Comparison of Biblical Joseph and Sumerian Gilgamesh

              One major similarity between Joseph and Gilgamesh is the fact that both are cultural heroes (Joseph was the Hebrew “messiah” while Gilgamesh was a Sumerian hero), ancestors of a people, who go through difficult, painful adventures as they gain understanding and mastery of their lives. They were both dreamers as the Supreme Being in which they both believe in revealed the future to them via dreams. These dreams were about future events which always came to pass. Another similarity is they were both rulers/leaders. While Joseph was a governor and was second in command to the Pharaoh, Gilgamesh was a god and a king of Uruk. Also, Joseph and Gilgamesh were both loved by their parents. Jacob, Joseph’s father, loved him so much that he made him a coat of many colors which angered his brothers. On the other hand, Gilgamesh’s mother, the goddess Ninsun, helps her son by seeking the support and protection of the sun god Shamash and even adopts Enkidu as her son. She also governs Uruk in his absence.

        Also, they share a negative trait which is Pride. They were both very proud people although Joseph wasn't as proud as Gilgamesh he had an element of pride. For instance, he always told his brothers his dreams of them bowing down to him which he could have decided not to disclose to them seeing that they hated him. I believe that to be arrogance and cockiness, but his cannot be measured with Gilgameshs' who felt he was invincible and all-powerful because of his superior strength and because he was a god. 

              Asides the fact that they both share some traits, they both have different personalities and are in fact very unalike. Gilgamesh was a tyrant who oppressed his people hence the creation of Enkidu to stop his oppression. Joseph, on the other hand, was the opposite of Gilgamesh. He treated his followers with respect and even when he saw his brothers who sold him into slavery he forgave them and accepted them with love. The reason for this difference in characteristics arose from the fact that while Gilgamesh was two-thirds god and one-third man, Joseph was a mere man. Ordinary men can also be tyrants-Hitler is a perfect example- but Gilgamesh could not be questioned because he was very strong and powerful as a result of his godly nature. Joseph was a man who although was bestowed with authority by the Pharaoh, couldn't exert his authority and become a tyrant because he was a governor and still reported to the Pharaoh. He had power but not absolute power like Gilgamesh.

          Their stories prove that humans/leaders can achieve anything if they are determined. Determination was a key factor in the success of both Joseph and Gilgamesh. If they had given up then maybe their names would not have been in the Books of History. Also, people need to learn to do away with pride as nothing can be achieved with pride. Leaders should learn to follow their hearts and make their own decisions without being swayed by other people's opinions.

            

Style Wars by Amos Angeles & Veli Silver

Amos Angeles & Veli Silver

Style Wars 2 is a graffiti documentary produced by Veli and Amos, a Swiss-Slovenian artist duo. The movie is a sequel of the cult movie ‚Style Wars’ from 1983 and gives an update on today’s graffiti and street art scene. Veli and Amos hit the road to discover new graffiti styles and meet the artists behind. A wild journey takes them from Europe to New York and the Middle East, from galleries to war zones.

The movie is a well-quoted honour to the original Style Wars movie and at the same time tells the personal story of Veli and Amos. Even though the movie’s main focus is on graffiti, it approaches the topic in a much broader way, and also alludes to politics, art and lifestyle.

The documentary started with a story of how Veli Silver met Amos Angeles. Silver had visited the train station and noticed a man lying on the train tracks, and when he approached him, he discovered Amos. Amos was a free spirited person who saw life in a rather unusual way. He was a man that always wanted to have fun and often did as he pleases. Silver was able to convince Amos of leaving the train tracks and since that day, they became best friends. On the night of their first meeting, they had watched a movie called “Style Wars” and ended up deciding that they would become Graffiti artist.

At first Amos and Veli began to imitate what they had seen in the movie Style Wars and hence, started to paint trains. Initial they were amateurs but later became better. Addicted to Graffiti, they even prepared special trains for marriage ceremonies.

