Friday 25 March 2011

Terracotta Army

brilliant sunshine, cold, temps minus 6

Minus 6!!! And a wind. Ugh. Still, nice to see the sun.

Finally went out today - I realized I hadn't been outside since we arrived, Tuesday. So Michael and I went to Nick's on Greene Ave for breakfast (bacon and eggs and toast). Then home. He read his manuscript all morning, and I wrote. Took a little while to get into it. But once immersed it boomed along. I still fear I'm running in place - but I think that's just my stinking critic. And if I am, I'll fix it in the next draft. Have to keep reminding myself not to worry about those things at this time.

Just write. Whatever I want. Stay loose, leave my heart open for inspiration. Do not be fearful. All things I whisper to myself at this stage.

After we'd finished - about 1pm - Michael and I hopped in a cab and went to the Musee des beaux arts in Montreal to see the latest major show - China's Terracotta Army.

My God, it's magnificent!! All those warriors they found buried. Found them in 1974....and there are clearly many, many more to be excavated. Apparently it wasn't unusual for emperors to be buried with figurines...but those were all tiny. Miniature soldiers etc. This was the first time hundreds and hundreds of figures - larger than life - had been found.

It is breathtaking to actually see them. There were about 10 of them in the show - along with a couple of the terracotta horses and lots of other pieces found at the site. It was fascinating. And all from the very first emperor of China, so that itself was fascinating.

I, of course, finished in about a nano-second and was in the cafe. Actually, that's unfair...with art shows I often whiz through, but this was really more archeology and history - both of which I find riveting, so it took about three nano-seconds.

Michael, being Michael, stopped and read every bit of information available, including, I think, some of the exit signs and schematics of the Museum. And listened to the audio commentary. I honestly turned mine off after a while. I found the tone patronizing and the content oddly dull....for something so exciting. Happily they had a few films to watch, to really situate how extraordinary these terracotta warriors are.

Then back into a cab, to the corner of Greene and Ste Catherine - to pick up dry cleaning, mail a card, and get my hair done. Not on the street corner (though that would explain why I've never enjoyed the experience) but at a salon new to me. I just walked in - having had enough of my wild hair. Somehow (I think it was the very pretty receptionist) Michael ended up in the chair next to me, being shaved.

So now we're home, with our new do's.

Writing tomorrow morning, then back to Sutton. I wonder if I can talk Michael into another pizza tonight....

9 comments:

Lisa said...

I saw this show or a similar one here in Houston - it was amazing. Did yours have someone in costume & full make-up? He looked exactly like one of the figures, and he scared the daylights out of people when he started suddenly walking around.

Nancy said...

We saw the show in Toronto and were amazed. We were to China 10 years ago, and wanted to see them then, however we had other things on our mind, bringing home our new daughter!! Now that she is nearly 12, we plan to take her back to China in a years time and will visit the actual site of the find. Can't wait!!

ttop said...

Did you know that they were brightly painted but when unearthed the paint peeled off as the water under the paint evaporated? I saw them in Xian - football fields of them - when I was teaching in China. It wasn't until a Chinese friend showed me photos of them when first being unearthed that I saw how amazing the colors had been.

Colombine said...

Vous m'inspirez tous! Je prévoyais m'y rendre très bientôt mais, vous me donnez l'envie d'y être encore plus vite que ça.

Anonymous said...

My husband just got back from China and got to see the Warriors while there. Said it was fascinating! More info about their history and discovery can be found here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsUE-ZtcUFg.

Colombine said...

J'y vais cet après-midi. J'ai hâte!

Colombine said...

Phénoménal et Grandiose! Quelle exposition! C'est incroyable comme des gens peuvent s'acharner à creuser, découvrir, déterrer... un peu comme Gamache finalement...
Je n'ai pas regretté.

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