¶ … Cultures
As a Chinese farmer today, I live a life quite similar to what one might have read about in a Pearl S. Buck novel. I live in the same village in which I was born, in the small house in which I was raised, on a small property adjacent to that of my uncle. I work this land as they do, and as my grandparents did, and their grandparents before me. This is not to say that the life I live is entirely identical to that of my ancestors. My parents now have a television and I own a motorcycle to go into the nearest town.
Life here is hard. I am an only son, and in this village there are very few girls my age, so I am lonely (Duflo, 2008). There are no opportunities for people like me. Some of my friends have moved south to Guangzhou. I see them when they return for Chinese National Day, and they have a lot of money, but many of them are not happy either. They live in dormitories and work long hours, and they do not receive help from the government, but they are hopeful. I dream about joining them. I live just above subsistence level, and I try not to think of it as poverty, even when the images on the television tell me otherwise (Tobin, 2011). I always read about how China is prospering, which excellent economic growth, but here in the country we do not see this wealth because there is a significant income gap (Roberts, 2011).
I live in Sichuan province. Chengdu city is three hours away by bus, which is not that far. I have thought about moving there, but I love the mountains here. The air is fresh. In the city, there is no fresh air. I visited there once, and it was the only time I left here. My father used to work there, and left my mother alone with me. When he got sick, he had to come back. He bought the motorcycle so he could get our extra produce, when we have any, to the town to sell. Now he is too sick to ride it. We cannot afford to see a doctor, and the nearest government doctor is over one hour away.
The only thing that sustains me is that the land here is rich. We are near the mountains, and this area is very fertile. There are also a lot of villages here, and a lot of people. I hope that before I am too old I can meet a girl here, but I am not hopeful because there are not very many. But with the good land I will always be able to feed myself. The village also has a strong culture still, among those who have not left. We feel a lot of pride in being able to survive on our own. We eat feasts during harvest times, and we seldom have the famines that my parents said used to occur, especially in other parts of China.
I am not sure how outsiders would view us. We had a man from Shanghai pass through here once with the local Party leaders. I could hardly understand what he was saying, his Putonghua was so bad. It was almost as bad as mine. For now, I will stay here. My family needs me, and I have a strong loyalty to them. The family farm will one day be mine, and that might be the greatest wealth that I ever achieve. I fear, though, that I will be forced to work this land alone, with no wife, and no children. This is my greatest worry. My family name will die with me, and I will be forced to face this hard life without companionship or the happiness that comes from being a husband or father. If I were to get sick like my father, I would have no help at all, and I would just die in great suffering. That is not the progress that was promised to us, is it?
Fifty years ago, I wrote about my life in my village. I feared for a lot of things, but life has changed significantly since then. At the time I wrote, my father was sick and it was not long before he passed away. We think it was cancer, but to tell you the truth we never really knew. That was an important life change for me. I would go on long walks, even when...
The above perception of the insanity of life is not at all apparent in the second painting of Georges Seurat. While it is mystical, it gives too much quiescence that is there with the impressionistic style. This like Picasso's painting above is a happy trip and does not exhibit as much negative energy as Picasso. He also does not seem to be trying to summon any primitive energies. Rather Seurat's
Art "Sacrifice of Isaac" Analysis This paper will focus upon Lorenzo Ghiberti and one of his artistic works called "Sacrifice of Isaac." The paper will provide a context within which to explain and evaluate this sculpture. Referencing art history, world history, and the artist's personal history, the paper will explore and analyze "Sacrifice of Isaac" as a seminal work of a famous artist that serves as a masterpiece representing the entire artistic
Art Culture: Public Space Art Public art like that of Koon's Train (2011), Serra's Tilted Arc (1981), Lin's Vietnam Veterans Memorial (1981), and James' Sea Flower (1978), ignite discussion to the point of its modification, re-arrangement, or removal. The reason for this controversial treatment of public art is its ability to embrace a variety of aesthetic practices. The adoption of different aesthetic values like poster art, outdoor sculpture, earthworks, multimedia projections,
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Art of classical antiquity, in the ancient cultures of Greece and Rome, has been much revered, admired, and imitated. In fact, the arts of ancient Greece and Rome can be considered the first self-conscious and cohesive art movements in Europe. Style, form, execution, and media were standardized and honed to the point where aesthetic ideals were created and sustained over time. The art of classical antiquity in Greece and Rome
Art During Renaissance The Evolution of Art During the Renaissance The Renaissance period is defined as a cultural movement that spanned approximately from the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe (Brotton 2006, p. 6). This period in the history of art included the painting, decorative arts and sculpture of the period and for many was considered a
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