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An exhibition of Beatles photographs that have never been seen in Liverpool will go on display at the National Conservation Centre from 18 August until 2 March 2008. Now These Days Are Gone features photographs by Michael Peto, all of which were taken during the filming of the Beatles film Help in 1965.

The collection of intimate black and white photographs show the Beatles in a variety of settings such as at home, in the studio, relaxing between takes and joking on set. Fiona Philpott, Director of Exhibition at National Museums Liverpool says, ‘We are delighted at having this opportunity to bring some rarely seen images of the Beatles to Liverpool. For fans of the fab four there is the chance to see the stars in a relaxed and informal setting while those interested in photography can admire the work of Michael Peto, one of the great photo-journalists of the 60s’.

Michael Peto left 130,000 photographs to the University of Dundee when he died in 1970. They were then archived and lay forgotten until their rediscovery in 2004.

National Conservation Centre Whitechapel, Liverpool, England
Admission is free, Opening hours 10am - 5pm every day

Related Links > www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

The Magic of Chocolate at the Bruce Museum of Arts and Science in Greenwich

Chocolate. It is hard to believe that there is a single soul in the entire world that hasn’t heard or tasted this delicious confection, in either of it’s forms. Over the history the product made from cocoa beans has been used in religious rituals, has been traded as currency, given as a gift on millions of occasions and is now a symbol of pleasure, delight, childhood and love. So powerful is it’s magic, that is no doubt that the latest dictionaries include the term “chocoholic”. Well, aren’t we all, to some degree ? Yet, despite it’s popularity, many of us don’t really know much about it’s history and origin.

The Bruce Museum of Arts and Science in Greenwich, Fairfield County, USA is trying to present the history and legends of chocolate in a fascinating exhibition titled “A Taste for Chocolate”, opened between 21 of July 2007 - 24 of February 2008. This show explores the uses of cocoa and chocolate in history, paying close attention to the cultural influence of this delicious product on society, after the discovery of the Americas.

In order to present the development and the role played by chocolate throughout history, from the ancient times of the Aztec and Maya to the 20th century, the core of the show being a collection of 50 examples of decorative arts and historical artefacts from all ages. Some of these pieces, of great cultural and historical value, are on loan form prestigious museums all around the world, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Wilbur Chocolate’s Americana Museum in Lititz, Pennsylvania and many others. In order to complete the experience, the organisers have even prepared a life-size re-creation of the Cacao tree, herbarium specimens of a branch, flower and pod from the New York Botanical Garden and also a short and interesting presentation of the chocolate history.

Many of the myths and legends about chocolate and cocoa are debunked, but the visitors also have the chance of finding exciting new things. For example, did you know that the cocoa tree has been cultivated for over 1400 years or the fact that the fruit, which is actually a pod, grows on the trunk of the tree ? What about the history of chocolate ?

According to historians, the first cocoa plantation was established by the Maya in about 600 A.D. , the Aztec later learning about the cocoa due to the trades. In the 1400’s the beans were already the base of Aztec economy. According to the Aztec legend, the beans were actually stolen by Quetzalcoatl from the other gods and given to his people as a gift. The recipe for chocolatl differs greatly from what we know today as chocolate, and yet this spicy drink was the national beverage of the mighty empire, considered to have magical powers. Actually, it was a mix of cocoa, water, chili peppers, cornmeal and other various ingredients.

The first European to ever taste this magical drink was Hernan Cortes, in 1519. Amazed by the taste, he would bring no fewer than three chestfuls back to Spain and for the next century the delicious beverage was a closely guarded secret, being reserved only for the court and clergy. The beverage will spread throughout Europe in the 17th century,being very fashionable and popular. Over the next two centuries the English, Dutch and especially Swiss traders learned to grind the beans into powder, and later the chocolate, as we know it today, was born. In the US chocolate would not be popular until the middle of the 18th century.

Part of the extensive program organized by Holcim for guests attending its  awards ceremony in Beijing was a visit to the Commune by the Great Wall.

  BAMBOO Wall House by Kengo Kuma of Japan takes bamboo scaffolding to the 21st century. Bamboo is combined with hard-edged architecture, evoking the new Asia.

