27Sept TUESDAY

Un Autre Voyage au Musée Olympique

 Bienvenue! Went back to the Olympic Museum to take photos today. This site is just beautiful as it overlooks the lake from high on a hill. Climbing the hill takes a bit of doing if you aren`t in shape (guess who) - but there are escalators that will take you up part of the way.

So if you look up at the map here, the arrow is where I was standing while taking this photo. To the left are the escalators but they only go halfway up. Then you are on your own. Having gone to the museum itself last Saturday, I just went into the main entrance for a few minutes and then back out again for lunch at the little house on the left of the map. Cute place, quiet and in a garden. Loverly.



The sculptures were all made specifically for this museum and ares of very high caliber, cast in bronze and carved in granite and marble. Most of the artwork is recent and by artists who are still living.

This partial facial sculpture was so effective as it stood against the sky. It was about 8 ft. across and 10 ft. high. You can almost feel the determination in the jaw of this person. The musculature around the mandible is subtle but tense. This sculpture represents all athletes around the world who participate and support the Olympics.

 The bones of this 12 foot (4 meters) foot as they are positioned at the start line of a race show high tension and force  concentrated into this area by the runner athlete. You can feel the tightness of this foot as it is ready to sprint.

Signage here is outstanding in design. The representative five Olympic circles are like the bubbles in the water that flow over the letters.  The circle symbols seek the higher and higher aspirations of our athletes around the world.

Calm little gardens all around the grounds make this a wonderful place to spend some time. It is peaceful and welcoming to all who enter. It also represents the concept of peace through sports and the unity of all nations to live in harmony.

The eternal flame of the Olympics

PS- As of this writing, my teacher host has graciously downloaded  Adobe photoshop elements on his computer for me. So now I can at least post process and make decent photos for your viewing pleasure.

  Thank you C!!

Saturday - Museum Day

Olympics Museum - Olympics



Lausanne, Switzerland is the headquarters for the Olympic committee. The museum is outstanding and is at least a 3 hr. visit. If you are ever out here, do make it a point to see this one.

VIEW  from the bottom of the hill where the Olympic Museum was

Going farther up the hill to the museum. It is quite a climb and escalators are available. Even with them, if  you are out of shape, you will feel it.

The museum did not allow photos...but it was a wonderful visit to the home of the Olympic committee. They had everything from photos, videos, the actual clothing and equipment used. Most impressive was the bobsled. It is so much larger than i imagined it. Displayed also were the medallions and a lot of art. One painting by Leroy Neiman graced an entire wall. Worth the visit. It is being renovated for the next 2 yrs. and will be close in Oct.

http://www.olympic.org/museum  good link to see Olympics stuff

The top of the Musée d`Elysées - the photography museum.

At the photography museum. The exhibit was from New York and done by a photojournalist who photographed journalists right before going on tv after the 9/11 disaster. The photos were compelling. There were no photos of the buildings, nor of people other than the announcers. The photographer captured their angst and unexpressed emotions. Amazing exhibit.
Another exhibit was about color in photography by another New York photographer from the 40`s and 50`s. It was interesting to see how photography followed the `-isms`at that time in art trends. I could see abstract expressionism, cubism, shapes and colors as subject - enjoyed this exhibit more than the 9/11 one.

Musée d`Elysées -photography