The Theory of Iconic Realism: Understanding the Arts through Cultural Context

"Letter from a Birmingham Jail" and Iconic Realism

2012-12-16T10:20:00.000-05:00

painting of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by William Rock, Chinese calligraphy by Huang Xiang

The significant "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is another illustration of iconic realism. From behind bars, King wrote this eloquent epistle, begun in the margins of discarded newspapers, then from a borrowed legal notepad. In this piece, he elaborately describes his educated and passionate belief in freedom of speech. Written in April, 1963, he had no access to a computer, nor spellcheck, yet his hand-written expression is clear, coherent, concise, and cohesive, utilizing classical rhetoric to elucidate for his audience the possibilities that could evolve from cultural reform.

To view an excellent rhetorical analysis of this letter, click onto the link below:

Dr. Martin Luther King's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"

Walt Whitman and Iconic Realism

2012-01-12T13:15:00.002-05:00

Adler Planetarium Astronomy Museum, Art Institute of Chicago

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1053/5097973137_718735c9c6.jpg

When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer

by Walt Whitman

When I heard the learn'd astronomer,

When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,

When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide,

and measure them,

When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with

much applause in the lecture-room,

How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,

Till rising and gliding out I wander'd off by myself,

In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,

Look'd up in perfect silence at the stars.

In Walt Whitman's poem, "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer, the speaker leaves an astronomy lecture to step outside the fixed parameters of the building. Subsequently, this individual learns first hand of the beauty when viewing the same firmament of which the lecturer speaks but viewed simply with the naked eye in silence. By leaving the lecture, the speaker, with scientific information gained from the the astronomer's lecture inside, now enjoys the silent beauty with appreciated knowledge, but more importantly, with appreciation of the significance of the stars’ natural condition.

This poem illustrates iconic realism in that the subject, constellations in a contrived setting, brings the audience and the speaker in the poem to a recognition that education of natural phenomena includes the experience of the real connection between humanity with nature.

I warmly thank the Art Institute of Chicago for purchasing a copy of my book, The Theory of Iconic Realism: Understanding the Arts through Cultural Context.

Jeanne D'Arc and Iconic Realism

2011-10-26T14:36:00.005-04:00

Joan of Arc's Death at the Stake, http://genzoman.deviantart.com/art/Joan-of-Arc-74526531

by Hermann Stilke (1803–1860)

With Halloween and All Saints Day soon arriving, I thought I'd post on my patron saint, Jeanne D'Arc. I've chosen two images of this saint, a painting and the cover of a video game to illustrate iconic realism.

Images mergewithin this painting of Jeanne D’Arc to provide an interpretation that representsthe presence of hope that humanity, with all its industry, will recognize thevalue in the temporal nature of innocence. Interpretation of this work of art may include avariety of perspectives to complement the number of viewers of the specificart. At this moment of perception,then, the artist and the viewer become collaborators.

Once thiscognitive collaboration between artist andviewer occurs, the cultural interpretation begins to transform into acollection of new perspectives, based on the historicity of the viewers. NicholasDavey states, “Hermeneutic thought articulates the conviction that art does notrepresent (vorstellen), copy orfalsify the given world but allows that which is within the world to present (darstellen) or actualize itself (verwirklichen) more fully.” [1]New perceptions of a creative work shape newly actualized interpretations ofthe original work of art, which eventually become accepted interpretations of acommunity. Once the community recognizes these interpretations, the iconicbecomes a reality.

Through theestablishment of an iconic figure within the consciousness of the community, anartist can then place this icon in a new reality that the community does notaccept as the normal setting for this iconic figure. This placement allows theartist to make a statement that brings awareness to the community’sconsciousness of an aspect within its culture that may need some attention.

[1] Davey, Nicholas. “Hermeneutics and Art Theory.” A Companion to ArtTheory. eds. Paul Smith and Carolyn Wilde. (Oxford:Blackwell, 2002) 149.

Icon of an Apple and Iconic Realism

2011-10-05T22:11:00.000-04:00

Steve Jobs (1956-2011)

Rest in Peace

iThankyou!

(I took this photo today of my MacPowerbook G4, Leopard upgrade.)

Steve Jobs' life on this planet is over, but his inspirational genius will be long remembered as an example of passion, perseverance, innovation, visionary and generous. I write this on my Mac PowerBook G4, bought in 2004. Below is an excerpt from my book in which I describe the evolution of an icon, of course making reference to the Apple computer.

As a community determines the identity of a symbol, its structure becomes more eminently definable as interpretations transform this signifier into a more singular representation, an icon. For example, at one time an artistic rendering of a bitten apple might lead one toassociate it with the Biblical story of Eve in the Garden of Eden or perhaps a ripened fruit, ready for the preparation of anapple pie or some other edible delight. However, since the latter part of thetwentieth century, within the mobile global community, a bitten apple signifiesan international computer enterprise, an icon for technological innovation.Hence, a community determines multiple associations with a symbol andgradually, through consistent development, will move this symbol to its prominentassociation as a recognizable icon for the duration that the icon remains avisible entity within the community.

(The Theory of Iconic Realism: Understanding the Arts through Cultural Context p. 25)

Emily Dickinson and Iconic Realism

2011-09-26T17:32:00.003-04:00

Portrait of Emily Dickinson painted by William Rock

Chinese calligraphy painted by Huang Xiang

Click HERE to go to their site.

(calligraphyis from Dickinson's "The Soul selects Her Own Society,"

"MyLife Closed Twice Before Its Close" and "Presentiment") by EmilyDickinson

CalligraphyTranslation: 

Thesoul selects her own society,

Thenshuts the door;

Onher divine majority

Obtrudeno more. Unmoved, she notes the chariot's passing

Ather low gate;

Unmoved,

anemperor kneeling

Uponher mat. I've known her from an ample nation

Chooseone;

Thenclose the valves of her attention

Likestone. I never saw a Moor

Mylife closed twice before its close;

Ityet remains to see

Ifimmortality unveil

Athird event to me, So huge, so hopeless to conceive,

Asthese that twice befell.

Partingis all we know of heaven,

Andall we need of hell.

Presentiment

isthat long shadow on the lawn

Indicativethat sun goes down

Thenotice to the startled grass

Thatdarkness is about to pass

By displayingthe countenance of this reclusive poet in the midst of so many cultural icons,these two artists, Huang Xiang and William Rock, illustrate iconic realism ofEmily Dickinson's poetry. In this painting by William Rock and the calligraphicrepresentation by Huang Xiang, the iconic presence of Emily Dickinson'ssimplicity in connection with this honorable position illustrates her impact onhuman consciousness and the importance for humanity to look inward. Indeed,through her darkness, enlightenment has come to many. The use of blue andpurple bring to mind the spirituality that surrounds this poet's expression: inher eyes, around the 'upper floor' of her mind and in her heart.

United Airlines Flight 93 Memorial and Iconic Realism

2011-09-11T14:48:00.000-04:00

Artists' rendition of completed memorial,

Crescent of Embrace by Paul and Milena Murdoch

(Photo from Google Images)

In a field southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, just outside the town of Shanksville, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed on 9/11/01. Those passengers and flight attendants on board this flight bravely overtook the terrorists who killed the pilots and attempted to turn another passenger airline into a human bomb, most likely aimed at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. As a result of the bravery and cunning collaboration of the passengers, the plane crashed in this Pennsylvania field instead, killing all on board, thus transforming this field into sacred ground.

The manner this memorial displays iconic realism is that here we will eventually see a wall, an artistic rendering in the form of a marble crescent, located in the middle of an isolated field of wildflowers. The purpose of this artistic design is to honor those heros who lost their lives and to bring awareness of the significance of heroism within a culture implemented to save the lives of the innocent.

National 9/11 Memorial, New York City and Iconic Realism

2011-09-11T00:18:00.004-04:00

Photo from http://michaeljamescasey.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/natl_memorial.jpg

Ten years have passed, and the National9/11 Memorial in New York City now opens to receive the prayers and reflections of thousands of friends and relatives of those whose lives were takenon September 11, 2001, some of whom still remained buried at this sacred site. The extensive monument bears the names of each victim,around two waterfalls flowing where the two towers of the World TradeCenter once defined the skyline of New York City.

This memorialillustrates iconic realism in that the designers have strategically placed the genesis of a woodland paradise, surrounding the Towers’ footprints, now flowing with tranquil waters in the midst of one of this planet's most vibrant cities. The massive garden, with its delicate waterfallsconstructed on the site where immense devastation, despair and death occurred,now transpires with a perspective of renewal, hope and life, a memorial that transcends the horror and brings awareness of cultural perseverance combined with thehealing strength of elevated consciousness.

**********************************

I wrote this poem the afternoon ofSeptember 11, 2001 in Danbury, CT, 65 miles north of the horror, yet close enough to know that the sameclouds passing above me just passed over the horror. The wispy clouds almostlooked like angels floating above and away from the madness below. Silence…except for the industry of nature.

September 11, 2001

Bellowing clouds of madness

Devour cavernous streets

Filled with masses seeking freedom

from a spumous potion of death.

Silent plumes in an azure sky

blessed

by the whispers of three thousand angels

newly formed, dancing,

sweeten this visage of horror.

Delicate cricket chirps, gentle bird songs,

Strong airy wings of a soaring bird

Reveal the Love

That can never die.

Freedom prevails.

Jeanne I. Lakatos 2001

Pentagon 9/11 Memorial and Iconic Realism

2011-09-10T09:19:00.004-04:00

(Photo from Washingtonpost.com)

I posted this last year and brought it back this weekend for the 10th anniversary of that horrific day.

We will always remember! The memorial in Washington, D.C. for the Pentagon victims of 9/11 as an abstract object represents each person who died at this location in the terrorist act that day. The designers, Julie Beckman and Keith Kaseman, have created the memorial with objects, which appear on the lawn as granite benches, which would normally associate with comfort and relaxation. They also have the appearance of airplane wings, jetting out of the ground. However, the one hundred eighty-four objects, juxtaposed to the lawn outside the Pentagon serves as a reminder of the great loss of life that day. The dedication of this memorial states:

The Pentagon Memorial contains 184 memorial units, each of which is dedicated to an individual victim by its unique placement within the collective field. The field is organized as a timeline of the victims' ages, moving from the youngest, three-year-old Dana Falkenberg to the oldest, John D. Yamnicky, 71.

Each memorial unit is specifically positioned in order to distinguish victims on board American Airlines Flight 77 from victims within the Pentagon. The memorial units representing the 59 lives lost on American Airlines Flight 77 are positioned so that a visitor to the park will face the sky when reading the name of the victim to whom that unit is dedicated. When standing at a memorial unit dedicated to a victim who was inside the Pentagon, the visitor sees the victim's name and the Pentagon in the same view. The simple but elegant memorial units are at once a glowing light pool, a cantilevered bench and a place for permanent inscription of each victim's name.
Through each season, the maple trees' beauty will contribute to the park's atmosphere of peace and remembrance, enhancing each visitor's personal experience of the memorial. (from the Pentagon Memorial website) [1]

The iconic realism of this memorial provides the visitor to this site an opportunity to reflect on the magnitude that this event has had on the culture of the United States of America and the world, in general.

