The social advertising created by Malaysian branch DDB International — a part of one of set of social campaigns against violence in South East Asia. Also asks the elementary question «who women for men?».
Identical Sockets
Variants are presented in the form of sockets, each of which is originally signed. Signatures characterize the relation — the "friend", "favorite", "concubine", "partner". Under last where a certain plug is thrust, "vagina" appears. The slogan «How some men treat women».
Kmart "I'll Take Three OMG" holiday ad campaign...the best thing about this is the music. Song is Carol of the Bells by the musical artist Asia Bryant.
In India, children start to tame a dragon literally from infancy. The most interesting that adults, do not speak to children about danger of death, and on the contrary, assure that are toys...
As part of the 2012 Veloster's global launch, Hyundai transformed New York's Times Square into a giant arcade. By uploading the new adrenaline-fueled game Hyundai Veloster HD into their iPhones, people were able to wirelessly race the Veloster on the massive digital screen overlooking the bustling center of Manhattan.
Credits: Advertising Agency: Momentum, New York, USA Game Developer: 2XL Asia, Seoul, Korea
Ancient Japanese fighting arts riveted attention of enormous number of people worldwide still long since. The beauty, a height, an aesthetics, spirituality are peculiar to all ancient oriental combat sports. It they strikingly differ from other fighting arts, and it they are fine. Still for a long time Japanese together with force of a human body brought up also strength of mind, and to strength of mind paid special attention.
Strength of mind allows the person to carry out the full control over itself. «Behind a side permitted» to operate the body, and even the opponent. A single combat vivid example which wins the strongest and the cleverest is sumo. It is very ancient version of traditional Japanese struggle. Historians cannot answer a question with reliability: whether there was a struggle sumo in Japan or this ancient single combat was is brought from other continent.
The Japanese struggle sumo has no analogues in the world.
Japan — the recognised centre sumo and one in own way the country in which there are competitions on professional sumo. In other world compete only in amateur sumo.
The ritual component of the Japanese struggle sumo has long since remained. The scenario of preparation for a duel does not change centuries, and it helps to keep atmosphere of ancient Japanese struggle.
Nice colorful new commercial for Sherwin-Williams made entirely with paint chips. The ad takes us a journey around the world from the USA to Asia...so, where will color take you?
Pain is not always obvious, but the signs are there if you read them. To show how we often miss the warning signs, we created ambigrams and printed the ads with the logo and tagline upside down in magazines. At first glance, the reader sees a positive phrase. But when the ad is inverted, the copy reveals a sentiment quite the opposite – revealing the hidden feelings of those who are lost and depressed.
Credits: Advertised brand: Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) Advert title(s): The Hidden Pain: I'm Fine / Save Me The Hidden Pain: Life is Great / I Hate Myself The Hidden Pain: I Feel Fantastic / I'm Falling Apart
Advertising Agency: Publicis Singapore Worldwide Creative Director: Erik Vervroegen Chief Creative Officer: Ajay Thrivikraman Associate Creative Director: Kris Ng Art Director: Kris Ng, Jia Ying Goh, Pei Ling Ho Copywriter: Pei Ling Ho, Jia Ying Goh, Kris Ng Typographer: Jia Ying Goh, Kris Ng Photographer: Sebastian Siah Shooting Gallery Asia Digital Imaging: Issac Aloysius Goh Producer: Michael Kan Agency Producer: Lynn Cheng
The courageous act of the young Norwegian writer of Arabian origin — Sara Azmeh Rasmussen — which during meeting on Youngstorget in honor of the International Women's Day has burnt the yashmak as "a symbol humiliating the woman". Yashmak was burnt under shouts of the indignant Moslems...
The Gold Coast Film Fantastic opened with a bang (and then some) at Australia Fair Birch Caroll & Coyle cinema's tonight with everyone from Oscar winning special effects whiz John Cox to on-screen (and possibly real life) serial-killer John Jarratt walking the red carpet.
In other highly amusing news I met a young, up and coming Australia actor who just happens to be called James Dean! And he's an actor! And young! Geddit? Sigh. Well, I found it humorous... especially whilst trying to interview him a Marilyn Monroe impersonator was lurking in the background. Eerie.
Anyway, the GCFF is a great local initiative for movie makers and film lovers alike. Festival director Casey Marshall Siemer and co. showcase a selection of Australian films amongst the international offerings and organise the filmmakers to meet with distributors and industry insiders during the event. For cinephiles however, the GCFF is a superb way to see a huge variety of films weeks, even months, before they're released in Oz cinemas.
