Showing posts with label MUSEUMS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MUSEUMS. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Five alcohol museums around the world
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Hair Story
The supremely weird Avanos Hair Museum in Cappadocia, Turkey is the result of one man’s 40-year-long obsession with women’s hair from around the world.
By Raul Dias
Glaring at me with bloodshot eyes, Galip Körükçü makes it very clear that he isn’t too happy with my siesta-busting, mid-afternoon intrusion. I’m at Chez Galip, his famous pottery shop in the town of Avanos, some eight kilometres from Göreme, the historical center of Cappadocia in the heart Turkey. Avanos is well-known for its beautiful pottery, fashioned out of the red, mineral-rich clay that’s dredged from the bed of the nearby Kizilirmak River.
But that’s not what draws me to the modest little pottery shop. It’s what lies beneath, carefully hidden out of sight in its basement that has piqued my interest. The Avanos Hair Museum, a veritable ‘shrine’ dedicated to women’s hair is what the 63-year-old Galip has been painstakingly building up one lock at a time since 1979.
It’s only when I tell him that that’s also the year of my birth, does the Albert Einstein lookalike relent and allow me into his bizarre subterranean passion project. There is no entry fee for the museum, and everyone is welcome, provided they inform him in advance by telephone, he lets me know with a sardonic smile. I’m led down a flight of stone steps into a large cavernous tunnel that is entirely covered—from walls to ceiling—with pinned locks of hair in every length, texture and colour with a slip of paper affixed to each.
In the last 40 years, Galip has managed to collect an astounding 16,000 plus locks of hair that have been voluntarily left behind by women visitors from around the world. A table at the end of the tunnel even has a pair of scissors, duct tape, thumb tacks with a pen and some paper for women to write down their names and addresses on after snipping a few strands of their hair.
Galip tells me that it all started when a French lady who was learning pottery under him left behind a few strands of her hair as a sort of memento before she returned home. Hearing this story, over the years, women have been leaving behind a piece of their hair adding more heft to his rather hairy tale!
But that’s not all, every six months—at the beginning of June and December—the first visitor to the pottery shop is given the job of selecting 10 locks from the museum. These 10 ‘winners’ are then contacted by Galip and invited back to Avanos for an all-expenses paid week-long stay to learn pottery from him, if they so choose.
“So, why aren’t men invited to leave behind their hair?”, I ask him as a parting shot. He turns his stern glare upwards in the direction of my boring old buzzcut. I have my answer.
Hair Apparent!
Another hair museum, called Leila’s Hair Museum in Independence, Missouri, USA does things a tad differently. Established in 1986 by Leila Cohoon, a retired cosmetology teacher, the museum displays samples of hair art dating back to the 16th century. These range from wearable trinkets like neckpieces and brooches to paintings and medallions all made with strands of human hair. The practise of making art from hair reached its zenith in the Victorian era in England and France when people commissioned such art as a memento of a loved one.
(A differently edited version of this article appeared in the 2nd February 2020 issue of the Hindustan Times, India newspaper's Weekend supplement, on page III. https://www.hindustantimes.com/travel/visit-a-unique-hair-museum-and-leave-a-lock-in-turkey/story-VYEgis94khBMEaYN0LCvKP.html)
By Raul Dias
Glaring at me with bloodshot eyes, Galip Körükçü makes it very clear that he isn’t too happy with my siesta-busting, mid-afternoon intrusion. I’m at Chez Galip, his famous pottery shop in the town of Avanos, some eight kilometres from Göreme, the historical center of Cappadocia in the heart Turkey. Avanos is well-known for its beautiful pottery, fashioned out of the red, mineral-rich clay that’s dredged from the bed of the nearby Kizilirmak River.
But that’s not what draws me to the modest little pottery shop. It’s what lies beneath, carefully hidden out of sight in its basement that has piqued my interest. The Avanos Hair Museum, a veritable ‘shrine’ dedicated to women’s hair is what the 63-year-old Galip has been painstakingly building up one lock at a time since 1979.
It’s only when I tell him that that’s also the year of my birth, does the Albert Einstein lookalike relent and allow me into his bizarre subterranean passion project. There is no entry fee for the museum, and everyone is welcome, provided they inform him in advance by telephone, he lets me know with a sardonic smile. I’m led down a flight of stone steps into a large cavernous tunnel that is entirely covered—from walls to ceiling—with pinned locks of hair in every length, texture and colour with a slip of paper affixed to each.
In the last 40 years, Galip has managed to collect an astounding 16,000 plus locks of hair that have been voluntarily left behind by women visitors from around the world. A table at the end of the tunnel even has a pair of scissors, duct tape, thumb tacks with a pen and some paper for women to write down their names and addresses on after snipping a few strands of their hair.
