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Sunday, September 25, 2005
Gueco: Architecture
By Malu Gueco
WHAT a feeling of surging joy in my heart!
Energizing me with spine-tingling delight, filling up my visual senses and lifting up my spirits is this grand structure — Iglesia ni Cristo Church in Quezon City. Located across the UP Diliman campus, it exudes a golden glow of architectural excellence melded with one’s spiritual longings. Especially when it is seen against a purplish sunset, its green-and-white facade sparks off a spectacle of thousands lights guiding human beings in their search to touch the Heavens.
Elegant towers, pointed spires, massive pillars form a mosaic of compelling creativity. Its Gothic frame is a living testimony to how human hands combined with artistic imagery can portray the immense purpose of life.
Gothic essence
Inspiring my writing energies to flow, I run to the research center, opened the pages of history and unearthed these stirring facts about the influence of the Gothic architectural style from the past.
Roots
Rising up in the 12th century, Gothic art powered the drive to create art, sculpture and architecture. Touching the building frenzy mood raging in Northern Europe, it became the cornerstone of structural design. Pointed arches, vaulted ceilings and light through large windows capped its essence.
The church windows came also to be known as rose windows. They beautifully captured the spirit of the stained glass. The process of making stained glass followed this mode. A design of the window was drawn on a wooden panel, glass was cut finally, it was fitted into the contour of the figure, pattern and outline. Enlivening red, blue and yellow colors animated this 12th century window frame.
Examples
The Shrine of St. Denis first showed the transcendental qualities of Gothic architecture. Located near Paris, France, it featured a sculptured triple portal (doorway) with twin square towers.
In Florence, Italy, the Palazzo Vecchio was built to house the Priori or Council. It displayed battlements, pointed windows and impressive rusticated artwork. It became the Italian symbol of multiple architectural forms, colors and detailed icons.
In sum
Gothic art emphasized elongated, pointed and decorative design in buildings, shrines and churches. Firing up the creativity of human craftsmanship, igniting the human spiritual journey and blazing the path of artistic endeavors, its pointed spires bridged the gateway from our planet earth to the clouds of Heaven.
* * * * *
Announcement. Today, let us now gaze at another matter at hand.
Litehaus Foundation will be presenting a series of talks starting next month. Their opening salvo will focus on the topic of “Soul Mate and Relationships”.
This is slated for Oct. 22, 2005, Saturday, 2 to 5 p.m. Venue is set at the Marlim Mansions in Balibago, Angeles City. You are all invited in this sharing. Please call the energetic Mr. Fred V. Cruz at 045-8921182 or 091722463694 for the event’s details. See you there!
Litehaus joins you in celebrating the blessings of the wonderful Universe. Bring light to everyone, bask in peace and be in love!
(September 25, 2005 issue)
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