Cubist Museum

Thursday afternoon I journeyed with my class past Old Town Square to the Cubist museum. Some students from the other program left as soon as the profesorkas left us alone. I was happy to see that all of my fellow ECES participants stayed, happy with the opportunity to wander about a new museum for free.

For those who don't know, Cubism was an avant-garde movement which touched many realms, especially painting, drawing, and sculpture but also architecture and literature (someone on Wikipedia claims that Faulkner's As I Lay Dying falls into this vein. I'm not sold on that idea but it certainly is fractured and at times incoherent in a strangely beautiful and complete way.) I almost forgot about Appollinaire! I feel that he may be more Dadaist though. This is my favorite of his poems:

Translation: My heart like a flame upside-down.

To be honest, I don't know if that would qualify as Cubist, but I love it so whatever.

 I have heard many say that Cubist architecture can really only be seen in the Czech Republic. Indeed, the building which houses the museum as well as some others in the neighborhood would fall into this category. In the museum there are some photographs of Cubist architecture:

I discovered that Cubist architecture is somewhat different from other mediums. It seems to rely on angularity and symmetry to convey three dimensions and to give shape to the structure. Cubist work on a canvas or paper negotiates the confusion between two and three dimensions. Of course, the work itself is two dimensional, but the way in which images are fragmented seems to me attempting to compensate for the loss of one dimension by giving the illusion that it is present on the canvas...  Ugh I'm confusing myself. I wish I had taken an art history course. I guess it is useful to have my own original musings. Anyway, I took a bunch of photographs as the museum. Enjoy!

Don't forget about how Cubism came about, or so I've been told. Picasso was at an anthropological museum and came across some masks that had been made by tribes in Africa. They had some on display at the museum:

"Facial Mask of a Funerary Type, Okui; Punu, Gaboon."

"Facial Mask of an Ancestor of the Punu Tribe. Fang, Gaboon, Equitorial Guinea"

"Facial Mask Agbohommuho (For unmarried girls); Ibo, Nigeria"

Extension Mask; Gaboon

I took many photos of different studies of heads:

"Head" Antonín Procházka, 1915

"Study of a Head" Josef Čapek

"Head" Otto Gutfreund, 1912-13

This sculpture was my favorite, also by Gutfreund:

It's Don Quixote, and somehow I feel that it is totally accurate as to what Don Quixote should look like.

These, in addition to the first "Head" (by Procházka)  were my other favorites in the museum:

"Girl with her Arms Raised" Václav Špála, 1918

"Girl Combing her Hair" Josef Čapek 

Phew! It's nice to relive my daily experiences, but blogging sure is time-consuming!

czech intensive, week two

Well, the intensive course was quite intense. Five hours per day in class certainly takes a toll, and it's difficult to  cram a language into your head in so short a time, but we all bore it well. I do think we owe a lot to the particular profesorka who was teaching us; her patience and repetition were vital.

On Tuesday she took us to a pizzaria, for an informal test to see how well we had progressed in the most practical of situations. Indeed, most of us hadn't gotten very far. You see, learning a language formally in a classroom is a totally different ballgame than in "real life", where people speak fast and use mostly words that you haven't learned yet.

A funny thing happened on the way to get pizza though. I was taking the tram down the hill so I could get to the metro and suddenly it stopped. I had to ask a Czech person what the voice on the loudspeaker was saying because I had no idea. He was just learning English but was able to communicate much more effectively than I could with my Czech. He just told me that there was a problem at some of the tram stations (including mine) and our car wouldn't be making those stops. I just stood around open-mouthed, not knowing what to do when my classmates tumbled out of the next tram. Good thing they were there! Together we walked down the the Metro station (only about 15 minutes). It turned out that a massive protest was blocking the tram! We had a nice view from our walk:

You can see the people on the street; the column of people stretches all the way across the bridge on the left

They were mostly police officers and other government workers who were protesting a 5% - 10% pay cut imposed by the state. Our profesorka said that it was the largest protest in fifteen years!

