First Congregation Sons of Israel

St. Augustine, Florida

April 7, 2022

          First Congregation Sons of Israel is the oldest synagogue in St. Augustine, founded in 1908 by several Russian and Eastern European families. Rabbi Jacob Tarlinski and his wife Dora assisted with the official dedication of the synagogue in 1923, along with its first service in 1924. Following extensive water damage to the synagogue following two hurricanes that forced temporary closing in the late 2010s, the doors reopened in 2018 after repairs finished, and it now bears the same restored look today.

Official website: https://www.firstcongregationsonsofisrael.com/

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          This is one of the many Spanish stained glass windows present in First Congregation Sons of Israel, first installed in the sanctuary in 1953. Rabbi Jacob's three daughters, Sarah Bernstein, Florence Feiden, and Lena Lichter were the ones who purchased and oversaw the installation of the windows. The windows were previously utilized in an Orthodox synagogue in Atlanta, Georgia, before being transported to St. Augustine after the synagogue was demolished. The windows were eventually restored in 2013 by Ken Hardeman, the great-grandson of the original window artist. This specific window depicts an image of the Ark of the Covenant in the top center, a sacred treasure of both Christianity and Judaism.

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          This is an elaborately-draped Torah stored in the ark cabinet at the back of the sanctuary. In Jewish teachings, the Torah is used to instruct followers of the Jewish faith on how to go about their lives, as the Torah itself is believed to have been gifted to Moses by God directly on Mount Sinai. The Torah is written in Hebrew, much like many other Christian and Jewish texts, and contains the first five books of the Bible, all written by Moses, namely: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. This copy of the Torah is written on scrolls of parchment and is specifically stored in the ark cabinet for use in synagogue readings and services.

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Image source: http://laughinglutherans.blogspot.com/2012/02/new-eternal-flame-dedicated.html

          This is an image of the Christian take on the eternal flame, typically associated with the Lutheran denomination. These candles are oil-based, red, and often are surrounded by three golden support beams to symbolize the Holy Trinity--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Oftentimes the candles are placed in churches as a means of remembering loved ones who have passed away, or simply as a means of reflecting on God's similarly eternal nature. While inside First Congregation Sons of Israel, I felt like the light display boards with the names of the deceased filled a similar role, only in a more modern context and with Jewish influence rather than Christian influence, hence the added Hebrew writing and Stars of David. Nonetheless, both approaches allow the light of those who have left this world to shine on in the hearts of the faithful.

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Image source: https://www.pbase.com/image/115465925

          This is a mosaic artwork of St. Mark the Evangelist on the ceiling of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Mosaics are common ways to depict saints, priests, or popes in Christian or Jewish settings, as the faint luminescent glow of each individual shard conveys an ethereal sense of divinity befitting of the illustrated figure. In other cases, such as with First Congregation Sons of Israel, mosaics may simply used for design purposes without representation of any particular figure. First Congregation used the remnants of previously shattered stained glass windows to fill in the Star of David above the synagogue's entrance with a multicolored mosaic, lending a holy quality to Judaism's most recognizable symbol.

Literature in Conversation

          Pablo Neruda's "Sonnet XVII" conveys some similar emotions to those commonly experienced by visitors to First Congregation during times of spiritual meditation or reflection. Neruda boldly declares, "I love you as the plant that doesn't bloom but carries the light of the flowers, hidden, within itself, and thanks to your love the tight aroma that arose from the earth lives dimly in my body." One may interpret this passage as one's way of recalling the memories of times spent with deceased relatives, or perhaps as an open communication with God and a self-assurance that belief in Him can make oneself whole. The former interpretation is supported by the lightboards of the deceased at the front of the sanctuary, while the latter is simply one of many spiritual realizations one may encounter throughout life as a devout Christian or Jew, especially in a soothing, holy place like First Congregation.

Creative Component

          This is a mosaic I generated based on the Star of David chandelier on the ceiling of First Congregation Sons of Israel, made up of pictures of many different flower types. I chose flowers as the primary component as they both resemble the shape of the Star of David and have a wide variety of color, similar to the Star of David mosaic outside of the sanctuary.

