"Adiós muchachos, compañeros de mi vida"
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Boudewijn Ietswaart (1936 - 2010)
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
El Balduina now in a font shop near you!
As a designer of book covers for the Fondo de Cultura Económica and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) his work for the UNESCO spans more than 50 titles.
Typographers of the Círculo de Tipógrafos have converted Ietswaart's unique letter designs into a series of digital fonts. As each cover contains only a limited number of characters, Ietswaart, now 72, was actively involved in the 'reconstruction' of an alphabet that never existed. He made suggestions about the letter designs send to him by email as pdf, and sent a print back to Mexico by mail. The result of this artistic cooperation is now available to all who wish to combine a highly original approach to classic lettering with a retro look and feel.
Typographers of the Círculo de Tipógrafos have converted Ietswaart's unique letter designs into a series of digital fonts. As each cover contains only a limited number of characters, Ietswaart, now 72, was actively involved in the 'reconstruction' of an alphabet that never existed. He made suggestions about the letter designs send to him by email as pdf, and sent a print back to Mexico by mail. The result of this artistic cooperation is now available to all who wish to combine a highly original approach to classic lettering with a retro look and feel.
- Try the Balduina collection at Fontfeed
Monday, August 23, 2010
Bul is binnen
Shukurov Kahramon en dochter met foto van grootouders. Net als zijn vader is hij kandijmaker.
The development of tradition. Interior decoration in Bukhara, Uzbekistan.
Dissertation Miss Anna Ietswaart, MA Cultural Heritage Studies, UCL (London, UK).
The ornamental painting of residential interiors in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, is the subject of great restoration activity. The work is carried out by skilled house owners or in commission. The results vary between conservation work with respect for the previous layers and rigorous reconstructions with a new interpretation on the basis of traditional elements. Alternatively, Bukharian citizens invest in an interior renewal in what they call ‘Euro-Style’.
In my research I looked at the reasons for the revival of this traditional style and how this relates to the relative short independence of the Uzbek state. Funds coming in from abroad, milder legislation and ‘a new identity’ are reasons given for the restorations. With a national identity narrative that people do not identify with, house owners have an interest in promoting the narrative of ‘guarding our own culture before it is lost’. This is especially true for the men as they feel responsible for their family lineage which is connected to the care for the house.
* Ja ik weet dat ik het in het Nederlands als Oezbekistan moet schrijven. Maar waarom? We schrijven toch ook geen Oeroezgan, Istanboel of Kaboel?
Monday, May 03, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Sardine motivation
Every time I'm fed up reading and writing essays when outside the sun is out and London calls, I look at this picture and imagine what it must be like. And whoosh, I'm back on track!
Lela Anderson fills cans with sardine steaks at the Stinson sardine cannery in Gouldsboro, Maine. Anderson has worked at the cannery for 54 years. The cannery, the last of its kind in the U.S., will shut down this week.
Lela Anderson fills cans with sardine steaks at the Stinson sardine cannery in Gouldsboro, Maine. Anderson has worked at the cannery for 54 years. The cannery, the last of its kind in the U.S., will shut down this week.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
British Museum warning!
I should start by saying that this warning is for anyone planning to visit the British Museum, but maybe even more so for those visiting with me. Suppose you have a long weekend, perhaps 5 days in London. Somewhere in your program there may be a little time for a visit to the BM. Don't underestimate its vastness in relation to the stamina of your curiosity.
As my university is located around the corner of the museum, and there is no entrance fee, I'm in the fortunate circumstance that I can return for short strolls in preferred galleries, avoiding museum fatigue and information overload. For my latest visit I planned to 'do' one room, 56, in one hour, covering Mesopotamia from 6000 - 1500 BC, thus leaving 1500 - 539 BC and Anatolia, Iran, Arabia, the Levant (rooms 52-59, 6, 9, 10a-c, 89, B, I, G, Z) for future high quality breaks.
The result; Woolley's finds at the Royal Graves of Ur, current southern Iraq, making up only one third of room 56, took both my lunchtime and breath away.
- British Museum: Standard of Ur (2600-2400 BC)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Fietsen in Londen: Suggestions for improvement
'Gaat dat 'n beetje, fietsen in Londen?' wordt mij regelmatig gevraagd. 'Matig', antwoord ik dan, het midden zoekend tussen 'prima' voor het eerste deel van mijn route en 'hopeloos' voor deel twee door het centrum.
- Cycling route to Gordon Street
(klik op Map en dan op Wizard)
Mijn top 5 voor Verbetering Vatbaar:
- geen fietspaden (of ze houden ineens op)
- éénrichtingsverkeer (wil je rechtsaf/rechtdoor, móet je linksaf)
- moeten uitwijken voor dikke niet-parkeren markering
- in het park is fietsen verboden (behalve op de autoweg)
- uitstekend OV (krankzinnig veel bussen en haltes dus steeds achter de bus wachten of eromheen)
Monday, February 01, 2010
(No) Intelligent design in Staphorst
Let me start by saying that what you are about to read is a rendition of a discussion taking place in the Netherlands in 2010. Common Era. In the predominantly Christian village of Staphorst the provisional map of area's with archaeological value gave rise to commotion in the city counsil. The report mentions area's of archaeological and geological age that, according to the town counsil, are before the creation and therefor cannot exist. The Christian parties demand a Biblical perspective on the creation of the earth to be added.
