pivo, vino, vici

 
 
 
 

Okay, so I'm over my trepidation of looking like a tourist-- everyone knows I'm American anyway. Apparently there is no way of concealing it. I have gone on so many fascinating tours the past few days and the views have been GLORIOUS- I just had to take pictures. Apart from the Jewish Quarters, we also went on a tour of Castle Town (my favorite tour by far). Our tour guide, Simon, was wonderful and led us across the Charles Bridge where you can just see for miles upon miles. It is still unbelievable to me how these buildings were not destroyed in WW2. Apparently the reason why Hitler didn't destroy the Jewish Quarters was because he kept them as a negative example of Judaism. So unfortunately, they were preserved by the mal-intentions of Hitler. Oh, well.

There are various pet peeves that continue to irk me about Czech culture: I've never met a more silent group of people in my entire life. On public transportation it is deemed completely unacceptable to talk out loud. Everyone sits on the train looking miserable and holding their bags tightly so that no one will pick-pocket them. I don't understand this cultural phenomenon of stoicism and silence because every other action Czechs perform is loud and very overt. For instance, while you can't talk on the metro or the tramvaj, it is VERY MUCH socially acceptable to make out in public. It also doesn't seem to be a huge issue to just break into someone's car. Today, Johanna, Tessa and I went to the "Uncertain States of America" exhibit at the Galerie Rudolfinum. On our way into the museum, we saw a man standing with a purse in between his legs as he was prying open the front door of someone's car. We briefly contemplated saying something, but realistically, what could we have done? I just don't understand how people can get away with something like that, especially in the broad daylight. Unreal.

Regardless of those minor cultural annoyances, I had a very nice first Sunday here in Praha. Despite our inability to wake up before noon, I am SO glad we forced ourselves to go to the "Uncertain States of America" exhibit today. I have been wanting to see it for so long because Miranda July's work is a part of it. Honestly, right now I still feel like I am externalizing everything I just saw. There were mixed media projects, digital art, film, writing, audio, painting, sculpture... major sensory overload, but in an excellent way. I think my favorite medium used was silkscreen on canvas-specifically Nate Lowman's "Wish You Were Here" piece. I also really liked Matthew McCormick's film about the art of graffiti removal. He focused on the concept of subconscious art. Since government employees are hired to remove graffiti, the art form is considered unconscious, accidental and collaborative. Really though, graffiti removal, while it is not intended to be artwork, consists of just adding some other piece of art on top of graffiti. Graffiti removal reminds me of Mark Rothko: free floating squares that over lap each other. Interestingly, graffiti, as a work of art is one of the best ways for one to express their artistic desires and promote their own creative endeavors. On the other hand, graffiti removal works to repress such communication and therefore rejects anything recognizable.

We just finished cooking our own dinner in our kitchen. Pasta and salad and broccoli. Oh, and some crepes for dessert, thanks to Tessa. It reminded me of all our suite dinners where Emma would cook us something delicious...

Tomorrow ends this vacation. It really does seem like its been vacation. But tomorrow, classes shall resume and the vacationing must end, or at least slow down as well. I should say, however, that I don't have any classes tomorrow :)