But with more than 21 films and 7 free outdoor screenings across three days, it's easy to get lost amongst the sheer volume of movies at this year's GCFF. From documentaries and animated films, to romantic comedies and horror, there's something for the cinephile in all of us. Here's my guide to some of the festival highlights:
The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
Taking out the audience award at this year's Toronto Film Festival, this is an inspirational look at two of New Zealand's national treasures whose radical protest songs have been entertaining the world for nearly 30-years.
The Accidental Husband
Uma Thurman lowers her Samurai sword for a romantic comedy co-starring Colin Firth and Grey's Anatomy fan favourite Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
ZombielandLovers of horror and comedy can hang on to to the Halloween spirit with this mash-up of the two genres. After smashing the US box-office, Zombieland has been getting rave reviews overseas and stars Woody Harrelson, Bill Murray, Abigail Breslin and rising star Jesse Eisenberg.
Sky Crawlers
Nominated for the best animated feature film at the up and coming Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Sky Crawlers is the latest from Mamoru Oshii, director of anime classic Ghost in the Shell. A slow-paced mystery, the animation is incredible with some of the best flight fight sequences ever created.
Prime Mover
Possibly the first love triangle to involve a man, woman and a truck, Prime Mover is the latest from Australian writer/director David Caesar.
BronsonOne of the most talked about drama's of the year, Bronson explores the bare knuckled reality of real life criminal Charles Bronson who has spent the last 30-years in solitary confinement for crimes committed in jail including murder and taking hostages. Oh, it also stars a beefed-up Tom Hardy (above) in his breakout roll.
The Coolangatta Gold
This year's race may be over, but relive the excitement with the 1984 film that made the iconic ironman race famous.
I.C.U
From Gold Coast director Aash Aaron, this edge-of-your-seat offering follows three teens in a Surfers Paradise high rise who play a game of cat and mouse with a serial killer.
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
This is one for the kids and kids at heart Inspired by a children's book, the film focuses on a town where food falls from the sky thanks to the invention of a young, wacky scientist. Though I rolled my eyes at the trailer, a four star review from Empire has sparked my interest.
P.S. And I bring you another trailer fresh off the inter-web from another movie on 5 horror movies I must see in 2015 list; Date Night! Yes, the Steve Carrell, Tina Fey led comedy with possibly the best supporting cast ever - Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Mila Kunis, Leighton Meester, Ray Liotta, Common, Kristen Wiig and more. Oh, did I mention Mark Wahlberg? Did I mention he's shirtless in the trailer? HELL YES! Watch and drool. Thoughts? The trailer looks like its been put together a bit tackily but there appears to be some good moments. We'll have to wait another six months to see the actual movie though. Sigh.
A new campaign entitled "A Baker’s Dozen" is launching in Ted Baker stores worldwide on Thursday 18th October 2012, (Ted Baker is a global Men's and Women's fashion brand). The campaign consists of 13 illustrations of artwork, commissioned by Ted alongside the prestigious Association of Illustrators. Each print depicts just one of the things that makes Britain great, including fish & chips, village fates, gardening and the full English breakfast. Each print is one of only 1000, and each has been personally signed and numbered by the artist and will be available to a few fortunate customers. The campaign will also have a web film of the making of A Baker’s Dozen which will be available here to view on the 16th of October. And, yes fellow Torontonians, Ted Baker is opening their first store in Yorkdale Shopping Center very soon I'm told!
