Zodiac Mosaic Mural

Ulaanbaatar, 2007

The entire wall of a building in the capital of Mongolia was covered with this mosaic mural with the Chinese zodiac. From the close-ups you can see it was made in squares and somehow attached to the wall.

Below I recognize the yin-yang symbol of complementary opposites in the center. There are other symbols on the mural I'd like to learn more about.

Have not been able to find out any details about this mural.

Since last week was my birthday as well as the birthday of the City of Oakland, CA, home to our kind host for this meme, I thought it a fitting contribution to Monday Mural.  

Andy, this one is for you. Wish I could've given you a piece. :-)

Holy Mosaic Mural

This large mosaic mural of Christ lying on a bed of thorns graces the wall beside the basement parking lot ramp for Alliance Française de Manille that promotes French language, culture and friendly relations with Filipinos through art and educational programs. Unfortunately, I can't tell you who the artist is.

This mural is across the street from a wall mosaic with a lighter subject I posted on this blog before.

Makati, 2008

For those of you who observe it, I hope you had a joyful Easter.

Linking with Monday Mural.

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On a very different note, I am supporting a fundraising drive for a very special group of children. This is my appeal to YOU to CHIP IN to help get ONE child like Resty here to elementary school.

Meet Resty. At five years old, he must have already experienced life at its worst than most of us do. But poverty doesn't stop this amazing boy to dream big and to work for his dream to get out of Ulingan.

Resty is the youngest entrepreneur I have met in my life. He collects nails from burned wood for hours just so he will have enough money to buy himself soap and shampoo. He collects empty... cardboard boxes to help his grandparents put food on the table.

Resty, a very proud nursery graduate, is on his way on fulfilling his dream.  (~Melissa Villa founder of Project Pearls)

 
Ulingan (which means charcoal) is a small squatter community in Manila where many children subsist by working to make charcoal.

With your help of $5, $10, $20 or more we can raise the $200 to give ONE child in Ulingan the gift of education and make a huge difference in his or her life. Please go to the form on the top of my right side bar and securely chip in. I'm happy to answer questions or concerns. 

Project Pearls helps the poorest of the poor children in the Philippines have a better life by providing them with PEARLS: Peace, Education, Aspiration, Respect, Love, Smile.  You can read more details about the PEARLS Scholarship Program.

Painted Daisy

I'm fairly certain that these are Painted Daisies also known as Chrysanthemums of the family Asteraceae. But I can't nail the species... are they coccineum, carinatum, both or neither?

Postscript: The only thing I got right is the family name. Beautiful bloggers have properly informed me that these are Gaillardia, commonly called Blanket Flower. Lesson: Don't be certain about things you know you know nothing about!

Whatever they are, these daisies blanket flowers I found in a Bucharest park sure are delightful eye candy! 

 [glorious details better seen enlarged]

Joining the meme communities at Today's Flower, Mellow Yellow Monday, Mosaic Monday, Macro Monday and Ruby Red Tuesday. 

(Note: If any of the meme hosts object to multiple linking, don't be shy to let me know. I do make best efforts to visit other bloggers linked to each meme.)

Socialist Mosaic

There is something about the old Soviet style "art" that just rubs me the wrong way. That "something" no doubt is its link with a lack of creative freedom. Under the Soviets, all art - unless it was a dangerous nonconformist or clandestine form of art - was made to serve the dictatorship of the proletariat.... which then of course served no one for its authoritarian means and its absence of authenticity.

But now when I look at some forms of this period art, it takes me back to that time and mood; one that should not be forgotten, if only for its colossal failure. This glorious example of socialist realism - a mosaic depicting the heroic people of Albania - at the entrance of The Natural History Museum in the main Skanderbeg Square in Tirana speaks to that period... when there were still high hopes that communism could forge the path to equality and brotherly love.

Tirana, 2009

This photo of this mainly yellow mosaic is posted for Mellow Yellow Monday and I ask you to forgive me for it not being a very mellow topic. More mellowness will be found when you click the link to find links to yellow.

My photo will enlarge when you click on it.

Partial to Mosaic

 

Birds Mosaic, Makati, Philippines, 2010

This is one of six mosaic plaques adorning the otherwise drab wall that encloses the LRI Design Plaza in Makati (the financial district of Manila). I captured this one today as I was leaving the building full of upscale home decor and antique shops, art galleries and chic restaurants. If you live in Metro Manila, like good design, and haven't been there - or in a while - I can heartily recommend you go explore. (Tony L, this plug is for you :-D )

Public art of any kind appeals to me (save the occasional, what is that?), but I must admit to being quite partial to this ancient decorative art form. The earliest mosaics were made with natural pebbles and then came tesserae - small pieces of ceramic, glass, smalti or mirror. I like them all. Mosaic art must be firmly embedded in my collective unconscious.

So if you share my enchantment, stick around, I'm likely to post more mosaics now and then. Then again, what the heck, even if you don't... just stick around. What do you say?