The Boxer

I'm not sure if it is still there, but the Boxer used to be in Berlin's Altes Museum. (Museums do that -- loan, borrow. Reinvent exhibits.) It is a life-size bronze portrait of an ancient prize fighter, a Hellenistic statue from the first century BC. This statue, one of two, is thought to have been a part of the furnishings of Constantine’s spas. Rome was enthralled with Greek art.

The portraiture's realism suggests that it is in fact a particular boxer, with his broken nose and unique scars highlighted in copper. One can see his exhaustion -- the swelling face, the wrappings on his bloody hands. Victorious, but at what price?

His fingers are also worn -- rubbed. Marked forever by countless passers-by. In antiquity, they had to have known of him. Or that for which he symbolized. Strength and honor.

Nameless today, yet still admired. Hollow immortality.

Ägyptisches Museum

The Egyptian Museum of Berlin (Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung) is home to one of the world's most important collections of Ancient Egyptian artifacts. The museum originated with the royal art collection of Prussian kings and the first objects were brought to Berlin in 1828 under Friedrich Wilhelm III.

My first visit to the museum was breathtaking. I experienced ancient Egyptian culture as I could not have imagined. I browsed through ancient sculptures, busts, masks, mummies. Human and animal. And common, everday personal items. Used eons ago. Combs, brushes, mirrors, jewelry, toys. I gazed upon the face of Nefertiti and was not distracted by the single eye. I contemplated Julius Ceasar's brow. And I strolled through the endless scrolls and hieroglyphs of the Egyptian underworld.

These were real people with sophisticated accoutrements. Thousands of years ago. This was not the beginnings of civilization, this is civilization. Evolution or de-evolution. I had to re-evaluate my historical paradigms.

I've heard that this portion of the museum in now closed. I hope this is not the case. Or at least it has been relocated and open to the public somewhere else.

Ishtar's Gate

In addition to the Pergamon Alter, Berlin's Pergamonmuseum houses a reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate, rebuilt from excavated materials (1899-1914). Several prominent museums around the world have remnants of the gate, mainly the glazed-brick reliefs. Archaeological diaspora.

Originally erected during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BC), it is the eighth gate to the Babylon's inner city. Through this gate ran Babylon's Processional Way, leading to a seven-story ziggurat. The Processional is also recreated here, with friezes of the Lion of Ishtar, the Bull of Adad, the Dragon of Marduk. No doubt, the prophet Daniel and his fellow countrymen at some point walked through Ishtar's Gate during their period of exile (597-538 BC). For it was this King Nebuchadnezzar who sacked Jerusalem, destroyed its temple and carried away Judah's more prominent citizens.

Dedicated to the goddess Ishtar, and being part of the Walls of Babylon, it was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World -- until it was superseded by Alexandria's Lighthouse in the third century BC. What I did not know is that the Ishtar Gate was a double-gate. Before me stood the smaller frontal portion. The larger back was considered too massive for the museum and is in storage.

It is an amazing sight to behold.

Market Gate of Miletus

This is one of the three grand exhibits at Berlin's Pergamonmuseum. It was transported piecemeal from its 19th century excavation site to Berlin and reassembled. Displayed. At least partially abducted. The main collection of town's artifacts appropriately reside in the Miletus Museum in Didim, Aydın -- Turkey's Aegean region. (Miletus was one of the 12 Ionian cities of Asia Minor; an important regional harbor. Now grossly silted, reset centuries ago, several miles inland.)


Here, again in Berlin, the Bible and history meet. The Apostle Paul met with the elders of the Church of Ephesus at Miletus in 57 AD (Acts 20:15-38). Yes, another one of Revelations' Seven Churches. Later, Paul left Trophimus, one of his travelling companions, at Miletus due to illness (2 Timothy 4:20). It is generally assumed that Paul transited Miletus at least one more time, perhaps as late as 66 AD. Miletus had to have hosted an emerging Christian community. After all, Paul was a decent missionary.

Can one then assume that he passed through this gate to shop or browse the market? Or proselytize? Oh yes.

Pergamonmuseum

Berlin is home to over 150 museums. Several prominent ones are located in an area often called Museum Island (Museumsinsel), the northern half of the Spreeinsel, a Spree River island in the city's center. There, the Pergamon Museum (Pergamonmuseum) houses reconstructed monumental buildings such as the Ishtar Gate (the eighth gate to the inner city of Babylon), the Market Gate of Miletus (one of ancient Ionia's most important ports) and the Pergamon Altar. These reconstructions consist of artifacts and materials excavated from their original sites.

As an aside, those places would really like their historic stuff back. Antiquities. Okay, back then they were weak and abused. Others were strong. They also pilfered and sold their own past, their heritage. But how do we undo that which was moved, taken, bought or stolen in the past? Open box, welcome contents. Thanks Pandora.