[1] Pentagon September 11 Memorial. 2008. http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2008/0708_memorial/memorial.html

Aesthetics, Richard Wagner and Iconic Realism

2011-08-20T16:41:00.004-04:00

Photo from Google Images

(Click photo to hear Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries.)

Through the use of the semiotic theory of iconic realism, artists shape the consciousness of various aspects of culture, including education, history, business, and aesthetics whereby their works of art combine an iconic figure with a realistic setting that communicates an incompatibility with the accepted environment in which the audience commonly associates the iconic figure. Understanding the language presented through the art form, be it literary, visual or aural, the audience may respond with an emotional resistance as it perceives the iconic representation in this new realistic setting.

An example of iconic realism in a musical composition utilizing instrumentation is Wagner’s mythical composition, The Ring of the Nibelungs. In this piece, Wagner represents various aspects of society through instrumental characterizations. As Eero Tarasti affirms, "the gods appear in the Ring not only as personifications of the elements of nature, for example, Loge as the god of fire, Donner the god of thunder etc, but also as a society, whose leader is Wotan." [1] His use of contrasting instrumentation throughout his opus reveals an intense desire to illustrate corruption within his society. Many filmmakers choose to accompany the drama of their themes utilizing the nineteenth century Wagner music. An example of such intense films is Apocalypse Now, which illustrates the corruption associated with war, in particular, the Vietnam War.

1. Tarasti, Eero. Myth and Music: A Semiotic Apporach to the Aesthetics of Myth in Music, especially that of Wagner, Sibelius and Stravinsky (Paris: Mouton, 1979) 177.

Gary Russo, NYC Construction Worker, and Iconic Realism (Click this title to view Mr. Russo singing.)

2011-08-13T15:11:00.004-04:00

photo from Google Images

Those who visit any major construction site in Manhattan instantly become aware of the resilience that is needed to persevere in rebuilding an area of the world with millions of eyes attending to every detail. Cameras installed at the Ground Zero construction site monitor every movement of the rebuilding process there. These multi-sensory experiences in lower Manhattan: the cacophony from construction crews, visual monitors and the many artistic renderings of the human reaction to the process of rebuilding, all create a living example of the semiotic theory of iconic realism.

In particular, one construction worker at the 2^nd Avenue subway site demonstrates this theory. His name is Gary Russo, and he has made it his mission to bring awareness of the beauty of music right in the midst of the barrage of sound associated with the machines involved in this subway construction. Passersby experience his crooning with recorded big band musical accompaniment, and soon their sensory bombardment is melodically soothed with the songs of the musical icon, Frank Sinatra.

Iconic representation of art within any community develops from that community’s awareness of the connection between artist endeavor and human consciousness. When the community understands that each artist is contributing to the possible transformation of consciousness, fresh ideas offer the possibility for growth in the potential for change.

Tyree Guyton's 'Heidelberg Project' and Iconic Realism (Click this title to view more information)

2011-08-05T23:27:00.001-04:00

Tyree Guyton, photo from Google Images

Soles of Detroit photo from Google Images

Last evening, I was channel surfing and happened upon a series of shows on the Green Planet channel entitled, "Detroit in Overdrive." Well, having been born and raised in the fine Motor City, I just had to watch these shows. And they brought tears to my eyes. One particular story, which focused on Tyree Guyton's Heidelberg Project, immediately struck me, for it was a perfect demonstration of iconic realism. Thank you, Tyree!

Mr. Guyton has assembled a collection of iconic items that many people had discarded, including houses in his neighborhood. He applies his artistic talent to breathe life into the objects while simultaneously illustrates to those blessed with viewing this project with an awareness of possibility. He has turned blight into right! His juxtaposition of trash turned into art in the midst of a forgotten and neglected neighborhood demonstrates the cultural renaissance that is taking place in Detroit through the creative perseverance of dedicated individuals.

Another fascinating aspect of this project centers on shoes. Mr. Guyton has collected shoes of all shapes and sizes, restored and newly painted by the members of the community. He has arranged those works of art in the middle of a street, providing his audience with an awareness of Detroit's restored soles as a visual testimony of the soulful restoration that occurs when dedication to the creativity and energy of a community transforms that community's heart and vitality. God bless you, Tyree Guyton! Onward!

'Global Water Foundation: Africa is Gasping' and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to see and hear video

2011-07-29T15:15:00.000-04:00

Thumbnail photo from YouTube video

An effective way for public service organizations toreach the public is through a multi-sensory approach. Such is the case with theGlobal Water Foundation. To bring awareness of water shortages throughout thecontinent of Africa, this organization has created a brief, poignant film usingiconic realism as a way to elucidate its audience of this grave ecologicalissue. In this brief film, the iconic image of a whale leaping out of thedesert sand focuses the audience's attention on the increasingly devastatingdiminution of potable water, not only in Africa, but worldwide.

Robert Frost's "The Oven Bird" and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to hear and see an ovenbird.)

2011-07-15T13:02:00.003-04:00

The Oven Bird

by Robert Frost

There is a singer everyone has heard,
Loud, a mid-summer and a mid-wood bird,
Who makes the solid tree trunks sound again.
He says that leaves are old and that for flowers
Mid-summer is to spring as one to ten.
He says the early petal-fall is past
When pear and cherry bloom went down in showers
On sunny days a moment overcast;
And comes that other fall we name the fall.
He says the highway dust is over all.
The bird would cease and be as other birds
But that he knows in singing not to sing.
The question that he frames in all but words
Is what to make of a diminished thing.

Robert Frost's poetry portrays the enigma of humanity through his observations of nature. His poem, "The Oven Bird," is no exception. The high-pitched song of this bird reminds the busy human of the lessons learned through the simplicity of nature.

The iconic structure here is the oven bird, a woodland icon of summer, representing the natural progression of life. In the tenth line, Frost points out, "He says the highway dust is over all." This line, unusual in that it follows vivid, natural imagery, awakens the reader to the conflict between humanity's impact versus the seemingly insignificant bird, singing "not to sing.”

In this verse, Frost illustrates the necessity of a natural sequence, "Mid-summer is to spring as one to ten," and the devastation that can exist when this sequence diminishes. Frost uses this small bird as nature's 'teacher,' indicated in its sweet song.

LOST WALLET

2011-07-07T06:43:00.001-04:00

Missing my black wallet on 26 May, 2011 in Lille, France, arriving on train #9863 from CDG airport, Roissy, France. A Police Report has been filed in Lille. If you have any information about this, please leave a comment here. Thank you! Merci!

James Joyce's Ulysses and Iconic Realism: Molly Bloom

2011-06-16T00:27:00.004-04:00

Ha'Penny Bridge: Photo taken May, 2011

To celebrate Bloomsday (June 16th), below is an excerpt from a chapter, which I contributed to the book entitled, Breaking the Mould: Literary Representation of Irish Catholicism in Literature:

James Joyce illustrates iconic realism by means of Victorian feminine perceptions throughout Molly Bloom’s soliloquy in the final chapter of his epic tale, Ulysses. Using stream of consciousness in a manner unparalleled at this novel’s publication, Joyce leads his audience to the entrance of the sphere of Molly’s mind, taking the reader to every crevice of her feminine consciousness. Joyce defies the social stigma of women during this era as he interweaves Molly Bloom’s expression of a unique feminine point of view.

Through Molly’s voice, he seeks answers to his own challenge with a feminine defiance of human weakness. The Ireland in which James Joyce lives is in the midst of revolution. As Joyce leaves his ancestral home, he allows his own genius to flourish. He sees the result of the male world’s design for women and seeks to illuminate the world with its significance. His personal associations with women frame the female portrait of Molly Bloom, as he places Molly in the midst of the Victorian era, with its focus on proper placement of gender roles, customs and even nations, carries the burden of living with this regimented philosophical point of view.

Joyce designs the person of Molly to reveal traits that originate from conventional Victorian male ideas of how a woman should act or think. Joyce writes Molly as one whose actions have a tendency to focus upon her sexual desires. Molly, like Ireland, is a contradiction of human spirit. On one hand, she is independent, wild, yet she depends on the ruler of her heart for identity. Nevertheless, Joyce uses outspoken behavior by Molly to reveal his personal hopeful desire for Ireland, one that seeks to declare independence from the established English Common law.

Jeanne I. Lakatos 2010

Dante Alighieri's "Paradiso" and Iconic Realism

2011-05-08T22:26:00.001-04:00

Photo from Google Images

http://kidslink.bo.cnr.it/ic6-bo/scuolainospedale/num6-2/divcom/Image8.jpg

Dante Alighieri's final book of The Divine Comedy is Paradiso. In this book, he demonstrates the theory of iconic realism in that he aligns the spirit of the beloved Beatrice with the true wisdom of God, yet he simultaneously illustrates the need for humanity to come to terms with the glorious virtues found within the constraints of human interaction.

CANTO IV, lines 28-39: The souls exist as projections of their truest light, the light that shines directly from God, which is their 'true home' whereas in lines 73-75, what the Pilgrim cannot learn directly must be taught him through analogy involving the senses, human physiological experience. This contradicts the earlier lines that indicate truth as intangible and experienced only through one's own enlightenment.

The human will does not enjoy freedom to move of its own accord; it acts in response to the intensity of individual motivation. When perfect balance exists between two motives, the will is deprived of its power to move, and becomes paralyzed. A paradox that remains is humanity needs to interact with others but resists the risk of reaching out to make a difference. The result is apathy.

Salvador Dalí and Iconic Realism

2011-04-24T21:09:00.007-04:00

The Rose by Salvador Dalí,
photo from Google Images

Suspended in an azure sky, a full, red, dew-kissed rose hovers over a muddy, obscure landscape with a visual representation of humanity strategically painted directly beneath the rose, as if this figure receives the flower’s beauty. A delicate cloud wisps above the rose, giving the impression of an omniscient breath. In this painting, the artist, Salvador Dalí, presents the colorful visual stimulus to illustrate an iconic representation of a rose, traditional symbol of love.

However, he places this garden flower in a detached yet dominating position within his fair sky. Although the foreground has a realistic tone, the central position of this suspended rose has a surreal quality. Through this configuration, Dalí stimulates the consciousness of his audience with his visual associations to reality of the rose, the two people and the landscape. Using mainly primary colors, he places the rose above rather than within the landscape, hovering directly above the humans, he creates a form of symbolism representing an overseeing life force that captures a viewer’s imagination.

Here, Dalí incorporates iconic realism in his painting by rendering an iconic form (the rose) within a realistic setting in which the iconic structure is not traditionally perceived (hovering in mid-air over a desert landscape) in order to bring an audience to a renewed awareness of the significance and transformation that occurs with the primal cultural activity of human interaction. (Lakatos, The Theory of Iconic Realism: Understanding the Arts through Cultural Context)

'The Wild Irish Girl' and Iconic Realism

2011-03-17T00:48:00.002-04:00

Iconic realism intones throughout Sydney Owenson’s national tale, The Wild Irish Girl, written from a feminine cultural point of view shortly after the British Act of Union 1801.

Sydney Owenson engages in the construction of iconic realism through her interface with the concept of literary harmony elicited from the initial resonance of Irish revolution. She creates characters as iconic representatives of the consciousness that exists in her historical reality, leading her audiences to a recognizable semblance of truth and a basis for future writers to harmonize with the transitioning, historical significance of human consciousness.

