twenty eighth issue
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| Issue 28 Aug 2014
An open letter to our audience #TEAMSKIES
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Brasília: A different Brazil, seen through mexican eyes Fernando Márquez
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Donald Judd’s Minimalism
Almustafa M. Khalid
20. 30.
One Step at a Time Jonathan Adzokpe
The place between the sea, the mountains, the citrus and the olive trees Ioana–Alexandra Tache
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An open letter to our audience W
e would like to begin by thanking all those people who have been supporting us to get were we are today with thousands of readers from around the world.
Open letter to our audience | #teamskies
There are a few announcements we want to let you know about:
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We have officially reached people in
200 countries
.
universities
We have decided to connect with as many as we can to give the youth with journalistic interests bigger and better opportunities (Reach us if you want your university to be connected with Independent Skies)
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We have been putting a lot of effort for two years and a half
a platform for the youth around the world to share their opinions on for the sole purpose of providing
big world issues and to share their new creative ideas, stratups etc‌ This has so far worked very well and we believe you can all see that, but to be able to make a bigger change in the world and help young people efficiently, we decided to start a crowd funding campaign to help us raise money that we will use for two aspects: - Create projects around the world to either help the development of a nation or projects aimed at solving poverty. - Part of the money will be used as a running cost for the works of the writers so we can provide more material and create more engagement between young people around the world.
#TeamSkies
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Brasilia: A different Brazil Hello everyone! My name is Fernando Márquez, I’m a Mexican International Relations student that is actually studying a semester abroad in Brazil, in the capital of the country: Brasília (yes, it’s not Rio de Janeiro). Since I entered University I wanted to study a semester abroad, as an exchange student, it was a dream for me, (and now I’m accomplishing it!). When I was in 3rd. semester I decided that I wanted to study my semester abroad in Brazil due to many reasons: -Brazil’s nature is incredible; it’s one of the countries with more biodiversity.
-The Brazilian culture is amazing; it’s a mix of several cultures and it’s really unique.
-Brazilian food is reaaaally tasty, like, seriously. Açai, brigadeiro, pastel, caldo de acana, maracujá, guaraná, cajú, tapioca, feijoada, paçoca, etc. Everything is tasty! -The University of Brasília is the best University in International Relations of all Latin America. -I wanted to learn and be fluent in Portuguese (and I’m achieving it!).
I’m now in 7th semester, when I was selected to study in Brazil (last semester) I got really happy and excited, so I decided to do some research about Brasília, the city where I’m studying now. In my research I found really interesting things that made me figure that Brasília is not the typical Brazilian city that the most people would imagine. When I arrived in Brasília (5 weeks ago), I had an idea of the city by my research, but living it it’s different’ it’s impressive.
Brasília: A different Brazil, seen through mexican eyes
| Fernando Márquez
seen through mexican eyes Fernando Márquez
By now I have been in 8 countries, and Brasília is a world apart, seriously. When people talk about Brazil, almost all the time, they imagine: party, beaches, carnival, Rio, pão de queijo and more party. But Brasília has a different situation; B it’s a city that was totally planned and inaugurated in 1960, it’s a very sunny city (you have to use sun blocker always), but also has fresh wind, due to the artificial lake “Paranoá”. In the political aspect; Brasília it’s the most important city of Brazil, as the capital, it has all the Ministries, the External Relations Palace, the “Alvorada” Palace (the
Presidential office), the National Congress, all the Embassies, and also has several International ans Regional Organizations, as well as important companies. Brasília it’s a city that has everything for everyone, it’s a city with diversity; if you want to swim, if you want to do kayak, SUP (stand up paddle), if you want to bike, to dance samba, salsa, forró, hip hop, if you want to drink, if you want to eat bahiana, mexican, arabic, japanese, French food, etc., you can. Besides all the previously stated, Brasília has a unique variety of trees and birds
that I haven’t seen in other place, but the most stunning and beautiful landscape of Brasília, is really, it’s sky. There’s a popular saying here that says: “O ceu é o mar de Brasilia” that means: “The sky of Brasília it’s its sea”, and it’s true. The sky, and specially the sunset in Brasília are one of the most amazing and relaxing things I’ve seen in my life. Also, if you want to experience different landscapes, near Brasília you have several places that are very cool to visit, without having to take a plane, Poço Azul, Pirenópolis, Chapeada dos Veadeiros, all of them with an incredible nature.