PRESS RELEASETED BAKER COMMISSIONS THE PERFECT BAKER’S DOZEN Ted Baker London is proud to announce an exciting collaboration with the prestigious UK-based Association of Illustrators (AOI) to commission ‘A Baker’s Dozen.’ A group of talented artists have created bespoke pieces of artwork, each with a Great British theme, especially for Ted’s loyal customers. Amongst the themes represented are fish and chips, drinking tea, village fetes and gardening; all of Ted’s favorite pastimes. The beautiful personally signed prints will be gifted to Ted enthusiasts worldwide who spend over $250 on the new Fall 2012 collections from October 18, 2012. Purchasers will need to be quick; each signed and numbered image is part of a print run of just 1000 to be distributed worldwide. ‘A Baker’s Dozen’ is comprised of thirteen prints, with a fourteenth mini print created for online purchases only. Ted has captured the exciting illustration process on film, from the conception of an idea, through to the artists hard at work, and finally to the printing and signing of the pieces. This unique behind-the-scenes film will be available to view at www.tedbaker-london.com
About Ted Baker London: Established in 1988, Ted Baker London has grown from its humble roots as a shirt specialist in Glasgow, to a global lifestyle brand with over 200 locations in Europe, the U.S., Australia, Middle East, Far East and Southeast Asia. No ordinary designer label, Ted Baker offers menswear, womens wear, accessories (and everything in between), and is renowned for its quality and distinctive use of pattern and colour. The brand’s unconventional approach to fashion, irreverent sense of humour and, above all, unswerving attention to detail appeals to style-conscious men and women who trust Ted to deliver that certain something... a little out of the ordinary. www.tedbaker-london.com
The Association of Illustrators: The Association of Illustrators (AOI) is a non-profit trade association with a membership that includes freelance illustrators, agents, clients, students and colleges. Established in 1973, it is the leading body to represent illustrators in the UK and also campaigns for illustrators’ rights, continually working to increase the professional standing of illustrators, commercially and artistically. The AOI works to improve contract content and contracting practice extended to illustrators by commissioners. It publishes a quarterly magazine, ‘Varoom!’ and produces the annual ‘Images’ competition and touring exhibition, now in its 36th year, which celebrates the best in contemporary British illustration.
Independent commercial director Nickolas Duarte directs his first US national broadcast spot, "Bear Down" for the University of Arizona.
The commercial takes a different approach to university advertising, showcasing the inner strength of the university and its community through the legend/myth of a former quarterback's dying last words "Bear Down" (http://www.arizonawildcats.com/trads/bear-down.html). The visual style and poetic tone were selected to take the heart of that message and present it in a contemporary and artistic manner.
Nickolas is currently self-represented through his company, Crown Chimp Productions, and has earned a National ADDY for his work with Adidas, along with recently directing an international broadcast campaign with the NBA airing in Asia.
Credits: Client: The University of Arizona Title: Bear Down Director: Nickolas Duarte Production Company: Crown Chimp Productions Voice Over: Chris Andrews 1st AD/Editor: Matthew King Project Producers: Ben Lopez, Rosie Zwaduk Co-Writer/Creative Consultant: Drew Grubich Director of Photography: Will Turner 1st AC/2nd Unit DP: Oscar Rivera Sound Design/Mix & Location Audio: Mike Clark Production Design: Adam Ray Make Up: Sonia Campbell Set Design: Jessica Van Ravenswaay 2nd Unit Director: Jacob Turrentine Color/Mastering: Copper Post Colorist: Robert Beadle Production Assistants: Keith Wagner, Ben Oman, Schuyler Copeland, Monty Montemayor Talent: Dancer: Piper Stoeckel; College Guys: Tad Sallee, RJ Markham, Jesse Pickering; Artist: Janet Henderson; Mirror Lab Engineer: Hector Ayala; LEO Project Researcher: Chris Koval; Business Man: Paul Tumarkin; Construction Worker: Alan Zwaduk
The exhibition which opened on July 2 at the Musee d’histoire de Nantes, was organized in partnership with the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens, and offers a chance to discover the exceptional objects from the Refugee Treasures exhibition presented in 2009 in Athens, and a selection of items conserved in France that will be presented for the first time.
The treaty imposed the exchange of civil populations and defined the terms of forced migration on both sides of the Aegean Sea. 1.3 million Greeks and 400,000 Muslims were forced to leave their homes, leaving their belongings behind.
Icon of Saint Catherine. Late 17th century [Credit: Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens]At the moment of their exile, many of the Greek men and women of Asia Minor left with their religious icons, or those from their churches. These precious, sacred, or protective objects established a link between an old and a new country, between an old and a new life.
Today, some icons in France act as a testament of a migration extending far beyond Greece’s borders.
Silver revetment of icon depicting St. George killing the Dragon. From a Smyrna workshop, 1878 [Credit: Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athen]Each one tells a story.
Exhibition curator: Kiriaki Tsesmeloglou, member of the Icon Network association, restorer and conservator of painted works.
The exhibition will run through November 13, 2016.
Source: Musee d’histoire de Nantes [July 08, 2016]
As it became known to news site Drudge Report, the US president Barack Obama will give interview to television channel Fox News, since recent time become by object of criticism from the White House.
Major Garrett has invited the president to conversation
According to a portal which has not specified an information source, the meeting of the president with the correspondent of department of a policy of channel Major Garrett will take place during official visit of the president to China. It is expected, that Obama will go to the Peoples Republic of China in the evening on Sunday, on November, 15th where will stay till Wednesday, on November, 18th.
