Comments on: The race to save the Mogao frescoes http://7junipers.com/log/33/ Asian Art and Culture Wed, 17 Nov 2010 10:50:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Nancy http://7junipers.com/log/33/comment-page-1/#comment-20 Nancy Fri, 07 Dec 2007 01:20:08 +0000 http://7junipers.com/log/33/#comment-20 People leaving graffiti at Chichen Itza - truly, it's said that "fool's names and fool's faces appear in public places." But holy hell! That's obscene. I "hear" you on the Mogao Caves; China is about where the west was in around 1800 - facing a rapid rise into the industrial age (in their case industrial and post-modern combined in one). We destroyed a lot of our history in the process so it's very sad to see them doing the same. People leaving graffiti at Chichen Itza – truly, it’s said that “fool’s names and fool’s faces appear in public places.” But holy hell! That’s obscene. I “hear” you on the Mogao Caves; China is about where the west was in around 1800 – facing a rapid rise into the industrial age (in their case industrial and post-modern combined in one). We destroyed a lot of our history in the process so it’s very sad to see them doing the same.

]]> By: xensen http://7junipers.com/log/33/comment-page-1/#comment-19 xensen Wed, 05 Dec 2007 05:17:31 +0000 http://7junipers.com/log/33/#comment-19 When I was at Chichen Itza in February they had stopped allowing visitors to climb most of the pyramids -- some were leaving graffiti. The Mogao caves are kind of a dual bind. The number of visitors has apparently accelerated their degradation. On the other hand, if they weren't a tourist attraction I'm not sure how much China would be doing to preserve them When I was at Chichen Itza in February they had stopped allowing visitors to climb most of the pyramids — some were leaving graffiti.

The Mogao caves are kind of a dual bind. The number of visitors has apparently accelerated their degradation. On the other hand, if they weren’t a tourist attraction I’m not sure how much China would be doing to preserve them

]]> By: Nancy http://7junipers.com/log/33/comment-page-1/#comment-18 Nancy Wed, 05 Dec 2007 02:25:22 +0000 http://7junipers.com/log/33/#comment-18 I hate to say it but there's a very good case for closing off these treasures from the casual tourist to protect them from further harm. They had to do it to save the Lascaux Caves and I believe that the Egyptians are thinking about doing that for their tombs as well. For most people, looking at a good reproduction is just as good as looking at the original. If you are a specialist, then there's a difference but I don't think that most people can tell the difference; I certainly couldn't at Lascaux. I was able - when a teenager -- to visit the original caves. Later, as an adult, I visited the museum site with the recreations and I felt that the experience was just as valid. I have a very good visual memory as well as being a painter so it there had been a significantly inferior experience, I would have known it. We are doing enough to destroy our past; let's try and save whatever parts of it we can. I hate to say it but there’s a very good case for closing off these treasures from the casual tourist to protect them from further harm. They had to do it to save the Lascaux Caves and I believe that the Egyptians are thinking about doing that for their tombs as well. For most people, looking at a good reproduction is just as good as looking at the original. If you are a specialist, then there’s a difference but I don’t think that most people can tell the difference; I certainly couldn’t at Lascaux. I was able – when a teenager — to visit the original caves. Later, as an adult, I visited the museum site with the recreations and I felt that the experience was just as valid. I have a very good visual memory as well as being a painter so it there had been a significantly inferior experience, I would have known it. We are doing enough to destroy our past; let’s try and save whatever parts of it we can.

]]> By: Ramana Rajgopaul http://7junipers.com/log/33/comment-page-1/#comment-17 Ramana Rajgopaul Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:21:26 +0000 http://7junipers.com/log/33/#comment-17 I am returning to this post after reading your response to my comment. Anything to do with Buddhism and Hinduism appeals to me. I am a practicing Vipassana meditator and a well on the way Advaitin. The former has a rich pictorial tradition and the latter a written one. My wife, when she was active, was a professional painter and has done a lot of copies of Ajanta works on egg-tempra. Sadly, we do not have any left with us now. A few are in some collections in India and the UK. I am returning to this post after reading your response to my comment. Anything to do with Buddhism and Hinduism appeals to me. I am a practicing Vipassana meditator and a well on the way Advaitin. The former has a rich pictorial tradition and the latter a written one. My wife, when she was active, was a professional painter and has done a lot of copies of Ajanta works on egg-tempra. Sadly, we do not have any left with us now. A few are in some collections in India and the UK.

]]> By: Ramana Rajgopaul http://7junipers.com/log/33/comment-page-1/#comment-16 Ramana Rajgopaul Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:09:50 +0000 http://7junipers.com/log/33/#comment-16 That the Chinese are doing something at all is good news. I was under the impression that because of their differences with the Tibetans, anything to do with Buddhism is kind of shoved under the carpet. That the Chinese are doing something at all is good news. I was under the impression that because of their differences with the Tibetans, anything to do with Buddhism is kind of shoved under the carpet.

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