ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE: HOPE WITH THE FIRST LIGHT OF DAY

Orpheus walks full of hope towards daylight, expecting his beloved Eurydice to follow him all the way out of the underwold. He has been granted an extraordinary and unique opportunity: to have the breath of life restored to his wife. Hades, king of the land of the dead, softened to Orpheus request, marking Greek history as the only time this ever happened with this fearsome god. Even Cerberus, the horrifying hound of the gates of Hades, succumbed to the sad songs Orpheus played. Hades and his wife Persephone conceded Orpheus a chance for getting back Eurydice, alive. She would walk behind him, all the way to daylight, but he could not turn back to look at her, or would lose her for ever.

Read more about this topic at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clytia

Coson Beach

Coson Beach
Originally uploaded by esperanzadickson

A long, long line of coconut trees, and white foam in beautiful Coson beach, Samana, Dominican Republic.

Apollo And Clytie Greek Myth

Apollo climbs the sky in his chariot of fire, and ignores Clytie, who betrayed his beloved Leucothea in order to gain back his favors. She suffers silently and finally turns into a sunflower; her face will now follow forever the Sun in its daily path.

Read more about this topic at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clytia

Daphne And Apollo: Surprise, Surprise!

Knowing how popular he was among women - and some men, too... (see "Male Lovers", at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo ); it was better for heart breaker Apollo to spread the rumor that a leaden arrow hardened Daphne's. It would stand badly against his reputation as a seducer if people began to think that the beautiful nymph Daphne simply didn't care for his glorious handsomeness. And Apollo wasn't the kind to take feminine rejections smoothly, apparently. So, one good day he decided that Daphne would have to give in, even if by sheer physical force.

The god chased Daphne around the forest, first playfully, then, seriously, breaking in a heavy sweat. What a moment it must have been for Apollo, to find out how badly the girl despised him, that to stay away, she ran furiously for all she was worth! And, even worse for his overfed ego, Daphne was a very fast runner, and he couldn't catch her. Only a divine favor would allow him to close the distance between them, as he was no match for this lightning-fast opponent!

Just at that moment - his good luck working miracles, no doubt - Cupid decided to give him the aid he required. But as his footsteps ate the space separating him from his sweet goal, right when he could feel the heat of her body on his finger tips, and the brush of her hair against his face, he received an almost heart stopping surprise. Beautiful Daphne turned instantly into a laurel tree! His desperate hands sought the dreamed softness of her skin, but found instead hard bark. He buried his face in her lustrous mane, with the last of hopes, but found only the rustle of leaves, and tiny branches that scratched his cheeks and lips.

So determined was Daphne to avoid him (or not just him, but all her suitors, as the Greek story likes to generalize, to Apollo's relieve...), that she preferred to transform herself completely. She considered her gorgeous form to be responsible for her troubles. She asked her father Peneus for help, and received it in the shape of a huge laurel tree. Now she would be forever rooted to the ground, opposite to the freedom of movement she was so used to have around the woods, which allowed her to be the great runner and hunter she was well known for.

I wonder if she had any idea of what her father had in mind, when she asked him for help. Either her father couldn't think straight in such short notice, or his responses to favor requests used to be this radical. Or maybe he simply just had a terrible dislike for Apollo and his ill reputation with women, now planning mischief with his dear daughter's purity.

Apparently, Apollo's ability to continue his love life as if nothing ever happened followed unimpaired. To me, it wasn't so. I think Daphne marked him deeply, after all... Irreversibly. His declaration as sacred of the green leaves now replacing her hair, isn't one to be taken lightly. Instead of just remembering with reverence her braveness in each Olympic event with laurel leaves as a special symbol, I think he grieved her loss quietly, in every of those magnificent occasions. He was the brave one, suffering silently for the only love he was so obsessed about, and couldn't have, ever.


You can read more about this topic at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphne

Atalanta And Hippomenes: Saving More Than Pride

Greek mythology tells the story of huntress Atalanta in many versions. From all, we can take note of what an incredible young woman this was, fighting and hunting fiercely like a bear. She had no equal…as no wish to attach herself sentimentally to anyone.

Of course, suitors almost rained from the Greek sky for such a remarkable lady, well endowed with a tantalizing beauty, to boot! But, as most Greek myths go, a bit more than mild cruelty added up to the story. Atalanta’s father decides, apparently agreeing to the young woman’s wishes (wicked wishes, to be more precise…), to allow all her suitors come forward for marriage proposals. These would be “processed” for considering in an uncommon way: the pretender would have to win Atalanta’s hand in a race, instead of begging for it on one knee. The race would be against Atalanta herself, winning a death sentence instantly, had the suitor the bad luck of being outrun by her.

