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| Chelsea Piers. NYC |
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This week's challenge: |
Friday, April 8, 2011
Ride
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Tree
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| Detail |
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Papantla Flyers
Sorry for this first attempt of video.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The Birdmen of Mexico II
The Birdmans of Mexico
The Voladores of Papantla
Ask anyone who's been to Papantla what most impressed them, and they'll probably say, "The Voladores." Many people who've never been to the Gulf Coast -- or even to Mexico - will light up in recognition at the mention of the Voladores. They perform regularly throughout Mexico, Central and South America. They've performed in several cities in the United States, and even in Paris and Madrid. So, who are the Voladores, and why are they famous?
Volador means flyer - he who flies. It is breathtaking to watch the spectacle of four men gracefully "flying" upside down from a 75 foot pole secured only by a rope tied around their waists.
Even more amazing is the musician, called the caporal. Balanced on a narrow wooden platform without a rope or safety net, the caporal plays a drum and flute and invokes an ancient spiritual offering in the form of a spectacular dance.
As he turns to face the four cardinal directions, he will bend his head back to his feet, balance on one foot then lean precariously forward, and perform intricate footwork, all the time playing the flute and drum! No matter how many times you see this beautiful performance, it will continue to astonish you, and the plaintive tune of the flute and drum will remain with you long after you have returned home.
The early history of the ceremonial flight of the Voladores is shrouded in the mists of antiquity. Information about the original ritual was partially lost when the invading conquerors from Spain destroyed so many of the documents and codices of the indigenous cultures. Fortunately, enough survived through legend and oral history and in materials written by early visitors to New Spain, that anthropologists and historians have been able to document at least part of the story of this ancient religious practice and how it has evolved through time.
A Totonaca myth tells of a time when there was a great drought, and food and water grew scarce throughout the land. Five young men decided that they must send a message to Xipe Totec, God of fertility so that the rains would return and nurture the soil, and their crops would again flourish. So they went into the forest and searched for the tallest, straightest tree they could find.
When they came upon the perfect tree, they stayed with it overnight, fasting and praying for the tree's spirit to help them in their quest. The next day they blessed the tree, then felled it and carried it back to their village, never allowing it to touch the ground. Only when they decided upon the perfect location for their ritual, did they set the tree down.
The men stripped the tree of its leaves and branches, dug a hole to stand it upright, then blessed the site with ritual offerings. The men adorned their bodies with feathers so that they would appear like birds to Xipe Totec, in hope of attracting the god's attention to their important request. With vines wrapped around their waists, they secured themselves to the pole and made their plea through their flight and the haunting sound of the flute and drum.
The Birdmen of México
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Moments
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Ahuehuete
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| Montezuma Cypress, Sabino, or Ahuehuete |
The Quiet Truth about Trees
Trees are vitally important to world health on all levels. Globally, forests are essential to the health of ecosystems and their functions, biodiversity and economics. Some of the many key functions of forests include climate regulation, the cycling and distribution of nutrients, and the provision of raw materials and resources. Trees cleanse the air and provide oxygen, help soil retain water, shield animals and other plants from the sun and other elements, and provide habitat for animals and plants. They help regulate the climate, cycle and distribute nutrients and provide raw materials and other resources. And don't forget the awesome beauty they give us throughout each year! Ecology.comFriday, April 1, 2011
Theme Day: Edges
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| Equilibrista 90 / Acrobat 90 (2005) |
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| Las Puertas del Alma / The Doors of The Soul (2006) |
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| Equilibrista En Un Brazo / Acrobat In One Arm ( 2002) Sculptures by Javier Marin |
This week's Challenge: Elaborate.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Comic Life
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| iPod images |
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
In/Out
“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception" ~Aldous Huxley |
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Volunteer
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| Gardening as a volunteer work in an atrium of a catholic church of rural Mexico. (Absorbed in his memories, he never noticed someone was sitting there watching his slow movements) |
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Lines and Colors
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| Awakening |
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The year is 1909. Mexico has just been through a bloody revolution and despite all the bloodshed reverted back to a partially stable state of affairs. In that era when the fame of two folk heroes Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa were spreading throughout Mexico, Ottoman Sultan Resad decided to send his compliments to the Mexican people through a valuable imperial gift. He orders the imperial engineers to prepare an enduring gift to symbolize the friendship of Mexican and Ottoman peoples. After a few months of work, the Sultan's engineers created this watch tower covered with precious Iznik ceramic tiles and a dial that displayed Arabic numerals. Today the same clock tower still stands in Mexico City where it was erected almost a century ago. The plaque on the tower reads "La Colonia Otomana a Mexico. Septiembre de 1910." (From the Ottoman Community to Mexico. September 1910) The clock, standing on Bolivar Street, is still working without a hitch today. However the ceramic tiles are falling apart. The Mexican officials have asked for Turkey's help in renewing the historic but damaged tiles with new ones from Iznik. |
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| Diana |
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| Latinamerican Tower |
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday Intermezzo
Friday, March 25, 2011
Gadgets
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| iPad 2 Release (March 11, 2011) iTunes Store Fifth Ave. New York City. |
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Flor
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| Contracting our infinite sense we behold multitude; expanding it, we behold One. William Blake. |
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| "Mother Nature" |
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Portraits
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
On The Move
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| Mexico City is the third most populated metropolis on the planet, after Tokyo and New York. Currently, less than 20% of journeys are taken in private vehicles, resulting in a congested public transport system, which introduces environmental and social problems, affecting the quality of life for Mexico City’s citizens. As environmental awareness increases in the city, so has an interest in alternative ways of getting around. The local government has established a 15 year plan known as ‘Plan Verde’ – the Green Plan – which takes action preserving land of a high environmental value, public space, habitability, water supply, air quality, climate change, energy, solid waste control and mobility. As part of this plan, Eco-Bici – the city’s cycle-hire scheme – was created. The long-term objective is that 5% of the city’s journeys will be taken by bike, both reducing the strain on a crowded public transport network and reducing pollution. If this goal is reached, the resulting reduction in greenhouse gases would be the biggest of any of Plan Verde’s programs. Eco-Bici provides a clean alternative for moving short distances. It is the first in Latin America and the eleventh in the world, following cities such as Paris, Milan and Barcelona. Intended for short and casual trips, the introduction of Eco-Bici into the city takes advantage of its cycling infrastructure and aims to increase bike-based activities. To further encourage bicycle use, the main avenue in the city closes for a bike ride every Sunday, with up to 80,000 bikers taking part. [This Big City] |
Sunday, March 6, 2011
At The Zoo
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Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life. This results not merely from Life's imitative instinct, but from the fact that the self-conscious aim of Life is to find expression, and that Art offers it certain beautiful forms through which it may realise that energy. It is a theory that has never been put forward before, but it is extremely fruitful, and throws an entirely new light upon the history of Art. ~Oscar Wilde. The Decay Of Lying: An Observation |
Friday, March 4, 2011
Natural
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