Castillo de San Marcos

St. Augustine, Florida

March 31, 2022

          The Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest stone masonry fort in the United States, and is one of the most distinctive local landmarks of St. Augustine. Following the Spanish Colonial settlement of Florida, construction on the Castillo commenced in 1672 and concluded in 1696. The walls of the Castillo are made of coquina, a porous, flexible, seashell-based material that aided in the Castillo's longevity, even while being bombarded by enemy forces: thus, the Castillo was never successfully captured. However, when the ownership of Florida first shifted to Britain starting with the Treaty of Paris (1763), so too did the name of the Castillo itself, being rebranded Fort St. Mark. After Spain first regained Florida, then ceded it to the newly-created United States, the Castillo was again renamed Fort Marion, prior to its official designation as a National Monument and the reverting of its name to Castillo de San Marcos.

Official website: https://www.nps.gov/casa/index.htm

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          This is a hot shot furnace located at the front of the Castillo, facing the inlet. The furnace was used to heat iron cannonballs up until they glowed, with the cannonballs then being carefully removed with tongs and fired from guns positioned along the seawall with the aim of setting ships on fire. Hot shot furnaces were only used for assaults, and never in full-on battle, due to the extensive time it took to prepare each cannonball. Eventually, the advent of ironclad ships during the Civil War period made hot shot furnaces obsolete, and this one was soon discontinued.

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          This is the front entrance to the Castillo, accessible by drawbridge over the fortress's old moat. The moat was created to prevent attackers from scaling the walls from the outside or digging underneath the walls. With direct access to the inlet, which frequently rises and falls with the tide, the moat could be easily drained or filled. The drawbridge has gone through many iterations, from its original design as a Spanish crank-powered bridge to its British remodeling with a wooden door to the United States' own attempts to find a representation that balances the two. Unfortunately, in the early 20th century, the National Park Service's attempts to reenact the fort's original appearance, filled moat and all, caused severe cracks along the porous and centuries-old coquina foundations. Nowadays, park rangers are much more cautious when making decisions regarding the best way the present the fort.

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Image source: https://vinow.com/stj/stj-a/national-park/annaberg-plantation/

          This is a photo of Annaberg Sugar Mill in St. John, U.S Virgin Islands, a structure with some similarities to the Castillo. Both structures are built in close proximity to the coastline, contain large furnaces used for wildly different purposes, and are made of stone materials with similar appearances and durability. Both were also built around the same time period (the Castillo predates the mill by about 30 years), and each played a vital role to the success of their respective colonies, namely by providing protection and producing enough food items to sustain a population.

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Image source: https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/gettysburg-battlefield-landscape-american-civil-war

          This is a photo of a cannon at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. Many of the cannons are still displayed at various parts of the battlefield even to this day, serving as a subtle reminder of the lives that have been lost to defend our country throughout its relatively short history. Sometimes, officials in charge of Gettysburg's upkeep will engage in cannon fire demonstrations to give tourists an authentic feeing of a Civil War battleground. St. Augustine is popularly known for conducting these demonstrations as well, with cannons at the Castillo which function almost identically to how they did over 400 years ago against encroaching invaders.

Literature in Conversation

          One of Lauren Oya Olamina's Earthseed verses in Parable of the Sower describes several of the traits that gave the Castillo, and more importantly the Spanish, great success in the St. Augustine colony. Lauren's verse reads, "All successful life is adaptable, opportunistic, tenacious, interconnected, and fecund." (Butler, 99). The Spanish colonists were certainly adaptable to the Florida environment, particularly when selecting coquina, a foreign substance, as the building material of choice for the Castillo. Simply leaving Spain for the promise of good fortune overseas made nearly every colonist opportunistic. Despite their town being laid to waste and set ablaze by invading British forces, the Spanish were tenacious while sheltering in the Castillo, and survived to rebuild their town back stronger than before. Through extensive colonization efforts, the Spanish created an interconnected population across their Florida territory, strengthening unity and coexistence. In turn, with a stable population in the New World, Spain was fecund enough to grow foster growth and development beyond the borders of their country. Thus, according to Lauren's own criteria, the Spanish and the Castillo were undoubtedly successful.

