Symbolism and Sacred Objects

There is evidence at Stonehenge to indicate that it may have been used as a burial site, as there were skeletal remains found. Stonehenge may have also been used as a crude surgical location with the belief that there were magical medical powers to help healing. Stonehenge simply may have been an astrological site or a religious site.

How it is used by Worshippers

The ancients observed it as a place of honor. Although it predates any known religion it is believed to have been used as a place of worship for Celtic paganism. The people that built Stonehenge had a vision and it served its purpose then. It is a place where thousands gather every year to view the Stonehenge and to give honor to its mystery. Those that visit believe they leave with a renewed sense of spiritual energy.

Sources

http://ejcts.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/full/29/Suppl_1/S286

http://www.castles.me.uk/stonehenge.htm

Lazzari, M., & Schlesier, D. (2005). Exploring Art: A Global, Thematic Approach. California: Thomson Learning.

The Dome of the Rock by Rania Khoury: SACRED PLACE

Rania Khoury
Art Appreciation
Professor Debbie DeWitte
The Dome of the Rock

General Description:
The Dome of the Rock is one of the most sacred and oldest structures in the Holy Land. It is located in the Old City of Jerusalem and the dome is gold and very distinct. It is a mosque for Muslims to have prayer in and is a sacred building for their religion. “A certain passage in the Quran links the Prophet Muhammad with Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.” (SacredSites). This makes the location of the Dome of the Rock even more important. It is also surrounded by structures that follow the other two main religions in the world: Christianity and Judaism.

Harmony with Nature:
This part of the city is considered the holiest city in the world and each religion holds a strong connection and belief in the location. For this reason, many fights and acts of violence have taken place in the battle over this sacred land. The Dome of the Rock is so old and was completed in 691. It is one of the oldest remaining Islamic monuments, and was built by the Umayyads. The Dome of the Rock is located on “Mount Moriah, traditionally accepted as the site of the Jewish Temple”. It is located on a platform in the center of Haram al-Sharif.

Architectural Design
The dome is a congregational mosque and is surrounded by smaller mosques and schools. It is used for Islamic prayer and is a wide tourist spot. It is built right beside the Wailing Wall and the church which holds the tomb of Jesus. It has a distinct structure which sets it apart from surrounding structures. It is set in an area shared by Muslims, Jews, and Christians. The Dome of the Rock is built on a platform and has an octagonal exterior wall. The exterior walls resemble the interior walls. “The exterior walls were richly decorated with marble and mosaics similar to the interior.”

The building is on a platform which has six flights of stairs on the southern and western sides. Each set of stairs is crowned by arcades which are “documents from the tenth century onward, and no information exists about access to the platform in Umayyad times”. (The hope). The actual dome of the building is 25 meters high and 20 meters in diameter. Sixteen windows make the upper part and it rests on four piers and twelve marble columns. According to http://www.thehope.com/, “In its major characteristics the Dome of the rock follows the architectural practices of the Christian empire.” The dome has a close relationship to the great Christian sanctuaries of the Ascension.

Symbolism:
Quotes from the Quran are inscribed throughout the interior and tell stories about Muhammad and of Islam. Light enters through windows and jewels and mosaics are lit up. The walls have a gold tint and symbolize trophies of Islamic victories and of the world of paradise to come. The ceilings of the building and dome are made of Ottoman carved woodwork. Much of the mosaic decoration is in its originally state. The mosaics cover much of the inside, about 280 square meters. It is interesting because none of the mosaics contain man or animal depictions. Jewels, crowns and breast plates are used as royal symbols, and “their position, added to the fact that no pre-Islamic artist would willingly mix royal symbols with vegetal designs, indicates that these are the regalia of the princes defeated by Islam, suspended, like trophies, on the walls of a strictly Muslim building.”



Work Cited:
ArchNet Administrative Team,
Ettinghausen, Richard and Oleg Grabar, Yale University Press, New Haven and London
(1994), Penguin (1987) The Art and Architecture of Islam 650-1250 (pp.28-34):http://thehope.org/domerock.htm
Gray, Martin, 1983-2009 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED,

