#ted
Why is this painting so shocking?

Tapescript:
On April 26th, 1937, Fascist forces bombed the Basque village of Guernica in Northern Spain. It was one of the worst civilian casualties of the Spanish Civil War, waged between the democratic republic and General Franco’s fascist contingent.

For Pablo Picasso, the tragedy sparked a frenzied period of work in which he produced a massive anti-war mural, aptly titled "Guernica." The painting is a powerful work of historical documentation and political protest. But while Picasso’s artistic motivations are clear, the symbolism of the painting can be as confusing and chaotic as war itself. How can we make sense of this overwhelming image, and what exactly makes it a masterpiece of anti-war art?

The painting’s monumental canvas is disorienting from the start, rendered in the abstracted Cubist style Picasso pioneered. Cubism deliberately emphasized the two-dimensionality of the canvas by flattening the objects being painted. This afforded viewers multiple and often impossible perspectives on the same object; a technique considered shocking even in Picasso’s domestic scenes.

But in this context, the style offers a profoundly overwhelming view of violence, destruction, and casualties. Multiple perspectives only compound the horror on display– sending the eyes hurtling around the frame in a futile hunt for peace.

On the far left, a woman holding her dead child releases a scream; her eyes sliding down her face in the shape of tears and her head bending back unnaturally to echo her baby’s. There is the statue of a soldier present below, but he is unable to defend the woman and child. Instead his broken body lies in pieces, his arm clutching a splintered sword in a signal of utmost defeat.

The tip of his sword meets a woman’s foot as she attempts to flee the devastation. But her other leg appears rooted to the spot, locked in the corner of the canvas even as she stretches to move it. Another victim appears behind this slouching figure. Falling helplessly as flames lick around her, she too is caught in her own hopeless scene.

Each of these figures bordering the painting are horribly trapped, giving the work an acute sense of claustrophobia. And where you might expect the canvas’ massive size to counteract this feeling, its scale only highlights the nearly life-sized atrocities on display.
Some possible relief comes from a lamp held tightly by a ghostly woman reaching out her window. But is her lantern’s hopeful glow truly lighting the scene? Or is it the jagged lightbulb– thought to represent the technologies of modern warfare– which illuminates her view of the chaos below?

From the coffin-like confines of her window, her arm guides the viewer back into the fray, to perhaps the most controversial symbols of all– two ghostly animals caught in the destruction. Does the screaming horse embody the threat of Franco’s military nationalism; or does the spike running through its body convey its victimhood? Does the white bull represent Spain, the country of matadors and a common theme in Picasso’s work– or does it stand for the brutality of war?

In this scene of strife, these animals raise more questions than answers. And additional elements hidden throughout the frame offer even more secrets for close observers. At the top of the canvas flashes a bird desperate to escape the carnage. And the abundance of animals on display may hint at the bombing’s date– a market day which flooded the streets with villagers, animals, and other potential causalities.

Like the bombing of Guernica itself, Picasso’s painting is dense with destruction. But hidden beneath this supposed chaos, are carefully crafted scenes and symbols, carrying out the painting’s multifaceted attack on fascism. Decades after its creation, "Guernica" retains its power to shock viewers and ignite debate, and is often referenced at anti-war gatherings around the world. Hundred of viewers have grappled with its harsh imagery, shattering symbolism and complex political messaging. But even without a close understanding of it’s complicated subtext, Picasso’s work remains a searing reminder of the true casualties of violence.

#Announcement
Hi everyone
Hope you’re all doing well. It’s been a long time since the last post. I am still alive (Survived the Corona Virus). I’d like to thank you all for sticking around and being patient while I was away fixing and solving the problems of the world.
It might have happened to you as well. Right at the beginning of the years you have already lived, you sat down, thought, made decisions about your personal and private life and about your job, wrote down the things you wanted to do or change throughout the year. Days, weeks, months passed by. You got to the end of the year and when you looked the list you had made at the beginning of the year you found out to your disappointment that you hardly did or achieved any of the things you had put on that list of yours.
How long else do you need to make your dreams and wishes come true? When is it the right time for you to bring to reality the things you have been thinking about over the past years?
“Today is the first day of the rest of your life” some say.
I want you to take the challenge;
Write your list once again. Write it carefully. Because this time you’re going to have a firm plan drawn up right from the beginning. You’re going to commit yourself to your plan and you will hold yourself and only yourself accountable for your failure. Because you are in charge of all your decisions and actions. Stop blaming others now and never do it again.
You are being given a new chance and a new opportunity to shine.
Be a morning person.
Keep your mind open to new ideas.
Spend time with people you can learn from, people who inspire you to be the better version of yourself.
Read more. “Leaders are readers”. Try to broaden your horizon by reading more on serious topics.
Live consciously. Teach yourself to live at the moment. Become aware of what’s going on inside you and around you as well. Teach yourself to focus on the things that matter the most rather than on trivialities.
Accept yourself unconditionally. Be compassionate toward yourself.
Let’s hold our hands and bind our thoughts and hearts together and pray for better days to come. The One who created you is watching over you and whatever is going on in the universe. Just have faith and let your faith bring you peace and love and all the good along with happiness.
Happy new year to you all.

#Intonation
How to connect English words to sound like a native speaker

#Movies
#The_Platform
A very good old friend of mine recommended this movie. To be honest, it was one of the best thrillers I have watched recently. If you are into movies, don't miss it.

I'll post another video tomorrow to provide a brief explanation about the movie.

HI everyone! Hope you have had the chance to watch the film.
There seems to be more to the film and of course people can interpret the events in the films differently. But this short video summarizes most of the important parts of the film.

https://ed.ted.com/best_of_web/TXnXq2hk

#Stories
#Useful_Links

The link above is from ed.ted.com as you have noticed. I thought it might be a useful website to you and your younger brothers and sisters.

What do you think of the above post?
anonymous poll

Useful. – 25
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 93%

Not useful. – 2
👍 7%

👥 27 people voted so far.

#4fun
The guy speaks for about 40 seconds and then the interpreter says: ?
😳😂

#NiceStuff
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