Creative Component

Haiku - The Seashell Stone

Within this fortress

We are safely protected

By the seashell stone

Not a cannonball

Nor the strongest howitzer

Could collapse these walls

Drain our moat bone-dry

Or set fire to our town

Our people will live

Not our hot furnace

Nor your raging wildfire

Could burn our spirits

We live now for Spain

With Castillo as shield and

Florida as sword

Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center

St. Augustine, Florida

March 24, 2022

          The Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center is located in the Lincolnville neighborhood of St. Augustine and occupies the former building of Excelsior High School, the first public black high school in St. John's County. The museum contains many pieces of African American history, particularly during the post-Civil War and 1960s civil rights eras, and seeks "to preserve, promote, and perpetuate over 450 years of the African American story through the arts, educational programs, lectures, live performances and exhibits."

Official website: https://www.lincolnvillemuseum.org/

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          This is a photo of Obelisk Art 450, one of 25 different replicas of the Monumento a la Constitucion located on St. Augustine's Plaza de la Constitucion. This rendition was done by Joe Segal, and is based on the nails and shards traditionally imbedded in Nkondi power figures from Congo. These nails symbolize trials and hardships that the figure's tribe had to endure, while the upright position of the obelisk symbolizes pride and strength amidst pain and suffering. The artwork was also constructed around the values of Freedom, Democracy, Human Rights and Compassion, and thus the obelisk's tall form also represents the strong resolve to uphold these values.

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          This gallery shows a number of news articles and photos related to the life of Willie "The Wisp" Galimore, a professional football player for the Chicago Bears and an Excelsior High School graduate. In his seven-year-long career, he returned a 99-yard kickoff in his NFL debut, broke a team record with four touchdowns in one game, and became one of the fastest running backs in pro football to date. Outside of football, Galimore was also a supporter of local St. Augustine civil rights movements, and was the first African American to stay at the Ponce de Leon Hotel following its desegregation in 1964. Unfortunately, his life was tragically cut short when he was fatally injured in a car accident that same year. Galimore's legacy endures, however, both as a member of the College Football Hall of Fame (having played at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University) and by having the Willie Galimore Center on Riberia Street named after him.

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Image source: https://www.thoughtco.com/abraham-lincoln-and-the-gettysburg-address-1773573

          This is an artist's rendition of Abraham Lincoln giving his famous Gettysburg Address on the battlefield of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1863. Amidst the great casualties and conflicts of the Civil War, Lincoln's speech instilled hope in those who witnessed it that the fighting would eventually draw to a close, and that the nation would become ever stronger when it did. This speech followed not long after Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in the same year, which declared all African slaves within any state, either Union or Confederate, to be free. An artist's illustration of the proclamation's effects hangs on the wall of Lincolnville, as a testament to a leader who spoke for the minorities when they were unable to speak for themselves. This same notion inspired Martin Luther King, Jr.'s own speeches, with both historical figures aiding blacks in taking great strides towards freedom and equality.

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Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix

          This is a photo of 1960s guitarist Jimi Hendrix, one of the most influential rock musicians of all time. In the early 1960s, Hendrix originally joined the military, as service was one of the best ways for young black men to make a living during that time. After being discharged due to an ankle injury, Hendrix began to become an avid listener of R&B, and eventually picked up the guitar and began to play shows at African American dance clubs throughout the southern and eastern United States. Once his music career finally took off, Hendrix used his music to break into and influence mainstream music--including white music--like no other black musician before him, while using his music as an outlet for social change. His career is similar in scope and influence to the likes of Louis Armstrong, another famous black musician celebrated in Lincolnville.

Literature in Conversation

          Parable of the Sower is primarily centered around the struggles of a black family amidst rampant poverty, but there are several instances throughout the book where allusions are made to real-life treatment of African Americans. One of the most grim is on page 105, where Lauren Oya Olamina and her neighborhood accomplices happen upon a severed arm in a tree while searching for Lauren's father. Notably, Lauren states, "It was fresh and whole. A black man's arm, skin just like the color of my father's" (Butler, 105). The placement of the severed arm in a tree of all locations is likely an allusion to the lynching of blacks in trees that frequently occurred at the hands of terrorist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan in the early 1900s. Drawings of these atrocities are present in Lincolnville's displays, showing one of the many horrors suffered by blacks in America throughout history.

Creative Component

          This is an edit I made of the St. Augustine Trolley route that puts Lincolnville in the path of tourists, while simultaneously omitting the major tourist destinations in St. Augustine. The history of blacks in Florida is not widely considered a "tourist-friendly" topic, but with this revamped route, the stories of African Americans in St. Augustine can finally be told to the general population.

