"At night the red glare was visible a hundred miles at sea; and at a distance of forty miles fine print could be read at midnight.... countless columns of smoke rose up and blended together in a tumbled canopy that hid the heavens and glowed with a ruddy flush reflected from the fires below; here and there jets of lava sprung hundreds of feet into the air and burst into rocket-sprays that returned to earth in a crimson rain….” quote from "Roughing It" by Mark Twain. Twain was not the only artist inspired by volcanic eruptions. Wolfgang Muller, a photographer from Stombolli Italy, quit a promising job as an engineer to photograph volcanoes from around the world. He believes his success in photography is due to his closeness with nature. He has dedicated hours observing and photographing these rumbling beasts. His new book “Volcanoes Near to the Skin – Moments of Creation” displays pages of brilliant lava exploding out of darkness.
The power of volcanoes can be felt in history, too. In 79 AD Italy's Mt Vesuvius spewed its contents burying the town of Pompei under 10 ft of molten lava. Sixteen thousand people perished. It is considered one of the richest archeological sites in history because much of the civilization was preserved below ash. Archeologists noticed concave spaces surrounding skeletons while excavating in Pompei. Plaster was poured in these abandoned spaces and left to dry. The results were human and animal shaped molds that contributed to the resurrection of the people of Pompei. These plaster casts were found in various expressions from a person crouching in fear to a dog laying on it’s back. These are displayed around the site and in museums in Naples, Italy. It is clear that people from all around the world have come to appreciate these casts. Do they possess an artistic quality or are they merely just a historical representation of the past?
Like Pompei, Hawaii’s big island’s unstoppable lava flow has caused a state of emergency. Though this lava moves at a much slower rate it progresses at an unstoppable 80ft a day. Currently, it is less than a mile from residential communities. One resident said "to Native Hawaiians, Pele (the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes) is our kupuna, she is our ancestor. This is her place and if she feels she needs to clean her house, then let her clean her house.” The Hawaiian culture believes lava, though destructive, is a renewing force. This island was created through the powerful force of lava flow and will continue to shape the island's future landscape. These beliefs are deeply rooted in the Hawaiian culture. JD Griggs produces volcanic art inspired by the Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii. His dramatic photography captures brilliant displays of exploding lava, as does, Julies Tavernier paintings of Kilauea Volcano. Julies Tavernier is seen as one of the most important artist from Hawaii Volcano School. Hawaii Volcano School was formed by a group of non native artists that produced volcano inspired art in the late 1800’s. This group of artists was very influential to the art scene in Hawaii at the time. Below are links to examples of these artists.
Jd Griggs:
Julies Tavernier:
http://www.earth-of-fire.com/page-8878992.htm
Their unique power to build and destroy explains why volcanoes are fascinating to many. Underwater volcanic eruptions build islands like Hawaii's while wiping out civilizations like Pompei. How can a Hawaiian continue to respect Pele's wishes to renew while it destroys their communities?
Their unique power to build and destroy explains why volcanoes are fascinating to many. Underwater volcanic eruptions build islands like Hawaii's while wiping out civilizations like Pompei. How can a Hawaiian continue to respect Pele's wishes to renew while it destroys their communities?
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