Kevin Cassidy Blogs

The Rothko Chapel and the Rothko Chapel Paintings in Houston, Texas were commissioned by John and Dominique de Menil as a permanent installation of an artists work and as a contemporary ecumenical sanctuary and opened to the public in February, 1972. Famed artist Mark Rothko created 14 large murals for the Chapel.  Several, including the Great North Triptych, are shown per-restoration in this eBook.  Selections from the Whirling Dervishes, The Royal Dancers of Bhutan, and the Singing Rabbi.   Also included is a Fast Forward to 2019 and 2020.  Click at link below to go to a secure page to download.

ROTHKO6C_001

The Temple of Apollo at Delphi and the Theater there.  Some say Dionysus also stayed there and that it may have been a double temple dedicated to both Apollo and Dionysus.  The philosopher Frederick Nietzsche wrote a famous essay The Birth of Tragedy Out Of The Spirit of Music.  He contrasted the Apollonian with the Dionysian spirit – the rational spirit with the spirit of ecstasy and frenzy.  Apollo was the god of light.  But at times Dionysius would spend time “inhabiting” the temple of Apollo at Delphi.

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DELPHI AND CAPE SOUNION

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The Old City of Jerusalem is city within the modern city of Jerusalem.   It occupied the European imagination for centuries.  The quest to liberate and then hold Jerusalem was a major focus of many wars – called the Crusades – spanned an entire era.  In the 7th century, Muslim armies captured the city and built the Dome of the Rock and Al-Asqa Mosque on the site of the Second Temple.

The Old City of Jerusalem is at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Both sides claim the Old City as their Capital.  The Islamic Dome of the Rock, on the Temple Mount,  is one of the most beautiful architectural wonders of the world.

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JERUSALEM THE OLD CITY

PHOTO COMPOSITIONS

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JERUSALEM

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The Menil Collection Museum in Houston, Texas,  is celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2012.  It opened in June of  1987.  The Menil Collection Museum was commissioned by Dominique de Menil and the Menil Foundation. 

A Museum for their collection had long been the dream of Dominique and her late husband,  John de Menil.  She and her team selected Renzo Piano to be the Architect of the Menil Collection Museum.  Somewhere I believe she is quoted as saying to Renzo Piano “I want it [the museum] to be small on the outside and big on the inside.”  And, “No pipes!” referring to the outside exposure of the piping system in the Centre de George Pompidou (the Beaubourg) in Paris

I was a guest at the opening of the Menil Collection Museum and share these selections of my photo compositions from that opening.  A brief panorama of the north face of the Menil Museum is followed by the arrival of Dominique de Menil for the opening.  She is surrounded by Director Walther Hopps, Asst. Menil Director Paul Winkler, then Mayor Kathy Whitmire, and Renzo Piano (both shown sitting) as she gave her inaugural speech.

One of my favorite photos of Dominique de Menil is where she is standing with the museum in gray and white behind her and in her yellow dress with her black belt with the ribbon yet to be cut.  I share this in the free slide show below.  The ribbon cutting ceremony is followed by Dominique de Menil gathering up the orange ribbon and motioning to “Come on In”.  Here or in her speech she exclaims Houston!  This is your Museum.  And so a great museum opened.  The download is free but donations are welcome.

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Download free pdf of selections from Kevin Cassidy’s Opening of the Menil Collection Museum June 1987 below.

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