Tolomato Cemetery

St. Augustine, Florida

February 24, 2022

          Tolomato Cemetery is located near the original gates of the town of St. Augustine, and around 1,000 Augustinians are buried within its one acre site. It was originally a Franciscan mission in the First Spanish Period, before becoming a cemetery in the 18th century. The cemetery was in use all the way until the late 1800s. The individuals laid to rest in the cemetery make up the diverse cultural background of St. Augustine, and in a way tell the story of the town itself, from its Spanish settlement all the way to Florida officially becoming the 27th state admitted to the American union.

Official website: http://www.tolomatocemetery.com/

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          This marble monument was created by H.T. Baya to honor his wife, Mary Carmen Benet Baya, as well as his four children, Agnes, Franklin, Louise, and an infant also named Mary Carmen. By the late 1860s, most of the family had tragically passed away, with Mary dying due to complications from childbirth. H.T. Baya lived for several decades after creating this monument before passing away himself in 1912. 

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          This is an open bronze book inside the distinctive white chapel at the back of the cemetery commemorating the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Florida, as well as the 450th anniversary of St. Augustine's founding with bishop H.E. Felipe De Jesus Estevez. It also celebrates the visit of Jose Marti, who is regarded as the apostle of Cuban independence. Perhaps most notably, the book mentions Father Felix Varela, who was buried in 1853 in this chapel built specifically for him by his students in Havana and his friends from New York City. The left page is in English with an American flag behind it, while the right page is in Spanish with a Cuban flag behind it.

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Image source: https://stayva.org/blog/2019/08/26/arlington-national-cemetery

          Arlington National Cemetery is perhaps the most well-known cemetery in the United States, and contains nearly 400,000 gravestones. The fallen military members of many of America's wars are recognized both by name and anonymously through the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Unlike in Tolomato, most of the graves at Arlington have nearly identical designs to them, with the only differences being the name, date, and presence or absence of a Christian cross. Tolomato's graves are more individual in appearance, writing, language, size, and material, perhaps to highlight each deceased person's traits that made their life unique. The uniformity of the graves at Arlington may be a stark contrast to Tolomato graves, but there is symbolism present in this design choice as well; specifically, one nation, one people, all fighting for the same country.

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Image source: https://www.airtransat.com/experiencetransat/the-secret-behind-the-colon-cemetery-in-havana/

          Colon Cemetery in Havana, Cuba is one of the most important cemeteries not only in the country, but throughout all of Latin America. There are approximately 500 mausoleums in the cemetery, and Latin American individuals of all professions and backgrounds are interred within. The elaborate Christian imagery present in the statues and busts of angels is one of the defining characteristics of Colon, and allows each grave to stand out from the rest. A similar Cuban bust of Felix Varela is found in the chapel of Tolomato Cemetery, and it likely takes inspiration from the many icons present throughout the Colon Cemetery. In fact, Varela's grave at Tolomato likely would fit right in if he was buried at Colon instead.

Literature in Conversation

          Craig Santos Perez's "[lukao]" discusses the native Guam practice of burying the placenta and umbilical cord following the birth of a child, and how this practice was challenged by new American laws. He writes, "U.S. Naval orders mandated that the placenta and umbilical cord be burned because they were considered hazardous waste." (Perez, 69). This reminded me of how cemeteries eventually are filled and cannot contain any more of the deceased, such as what happened to Tolomato in 1884. At this stage, just like the aforementioned "placental politics", cremation becomes a common alternative to the traditional burial, and it has since come into semi-common practice in the United States. Nonetheless, some still desire to be buried in specific locations upon their death, and are committed to having their wish fulfilled, even if it goes against established law.

Creative Component

Oldest House Museum Complex

St. Augustine, Florida

February 17, 2022

          The Oldest House Museum Complex is a property that encompasses the oldest Spanish Colonial residence in Florida, the Surf Culture Museum, the Webb Museum, the Page Edwards Gallery, and ornamental gardens connecting each structure. The titular house, known officially as the Gonzalez-Alvarez House, combines both Spanish and British elements in its architecture, reflecting the lives of the families who came to reside in it. The coquina walls of the structure reflect the signature construction element of St. Augustine. Each of the other exhibits tells a piece of St. Augustine history through the perspective of several different groups, including the Spanish, British, and African Americans.

