Video Review

I chose to view The Great Wave (Japanese Art) because I am familiar with this work. I learned why The Great Wave has become a symbol of Japanese art and culture. I thought this was a good representation of Shinto culture from the book, as it depicts nature.  This video explored the meaning of the work, as well as why it is one of the most known works. The film suggests that The Great Wave is more than just a work about the natural world – it is about ourselves. I was surprised to learn that the work was created in the 1700s and that it is still so pervasive in our lives; I enjoyed learning of its use in cartoons, such as political cartoons. Even the story of Hokusai’s life is interesting, such as the fact that the wave can be seen in many of his earlier works. Some people even suggest that the work is a self-portrait of Hokusai. I am glad I watched this video, especially because of the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami recently in Japan (although critics agree that The Great Wave is not a depiction of a tsunami).

I was drawn to the Buddhism video because I think of any religion, Buddhism has some of the strongest concepts.  I understood the concept of Nirvana from the book but I also learned about the concept of tanja, which I had not previously known about.  I was also surprised to view the Great Stupa - I thought that the hajj from Islam was the only large pilgrimage related to religion, but the Great Stupa is for Buddhists.  Furthermore, this film was succinct, so I enjoyed it.

I also watched Chinese Art: Treasures of the National Palace Museum because I liked the word "treasure" and thought it would be interesting.  I am usually not a fan of Chinese art, but I enjoyed the pieces covered throughout this video.  I drink tea every night, so I thought it was nice that they included the beautiful tea bowl in the video.  It reminded me of the tea-related art that we saw throughout the book, like the simplistic, yet beautiful teabowl on page 448.

Finally, I randomly chose Islamic Art: India and the Middle East.  I found it really interesting that elements from Christianity and Buddhism could be found throughout Islamic architecture - I never would have thought that.  I was also surprised to find that the narrator, Januszczak, touched upon the stereotypical relation of Islam to terrorism and tried to break down those barriers.