Flowers and An Elephant --- Days 15/241-245

Walks: Hood

Distance: 4 miles average

So the elephant that keeps popping up in Ciwt's mind and life is age.  She tries not to notice or think of it as a big deal.  And she particularly tries not to mention it to her wonderful CIWT readers.  Somewhere in the air many years ago she picked up some messages about old age talk: It is boring; No one want to hear about it; it is completely individual, etc.   Ie, Do Not Talk About it!! 

But that's get harder and harder because old age is right smack in the middle of her life all the time these days.  It's in her hip. her thin and thinning hair, her balance, her overall snap, crackle and pop, just for openers.  The number of workarounds for age increases daily and, she is slowly getting, they are going to increase, not become unnecessary.  It is strange territory, but she's in it and needing to figure out how to navigate it. She's even considering giving herself permission to talk about it from time to time in CIWT.

She may open up about other 'no no to her' topics, including a cat entry or two.  We'll see. Just so you know....

August 7 --- Days 15/235 - 240

Walks: Hood

Distance average: 4 miles

So, some quote Ciwt read recently declared "The best people are born in August."  Quite over the top, but today, August 7, is her birthday so she will take it.  Oh, and her cats too.  They are 10; Ciwt is....let's just say a delicate age.  

August 1 --- Days 15/233 & 234

Walks: Hood

Distance Average: 4.5 miles

Well, here's August with its strange mix of sadness, lack of motivation, sort of lostness for Ciwt.  What to make of August?  There's so much 'same old, same old' in it.  Out here it is the same old cold, grey, Windy weather; back East it was the 'dog days' of windless heat, clothes clinging  humidity and smelly green weeds covering the lake.  It's not a ho hum month for Ciwt, too disjointed for that.

Many people love August, its slowness, gentleness, its deep summerness.  Some others feel more like Ciwt.

Poet Sylvia Plath for instance who wrote: 

And the writer Sue Monk Kidd has this thought: 

Welcome to your August. 

Love, Ciwt

A Third Treasure --- Days 15/229-232

Walks: Hood, deYoung Museum

Distances: 4 miles average

Coffin lid of Queen Ahhotep II. Egyptian, Luxor, West Bank, Dra Abu el-Naga, tomb of Queen Ahhotep II. New Kingdom, Late Dynasty 17 or early 18, reign of Ahmose I.  Wood, gilded, painted, and stucco.

So, virtually everything Ciwt has seen or knows about the ancient Egyptian life and culture stems from the two massive exhibitions the deYoung Museum and MondoMostre hav mounted in collaboration with the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt. Beginning  August 1 Treasures of the Pharaohs, a third of these ancient Egyptian visual and educational extravaganzas will be on view until January 31, 2027. Judging from the large number of dignitaries and members of the press at yesterday's Press Preview, it will draw viewers from all over the world.  

Good!  Like Ciwt, visitors will get rare insights into ancient Egyptian society, its beliefs and creations.  The exhibition begins at the top with the pharaohs who were considered kings, military leaders and chief priests from ca 3100 BC until 30 BC when Egypt was invaded by Rome.  But the pharaohs were not loners; in order to carry otr their many social, political, spiritual, military functions, they depended on royal family members, a complex bureaurocracy of high-ranking officials, artisans whose creations included daunting symbols of power, exquisite jewelry and furnishings.

Armchair of Princess Sitamun, Egyptian, Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Tomb of Yuya and Thuya (KV 46), New Kingdom, reign of Amenhotep III, wood, gold leaf, stucco, plant fibers

And the all important servants who made everyday life not just functional but beautiful, refined - and fun!

Servant brewing beer, Egyptian, Giza necropolis, Old Kingdom, dynasty 5, Limestone, painted

The more Ciwt let go of what she thought she knew and looked closely - like a child - at the rare and splendid objects in Treasures of the Pharaohs, the more she noticed their sense of humanity. In the past she has been diverted by the stiff Egyptian style and paid little attention to the individuals portrayed.  But the Treasures exhibition is very well spaced so she had an opportunity to really look at the various faces and saw that they are very definte portraits that capture much of the individuality of the subject.  Even the sensitive double portrait of the priest below shows slightly different aspects of him.