Official website: https://staughs.com/oldest-house-museum-complex/

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          This was the camera frequently used by African American photographer and Lincolnville resident Richard A. Twine in the 1920s. As one of only two photographers in Lincolnville, Twine's photography studio encountered great success among residents, despite his career as a photographer only lasting five years. Twine would photograph many of Lincolnville's weddings, funerals, parades, and other events, cementing the town's place in St. Augustine history as a nucleus of African American heritage and activity.

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          This is a reenacted dining room scene on the top floor of the Gonzalez-Alvarez House, reflective of late 1700s and early 1800s British furnishings. The top floor of the house draws heavy inspiration from typical British cedarwood construction during this time period, compared to the late 1600s Spanish feel of the ground floor with coquina walls and low lighting. The table and chairs are made of dark, durable wood, while fine tableware, saucers, plates and candlesticks allow for a traditional British air of elegance.

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Image source: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/early-photo/early-photo-france/a/louis-jacques-mande-daguerre-the-artists-studio-still-life-with-plaster-casts

          This is Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre's famous daguerreotype, The Artist's Studio / Still Life With Plaster Casts. Considered to be one of the oldest surviving photographs in the world, this piece was created in 1837 in order to bridge the gap between still life and paintings, while also taking steps forward for the fields of both art and science. While this image predates most of Richard Twine's work by nearly a century, both photographers sought to portray the world around them in unique ways that were widely uncommon at the time. As a black photographer, Twine likely felt an obligation to show the world his often-neglected African American neighborhood for what it truly was, much like how Daguerre went beyond the conventional limits of still-life painting by photographing the reality of physical objects.

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Image source: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/global-contemporary-apah/20th-century-apah/a/jaune-quick-to-see-smith-trade-gifts-for-trading-land-with-white-people

          This is a mixed-media collage by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, entitle Trade (Gifts for Trading Land to White People). The artwork consists of a drawing of a traditional Native American canoe covered in vibrant bands of yellow, green, and red, with various Native American-based memorabilia and souvenirs strung on a band on top of it. These include professional and college sports teams logos (such as the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, and the Florida State Seminoles), as well as tomahawks, Indian dolls, and moccasins. The artwork was created to "non-celebrate" the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus landing in America, an event which began the steady downfall, deposition, and eventual commoditization of Native Americans. The exhibits in the Indigo Room and the Cotton, Rice, Sugar and Citrus Room of the Oldest House Museum Complex similarly utilize materials from the history of African American discrimination to paint a grim portrait of oppression and disharmony between races in the United States.

Literature in Conversation

          In Parable of the Sower, the burning of Lauren's town Robledo is similar in many ways to the British burning of St. Augustine in 1702. By comparison, the siege of Robledo seemingly had more casualties during the initial assault, as very few of Lauren's neighbors are shown alive following the arrival of the crazed arsonists. Lauren's Earthseed quote during this scene is perhaps one of her most iconic: "In order to rise from its own ashes, a phoenix first must burn." (Butler, 122). Similarly, the strong coquina foundation of the Gonzalez-Alvarez House was only constructed after the initial structure was all but destroyed by the blazes. Only after this initial test of fire did the house reform to endure to the present day.

Creative Component

Nestled by the inlet's coast

This house of mine resides

Of its structure, there's little to boast

Nor much of what's inside

But these walls of solid silver shell

Conceal from you something more

Though walls alone may never tell

The troubled stories of yore

This town of saints, and sinners too

Was once ravaged by blaze

To think my house now stands anew

Is a truth that will amaze

This house has sheltered many here

In ages now long past

And yet, I still express no fear

If I should be the last

For this house of solid silver shell

Shall stand forevermore

And when I leave, it still shall tell

The troubled stories of yore

St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine

St. Augustine, Florida

February 10, 2022

          The St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine is a small structure on St. George Street in St. Augustine, Florida that houses a wide variety of objects, artwork, and exhibits related to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The shrine contains iconographical Christian frescoes, the clothing and vestments of Orthodox priests, and sacred treasures to Greek Orthodox traditions, such as communion and prayer. As a whole, the shrine utilizes its displays to narrate the story of the first Greek settlers coming to America in 1768, and the eventual founding of the Greek Orthodox Church in the New World.