The last time I was in Beijing was in 1970, during the drab Chinese years when everyone wore uniforms. Each time our group arrived in a new city, we would almost immediately be hauled to the nearest commune, made to walk single file through rows of healthy vegetables fattened by night soil whose aroma stuck to everything -farm, buildings and, most of all, our skin and clothes. At the end of each commune day, we all smelled like, well, a bucket full of night soil.

Each commune visit ended with our drinking endless cups of tea, seated drowsily in overstuffed, velvet-upholstered, threadbare furniture with overstuffed arms and backrests covered with freshly starched, white, crocheted doilies. There we listened to many “short introductions,” extolling the virtues of commune experience as a backbone of communist society.

Expecting more of the same, I tried to get out of going to the Commune by the Great Wall. My hosts were firm. This was a “new” kind of commune, they said, something they thought the Holcim guests would like, and flatly insisted that I come. End of story. When I got there, I was totally unprepared for what I saw.

Clubhouses > The commune turned out to be a museum of the “Art of Architecture” with 11 houses and a clubhouse designed by architects from different Asian countries. Constructed on a voluptuous, forested 8-sq-km site in the beautiful Shuiguan Valley on the hills next to the Great Wall, it was close to two hours’ drive from Beijing, the development won a Special Prize awarded to an “individual patron of architectural works” at the 2002 Biennale di Venezia.

If it were not for the view of the Great Wall, an endless, undulating strip following the mountaintop topography above the development seen from every house, the ultra-contemporary Commune architecture gives no clue of its being located in China, although paradoxically each structure borrows its identity from the Great Wall.

There is a dialogue between two monuments-the Great Wall, probably the monument most identified with China in the world view, and a new monument, the architecture museum of the Commune by the Great Wall proclaiming China’s new commercialism and globalism.

Structures are labeled “Distorted Courtyard House,” “Furniture House,” “Cantilever House,” “Shared House,” “The Twins.” Architecture is taken seriously here, but is of uneven quality. Each structure presents itself as an Asian tour de force designed along the lines of the latest architectural vocabulary. The houses, ranging from approximately 300-700 sq m, share the same construction materials-stone, wood, glass, steel and raw concrete.

“Suitcase House,” a wooden box jutting impossibly off the mountainside seems not to be anchored to the soil. Its vast main floor provides different levels for living activities that reveal themselves upon activating pneumatic floor panels that rise or drop, allowing hidden activity areas to come into view.

Bamboo edifice > Inspired by traditional bamboo scaffolding still common in China, the “Bamboo Wall” house explores bamboo poles as finishing material. A forest of bamboo covers most surfaces, enclosing a large glass-covered area, while a pattern of shadows is cast on the dark-gray stone floor by light filtered through bamboo screens on the walls.

The 12 structures are uneasy neighbors. Each elbows the other in an obvious attempt to stand out as the most ultra-contemporary in the development, superhouses catering to the emerging breed of super Chinese.

The Commune by the Great Wall is a luxury development anchored around a five-star hotel. Most of the houses can be rented out for short visits. Eventually the houses will be replicated elsewhere in the valley and sold.

It is another of the many architectural showpieces designed to show the globe with a vengeance that China has moved out of her colorless past at blinding speed and collided with the 21st century.

The developer, seeing itself as a patron of architecture that embodies the spirit of experimentation, states that the purpose of the architecture museum is “to influence a whole generation of architects, developers and consumers in China, and to contribute to the history of architecture in our reborn ‘young’ country.”

Totally and appropriately hidden from public view, the elite development proclaims China’s new commercialism. The hip Commune turns its back on issues like economic or social freedom, architectural innovation versus cultural identity, “progress” versus the systematic destruction of old neighborhoods and the subsequent loss of the traditional way of Chinese life.

Reinvention > “After 50 years of Communism,” writes Zhang Zin, Commune developer, “China is reinventing herself socially, economically and artistically… real-estate developers are building ‘dream houses.’ The frantic level of energy and the huge amount of construction happening in such a short period of time has given China almost no time to search for her own contemporary architectural identity.”

On the other hand, the Holcim Awards for Sustainable Architecture winners were another breed of architects who took the time to search for China’s contemporary architecture identity. Each of the four winning architects looked at the process of contemporary Chinese architectural reinvention as a way to improve the lives of ordinary citizens rather than the privileged market of the Commune developer.

