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The Freedom Monument is a memorial, located in Riga, Latvia, in honor of soldiers killed in action during the Latvian War of Independence. It is considered an important symbol of the freedom, independence and sovereignty of Latvia. Unveiled in 1935, the 42-metre (138 ft) high monument of granite, travertine and copper often serves as the focal point of public gatherings and official ceremonies. The sculptures and bas-reliefs of the Freedom Monument, arranged in thirteen groups, depict Latvian culture and history. The core of the monument is composed of tetragonal shapes on top of each other, decreasing in size towards the top, completed by a 19-metre (62 ft) high travertine column bearing the copper figure of Liberty lifting three gilded stars. After several contests the monument was finally built at the beginning of the 1930s according to the scheme "Shine like a star!" by Latvian sculptor Kārlis Zāle. During World War II, Latvia was annexed by the USSR and the Freedom Monument was considered for demolition, but no such move was carried out. Soviet sculptor Vera Mukhina is sometimes credited with the rescue of the monument, possibly because she considered it to be of the highest artistic value. It remained a symbol of national independence to the general public and on 14 June 1987 about 5,000 people gathered there to commemorate the victims of the Soviet regime and to lay flowers. This rally began the national independence movement and three years later the independence of Latvia was re-established.
Credit: Muhammad Mahdi Karim
El Lissitzky was a Russian artist, designer, photographer, teacher, typographer, and architect. He was one of the most important figures of the Russian avant-garde, helping develop suprematism with his friend and mentor, Kazimir Malevich, and designed numerous exhibition displays and propaganda works for the former Soviet Union. His work greatly influenced the Bauhaus, Constructivist, and De Stijl movements and experimented with production techniques and stylistic devices that would go on to dominate 20th century graphic design. Lissitzky's entire career was laced with the belief that the artist could be an agent for change, later summarised with his edict, "das zielbewußte Schaffen" (The task-oriented creation). In 1941 he produced one of his last known works — a Soviet propaganda poster rallying the people to construct more tanks for the fight against Nazi Germany.
The Arts Portal
The arts refers to the theory and physical expression of creativity found in human cultures and societies. Major constituents of the arts include visual arts (including architecture, ceramics, drawing, filmmaking, painting, photography, and sculpting), literature (including fiction, drama, poetry, and prose), and performing arts (including dance, music, and theatre).
Some art forms combine a visual element with performance (e.g., cinematography), or artwork with the written word (e.g., comics). From prehistoric cave paintings to modern-day films, art serves as a vessel for storytelling and conveying humankind's relationship with the environment.
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Credit: Muhammad Mahdi KarimThe glass house at Lal Bagh, a botanical garden in Bangalore, India. The garden was commissioned by the ruler of Mysore, Hyder Ali in 1760, and completed during the reign of his son Tipu Sultan. The glass house was modeled on London's Crystal Palace and constructed at the end of the 19th century.
Did you know...
- ... that one theory why the virginal (pictured) was so called is that the keyboard instrument was thought to sound like the voice of a young girl?
- ... that Vancouver's tallest completed building has been called "the crowning achievement" of the Ukraine-born businessman Peter Wall?
- ... that Japanese mangaka Ken Akamatsu received Kodansha's Freshman Manga Award for his debut manga Hito Natsu no Kids Game?
In this month
- 1 December 1923 – Belgian poet and novelist Virginie Loveling dies in Nevele at the age of 87
- 12 December 1998 – The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia is officially opened in Kuala Lumpur
- 22 December 1808 – Beethoven (pictured) conducts the world premiere of his Fifth Symphony at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna
- 24 December 1871 – Verdi's opera Aida receives its world premiere at the Khedivial Opera House in Cairo with Teresa Stolz in the title role
- 27 December 1915 – Arts administrator and painter Sir Norman Reid, Director of the Tate Gallery from 1964 to 1979, is born in London
News
- October 7: Influential rock drummer Ginger Baker dies at age 80
- October 7: Mockumentary Mister America has world premiere
- September 18: Arrests made in theft of gold toilet in England
- September 2: Fan Expo Canada 2019 offers celebrities, cosplay, panels
- August 5: Wikinews attends Texas Haunters Convention
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"Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming", an 1894 English translation of the 16th-century German Christmas carol, "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen". Performed by the chorus of the U.S. Army Band, c. 2010.
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| “ | Whereas money is a means to an end for a filmmaker, to the corporate mind money is the start. Right now, I think independent film is very confused, because there's excess pressure in the marketplace for entertainment to pay off. Entertainment has pervaded every system of information in our culture, and along with it comes the promise of money. So it's hard for artists not to keep half an eye on what works commercially as they go about realizing their visions. As a young filmmaker, you've got to deliver, and you've got to deliver fast these days; that wasn't the case twenty years ago. | ” |
— Robert Redford, 1997
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