'60 Minutes' Story on Homeless Families and Iconic Realism (Click this title to view another story on this topic from United Way)

2011-03-08T10:33:00.001-05:00

Map showing percentage of homeless families across the U.S.A. from: http://cflhomeless.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/florida-map.jpg

The weekly television program, "60 Minutes," aired a story examining the background of a few homeless families near Disney World in Orlando, Florida, this past Sunday evening, 6 March. This media production is an excellent example of iconic realism. Situated in central Florida, Disney World's theme has been "The happiest place on the planet." However, just a few miles down the road from the fantasy land dwells the harsh reality of the declining U.S. economy. Families have had to make the painful decision to move into hotels that would normally be housing temporary visitors of the vacation capital. Now, these hotels have become 'home' for the many families.

The iconic theme park juxtaposed to this American tragedy brings awareness of the cultural need for United States citizens to creatively invent ways to help these neighbors return to their jobs or begin new ones in an effort to experience their unalienable rights, outlined in the Declaration of Independence: "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

St. Basil's Cathedral and Iconic Realism

2011-03-05T20:40:00.001-05:00

Photo from Google Images

Today, Dr. Michael Rhyne of Ohio brought to my attention the idea of St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, as a possible example of iconic realism. My first response was to associate this great cathedral's namesake with the theory.

St. Basil was a man of humble eloquence, a true scholar who lived in Cappadocia during the 4th century. The mere fact that this cathedral is located in an area of the world in which many Russian leaders have disregarded the human right of freedom of expression, yet it bears the namesake of one who dedicated his life to these rights, illustrates iconic realism, for this iconic cathedral, a major landmark of Moscow, brings an awareness of the cultural need for individual expression and freedom to pursue scholarly endeavors.

Moreover, this cathedral was constructed by supporters of Ivan the Terrible to commemorate his military victories. A towering cathedral of delicate design with vibrant colors in fanciful appearance, constructed to honor a man of war, this dichotomy demonstrates the semiotic theory of iconic realism in that the juxtaposition causes generations to re-evaluate the negative repercussions associated with warring factions.

Vision of Egyptian Children and Iconic Realism

2011-02-12T23:15:00.002-05:00

photo from Google images

A common scene here in the UnitedStates on the Fourth of July, our Independence Day, is that of children wavingtheir flags of red, white and blue. Here, in this patriotic scene on anothercontinent, a group of Egyptian children proudly waves their nation’s flag inhonor of their parents’ perseverance in declaring their independence from astanding dictator.

This visual display illustratesthe semiotic theory of iconic realism in that the audience views an icon ofhope and freedom, a group of children, sitting upon and around a major weapon of war, anarmy tank. The children’s presence on this vehicle illustrates the cultural andgovernmental change that occurred over the past few weeks. The people of thisancient nation have declared their independence and have advanced towardcreating a strong and benevolent Egyptian democracy.

Love

Stepping away

from a mother's loving arms

a child proudly waves

her nation's flag.

Within each fold

freedom's breath

gently kisses

youthful dreams

of a new democracy,

proud and strong

as steps of perseverance

advance civilization,

a loving legacy fulfilled.

Jeanne I. Lakatos 2011

Chrysler Corp. Ad, "Imported from Detroit," and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to view the ad.)

2011-02-07T14:00:00.009-05:00

photo from Google images

"This is the Motor City, and this is what we do," states the singer, Eminem, in the Chrysler Corp. commercial aired for the first time during Super Bowl XLV. In this commercial, a narrator defines luxury while the audience views a montage of iconic images of Detroit, Michigan, the "Motor City."

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, where my father worked as a paint chemist for Chrysler, I must say that I was pretty proud of those images. Positive images juxtaposed with affirmative statements illustrate a contrary point of view to that which the current world media has presented of the Motor City. This use of iconic realism brings into focus the cultural reality of the U.S. automotive industry and the possibilities associated with innovation and perseverance in any community.

And what vehicle to I drive? Why, a Jeep Liberty, of course!

Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite, Music and Iconic Realism

2011-01-22T07:20:00.010-05:00

Click HERE to view a rendition of Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite Number I, Opus 46

A delicate melody flows from a flute. One by one, theoboe, then strings, echo this melody until the orchestra swells with the soft,yet intensely resonating melody. Eventually, every section of the orchestrasings this song of peaceful resolve, as the audience awakens to Edvard Grieg’s PeerGynt Suite Number 1, Opus 46. Grieg introduces the gentlestinstruments of the orchestra and gradually blends in the strength of the entirestring and brass sections with a calm resonance a listening audience could associatewith morning sunrise. Grieg’s opus illustrates iconic realism as each member ofthe audience attends to this aural depiction of the dawn of something withinits consciousness, interpreting possibility in variation with a theme.

Iconic structures in music include those resonating mechanisms thatrepresent a specific sound source recognized by a community. These auralsources could include human made instruments, the human voice or natural soundscommon within a specific environment. For example, the oboe is a windinstrument that produces sounds very close in frequency and intensity to the human voice. In many baroque pieces of music, which were composed during theenlightenment of human culture, the oboe is a featured instrument, whichestablishes the iconic nature of the oboe within a musical piece constructed ofother wind instruments.

Since the humanvoice would not naturally be situated in a musical ensemble, the placement ofthis icon for the human voice provides the listener an opportunity to attend tothis iconic realism within the musical genre of artistic expression and feelthe dissonant harmonics that naturally resolve to consonance when the oboeblends with the instrumentation. This aural exercise incorporates resonatingsound waves with the listener’s memory, which leads to an interpretation of thesound and thus, the association of meaning to the specific sound.

(from my book, The Theory of Iconic Realism: Understanding the Arts through Cultural Context)

Inspiration and Iconic Realism

2011-01-15T11:36:00.009-05:00

THE POETRY BUS:

This week's Poetry Bus is driven by its creator, Peadar O'Donoghue, aka TFE. You can access his blog HERE. Below is my contribution for this week's 'bus ticket.' Our prompt was to breathe and write about where we are at this point in our lives and possibly how we arrived at this juncture. Well, when I breathe, I try to rid myself of all thoughts to concentrate on the here and now. The poem below demonstrates this and iconic realism simultaneously.

A member of the choir at my Catholic Church, often I have the privilege of seeing the reaction of the congregation to the priest's homily. The way this poem illustrates iconic realism is that we have a real individual, sitting in the iconic Catholic Mass, listening to the rhetoric of a priest, however, the spirit comes not from the dogmatic words of the priest's mind, but from another spiritual source within that reality and thus illustrates that the mind, heart, soul connection rests within individuals. Their inner response to relevant awareness can move consciousness in a positive direction.

The photograph is one which I took at the Cathedral de Notre Dame in Reims, France, last May. It illustrates iconic realism and my poem below, too. There, an iconic statue and one refurbished, standing side by side, reveal enlightenment through art. Which one is more beautiful? I'll let you decide.

Inspiration

Her eyes met those

of the congregation

engulfed in the dogma

the priest spewing

words from a pallid pen

that failed to touch

her heart or mind or soul.

So she breathed

and inhaled the Spirit

who whispered to her,

“You are whole and wonderful.”

Exhaling a slow smile,

she sang a silent hymn,

a renaissance de cœur.

❦ Jeanne I. Lakatos 2011

Longfellow's "Evangeline" and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to hear the song, Evangeline, sung by Annie Blanchard en français)

2010-11-07T20:33:00.014-05:00

Photo from Google Images

My favorite narrative poem, Evangeline, written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, beautifully illustrates the theory of iconic realism. Longfellow writes of an iconic love between two Acadian villagers, separated by imperialistic orders of the British military.

As the two lovers set off on their lifelong quest, alone yet jointly searching through the American wilderness with hope of an eventual reunion, the audience becomes aware of diminishing cultures across this vast continent as one community gains control over another with little regard for cultural tolerance. In the final stanza of this epic poem, Longfellow illustrates that a culture may be displaced but through human perseverance, it can prevail:

Still stands the forest primeval; but far away from its shadow,

Side by side, in their nameless graves, the lovers are sleeping.

Under the humble walls of the little Catholic churchyard,

In the heart of the city, they lie, unknown and unnoticed;

Daily the tides of life go ebbing and flowing beside them,

Thousands of throbbing hearts, where theirs are at rest and forever,

Thousands of aching brains, where theirs no longer are busy,

Thousands of toiling hands, where theirs have ceased from their labors,

Thousands of weary feet, where theirs have completed their journey!

Still stands the forest primeval; but under the shade of its branches

Dwells another race, with other customs and language.

Only along the shore of the mournful and misty Atlantic

Linger a few Acadian peasants, whose fathers from exile

Wandered back to their native land to die in its bosom;

In the fisherman's cot the wheel and the loom are still busy;

Maidens still wear their Norman caps and their kirtles of homespun,

And by the evening fire repeat Evangeline's story,

While from its rocky caverns the deep-voiced, neighboring ocean

Speaks, and in accents disconsolate answers the wail of the forest.

(Longfellow, Evangeline, Part II, Canto V)

Semiotic Themes and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to view Billie Holiday singing 'Strange Fruit.')

2010-10-12T15:51:00.004-04:00

Oblinski's Apples from Google Images

Fallen Apple

I am the fallen apple.

Ripe with ardor,

I drop from provisional support

and roll into fertile mire

of fecundity, ignominy.

I’ll not rot in isolation.

by Jeanne I. Lakatos

"A musical composition contains a specific theme. This theme can then repeat every time a musician performs the piece. However, the theme will elicit variations based on instrumentation, acoustics, and musicians actively attempting to recreate the original sound. A new aural thematic expression results from this interpretation. Likewise, a work of art will receive the eyes of multiple viewers. Each person adapts his/her life experience to the interpretation of the rendered artistic theme, thus altering the original thematic construct of the artist. Hence, a theme is in a constant state of evolution, no matter which art form has been presented" (Lakatos 20).

The poignant lyrics in the song, "Strange Fruit," sung by Billie Holiday, words of my poem, "Fallen Apple," and the painting, "Oblinski's Apples" all deal with a specific segment of the human population who has had to deal with human rights issues. Each work of art can be interpreted differently, but the messages are obvious. I'll let you decide those for yourself.

Jane Eyre and Iconic Realism

2010-10-06T22:40:00.004-04:00

(Click HERE to view the final scene from this 2006 BBC production of Jane Eyre.)

Charlotte Brontë's novel, Jane Eyre, illustrates the theory of iconic realism in that her title character, Jane, depicts a young woman who, although abused as a child, manages to maintain her inner strength and dignity as she responsibly carries out her iconic role as a governess, placed in the midst of wealth and deceit. Through this character, Brontë brings awareness to her audience of the complex emotions and intelligence within the feminine consciousness. Stalwart Jane, the epitome of inner strength, becomes the lens through which her former master ultimately perceives and understands his world.

Margaret Mitchell's Scarlet O'Hara and Iconic Realism (Click here to view a clip from the film, Gone with the Wind.)

2010-09-22T09:32:00.004-04:00

"As God is my witness, they're not going to lick me. I'll never be hungry again, nor any of my folks..."

Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Gone with the Wind beautifully illustrates the semiotic theory of iconic realism. She places a gentile young woman, raised on a southern plantation, in the midst of the American Civil War (or War of Northern Aggression, as they say south of the Mason-Dixon Line). Through this juxtaposition, Mitchell makes her audience aware of the need for perseverance to maintain one's dignity, personally and culturally.

