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Showing posts from April, 2017

Lucio Fontana's Neon Lights

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The Palazzo dell'Arengario is located in the Piazza  Duomo of Milan .  'Arengario' refers to its original function as a local government seat in the Fascist period. The building was constructed during the fascist time but interrupted by the World War II and finally completed in 1956.  It is a building composed of two big square towers, standing directly opposite to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele . The outer walls were covered in the same marble from Candoglia that was use five centuries earlier in the construction of the Duomo.  The austere, rationalist style palazzo has big Art Nouveau glasses window. Inside the palazzo are superb views of the Piazzo Duomo and the surroundings.   In the 2000s it was restored and now housed the Museo del Novecento , a museum dedicated to 20th century art.   The museum is renowned for its unique collection of futurist paintings .  The top floor is featured with Lucio Fontana 's fluorescents*, 430 feet of neon lighting that

Tsz Shan Monastery 慈山寺

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Tsz Shan Monastery is a Chinese Buddhist monastery established for preserving the inheritance of the Dharma preached by Shakyamuni Budda .  The monastery holds the belief that Budda nature is possessed by all sentient beings.  Right knowledge and right views can be cultivated through constant hearing, reflecting and practising.  One will then attain peace and happiness. To non-Buddhist, probably the biggest attraction is the 76 metre high Guan Yin (Avalokitesvara).  It is made with bronze and coated with 5 layers of materials for rockets travelling to the space. The coating took 6 months. The statue can be seen from far away. It is now one of Tai Po's landmarks.  Guan Yin represents boundless compassion and benevolence in benefiting mankind. The inverted bottle means all the precious drops are given to others.  The goddess does not keep anything for herself.  The presence of the gigantic statue has a connotation. Guan Yin's character aligns with the monaster