Wednesday was another beautiful day. I asked our profesorka if we could spend some time outside and she happily led us to a garden for the last hour of class. It was peaceful and walled out the noises of the city (horses' hooves on cobblestones as well as the occasional ambulance) with peacocks wandering around and ponds with fountains. After, my friends and I walked up to see a famous statue (/installation?) by the controversial Czech artist David Černý. It's in the courtyard of the Kafka museum (which I have not toured yet) and features two men.... well, see for yourself: 

Note that they are standing on the Czech Republic. One man's stream is directed over Prague, the other Brno (capital of Moravia). 

On Thursday after our exam (I got an A PLUS!) we went with the other class to the Cubist museum, which is in the same building as the Grand Orient Cafe (photos are in last week's post). There was some pretty sweet art there! I wished the gallery itself could have been a little more "cubist", but the caliber of the art made up for that lack. Because of the number of photos I took, I will post separately on the Cubist Museum.

After we finished wandering around the winding staircase and through the rooms of the gallery, most of us continued on with our professors to a music club/pub called the Lucerne. It was a strange place to bring us because it was somewhat overpriced and touristy. They did have Kozel černý on draft though, which is my favorite typical Czech beer, so the place was somewhat redeemed.

On Friday three of our classes went to a cinema that had been rented out for us. It was adorable, with two floors and a few small rooms with bars and tables. Imagine my triumph upon the realization that if needed I could work the old 16MM projector next to the stairs! There was film paraphernalia everywhere although the origins of most pieces were unclear. We watched Pelíšky, which compared and contrasted two Czech families living in Prague before the 1968 invasion. It was pretty good-- but not as good as Kolya. 


More later! Hope all's well with everyone. Happy Monday!

hesky vikend

After going out on Friday night I slept in on Saturday morning. I awoke to find some people from my group getting ready to go to the Prague Wine Festival on the river, which I had heard about earlier in the week. We headed over there after and taking an unnecessarily long metro ride finally arrived to about the same place we had rented the boats last weekend.

The festival was expensive and nothing special. I didn't see barkouk (traditional seasonal wine, only available for a few months in the autumn-- it's a young plum wine) which meant it was really touristy. But it was 3 pm when we got there so I was content to spend my mandatory 150 K worth of tokens on just a few of the nicer tastings.

Czech lady bug

Then we went to grab a beer and popped by the department store on top of Tesco but found nothing special so we continued home.

That night we went out again. I'm convinced that we were at a bar that was half gay half for tourists but many disagreed. You should have seen these bartenders! And many of the men around the bar were gay. People kept disagreeing with me... but I know what I know!

Sunday I took the tram with my friend Mike in the direction opposite of that we usually do just to check out what was in our neighborhood. We came upon some kind of renaissance fair. I've never been to one and I wanted to go in but they were charging admission and the line was too long. We found a small and cute cafe and our friend Veronica met us there for burgers and studying. They had an exam the next day and I just wanted to brush up on my Czech, having floundered all weekend.

In the evening we went into Old Town for a drink at a popular tourist bar, Chapeau Rouge. The prices aren't too bad and there are many international travelers there, with a bar in the spacious upstairs area and a club downstairs. I have been there a few times because it is busy on weeknights, reasonably priced and only a ten minute walk to the tram stop back to the dorm. However, because it is so touristy it serves more as a stand-by than as a great destination so we wandered into a jazz bar around the corner.

It was great. Very small intimate setting--there couldn't have been seats for more than forty people, including the mezzanine above the ground floor for more people. It was very loud and I enjoyed the set. It too was geared toward tourists (almost everything in Old Town is) but it was a great way to spend a Sunday evening.

czech intensive, week one

Ahoj kamarady! Sorry I have not written in awhile; I see myself falling behind by a week now!

This week has been extremely busy but not terribly eventful. I started my Czech intensive class last Monday in the Main Building at Charles. Here is a photo of the view from my classroom:

I have class every day from 2 to about 6:15. We get two 15 minute breaks throughout the class which makes it much more bearable. On top of that, I ended up with what seems to be the best profesorka teaching our group. Ana is inventive, attentive, interactive, patient, kind and funny. She teaches us inventive ways to remember words and constantly has us repeat what she says and answer her questions (in Czech). It is a very difficult language but my background in Latin actually helps! Not only have I come across two verbs that are the same (videt - to see; sedet - to sit) but the grammatical structure is very similar.