In the scene above, Scarlet emerges from Tara, fatigued and tattered like a wilted magnolia blossom, but she slowly elevates herself as the horizon brightens. Her spirit breathes life back into this flower as a nation learns to cultivate the quality of innovation.

This novel was published in 1936, during the midst of the Great Depression when millions of Americans needed the kind of determination that the character, Scarlet O'Hara, exhibited. In addition, the interaction between the various characters throughout this novel illustrates a need for cultural reform on many levels.

Pentagon 9/11 Memorial and Iconic Realism

2010-09-11T03:51:00.004-04:00

(Photo from Washingtonpost.com)

I posted this last year and brought it back again today, on the ninth anniversary of that horrific day. No, we will never forget!

The memorial in Washington, D.C. for the Pentagon victims of 9/11 as an abstract object represents each person who died at this location in the terrorist act that day. The designers, Julie Beckman and Keith Kaseman, have created the memorial with objects, which appear on the lawn as granite benches, which would normally associate with comfort and relaxation. They also have the appearance of airplane wings, jetting out of the ground. However, the one hundred eighty-four objects, juxtaposed to the lawn outside the Pentagon serves as a reminder of the great loss of life that day. The dedication of this memorial states:

Through each season, the maple trees' beauty will contribute to the park's atmosphere of peace and remembrance, enhancing each visitor's personal experience of the memorial. (from the Pentagon Memorial website) [1]

[1] Pentagon September 11 Memorial. 2008. http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2008/0708_memorial/memorial.html

Brandon Balengee, Bioartist, and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to see and hear Brandon Balengee discuss his research/art.)

2010-07-28T11:42:00.002-04:00

Here, Brandon Ballengee, artist and scientist, collaborates with communities around the world to bring awareness of environmental change. His source is the iconic feature of ancient civilizations, the pond. Ballengee's research follows the phenomena of mutation in the amphibian populations worldwide. Then, he uses his skill as an artist to create awareness of this biological variance, focusing his audience's attention on environmental transformation.

Music of the Spheres and Iconic Realism

2010-07-17T23:55:00.002-04:00

Photo from Google Images: DancingSky_HarmonyOfTheSpheres.jpg

I took these photographs in Ireland, June 2009.

The following is an excerpt from a paper I presented at the Mid-Atlantic Conference for Irish Studies, October, 2007:

Human beings have an inherent need to interact withone another. Yet, they often find themselves struggling with what appears to bethe truth of their perceptions. This ambivalence leads to the categorizing ofexperiences as a way to manage personal reactions. Philosophers, such as JohnLocke, Immanuel Kant and Carl Jung, as well as mathematicians, such asPythagoras and Kepler, have clarified this management in terms of music, morespecifically, the mystical music of the spheres.

This concept illustrates that human communicationparallels strict mathematical components associated with harmonics. To clarifythe concept of harmony (music) of the spheres, one can consider a musical tone that contains the original resonatingfrequency with overtones creating precise harmonic variations.

Pythagoras’s theory contained the idea that there wasa distinct mathematical configuration, establishing a relationship of theharmonic distances between the planets. These harmonics were considered thesubstance of a planetary influence on the human psyche. Centuries later,Johannes Kepler clarified this theory with his discovery that harmonic energyemanates from the sun, and there exists an exact harmonic relationship betweeneach planet. Philosophers of the eighteenth century, such as John Locke andImmanuel Kant, connect Kepler’s theory to the concept of human consciousness.

Thus, music of the spheres represents the harmonics of humanthought whereby one idea, emanating from a human being, extends to anotherthroughout the centuries, and overtones or nuances of thought create a newharmonic of the original conception. This new harmonic, then, resonates withanother interpretation, and soon, there are many new concepts formed thatconnect with the original resonating thought.

Although this conceptillustrates that human communication parallels strict mathematical componentsassociated with harmonics, iconic realism is a literary principle whereby anartist uses an iconic, yet real figure to represent another aspect of realitywithin the culture. This principle clearly resonates throughout literature as ameans to express truth in a way that contains meaning while maintainingelements of the mysterious. Indeed, iconic realism intones throughout SydneyOwenson’s national tale, The Wild Irish Girl, written from a feminine cultural point of view shortly after theBritish Act of Union 1801.

Sydney Owenson engages in theconstruction of iconic realism through her interface with the concept ofliterary harmony elicited from the initial resonance of Irish revolution. Shecreates characters as iconic representatives of the consciousness that existsin her historical reality, leading her audiences to a recognizable semblance oftruth and a basis for future writers to harmonize with the transitioning,historical significance of human consciousness.

Such resonance, whichdistinguishes between intense reality and strength of the human spirit throughiconic realism, occurs in Owenson’s novel, demonstrating the necessity forhumankind to relate to one another on a realistic rather than a symbolic level.As she reacts to her despotic environment, Owenson’s technique of using iconicstructures in allegorical representations of Irish reality resonates throughsuch 20^th century writers as William Butler Yeats and James Joyce. (Lakatos 2007)

"Rudy" of the Univ. of Notre Dame football team and Iconic Realism

2010-07-11T20:23:00.003-04:00

Daniel E. Ruettiger, "Rudy" of the 1975 Notre Dame football team (Google Images)

'Rudy' portrayed by Sean Astin in the film (Google Images)

In the film, Rudy, Daniel E. Ruettiger's dream of becoming a member of the iconic Notre Dame football team illustrates iconic realism in that his perseverance led to successful achievement of his personal goal. Not only is this individual's determination an inspiration, the film portraying his struggle has become an American classic, illustrating the cultural belief that a stalwart commitment to a positive dream can contribute to its becoming a reality.

Equality and Iconic Realism

2010-07-02T11:18:00.003-04:00

In his Second Treatise of Government, John Locke states, "People are born in a state of perfect equality, where naturally there is no superiority or jurisdiction of one over another." If one were to gaze upon the photograph I have posted above, a sense of this equality exists within the natural balance of the tree's trunk, for it vividly reflects the underground root system, the source of its immensely visual structure.

This illustrates the existence of iconic realism in the natural world in that it is unusual to see a tree's trunk and branches specifically revealing the source of its power. Usually, one would have to dig beneath the surface to see this, but as I walked beneath the branches of this enormous evergreen, I could almost feel the life force surging from the unseen root system below my feet.

What does this reveal in a cultural sense? Those leaders that become the most powerful, whether in government, business, education or the arts, acknowledge the source of their power exists within the individuals who contribute to the root of their successful endeavors, originating from that which flourishes from below the surface.

Oil Drenched Pelican and Iconic Realism

2010-06-05T17:40:00.012-04:00

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, East Grand Terre Island, LA, 6/3/10

The BP oil spill, off the coast of Louisiana, U.S.A., is an example of iconic realism represented through media coverage, for this bird, an icon of that aspect of nature associated with the sea and freedom in life, now struggles to survive. This disaster in the Gulf of Mexico has negatively altered thousands of lives, both human and those animals who live in or near this body of water, and the oil continues to spew forth.

As this stream of oil follows the current around the coast of Florida, makes its way up the eastern coastline and further across the Atlantic Ocean, more sea and human lives will be dangerously affected. The cultural dilemma that this photograph illustrates is the question of whether we humans really need to be so dependent on oil for our own survival.

*****************************************

I just signed a petition to Congress and the White House telling them it's time for a bold plan to get America off of oil - can you join me? Just click the link below:

http://pol.moveon.org/nomoreoil

Rodin's "The Kiss" and Iconic Realism

2010-06-03T23:11:00.002-04:00

Photo of Rodin's sculpture from Google Images: tawnyamarie.wordpress.com

AugustRodin’s The Kiss illustrates an iconic human act of a loving embrace.However, the two individuals do not touch. The significance of this is the keyto understanding the iconic realism in this work of art. These two loversemulate a common, human activity, yet this embrace, sculpted to express lack ofphysical contact, creates certain dissonance. The message from this carefulconfiguration could be that humanity longs to embrace life fully, as an act oflove; however, certain parameters prevent this occurrence. Other possibleinterpretations may involve a sense of detachment. Regardless of theinterpretation, this sculpture exemplifies iconic realism in that there is aniconic structure, placed in a realistic setting that does not conform to theaccepting reality of intimacy. Through this juxtaposition, the artistillustrates cultural liberation, an innovation for the era in which it wassculpted.

Temple Grandin and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to see a clip of the HBO film.)

2010-05-10T11:10:00.002-04:00

ffbsccn.wordpress.com/.../

To view a video of Dr. Temple Grandin, click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKSDSblPMpA

Dr. Temple Grandin's Website can be found here:

http://templegrandin.com/

Recently, HBO released a film, entitled Temple Grandin, starring Claire Danes as the title character. This movie tells the life story of Temple Grandin, Ph.D., whose revolutionary method of treating animals in the slaughter houses of western United States has changed the manner which cattle are handled in a more benevolent and respectful manner. This has led to more efficient business practices in the meatpacking industry as well as a higher quality of meat.

As this film illustrates, Dr. Grandin was diagnosed as autistic in the 1950s. Her determination and fortitude placed her in a number of situations which qualify as examples of iconic realism. She was a woman, struggling with her condition and dedicated to work in the 'man's world' of raising cattle for the food industry in the western U.S. during the 1950s-60s, before the women's movement took hold in the 1970s. Moreover, she introduced innovative ways to reach children and adults with autism.

For that reason, I have placed the wonderful HBO film of Dr. Grandin's life experiences in this category of iconic realism because this iconic figure of a woman, placed in a setting where women were not usually found, brings awareness not only of the condition of autism and the possibilities of individuals who deal with it, but the audience becomes aware of the beef industry and the positive results associated with treating cattle with respect.

William Butler Yeats's poem, "Fragments," and Iconic Realism

2010-04-14T00:18:00.006-04:00

I took this photo of a stone etching, commemorating Yeats at Coole Park, Ireland.

The following is an excerpt from my book:

In his poem, “Fragments,”Yeats rejects the icon of Christian philosopher, John Locke, and insinuatesthat mankind may not be “inherently good,” for “Locke sank into a swoon” (l.1)In lines 2-4, he writes, “The Garden died;/God took the spinning-jenny/Out ofhis side.” Since the spinning jenny enabled laborersto produce many more skeins of yarn, this allowed for the presence of many‘yarns.’ His play on words creates the yarn. God (Jesus), the male icon ofChristianity, has removed the tales of faith, the sins for which He wascrucified.

The last stanza provides a reality of the truth, which emanates froma non-Christian source, a medium, then, “Out of nothing it came,” fromthe Book of Genesis, the beginning of time, and thesource of God. He follows this with the pagan version of truth, “Out ofthe forest loam,” the most fertile, lowest part ofthe forest floor, where nutrients for the forest thrive. Finally, truth comes“Out of dark night where lay/The crowns of Nineveh.” Here, darkness reveals only ignorance, silence, no words ofwisdom, and the source of superficiality.

Yeats juxtaposes the iconic withrealistic in this poem to question the dichotomy of human faith, and moves thereader along his wave of resonating artistic flow, for the following poem inthis series is “Leda and the Swan,” his iconic poem that alludes to the rape ofLeda in order to illustrate polar opposites in human consciousness.

