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iDlympics of the Arts I: Art Day 201? in Jacksonville, FL USA
If you had the pleasure of being in Jacksonville, FL USA in February 2005 when Super Bowl XXXIX came to a town that was shining brightly, you didn't see us at our best. On Art Day 201? (07-02-1?), greater Jacksonville will be set on fire as the area hosts the inaugural iDlympics of the Arts. Expect to sweat! Seriously!! Summertime will never be as heated as when the much anticipated the Explosion of Arts III bursts back into flames with plans to spread the healing effects of the arts that lead to peace of mind and explodes outward across the globe. We all know how the arts affect the ceremonies of the Olympic Games. Now let's see what the arts can do for themselves. Rivalry, as long as it is peaceful, is a good thing. War, violence, and many other aspects of modern society, on the other hand, are undesirable and must go.
Ancient Greece's and Modern Jacksonville's Nike and Athena Nike, in Greek religion and mythology, was the Goddess of Victory and daughter of Pallas and Styx. Often an attendant of Zeus or Athena, she also presided over all contests, athletic as well as military. She was a popular subject in art, usually represented as winged and bearing a wreath or palm branch. The Romans identified Nike with Victoria. Nike (shown top left, below) was an important part of the ancient Olympic Games. Life was early associated with air because the need for air is so immediate. The birds flew in the air and were often associated with the spirit of life. Since a winged flight is associated with a victory over death it was easily associated with victory. Hence victory is associated with the winged goddess Nike. Nike is an aspect of Athena and is essentially an Athena with wings. The Greek goddess Athena (shown bottom left, below) was considered the child of Zeus alone, for Zeus had swallowed her mother named Metis and gave birth to Athena himself through his head. Athena was born fully grown and is the ancient Greek goddess of civilization and war, reason and violence.
In Jacksonville, we house two beautiful statues in the historic arts district that are our interpretation of Nike and Athena. Our Nike is male and named Spiritualized Life, also known as The Winged Figure of Youth (shown top right, above -- photo by Bruce Jones of Jacksonville, FL USA). He was modeled after an area athlete named Percy Palenthorpe and was unveiled on Christmas Day in 1924 as a memorial to those from the area that died in WWI. Shortly after his release to the world, Memorial Park's Spiritualized Life was altered because, according to a newspaper article, the statue was too revealing. Now he has a rough bulge instead of the original genitals. This is not the first time the statue will be altered. Plans are underway to add an eternal flame for the iDlympics, hopefully as a sphere of fire held in his left hand as a reminder of the world's chaos and violence. He rises triumphantly above this nonsense holding an olive branch in his right hand to represent the peace that he brings forth. The planned fire for the upcoming statue's second alteration must be green flames, the color of peace. Athena is also present in Jacksonville (shown bottom right, above), with a beautiful interpretation housed at The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens within the historic Riverside neighborhood, which serves as the arts district for the city. This Athena holds her arrow and shoots towards the stars; there is a dog at her feet. The statue lies in the garden area and proudly protects a huge, beautiful oak tree next to the breath-taking river.
To go to the iD Arts Magazine Jacksonville Home page,
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