Good Morning!

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My World: Circle of Animals

Back to Hermann Park and Ai Weiwei's Circle of Animals.

You might remember from last week that Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads
is Ai Weiwei's re-creation on an oversized scale of the traditional zodiac sculptures
that once adorned the fabled fountain at Yuanming Yuan outside Beijing.


Designed by two European Jesuits in the 18th century the original animal heads surrounding the fountain-clock of Yuanming Yuan spouted water every two hours. In 1860, French and British troops raided Yuanming Yuan, and the heads were looted. To date only seven of the legendary 12 heads have been recovered; the location of the remaining five is still unknown.

The Circle of Animals overlooks McGovern Lake in Hermann Park.

Each head, without the pedestal, measures at least 4 feet in length.

The Horse

The Goat, The Monkey, The Pig and The Dog

The Rooster

You might remember Ai Weiwei, Chinese artist, architect and social activist,

 from the 2008 Olympics in China.

He designed the famous Bird's Nest. 

Because he is a critic of censorship and human rights violations, he has been in prison, tortured and is currently on a heavily restricted travel visa.

That made siting this exhibition difficult.

Google maps helped save the day!

The exhibition will move on to Princeton University 

and then to the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C.

Thank you to the Our World hosts.

Wishing you WELL and a JOY filled week. 

(P.S. I'm having back problems. Not nice since I had back surgery in 2003. Sitting at the computer is difficult. I'll see you when I can.)

This and That

Fridays are becoming This and That days.

***

Are you tired of the tulip postcards?

That's what I thought.

Here is one more:

From the back of the postcard:

 "Because of its nurturing climate and rich soil,

 the Northwest produces America's most abundant crop of tulips." 

Lefeber Bulb Company, Mount Vernon, Washington

Thank you to the lovely Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

***

Monday I spent a lovely day in Hermann Park.

I arrived around 9AM hoping to miss all the school buses dropping off children at the zoo 

and the Natural History Museum.

I knew it was going to be a good morning when I succeeded 

and found a great parking place.

I wanted to take photos of Ai Weiwei's Circle of Animals 

and then play the rest of the day by ear.

After finishing at the Circle of Animals, 

I headed to the Japanese Garden.

Do you have a connection to Nature?

Do you like to walk in the woods, on the beach?

Do you like to work in the garden, smell the flowers?

How does it make you feel?

Walking in this beautiful place, suddenly I'm calm, smiling.

All my cares and worries are  gone.

All the sadness disappears.

I feel Nature giving me a hug.

I felt myself slow down.

I noticed things ... the iris are coming up (a big deal with our drought).

Some of the Black Bellied Whistling Ducks that I'm so fond of were in the garden.

I'd never noticed them there before.

Look at the reflections! 

I wanted to take off my shoes and feel the ground!

 Lie down on the grass and watch the clouds in the sky.

It made me feel blissful.

"Turn your face toward the sun and the shadows will fall behind you."

~Maori Proverb

***

Then I spent the rest of the afternoon at the zoo, had lunch and finished

off my day by sitting under a tree, eating a chocolate/vanilla swirl ice cream

and watching children enjoy the zoo.

Wishing you WELL and much JOY.

Inspiration for this post from Tiny Buddha and Liv Lane and the Bliss List.

Good Morning!

Found on Facebook

My World: A Public Sculpture Exhibition

East meets the West with the first major public exhibition of sculpture by the internationally renowned Chinese Contemporary artist Ai Weiwei titled Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads. It is presently on view outdoors overlooking McGovern Lake in Hermann Park.

Comprised of 12 monumental bronze animal heads, each weighing 800 pounds and standing roughly 10 feet high, Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads is Ai Weiwei's re-creation on an oversized scale of the traditional zodiac sculptures that once adorned the fabled fountain at Yuanming Yuan outside Beijing. Erected in the 18th century, the original animal heads surrounding the fountain spouted water at two-hour intervals until 1860, when French and British troops raided the palace and looted the heads. To date only seven of the legendary 12 heads have been recovered around the world; the location of the remaining five is still unknown.

I really like the location overlooking McGovern Lake in Hermann Park.

The Rat ... the first of the Zodiac Animals.

The Ox, Tiger, Rabbit and Snake.

The Dragon.

Six this week and six more next week!

Thank you to the Our World hosts.

Wishing you WELL and a JOY filled week!