Archaeological maps are legally mandatory for municipalities in the Netherlands so archaeological data can be taken into account when planning development. After the presentation of the map, alderman Sytse de Jong of the Reformed Political Party (SGP), responsible for the assignment of the map, noted that 'the municipality finances the report and therefore deserved to contain the Biblical view adhered to by a large part of the voters of Staphorst'. He proposed that 'the final report should at least start with a passage about the creation'. The consultant of the archaeological consultancy BAAC replied that he has 'a scientific background and cannot ignore evidence indicating an age of tens of thousands of years. However 'unusual', BAAC is going to add the requested foreword.
Prehistoric finds in the vicinity of Staphorst. (Click to enlarge.) A1: canoo dugout with flint tools, ca. 10.000 BC; A2: dolmen, 3500 - 2700 BC; A7: Late-Palaeolithic flint pointed awl 50mm long; A9: Neolithic stone macehead; A11: Palaeolithic hand ax, ca. 13.000 BC; A12: Mesolithic seasonal camp indicated by traces and artefacts of hunter-gatherer activities; A13: Swifterband burial, associated with tools, grain and domestic animals indicating a agricultural life style, ca. 4000 BC. Source: Erfgoed langs weg en water (Dutch Department of Transport and Water).
Foreword
BAAC agreed to add a foreword to the Archaeological Map of Staphorst. It states that 'the text is intended as an introduction and forms as such not a part of the scientific content of the report. The report is therefore not scientifically adjusted.'
Alderman De Jong expects no problems for the practise of archaeological research. 'Practical problems need not arise', he stated, when combining a biblical view on the history of the area with the scientific archaeological map. 'We could for instance examine how Staphorst has changed location several times. This goes back perhaps 1400 years, so about that period there is no dispute.' It makes you wonder, however, how Staphorster archaeologists are supposed to deal with finds older than 4000 BC. Presumably, when hitting on these layers, they pray for elections.
Experience Prehistory
Amateur archaeologists in Staphorst continue to excavate in the area and educate children the principles of archaeological fieldwork. In 2008 the exhibition Experience Prehistory took place in a local centre for nature and history. The finds included the Palaeolithic awl and Neolithic macehead shown above. Prior to this exhibition, the awl had been on display in the town hall of Staphorst. An information panel of the Dutch Tourism Board proudly points the way to where it was found.
Archaeological maps are legally mandatory for municipalities in the Netherlands so archaeological data can be taken into account when planning development. After the presentation of the map, alderman Sytse de Jong of the Reformed Political Party (SGP), responsible for the assignment of the map, noted that 'the municipality finances the report and therefore deserved to contain the Biblical view adhered to by a large part of the voters of Staphorst'. He proposed that 'the final report should at least start with a passage about the creation'. The consultant of the archaeological consultancy BAAC replied that he has 'a scientific background and cannot ignore evidence indicating an age of tens of thousands of years. However 'unusual', BAAC is going to add the requested foreword.
Prehistoric finds in the vicinity of Staphorst. (Click to enlarge.) A1: canoo dugout with flint tools, ca. 10.000 BC; A2: dolmen, 3500 - 2700 BC; A7: Late-Palaeolithic flint pointed awl 50mm long; A9: Neolithic stone macehead; A11: Palaeolithic hand ax, ca. 13.000 BC; A12: Mesolithic seasonal camp indicated by traces and artefacts of hunter-gatherer activities; A13: Swifterband burial, associated with tools, grain and domestic animals indicating a agricultural life style, ca. 4000 BC. Source: Erfgoed langs weg en water (Dutch Department of Transport and Water).
Foreword
BAAC agreed to add a foreword to the Archaeological Map of Staphorst. It states that 'the text is intended as an introduction and forms as such not a part of the scientific content of the report. The report is therefore not scientifically adjusted.'
This Archaeological Forecast Maps and the explanatory report to the municipality Staphorst are established on the basis of scientifically proven facts, theories and interpretations. For the dating of sites in the map and the classification of archaeological periods BAAC uses the common scientific basis of an Earth that is billions of years old, based on radiometric dating of rocks.Prayer
The city of Staphorst states in this regard that a majority of the council does not share this point of view, because of their religion and their interpretation of the Bible. This interpretation of a young Earth is based in creationism. Duly noted.
Alderman De Jong expects no problems for the practise of archaeological research. 'Practical problems need not arise', he stated, when combining a biblical view on the history of the area with the scientific archaeological map. 'We could for instance examine how Staphorst has changed location several times. This goes back perhaps 1400 years, so about that period there is no dispute.' It makes you wonder, however, how Staphorster archaeologists are supposed to deal with finds older than 4000 BC. Presumably, when hitting on these layers, they pray for elections.
Experience Prehistory
Amateur archaeologists in Staphorst continue to excavate in the area and educate children the principles of archaeological fieldwork. In 2008 the exhibition Experience Prehistory took place in a local centre for nature and history. The finds included the Palaeolithic awl and Neolithic macehead shown above. Prior to this exhibition, the awl had been on display in the town hall of Staphorst. An information panel of the Dutch Tourism Board proudly points the way to where it was found.
- Archeologie en bijbel botsen in Staphorst (Meppeler Courant)
- BAAC Press statement
- History of Staphorst (municipality website)
- Stichting Werkgroep Archeologie Regio Staphorst (SWARS)
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