Official website: https://stphotios.org/

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          These are a variety of articles instrumental for the practice of Holy Communion; namely, a chalice (top center), a bread seal (far right center), a New Testament (far left center), and a complete Bible adorned in imagery depicting Jesus, angels, and the four gospel writers (center). Christians carry out Communion to symbolize the Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples, on the night before he was crucified in Jerusalem. The bread seal on display here is used for the leavened bread in the ceremony, which represents Jesus' body, while the chalice holds both water and wine, representing Jesus' blood spilled at his execution. While faithful Christians partake of the bread and wine during the ceremony, a priest reads from the New Testament the passage concerning the verification of Jesus' death after his crucifixion.

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          These are the vestments formerly worn by Bishop John of Amorion (1928-2012), the first American-born priest to be consecrated to the Episcopacy in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. He was heavily involved with St. Photios in many ways, such as representing Archbishop Iakovos at its groundbreaking ceremony in 1978, serving as the chairman of the Board of Trustees in 1981 and later as the shrine's President in 1989, and writing a multitude of pamphlets and books regarding his faith. The vestments on display include the priest's robes, necklaces with images of Jesus and the cross, a tasseled cap, and a bejeweled headdress.

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Image source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Ark_of_the_Covenant/

          The Ark of the Covenant is the golden vessel which is said to have contained the original Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai. The commandments were supposedly written by God on two stone tablets placed inside the Ark. The Ark is one of the most famous Christian relics, as its contents shaped the nation of Israel for generations. A golden Reliquary with a similar design to the Ark is in St. Photios, and it contains bone fragments from some of the most well-known Christian saints, including St. Peter and St. Paul. Both vessels house relics considered to be sacred to the Christian religion, with the gold on both symbolizing divinity, righteousness, and sanctity.

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Image source: https://www.st-peters-basilica-tickets.com/st-peters-basilica/

          St. Peter's Basilica is located within Vatican City, Italy, and is the largest church in the world. It was built on the burial site of St. Peter, a disciple of Jesus and the first Bishop of Rome. The basilica is supported by a massive colonnade and is topped by a magnificent dome, underneath which an imposing shrine is erected for services. Deceased popes are buried in the basilica per tradition, and the interior is littered with statues, frescoes, and paintings depicting these popes and a plethora of other figures significant to Catholicism. St. Photios' design is similar to St. Peter's Basilica, though obviously on a much smaller scale. Vestments of priests and Christian figures are put on display within both spaces, shrines with elaborate and symbolic designs are prominent, and frescoes illustrating the life of Jesus (with gold as a prominent color) are also plentiful.

Literature in Conversation

          In Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower, Lauren Oya Olamina's baptism is performed in a church setting, despite the semi-dystopian world Lauren lives in. However, when discussing how the ritual came to pass, she remarks, "Dad insisted on fresh, clean, potable water for the baptism. He couldn't afford it, of course. Who could?" (Butler, 12). Her comment on the water's quality is reflective of traditional Christian baptism practices, where the water used during the ceremony is blessed by the Holy Spirit and purifies the individual being baptized. Baptisms must be carried out in very specific fashion, similar to the instructions for Communion written on display in St. Photios. While dirty, contaminated water used during a traditional baptism would be seen as tainted and unholy, individuals in Lauren's community are unable to access basic necessities, and thus must settle for whatever water they can find. This is highly symbolic of her town's collective "fall from grace", and rejection of strict Christian practices.

Creative Component

                                                

          This is an auto-generated artwork created in response to the keywords "Greek Orthodox Shrine". Even in this abstract form, the golden frescoes, sloped ceiling, otherworldly candlelight, Christian iconography, and grand altar--all of which found in St. Photios--can be made out in this blend of color.

Lightner Museum

St. Augustine, Florida

March 10, 2022

          The Lightner Museum occupies the structure of the former Hotel Alcazar, a Gilded Age resort commissioned for construction by Henry Flagler in the late 1800s. Spanning three floors and over a dozen galleries and exhibits, the museum highlights a plethora of Gilded Age artifacts, including European glasswork, ornate furniture, musical devices, sculptures, paintings, and Native American relics. The museum also houses displays of seashells and precious stones, and contains a ballroom situated above the former location of the hotel’s pool, which now functions as a café. The building is one of the most iconic landmarks in downtown St. Augustine, and its signature Spanish Renaissance Revival style serves as a historic testament to the very city it resides in.

