Your Moment is Now

The tradition of dressing up for Halloween comes from multiple sources, and the origins are rather difficult to pinpoint to one location at one time. Chances are pretty good that it’s a combination of cultural traditions over the course of history that makes the holiday what it is today. The idea of people putting on Halloween costumes one night out of the year is certainly appealing. For many people, it’s the very top of the list for holidays, because dressing up is fun.

The origins are every bit as spooky as one would suspect from the popularity of horror costumes. That’s not a coincidence at all, because the time of the year is a traditional one for celebrating the dead in many places. In Mexico, the Dia de los Muertos celebrations are major events that last the better part of a week. The actual day isn’t spent dressing up like monsters, however, but is spent tending to the graves of family members who have passed, and holding a ceremonial meal in their honor.

The tradition is very similar to Samhain in Ireland, where the ancestors are revered, and for that matter, also finds a place in Poland with Forefather’s Eve . There’s something about the time of year, when the days start to get darker, and colder, and gathering together to remember the loved ones is a way of bringing in the winter.

Few capital cities on the earth are quite like Austin. It’s a kind of oasis in the middle of Texas — from the air, it seems as if you’re passing stretches of dry, desert-like territory, then there’s a sudden infusion of greenery and water and life; from the ground, the city may sprawl a little, but its heart is downtown, where you’ll find Austin boutique hotels , the Capitol building, and the fine museums of the University of Texas.

One such museum is the Blanton Museum of Art , an art museum and research cetner at the university under the auspices of the College of Fine Arts. This particular university museum is one of the largest of its kind in the United States, containing about 18,000 works of art from Europe, the U.S., and Latin America. Established in 1963, 47 years ago, the museum has changed its name as it grew, moving from space to space at the university, first to the Harry Ransom Center in 1972, renamed the Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery in 1980, then moving again in 2006 to a 155,000 square foot building and renamed the Blanton Museum of Art after the Houston Endowment, chaired by Jack S. Blanton, gave the museum a donation of 12 million dollars.

A number of intriguing exhibits are available throughout the summer and into October of 2010. Presently, until August 22, you might see Matisse as Printmaker, which presents works from the Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation. There are 63 prints here by Henri Matisse (who lived from 1869-1954), which were made by a number of techniques: etching, aquatint, monotype, woodcut, linoeum cut, and lithography.

Through October, you’ll be able to see WorkSpace: Anna Craycroft: Subject of Learning/Object of Study . This installation was conceived by Anna Craycroft, an artist based in Brooklyn, which changes the WorkSpace gallery into a series of educational spaces with sliding chalkboards, modular furniture, computer displays, educational books, all of which is meant to explore the various defintions the individual has in order to understand the structure of our institutions, and how the mechanics of that institution affect the persons within it.

All through the 16th century, several different types of world map projections were created with some configurations that were more distinguished by their artistic eloquence rather than their geographical usefulness. A projection map is a projection of the globe onto a flat map using a grid of lines of latitude and longitude. Guillaume Postel, created a unique woodcut, measuring 120 x 90 centimeters, which combined cartographic and decorative interest. Paris was the first to issue the map, titled ‘Polo Aptata Nova Charta Universi, in 1581 and again in 1589. But, the 1621 issuance is the only surviving copy impression, which is now being preserved by the Bibliotheque Service Historique de la Marine. The Polo Aptata Nove Charta Universi, shows two divided southern hemispheres with reduced-scale quarters and in the top corners, mirror-images. Postel’s map, with its striking decorations and its exquisite and exacting geographical information was a tour-de-force of its time and reveals a strong influence of De Jode of the late 16th century Antwerp school.

In 1691, Moxon, a map seller in England, devised an interesting map that contained not only the terrestrial hemispheres, but celestial as well. Moxon’s family advertised similar maps in a catalogue, stating that these world maps could be bound up with Bibles. In 1671, Moxon’s father, Joseph prepared a set of biblical maps to be combined with Moxons’ that contained a map where the terrestrial hemisphere stretches as far as the equator with the southern sections of America and Africa extending into two of the corners; there are 14 biblical scenes surrounding both hemispheres of Moxon’s more commonly found world map on an oval projection map.

Giovanni Domenico Cassini’s polar projection map of Jupiter is the most celebrated. Giovanni collected astronomical observations of the satellites of Jupiter by the Paris Observatory between the years of 1676 and 1683. Cassini’s map of 1696 was considered the first printed representation of a very large circular map, 8 meters in diameter located on the floor of the Observatory. There were other maps, like the giant de Fer-van Loon double-hemispherical world map of 1694 that also used the Academy’s observations, unfortunately, with Cassini’s maps, which were published in Paris, and despite its importance as a record for scientific geography, there are only 2 copies left, one with the signature of Cassini’s son and the other dating back to 1712.

Polar projection maps are specialised examples of cartographic art, map makers experimented with many kinds of map projections: oval, polar, planispherical and cordiform, but by the 18th century,the maps with a single polar projection became extremely rare due to the popularity of the cylindrical projections and the more widely accepted stereographic projection on two hemispheres.