Father and daughter, united in the purpose of repelling pretenders in this unconventional way, had great success. Atalanta could run faster than a deer, and faster than any other person. Curiously, while Atalanta’s suitors disappeared for ever in this fatal fashion, new ones never stopped from volunteering and giving it a try, yes, a deadly one.

Hippomenes was one of these self-confident young men. He had his good amount of glorious reputation, too, if not as magnificent as that of Atalanta's. But what he lacked in speed, he over brimmed in wit. The day of the race he showed up sure of his good luck, which to everyone's amazement worked to the best wonders. Finally someone won against thunder fast Atalanta!

His trick? He made some plans ahead. He asked Aphrodite for a favor, which she answered in the form of a few golden apples. Apparently, the goddess knew what a greedy little thing this Atalanta was. Even Hippomenes was surprised when the young beauty stopped dead in the middle of the race, to retrieve each of the fallen apples that he let go intermittently.

Right at this point is where I wonder what really went on there. I think it might not have gone exactly as it appeared to the naked eye. Avarice on behalf of Atalanta, a beautiful and successful woman, who was a god's daughter? She, who could have anything she wanted, as her history of never ending pretenders faithfully stated? Hum...maybe not...

Maybe it was convenience she thought of. Hippomenes was another story of success in himself. No other man could equal Hippomenes' sharp skills, making of this young man the best match for this extraordinary girl, her continuously growing pride probably coming to a dignified stop, finally. And if she outraced this one, too, she would stay lonely forever, her wicked father at her side, helping her plan who knows what other product of dementia for the future. So she bent obediently to pick up each of the shiny fruits.

Or maybe it was pity she felt for Hippomenes, her feminine intuition telling her that such pricy treats were not obtained so easily. Such things usually had a divine origin. Knowing how capricious Greek gods could be, such favors had generally a high price to pay in return. Being aware of what this pretender was risking for obtaining her hand in marriage, and feeling charitable towards the best of her fellows in sports, probably she thought it was time to renounce to the crown accrediting her as the fastest runner in the universe.

Or maybe it was love at first sight, which is the possibility I like best to consider (...sighs!). Hippomenes was very handsome, with the attractiveness his tough daily life molded his muscular body with. One good look at this young man convinced Atalanta that it was worth it. And not just being nice to look at, this man was the best hunter and runner she ever had known, even if a notch below her skills. So, maybe then she suggested herself the apples plan to a more than willing Hippomenes.

And probably it was her idea that he would get a few more (as in my oil painting), just for precaution. The formidable Aphrodite provided him with just three...In any case, Atalanta would need to have considerable "distraction", for the sake of appearances, with everybody knowing how fast she could run. After a long and hair rising history of fatal rejections for all her suitors, it wouldn't look good if Atalanta let Hippomenes win easily. The apples fitted perfectly to her machinations!

But Hippomenes probably had one more reason to accede smoothly to Atalanta's idea. Attracted to her as he was, maybe he felt it his duty to protect her reputation and dignity, thinking he wouldn't like her feelings bruised by her first lost race. What if he truly could outrun her after all, even without those darn apples? Death would appeal to him like a sweet treat, in place of the monstrous rage he might unleash from Atalanta, had he the indelicacy of letting himself win, shamelessly, in this comfortable fashion.

From the different versions of ending for this story, a popular one tells about how the newly weds celebrated their union, just after the race was won by Hippomenes. Ja, see? If it was not a plan between the two lovers, how could both of them end up happily celebrating? Common sense makes it more plausible that Hippomenes would celebrate, while Atalanta hid her humiliation and discomfort behind a dead serious face, in the best of scenarios. What would really be expected in this case, as Greek mythology usually went, is an outraged Atalanta, asking for some god's help, in order to take some creative revenge against Hippomenes.

In the following part of the story, according to one of the many versions, an angry Aphrodite brought death upon Hippomenes, apparently because he forgot his debt to her, in the bliss of celebrations. In this direction of the story, I think that the real reason for the goddess' anger was another. Secretly discovering that she was the fool in the middle of the lover's genial plans, must have triggered the goddess worst humor.

Another version of ending for this story states that Aphrodite, or Zeus, turned both newly weds into lions, because of their lack of proper honoring the goddess, or their irreverence in one of Zeus' temples. Apparently they were engulfed in a cloud of lust, that drove them to make love right there in the temple. They were punished accordingly, changed to the forms of wild beasts that Greeks thought couldn't mate together.

But I like to stay with the version of ending that tells about the fortuitous escape to safeness of both lovers, away from Aphrodite's fury.

