5 Examples of Greek / Classical/ Egyptian Culture in Malaysia

Group work

- Week 6 -

The picture below is my selection of a picture about the example of Egyptian culture in Malaysia. 

Picture 1 : National Museum Kuala Lumpur vs Egyptian wall paint.

I choose National Museum Kuala Lumpur is because of the wall painting that appear at outside of the museum is quite similar with the Egyptian wall painting. I think that people added the wall painting as the way to commemorate the Egypt history. They want to bring out the art of history about Egypt and modern art. As the picture above, you can see that the colors and the style of drawing on the wall paint is quite same with the Egypt culture.They add more colors and the line is change from straight line become organic line. I think the wall paint is really a good idea and people will remember it by just looking at the painting.






Lee Wen Ming's selection of  picture

Picture 2: National Stadium Bukit Jalil Malaysia vs Penathenaic Stadium Kallimarmaro Greece


As you can see that, the structure of the National Stadium Bukit Jalil Malaysia is similar to the Penathenaic Stadium Kallimarmaro Greece. All the seats are arranged into a loop shape, all the audiences can directly focus to the centre of the stadium. Besides that, they were seated in a tiered arrangement that reflected the rigidly stratified nature of Roman society. 

The picture above is about the structure of the seating arrangement.






Lee Wen Ming's selection of  the second picture

Picture 3 : Shah Alam Arch Selangor Malaysia vs Arch of Titus Rome


Now, I want to discuss about the similarity between two of the arch that design hundred century before and now. As you can see that, the Shah Alam Arch Selangor Malaysia have the similar arch as the Arch of Titus which have tall monument side by side. The Romans typically recorded historical occasions and identified monuments with solemn prose and beautiful inscriptions in stone, whereas Shah Alam Arch Selangor Malaysia typically recorded the "Thank you" sign at the arch that made by cement. Malaysian changed the shape of the arch to a shape of the muslim mosque which is the malay culture. They also changed the color of the arch, and make it more interesting. People will just look at it while pass through the arch.






Cavyn Hoe's selection of  picture

 Picture 4:  St George Church in Penang 

The picture above is about the column in Greek.


The St George Church in Penang have been build based on the Greek culture as you can see from above. The column is exactly same with the Greek's. They motify the column become more modern style but still remain the main idea of the  structure which is round in 3D shape. They remain the color of the column also which is white color. 
  



Jimmy Yek's selection of  picture

  Picture 5: Segi University College

The picture above show that the similar between the rounded boundary of the horizon. Both of the structure is rounded. The simple shape of the Pantheon's dome belies its sophisticated design and engineering. Segi motify some part about the colors and the whole structure but remain the stepped dome of the building and the rounded shape.






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I am so sorry to inform Dr Ray about the selection of the pictures.
The pictures among group member might not be exactly the same due to the points that we want to explain.


And I did not choose all of our group member's photos, is because of the repeating of pictures and points. 

All of these are the  pictures that we share among group members

 Church in Malacca vs Holy Anargyroi Saints Kosmas & Damianos Greek Orthodox Church

Buddha Statue Penang Malaysia vs Zeus statue Olympia Greece

 Shah Alam Selangor Malaysia vs Aqueducts, Rome

The Colosseum, Rome  vs  Old Railway station Kuala Lumpur






Thank you :)

What is Kitsch?

-Week 7-

In order to figure out what Kitsch is, 

I found this book Kitsch, The World of Bad Taste, by Gillo Dorfles with contributions by 

John McHale, Karl Pawek, Ludwig Giesz, Lotte H. Eisner, Ugo Volli, Vittorio Gregotti, and Aleksa Celebonovic; 

and essays by Hermann Broch and Clement Greenberg

 In the book kitsch is defined as follows:

The word kitsch could derive etymologically from the English ‘sketch’ or, according to the other opinions, from the German verb ‘verkitschen (‘to make cheap’). According to Giesz (Ludwig Giesz: ‘Phanomenologie des Kitsches’ …1960) which is without doubt the most complete work on the subject, the word kitsch could approximately be said to mean ‘artistic rubbish.’

Another word to define Kitsch is tasteless, defensive reaction to the preservation of Art.