Hans Christian Andersen's "The Ugly Duckling" and Iconic Realism (Click here to view Danny Kaye's endearing song of this tale.)

2010-03-28T22:43:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite childhood tales is Hans Christian Andersen's "The Ugly Duckling." In this tale, he introduces the concept of tolerance by the placement of the animal kingdom's icon of grace, the swan, in a home of ducklings, known for awkwardness. The young swan is completely out of place in this environment. Here, Andersen uses iconic realism to illustrate that even though one may experience cruelty and humiliation, when one looks inward, one can realize individual truth and therefore, discover possibilities associated with self actualization.

Sydney Owenson's "Lay of an Irish Harp" and Iconic Realism

2010-03-13T13:38:00.005-05:00

In her 1807 lyrical collection, Lay of an Irish Harp, Sydney Owenson uses the iconic imagery of a harp to scrutinize the resonating cry for enlightened human consciousness shortly after the Act of Union 1801 has been enforced. She illustrates the harmonics of human intellect surrounding the Irish message of perseverance in times of hardship and indignity suffered when human rights are ignored, using rhythmic structure within her poetics and iconic allusions through intricate semiotic fusion of philosophy and history. According to her memoirs, Owenson’s aspiration was "to make my native country better known, and to dissipate the political and religious prejudices that hindered its prosperity…Neither lovers, friends, nor flatterers, ever turned my attention from the steady, settled aim of my life-- and that was to advocate the interest of my country in my writings…”

Carmen and Iconic Realism (Click here to view Anna Caterina Antonacci as Carmen)

2010-03-01T17:59:00.003-05:00

My Introduction to Women Studies class has been exploring the way women have been portrayed in the arts through iconic realism.

This week, a colleague will address the iconic features of Georges Bizet's character, Carmen, as she represents the concept of love in the form of seductress, victim and other aspects of womanhood through various literary interpretations.
Indeed, "Love is a gypsy child... She knows no law." Enjoy the Habanera!

Field of Dreams and Iconic Realism (Click here to view the movie trailer.)

2010-02-22T10:18:00.000-05:00

The bitterly cold winter of 2010 is moving to an end, and that means baseball season will soon be here at last. In the photos, you will see the baseball field, which was actually constructed in an Iowa cornfield for the film, Field of Dreams.

"An example of iconic realism in a film would be the baseball field within the 1989 film, Field of Dreams, based on the novel written by W. P. Kinsella and the screenplay written and directed by Phil Alden Robinson. Throughout the film, the audience knows that the mysterious baseball diamond, carved out of an Iowan cornfield by farmer Ray Kinsella, connects with the sport of baseball. Two iconic factors are present, the sport, which many view as America’s heart and the location, which is the heartland of America" (Lakatos 57).

"The realism is the actual grass, the parameters of the field, which consist of the edge of a cornfield and the players, themselves, which are the Chicago Black Socks, a team which had gone through a series of legalities during its prime season. The baseball players are ghosts from this infamous team, who simply wish to play out eternity on a ball field. As the plot unfolds, Ray’s true reason to construct the field revolves around ‘having a catch’ with his father. Therefore, the iconic feature of an authentic baseball field, placed in the middle of a cornfield in Iowa, a very unlikely place for a baseball field, elicits the cultural awareness from the main character. Ray’s illusions of his father were detached from a realistic understanding of his father’s passion, for he very much like Ray, himself, was a hardworking young man, who loved baseball" (Lakatos 57)

"Therefore, Robinson’s use of iconic realism in the Field of Dreams illustrates a personal mission of opening the consciousness of America to the conflict within the heart of its people and traditions. The use of illusion and human consciousness illuminate the struggle with personal motivation that produces results as stated repeatedly throughout the film, “If you build it, he will come.” This feature of iconic realism in the Field of Dreams adapts well to contemporary statements of community in iconic characterizations and the realistic dynamics of connection and detachment" (Lakatos 57)

Monday Poetry Bus Respite

2010-02-21T18:47:00.008-05:00

You may view my second entry for this week's TFE's Poetry Bus Challenge on my Revolutionary Revelry blog in order for me to return this blog discussion of my theory to my students and any other interested guests. Feel free to read other postings that explain this theory. Best, Jeanne

Semiotic Theory

2010-02-06T11:42:00.003-05:00

Content of material represented through literature,art and music contains the linguistic configurations associated with languagein addition to visual and auditory stimuli. In literature, content consists oflanguage, represented by words on a page that convey meaning to the audience.Artistic content varies from materials, such as paint, rock, metal, fabric, orother physical substance, with the subject matter originating in the humanexperience. Musical compositions include content that incorporates any form ofresonance to which the auditory mechanism responds.

For instance, thematic representation of creativeexpression incorporates the history, language and culture of the artistin relation to individual purpose of expression with an audience. A musicalcomposition contains a specific theme. This theme can then repeat every time a musician performs the piece.However, the theme will elicit variations based on instrumentation, acoustics,and musicians actively attempting to recreate the original sound. A new aurallythematic expression results from this interpretation. Likewise, a work of artwill receive the eyes of multiple viewers. Each person adapts his/her lifeexperience to the interpretation of the rendered artistic theme, thus alteringthe original thematic construct of the artist. Hence, a theme is in a constantstate of evolution, no matter which art form has been presented. (Lakatos22-23)

Maximus Miracle Virtual Book Tour Interview with Liz Gallagher (Click here to go to Liz's site.)

2010-01-24T19:32:00.003-05:00

Liz, you have answered so many meaningfulquestions on this tour. I hope I have read all of the interviews and that myquestions will be unique. I added some questions just in case I missed a formerinterview and have repeated a question. Although we’re in January, we’reexperiencing what we call here in Connecticut a ‘January Thaw,’ but it’s stilla bit chilly, so I’ll offer you the choice of hot cocoa, Irish coffee, hotbuttered rum, or mulled wine...whichever you prefer.

Hi Jeanne, it is very nice to be here...and forsure, your questions have been very, very unique....I had to settle myselfquite intently to answer them and enjoyed the challenge of doing so.

I sure do love that list of very tempting drinkproposals, I know it is gluttonous of me to say this but could we have a go atsampling each of those, especially the hot buttered rum, here in the Canariesthey make rum, plain rum and rum with honey, but I have never heard of thehot-buttered variety and am sorely tempted to try it the' hot-buttered way.' :)

No problem! I’ve included a recipe for this colonial beverage.

Your book reaches into the essence of humanitythrough experiences with wonder and personal discovery. As we read your poeticdescriptions of these epiphanic and epiphenomenal moments, we, the readers areable to reach a clearer understanding of ourselves, and, for that matter, someof those events in our lives that we simply cannot explain, yet somehow end upexplaining our human journey.
Therefore, my three questions for you (and believe me, I struggled keeping itto three) will deal with this ongoing process of acknowledging and engaging inthe enlightenment of human experience….and here we go:

Jeanne, thanks for your view of the bookabove...the words epiphanic and epiphenomenal moments have made my day,night and week...I especially love 'epiphenomenal' and will be tempted to popit into conversations about the book......so yes, ready or not, heregoes...(even if I am not feeling too steady on my feet...due to a stomach virusthat has me on 7Ups and dry rice! : ))

Stomach viruses are the worst! I thank you fortaking the time to answer these questions even when you’re not feeling well.This proves even further how dedicated you are to this profession. I admireyour stamina.

Okay, first question: The cover of your book isa beautiful tree, which appears to be at the beginning of spring. Could youplease explain this phenomenon of renewal in nature and how it relates to yourpoetic purpose?

Thanks, Jeanne, the cover is lovely, isn'tit....when Chris from Salt first showed it to me, I fell immediately for it...

'Renewal' is such a great word – the essence ofwhat we are about really, I suppose. On writing poetry, I don't have anyconscious poetic purpose other than to amuse myself and to make a way to knowme/myself better through words, but having said that, I realise that a lot of(my) writing has to do with re-living and trying to re-capture some momentsthat have impacted on me and made me feel/see things differently. Through thisI do see how the poetic process is a form of renewal, the renewal of'experience' and 'happenings' or assigning to something 'everyday' a new sortof purpose...in this way it relates to nature, the constant re-making, thecycle of growth....I am thinking of the special status the cherry blossom hasin Japan, the short-lived beauty of it, the belief in the now, themoment,....and how difficult it can be to accept the transient...So yes, I do believe that writing poetrycan be a form of renewal, a second chance to re-new – make new again, tooneself and others, what one has experienced or what one is thinking....

Thanks for such a thought-provoking question,Jeanne!

I love the poem, “A Lady in the Bath withAngels.” How would you interpret the significance of the language of angels andtheir signs in our everyday experiences?

Jeanne, I have pasted A Lady in the Bathwith Angels here below.

I must admit to not being knowledgeable at allabout angels apart from what I learnt as a child about there being a 'guardianangel' that stays by our side keeping a watchful eye over us. This was/is funand quite reassuring to believe in! : )

This poem came from a true experience ofhearing this lady talk on TV about angels. Since hearing her say that white feathersare a sign of an angel being about the place, I notice white feathersmore....last summer while walking down O'Connell street in Dublin, I saw awoman run after a white feather and pin it down with her stilletoed heel andthen pick it up and put it in her pocket, it immediately made me think that shewas angel-catching, so to speak.

I think it is in human nature to be on thelook-out for signs, be they of the angel variety or not. We like to makeassociations, to read into things in order to instill some mystery orotherworldliness into our lives...and to maybe help us get clues as to where weare going and why.

A Lady in the Bath with Angels
Ever since that lady on the ‘Late, Late Show’ said
that an angel makes itself know through the appearance
of a white feather, every which way I turn I’m seeing

white feathers. At present a tiny one is sitting on my miniature
word-jotting-down note book. I have up to ten others in various
hideaways about the house. The lady said that her first angels

appeared to her while she was in the bath. They weren’t tiny
nor floaty but 6 feet tall, hunky and blonde. She said that people
don’t want to hear about angels being so big and that we’ve got

to shed pre-conceived notions about angels. The interviewer
said that people nowadays would fear seeing white feathers
about the place and only think of bird flu and how risky

it is to sit around lakes and swan-watch. The Lady thinks
that angels won’t come unless we ask them to. She says
they will do anything for us but we have to summons

them. She says we each have an angel and that they want
to save the world but they stay quiet until we believe
in them. I want to believe in angels. But gathering white

feathers is a possessive act. I’d like to let them go
but how do I learn to mouth something significant to an angel?

If I were to compare your poetry with anAmerican poet, it would be that of Emily Dickinson. Although your poetry cannotbe sung to the song, “The Yellow Rose of Texas” like Ms. Dickinson’s can, thereis a certain connection with science and math interwoven with the lyricalelements of human experience. Would you say that your poetry is more of afractal or a reverberating sound wave?