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Cultural aspects As a Mexican I found very cool that Brazilians are very alike Mexicans, we are very friendly, open, we are happy most of the time, and we like to dance and party, maybe Brazilians like to party more than Mexicans, and that’s something! A very nice aspect of Brazilians is that besides being open and friendly, they have solidarity very present, if you need help with something, most of Brazilians will be able and eager to help, even in bureaucratic processes (that in almost every country are horrible and the
| Issue 28 Aug 2014
bureaucrats are annoying), and that’s something that several people from all nationalities don’t have. Brasília, as a young city that was made out of nothing has an interesting mix of cultures from different parts of Brazil and also different countries. Here you can see people with different accents, you can see black people, white people, brunettes, blonds, green, blue, brown, gray and black eyes. And this ethnic phenomenon is more intense inside the University of Brasília, because you can see all that, and also Asian people, other LatinAmerican people, Europeans, African people, etc. Also Brasília has an interesting
mix of religions, as a city that gathers people from the south, the northeast, the southeast and other regions, you can find Catholics, Evangelic and other Christians, Candomblé people, Islamic, and much more. I have to accept that living alone in other country isn’t easy, but the whole experience is really incredible, I have learn a lot from Brazil, that I didn’t imagine I would learn, Brazil is way more than the tv and movies talk about, I’ve made amazing friends here and each day I found more interesting Brasília and Brazil. I hope that you found interesting the article, and hope that inspires you to dare to travel and study abroad!
Donald Judd’s Minimalism | Almustafa M. Khalid
Donald Judd’s Minimalism Almustafa M. Khalid
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Donald Judd’s Minimalism | Almustafa M. Khalid
W
e have always looked at art as this complicated type of expression, where often artists are either regarded as crazy or from a higher class in society, depending on the era they have arisen in. But, in the late 1960’s minimalist art was evolved and along with it, it brought different concepts in art. Minimalism is an abstract era of painting and sculpture that was developed from abstract expressionism, but the difference was that minimalism emphasized that art should not always contain a meaning and rather an art piece that would stand on its own, with its own category. Donald Judd was one of the main international minimalists that had their works installed all around the world and not just the United States. Judd believed that his evolution from painting to sculpture is not even true, he thinks that the shapes he creates do not conform with the rules of “sculptures” that were given prominence by the European culture, such as the Gods, leaders and important occasions. This research essay will attempt to dig deep on the evolution of Donald Judd’s art, his contributions to the minimalist movement and its critics.
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Frank Stella’s famous quote “What you see, is what you see” best describes the minimalist movement and one of its renown leaders Donald Judd. However, it is believed that minimalism began because some artists felt that the action painting which is a part of abstract expressionism, was too personal and pretentious in a way that the audience have to figure out what the piece is about. So, that is when Judd decided to leave painting, although his paintings were quite simple, he wanted to get out of the pretentious atmosphere and present art that the on-lookers can relate to, not because they are art specialists but, due to the objects used in making that art are the conventional/ known materials in life. Many of Judd’s artworks are untitled, which is criticized because art is meant to last long and not fade away by the second or third viewing, which is something Judd himself states as the challenge all artists face is to find “the concatenation, that will grow”, which basicaly contradicts the art he creates. The reason an art piece such as “Las Meninas” by Diego Velazquez is still being studied today, is because of the feelings and meanings given out by the painting. Yet, in Judd’s sculptures the pieces are not even titled, so how is that going to be refered to in the future?.
Donald Judd’s Minimalism | Almustafa M. Khalid
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Donald Judd’s Minimalism | Almustafa M. Khalid
It is important however to state the objectives of Judd’s art and the minimalist movement to further understand the reasons behind this art school. Judd tries to remove the heiarchy of art by presenting these over simplistic and often uninteresting cubes so that people can relate to them, especially through the materials and colors used to present what he often called “objects” instead of “sculptures”. In order to achieve that, methaphores, emotions, social comments, tradition, themes and complexity had to be removed from these works. And instead, the use of uniformity and geometry that cannot be mistaken or misunderstood in any other way, the use of primary colors that do not intend to show emotions, rather simply represent the color itself and the use of aesthetics and materials that are cheap and mass-produced that removed the idea of the artist’s individuality had to be applied to these artworks. Backing this up is sculptor Sol LeWitt “the most interesting characteristic of the cube is that it is relatively uninteresting.” Describing minimalist art.