The Great Pyramid
By Brittane Jenkins

General Description
The Great Pyramid of Giza is referred to as the Pyramid of Cheops and the Pyramid of Khufu. It is the oldest and largest of the Pyramids located in Cairo, Egypt. It is also known as one of the Seven Great Wonders of the World. It was originally built as a burial site for the Egyptian King Khufu. Ancient Egyptians believed that once the Pharaoh died he became “Osiris” which is the “King of the Dead”. Some part of the Pharaoh’s dead spirit called “Ka” remained with his body. The Egyptians believed it was very important to take care of the Pharaoh’s dead body because if the cycle was broken it would cause the fall of Egypt. The Egyptians mummified (preserve body) and buried their pharaohs in tombs called pyramids. There is also a place for the Queen (Queen’s Chamber) and there are smaller pyramids for the other wives.
Architectural Design
The Great Pyramid’s Architectural Design is very strong and has preserved it for many years. The pyramid stones are made like ball and socket connections. The pyramid is as long as a football field, and built to withstand heat, cold, settling and Earthquakes. Khufu or Cheop's Great Pyramid is 756 feet square in plan, and 481 high. The angle of the triangular faces is about 51.5 degrees. The base of the pyramid covers about 13 acres. There are 2.3 million limestone blocks that came from nearby quarries.
Harmony with Nature
The pyramid complex of Khufu probably remained mostly intact for almost 4,000 years. During that period of time, most visitors to it must have been amazed by its enormity, and probably by the ancient Egyptian's reverence toward the structure. techniques. Most people with a limited knowledge of Egypt believe that the Great Pyramids of Giza lie out in the desert, and are therefore rather surprised when, traveling down Pyramid road to the east; they see them rise up, seemingly among the distant buildings. They in fact sit on the city limits of Greater Cairo, and are threatened by man's expansion, though scholars are very aware of this today, and work to prevent damage to the structure.
Symbolism and Sacred
Objects Everything the king would need in his afterlife was provided in his grave—vessels made of clay, stone, and gold, furniture, food, even doll-like representations of servants, known as ushabti. His body would continue to receive food offerings long after his death.

How it is Used by Worshippers
The Great Pyramid was intended to be something more than the tomb or even a temple in honor of Cheops. It was a place where the Egyptians could allow there pharaoh to still be a part of everyday life. The Egyptians treated their pharaoh with care and honor even though he had passed away. The pharaoh was given gifts and honor just as if he were still alive. The Great Pyramid of Giza, perfectly aligned to true north, and so, having required very precise timekeeping for its alignment, and its dimensions, was the supposed relay-station for the ka (spirit) of the physically dead king Osiris.
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pyramids/khufu.html
Francis D. K. Ching. Architecture: Form, Space, and Order. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1979. section, p56

Art Museum Visit- Individual Assignment

Crow Collection of Asian Art
Ashley Lightley

For the Museum Visit assignment I visited the Crow Collection of Asian Art in
downtown Dallas. The museum features art from Japan, China, and India. The museum
devotes itself to different forms of art such as paintings, sculptures made of jade, and
different monuments.
The one piece of art that stood out to me on my visit was, Peace Island painted by
Yang Jin Long. It is a colorful representation of early spring is part of a series of paintings
depicting the different seasons. According to a short biography of Yangs work in the
museum, Yang believed that early spring was “when the gods make possible auspicious
beginnings and the wish of peace, love, and happiness to all.”
At first I tried to look at this painting without the bias of knowing what the painter
meant by it. At first glance I thought this painting depicted a fair or carnival but after
reading the title and the information about the painter it was very obvious that the
painting showed early spring. The colors, mainly yellows, greens, and blues, are
associated with the grass, sky, and sun found on a spring day.
The shapes, that at first glance seemed haphazardly placed and jumbled, I realized
were perfectly placed representations of spring. They take the form of imaginative
dragonflies and different flowers. The major shapes and characters in this piece stick out
the eyes first because they are placed in a circle to draw the attention of the viewer. They
are also all in one color with different splashes of bold colors to draw the eye downward.
At second glance, the background then pops out to the viewer. It depicts a countryside
and a blue sky filled with air balloons.
With my very novice art knowledge I can see that the artist used brush strokes in
one direction for each subject. The line of laundry, seemingly blowing in the wind, gives
the painting movement. The dragonflies, which could also be kites, are also in the air
giving the illusion that there is movement in the painting.
The painting was painted on a sturdy canvas and had two bright bulbed lights
shining on it. The room it was featured it was semi lit at the time by natural daylight so it
gave the painting a very bright and airy feeling. The painting is also very large in size,
giving the viewer the feeling that they are stepping into the painting.
Yang Jin Long’s other paintings depicting the different seasons were also posted in
the same room. They each showed similar qualities allowing for the viewer to find some
sort of continuity in the artists work.

Tim Laudan, The Dallas Museum of Art,
"The Seine at Lavacourt" by Claude Monet

The Seine at Lavacourt appealed to me because it reflects a calm scene as seen from a boat in a river on a nice spring day. The image depicts a peaceful existence in a small town near Paris. During the time Monet painted this series of similar paintings, he is said to have been experiencing severe financial hardship. These paintings were intended by Monet to appeal to the Bourgeois for the commercial purpose of broadening interest in his works. He painted this series of paintings according to traditional compositional rules – a strong horizontal axis intersects with the central inverted triangular form made up of the trees, and their reflection on the water. Monet’s use of colors was intended to make the viewer perceive that they were alone in a rural area, when in actuality; the places were actually more city oriented than rural in nature. Toward the time of this painting, Monet increasingly painted landscapes, with less and less people in his paintings.

