Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Spanish Civil War



Poster Spanish Civil War, Guernica by Pablo Picasso, Soft Construction with Boiled Beans by Savador Dali

John Horsfield will be giving us a look what happened to make this an historic moment. A Powerpoint presentation will accompany the text in the first three sessions with the final session being all on Power Point.

Guernica is a painting by Pablo Picasso depicting the bombing of Guernica,
Spain, by German and Italian warplanes at the behest of the Spanish Nationalist Forces, on April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War. The Spanish Republican government commissioned Picasso to create a large mural for the Spanish display at the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (1937) Paris International Exposition in the 1937 World's Fair in Paris.

Salvador Dali was a Spanish Catalan surrealist painter best known for his bizarre images. The painting, Soft Construction with Boiled Beans (premonition of civil war) by Salvador Dali, was created in Spain in 1936. This painting was done by Salvador Dali during a time of political change in Spain which essentially caused the Spanish Civil war. DalĂ­ was openly against war, and used this painting to show it. (Wikipedia) The painting was created to illustrate what he believed would happen during the Spanish civil war depicting a grimacing, hideously deformed human being whom is dismembered. This is symbolic of the Spanish state in civil war. Not only is the human disjointed, but it seems as if the different parts are strangling each other. Decaying hands and feet extend from the dismembered body parts as well as the dysfunctional body parts that lay at the bottom of the painting. It is possible that the boiled beans refer to the smell of the bodies of priests that were burnt by the fascists. I believe that Dali was trying to give the painting a scent of war. The painting seems to draw your attention to the box created by the body parts. It is a reminder of how civil wars are self-mutilating and ugly.

Whats on at a Glance in Term 2 2010

20 April- Enrollment & Information
Classic Films
27 April to 1 June - Norman England
29 April - General Meeting
6 May - Kaye Chapman Cowra Community Chest
John Lennon
20, 27 May, 3 June - & Wonders of Ancient World
8 June - Aspects of England
15 June - Queens Birthday Lunch
17 June - Egypt
It Happened in - 13 May, 10 & 24 June,
Regulars
Mini Biographies - Tuesday & Thursday
Tai Chi - 9.00 Tuesday & Thursday
German at Ellen's - Wednesdays
International Biographies - 22 April, 22 June
Italian - 1.30 pm Thursdays

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Canberra Excursion September 2009

Some photos from our wonderful day in Canberra visiting the McCubbin exhibition at ANG and a lovely walk around Floriade. Thanks to Alan, our wonderful bus driver who made the day so easy.


Friday, September 11, 2009

Lighthouses of the World February 2011

Coming up at Cowra U3A in 2011 Bev will be taking a look at the history and development of lighthouses and a more detailed look at some of the great ones from around the world and at their designers.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Excursion




Excursion to Canberra
Friday 25 September 2009
Bus leaves Senior Citizens Centre at 7.30 am.

Bookings essential, limited places.
Phone 02 6342 2028 BH of 02 6341 1030 AH

Cost: Bus $30.00, McCubbin exhibition consession $8.00, Buy your own lunch.

Visit Australian National Gallery McCubbin exhibition, lunch in Gallery Restaurant then visit Floriade and return to Cowra by approximately 6pm.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

CHECK MATE

Tuesday afternoon chess has got off to a slow start. More players are needed and if you want to learn John Horsfield is anxiously waiting to share his knowledge with you so come to the Senior Citizens Centre at 1.30 pm on a Tuesday.

Italian Classes

Every Thursday afternoon at 1.30 pm Cowra U3A's Italian class under the tutelage of John Sturman get together at the Cowra & District Senior Citizens room for a lot of learning, a lot of fun and a lot of friendship.

To help with their studies John and Edie visited Italy and France earlier in the year, we are still waiting for some good stories so hopefully we may be able to get them to put together something for the blog in the near future.

If you have always wanted to learn Italian and are in the over fifty age group then here is your chance to learn from an excellent presenter in a really happy and friendly atmosphere. Call in on a Thursday afternoon for a visit and to get details of how you can join in.

Term 3 2009

Can you believe nearly half of the year has gone by. This Term (2) we have been exploring the Islands of Australia and so far have been around Tasmania, through Bass Strait and are now looking at the islands of the Southern Seas. In the next few weeks we will looking at the islands off the coast of Western Australia . In Term 3 our journey continues through the Islands of Arnhem Land, the Gulf of Carpentaria, the Torres Strait then to Queensland's Coral Sea Islands, the Pacific Ocean Islands off new South Wales and the Tasman Sea Islands off new South Wales and Victoria. Everyone is enthusiastic and learning a lot about our past and present. See our contact details and and get in touch if you would like to join in.