In the meantime edition Politico informs, that the certain not named employee of the White House these data has denied. "At the moment at the president it is not planned any interviews during tour across Asia", — quotes the edition.
Meanwhile on November, 11th it became known, that the post has left the director of the White House for public relations Anita Dunn. It posesses words that channel Fox News is "Republican Party branch". The official reasons of resignation are unknown.Making comments on the information that Obama can meet correspondent Fox, newspaper The Huffington Post has noticed, that between the White House and Fox warming of relations really was outlined. According to the edition, it has occurred after vice-president Fox Michael Clemente has met the press-secretary of the White House.
In protection Fox
The position of the largest American channels which have supported recently Fox, appeared excluded of a pool for interview to one of employees of a Treasury Department of the US could become the rapprochement reason.
Today, 21 March is World Down Syndrome Day and the new project launched by Saatchi & Saatchi and CoorDown 10 days ago entitled #DammiPiùVoce (Turn up my voice), has been a huge success with 40 celebrities answering the call and donating their voice.
As of this morning 40 celebrity videos have been donated. Amongst them Sharon Stone, Jose Mourinho, and numerous Italian Stars Including Chef Carlo Cracco, Singer Jovanotti, who also created a special song for Spartaco, Actress Asia Argento and Football players Francesco Totti and Antonio Cassano.
You can follow the campaign on twitter.com/coordown and facebook.com/coordown. #DammiPiùVoce is the official hashtag on Twitter.
“This year — says Sergio Silvestre, the National Coordinator of CoorDown — we have dedicated our energy to the main goal: defending and promoting the rights of people with Down Syndrome, who are too often overcome by prejudices and the lack of application of existing laws, especially those concerning inclusion in the job market. We are not asking for more rights for our guys, just the same opportunities as everyone else. We are proud to collaborate with Saatchi & Saatchi again on this occasion after the success of the last campaign which has succeeded in communicating, with courage and brilliant ideas, the need to turn up the voice of people with Down Syndrome. This is the most important theme of the World Day of Down Syndrome 2013.”
"We are very pleased to work again with CoorDown — said Giuseppe Caiazza, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi in Italy and Head of Automotive Business for Saatchi & Saatchi EMEA. Following the success of last year's campaign, we decided to do something unique together, and just as we did last year, we feel enriched professionally, but also personally."
Agostino Toscana, Executive Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi Italy, said: "After having “ecologically recycled” the TV commercials and print ads last year, making it a major integration campaign, this year we decided to get the most out of another "old trick" of making advertising: the use of a celebrity. The fact that the entire campaign is developed on a digital platform, live and fully transparent, is another piece of this project that we are carrying on together with our CoorDown friends. In 2012 the companies donated their commercials for Integration Day, in 2013 celebrities donated their voice. Both times in a way never seen before."
After the results of the “Integration Day” campaign, which won 7 Gold Lions and one Bronze Lion at the 2012 Cannes International Festival of Creativity, Saatchi & Saatchi and CoorDown Onlus worked together again to safeguard the rights of people with Down syndrome.
In Italy, due to prejudice, the basic rights of people with Down syndrome are still too often denied. Rights like proper academic support, rehabilitation treatments, the opportunity to do beneficial work or even just the possibility to have fun like their peers.
With more funds available it would be possible to defend their rights through protective measures, projects that stimulate their engagement and autonomy, and through better information activities. That’s the reason behind the launch of the #DammiPiùVoce (Turn up my voice) campaign.
On www.coordown.it, 50 people with Down syndrome asked 50 celebrities for a particular donation. Not money: they asked for a video. A video in which those celebrities ask the public to support the rights of people with Down Syndrome through a donation, thus amplifying their voices. A video that, if shared by the celebrities on their social networks, would have more chance of being listened to.
Even today, the world of the ancient Greek gods has lost none of its fascination. Accounts of the deeds of mighty Zeus, his jealous wife Hera, the twins Apollo and Artemis, beautiful Aph-rodite, and Dionysos the god of wine, are as enthralling as ever after more than 2000 years.
A mask of an old man is on display at the Roman-Germanic Museum in Cologne, Germany. The exhibition 'Return of the Gods' will run until 26 August 2012 [Credit: EPA/Oliver Berg]
Greek poets and artists conveyed a vivid picture of the world of these gods. Their work set creative precedents and were a source of inspiration; they also furnished models and a stim-ulus for new interpretations and original compositions by Roman writers and sculptors.