Galip tells me that it all started when a French lady who was learning pottery under him left behind a few strands of her hair as a sort of memento before she returned home. Hearing this story, over the years, women have been leaving behind a piece of their hair adding more heft to his rather hairy tale!
But that’s not all, every six months—at the beginning of June and December—the first visitor to the pottery shop is given the job of selecting 10 locks from the museum. These 10 ‘winners’ are then contacted by Galip and invited back to Avanos for an all-expenses paid week-long stay to learn pottery from him, if they so choose.
“So, why aren’t men invited to leave behind their hair?”, I ask him as a parting shot. He turns his stern glare upwards in the direction of my boring old buzzcut. I have my answer.
Hair Apparent!
Another hair museum, called Leila’s Hair Museum in Independence, Missouri, USA does things a tad differently. Established in 1986 by Leila Cohoon, a retired cosmetology teacher, the museum displays samples of hair art dating back to the 16th century. These range from wearable trinkets like neckpieces and brooches to paintings and medallions all made with strands of human hair. The practise of making art from hair reached its zenith in the Victorian era in England and France when people commissioned such art as a memento of a loved one.
(A differently edited version of this article appeared in the 2nd February 2020 issue of the Hindustan Times, India newspaper's Weekend supplement, on page III. https://www.hindustantimes.com/travel/visit-a-unique-hair-museum-and-leave-a-lock-in-turkey/story-VYEgis94khBMEaYN0LCvKP.html)
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Celebrating Her!
In the run up to next week’s International Women’s Day on 8th March, this Sunday Raul Dias takes you to four museums around the world that are dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the woman in all her strength and glory.
By Raul Dias
Having my birthday fall exactly a day after 8th March’s International Women’s Day, the day has always been a significant one in my life. Coming from a family dominated by extremely strong, successful ladies, I’ve always held women in the highest esteem. So much so, that, whenever I travel, I try and fit in at least one activity that celebrates a woman the way she should be—with respect and admiration. Be it learning the finer nuances of batik painting in Indonesia from a very patient lady or partaking in a voodoo ritual conducted by a high priestess in New Orleans!
And so, the following article is a collation of my various visits over the years to museums around the world that are significantly different from the scores of others I have visited. Welcome to some of the best ‘Women’s Museums’—from America to Africa and from the UAE to the UK. Places that focus on everything from the history of women’s political, social and cultural equality to some stunning works of art for and by women…
Women’s Museum
Dubai, UAE
Located in Dubai’s historic quarter of Deira, the Women’s Museum is housed in a building called Bait al Banat, which translates to “The Girls House”. Built in the 1950s, this former residential home was said to be the place where three unmarried Emirati sisters once lived. Today, besides being a museum, the space is a national archive and documentation center. It is dedicated to exploring the different facets of the lives of Emirati women—professional and personal, past and present. It includes artwork by various female Emirati artists and photographs showing the contributions of Emirati women. Examples of their Emirati jewellery and dresses and an exploration of how past and current rulers have affected the role of women in the UAE can also be found in this fascinating one-of-a-kind museum.
National Cowgirl Museum
Fort Worth, USA
This museum dedicated to women’s empowerment in a very interesting and unique way, was first started in 1975 in the basement of the Deaf Smith County Library in Hereford, Texas. It was removed to Fort Worth, also in Texas in 1994 and is today dedicated to honouring women of the American West who have displayed extraordinary courage and pioneering fortitude. The museum is an educational resource with exhibits, a research library, and rare photography collections. Among its many permanent exhibits, “Into the Arena,” is one of the most fascinating ones. This one covers women in the fields of rodeo and trick riding, as well as modern horsewomen of note such as Belmont Stakes winning jockey Julie Krone. It has interactive computer displays, rodeo memorabilia, clothing, and other rodeo artifacts. However, I personally enjoyed the “Claiming the Spotlight” exbibit that shows the cowgirl as represented in media, and the varying roles the archetypical cowgirl has played in film, television, advertising and music.
Karen Blixen Museum
Nairobi, Kenya
Just as one would expect a museum dedicated to an author who was so in love with the wilds of Africa, the Karen Blixen Museum is housed at the foot of the Ngong Hills, around 10 km outside of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. The life of the Danish writer who was famous for her book Out of Africa is celebrated so wondrously in this well-appointed museum housed in a colonial-style bungalow. The house and its attached property were bought in 1917 by Blixen and her husband, Baron Bror von Blixen-Finecke with the intention of operating a coffee plantation. After the Blixens separated in 1921, Karen Blixen continued to live at the house and run the plantation until she returned to Denmark 1931. Her life here is chronicled both in her most famous aforementioned book, as well as in her other book Shadows of the Grass. At the museum, one can join the guided tours of the house, which features rooms designed in both the original decor and with props from the 1985 film that was based on Out of Africa and know more about Blixen’s fascinating life.
