St. Cyril’s Monastery has a 12th century church with a baroque exterior, however the interior retains much of its 12th century decor, called Kievian Rus.
I do not think that this ceiling piece is 12th c, but it is wonderful nonetheless:
Gary Kirkpatrick
Robert Mueller
I’m watching, I’m listening.
Kiev, long history, superb architecture
Kiev is a beautiful city and a center of industry, science, education, and culture. it has a thriving high-tech industry and quality universities. There is an extensive public transportation (a bit inconvenient from our location however), including a metro system. What struck me right off is the large number of superb buildings.
Russia underwent an industrial revolution in the late 1800’s, as a result of which Kiev became a center of trade and transport. Sugar and grains were main products of the trade and the transport system, mainly the Dnieper River and rail lines. During the Soviet industrialization the city also prospered, when as it happened the city population switched from Russian to Ukranian in large measure due to migration within what was then the Ukranian Soviet Socialist Republic.
It suffered heavily during the Great Famine when millions died, and Stalin’s purges eliminated much of the intelligentsia. The Nazis murdered at least 34,000 Jews, with another 70,000 civilians meeting a like end. An astounding 8 million died during WW2, when both the Nazis and Soviets engaged in scorched earth policies. The city is just 100k/60 miles south of Chernoybl, barely escaping fallout due to the prevailing winds at the time.
Perhaps the most famous of its landmarks is the 11th century Byzantine style Saint Sofia Cathedral, named after the 3rd century Hagia Sofia church in Istanbul, to which there is little if any resemblance. There are 5 naves, 5 apses and 13 cupolas and original mosaics and frescoes. From the late 12th c until the early 17th it was in poor repair, when it was renovated in the distinct Ukrainian Baroque style. It and the Kiev Cave Monastery were Ukraine’s first World Heritage sites.
Kiev dates from as far back as the 5th century, with signs of habitation from the Stone age. It has been ruled by Khazars, Vikings, Mongols (who destroyed the city in 1240), Lithuania, Poland and Russia until 1918, then after three years of independence, in 1921 it was taken by Soviet Russia, remaining under its thumb until the iron curtain rusted away other than the Nazi occupation.
Today, here we are again with Russia, which took Odessa, an important port on the Black Sea. The country’s residents, other than perhaps the Russian minority, look nervously at its large, militarily powerful and increasingly aggressive neighbor. In the capital, at least, there is much pro-EU sentiment, which in its turn makes for nerves in Moscow.
Despite appearances, at least in the capitol, Ukraine is a poor country, with a per capita income of just $8000 (2013), versus about $11,000 in Russia and $50,000 in the US. Militarily there is a huge Russian advantage, of course, as well as in population – 42 million versus 145 million. It gets all its natural gas and transport fuel from Russia. The natural gas pipeline from Russia to Europe goes through the Ukraine, making it strategically important both to the EU and Russia and thus to the US.
Photos of the 12th c. frescoes of St Cyril Monastery, in Kiev
August 9, 2018
Today we visited St Cyril Monastery on top of a hill on the north side of Kiev. It dates from the 12th century. The frescoes date from as early as the 12th century. This first piece is the most dramatic. It is so clean and bright that I can not imagine it is from the 12th century.
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St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery
The Soviets destroyed the cathedral in the 30’s, and in a telling moment, the Ukrainians rebuilt it to match the original after the fall of the rust ridden Iron Curtain. We can see it in all its glory today.
The interior is almost as astounding as the exterior
In 2013 protesters took refuge here after a rally against the then President Viktor Yanukovych. The next day they emerged and were joined by more than 1 million Ukranians, who then chased ole Viktor from office for his pro-Putin policies. Guess who was advising Viktor on his pro-Putin policies and did the same for some guy who is now living in the WH.
Klezmer band called ‘Muzykant’ in Praga
August 5, 2018
This band played in our neighborhood last night. I would call their music Klezmer, although I do not know what they call it. Klezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe dating to the Renaissance. We do not possess musical notation of the earliest forms, however when Jewish musicians came to the US their music was influenced by jazz. To strictly define Klezmer is difficult but I like to say I know it when I hear it, although it is rather difficult at times. These days bands often consist of a clarinet, sax, fiddle, drum, accordion and a trombone. Last night there was a bass guitar and a flugelhorn. Hammer dulcimer and bass fiddle are traditional. I have never seen a horn mounted on a fiddle, but I have now!
The friendly crowd was enthusiastic, dancing, enjoying some of the excellent beer you find everywhere in Poland. A good time was had by all.
One of the band gave me a slip of paper with some email addresses and websites. muzykant@man.torun.pl or kke@edu.pl,”Dobranotch” http://dobranotch.ru & “Opa!” http://o-p-a.ru
There was not much light so the video isn’t great, but you will enjoy the music. Check out the light show on the side of the building next door.
Close up
We move in on the eye, it’s shimmering reflections, fluidity, how it conveys awareness.