Jeanne, I love this question and the comparison,thanks! Must admit to feeling totally inadequate to answer the question thoughbut I'm thinking that google might help me with the definitions for 'fractal' and 'reverberating' soundwaves and then I may be able to go with some type of answer....! : )

So here goes: if fractal is what wikipedia saysbelow and reverberating is what it says below, then Jeanne, believe me, it'sall a muddle...no, but seriously, I think that my poetry, sound-wise, isprobably a mix of both the fractal and the reverberating....if fractal is atendancy to stop-and-start, to appear broken, reduced, ….my poetry cancertainly contain those elements, both literally and metaphorically ...andalso, as I said before, sound-wise, due to the mix of long lined poems interchanging with much-shorter-linedones....(sorry for wavering here but finding it hard to pin down what I mostprobably should be pinning down....). I do think my poetry can also appear tohave 'long successions of echoes' too ( adding in to say: one can feel as if one is conversingwith oneself when composing poetry ….maybe this links to the echo-effect?)....I'm also thinking of the 'echoing-in-the-dark' line that Seamus Heaneyrefers to in relation to what poetry can be (“I rhyme,
to see myself, to set the darkness echoing.”)....so yes, the 'long successionof echoes' does ring bells for me (no pun intended! ; )) and the wholecarfuffle of what poetry can be...I think the echo-effect might also be relatedto the 'renewal ' question....the re-making of the original experience inpoetry to be able to zone in on it from different angles and to see what isbehind it. When I am writingpoetry, I always hear in my head very clearly, the words and thoughts that I amabout to write...so I do depend very much on sound and allow the sounds todictate where the poem should go...even though I don't actually read my workaloud until it is finished.

(Jeanne, hope I haven't messed up the originalintention of the question!)

(A fractalis "a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts,each of which is (at least approximately) a reduced-size copy of thewhole,"[1] a property called self-similarity.

Reverberating a succession of echoes, a prolonged orcontinued effect.... )

Jeanne, thanks again for having me here. Thisis the last Virtual Tour stop and being hosted on your very interesting Bloghas been a high note to end on....thanks for your questions which certainly gotme thinking in an academic way about my work, something which I had not really done up until now...myworking life is very academic but my poetry has always been, for me, somethinga little 'rebellious' and 'out-on-a-wing', or 'offside', so to speak,therefore it seems both strangeand exciting to assign anything academic-sounding to it, this is probably naiveof me to think like this...but either way, it's been a good experience....! ; )

Liz,thank you so much for sharing your thoughts here and for providing such fascinatinginsight to your poetry. I really appreciate your spending time here and wishfor you the very best in health and spirit!

Go raibh míle maith agat! Agus go n-eirían bóthar leat! And here is theIrish Blessing that this comes from as a wee 'thank you' to you and to all the Host Bloggers (Arlene,Brenda, TFE, Nuala, Rachel, Serena, Michelle, Jim) who have been wonderful,thanks for the experience and the memories! : ) Xxx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v

U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division in Haiti and Iconic Realism

2010-01-18T12:10:00.003-05:00

AP Photo: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100116/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_haiti_earthquake

As the crisis in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, continues, the United States 82nd Airborne Division from Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, trained for combat, is called to duty of the most humanitarian nature. This juxtaposition of warriors with this act of human compassion, providing greatly needed food and water, illustrates iconic realism in the media, for this action brings awareness of the need for all humans, even those trained for combat, to illustrate benevolence when the need arises.

Feeling and Realism in Artistic Expression (Click here to view an example of art and reality.)

2010-01-12T12:22:00.001-05:00

Artistic choice enables the audience to experience an historical and emotional bond with the artist. For example, if pleasure and pain are derived through the senses, then the realism with which an artist chooses to place an iconic representation will provide the audience and the artist a certain amount of sensory stimuli to which the audience responds in the experience of receiving the artistic renderings into its consciousness (Lakatos 39).

In the example of Bill Shannon's "Crutch", he explains the varying responsive communication between artist and audience.

New Year's Festival of Light (Click onto this title to go to TFE's site)

2010-01-02T10:24:00.002-05:00

As per our beloved TFE's request, I have posted my candle. Okay, it's a day late, but for some reason, I couldn't post anything yesterday. Anyway, it's up now. I dedicated my attentions to my dear parents, Stephen and Pearl, my grannie Annie, my pastor's mother, Mary Ryan, who just passed away two days before Christmas and all the thousands of lives lost since 9/11 in that horrible disaster and the ensuing wars. This war business must end if humanity is to move forward. We must contribute to the elevation of human consciousness, not the elimination of it. Onward through the next decade then! May you find peace, love and joy in all your endeavors.

Einstein's Theory of Relativity and Iconic Realism

2009-12-28T12:10:00.002-05:00

painting by William Rock, Chinese calligraphy by Huang Xiang

“Theeclipse of May 29,1919 confirmed Einstein’s theory that the light could be bendby the gravitational force of the sun. An English expedition in the area of theeclipse have actually measured the deflexion of starlight from the sun. Thedata of the expedition was presented to a special joint meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society and the Royal Society of London on November 6, 1919."

(Dr. Ljubo Vujovic, Secretary General, Tesla Memorial Society of New York)

Thisscientific event held at the conclusion of WWI illustrates iconic realism in the media. Albert Einstein, German, an icon of the scientific community, receivedconfirmation of his theory of relativity through data collected by an English expedition. Themanner which this event illustrates the theory of iconic realism is thejuxtaposition of a representative of Germany and England, countries at war, in a scientificconference, which led to a united elevation of human consciousness.

Ironically,twenty years later, this same peace activist urges President Roosevelt to beginresearch into the production of the atomic bomb as a means to bring a quick endto Nazism and WWII. And we all know the rest of that narrative.

Workcited:

Vujovic, Dr. Ljubo. Albert Einstein (187901955). Tesla Memorial Societyof New York. http://www.teslasociety.com/einstein.htm

TFE's Poetry Bus in Christmas Mode

2009-12-19T16:45:00.030-05:00

To all of my friends from the Poetry Bus and those who have visited this site, I wish you a wonderful Holiday Season.

May you all be blessed with love, peace and joy...

and TFE, an extra special 'Slainte!' to you!

Holy Family by Rembrandt. 1640. Oil on wood. Musee du Louvre, Paris

A Christmas Savor

What shall I drink? Egg nog or grog?

What did the Holy Family drink

on that holiest of nights?

Did Mary lean over to Joseph

after giving birth to Jesus and say,

“Joseph, be a dear and pour me

another glass of Chardonnay?”

To which Joseph replied,

“Mary Darling, all we have is

a little mulled wine leftover

from the party the other day.”

Or…

Did a father, proud

after such a long trip

offer his lovely bride a sip

of water to give her joy

upon delivering this

beautiful, healthy boy?

Did the baby cry

in a humble home

and looking to his mum,

so beautiful and warm,

reach up to touch

her swollen breast

and savor the milk

from the Mother blessed?

Jeanne I. Lakatos 2009

Monday Poetic Respite

2009-12-14T08:40:00.001-05:00

Eleventh Day of Christmas

On the 11th day of Christmas,

I wish to send to thee

a cup of gentle tidings

that will surely comfort thee.

Remember your uniqueness

that your blessings are in you,

and use those gifts to be one

who uplifts humanity true.

Jeanne I. Lakatos 2009

Sándor Liezen-Mayer's Painting, "St. Elisabeth of Hungary" and Iconic Realism

2009-12-08T10:36:00.011-05:00

Sándor Liezen-Mayer
Saint Elisabeth of Hungary
Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest

During the Christmas season, we see a lot of paintings depicting the birth of Jesus. As a woman of Hungarian ancestry (Lakatos is Hungarian for 'locksmith'), I was intrigued by this beautiful painting of St. Elisabeth of Hungary by Sandor Liezen-Mayer. Here, we see a Madonna-like figure and her infant child in a lowly state with Elisabeth extending her royal cloak to them.

An example of iconic realism, this painting illustrates the humility of the origins of Christian precepts and the balance of power when this humility extends from all levels of society. Liezen-Mayer does this through the variation of color, shading as well as interaction between the architecture and human figures. Tragically widowed at the age of 20, Szent Erzsébet devoted her short life to charitable works in Germany and Europe. She died in 1231, at the age of 24.

Mother Teresa and Iconic Realism

2009-12-07T15:39:00.003-05:00

painting by William Rock, Chinese calligraphy by Huang Xiang (click to go to their website)

Recently, I was reading an article about Mother Teresa of Calcutta. As I read of her selfless acts of love among the diseased and poverty stricken, I realized that her life story is an example of iconic realism. As a Catholic nun, she epitomized the concept of purity in mind and body. Yet, there she was, providing comfort to a population from which many would rather turn away. Through her presence in this setting, she demonstrated the necessity for human compassion.
One of my favorite quotes from this brilliant woman is as follows: "We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”

Paul McCartney's 'Blackbird' and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to view Paul McCartney singing "Blackbird")

2009-12-01T11:15:00.001-05:00

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s191/Atravesdevenezuela/paul-mccartney.jpg

http://i43.tinypic.com/2rpuqo5.jpg

Paul McCartney's song, "Blackbird," is an example of iconic realism. When he composed "Blackbird' in the spring of 1968, the United States was dealing with civil rights issues, the women's movement, the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, and the Vietnam War. Here, McCartney's focus is on the empowerment of the female African-American woman.

The term 'bird' is an English slang for woman, and the blackbird is a literary symbol for freedom, so this blackbird, singing in the dead of night is the juxtaposition of an iconic, realistic figure in a realistic setting, not usually expected for that icon. McCartney's placement of this figure in this setting brings awareness of the hope for women, particularly African-American women, to find their freedom through equality within a 'sunken eyed' society.

This simple song, introduced by a brief musical reference to Bach's Bourree, with meter changing from flowing waltz to a steady two-step, brings enlightenment of a cultural need for reform in regard to feminine empowerment in society. To this day, segments of the world's society need to awaken to the message in this song.

Symphony at The Cloisters, New York City and Iconic Realism

2009-11-28T12:25:00.007-05:00

www.pbase.com/terraxplorer/image/68935986

The following excerpt is in the Introduction of my book. I'd like to thank Professor Lionel Bascom for telling me of this experience as his illustration of iconic realism.

A group of New Yorkers assembles in the Cloisters museum, which sits atop a hill overlooking the Hudson River, just outside of Manhattan. These individuals have come to listen to a concert, which will be presented just before sunset. Anticipating a traditional concert with musicians performing in front of a listening audience, they search for seating. They notice that chairs have been strategically placed throughout the museum, a few here, a few there, up the winding staircases, in the garden, along the walls of stone. Confused, the concert attendees seat themselves, waiting.

Soon, echoing through the interweaving chambers of the museum, low brass instruments create a resonating medieval drone, monotone voices chanting in Latin with sustained pitches, fill the damp air with a sound that transports the audience from the busy New York City museum to a medieval stone castle. The glow from the setting sun mixed with low lighting envelops the medieval tapestries, statuary and paintings while muted melodies fill the audience with an aural feast. Iconic melodies that signify this medieval period permeate the halls.

The medieval tones mingle with the realism in the works of art, architecture and presence of the audience, sensually transported to this era. When the concert ends, the members of this audience become aware of the cultural distinctions between the two worlds of medieval Europe and twentieth century New York City, now transformed in their perceptions of continuity of human interaction in time and space, having experienced iconic realism.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T23:08:00.001-05:00

On this, my first Thanksgiving Day as a 'Blogger,' I am thankful for the wonderful people who have visited this site. I wish for you great health and happiness.

