The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice has this sculpture of an apparently aroused man on a horse in the back garden:

The horse has a look of desperation. Here’s a close-up of its head (note that there is a light reflection that makes it look like the horse is looking downward, but if you look closely, you’ll see his pupil as an indentation in the eye – he is actually looking upward):

I always feel out of my element in art museums because I don’t know anything about art. I know I like modern art best, but I rarely feel as though I have any understanding of the point the artist is trying to put across.

When I was in high school, I would argue in English class about poetry. The teacher would always interpret the meaning of the poem in a certain way, typically weighty and metaphysical, which I would dispute.

I wasn’t convinced that poets always had a deeper meaning when they wrote. I thought that maybe Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening might just really be a poem about a guy out riding his horse.

Whose woods these are I think I know,
His house is in the village though.
He will not see me stopping here,
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer,
To stop without a farmhouse near,
Between the woods and frozen lake,
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake,
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep,
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

When I first saw this sculpture I laughed. It seemed goofy, the sort of thing I see in art museums and don’t understand, like Frost’s poem in high school. So I photographed it.

But this sculpture has stuck in my mind, more than any other artwork I think I’ve ever seen. So without knowing a thing about it, I will attempt an interpretation of it, which I will then compare to an interpretation by an expert, if I can find one. Here goes.

The sculpture shows man’s willingness to subjugate others even as he himself is ruled by a higher power (or a belief in one).

The man’s arms are extended in the form of a cross, and he looks upward. His expression is resolute but also supplicant, as though he is asking for something only god can give him but is steadfastly certain that god will do so. He is dependent but also filled with confidence.

His head faces one way but his penis points in a different direction – “the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). Like his relationship with god, his relationship with his penis is characterized by dependency but it also drives him forward – thrusts him forward, you might say.

Beneath all this, the horse is suffering. He is driven forward by the man on top, but he enjoys none of the confidence that the man does, because he has no faith in the man. He is unable to escape his fate and knows it will likely be grim.

The horse represents both nature and man’s domination of it, and man’s domination of those people that are weaker than him.

That’s my take, now let’s see what others have to say. The sculpture is called The Angel of the City (L’angelo della citta ) by Marino Marini (try saying his name out loud, it’s pure honey). Here’s a description of some his work:

The evolution of the subject of the horse and rider reflects Marini’s personal response to that changing context. The theme first appears in his work in 1936, when the proportions of horse and rider are relatively slender and both figures are poised, formal, and calm. By the following year the horse rears and the rider gestures.

In 1940 the forms become simplified and more archaic in spirit, and the proportions become squatter. By the late 1940s the horse is planted immobile with its neck extended, strained, ears pinned back, and mouth open, as in the present example, which conveys the qualities characteristic of this period of Marini’s work – affirmation and charged strength associated explicitly with sexual potency.

Later, the rider becomes increasingly oblivious of his mount, involved in his own visions or anxieties. Eventually he was to topple from the horse as it fell to the ground in an apocalyptic image of lost control, paralleling Marini’s feelings of despair and uncertainty about the future of the world.

That’s about all I found. I’m not sure if my interpretation holds up or not. In the process of seeking meaning in this piece, however, I think I’ve learned a little bit about art.

[tags]modern art, art, sculpture, guggenheim, Venice[/tags]

Outside this little Venetian Internet cafe, I can hear the bells tolling as local churches attempt to attract the faithful to Mass. Presumably, they hope to attract some tourists – and their money, every church here sells candles and other items, and some even have gift shops – since the only Venetians left here seem to be the ones who support the tourist industry, and they’re always busy.

Today, our second day here and our first full one, we hope to visit some of the places less-traveled, if there are such places in a centuries-old city that was once the greatest in Europe. It’s beautiful here but the sensation that this is a gilded amusement park instead of a functioning, productive city is unmistakeable.

It’s a real contrast from Tuscany, the region we just left, where we stayed in a villa just a few kilometres from San Gimignano. The name of this place has been so difficult for my travel partner that I suggested she call it San Jimmy-G or just San G, which I think is better than San Gimme-Gango (if I knew how to write pronunciation symbols, I would tell you how it’s properly pronounced, or just ask an Italian).