Official website: https://lightnermuseum.org/

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          This is an oil on canvas portrait of Louis XVIII, the last of the Sun Kings of France, thought to have been done by Louis XVI's personally-ordained painter, Antoine-Francois Callet. The portrait depicts Louis XVIII in traditional French regalia commonly used by both the monarchs who preceded him, as well as by the two who would succeed him before the monarchy was abolished in 1848. The king ruled from 1814 to 1824--just under a decade--and was the last French monarch to die while still reigning, but still helped France improve financially and politically in many ways. First exhibited in Paris in 1817, this painting was eventually purchased by Mary Frick Jacobs, the notable patron of the arts in New York. Following her art collection being auctioned off in 1941, the painting was bought from a collector in California and eventually came to reside in Florida.

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          This is a stained glass window panel depicting St. Augustine (354-430 AD), done by Tiffany Studios, the prized workshop of Louis Comfort Tiffany. A remarkable American artist, Tiffany based his stained glass work on the creations of various European decorative artists across Europe and Northern Africa, while also infusing his own personal style. His glass company required specialized individuals to translate his unique ideas into glasswork, and all artwork created by the company is not identified by individual names. This lead glass panel was created in the early 1900s, and depicts St. Augustine as a bishop adorned in and surrounded by pontifical vestments, including a mitre (a theological headdress), a crozier (a staff which resembles a shepherd's crook), and an open book, which symbolizes wisdom and the acquisition of knowledge.

Image in Conversation 1

Image source: https://www.exploreasheville.com/iconic-asheville/biltmore/

            The Biltmore House is located within the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, and is the largest privately-owned house in the United States. George Washington Vanderbilt II, a descendant of American business magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, commissioned the house's construction in 1889, and it was opened in 1895. His daughter Cornelia Vanderbilt opened the house to the public in 1930, and it has since become a National Historic Landmark, bringing in over one million visitors annually. The mansion is built in a Chateauesque architectural style, and contains 250 rooms, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, galleries, kitchens, a conservatory, a dining hall, a bowling alley, a gymnasium, and an indoor, underground swimming pool. The lattermost feature is shared with the Lightner Museum, though both pools are now dried up in the present day. Both the Biltmore House and the Lightner Museum were also Gilded Age architectural marvels commissioned by individuals with connections to some of the most significant business magnates of their time.

Image in Conversation 2

Image source: http://kudosnb.com/the-most-amazing-christmas-trees-in-the-world/

          This is a photo of a glass Christmas tree situated in Venice, Italy. The 26-foot-tall tree was designed by Simon Cenedese in 2006, and is made up of 1,000 glass tubes and 2,000 metal rods. Glassworks like this one are made on the nearby island of Murano, and the glass itself is uniquely thin and extra fragile. The distinctly vibrant coloration can be produced by embedded gold dust, lace work, and applied fruits or flowers. Many samples of Venetian glass are on display in the Lightner Museum, but instead have been translated into goblets, dishes, bowls, vases, and other forms of tableware.

Literature in Conversation

          In Craig Santos Perez's "[lukao]", the conflicting cultures of the United States and Guam are addressed in relation to Guam's traditional midwife birthing practices. Perez writes, "In 1907, the U.S. Navy medical officers started to regulate, certify, and license Chamorro midwives. Public law also determined midwife fees and wages..." (Perez, 37). This example shows how the United States tended to trample on the traditions and lifestyles of minorities for nearly two centuries in favor of establishing a common "American standard". The presence of Native American artifacts in the Lightner Museum contrasts heavily with this notion, as similar to the people of Guam, Native Americans had been forced off of their land for decades as Americans expanded westward in the 1800s. Having these items respectfully displayed is inconsistent with how Americans have harshly treated natives historically. Perhaps even more ironically, these artifacts are displayed in the Hotel Alcazar, which itself had been constructed right on top of a living marshland and creek. These actions illustrate the American desire to overwrite the natural land with facilities that are more suitable to forward progress. Thus, while there are now increased efforts to preserve the cultures of people oppressed or marginalized throughout the history of the United States, the sins of America's past occasionally resurface even today.

Creative Component

Haikus - The Sight of Oppression

Inside the fortress

Of song, glass, paint, shell, and stone

We avert our gaze

Within the stone walls

Of ambition's selfish drive

We glimpse at our past

Amidst the relics

Of a past both bold and cruel

We see the full truth