Which means that your fine art, the products of your creativity is worthless and lacking aesthetic or social taste. 

For my own opinion, i think that some of our columns in Malaysia kitsch. They place the column everywhere but not really understand it's meaning.

All of the pictures below it's show kitsch.

 The columns is being placed inside the bathroom. And this is only for decoration. It's lose the meaning and purpose of column.

photosource: http://www.123rf.com/photo_6738792_master-bath-in-luxury-home-with-orange-walls.html

 All of the columns already leave uncultivated. They lose the real function of the columns in Greek.

 This column placed middle of the house. And it's really obstruct.

photo source:  http://www.explorepenang.com/ENG/Accommodation/Georgetown/HuttonLodge.asp

 This picture show that the arch and the column have been placed beside the road just for decoration purpose. 

photo source:  http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/7/30/central/6752740&sec=central

This picture show that all the columns placed inside the mosque. It's confuse and really annoying.

photo source:  http://www.mediastorehouse.com/interior_entrance_hall_of_national_negara_mosque/print/1177142.html

It's only my personal opinion, 

Thank You :)

Influences of Ancient Egyptian Art & Architecture

Ancient Egyptian art and architecture influence design choices of today, so in today lecture, Dr Ray want us to find some building or architecture that reflect Egypt culture. 

The influence for the Greek Revival and arts and Craft styles 

can be found in the use of rounded columns inside buildings or the front porches. 

The style design of the columns also reflects the Egyptian style.

For example:

The Louvre 

Although the shapes remain the same, building materials differ. 

The triangular shape of the pyramids from Egypt continues in the design of architectural buildings of today. 

In my opinion, i think that History is not just a history, 

they shape how we live and do now.

What our doing now will shape our future too.

http://www.ehow.com/info_8464850_influences-ancient-egyptian-art-architecture.html

Architectural composition of a pyramid

THE CORE AND THE NUCLEUS

The pyramid of king Khafra. Tarek Swelim 1985.

The great pyramid of Khufu was built of 2.6 million blocks of limestone each of an average volume of One Cubic Meter, weighing 2.5 metric tons. 

Large blocks of limestone masonry. Nabil Swelim 2005.

This figure comes from the volume of the pyramid being 2,600,000 cubic meters. 

By the equation (230 x 230 x 148/3) The Area Of The Base Times One Third Of The Height.

The Turin king list tells us that Khufu reigned for 23 years.

Assuming that the pyramid was built every day of the 23 years of his reign, 

and then we have 8395 days of building.

Working hours should be 10 hours a day, 

and then we have 83,950 hours or 5,037,000 minutes.

To install 2,600,000 blocks in 5,037,000 minutes at a regular rate means: 

that every block has to be set in less than two minutes. (1.94 min)

The building never followed that rate: 

 it had to be much, much faster at the beginning and slower towards the end.

At the very end of the building project 

comes the difficult task of placing the pyramidion at the apex of a pyramid. 

 This pyramidion was prefabricated in 2 parts of diorite 

weighing 4 and 7.15 = total 11.15 tons. 

They were placed on the uppermost course of the outer facing, which created a platform. 

The pyramidion had to fit precisely on the platform. 

This is at the top of a pyramid, 

at a height of 144 meters, with very limited space to maneuver.

When such a task was completed, we would be looking at a very beautiful monument: 

Well oriented, well stabilized, the first course of rose granite, a whitish gold outer facing 

and a dark green diorite pyramidion on top.


http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/pyramids_of_egypt/building.php

Element of art and design

I just post what i had done in element of art.

I done my part : Line, texture, scale and proportion, movement and rhythm.

The other parts done by my other 2 members.