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Minimalism, is a revolution in art, something that could have not happened a few years before its founding, because Judd’s artwork was only made possible due to the new development in the manufacturing industries. Another point about art in general is that it is not fully appreciated right away, it takes time to understand. But, the critics do not wait for a long time, and minimalist art is criticized for removing the means and rules of art that were set ages ago in the times of academicism. Furthermore, the issue of originality is put to question here (how is art, art? When it is made from mass-produced object?) the only reason Judd has of originality is that he had thought of these sculptures before anyone else, and had enough financial support tocreate them. Meanwhile, artists in previous centuries, had to have a talent and practice for hours before creating an art work. On the other hand, one believes that minimalist art which peaked in the 70’s frees artists from the tyranny of the commodity that art becomes, the art made by minimalists will be art only for the sake of art,the materials used in its production and the space it occupies. Many of Judd’s sculptures will be there for a long time for viewers to enjoy the look, and wether he is remembered or not, his sculptures will, for how simple and uninteresting they are.
Donald Judd’s Minimalism | Almustafa M. Khalid
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Donald Judd’s Minimalism | Almustafa M. Khalid
In conclusion, it is still early to judge Judd’s artwork due to the young age of the art school that he belongs to. Nonetheless, Clement Greenberg who is a great critic thinks that what is important about art is the ‘aesthetic surprise’ of ‘real’ artwork, which leaves the viewers with long lasting experiences they carry with them all their lives, when minimalist art is very easily forgotten because there are no feelings attached to them. One believes that if the aim of minimalist works is to explore and show the mediums in more simpler ways, then it has been taken too far. Some works in the galleries look no different from lights behind a glass of a furniture store. Minimal art, has not received as much of an attention as many othre movements and it may never get that type of attention. The audience are always curious about what is new in the market just like any other music genre, that get a boost when it starts and slowly fades away and a much smaller audience will appreciate in the long term. The minimalist artists did not die and neither did their movements, in fact we can see such paintings and sculptures being made today. Yes, the minimalist movement has faded, but, Donald Judd will always be mentioned along with the name of this artistic era.
By: Almustafa M. Khalid Founder & CEO Independent Skies Magazine
Resources: - Sooke, Alastair. "Frank Stella Interview: The Bigger Picture." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 24 Sept. 2011. - Smith, Roberta. "Donald Judd: ‘Stacks’." The New York Times. The New York Times, 24 Oct. 2013. - LeWitt, Sol. "Sol LeWittTwo Open Modular Cubes/Half-Off 1972." 'Two Open Modular Cubes/Half-Off', Sol LeWitt. 13 Aug. 2013 - Kosuth, Joseph. Art after Philosophy. S.l.: Joost A. Romeu, 1973. Print.
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One Step at a Time
Jonathan Adzokpe
One Step at a Time
| Jonathan Adzokpe
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I
One Step at a Time
| Jonathan Adzokpe
don’t recall my days of growing up as a baby. For that matter it will be an almost impossible task to know how I took my baby steps while transforming from a little crawling baby to a child who could take little steps, and then walk. I have, however, seen many babies grow from infancy, when they were trained to sit, then they began to stand amidst falling, and then one at a time, they made conscious efforts to take steps that slowly translated into walking children. While growing up around age 8 or 9, I fell so much in love with the art of planting seeds and watering them daily to see them grow. I was thrilled by the miraculous incidence of sowing a seed, and in the next few days, you would see no sign of the seed. After a few more days, just when I came to water the seed in the morning, I see a little sprout. The sign of that little sprout brings so much joy to me that I could admire it all day. From that little sprout, the seedling grows into a young plant and gradually begins to bear flowers and then fruits.
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One Step at a Time
| Jonathan Adzokpe
Nature has its own way of getting things done in a gradual and often consistent basis. There’s nothing in this world today that could ever spark out of the blue without going through a gradual, yet consistent process of formation and growth. That is what life is. You were first conceived when an egg from your mother’s ovary was fertilised by a sperm from your father. These two separate and very minute bodies fuse to produce a zygote, then a zygote grows into an embryo, then on and on into a baby. As a baby, you went through so many growth processes and here you are today. Despite these gradual principles that we are assembled with, the speed of the world; speed cars, fast phones, smart TVs, microwave, etc. have created a false impression that life is meant to be lived in a fast mode. We believe we need to have the latest of cars, phones, appliances, etc. now and today without any delay. We believe all we make today must be spent today with an expectation of another tomorrow. Immediate gratification, unfortunately, has become the order of the day.
