Living A Hard Life

I am really impressed and moved after watching the film project "Last Train Home". There exists so many migrant workers throughout China and all of them are not only suffering the feeling of sorrow that they have to leave behind loved ones, but also trying their best to work laboriously with low payback. When I saw the scenes of jammed train station, I can understand their anxiety of coming back soon. In my view, it is their most desired moment through the year.

Crash Is Not Just A Crash

I have ever heard this Oscar film "Crash" for a long period and saw it at the classroom of Art Education 160 in the last week on Tuesday and Thursday. All the students presented with a strong desire to see this blockbuster. The story takes place in Los Angles, which is regarded as a multinational and multicultural metropolis in the United States. The movie begins with an usual crash accident and a couple of related people. The wife of an Asian human trader and a south-American female detective are quarreling and abusing the mutual race of each other.

Then the lens brings us back to two days before to have a good knowledge of what incidents have happened among main characteristics within 48 hours. The white cop is disgusted in the first half because he resorts to violence and right to infringe upon an black woman in public, regardless of her resistance. Yet in the second half, he is worthy of showing sympathy and praise. For one thing, he is trying his best to help his father get a better medical treatment despite of the continuing rejection by the black staff of HMO. For another, he is risking his life to save a woman in the severe traffic accident, later he finds out she was insulted by himself the day before.

Also, the TV director gets blame form his wife when they are back at home because he only apologized to the violent cop rather than protecting his wife. All he does is to maintain his dignity and personal image in front of the white people. However, the next day, he is blowing up when he is subject to be chased by the policemen. Is it the abruptly arousal? Is it the breakdown of his emotions? Or is it a way to protect the black guy in his car? Nobody knows. In the end, he drives away with one cop's persuading.

In addition, the honest Mexico locksmith is humiliated by the couple of prosecuting attorney. To the extent, this is due to that the P. A and his wife were just robbed by two black guys and the wife do not believe black people completely. The locksmith returns the keys back and goes away. Next day, he is suffering another distrust by the Arabic store owner. With owner's little consciousness, his store is stolen and he can not get compensation from the insurance company. He contributes his loss to the Mexico locksmith. Taking with the new-bought gun, he comes to locksmith's house and shoots to the little girl unexpectedly. Luckily, there is not something wrong with the lovely girl because there is no bullet in it. At this time, the owner is transfixed and starts to realize that she is his angel to save and help himself.

Besides, the brave white cop is kind and hearted enough to take along with a black person on his way back home. Surprisingly, owing to some small argument and the cognitive that the black guy is going to take off the gun from his pocket, he immediately shoots the black one. As a consequence, he notices his mistaken with regrets.

The movie ends with another crash between the black HMO assistant and the Asian staff in an insurance company. Both are also arguing about the mutual race.

This film is directed by Paul Haggis, who can be considered as a legendary. This film is kind of complicated and not easy to understand the connections among all plots. It is mainly focused on the conflict and strike of kinship, friendship, love...In the long history of united states, there always exists racial discrimination and exclusive emotions. The white cop is a representative racist, so his behaviour that he infringes upon an black lady can be easily comprehended. Except for the plots, the designation and arrangement are also masterly. For instance, the beginning and ending are both developed by an accident crash between two different races.

I really enjoy this movie because it can not only make me feel relaxed, but also make me think and ruminate. The presentation of this film is realistic and particularly-related. There is one plot I remember deeply. The Mexico locksmith tells his daughter a nice story: You will never be afraid of shots and be resistant from being shot with this invisible overclothes which was got from a fairy when I was 5 years old. You will not take it off until your child is at the age of 5. Believing this story from her father, she is not afraid of shots any more. In the process, when her father is almost shot by the shop owner, she is rushing out and jumping into his father's embrace with the sound of gun suddenly. All the picture is still at that moment, everyone thinks the little girl is dying. Fortunately, she is flawless and perfect and saying: "Dad, I can protect you!" I am really moved by this plot. The lovely girl is pure and virtuous. What she thinks at that emergency is to protect her father. It is such a great love between father and daughter.

Even though there is no denying that racial discrimination is more or less existent in the society of United States, we can also find some beautiful humanity. This is definitely my unforgettable memory which always makes me realize the merits of others.

Mudskipper and Pond's Edge

It is definitely an abstract and imaginative painting with the gorgeous and bright colors, the exaggerated and amplified images. This canvas piece gives onlookers a sense of spaciousness and third dimension. It is drawn by the subject of natural history. I was plunged initially and directly into the scene and confronted with the monumental face of an unknown creature resting at the surface of a still pond in the center of the painting. Later, I got its name "mudskipper" as a result of having a look at the introduction. It looks quitely different from the normality because of its two large eyes and the tremendous bulk. In particular, its body is transparent and some other special colors like black, orange, yellow are applied subtly with painter's excellent craftsmanship in the process.

Shifting my eyes a bit up, it is accessible to notice that there is a dragonfly and a mosquito in the sky. The blue dragonfly on the left is absorbing the nutrition from the flower. The yellow mosquito on the right is spawning. However, to their unexpectation, as a matter of fact, they are both suffering a threaten from the mudskipper.