Happy Thanksgiving!
~ Jeanne

Brian Eno's Ambient Music and Iconic Realism (Click here to view and hear video of Eno's Earth, An Ending)

2009-11-21T11:25:00.000-05:00

Some musical composers apply electronically produced music withnatural sounds from the environment to provide the audience with a realassociation, such as wildlife, bodies of water, seasonal sound sources, andweather phenomena. This particular form of musical presentation, known as ambientmusic, forits affect on the ambience of one’s surroundings, is often recorded for healthfacilities.

An example of such musical composition is the healing music ofcomposer, Brian Eno, and his 1978 release, AmbientI: Music for Airports. In the liner of this album, Eno writes, “Myintention is to produce original pieces ostensibly (but not exclusively) forparticular times and situations with a view to building up a small but versatilecatalogue of environmental music suited to a wide variety of moods andatmospheres.” [1] This form of incorporatingmusical sounds with nature provides the added aesthetic of stimulating thesenses with a portion of reality to which the audience relates through memory,transporting an individual to an aspect of memory, aligning the audience withthe composer’s perception of reality.

In his musical composition, Earth, An Ending, he provides the audiencewith a reality that heightens awareness of the possibility of positive culturalchange either within an individual or within Earth’s community as a whole.

[1]Eno, Brian. Music for Airports/Ambient 1. Linernotes. PVC 7908 (AMB 001), 1978.

Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible' and Iconic Realism

2009-11-16T14:28:00.001-05:00

http://z.hubpages.com/u/234410_f260.jpg

In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible,characterization takes place within the parameters of a seventeenth century NewEngland village. Yet, the message that Miller is sending to his audienceparallels the political ramifications of the anti-communist hearings in theUnited States, when fear of Communism heavily influenced the psychologicallandscape. He creates a series of events that illustrate iconic realism throughhis use of lighting, characterization and dialogue. As each member of the townaccused of witchcraft is called to trial, the lighting and stage presenceilluminates the audience to the author’s intention. Written in 1953, shortlyafter the anti-communist hearings, known as the House Committee on Un-AmericanActivities,[1] eachcharacter could represent some facet of the House Committee’s representation,for actions by the House committee resembled those of the drama’s magistrates.

However, the reality of theplay is a seventeenth century New England village, during a time when actualwitch hunts did take place. Miller admits to changing a few names and factsregarding the characters, “This play is not history in the sense in which theword is used by the academic historian… However, I believe that the reader willdiscover here the essential nature of one of the strangest and most awfulchapters in human history.”[2]Miller chooses a tale of human interaction to demonstrate his concern for thecultural future of the United States and humanity in general. (Lakatos 2009)

[1] Carr, Robert K. “The Un-American Committee.” TheUniversity of Chicago Law Review. 18.3 (Spring, 1951) 598-633.

[2] Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. (New York:Penguin Books, 1976) 2.

F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg and Iconic Realism

2009-11-11T06:52:00.004-05:00

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs47/f/2009/172/9/f/Doctor_T__J__Eckleburg_by_sukimd.jpg

But above the gray land andthe spasms of bleak dust, which drift endlessly over it, you perceive, after amoment, the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg. The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburgare blue and gigantic—their irises are one yard high. They look out of no face,but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a nonexistentnose. Evidently, some wild wag of an oculist set them there to fatten hispractice in the borough of Queens, and then sank down himself into eternalblindness, or forgot them and moved away. But his eyes, dimmed a little by manypaintless days, under sun and rain, brood on over the solemn dumping ground. F.Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Chapter 2

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, TheGreat Gatsby,the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg peer across the ‘dumping ground’ of Americanspirit. This example of iconic realism portrays eyes as the ‘windows of thesoul’ of a country steeping in corruption and superficiality. Fitzgerald placesthese eyes on an old billboard, gazing across a field of forgotten possessions,bringing into focus awareness of America’s consciousness to be evervigilant of the forefathers’ intentions of ‘life, liberty and the pursuit ofhappiness.’

Imre Madách's "The Tragedy of Man" and Iconic Realism

2009-10-27T15:39:00.010-04:00

In the musicalselection that TFE chose for us "Poetry Bus" riders to attend,Krizysztof Penderecki's "Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima," themusicians create musical dissonance as a memorial to the horrific event thattook place on August 6,1945.
Adamantly, I voiced my dissent towards listening to that piece,but the more I consider this music, I realize that the Threnody, through dissonance, helps each of us to recognize and to memorialize the victims as it was intended to do. Thank you Dominic and TFE for bringing this to our attention.

Dissonanceis an avenue to creative expression for change, indicated in Imre Madách'splay...

In his 1860 play, "The Tragedy of Man," Imre Madách uses iconicrealism to illustrate cultural awareness of the value in humanity'sability to determine its destiny. He questions societalexpectations by moving his audience through a journey of socialoutcry against parochialism in his depictions of Adam, Eve and Lucifer,entangled in episodic adventures that transcend historical boundaries.

They travel to ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt, the middle ages andLondon, Madách’s radical, textual dissent against the provincialestablishment reveals his personal truth by eliminating story lineconstrictions of time and space. He deliberately places Adam and Evein these unusual settings for this couple to illustrate that thejourney of self worth and independence includes the worthiness ofnation and begins with the attainment of self-knowledge.

He presents Eve as the mother of humanity, with theconviction that herchildren will move humanity forward in their quest for true knowledge.Similarly, Madách holds onto the hope that his Hungary would developautonomy and maintain its unique culture and language. In his 1918book, The Resurrection of Hungary, Arthur Griffith writes,“Ireland’s heroic and long-enduring resistances to the destruction of herindependent nationality were themes the writers of Young Hungary dweltupon to enkindle and make resolute the Magyar people” (xxiv). Griffith’sassociation of Ireland and Hungary illustrates that artists livingwithin the parochial constraints of both of these countries use the powerof a dissonant pen to motivate.

Monday Poetry Respite...Go Yankees! (Click here to go to my other blog, Revolutionary Revelry)

2009-10-25T20:00:00.014-04:00

Well, our beloved TFE asked us to listen to a DREADFUL musical piece, and I really didn't care much about listening to it. At first, I posted this as verse; however, I realized that writing stream of consciousness would be more appropriate, so here it is. Those who enjoy reading the Molly Bloom's chapter of James Joyce's Ulysses might enjoy this, too. If you don't, well, there's always next week. Meanwhile....YANKEES WON TONIGHT, SO THEY WILL GO ON TO THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!!!!!! Go Yankees!!!!!!!

Fragmented Foray upon my Cochlea

Anxiety no sleep my mind where is my mind oh here it is right where I left it I can feel my heart beating is this all a nightmare which way should I turn so many doors so many options ah sweet serenity weightless waitless no need to focus ugh dissonance oh no I detest dissonance I'd rather be listening to my Ralph Vaughan Williams or Billie Holiday so much better than this and bellanova's rendition of "Stairway to Heaven" is so cool why didn't TFE listen to MY Playlist I wish this wretched violin would play something consonant consoling not what I wanted to hear today like sharp fingernails slowly making their way across a clean chalkboard oh the hair cells along my basilar membrane reach out in agony to hold tightly onto the ones along the back of my neck misery does love company where's my aspirin my eyes follow the red line to the end of this piece peace there I'm off a little Celtic Reverie to massage my brain

Jeanne I. Lakatos 2009

Disney's "Fantasia" Final Chapter, Part 2 (Ave Maria) and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to view video.)

2009-10-23T15:23:00.018-04:00

(Photo from Disney film, Fantasia, Google Images)

When the Walt Disney studios created the classic film, Fantasia, I wonder if they knew that future generations would be able to view their artistry via the technology of today. This scene directly follows "Night on Bald Mountain" where satanic forces pervade this same space. In the "Ave Maria" segment, the Disney artists have drawn realistic scenes of a pre-dawn woodland. The fervor of the night transforms into a peaceful daylight, conveyed through Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria" and a silent parade of 'saintly' images carrying torches. The placement of these individuals passing through this fertile woodland illustrates that humanity finds enlightened strength in an inner peace.

To view "Night on Bald Mountain" click this link.

Sydney Owenson's "The Missionary" and Iconic Realism

2009-10-19T22:11:00.001-04:00

In her novel, The Missionary, Sydney Owenson presents two religious communities,the Hindu community of 17th century India and the European RomanCatholic community during the Spanish Inquisition. Set in the year, 1620, afterthe establishment of the British East India Company in the lush jungles andarid desert of Western and Northern India, this tale illustrates a politicalgenesis of European imperialism represented by the two central characters,Hilarion, a 25-year-old Portuguese Franciscan Nuncio and Luxima, a young,widowed Brahmin priestess.

To somereaders of this narrative, Owenson may appear to be telling an adventurousromance in an exotic setting to entertain her aristocratic readers, and thismay be partially true. However, her romantic novel illustrates much more, foriconic properties of parochial dynamism reside at the core of each character’s restrictivecommunity. These properties include the intense need for the Missionary toconvert non-Christians to Catholicism and the deep conviction of a Hindu’sintegration of natural and spiritual beliefs. Furthermore, Owenson creates anunrestrictive, fertile setting, where the Catholic missionary representsdogmatic and imperious Britain and the Hindu priestess, faithful to her ownbelief and community, represents the fervent hope for freedom of faith found inOwenson’s Catholic Ireland.

Therefore, in her novel, The Missionary, Sydney Owenson illustrates the semiotic theory oficonic realism by representing two disparate icons, placed within a realisticcommunity, to reveal a cultural reality that strict adherence to an intolerantdogma ultimately leads to the consequence of cultural cynicism.

Century Mountain Project and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to view the Website of Huang Xiang and William Rock)

2009-10-12T23:57:00.002-04:00

William Rock and Huang Xiang have formed a collaboration that unites iconic figures throughout the centuries with artistic/poetic expression. Their juxtaposition of these creative geniuses in the common public arena brings awareness of cultural coalescence.
However the audience incorporates and assimilates the information gained from perceiving a work of art, the reader, viewer or listener structures the information in order to create interpretation.

The audience draws from personal nuances to create the parameters of this creative endeavor, basing it upon the artist’s textual, visual, scientific or musical composition. This circuitous relationship between the audience and the artist continues to unfold as the audience adapts its consciousness to the art form.

Go Yankees!!! Monday Poetry Respite (Click onto this title to go directly to TFE's blog.)

2009-10-11T16:53:00.015-04:00

Photograph taken by 'TFE'

This week, our beloved TFE has provided us with three photographs for inspiration. I chose the balloon seller to write two haikus (TFE's favorite genre of poetry!) and then another bit of poetic expression to follow. Enjoy!

Two Haikus and Some Thoughts

Haiku I. Three Feet Above

He turned around to see her smile

and no longer

needed the balloons.

Haiku II. What to do When No One’s Buying

Inhale the helium

and let that tiny voice within

resonate.

To Dream
Sashay

along a shaft of wishes

upon midnight stars

and whimsical balloons

let go

allow the reverie

to lift unfettered

release the tethered

Brian Friel's "Molly Sweeney" and Iconic Realism

2009-10-05T22:33:00.003-04:00

In his play, Molly Sweeney, Brian Friel utilizes theatrical dialogue between his three main characters, situated in connection with Molly’s blindness. Her blindness enables her to ‘see’ the world in a way that the sighted cannot. She transports the other characters and thus, the audience, from ignorance to awareness of cultural expectations. Friel’s Molly Sweeney is a literary representation of the iconic figure of Cathleen Ni Houlihan, and he creates the icon as a realistic woman with real perceptions in order to bring the audience to an awareness of the cultural dilemma of the dichotomy within the Irish historical perception of self. Friel connects Molly’s new sight with an overall feeling of anxiety that could be the personal reactions of one individual’s yearning for courage or a nation’s.