The winning Chinese entries responded sensitively to China’s heritage and traditions. Their schemes were products of detailed searching into their national architectural identity and rapidly deteriorating urban conditions. Each entry saw architecture as a way to improve living conditions while respecting cultural traditions. None of the award-winning schemes was heroic like the Commune’s structures. Instead of calling attention to themselves, they focused on benefiting people by continuing traditions.

What we’re seeing is the new coming to light after the dark days of the Cultural Revolution. It’s probably the light that will lead the new China into the 21st century.

Among the many historic buildings in Taipei, a magnificent white edifice on Siangyang Road stands out for its majestic architecture and intricate interiors, which is also the first and only museum established by the Japanese during their colonial rule.

Established way back in 1908, to commemorate the inauguration of North-South Railway on the site of a Qing dynasty temple, the museum is still in operation at its original site.

The building was completed in 1915. The colonial rulers later honored it by transforming it into a museum, Governor’s Palace Museum. The name was first changed to Taiwan Provincial Museum in 1949 under the Provincial government and then to National Taiwan Museum in 1999. Several restoration projects, the last one ending only in early 2005, have been undertaken and the architecture was duly preserved, making the grand facade and the beautiful interior a feast for the eyes.

Designed by famous Japanese architect Ichira Nomura and constructed by Takaishi Group and local workers, the architecture incorporates the features of classic Western style architecture.

The grand dome, almost 30 meters high, resembles the Italian Renaissance period while the tall elegant pillars remind the Doric architectural pattern of ancient Greece symbolizing stability and solemnity. To the untrained eye however, it simply appear as a spectacular building replete with grand domes and pillars.

The interior is breathtaking. The main lobby reaches up to a height of 17 meters, surrounded by Corinthian pillars embellished with intricate carvings and stained glass murals. The staircase leading from the lobby, after reaching half way bifurcates to proceed to the exhibitions halls on the side wings. Standing at the center of the lobby, you will view a beautifully painted ceiling and stained glass windows that improve the natural lighting as well as the aesthetic value.

During the Japanese period, two bronze statues of two generals stood on the alcoves on both sides of the lobby, now beautiful vases decorate the place. The museum has a large collection of permanent artifacts and often various prestigious exhibitions are held here, but to me it is a mute witness of Taipei’s eventful history.

Museum’s Fact File >
The museum is located within the 2-28 Peace Park. The closest MRT is NTU Hospital Station on Hsintien Line; about 5 minutes walk from there. It’s open from Tuesday to Sunday (10 a.m. - 5 p.m.), closed on Monday. Address: No.2, Siang-Yang Road Tel: 2382-2699.

The museum has been in operation at its present place (6 Szent István út) since 1991. Prior to that documents and tools connected to the history of red peper (paprika) planting were kept in the Mill building of the Piac square.

The museum presents the history of red pepper ever since its crossing through the ocean. Although the plant entered our country through Turkish mediation, it became the most tipically Hungarian spice. In Napoleon’s time black pepper was substituted by red pepper which turned out to be a good medicine for certain deseases, too.

The most famous paprika producing areas in Hungary are the vicinities of Kalocsa and Szeged. Here the sun shines more than 2000 hours/year, which is the highest in Hungary.

Paprikas are to planted around April or May. Harvest is between the end August and about the first frost, the middle of August. Planting works are done by machines, but harvesting is still done by hand, for paprikas do not turn into red at the same time.

In the region of Kalocsa “red gold” is harvested in September from lands expounding up to 6000 hectares. After the harvest women used to string paprikas and hang them up to dry, but today it is also done by machine power. Drying process is followed by drinding. First the paprikas are wiped about, their cores are removed, then they are ground together with their seeds, because the seeds are very rich in oil that helps the paprica preserve its nice colour. In the museum there are machines and tools used for the processing exhibited.

The names of Jenő Horváth and Ernő Obermayer are worthy of mentioning. They improved the sweet pepper in the Pepper Research Institute of Kalocsa. Earlier papricas were hot, having to be washed as long as their strengh diminished.

Museum.hu, Budapest 1394, Pf.380, Tel (1) 239-9831

Related Links > http://www.museum.hu/index_en.php