The villa we stayed at, and in fact the entire region we were in, is dedicated to the production of Chianti. Where there aren’t vineyards, there are olive groves. The little space that goes unused is a dense brush, full of thorns and ivy (I tried to go for a cross-country hike, bad idea).

It’s a farming region that is not unlike the Niagara Region, but much more hilly and more picturesque. The view from our villa, and many other points in the region, naturally draws your eye to San Gimagnano, situated on the highest hill around. For centuries the view of this medieval town was a comfort to travelers, our travel book tells us, who were weary from their long trek to Rome.

Time is almost up now – less than 1 minute left! – so time to go. More to come soon, hopefully, if not, then pictures when we return.

[tags]Italy, travel[/tags]

Over the next two weeks I’m travelling to Paris, Florence, Venice and Rome with my lovely and steadfast travel (and life) companion. I’ll try to write about some of my experiences when I manage to find a minute in an Internet cafe somewhere, but if you don’t hear from me, it’s because the vino and salami are holding me hostage.

Raise the Hammer is out with a new format: a print-it-yourself edition in PDF format. It’s the same idea as The Star’s PM edition, and I think it’s a good one. Here’s the information about it:

In a recent email, we promised that a print-it-yourself edition of Raise the Hammer would soon be available. I’m proud to announce that we’re ready to publish our first kick at the can:

http://www.raisethehammer.org/print/

We know there’s still work to do, but we decided to start somewhere and then improve as we go. The Raise the Hammer Print Edition is eight pages, prints onto 8 1/2 x 11 paper (preferably double-sided), and features selected articles from the October 20, 2006 web issue.

We hereby throw ourselves at your mercy and ask if you will print off a few copies and leave them in local public places (cafes, libraries, shops, etc.) so people who don’t normally get their news from the Internet can still read our articles.

Eventually, we would like to put together a business model and generate revenue to pay for mass printing, but in the meantime, this lets us get the word out while remaining proudly ad-free.

Thank you in advance to all who are willing to help us by spreading the word in print (and please let me know if you do this so we can keep an eye out for new readers).

Sincerely,

Ryan McGreal
Editor, Raise the Hammer

Perfect for printing out at work using company resources and then reading while you sit on the can for unusally long periods of time.

This was sent to me by a friend who works at an advertising agency. They have a job opening in their research department, and they received this email cover letter along with a resume from someone applying for the job (I have removed the names and email addresses of the people involved, everything else is word for word):

RE: Media Buyer Postion

Good Morning,

I’ve recently applied for the Junior Media Buyer/Researcher posted, and I feel it is a great opportunity for me to be employed. Reading the job description, it became very clear to me that this was something I could do. And do well. I hope we can set up and interview because it’s in the interview where I tend to shine.

So my aim is to impress your socks off, unless you don’t ware socks, then I hope to impress your shoes off. To be realistic, I don’t feel I am very qualified for this position. I understand a person with 2.5 years of sports management isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, but I believe I have what it takes to be your media buyer.

I think the only qualification I have that really applies for this position is my extencive CD collection. This shows I can research and purchase media, and media related products. Media is something I have a strong passion for. Music, movies and television are large parts of my life, as well as magazines, and newspapers. It’s with that knowledge that I can certainly apply to becoming your next media buyer. I’m sure working for a “busy downtown” office would require a lot of lifting, and moving of purchased media, which I’m ok with as well.

I’m able to use a computer (sending this email is proof) and I work well with others. Another one of the benefits I bring to the table is I never have a problem with customer service. I have returned many items with no to little questions asked. I must have one of those faces people trust. I don’t cook, so most of the meals I eat are cold, and raw – so sushi is cool too.

I hope I have gone above and beyond any expectations you may have had, and proven without a doubt that I can do this job. And as for my love for dogs, pictures of some of my ex-girl friends will be available upon request.

Thanks a lot,
[removed]

[tags]humour, employment, resumes[/tags]