Monday Poetry Respite

2009-10-04T15:49:00.019-04:00

This week's assignment from TFE involved our viewing a photograph from TFE's collection and writing a poem. As you can see, I chose the photograph entitled, "Fitzer's Alley."

Ne’er Death

Fitzer had a close call back in 2005
He made it as far as
the star-shaped puddles
there in the groundwork,
along with the genesis of life:
dollops of debris, mud and grit.
Then someone called him back.
He had more art to refine, so
he left his design on the wall.
See, he just had to make sure
he’d find his way on the return.

He’s in good company:
Kar, Palmer, IC, Ar’y.
and other obscure names
inscribed upon those walls
that humans love to build,
safeguarding their passions.
More artists, I suppose they are,
called back to finish their work
inspiring, creating, envisioning
their universe or universals
helping the rest of us find our way.

© Jeanne I. Lakatos 2009

'Human Countdown' and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to see and hear about this event.)

2009-09-29T11:19:00.003-04:00

On September 20, 2009, Central Park in New York City was filled with individuals who were interested in making a change in the public's attitude concerning the need for environmental stewardship. These individuals gathered in Central Park to create a living, visual image to highlight the message of this change to occur worldwide.
An excellent example of iconic realism, this community event demonstrated how a creative vision in the midst of one of the world's largest cities can bring awareness of cultural reform to the attention of the world.

Monday Poetry Respite

2009-09-26T10:55:00.021-04:00

The following poem is my contribution to the ever famous TFE's Monday Poetry Extravaganza. This particular poem is actually a poetic version of the Introduction to a collection of short stories that I will finish writing...one day...

Two Candles Burning

Two candles burn

dripping wax

in a molten dance

of devotion and delight

licking the air

amusing, antagonizing

in mischievous coalition.

Flames pulsate

in a zephyr's spell

like birds, fluttering

their mating dance

wings flapping, entwining.

Luminous play

erupts and flows

oozing wax to create

the form of their intensity.

Monday Poetry Respite

2009-09-20T18:09:00.014-04:00

This Monday's poetry assignment from TFE is on the theme of Home. Below is my humble contribution.

Fielding First Love

The Field was an old plot of land, part of an

orchard that divided our town from Highway 94,

which starts in Detroit and ends in Chicago.

This part of Hwy 94 is also the little line right

under the N on the old Motown label. In the Field,

we chased butterflies, played baseball, and I fell

in love for the first time. He was two years older

than I was. He had auburn hair and freckles, was

so quiet, but so was I.

My sisters, girlfriends and I rode bicycles

around the block, and I’d ride ever so slowly

past his house, hoping to get a glimpse of him

or let him get a glimpse of me. We held tea

parties and other girlish adventures. Then, we’d

play ball or go hunting for treasure in the Field.

Once, he hunted with us and found a colorful rock.

He casually tossed it, but I picked it up.

My brother and his friends would spend all afternoon

in Ralphie’s garage, a magical place where the boys

could be creative and obnoxious. We girls were never

allowed in their secret workshop, but we could hear them

hammering, drilling, kicking cans, giggling. At the end

of the day, they would open the door in a grand way, and

one by one, they’d emerge, usually yelling something wild,

interrupting us girls, engaged in highly intellectual pursuits.

“Ew, nasty boys!” we would shout, but in our hearts,

we smiled from the attention. Naturally, we made sure

we were near, just as that garage door slowly opened.

‘He’ would be there sometimes, and my heart would

race just to see his face and his beautiful smile. Once

he aimed that smile right at me, and my heart, well,

it stopped momentarily.

His family moved away, and then mine did, too. Before

we moved, I planted the rock in the Field. No longer a

childhood fantasyland, The Field is now just a parking

lot, but I’ll never forget that special place and the strong,

quiet smile that belonged to his face.

Goethe's _Dr. Faust: The Tragedy_ and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to see and hear "Faust"-Murnau 1926, The Dark)

2009-09-15T16:37:00.015-04:00

In his play, Faust: The Tragedy (Faust. Der Tragödie), Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe provides an illustration of iconic realism in that he places an iconic character, Mephistopheles, representing the complexities of evil/negation in the presence of the realistic, emotionally charged character, Dr. Faust, who struggles with his own perception of a quality human experience. The disguised Mephistopheles makes a deal with Faust, and cultural lessons unfold. In the end, through the interactions of the feminine character, Gretchen, Mephistopheles and Faust, Goethe elucidates his audience of redeeming cultural virtues of honesty, integrity, and perseverance.

Monday Poetry Respite

2009-09-14T14:13:00.003-04:00

Fantasia
by Jeanne I. Lakatos

Yearning for serenity
an unsettled mind
drifts gracefully
flowing in paralysis
a paradox offering
spiritual coalescence
sweet malady
sweeter melody
sweetest memory
core surge caresses
in divine rhythm
echoes from arched bones
guard this heart
in solemn surrender to stillness
filling silence with rapture

(As per TFE's Monday poetry assignment, I wrote this poem upon listening to "Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis," composed by Ralph Vaughan-Williams)

Poem for TFE's Assignment and Iconic Realism

2009-08-31T19:03:00.003-04:00

Okay, TFE, it's 7:03 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, and here I go: First day of classes Signed my contract so there'll be money paid for the smiles I give the smiles I receive, for fears released and grade point averages increased. I'm happy, a bit tired but filled with joy... I love my job, a gift for sure.

Wasn't sure if my posting went through on your blog, TFE, so I came over here and posted it....still within the time frame.

Senator Ted Kennedy's Final Request and Iconic Realism

2009-08-29T11:56:00.009-04:00

The final request of Senator Edward M. (Ted) Kennedy to hold his funeral Mass in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica is an example of iconic realism. Assembled in this sacred place, leaders and former leaders of the most powerful nation on this planet, political icons, gathered in prayer to bid farewell to this eminent civil servant. Yet, Senator Kennedy chose to bring these individuals together in a struggling, working class neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. This juxtaposition of might with meager illustrated a cultural need for altruistic contribution.

Shakespeare's "Venus and Adonis" and Iconic Realism (Click title to hear musical rendition of "Venus and Adonis" by John Blow (1649-1708)

2009-08-26T08:59:00.012-04:00

"Venus and Adonis" by Francois Lemoyne (1729)

Iconic realism is evident in William Shakespeare's epyllion, "Venus and Adonis." He places these two beings of varying mortality in a lush setting, similar to the Garden of Eden, but the goddess of Love finds it impossible to obtain the object of her desire, for his own desires and eventual mortality triumph. Through his representation of this immortal creature in conjunction with a mortal setting and circumstances, Shakespeare uses the goddess of Love to elucidate his readers of the importance of suffering as a vital aspect in the human experience.

Painting of William Shakespeare by William Rock
Chinese Calligraphy of Hamlet's Soliloquy by Huang Xiang

Vincent Van Gogh and Iconic Realism (Click onto title to hear Don McLean sing "Vincent" with accompanying Van Gogh paintings.)

2009-08-19T23:17:00.023-04:00

Vincent Van Gogh

calligraphy by Huang Xiang

painting by William Rock

Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh

Van Gogh

(Translation of Huang Xiang's poetry, written in Chinese calligraphy on painting)

The painting holds high like torchesSunflowers turning high-heaven's blazing

SUN
To burn up the magnificent painting spirit stopped by a bulletTo burn down the temple of golden yellow
Opaque color -dabs like clots of
Blood
Gush fiery tears
Struggling lines feverishly erupt, twitching like raw nerves

The back view of a giant
Reappears

An audience interprets visual art by incorporating the artistic components of color, form, line and texture. Each of these elements could be an iconic representation in that a community establishes a specific association with the artistic component. Over time, this component represents an aspect of the culture, which established the association. When the artist places this specific element in a realistic setting to convey another cultural issue, the use of iconic realism enables the viewing audience to interpret a new cultural dilemma (Lakatos 59).

An example of using a visual image to enhance meaning through the collective memory of a community exists within Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night. He centrally places an iconic, celestial figure: moon, sun, stars, as a focal point, disproportionate to the small village With wide, brush strokes, he creates movement and thus, a memory that transcends the primary source of his painting, that of the cosmic link between structure of a silent society and chaos. He paints contrasts of light and dark, structure and non-structure, illuminating his audience of the need to consider the bleak constraints of organized spirituality. He paints a magnificent challenge for the members to consider enlightenment as an action that illumines the darkness of the soul. In this painting, Van Gogh illustrates his personal connection with nature and spirituality.

Benny Goodman Live at Carnegie Hall, 1938 and Iconic Realism (Click onto title to hear performance.)

2009-08-12T08:54:00.008-04:00

(Photograph info: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic- art/243118/72265/Benny Goodman-and-members-of-his-band-1938)

Benny Goodman and his orchestra appearing on the stage of Carnegie Hall in New York City in 1938 illustrates the theory of iconic realism. Never before had the art of jazz in America been performed in an established musical forum, where previous to this performance, only classical music had been performed. The presence of this jazz artist on this particular stage enlightened the world audience of the need for cultural affirmation of this art form. From this moment onward to the present, jazz has taken its place of honor as America's original musical genre.

White Wolves-Fear and Iconic Realism (Click onto title to view video)

2009-08-04T12:08:00.010-04:00

In this beautiful musical presentation by IceFloeSoul, with music sung by Sarah McLachlan's mystical voice, the concept of stewardship once again appears through the illustration of the iconic white wolf in late winter/early spring, a symbol of freedom. This video lets the audience see this animal and hear its haunting voice, along with voices of other animals and sights of natural parallel structures. The juxtaposition of this visual and aural experience with contemporary music, helps the audience to become aware of the human connection to and responsibility for maintenance of a healthful environment, alerting us to possible limitations of freedom and corollary fear, lest we be watchful.

'Beer Summit' and Iconic Realism

2009-08-03T15:59:00.008-04:00

The 'Beer Summit' that took place in the White House last Thursday was an example of iconic realism in the media. As these four gentlemen, President Barack Obama, Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley and Vice President Joe Biden, chatted with their four glasses of beer at the White House, an activity, not associated with the executive office, they illustrated the need for all Americans to reconsider the cultural dilemma of racism, still pervasive in the twenty-first century United States of America.

What did they drink? Well, my favorite, Guinness, was not present, but these were their iconic choices:

Gates: Sam Adams Light

Crowley: Blue Moon

Biden: Buckley (non-alcoholic)

Obama: Bud Light

Does it matter which brand of beer these gentlemen drank? Of course, not. However, each chose a brand that signified his own cultural experience. One aspect of this meeting is that these men were able to set aside their profound differences, and, over a few swigs, were able to communicate in an amicable manner. Communication is the lesson learned here, for only when humanity learns to engage in a peaceful and intelligent manner can civilization truly evolve to an elevated state.

That said, if you want to view a humorous take on this event, see Jon Stewart's reenactment here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/DailySHowVideos#play/all/uploads-all/1/IC3SYf4q3Z8