:)

 LINE

TEXTURE

RHYTHM 

MOVEMENT

SCALE AND PROPORTION

Egypt

The origin of the Egyptian Pyramid

The Egyptians were the first people we know of who built pyramids. The standard theory for the evolution of the Egyptiar pyramid is that the shape and design developed from the mud-brick Mastaba's of the first dynasty, into the larger stepped pyramid, then finally the traditional, flat-sided, stone pyramids (All in a period of around 100 years).

source:http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/pyramids_of_egypt/building.php

The function of a Pyramid

As Dr.Ray mentioned during lecture, the function of the Egyptian to build the huge pyramid is for a purpose of tomb the King and the queen. From the figure below, it is show that a pyramid is designed to be a meeting of sky and earth in the embodiment of the Pharoah. So, the soul of the king and queen can go to heaven after life. Besides, triangular shape may have been stylisation of rays of sun.

source: Dr Ray

When they build?
Egyptian build pyramids during after flood season. It is because flood can help to bring the huge stone to one place to the other. Once they collected all the stones, they will start to combine them together and become pyramid.

In egyptian culture beliefs, after flooding means the symbol of carnation, during flood of Nil river is mean symbol of death. Actually I not really understand what does it really meant. It's because of this they build pyramid? Or this is just the religious of the the Egypt culture? It is because of the God of Egypt that mentioned by Dr Ray today? Because it also related to the Nil River.

I did some research about the God of Egypt that mentioned in class by Dr.Ray today. 

And I find more information about what the story it is and trying to figure out the ridiculous story that make everyone laugh in the class today.

In the book stated, Male Geb which is the earth and Female Nut which is the sky create 2 sons and 2 daughter, Osiris, Set, Isis and Nephthys. (Dr. Ray mentioned differently.)

The story from Dr.Ray,

Osiris is a king. Then his brother which is Set is jealous about that. He made a cascade and asked everyone to fit in it. He do something tricky and the cascade only fit Osiris. After that, Set cut Osiris into 14 pieces then throw him into Nil River. Isis, which is Osiris's wife ( i guess), she found out that her husband missing and she find him with her sister Nephthys. Lastly, she found her husband's body with only 13 pieces, 1 piece left which is the penis. ( Why 14 pieces? It's the symbol of season. Egypt's calender have 14 months in a year.) 

The penis was eaten by an aligator.  Isis make a gold penis for him and sings song, then miracle happen, Osiris alive. They have sex. But, Osiris died again. With the help of god (Anubis), their's son Horus was born after that. Horus with human body and the head of a falcon. He has the power for good capable of guarding the interests of Egypt. He take over Set and become the King of earth. Osiris retired to the underworld as oversear of the realm of dead. 

Source: Art History Second Edition Marilyn Stokstad

Does it the other purpose for making the pyramid for Osiris? I think so. 

There is somehow a relation between two of them, but I can't really stated and explain how they are being related. Maybe it is because Osiris turn to be the King of the underworld, he decide to let people's after life. They going to heaven or hell that all decided by Osiris. Pyramid is being build based on the story above, to let people go to heaven afterlife.

About History of Art..

1. What do you want from this course?

Learn to be a designer? learn the skills of drawing and design , techniques and able to use design software and more.

2.What do you want to be doing in 5 years? 10? 20?

If I successfully pass every subject in every semester in this 3 years, I will be graduate 3 years later. And then, I will go and find a good job as a designer. I want to be a unique and special designer. I will not get a good and nice job if I only have the same talent that any others designer have. I train myself to be a good designer, expert in Graphic designer or even Multimedia designer.

In 10 years, I want to have my own design in packaging or website or any others design. And I start to working on it, promote myself and my design to any other company. Once I sell my design, i got the money, and i open my own shop and sell my design. At this stage, i must work hard and get popularity. Not myself, is my own design.

In 20 years, I want to have my own company, that have hundred or thousand of business. (wishful thinking!) And i able to make a mission impossible to possible.

3.What do you hope to get from this particular class?

Knowledge of History of Art and Design?

I want to get the knowledge about history of art. Because I will curious and want to know about the story behind of a "history", like how Egyptian build the pyramid? Why they build in triangular shape? Beside, I want to get the idea of how elderly people will be able to draw and design something that so unique and special. For example, the parietal art in Lascaux Grotto, how those people draw on the convex wall in 16 feet tall! It's incredible! They use mineral fragment and animal fats to create colours and draw on the wall. The colours still remain there although more than 1000 years BCE! I believe that this might be useful for us in future, so we study History of Art and Design.

4.In history of art necessary do u think for larger goals?

I want to get the idea of what history of art is all about, and I am able to use it now and become a new history in the future.