TravelswithCharie

by Rosario Charie Albar What is intriguing about the Kyoto painting exhibition, Traditions Unbound: Groundbreaking Painters of Eighteenth-Century Kyoto currently at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, is that it brings together oeuvres by both pupil and teacher. This allows the viewer to observe the similarities in their works and to trace the student’s development as an artist as he makes a mark for himself. There is a poetic thread that ties the works of Yosa Buson and his pupil, Ike Taiga. Buson, a poet, found his inspiration in haiku and Chinese poems. This is true of his scroll paintings, Landscapes of the Four Seasons . Taiga’s paintings are warm and lyrical like his Boys under a Willow Tree and Views of Mt. Fuji . The door panels of Taro Field , 1752-1811 by Matsumura Gekkei (known as Goshun) are a take-off from the work of his teacher, Maruyama Okyo, entitled Chickens and Banana Trees . In both paintings, the austere background keeps the focus on the subject. The artwork

by Rosario Charie Albar There are only a few shopping days left before Christmas. And as many of us brave the crowds, scramble for parking spaces at shopping malls across the country and bite the steep sticker price of gifts we'll give to friends and family, let us not forget the reason for the season. Let us reach out to those who are in need during this period of giving just as the Three Wise Men brought generous gifts to a child born in a humble stable on the first Christmas day. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with you and me. Merry Christmas, Maligayang Pasko, Maalipayon nga Pascua, Feliz Navidad, Meli Kalikimaka, Prettige Kerstdagen, Joyeux Noël, Buon Natale, Frohe Weihnachten! * * *

by Rosario Charie Albar During the many years I've traveled solo, I've rarely felt alone or lonely. As a Filipina traipsing around the globe, I can easily make friends with a ngiti , smile and a simple kumusta , how are you. The much touted word, diaspora, is the reason why no matter where my travels take me, there is often a friend at the next destination. About two months ago I was in Prague at the Church of Our Lady Victorious. This is the home of the Infant Jesus of Prague which is in a temperature-controlled glass case. During mass I noticed two kababayans seated behind me. I turned around and extended my hand to them in the traditional “Peace be with you” greeting. I lingered a little bit after mass to examine a painting of the Madonna and Child on a side altar. I was surprised and pleased to see that the Madonna was dressed in a saya and nipa huts were at her feet. Crossing the street in search of a restaurant, I saw the two Filipinos I had noticed earlier in church a

Flaming June by Sir Frederic Leighton Photo courtesy of the Museo de Arte de Ponce, Puerto Rico Picture this. I'm on a small island surrounded by exquisite beaches. But I'm not baking in the sun, I'm in the cool interior of a "museo de arte", gazing admiringly at a bodegon. Where am I? If you answered Puerto Rico, you have already discovered its best kept secrets - its fine arts museums. Here in Santurce, a short bus ride from Old San Juan, is the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico (MAPR). It is the home of masterworks by Puerto Rican artists whose legacy spans nearly 500 years. Open since July 2000, the MAPR has amassed a collection of paintings, sculptures, folk art, ceramics, photography and graphic arts, all chronologically exhibited in a classical revival building. José Campeche is one of Puerto Rico's principal painters from the 18th century. His religious canvas, Virgen de la Soledad de la Victoria (1782-89), is a fine example of rococo as are his portrai

by Rosario Charie Albar In the land of Mozart and Dvorak, jazz boats cruise the Vltava River. As a jazz fan, this is music to my ears. My new friend, Noubikko, a transplant from California, was shocked when I asked him to point me to a jazz club. “What? No Mozart concert for you?”, he teased me mockingly. Instead, we found ourselves in a five-story disco club where young people gyrated to the beat of heavy metal and hard rock. This is Prague. It is old, it is new. It minuets and it rocks. On my first day in town, Noubikko showed me how to make my wish come true. Standing on Charles Bridge, he told me to place my hand on top of a gold cross embossed on the stone railing and my right foot over a tiny gold dot just below it. Then pointing his finger across the river, he motioned me to look as far as my eyes could see before making a wish. I hesitated, checking carefully to ensure my gaze extended to the most distant reaches of the Vltava to make this exercise a success. Several years ago,

Barely two hours after landing at Tegel airport, I’m whisked by friends to a private club on the Wannsee Lake. I call it “Sonia’s Villa”. My friend, Sonia who recently turned 80 years of age, had worked 33 years at a government bank. As a former employee, she has access to the well-manicured grounds of this beautiful resort. Under the shade of a large plane tree, we lie on beach chairs overlooking the calm, cerulean waters of the Wannsee. Sailboats flutter in the slight breeze and the soft rustle of leaves is balm to my jarred senses. But I can’t seem to unwind. My travel weary body is as stiff as a camel buried under Sahara sands. I’m on vacation but my subconscious is still at work. The next few days include visits to the villa in late afternoon. I’m feeling more relaxed and enjoying the routine of drinking tea and eating sweets while watching the sun slide down the horizon, transforming the lake from shades of blue to shimmering grey. It is an idyllic time. Short forays into t

  The Kiss by Gustav Klimt from the digital show at the Atelier des Lumieres Everything seems big in Vienna - its buildings, the wide boulevards, its palaces and its art collection. But it has a cozy feel that warms up to you soon after you arrive. Within the old city once surrounded by walls, are many testaments to the power this capital once held. I strolled to church on a Sunday morning and attended mass at the Church of Maria am Gestade, a Neo-Gothic structure that sits above a flight of stairs on Heinrichgasse. The space is small and narrow, so much so that its nave does not run on a straight line from the altar. Nevertheless, this church is still one of the most beautiful and intimate places of worship in Vienna. The size of the art collection at the Kunsthistoriches is formidable but rewarding for the viewer. It appears that the Hapsburgs were serious art collectors. There are Mid-Eastern, Western, and decorative arts on display. (Sadly the Egyptian collection was closed on the