A DEFINITE sign of the times...

Ok I am a bit of a lurker on the politcal parties websites, however I think this is a first for me. The main government party, Fianna Fáil has a translation service not in the first or second language of the country but rather in Polski. I don't speak Polish so I cannot vouch for its reliability but I am sure they have a well paid translator. However if I thought this was a fluke, I was slyly bemused to see a similar Polski translation service on the main opposition party, Fine Gael. However the Greens do not have one, nor the PDs( its ok nobody judges you).

However, the FF site does not allow for the whole site to be translated into Polski but rather specific stories related to the Polish card carrying FF members. Similarily the FG site does the same but also has provision for Lithuanian and Russian. Now initially I would have assumed this is to do with the Local and European Elections next year and incresing both parties vote in Europe by appealing to those EU nationals residing here. I still assume that is the case. However I am scared by Enda's pose in his Russian application form. Its proabably because I cannot read Russian and my language skills in general are quiet shite. However I am quiet impressed by both parties, in a little way for identifying these voters and bringing them into the loop of the Irish democratic system. Now if only we would open up our National elections to the same level of equity, we might have a truly representative democracy.

National Gallery of Ireland: Paintings from Poland: Symbolism to Modern Art (1880-1939)

Ok I had some time to kill today and I hadn't been to the National Gallery in around a year, so I took the afternoon off and paid a visit. They have an exbo on at the moment on Polish art pieces from the nineteenth to the mid twentieth century. Unfortunately it is ending on the 27th, so if you are planning on going to see it, make sure you go before Sunday. There are two amazing pieces which struck out for me-naturally i don't remember the names or the artists!.

The first piece, is from the first part of the exbo and is that of a ship on the ocean, however there is a vibrancy and fantasical colours within the painting that makes it incredibly appealing to the eyes. Mixes of greens & dark blues of the sea & the sky, along with the lighter colours of the stars, with reds in the foreground near the ship, which is sailing on this rough sea, but which leaves a wash of fantasy colours-reds, blues, greens, golds. The whole piece melds together and is truely a sight to behold. What I loved about the piece is that it is some 10ft by 10ft and makes a huge impression in the room it was in. I loved the colours and I loved the metaphors of sailing on the ocean of life which it was inevitably aiming to produce by using the ocean and a ship.

The second piece is again from the first part of the exbo, is 15ft, if not taller because my sense of proportion is shockingly bad! This piece is of a women standing upright whilst looking seductively at the viewer. She is dressed in the costume of a peacock and it commands a certain respect from the viewer. Dressed in hues of blues and greens in the main part of the piece, she has a head piece which gives her costume the final touches for perfectness.

Anyway here's the blurb on the website. If y'all get a chance to go before Sunday go!. Its free so you have no excuse!.....

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Paintings from Poland: Symbolism to Modern Art (1880-1939)

UNTIL 27 JANUARY 2008 This exhibition of 74 paintings provides a rare opportunity for visitors to see some of the most important works of an extraordinarily creative artistic culture in a period of national upheaval. A bilingual audio tour narrated by Fiona Shaw and Krystyna Czubówna is available free of charge from the Exhibition Desk in the Millennium Wing. An illustrated bilingual catalogue is available, price €25. Polish language tours take place on Sundays at 4.00pm (assemble at exhibition desk). Advance booking is not required. Millennium Wing Admission free Sponsored by AIB Group

Source: National Gallery of Ireland.