Florence Nightingale Museum
London, UK
Another great woman whose life and work is celebrated in a specially dedicated museum is the world’s most famous nurse Florence Nightingale. Located on the banks of the river Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament in London, the museum attracts visitors from all over the world who want to learn more about the ‘Lady with the Lamp’ and her Victorian world. Here you can also examine Florence’s legacy, her influence on nursing today and the continuing relevance of her work. The Florence Nightingale Museum even runs a busy learning programme for schools and families activities, as well as a lively events programme with regular afternoon and event talks. Make sure to check the museum’s schedule to see what’s on before you visit!
(An edited version of this column first appeard in the 3rd March 2019 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 https://www.freepressjournal.in/travel/international-womens-day-2019-4-museums-around-the-world-dedicated-to-the-indomitable-spirit-of-woman/1472637)
By Raul Dias
Having my birthday fall exactly a day after 8th March’s International Women’s Day, the day has always been a significant one in my life. Coming from a family dominated by extremely strong, successful ladies, I’ve always held women in the highest esteem. So much so, that, whenever I travel, I try and fit in at least one activity that celebrates a woman the way she should be—with respect and admiration. Be it learning the finer nuances of batik painting in Indonesia from a very patient lady or partaking in a voodoo ritual conducted by a high priestess in New Orleans!
And so, the following article is a collation of my various visits over the years to museums around the world that are significantly different from the scores of others I have visited. Welcome to some of the best ‘Women’s Museums’—from America to Africa and from the UAE to the UK. Places that focus on everything from the history of women’s political, social and cultural equality to some stunning works of art for and by women…
Women’s Museum
Dubai, UAE
Located in Dubai’s historic quarter of Deira, the Women’s Museum is housed in a building called Bait al Banat, which translates to “The Girls House”. Built in the 1950s, this former residential home was said to be the place where three unmarried Emirati sisters once lived. Today, besides being a museum, the space is a national archive and documentation center. It is dedicated to exploring the different facets of the lives of Emirati women—professional and personal, past and present. It includes artwork by various female Emirati artists and photographs showing the contributions of Emirati women. Examples of their Emirati jewellery and dresses and an exploration of how past and current rulers have affected the role of women in the UAE can also be found in this fascinating one-of-a-kind museum.
National Cowgirl Museum
Fort Worth, USA
This museum dedicated to women’s empowerment in a very interesting and unique way, was first started in 1975 in the basement of the Deaf Smith County Library in Hereford, Texas. It was removed to Fort Worth, also in Texas in 1994 and is today dedicated to honouring women of the American West who have displayed extraordinary courage and pioneering fortitude. The museum is an educational resource with exhibits, a research library, and rare photography collections. Among its many permanent exhibits, “Into the Arena,” is one of the most fascinating ones. This one covers women in the fields of rodeo and trick riding, as well as modern horsewomen of note such as Belmont Stakes winning jockey Julie Krone. It has interactive computer displays, rodeo memorabilia, clothing, and other rodeo artifacts. However, I personally enjoyed the “Claiming the Spotlight” exbibit that shows the cowgirl as represented in media, and the varying roles the archetypical cowgirl has played in film, television, advertising and music.
Karen Blixen Museum
Nairobi, Kenya
Just as one would expect a museum dedicated to an author who was so in love with the wilds of Africa, the Karen Blixen Museum is housed at the foot of the Ngong Hills, around 10 km outside of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. The life of the Danish writer who was famous for her book Out of Africa is celebrated so wondrously in this well-appointed museum housed in a colonial-style bungalow. The house and its attached property were bought in 1917 by Blixen and her husband, Baron Bror von Blixen-Finecke with the intention of operating a coffee plantation. After the Blixens separated in 1921, Karen Blixen continued to live at the house and run the plantation until she returned to Denmark 1931. Her life here is chronicled both in her most famous aforementioned book, as well as in her other book Shadows of the Grass. At the museum, one can join the guided tours of the house, which features rooms designed in both the original decor and with props from the 1985 film that was based on Out of Africa and know more about Blixen’s fascinating life.
Florence Nightingale Museum
London, UK
Another great woman whose life and work is celebrated in a specially dedicated museum is the world’s most famous nurse Florence Nightingale. Located on the banks of the river Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament in London, the museum attracts visitors from all over the world who want to learn more about the ‘Lady with the Lamp’ and her Victorian world. Here you can also examine Florence’s legacy, her influence on nursing today and the continuing relevance of her work. The Florence Nightingale Museum even runs a busy learning programme for schools and families activities, as well as a lively events programme with regular afternoon and event talks. Make sure to check the museum’s schedule to see what’s on before you visit!
(An edited version of this column first appeard in the 3rd March 2019 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 https://www.freepressjournal.in/travel/international-womens-day-2019-4-museums-around-the-world-dedicated-to-the-indomitable-spirit-of-woman/1472637)
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