Built in the 2nd century BC, the Pergamon Altar is a magnificent structure thought to have been a part of a temple dedicated to Zues in Pergamon (now Bergama, Turkey). In antiquity, it is described as the "battle of the gods." Here, the goddesses Asteria and Phoebe, Hekate and Leto, appear; on a corner, Triton and Poseidon. Another frieze is reserved for the Olympians, where Hera guides the chariot of Zeus into battle. To the right is Herakles. Zeus then follows, followed by Athena and the war chariot of Ares. Eos, Helios and Selene wage war. Is this an ancient comic?
The temple and altar also appear to have been mentioned in the Book of Revelation, "... in Pergamos ... where Satan's Seat is ..." (Revelation 2:12-13). Satan's Seat.


What is this Berlin? Am I looking at real property described in one of St. John's revelations? The one directed at Pergamon's Christian congregation, one of seven archetypal churches? My mind raced through years of Sunday School lessons. Parables, prophecies. Apocalypse, final judgement. Stories. Whispers. Sleeping with one eye open. 666. History of biblical proportions, here. Oh my.

More Graffiti, Zaragoza

Graffiti, Zaragoza

Zaragoza's graffiti is more than just writing on walls. Its artistic caliber and esoteric stature melds and compliments its urban environment. It fits. There are random echos of Dali, Goya, Miro, Picasso, Saura -- the Spanish School, Cubism, Surrealism. All, drawing outside the lines, venturing beyond the wire -- exploring the agonies of war, poverty, broken relationships, never ever civil. Inquisition. Man versus man, man versus beast. Blurred, obscured, reinterpreted.

This is evidence of the city's resident fringe, the part of society where stray artisans reside. Creating in alleys, moving amongst the shadows. Propaganda. Invitations. Whispers.

"Come closer, gaze, decipher."

Who are they? Street artists or vandals? ¿Decoración o devastación?

Perhaps a good deal of the work is sanctioned or even commissioned. No doubt there are plenty of instances of decorating someone else's property without permission. But this is more than tagging, defacing. This is niche artwork which cries for legitimacy.

Yet, it simply cannot escape the canvas upon which it is placed -- and its fleeting nature. It appears, disappears. Obliviated. The next coat of whitewash or paint is inevitable.

Art crime. Lost.

Of Graffiti

If you could not tell, I pay attention to graffiti. Who were these people and why did they make these little scratches, etching stone, marking time? Perhaps it is because of our ageless need to mark things -- with our names, our opinions, our angst -- to notice all this social, to whisper, gossip. Is it simple self promotion or something else? Boredom? Rebellion? Imagined immortality?

At the Chapel, King's College, Cambridge, the internal stone is soft, easily worked, deep. In the dark, obscure corners, handwritting abounds. Names, dates. William, 1771. The penmanship confirms a specific point in time. We don't make our "Js" like that any more. For ages.

Stenciling has recently become a popular venue. The stencil is to the street artist as the printing press was to the author. Take your time creating the master pattern -- in this case, Prince Charles. Okay, I get the political satire -- monarchy, anarchy -- is Charles not behaving well or are you not a fan of the Royals? Regardless, pick a spot, tag and go. Unleash chaos from its aerisol cannister, if only for a moment, in remote places.

This graffiti is from Prague -- found under a modern bridge, for concrete is a modern palette, perfect for typically modern graffiti -- words. A name, a singular message, a stylized technique -- ego with no future. Mark your territory for less than cheap. Good luck with that.

It is for this reason I find Zaragoza's graffiti intriguing. It is simply on a different plane, dimension. Artistic distortions of someone's reality, an invitation to join in, understand. Gaze.

I want to understand. Spain.

Bernd das Brot

Meet Bernd das Brot. German children's TV star, talking loaf of bread. Philosophiser. If you've spent any time in Germany or nearby countries which air his show, you've likely seen Bernd. And thought, "what the hey?" I have. Too often.

Were you aware that Bernd was recently kidnapped from his permanent fixture in front of Erfurt's town hall, his hometown? Probably not. Horrific. Children cried. His kidnappers actually contacted the police. Demands? They were evicted squatters -- give us back our building or Mister Loaf gets it. Really. Bernd appeared on YouTube, sympathizing with his captors. Patty Hearst, Stockholm Syndrome. Stalemate. Standoff.

Fortunately for the children of Erfurt, a group of kids found Bernd in another abandoned building. As for the squatters' former home? Toast. Remodeled. Converted into office space, flats.

Bernd in der Hölle

Bernd das Brot. Ich bin im ernst. Genau. Alles klar?