Over a period of more than three hundred years, the Brandenburg-Prussian Electors and Kings in Berlin collected antique works of art, which are now in the museums of the ‘Preußischer Kulturbesitz’ Foundation – the Pergamon Museum and the Collection of Antiqui-ties. For the first time in Cologne, in the exhibition The Return of the Gods, the Olympian world of the Greek gods is recreated with marble statues, stone reliefs, bronzes and luxurious vases from the Berlin collections – a cross section of outstanding European art from early Greek times to the imperial Roman period.
Zeus, Hades, Poseidon
Zeus, the Romans’ Jupiter, was the majestic ruler of the Olympian world. As the lord of the heavens, he carried a thunderbolt as his weapon. Zeus was the father of nu-merous gods and heroes; most of his offspring were not begotten with his wife Hera, but were the result of his many erotic liaisons.
Poseidon was the master of the sea, inland waters and storms. As the “shaker of the Earth”, who made the Earth tremble with his trident, he was held responsible for earthquakes and natural disasters. People also venerated him as the protector of their ships. The Romans called this god Neptune.
Brother of Zeus and Poseidon was Hades, the Romans’ Pluto. He became the lord of the underworld when the gods drew lots to divide the world between them.
All these “Father Gods” are represented as mature, dignified and mighty. Zeus the father of the gods, Hades the ruler of the underworld and Poseidon the god of the sea, are difficult to tell apart when not depicted with their characteristic attributes
Asclepius, the Healing God
Asclepius was the god of medicine and healing. He was the son of Apollo and a mortal woman, so merely a demigod. He was nevertheless worshipped as a god but not regarded as one of the Olympian gods.
Asclepius’ place was among the people. He is represented in the likeness of a Greek citizen: bearded, wearing a robe and leaning on a staff. A snake is coiled around his staff and the staff (or rod) of Asclepius is still the traditional symbol of medicine.
Asclepius had many sanctuaries that attracted throngs of worshippers, where the sick sought cures through healing sleep (incubation). A centre of his cult developed at Epidaurus and another was located on the island of Kos. The physicians of Kos achieved great fame in the 5th century BC. The best known was Hippocrates and, even today, doctors swear the “Hippocratic Oath”.
The cult of Asclepius reached the western part of the Roman Empire in 293 BC when the Epidaurus sanctuary established a shrine to the Latinised Aesculapius on Rome’s Tiber Island.
Hera and Demeter – the Mothers
Hera, the Romans’ Juno, was the sister and spouse of Zeus. As the queen of the gods she watched over marriage and legitimate offspring. She therefore pursued the amorous escapades of her husband with jealous severity.
Demeter, Ceres for the Romans, was the goddess of the fertile earth, of grain and agriculture. According to the “Homeric” hymn to Demeter, her daughter Kore was abducted by Hades and, as Persephone/Proserpina, became his wife in the under-world. Searching for her daughter, the desperate Demeter neglected her responsibilities as the goddess of agriculture, which led to a severe drought. Only after the return of her daughter for two-thirds of the year did she allow everything to grow and flourish again, but Kore-Persephone had to spend one third of each year with Hades in the underworld, during which time nature was also dead.
Demeter and Hera are usually depicted as motherly goddesses, often wearing a dia-dem and veil. When ears of wheat – a specific attribute of Demeter – are not shown, it is scarcely possible to distinguish between the two.
Aphrodite and Hermes
Aphrodite’s sphere of influence was love; her son Eros was the personified god of love. From the 5th century BC onwards, Aphrodite was depicted in ever more reveal-ing clothes: light and flimsy garments accentuated the beauty of the female body. Aphrodite first appeared completely naked in the 4th century BC, as a statue by Praxiteles, whose visualisation of the goddess was widely copied. Venus, the Roman equivalent of Aphrodite, was said to be the mother of Aeneas. Hence she became the mythical ancestress of the family of the Julii, to which both Caesar and Augustus belonged.
Hermes was the messenger of the gods, the god of roads, boundaries and herds-men, the patron of thieves. He guided the souls of the dead into the after-world.
Hermes wore the clothes of a traveller: a short cape, a broad-brimmed hat and boots or sandals. Speed was suggested by wings attached to his hat, shoes or heels. In addition, he carried a messenger’s staff with two snakes (Kerykeion). The Roman equivalent of Hermes was Mercury, the god of commerce and economic prosperity.
Athena – the Patroness of Great Works
Athena was the wise daughter of Zeus. Before his marriage to Hera, Zeus was the husband of Metis, the goddess of wisdom. Zeus then swallowed his consort when she was pregnant with Athena because it had been prophesied that she would bear him a child stronger than himself, who would ultimately depose him. Athena was born when Hephaestus, the blacksmith god, cleaved open her father’s skull.
