Reblogged from spanishbaroqueart
Xochiquetzal
Ricardo Pozzo
Jusepe de Ribera
The Blind Sculptor · Allegory of Touch (1632)
In this portrait, the figure is shown caressing the head of a classical sculpture, probably of Apollo. The most widely-accepted interpretation of this is that it represents the sense of touch, as this Valencian artist frequently painted series of works on the five senses. During the eighteenth century, it was considered a portrait of the blind sculptor Giovanni Gonnelli, but this theory can be rejected because that artist was not even thirty when this painting was made. It was also thought to be a representation of the philosopher Carneades who, after losing his sight, was still able to recognize a bust of the god Pan by touch. It is probably a representation of the sense of touch, using the story of Carneades as its narrative vehicle. This was a very successful procedure during that period, when portraits of ancient philosophers were associated with allegories of the senses. (via Museo del Prado)
(Source: spanishbaroqueart, via abystle)
Pete Pin was born in Khao-I-dang, a refugee camp on the border of Cambodia and Thailand. Fleeing the infamous “killing fields” of Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge regime, his family eventually resettled in Stockton, Calif., in the mid-1980s. What started with a single portrait of his grandmother has evolved into a deeply personal project that aims to explore the Cambodian diaspora.
His grandmother survived Pol Pot and the killing fields, and after having her portrait taken in 2010, she unexpectedly felt compelled to share her story. “I felt that my camera created this safe place that enabled the conversation to happen,” says Pin. “The stories that my grandmother told me explained a lot about my family.”
Pin is hoping to reach older Cambodians, but also younger generations who may not be familiar with their family’s history and experiences under Khmer Rouge. His goal is to use photography to create an open dialogue within the Cambodian community.
Documenting Life Beyond The Killing Fields
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Pete Pin
(via reportagebygettyimages)