Abstract Painting: Postwar Minds, Historical Positions In 1960's & 1970's

Galleries In Vienna now Exhibiting striking abstract paintings, showing the art development in the postwar period. Later, how artists' perception changed in time, showing the historical positions through the 1960's and 1970's. Learn more about this Exhibition at http://artnews.org/gallery.php?i=667&exi=22234&Painting_Proc
ess_and_Expansion

Matisse: A Bit More About; Exhibition Now In New York Galleries

A very interesting Exhibition of Henri Matisse's very enigmatic works is now in New York Galleries, until next October 11. Matisse's works primarily from the period 1913-1917. More information available at this page:

http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/35206/moma-throws-a-dignified-homecoming-party-for-matisse/

Guloyas Dancing

Linda, King Of The Guloyas in Dominican Republic

"Linda" is Donald Ulester Juana Henderson, known by all as the King of the National Carnival Parade 2006, in Dominican Republic. He was identified as the head of a cultural celebration recognized by the UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the Guloyas from San Pedro de Macoris.

The Guloyas, or Buloyas, are descendants of black cocolos who immigrated to San Pedro de Macoris (in the South East of the Dominican Republic, just West to La Romana). They came from the british islands of the Caribbean. Juan Luis Guerra, a famous Dominican singer and song writer, honors the Guloyas in the musical video of his song "A Pedir Su Mano". In their activities, the Guloyas dance with folkloric music which is heavily African accented with particular rythms, drums and flutes. The Guloyas costumes are very original, decorated with peacock feathers, capes covered with stones, mirrors and great handfuls of colors.

If you ever decide to visit Dominican Republic for your vacations, which I highly recommend (beautiful beaches, weather always between spring and summer, interesting historical places...), the visit to Teofilus Chiverton's house is something to consider in your agenda. Teofilus was the founder of the Guloyas, and his very picturesque house, painted by Dominican artists, awaits in San Pedro de Macoris. This house is also part of Dominican Cultural Heritage.

Naif Art in Haiti Affected By Earthquake, Too

The following is a translation from my friend Glenda Galán's blog post "Arte Entre Escombros", about the unfortunate current moment in Naif Art, in Haiti. You can see Glenda Galan's Blog Posts at http://glendagalan.blogspot.com/

(Approximate translation of "Arte Entre Escombros", a blog post in spanish by Glenda Galán, http://glendagalan.blogspot.com/)


"Art Among Debris"

It filled me with great sorrow to read in these days that the best from Haiti's cultural heritage was lost in the earthquake of January 12. The best world's collection in Naif Art exists no more.

Only around 400 oils have been rescued from the 15,000 that were part of Museum Nader of Naif Art. In addition, nothing is known about the luck of several Haitian artists and their artwork which they kept in their studios.

The only survivor was a minimal part of the artwork from great national artists, such as Héctor Hyfolite, Philomé Obin, Valcin, Benoit and Wilson Bignud. But the legacy from other important creators has been buried for ever. In Haiti, the Art lies, too, among debris.

* Naif painting is a synthesis of French Art and the Popular style born in XIX in Haiti, and evolutioned from its African origin. In XX, this style is outlined as characteristically Haitian, standing out in native and national themes, with local customs scenes and very bright colors.

See original post in spanish by Glenda Galan, at http://glendagalan.blogspot.com/

Haiti: Borrow My Dominican Eyes For a Moment

I live in Santo Domingo, capital city of the Dominican Republic, country that shares the Hispaniola island with Haiti. Santo Domingo is about 278 km from Malpasse, a small Haitian town touching the Dominican border, just west of our Enriquillo Lake (distance I measured with my classmates during one of my university field trips, 1990). Last Tuesday, January 12, while everybody was going through their regular afternoon business, nature decided to play a naughty trick to the poorest country in America. An earthquake, 7.0 in ritcher scale, shook Haiti. Of course, damage beyond the imaginable was expected to happen. Haitian citizens had to add up this terrible burden to their usual painful daily struggle to feed themselves, food already an unreachable luxury for many.

Official reports inform of high death tolls, with huge margins ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 of fatal victims. Unfortunately, we know that this is a hopeful scenario... the real one has a painfully higher death toll. The extreme poverty of a country forgotten by many, now is exposed naked, for all to see what could have been avoided or at least lessened, but was neglected until this awful moment. Years of political and economical crisis in Haiti comes to pile up additional difficulties, for ways of channeling humanitarian aid and reconstruction. While the world now expresses profound sorrow and condolences for Haiti, all are willing to make amends and extend more than a helping hand. The trouble for the help to reach the affected is huge, and is what needs most of the attention right now. The ways around are all but easy.

Seventy two hours away from the catastrophe, people at Puerto Principe, the capital city of Haiti, were complaining about the lack of international help available for them. "Cannot be seen, eaten, or drank, it is just heard of", they say. "The radio says many things, but we see nothing. There are lots of trucks and people, but we have no water or food", says one of the hundreds of affected Haitians. (Source: front page of Diario Libre news, Jan 16, 2010; www.diariolibre.com).