Athena was the goddess of battle, depicted with a helmet, lance and shield. Another emblem was the “aegis”, a breastplate with the head of the Gorgon Medusa in the centre. Athena was the patroness of the crafts and all artistic activities. She is also said to have invented the flute. While playing it beside a stream, she saw a reflection of herself with her cheeks puffed out, and crossly cast the instrument aside. The satyr Marsyas retrieved the flute and later challenged Apollo to a musical contest.
Many cities invoked the protection of Athena, especially Athens, where she was worshipped on the Acropolis. Her Roman equivalent was Minerva.
Apollo and Artemis — divine twins
The twins Apollo and Artemis were the children of Zeus and Leto. Jealous Hera pur-sued her rival relentlessly until, finally, the island of Delos allowed Leto to give birth to her children there.
Apollo was the upholder of order in human society, slaying wrongdoers with his bow and sending pestilence as a punishment. He defended religious purity. His attribute was the laurel. He was also the god of oracles and divine prophesies, leader of the muses and a master of the lyre. He was depicted as an idealized youth with long hair.
Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and huntsmen, represented unspoiled nature. Known since ancient times as the “Mistress of the Animals” and the “unconquered virgin”, she nurtured and protected young animals, but was also a huntress who killed her prey. Since the late classical period, she has usually been depicted as a young girl in a hunting tunic with a bow and a quiver full of arrows, often accompanied by an animal. Just as her brother was both the god of healing and the god of pestilence, so Artemis was the goddess of childbirth and the bringer of death in childbirth.
The Sanctuary
In the Greek and Roman world, the sanctuary was the most important place for wor-shipping the gods. People would go there with votive offerings and gifts to praise or appease a deity and to ask for favours.
At larger ritual sites there were temples with a cult image of the god. However, the centre of the sanctuary was always the altar where sacrifices were offered. At public ceremonies, cattle were often sacrificed: the priests would burn the bones, fat and hide of the animal as an offering to the gods; the meat would then be consumed by the worshippers at a ritual feast. Individual citizens usually donated smaller animals, fruit or libations. The rites could be accompanied by processions, dancing and music.
An abundance of offerings of various types would accumulate at such sacred sites. Large objects like statues would be set up on display while smaller votive objects, such as miniature figurines or weapons captured from the enemy, were deposited somewhere. In large Greek sanctuaries, Olympia and Delphi for example, there were also treasuries where valuable offerings were stored.
Dionysus and the Theatre
Dionysus was the god of wine and delirious ecstasy. Those who gave themselves to this god had to risk becoming “possessed”. Dionysus was surrounded by a retinue (thiasos) of half-wild hybrid creatures, youthful satyrs, older sileni, and frenzied maenads who often danced to the music of flutes and drums.
Dionysus was depicted as child, as a seductive youth with a body that is sometimes rather feminine, and as an old man leaning on a satyr. His attributes were the ivy, either as a wreath to prevent intoxication or wound around a staff (thyrsos), and a drinking vessel (kantharos). He always symbolised a hedonistic way of life.
Greek theatre originated in the cult of Dionysus. In many places of worship, dramatic performances were part of his festivals. Starting in Athens in the 6th century BC, first tragedies, then “satyr” plays and – after 486 BC – comedies were performed during the Great Dionysia festival. All the roles in the plays, even female roles, were taken by three male actors wearing costumes and masks, accompanied by a choir.
The Pergamon Altar
In the conflicts to succeed Alexander the Great, Philhetairos was able to establish his rule in Asia Minor, at Pergamon. His grandson, Attalos I, took the title of King. The latter’s son, Eumenes II (197-159 BC), defeated the invading Celts and developed the fortress into a Hellenistic city with prestigious marble buildings.
The religious centre was the altar of Zeus, which was visible from afar. A flight of steps led up to a podium and the colonnaded area with the altar for burnt offerings. The podium was decorated on all sides by a frieze depicting the battle of the gods against the giants. The rear walls illustrated the history of the founding of Perga-mon. Acroteria with figures stood on the roof.
The gigantomachy on the Pergamon Altar marks the pinnacle of Hellenistic art. It is the most complete antique depiction of the struggle of the younger generation of Olympian gods, together with Hercules, against the giants, born out of chaos, who were trying to destroy the new world order. Zeus with his lightning bolts is shown fighting a snake-footed giant, an allusion to the victory over the Celts.