Then I keep my eyes in the middle of the painting. A precise blue line delineates sky from water, allowing me to find out and distinguish the animal from both above and below the water's edge. The striking water-plant with multiple colors on the left makes me feel more impressive and unforgettable. Its roots are tightly sticked to the deeper water, the petals are blooming shiningly.

The eyes finally horizontally travel to the bottom on the right side. I can figure out that there is a mosquito larva under the water environment. It is just a kind of aquatic and is used to live on sucking up blood from other water animals. Besides, water provides a good and positive atmosphere to give birth and survive. Nevertheless, mudskipper's bulging eyes are scanning for food, and the mosquito larva also undoubtedly become its hunting target.

I have seen this painting in the Wexner Arts Gallery for several times and enjoyed myself while having a good look at. In special, I always ruminate about this work "Pond's Edge" and my mind starts to be haunted by the idea that what is going to occur and the surrounding. I try my best to imagine all the possibilities.

One setting I come up with is most feasible to come true. Originally, this should be the harmonious living environment for all living things. The dragonfly is happy to live on the blooming flower. She is always attracted and fascinated by the sweet fragrance. Nothing needs to be worry about and she is carefree. For mosquito, it's the most suitable time to spawn. Just like what she has done before, she is flying a bit high over the pond and laying her larva into water. Being accustomed to give birth in this way, she never takes other stuffs into consideration.

However, there exists a mudskipper in this environment, which is bulging her big eyes skyward toward a dragonfly and downward to a mosquito larva. She is saying to herself: I am the strongest and largest one in this habitat, I can get all the preys I like. All of a sudden, she is launching her hunting to the still dragonfly. With the instinct of defence reaction, the dragonfly is trying her best to avoid external attack and swinging up higher. Despite it goes beyond the anticipation, the mudskipper never gives up and she starts to try again. At this time, she is coming up with an idea that she can drag roots of the flower down to the pond gradually and then ingurgitate the prey rushly without prey's reaction. After making all preparation done, she begins her hunting action. She is pulling the roots down little by little, and then she is promptly opening her big mouth and swallowing the dragonfly and flower together. She is making a new trial to prey together with some other related substance successfully.

Then the mudskipper is going to look for other food and the mosquito larva becomes her aim. Owing to the aquatic environment, she thinks that she need to hunt in a different way. Drifting down herself, she is trying her best to approach the mosquito larva. Even though water is unstable and flowing quickly, she does well in hunting within water. She is staring at the mosquito larva and taking action quietly and immediately. Eventually, she gets the prey to feed on.

From my standpoint and what I have learned from Art Education Class, a piece of art work is created for a variety of reasons: some may use it to express and disperse their ideas and thoughts; Some intend to show their craftsmanship and techniques applied in the painting; Others may describe the spectacles, sceneries, portraits within the social background. The painting of Pond's Edge was portrayed by Aleis Rockman, who is regarded as a famous American contemporary artist. This painting provides rich depictions of future landscape and can be treated as a piece work of art.

With respect to its artistic values, I would like to discuss from the following points. In the first place, this painting gives people a good understanding of beauty. It utilizes painter's unique and reprensentative composition, providing a means to simultaneously represent terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This kind of careful and crafted description makes the beauty much more lively and visually. Secondly, I can easily find the theme and concept of this piece. By means of depicting the living creatures and the surrounding, the painter wished audiences to imagine what will be like in the future with impact of climate change and evolution. Furthermore, this piece is displayed in the inferior gallery. Considered as an art form, I think the meaning and implication would not be affected by the change of location. Taking an example, the online Exhibition of "Alexis Rockman: A Fable for Tomorrow" has included this famous painting, which shows the same meaning. Finally, what kind of style I can figure out is imagination, space and futurism. The genre is indeed an indispensable factor to make it be an art form.

Talking about the attitude to this piece , from the point of my view, I am fairly attracted and fascinated by it, in other words, I am into this piece of artwork. Firstly, It is an amazing and distinctive painting which possesses aesthetic, imaginative values and so forth. Morever, it makes much more sense that I can learn high skills about how to draw a fantastic painting because I am really interested in drawing. Besides, it can makes me feel as if I would see the changes and difference in the future. And finally when I come back to the reality, I can understand deeply and impressively what the artist is trying to express.

In short, it is worthy of being appreciated. I strongly believe "Pond's Edge" is a piece of artwork. It has become my most unforgettable memory and most favourite artwork!

Women can do it!

In my opinion, Sgt. Stacy Pearsall is definitely a great combat photographer because of her sex and achievements. What impresses me most is that she was bold to confront the fire and wounds. She always tried her best to handle all difficulties and testify that women can do all tasks like men in the military. The most precious lesson I learned from is that you need to believe in yourself and do not give up what you should do.

From my perspective, I would like to show that men and women should be treated equally by using this kind of engaging title. In terms of Sgt. Stacy Pearsall's photographs, I would regard them as art. She is delivering positive messages to the public with her photographs. During my first special Veterans Day, I gradually start to know the truth of US military and War, citizens need to give supports and make a good understanding of soldiers' distribution and sacrifice.