Gramercy Park, a large private park in Manhattan and a historical site surrounded by famous historical sites, was swamp land when the original Dutch settlers founded New York. In 1831 Samuel B. Ruggles bought the property and spent $180,000 completely draining and filling the swamp, historians estimated this took about a million horse-cart loads of earth to moved. Once Completed, he began the process of laying out “Gramercy Square”. It was the second private square to be designed in the city, after Hudson Square, aka St. John’s Park, was laid out by the parish of Trinity Church. Once the square was built he deeded it to the owners of the 60 parcels of land he’d sold surrounding the park. In 1833 Gramercy Park was enclosed by a fence; however, construction on the surrounding lots did not begin until nearly a decade later. Situated in the center of the park is a statue of Edwin Booth, one of the most famous residents of the surrounding area. As well as being the brother of the notorious John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Abraham Lincoln , Booth was one of the great Shakespearean actors of America in the 19th Century. His mansion is the home of the Players’ Club and still stands at, “No. 16″ today .

Though the tradition of allowing caroling in the park on Christmas Eve is expected to continue, in 2007, the trustees of Gramercy Park announced that it would no longer open the park to the public on Gramercy Day, traditionally the first day in May. Residents living in buildings that face the park may buy a key to the park, which is changed annually. Guests of the nearby hotels like the Gramercy Park Hotel have key access as well as members of the Players Club and the National Arts Club too.

Over looking the park, The Gramercy Park Hotel’s reputation for discretion has attracted and played host to many musicians and famous media figures. Such as Bob Marley and Bob Dylan in the 1970s and in later years played host to the Clash, Madonna, Debbie Harry, and David Bowie. Some popular media figures even took up residence here. Among them famous actress Margaret Hamilton, actor Matt Dillon, and playwright David Mamet, writer S. J. Perelman, and actor James Cagney. During the show’s premiere the Canadian and Chicago part of the first cast of Saturday Night Live stayed in The Gramercy Park Hotel. Paul Shaffer, the show’s original bandleader, continued to live in the annex for another 16 years after the start of Saturday Night Live.

As with many of the southern as well as eastern states, Missouri has an interesting history and its name as well as the names of some of its prominent cities is based on various figures from the country’s early development. One of the most common historic associations to Missouri’s name itself is the Missouri Compromise. The basic properties of this compromise dealt with an agreement between the anti and pro-slavery factions that were part of the US Congress. The agreement, or compromise, defined boundaries of legal slave ownership regions and established that slavery was prohibited the act north of the 36th parallel. This included the region that was formerly the Louisiana Territory. After continued debate and much disagreement and argument in the government this compromise was passed in 1820. Many of the tourists who visit the state learned about the Missouri Compromise in school though this may be the last or one of the last things on their mind as they enjoy a comfortable stay and visit the contemporary attractions. Perhaps it will come to mind when visiting landmarks and historic icons.

The city of Jackson, Missouri is another instance of name significance in relationship to history. Although, with the Missouri Compromise it was the congressional act that was named after the state and with the city of Jackson, it is was named after President Andrew Jackson. Jackson was one of the country’s more colorful president’s and today his legacy is defined by a contrast of interests and perspectives. On the controversial and unpopular side was both pro slavery and also supported Indian removal policies. His major individual liberty and pro democracy stances are often emphasized in association to his politics, though it is important to remember that these views and positions only applied to white male citizens and this was clearly defined in his views. He was known as a tough character and this earned him the nic-name of Old Hickory. He was also the country’s first frontier president and this remains a strong part of his legacy.

There are a couple of “first things” I must do when I am in a new city.  If it is a city on the coast, I must make my way to the water…feet go in the water immediately weather permitting, and if the weather is not permitting, a cup of coffee on the closest pier.  If it is big city, I look for the main park, look for the public art.  One of the examples of public art, according to me, is the carousel.  Every city has one, a merry-go-round, and I am not certain if it is the nostalgia, or the carved and painted artistic horses, or the lights and the carnival feel, but I must find them in the city.  There are beautiful carousels on the Santa Monica Pier,  and an incredible one on Navy Pier in Chicago.

There seems to be a history to the merry-go-round, as every one I have come across either in person or online, seems to have been built at least one hundred years ago, are there any new carousels, and if there are, are they so beautiful?  I doubt it.  Just as computer animation has taken over the ideas of Walt Disney, something strange may happen if designers were to start making modern carousels.  There is one carousel with a history that led it to New York, took it away, and then led it back again.  It was created in the city of North Tonawanda, NY by the designers at the Herschell-Spillman Company, during the years of 1912-1916.  When it was completed it was installed in a park in Wellsville, New York.

The Herschell-Spillman Company was the leader in the art of the merry-go-round, many of their works still turning today on Long Island, in Central Park, Brooklyn and throughout the city.  This was a time when the artistry was delicate and precise, along with the kitsch that is the neon lights and the plucky music.  The Wellsville Carousel was taken to Cuba, NY and installed for many years at the Olivecrest Amusement Park.  However it was returned in 1974, and now is on exhibit in the New York State Museum.  When I was visiting the city last summer, I found incredible hotel accommodations at http://www.bestmanhattanhotel.com, and the young man working at the front desk told me about the museum when I mentioned my fascination with merry-go-rounds.  The museum has many different exhibits, this being just one, so find your way to all there is to see at the museum, or you may just want to take a walk through one of the parks, take it from me–you will always find a merry-go-round in Manhattan.