After class on Monday a few of us went out to eat. The restaurant was nothing special, but it was cheap! Snitzel with french fries was my meal. Also, we passed the Goethe-Institut, a beautiful building that is also visible from the river:

I'm getting the days confused. Tuesday and Wednesday-- eh, I'm not sure what happened in the evenings. Nothing too exciting. Wednesday (or maybe Thursday?) instead of going until 6:15 our profesorka took us to The Grand Cafe Orient, allegedly one of the few examples of Cubist architecture in the world. (Vivian, could you help me out with this one?)

Anyway, it was nice.

At some point we made dinner in our NEW KITCHEN!

It's really really nice.


We watched a film in class on Friday, entitled Kolya. It was heartwarming and moving! The plot centered around an older Czech bachelor and a young Russian boy who ends up living with him. The plot is somewhat predictable (see any other film involving opposite roommates); the subplot contrasted life under Communist rule with the changes that resulted from the Velvet Revolution in 1989. And I recognized some Czech words! I would have been mostly lost without the subtitles, though.

After class I went shopping with my friend Mark. I got some pants and a skirt that was greatly reduced; Mark got a winter jacket. Zara is one of those stores that has a great disparity in pricing but one usually gets what one pays for (i.e. more expensive items are generally of higher quality). After Zara we went out to the cafe from our first night in Prague and ordered a lavish dinner. We split the "farmer's plate" which consisted of roast pork, smoked pork, rabbit, sausage, potato pancake, potato dumplings, cranberries, white & red cabbage. I can't explain how wonderful it was...

... and a crepe for dessert.

afternoon excursion - 12.9.10

Saturday evening I continued my wanderings over to Tesco, a fantastic grocery and department store on the border between Old Town and New Town. I bought a bunch of groceries and supplies such as dish detergent, plates, forks, spoons etc and spent about $30. Great success!

Sunday was another beautiful day. We set out with the intention of renting bikes but then we realized that it was one of the last few days that one could call "boat weather" in Prague. So I walked down the river with my friends Mike and Ari and we rented a row boat on the Charles River at a very reasonable rate-- 200 K for two hours, which we split into thirds.

View of the Charles Bridge from the point at which we entered the water. The waterfall kept us from floating too far downstream and stealing the boat; a small waterfall upstream served the same purpose. 

Being on the river is not only a relaxing experience for the novelty of it, or because of the fact that one is physically closer to "nature". Being surrounded by the beauty of the city was a key part of this experience.

National Theater

The "dancing building"; also known as the Ginger and Fred building, designed by Frank Gehry. The building as you see clashes with the surrounding architecture in its attempt to replicate the silhouette of the famous pair.

When our time was just about up, the sun was shining brilliantly with a cozy late-afternoon warmth and causing mist to rise from the surface of the river:

It was so pretty! As usual, I kept sighing and saying, "Isn't this great guys?" and "I'm so happy right now." After the first few times my kamarady (czech for 'friends'-plural) began rolling their eyes and laughing at me but I couldn't help but continue to announce my happiness. I'm sure the river and skyline were happy to be appreciated, at any rate. 

When we got off the boat we went to find a nice spot for dinner, and did we ever! Reasonably priced and almost completely local, we found a small cafe whose menu caters to vegetarians, vegans etc and has free wifi! I will almost certainly be returning.

When we got back, Mike and I did our laundry. Some said it would be a hassle but I did a small load so it was no problem at all. Others claimed that it took three hours for their clothing to dry, and it took Mike a long time as well. There are many rumors of terror going around about the laundry room, but it is just another cultural difference that we must overcome. 

Chau!

my birthday continues -- 11.9.10

I've just left the Four Seasons Hotel where I had an hour-long massage in the Spa. It was quite lovely and relaxing. The masseuse recommended that I stretch my neck and shoulders every night because I am so tense I may begin to get headaches. The funny thing is, though I am physically tense I am emotionally relaxed so I am not sure how I can prevent this tightness in my shoulders.

