Art: A Portal with Dragons

[baleanoptera]

Well, it’s now official. I will be taking media studies this autumn, and in the spring I’ll hand in my master thesis in media studies. The fact that I already have a master in Art History points to the fact that I’m possibly a bit insane. (I’ve been through this shitstorm once - and now I’m doing it again? But I get to write about war films and

Comments

[alexandral]

Oh - that church looks amazing! And what is these portals are REAL doors for supernatural? (Sorry i always think this way when I see something like this).

And - how fabulous!! Congratulations! (I am still gathering my courage for my first Master Degree. :D)

[baleanoptera]

The church is amazing! It's very tiny - but its so beautifully situated and the whole area has this very old, peaceful feel to it. It's very nice.

And what is these portals are REAL doors for supernatural? (Sorry i always think this way when I see something like this).

HEE! I ALWAYS think like this as well! Sort of like the door to Narnia. ;)

And thank you so much! I'm a bit (actually quite a lot) terrified of doing this again - but one the other hand I really, really want to -and since I now have the opportunity to do it, it seems silly not to try.

As for taking a Masters degree, all I can say is: Do it! It is great fun! But of course challenging. What I had the most problems with the first time around wasn't the material I was writing about - but it was to structure myself and to learn to trust my own instincts so to speak. In short to stop second guessing myself. When I managed that it wasn't so bad.

[semyaza]

You mention the organic feel. My first thought when I saw the picture of the complete portal was that it looks like a forest of tangled branches and vines. For some reason it made me think of that bit in Alan Garner's The Owl Service (which won't make any sense if you haven't read the book :D)-- 'Not flowers. Owls.' When I look at the portal I see trees, not monsters.

[baleanoptera]

I haven't read that book actually, but it has been on my To-read list for ages. If it reminds you of the Urnes portal then I think I might start reading it as soon as possible. :)

And you are right - it does look like a forest of tangled branches. One of my favourite parts, but one which sadly doesn't show up on the photos, is that the door proper is filled with runes. In fact all Stave Church doors are filled with runes and bind runes. But in the rest of the church, with the exception of the pillars, there are no runes at all. It really adds to the feeling that they viewed these doors as special.

[semyaza]

The quote should actually be 'Not owls. Flowers', but the point is the same -- that one can look at a pattern and not be able to see more than one thing. In the case of the Owl service, it's the ill-fated thing that Alison sees. The Owl Service and Redshift are my favourite Garner books.

I've only see one stave church, but I loved it.

[baleanoptera]

I love the Novgorod doors! So gorgeous, and I agree there is similar feel with vines.

Good luck with your masters' thesis!! :) (I'm surprised you didn't choose "The Wire" as your topic though :P

Thank you! And I actually considered the Wire, but I wasn't entirely sure where to start. But if I could do Stringer Bell - a character study, then all would be well

With Band of Brothers I do have a few ideas I'd like to test - the primary one being how we turn historical events into fiction, and what happens when we do. Does historical fiction (be it in book or film) change the way we view history?

[nutmeg3]

I love the idea of the doors being spiritual barriers. That's so cool. And congrats on MA #2!

[baleanoptera]

Thank you! And yes - doors and thresholds as barriers is one of my favourite things. Like I said to alexandral above I always think: "But what if it is a portal to somewhere else" Hee.

[baleanoptera]

Oh you are nuts!

I know, I know. I feel a bit like a character in a cartoon - with one angel and one devil talking to me. One is saying: this is madness, don't do it! And the other is going: But wouldn't it be great fun? And the least you could do is try? My only problem is that I don't know which is which. ;)

But seriously - the thesis I want to write has a focus not that far from my Art Historical one. So the jump isn't that great. I tell my self again and again. It all revolves around how we create historical narratives based on actual events - and in this instant how we create narratives about World War II, and how these narratives affect the way we view history.
(also I really like war movies. ;) )

I really love arches and archways in architecture,

hee. I do too. I always end up taking photos of arches and portals and such. I swear, half my photos from Rome last November are of doors and porticoes. Great to hear you liked the post.

[baleanoptera]

PM'ing sounds like a good plan, though I'm not entirely sure how to do it. (*is technically helpless*) But for you my darlin' I'll face my techno-fears and figure things out. ;)