Klezmer on the streets of Warsaw
August 4, 2018 on our street in the Praga district of Warsaw
The Empress Has No Clothes
About me
My creative work in acrylics is largely expressionistic. I do portraits and works in styles other than expressionistic. I have conjured a series inspired by Hopper and another by Van Gogh, two music series (one in acrylics and another in pen and ink), a series called Enamorado con Amor (In Love with Love), and various depictions from our travels all over Europe including our extensive stays in Rome, Paris, Valencia, Holland, and multiple cities in Poland. Some of these are in watercolor, others in pen and ink in addition to acrylics. I trained with Bua, New Masters Academy, Darrel Tank, the Corcoran, the Spanish artist Teresa Ruiz de Lobera and others.
I paint in watercolor and draw in pen and ink, drawings which are often illustrative. I use both hands simultaneously to create the pen and ink drawings. I do music drawings in the audience, creating impressions of people, instruments and space.
In 1997 we began living in Europe and other areas abroad, including a stint in Panama with the United States Peace Corps. We have stayed for extended periods in Rome, Paris, Madrid and Valencia, Costa Rica and Panama (as Peace Corps volunteers) as well as two months in various cities of Poland. We’ve taken long trips to Turkey, and traveled in most of eastern Europe including Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia. For periods of about a month we’ve been in Graz, St Petersburg, Russia, Montpellier, Glasgow, Trieste, Modica (Sicily), and Zambia. Morocco came in for a visit as well as Malta. We have scoured the countryside of Italy, Belgium and France. We lived on a boat for a year in Holland and two in France and now traveling are on another during the summer. We have done this travel on very modest budgets, and so we stayed in no star hotels, people’s houses and recently in short term apartments.
I started drawing and painting again starting in 2000 and off and on until 2012. Then I started getting serious, taking classes and studying on my own. My time at the Corcoran Art Institute in my early 20’s helped. More recently I have studied with Justin Bua, Annette Raff, Steve Huston, Glenn Vilppu, and Darrel Tank, and with Teresa de la Lobera, a Spanish artist from Valencia.
Influences
I have long appreciated the works of Goya, Velásquez and El Greco, beginning from the time I spent in Madrid in the late 1960’s. Later I was drawn to Picasso, Matisse, Dali, Gauguin, and Degas, whose dancers are among my favorite works. Other artists I especially enjoy: Edward Hopper, Matisse, Jean and Raul Dufy and Gustave Caillebotte. Among modern Spanish artists I particularly like Jose Royo and the Valencian Joaquin Sorolla.
Themes
Hopper:
Edward Hopper (1882-1967) was an American artist from Nyack NY. He is known for his realistic paintings such as “Nighthawks.” I have taken several of his paintings and interpreted them in an expressionistic manner. (Click on Art/Hopper Inspired).
Van Gogh
Another series draws inspiration from Vincent Van Gogh, particularly his rural scenes, like in the Hopper paintings interpreted in an expressionistic manner. Acrylics on Canson or Canson Arches cotton paper.
Amor: In Love With Love (Click on Art/Amor)
A series exploring love between couples. It explores love and the diversity of its expressions.
Music (Click on Art/Music)
Among my works is a series of music-related paintings and drawings. I go to concerts at the Palau de la Musica and do small pen and ink drawings there, executed with both hands working simultaneously, one to draw and the other to do the washes. From these I do paintings or take the drawings and enlarge them; these are in progress.
Nederlands, Estonia (Click on Art)
Drawings and paintings from summer 2015 and 2019 travels in Holland, and 2015 in Finland, Estonia and Turkey reflect the architecture and landscape. I think you will find them interesting, especially the ones depicting Giethoorn, Holland, a fantasy land if there ever was one. You get around by boat, walking or biking, as there are no cars in the village. The houses are charming thatched roof cottages. When travel makes it hard to find a place to work, I do small pieces, pen and ink or watercolor, occasionally acrylics. There are two A3/16.5 x 11.5 pieces from Giethoorn.
Heart of Lightness (Click on Art)
Another series comes from our Zambian trip. We stayed in a small village with a Peace Corps volunteer, when we came to know the villagers. It was one of the most fascinating and heart warming experiences I have ever had. Most of these are sold but some watercolors are still available. Also see Poland for some interesting scenes.
Anti-Trump
Finally there are the anti-Trump pieces. These are mostly digital works with the notable exception of Trumpcissus, my Caravaggio inspired acrylic painting seen here Trumpcissus
You can reach me at info@garyjkirkpatrick.com, or 1-570-832-4480, a US phone number rings on my computer. In Spain, +34 658 744 302. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/gary6301/.
Many of my works are listed on Saatchi Art. Any others that you want and prefer to order via that site, please let me know and I will upload them there. Others are available exclusively through Design Art Concepts https://www.artsy.net/design-art-concepts/artist/gary-j-kirkpatrick
I look forward to hearing from you – your comments are much appreciated.