Mustafa Hafezzada A Renewed Drive (Historical Site Report #2) The Getty Villa, located in Pacific Palisades, is by far the museum that resonates with me the most. From the artwork to the building itself, I’m in love. I went with a childhood friend of mine because I had an extra ticket and I coerced him to join me. The tickets were free, but the parking was fifteen dollars; a very fair price in my opinion. To get to the Getty Villa you must drive on a pathway that felt very rough in my car. I was not sure if she would make it up because she is fifteen years old now, but luckily we made it.
When we first arrived we saw a man sprinting for a baby carriage that war rolling down the slope in the garage. This moment made us realize that today was going to be an interesting day. We set out for the Villa and conversed about our semester so far. As we were speaking and laughing we made it to the Villa and started at the garden. The garden did not impress me too much, but it was lovely. We swiftly made our way through and took a moment to appreciate the view from the balcony before entering the villa. The way the sun glistened on the waters of Pacific Palisades can be only be described as amazing.
After taking in the scenery we began our journey. To my disappointment, the pool in the center of the walkway was empty. We began by walking on the right side of the walkway. My friend touched the walls and told me to touch the wall as well. It felt very smooth and sturdy. We then noticed a sign that read “DO NOT TOUCH THE WALL” and we immediately stopped. The patterns on the ceiling had a sort of mesmerising theme to them. The pattern would continually repeat and it gave a sense of satisfaction as you walked and stared up. The pattern on the floor has the same effect.
My friend and I reasoned that this must have been a country club for the wealthiest demographics of the population. The amount of capital needed to maintain such an extravagant building must not have been handled by only one person. It would be awfully lonely to live in such a large building all by yourself. We did not find any bedrooms, so that would support our claim of the villa being meant as a place to come and visit and not live. We were walking through the the exhibits without interest, until we reached the Herakles gallery.
The Lansdowne Herakles caught my attention as I saw it lit through the hallway. I notice a man handling what appears to be a lion’s carcass as well as a club. I am an avid fan of exercise and people being in good shape, so | hastily walk towards him. I immediately notice his body is in contrapposto and I try to stand in the same fashion. He has a seemingly large scratch on his body from the fierce encounter that he had with the lion. The ultimate battle to conquer the king of the jungle. My friend joked about how Herakles had his private removed and we had a good laugh about that.
After Herakles, we had continued walking and saw the gorgeou Venus. Venus was depicted with an unsightly dolphin at her side. The dolphin at her side was most likely to allude to her birth from the sea. The posts to hold this figure upright were very apparent. When looking at Venus herself, one can see that she is looking away while covering herself. The cloth that she was covering herself with has natural looking ripples and slack in them. The cloth was made to bring the attention of the work to her hip area. Her body is made to be desexualized and not as an object of fantasy.
The greatest of all the artworks was the Prize Vessel from the Athenian Games. The Vessel was made to be a trophy to whoever won the games and inside of it contained olive oil, which even today people love. Athena is depicted by herself on one side and on the other had multiple individuals. Athena, goddess of wisdom, was the largest figure on the entire artwork. The second most prominent individual was Nike, goddess of victory. She was bestowing her blessings on the two finalists who had put their all into winning the trophy.
Then there were the two combatants and one elderly looking man pointing in their direction. The more I looked at the Vessel the more I felt inspired by it. The details were so minute, but I always remember that the details is what makes the bigger artwork look fantastic. I could feel my heart pounding as thought what it would be like to hold that trophy up. To bring pride, as well as wealth, to everyone in your family who may have needed this more than anything. The discipline it must take to win a trophy in a society that is very athletically driven.
For our last stop, my friend and I reached the amphitheatre they have next to the food area. My friend painted a picture of being the center of attention to a packed house. He then said he would sing for me and I went and got to be in the audience for his live performance. The sound quality in the area was outstanding. I could hear him well from anywhere that I sat. I am not sure if I was imagining the sound quality was good or if they actually engineered it to be that way. He sang “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson for a random lady and myself.
When we were on our way out from the Getty Villa, I realized that I need to be more focused and discipline in the aspect of school. Looking at the art and trying to put myself in the shoes of those who worked tirelessly to create that beauty, made me want to work even harder in my life. I would, and have, recommended the Getty Villa to my friends and a couple of my peers. It is full to the brim with history of ancient Greece. Although I say to visit, I warn others that the sculptures there only makes you crave for more.