You want to know about what is being done for helping Haiti? Just surf the internet for a second. All mayor sites, stores and many others with a web presence are united in the efforts of giving support to Haiti. No worries about touching people's hearts. The huge, immense and worrying problem is how to deliver all collected aid to the affected Haitians. Important government buildings were destroyed, among the many others that were reduced to a giant pile of debris. The airport at Puerto Principe is overwhelmed by aircrafts already. Due to the big difficulties for handing over help, Dominican Republic is acting as a center for international help on its way to Haiti. The United Nations Organization (U.N.) established an airspace bridge between Dominican Republic and Puerto Principe, using as operations base the Dominican airport Joaquin Balaguer, at El Higuero in North Santo Domingo. Maria Montez Dominican airport at Barahona (closer to Haiti) is receiving aircrafts with aid for Haiti, in the face of the current inability of Haiti's airport to receive aircrafts.

In addition, the Dominican main international airport Las Americas, plus Gregorio Luperon airport at Puerto Plata, are working without pause, receiving humanitarian aid, doctors, firefighters, canine teams, and people for logistic support. As of Saturday January 16, around 300 flights from Dominican Republic with humanitarian aid had taken place. Even the embassies are moving their citizens from Haiti to their original countries, through Dominican international airport Las Americas, due to the difficult situation in Haiti. No doubt the other Dominican airports not mentioned here,are currently working together for this cause, too.

At the Dominican Republic, supermarkets, stores of all kinds, TV chains, the Church, hospitals, and a long list of other entities, all have stepped forward to offer relief after this terrible tragedy. Dominican hospitals, normally overflowing with great amounts of Haitian citizens (Haitian births top the list of regular medical assistance at Dominican hospitals), now are beyond their peak of capacity. Nonetheless, the Dominican Government, in the person of the Dominican State Secretary of Health, is pushing above the limits to work against the clock and assist as much as possible. The constant incoming of Haitian victims just grows with every passing minute, and even borrowed properties nearby have had to be used for accomodating all.

The Haitian President, Rene Preval, pondered on the heavy solidarity extended by the Dominican Republic, and thanked the Dominican President Leonel Fernandez, the Dominican Government and all Dominicans for the great assistance to Haiti. "President Leonel Fernandez has been the first one to come, and came with a great amount of help. Besides the important humanitarian cooperation, Fernandez promised to help us in what is now one of our priorities, which is restablishing telecommunications, electrical power and communication by land. Thanks to the efforts from the Dominican Government, we have started to restablish these services", said Preval. (Source: Diario Libre news, Monday January 18, 2010).

While relief for Haiti is nicely being raised, the channels for distributing it are difficult. Dominican heavy machinery and personnel to go along, for lifting and removing debris, reached the affected place since the first moment. In the beginning, it was to help find survivors, now, to remove bodies... It wasn't without efforts that these machines and personnel got to their working sites. Now, for trucks with food and supplies it is a complete different story. Jimaní, a Dominican city close to the border with Haiti, is being used as an important center for distributing help to Haitians. But while personnel for clasifying items for aid is requested urgently, the needs of those Haitians affected will not wait.

Sacking and chaos have turned into great challenges for rescuers and volunteers. Despair has started to own the citizens of Puerto Principe, many of which have not tasted a bite of food since last Tuesday January 12. (Source: Diario Libre news, January 18) Scenes full of violence, specially related with food looting, start to spread in Puerto Principe. There are stricking photos to testity for this situation (front page of Diario Libre news, January 18; someone raising a hand with a knife, eyes apparently fixed in the back of another person walking unsuspecting). The distribution of food to over 600,000 affected is facing great difficulties for security reasons, said rescuers from U.N.

Meanwhile, the United States Army has opted for throwing food packages from helicopters suspended in the air above Puerto Principe. Violence during distribution has reached such alarming levels, that the food and water coming from Dominican Republic through the hands of volunteers, must be delivered in caravans escorted by military vehicules. With a government practically dislocated at Haiti, the situation turns harder, said Father Anthony Brice. Father Brice also explained that the lootings have affected small supermarkets and food stores, more than the international aid.

On the other hand, there is the terrible health issue to attend to. Vallerie Jolland, from U.N., informed that between 3 to 5 millions of Haitians were affected by the earthquake. She also said that one of the U.N. priorities is to avoid epidemic spreads. Bodies of the dead are piled on the street, under the buildings debris, and the risk for epidemic diseases is clear.

World's eyes focus mainly on Puerto Principe, but other places were severely damaged. Leogane, at South Haiti, was destroyed in more than 90%, as per U.N. reports. As if this tragedy was not enough to fill with dread the Haitians' minds, eathquake replicas have continued to shake the already and badly shaken poor country, making everyone remain scared to death, literally. No wonder a great exodus to other parts of the country has taken place among the Haitians since last Tuesday January 12.