The hotel is on the river about two blocks from the main building of the University. The lobby is lovely and I received the star treatment--greeted by name upon entering the spa area, given a fluffy robe and slippers. The massage itself was great, especially when she rubbed my feet! Of course I dawdled in the "changing room", spending time in the sauna, drinking tea, having a shower and blow-drying my hair (which I rarely do). Thanks for the great gift, mom! I couldn't ask for a more relaxing, luxurious experience.

With the rest of the afternoon to myself I walked over to the Jewish Quarter, per Karin's suggestion. My school straddles the border between the Quarter and the Old Town; according to my guide book the Rudolfinum is technically in the Jewish Quarter. Choosing today was in part a good idea and in part bad because it is Saturday of Rosh Hashana so of course the sites were all closed. However I was able to amble at my leisure through the narrow and desolate streets. It seems the tourist trade must be a major contributor to the economy here because one must pay to enter practically anywhere. I was therefore content to admire the architecture from the outside of these buildings and to peek through the gates of the cemetery. Additionally, my camera ran out of battery so I wouldn't have been able to visually supplement my descriptions for you, Gentle Reader.

One of the buildings I was able to enter was St Agnes' Convent. Founded by Agnes (Wenceslas I's sister) in 1234, the convent housed the order of the Poor St Clares. It is, according to my guide book, one of the first Gothic buildings in Bohemia. I was able to explore the churches and the cloister (14th century) which are a part of the complex without paying. These beautiful and enormous rooms were empty aside from the occasional memorial for St Agnes, Wenceslas I, and others. The second floor (which in Europe is referred to as the first floor-- go figure!) is an extension of the National Gallery whose main building is located in Prague Castle. The paintings highlight in my guidebook are located in the main building of the gallery; since I had seen them already I thought I'd wait for another day to check it out.

After grabbing a roll and coffee for lunch (24 K) I walked around some more and found myself in the Old Town Square. I plan on walking to the Tesco and jumping on the tram back to the dorm by the National Theater after I finish my Kozel. I'm sitting in a cafe garden, located in a courtyard off of a side street. A lovely and quiet place to think and drink.

Pilsner Museum and Brewery

Our tour of Pilsen continued with a tour of the museum, which was located in the city center. It was designed to give visitors a feel for the way the town operated before the big brewery opened when resident craftsman had their own breweries in their homes.

The museum is housed in a well-preserved building. We were able to get a feel not only for the dated brewing practices but also a better understanding of the way of life just from seeing the architectural design of the homes.

Hops Wreath

Look, I took a photo of a ghost! This is the cellar where the barreled fermenting beer stayed cold.

Duchamp?

The old city wall, with crops grown by the museum. The barley had already been harvested, hops were growing against the far wall.

We were told a charming anecdote by our tour guide. When the Hussites tried to siege the town in the first half of the 15th century, the townspeople were able to hold out for months. Most houses had wells in the basement as well as secret tunnels for the townspeople to sneak in and out. Upon the realization that he would not be able to starve the people out, the leader Prokop the Great traveled East and brought back a camel in an attempt to scare the people into submission. Though some wanted to surrender, the educated of the town used their reference books and realized the camel was not such a strange creature after all. The next morning Prokop awoke to find the camel looking down at him from the city wall. Hence, the coat of arms of Pilsen includes a camel. 

Close up of hops

Brewer's Coat of Arms

From the museum we walked outside of the city center to the Pilsner Urquell Brewery. It was enormous and very fancy; we learned the entire process of brewing although I still don't exactly understand it. Fortunately, we were provided with a flow chart:

Sorry it's sideways, blogger is having trouble loading the picture normally.

An interactive section explaining the importance of the ingredients that Pilsner uses: barley, fresh and extremely filtered water, and local hops.

Taps so the beer can be tasted throughout the process.

Huge copper kettles where the mixture is boiled three times-- allegedly what makes Pilsner Urquell unique

I believe these are the fermenting tanks

A labyrinthine cellar where the barreled beer is stored. Six miles of long dark hallways where one could easily get lost.

We were given samples of unfiltered, unpasteurized Pilsner right from the barrel. Definitely the best PU I've ever had (and ever will have) in my life.