Munich Architecture

Munich architecture is a very interesting mix of styles. This colourful glass wall (“Bühnenfenster,” an installation by Olafur Eliasson, of Narima glass, by Schott) is the back of the Bavarian State Opera’s rehearsal hall.

The Max Planck Society, a research center, has a very cool interlocking stone sculpture flanking its main entrance.

Across the the street from the Max Planck Society is the Bavarian State Chancery, which was destroyed during WWII and rebuilt in steel and glass. It’s so wide that I would have needed an extreme wide angle lens to photograph the entire building, so you’ll have to settle for the middle section.

The New City Hall (Neues Rathaus) from the outside, below the tower. Our guide told us that the glockenspiel performance isn’t worth organizing your schedule around, but if you happen to be passing through Marienplatz just before 5 p.m., you might as well hang around for a few minutes to watch the mechanical jousting knights.

Courtyard of the new city hall, in typical neo-Gothic style.

Highly decorated oriel windows in the courtyard of the new city hall.

Accordionist playing in what we would have assumed was a beer garden. Our guide told us that to be considered a beer garden (a place where you are welcome to bring your own food as long as you purchase the drinks), it has to be a permanent set-up. Since the tables and umbrellas are only out in good weather, apparently it’s not a true beer garden. The accordionist let out a yelp after each song so that people would notice and applaud.

A High-Level View of Munich

Frauenkirche, or Church of the Virgin Mary, photographed from the Neues Rathaus tower.

I was in Munich last week, as a participant in Red Hat’s New Hire Orientation (EMEA) program. We spent two days watching presentations and were presented with our brand new red fedoras! Well, most of them got the hats. Those of us with very small heads will have to wait for our to be delivered.

On the second day, after the presentations, a number of us went back to Marienplatz in the old historic center of Munich to do some touristy things. These photos were taken from the tower of the Neues Rathaus (New City Hall), which is accessible by elevator for 2.50 Euros.

St. Peter’s Church also has a tower with a magnificent view. You pay 3.00 Euros for the privilege of climbing 300 stairs to the top. It is a bit higher than the Neues Rathaus tower, however!

View of the Alte Rathaus, which actually dates back to the 14th century, despite its “new” look.

Looking down into the Neues Rathaus courtyard.

Tower of the Theatine Church (aka the Yellow Church) on the left, with the Siegestor (Victory Arch) beyond.

More from the Jerusalem Festival of Light 2017

“RGB3D” (Ido Scherf and Shai Shtarker, Israel) was a clever installation. At first glance it looked like a pretty but meaningless display of coloured lightbulbs behind a fence. In front of the fence were three steps, coloured red, blue, and green. When viewed from the top of each step, the lights spelled the name of the colour. I took this photo from the RED step.

“Moon Haze” (Feng Jiacheng and Huang Yuanbei, PR China), or the far side of the moon, literally. I walked around it to the other side to photograph the inflated moon at a reasonable distance, away from the crowds. I included the guy with the phonecam to show scale. The moon is sitting on the 3,000-year-old Broad Wall, one of the ancient city walls of Jerusalem.

I’ve seen some weird things in the Muristan but “Oasis” (Gil Teichman, in collaboration with Nitzan Refaeli and Ronen Nadjar, Israel) tops them all. The installation “includes a special performance of favorite elephants from previous festivals.” Previous festivals? Does that mean previous Jerusalem Festivals of Light? Did anyone see the elephants performing? I saw inflated elephants with a soundtrack of elephants trumpeting. If someone managed to get elephants into the cramped streets of the Christian Quarter, that would have been quite a logistcal feat.

Batei Mahsei has had some stunning video-mapping installations projected onto its distinctive arched facade in the past. This was not one of them. “Dream Machine,” by Liron Gavish, Shootzi, Tal Heuberger, and Ido Ramon, Israel. It was pleasant but not stunning.

“Drawn in Light,” by Ralf Westerhof, The Netherlands, was simple but surprisingly effective. The three-dimensional wire house, trees, and other elements, suspended as a giant mobile, comprised a constantly changing landscape. The house’s rotation revealed new details and perspectives. It’s difficult to show scale in a photo. According to the description, the installation was 13 meters wide.

“Cathedral of Mirrors” (Mads Christensen, Denmark) was an interactive installation with motion sensors. The colours shifted and pulsated when people walked between the columns or touched them.

“Fly,” by Itzik Ilus, Israel. Clear plastic birds lit by coloured lights. This year the route was marked by orange arrow signs. They were much more difficult to locate and follow than the strings of LED lights usedat  past festivals. Please bring back the light strings! You have no idea how many people missed the sharp right turn down the stairs to Batei Mahsei, walking from the Cardo to the Hurva by accident.

“Solaris,” Hurva Synagogue – Jerusalem Festival of Light 2017

“Solaris” is a video-mapping installation by Visualsupport, Poland, incorporating the Hurva Synagogue. The festival brochure describes it as the show’s “world premiere in Jerusalem.” It was pretty, but not amazing. Scroll down for the video.

Concert and Candles in Zedekiah’s Cave – Jerusalem Festival of Light 2017

Where else could you see a piano concert at the bottom of a 2000-year-old cave? “Interactive Shadows” (Studio Insight, Guy Romem, Israel) refers to the cameras set along the path to the bottom of the cave. The cameras project images of the viewers on the walls, with different effects (line drawings, coloured silhouettes, etc.).

The musicians are listed as Yoel Shemesh and Achiya Asher Cohen Alloro. I have no idea who was playing that evening. At one point there was a loud cracking sound. The pianist, without missing a beat, looked over his shoulder at a bench that had collapsed in the middle from the weight of the children.

Selfies….

The Tribe – Fire Dancers at the Jerusalem Festival of Light 2017

Fire and dance show called “The Tribe” (Lital Natanzon, Israel), in the open auditorium on Tsanchanim Road. I can’t say that I noticed any characters or encounters with figures from other worlds, but it was fun to watch. There are only two performances, at 8:30 and 9:15. I recommend you try to get there early, maybe first on your agenda, because it does get crowded.

Long exposures are not easy when handheld at a significant distance.

I call this one Headless Nick. Strange effect!

Peacock and Greek Folk Music – Jerusalem Festival of Light 2017

It’s that time of year again! I love photographing the annual Festival of Light in the Old City. This is the festival’s ninth year. I think I’ve missed only one.

The Peacock (Tim Scofield Studios, USA), was one of my favourite installations. It’s located on Chabad Street, close to Zion Gate. Comprising more than 14,400 individually addressable LED lights, it measure more than 12 m. wide and 6.5 m. high.

I think I was playing with longer exposures when I took this photo.

Here’s a video of the Peacock:

Two Israeli musicians playing Greek instruments. The bowed instrument is a lyra creta and the other is an outi.

In this video I shot, the guy on the right has bells attached to his bow. It’s very cool how he’s able to shake his hand to make them ring in time to the music.