Showing posts with label murals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label murals. Show all posts

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Sankofa Cafe

When we visited Washington DC last month, the place we were staying was near a little community bookstore and cafe called Sankofa. They make some of the best tofu breakfast sandwiches we've ever eaten. Wow. * Durante nuestra visita a Washington DC en noviembre, visitamos un café comunitario y tienda de libros llamado Sakofa. Hacen las tortas vegetarianas de tofu más ricos que he probado, y desayunamos ahí varias veces.

Our first visit, we watched the election returns on TV while eating breakfast. Our second visit, we took advantage of the sunny morning to eat on the patio, and I painted the big "justice" artwork on the porch. The real colors were much better than my watercolor sketch. * Durante la primera visita, miramos los resultados de la elección en el televisor. En la segunda visita, aprovechamos el sol y nos sentamos en el patio. Bosquejé una obra de arte sobre el tema de justicia--los colores originales son más bonitos que lo que capturé con mis aquarelas.

I also liked the fragments of mural on the wall next to the patio--a woman's face, and three tree trunks, hovering in the blankness of the bricks. A work in progress, or an old work fading away? (Or perhaps it's perfect how it is right now.) * También admiré los fragmentos de un mural cerca del patio. La cara de una mujer y tres arboles, supendios en los ladrillos vacios. No sé si faltan algunas detalles, o si es simplemente perfecto así....

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Library of Congress


Have I mentioned the fact that I love libraries? I love them so much. It was delightful to get back and visit the Library of Congress during our DC trip. * Debo mencionar que a mí me encantan la bibiotecas. Me fascinan, en realidad. Así que estaba muy entusiamada a visitar el Library of Congress durante nuesto viaje a Washington DC.


The Library of Congress tour guide flat-out described the place as a "Temple of Knowledge." I love being able to enjoy such decadently ornate and monumental architecture outside of the context of a church. Books, education, learning--worth every mural, every inch of gleaming marble. * El voluntario que nos guió por la biblioteca declaró que es un "templo de sabiduría." Me encanta poder gozar arcitectura tan monumental y elegante fuera del contexto de una iglesia. Libros, educación, conocimiento--cada pulgada de marmol brillante, cada mural coloroso, es testigo al valor de aprender.


Of course, one often does learn that our history is flawed and problematic. Some epic murals from the 1890s can be fraught with sexism and colonial ugliness to my modern sensibilities. But perhaps that's just further proof of the fact that we are still learning, as we roll forward into the future?  * Claro que un parte importante de aprender, es darse cuenta que tenemos una historia problematica y difícil. Las murales de la decada 1890 pueden tener aspectos sexistas y colonialistas que me dan asco hoy en día. Pero ojalá esto signifique que vamos aprendiendo más a proceder adelente, ¿no?