Double statue of the priest Nimaatsed, Egyptian, Saqqara, Tomb of Nimaatsed, Mastabe (D56), Old Kingdom, Dynasty 5, Limestone, painted

There is a child's version of the Treasures of the Pharaohs catalogue which she's thinking of buying for herself.  Probably many other adults new to ancient Egypt history would also learn much from it.

https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/treasures-pharaohs

The Ho Hum of the New --- Days 15/225 -228

Walks: Hood

Distance Average: 4 miles

Henri Matisse, Woman with Hat, 1905, oil on canvas

So here it is.  THE painting that electrified modern art.  THE painting that magnetizesd Paris pulling to the city throngs of artists who had been struggling to break from academic rules and truly express themselves.  THE painting that was presented at the 1905 Salon d'Automne and so shocked the Parisian  public that they spat on it, attempted to shred it with their fingernails and who knows what other vandalism. Their tastes were essentially taken directly from art critics and academics: proper portraits still should resemble the Mona Lisa in their minds' eyes; they hadn't even accepted Monet and Impressionism yet.  Word (and uproar) of THE painting traveled internationally: Matisse was hung in effigy in Chicago for instance. THE painting that shocked the artist himself because he had painted sincerely what he had discovered about color with no intention of causing uproar.  And then, when uproar ensued, cautioned his wife (whose portrait this is) not to attend the exhibition for fear of her safety.

THE painting that announced to artists, critics, art teachers, anyone who would listen with their eyes  that COLOR in and of itself was a means of artistic expression. From THE painting on, free and personally expressive use of color set modern art apart from the past.  

SFMOMA recreaction: Apartment of Leo and Gertrude Stein, Paris, 1909 with Picasso's 1907  Portrait of Gertrude Stein hanging above Matisse's Woman With Hat

THE painting that Picasso looked at many times hanging just below his own portrait of Gertrude Stein (1905-6) in the legendary apartment/salon she shared with her brother Leo.  At the time Picasso was a young, yet unsung, impoverished artist who had moved to Paris five years before.  He was favored by the Steins and was still struggling mightily - over 90 sittings! and still not finished - to complete the portrait Gertrude Stein had commissioned.  During that time he was on the edge of a breakthrough but not quite there, and he knew when looking at THE painting that Matisse had advanced to the higher plain Picasso was seeking.  Eventually, largely because of THE painting, Picasso created the next most influential painting of early modern art.  In it Picasso brought geometric forms, fragmented perspectives, elements of African masks and sculptures, raw personal emotion into Western European art.  Cubism.    

(Picasso invited Matisse to view it, and Matisse, from his experience with Woman with Hat, cautioned him not to show it.  Picasso, having witnessed the uproar first hand, heeded his advice and waited several years before bringing it public.  Even then and actually to this day it the reaction was shock, even horror).

Pablo Picasso, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1907, oil on canvas

THE painting that Ciwt starts all of her art tours with or makes sure people are aware of even if  her tour has a different focus.  It is a minor miracle that THE painting is in the collection of SFMOMA. It came almost directedly from the walls of the 1905 Paris Salon bought - almost against his will - by Leo Stein, as part of a collection he and his sister Gertrude were assembling.  Again there are whole important art stories regarding the Steins' collection.  THE painting is like looking at the first wheel in modern art terms.

There is Much more - interesting, important  -about THE Painting; but enough, dear readers, for today.  Except to say that, to CIWT,  little of the true Shocking energy, excitement, vital importance of  THE Painting is present in SFMOMA's exhibition: Matisse's Femme au chapeau: A Modern Scandal. Ciwt has been several times, and was interested to see the general look of the 1906 Salon and learn several  the historical facts and personalities surrounding THE painting.  But, considering all the exhibition could have been, found it 'shockingly' ho hum.    

Pink and Grey --- Days 15/221 - 224

Walks: Hood

Distance Average: 4 miles

Ciwt can be a sucker for all shades pink.  So when she saw these bougainvilleas ahead, she stepped up her pace.