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One Step at a Time
| Jonathan Adzokpe
On the contrary, everything worth having or being in life is achieved through a gradual process. You can’t become a success overnight. Success, contrary to what many people are made to believe, is a gradual, often intertwined process, embedded with challenges and opportunities. Whoever you see successful today went, and is still going through processes of challenges, that gradually unveil success along the journey. What do you want to reach out for? What do you want to achieve? What is that desire that burns so deep in your heart? It takes one step at a time. It takes steps of planning, working, facing challenges, re-adjusting your plan, and working and working and working until you begin to see success as the sprout of a seedling. Jordin Brianna Sparks, the American singersongwriter and actress said in her famous song titled, “One Step at a Time” that, “We live and we learn to take one step at a time. There’s no need to rush.” A journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, they say. Don’t be frustrated when things aren’t moving as fast and quick as you wish them. Be patient. When you commit to working gradually and consistently towards your vision and goals, they will begin to unravel layer by layer like an onion.
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One Step at a Time
| Jonathan Adzokpe
The fact that your friends are far ahead doesn’t make you a failure. Each one of us has a distinct race. While some have a 100m dash and therefore need tremendous speed, others have a marathon which does not need the kind of speed a 100m runner would need. If you will understand that life is not about competing or racing with someone, but yourself, many of the pressures we feel will be non-existent. That your plans aren’t turning out as you expected doesn’t make you a failure. A process of delay only works patience in you; one of the most important ingredients we all need along the path of life. A failed plan is not a failed human. If your plans need adjustment, do! But just remember, that life is not a 100m dash. It is a marathon. And like a marathon, it is lived in phases, gradually, but consistently until you get to the finish line.
The writer, Jonathan Adzokpe, is the author of The Realities of Life After School. It’s a book written to empower students and graduates with information on how the real world feels like and how to better prepare and position themselves to live successfully after school.
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The place between the sea, the m the citrus and the olive trees I
taly has always been on my travel bucket list. First time I visited the peninsula was when I was around 13 and I only saw a bit of the Northern, mountainy part and Venice. Luckily this summer I managed to travel there again, this time with my family. A great thing about travelling with family and relatives is that it gives you a lot of time to explore, analyse and think about the surrounding and of course, spend quality time with the loved ones. I am not saying that travelling with friends is not about discovering, but we all know it is mainly about
fun and crazy memories, alongside. Anyway, going back to 'family travel' and Italy, the following would be my first impressions about the little Southern village I spent some days in.
Caterina only the pizza/pasta part is real or at least the only visible one - no extreme fashion or mobs are showing up. It is a quiet village, looked over by the Serre mountains, alongside the Ionic Sea.
Santa Caterina dello Ionio Marina - a small village between the sea, the mountains, the citrus and the olive trees, the cactuses and colourful flower bushes, is located in Calabria, Southern Italy. I guess when one thinks about Italy, either fashion, Mafia (especially for the South) or pizza/pasta are the first things that come to mind. Maybe for Santa
Given that it is a small village (around 1200 inhabitants), everybody seemed to know everybody else. Even if we were tourists, people would say hi to us and would even start conversations; they would respectfully give up after realising that we were not speaking the language, but they would still listen to us trying to reply in a combination
The place between the sea, the mountains, the citrus and the olive trees
| Ioana–Alexandra Tache
mountains, Ioana–Alexandra Tache
‘In Italy, they add work and life on to food and wine.’ – Robin Leach of Romanian-Spanish-ItalianEnglish language. And they seemed contend - amused, but respectful and eager to let us finish our attempt. Moreover, what I realised few years ago, while visiting Barcelona, appears to also be true for St. Caterina (and other nearby locations) - that is, people tend to be as the place; in this case, very warm and welcoming. Saluting you on the street, giving you treats in the shop, tying to get involved in a multilingual conversation, are few examples that show how this openness and willingness may be embedded in the culture of these kind of places.
Another thing I liked about Calabria in general, is that, given the geographical features, the actual towns are hidden in the mountains, 6 to 10 km away from the basis, at the end of very winding, often kind of dangerous (for my taste, at least) roads. After arriving to the destination though, the landscapes are amazing, so the way is totally worth it. Despite the great panoramas, another remarkable characteristic is the age of the towns and villages. Regio Calabria hosts mainly medieval establishments that are filled with history of battles, subordination and conquests
from around 900-1100 AD. It seemed to me that most of the places we visited were left untouched to some degree, as you were able to find ruins of castles, towers or churches in the middle of the town and the outside of the houses seemed to have been refurbished only a very long time ago. For now, these are my first impressions. To be continued with Sicily, Capri Island, Pompeii and Naples which are our next stops. Until next time, open your eyes and your ears to what the world has to tell you!
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