Monet was at this point the acknowledged leader of the Impressionists and had been hailed by critics such as Emile Zola and Georges Rivière. It was Monet's Impression, Soleil Levant, 1873, shown at the first Impressionist exhibition, that provided a name for the group; the critic Louis Leroy famously wrote that this "impression" was less finished than half-manufactured wallpaper. In the late 1860s and early 1870s, Monet had painted scenes of yachting, promenading, and residential gardens at Argenteuil and Paris. He was primarily devoted to painting figures within contemporary settings, such as in Le banc, 1873. Immediately prior to his move to Vétheuil, he painted numerous scenes in Paris--the Gare Saint-Lazare, the Parc Monceau, and the Rue Saint-Denis and Rue Montorgueil--but these paintings were the last time he would depict life in the French capital. Instead, he began to concentrate more and more on landscape.

In 1878, faced with financial difficulties, Monet decided to move from Argenteuil further down the Seine valley to Vétheuil, a medieval town located on the Seine about 28 miles northwest of Paris. He and his family, along with Alice and Ernest Hoschedé and their family, shared a house on the river, and Monet would often take a boat out to paint. One of his favorite destinations was Lavacourt, a village on the opposite side of the river, from which he would paint the landscape and Vétheuil. Monet tirelessly explored this area for the three years he lived there, depicting scenes in all seasons. His works of these years, while less well known than those of the early 1870s or his later series, were pivotal to Monet's life and career.

This painting is currently on display at the Dallas Museum of Art, and is said to be valued at 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 US dollars, although the painting brought 3,736,000 dollars at auction May 9^th 2007. Claude Monet would have been happy to get a few bucks for one of his paintings back in 1878 when he painted this particular scene. He was in no way, a rich man.

The Seine at Lavacourt has been displayed in 14 different museums since it was purchased from Monet by Mme Cantin in November 1979 in Paris for display at the Hotel Drouot. This painting and others on display at The Dallas Museum of Art are definitely more impressive to view in person, rather than just seeing them online, or even looking at a reproduction. Painters like Monet, Van Gough, and many other famous European artists are on display at the Dallas Museum of Art. It was definitely worth the visit!

Rania Khoury- UTA Art Gallery, "The Warrior King" by Michael Noland



This painting caught my attention out of all the painting that were in the gallery. The use of lines, colors, and shapes is what really appealed to me. In this painting, lines play a vital role in the structure of the "King". Different colors of lines create depth to portray a 3-d image. Also, the different widths of the lines help create the interior detail of the animal. It seems the deeper the image goes back the thinner the lines become. The curvy lines also help the whole animal blend together. It almost looks like ripples in water. Some of the curvy lines seem to create the image of the breast/rib bones on the right side. This helps the illusion that the animal is in fact 3-d. There is a consistency with the lines which creates a rythym to create smoothness. There are many different shapes which make up the animal. Oval shapes play a big role in the beard and legs which helps the eye move in a certain direction.Color is the most important part of this painting. The different colors are used to emphasize importance on different parts of the animal. It is also used to show the direction of light by using darker shades and a shadow. When you first look at this painting the eye is drawn to the dark red beard because it stands out more than all the other colors. However, the hair is the only colorless part of this painting. This is also important because the eye then moves to that area. Another imporant part that stands out in this painting is the shape of the eye. The Oval shape of the eye helps catch the attention of the audience. The black around it really helps it pop out. The white horn stands out as well with the use of white which is not used anywhere else in the painting other than shading on the top of the head. I like the placement of the animal because it makes him the center of attention. Also using the bright blue in the background for the sky really helps the image pop out. The color of the ground helps with the illusion of the shadow. Black was used a lot to emphasize breaks within certain shapes/lines. There is not much extra space around him for the eye to wonder. The texture of this painting is very smooth and bold. That is why I liked this picture so much. I love bold lines that are used together in collaboration to make an image. It says this is oil on canvas, but I can imagine the artist drew many sketches of this before actually painting. Of course a canvas was used, paint brushes, pencils, maybe even markers on the sketches to help create the idea of seperation between certain shapes/lines.It is evident in the distinct thickness and structure of the lines. By using oil paint, which lays on thick, it helped in the creating the effect of boldness. Lets say if water colors were used, the artist could not create such distinct areas in the paintings as he does with the oil.