And she wasn't disappointed.  So pretty in pink and grey.  

The Beautiful International Energy --- Day 15/220

Walk: No, inside watching World Cup Finals

Distance: n/a

Ciwt cries for the great Argentinian soccer player, Lionel Messi seen above taking in the resounding and touching cheers of his countrypeople and the entire soccoer world probably.

And she roundly applauds Spain, the 2026 World Cup Champions who played superb soccer from beginnng to end of the awesome, deeply moving tournament.  

The Streets of San Francisco

 

No Clothes --- Days 15/217 - 219

Walk: Hood,  AMC Kubuki Theater (The Odyssey)

Distance: 4.5 miles average

The Odyssey movie Ratings:

Rotten Tomatoes Critics: 95%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience: 97%

Ciwt: 78% - mostly for special effects and scope of undertaking by Writer/Director Nolan, 

                  95% (probably) -as a blockerbuster pure and simple (although Ciwt doesn't go to many of those so is taking the RT Critics' reviews score)

                    30% for the  Rest

So Ciwt went to the first matinee of The Odyssey because of its very high Rotten Tomatoes ratings and because she had never read the Homer poetic epic.  This would be her chance to have a superb getaway and take in one of the most significant works of the Western canon. (Wikipedia)/ among the greatest literary achievements in human history (historyandculture.org).

What she actually saw (between naps) was more of the same movie making she's been staying out of the theaters (sadly) to avoid:  zero meaningful dialogue, acting that went from blunt to inept, AI generated monsters and creepy settings, one man taking on the entire world, prolonged manly fight after manly fight after manly fight causing horrific death after horrific death after horrific death.  Brute movie making.  In other words, for her, as a top rated over all movie, the emperor had no clothes.

This is not movie making that Ciwt values.  But clearly it is movie making of the times and Ciwt is a dinosaur. Her list of 'her type' of movies is extensive, and basically duplicates any Top 100 Movies Ever lists - maybe in slightly different order.  She's certainly no stranger to violence and loved: Psycho, Pulp Fiction and much of Tarantino's work, The Godfathers 1 & 2.  In terms of modern movies of her type she would point to Parasite as the most stunningly brilliant movies she has ever seen - including its bloodbath and early stomach turning setting.

Every one of these movies - and more - have some combination of great acting, meaningful dialogue and plot, depth, psychological/human truth, intrigue, often humor.  The list goes on.  They were worth Ciwt's time (often multiple times) and she would happily recommend them.

But today's aesthetic - at least in movies for now - has morphed.  She gets it; it is bigger than her apparently.  That a movie as one note as The Odyssey can be reviewed by the audience as Perfect in every way from cinematography, sound mixing, acting writing and direction, ABSOLUTELY INSANELY INCREDIBLE, etc is disappointing to Ciwt but no longer shocks her.

But it does disappoint her. 

Addendum  -  Great minds (except his is about 10 times greater)...Ciwt has a film buddy who wrote his thoughts about The Odyssey a few weeks after Ciwt's post.  Here it is:

Speaking of Trojans, I think I am about done with the post-Odyssey film research. 

Enjoyable was the critique coming from the 2017 female translator of the poem into iambic pentameter, Emily Wilson, who was popping up in many media outlets and interviews.  In particular: 

https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v48/n14/emily-wilson/an-uncomplicated-man

"Nolan's Odyssey lacks many of the elements that make the poem great. It has nothing convincing to say about time, memory, history, war, or about the relationship between one warrior's glorious return and the lives of his family, adversaries, comrades, friends and neighbors. It lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth. Its narrative structure is gimmicky. The writing is abysmal. None of the characters has convincing motivation for their actions or words. There are no sex scenes, and all the food looks horrible."

She states she longed for the sailor earwax while watching the film.

Otherwise she gave it a thumbs up for the renewed interest in the work.

Her first introduction to the poem was acting in a school production of The Odyssey when she was 8.

A theme of her critique was that Odysseus was a "complicated and complex man" in the poem, but not in the film, and not the Nolan invention of guilt-complex about the Troy carnage.