Boys and their Toys

I have to admit, that despite my degree, I am not much of a news junkie. I found the news in the US entirely too depressing – as they rarely report the whole story or about anything that is worthy of the attention it is given. Seriously guys? The whole nation needs to be let in on the (what will sooner than later be considered an itty-bitty) scandal at Rutgers? Move on; leave Rutgers alone; it’s not relevant to anyone that wasn’t in that video. ::exits THAT soap box::



Peter Paul Rubens, Man in a Korean Costume, 1617.
Black chalk with touches of red chalk in the face, 38.4 x 23.5 cm.
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

So, when the grapevine informed me that North Korea was up to no good, initially I thought, “Hm, what else is new?” having been talked at multiple times about Kim Jong-un and his potential for shenanigans. But now, having looked into a little, learning that N.Korea told foreigners to get out of S.Korea and that no embassies seem to have heeded the advice, I can’t help but think it’s just a cry for attention, a glorified pissing contest amongst men of power.



Peter Paul Rubens, Portrait of Nicolas Trigault in Chinese Costume, 1617.
Black, red, and white chalk, blue pastel, and pen and brown ink on light brown laid paper, 24.8 x 44.6 cm.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

War falls in with the most asinine concepts to have defaced this planet as far as I am concerned. When war first began, of course there were deaths and casualties, but the threat did not affect entire nations. Now war has the ability to wipe out the world’s population – with the exception of those crazy ‘doomsday preppers’, and don’t get me started on them. It’s no longer a fight for land (and women?), but now a fight for, what? Pride and dignity? To show who has less regard for human life? Get over that, too, you barbarians. Excuse me gentlemen of the world (and I use that term very loosely), please fix your own countries before messing with the balance of others.



See? He’s really just misunderstood.

Appreciate the lure and beauty of the east without the unnecessary aspects of war in Looking East: Rubens’s Encounter with Asia, now on at the Getty Center through 9 June. Though he’s never been, and you’ve probably never been, it is surely a sight worth seeing. Also, add Rubens by Victoria Charles to your collection this fall!

-Le Lorrain Andrews