However, the authorities were against Graffiti street art which led to most of the duo’s friends getting arrested. Bored and frustrated, the duo decided to move to New York so as to experience quality Graffiti Art as they had seen in the movie Style Wars. In New York, the pair had seen a train with Style Wars graffiti art painted on it in a TV commercial and instantly fell in love with it. They became obsessed with the piece to the point where, they actually went on a quest to find the creator of the Style Wars piece.

In the search for the creator of Style Wars, they came across some pretty remarkable Graffiti Artistes. One of the artistes was none other than “Blade”, a very popular Graffiti artiste in New York. Blade had an interesting perspective as to why he considers Graffiti painting as a form of art. “We did this in the 70’s because it wasn’t about colour, but just a bunch of creative people having fun”-(Blade), he said. The duo was also privileged to meet with one of their icons in the name of “David Miranda”, one of the directors in the original “Style Wars” movie. David Miranda also had an interesting statement. “New York is not up to date when it comes to street Art”, he says. A statement he made whilst explaining how far behind New York was In Graffiti street art compared to the rest of the world.  They met other famous Graffiti artiste but, could not find who painted the Star Wars piece. Broke and frustrated they returned to Europe. They travelled across Europe and the Middle East but with no luck in finding the Star Wars graffiti artiste.

The Movie gives an insight of the mind of a Graffiti Art fanatic and the extent to what they regard as Art and fun as well.

Just A Little About Me

Where are you from?

Hello y'all mi name's Christopher Ebigwu. I am from West Africa, the country of Nigeria to be precise however, I lived in England for a period of seven year prior moving to Saint George, Utah.

Location of Nigeria in Africa

The federal republic of Nigeria is made up of 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. It is located in West Africa and shares border with Benin, Chad, Cameroon and Niger. Its Coast in the south lies on the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean.

Nigeria was colonised by the British and achieved independence in 1960. Nigeria is often referred to as the "Giant of Africa", due to its large population and economy. With approximately 174 million inhabitants, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the world. 

In 2014, Nigeria's economy (GDP) became the largest in Africa, worth more than $500 billion, and overtook South Africa to become the world's 26th largest economy and by 2050, Nigeria is expected to become one of the world's top 20 economies. The country's oil reserves have played a major role in its growing wealth and influence. Nigeria is considered to be an Emerging market by the World Bank and has been identified as a regional power in Africa. It is also a member of the MINT group of countries, which are widely seen as the globe's next "BRIC-like" economies. It is also listed among the "Next Eleven" economies set to become among the biggest in the world. Nigeria is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the African Union, OPEC, and the United Nations among other international organizations.

Why are you here at Dixie State?

I decided to come to Dixie state University so as to get a degree in computer and information technology with emphasis on design. I believe technology will always have an impact on human evolution and will definitely influence the way we do things in the present, as well as the future. I believe a degree in Computer sciences is a smart investment especially when it comes to securing a job in the future.

What are your goals for the future?

I plan on owning my business preferably as a designer focusing on Architecture, Fashion and Art. I have registered a company name in England called “Christopher Bane Ltd” and will be working on launching my clothing line by next summer. In the nearest future, I hope to have a company big enough to blend Architecture, Art and Fashion on a global scale.

Chris the Model

What kind of experience do you have with art of any kind?

Art is a very interesting topic and sometimes, it is very difficult to explain what Art truly is. I've always been interested in art since my childhood, be it watching cartoons, reading comic books, participating in the Art & Craft module exercises in primary/ high school etc. 

After taking a module in High school called Technical Drawing, I decided to travel to England to study Architecture, which I did for four years. Whilst in England I also got involved in the Fashion industry as a commercial model. I really enjoyed my experiences in England and would love to do the same here in America.

What anxieties or concerns do you have about this course?

I am very excited to take this module chiefly as it involves Art however; I find it difficult reading, writing and memorizing text especially when it involves dates. To help me with this challenge I will be taking a writing class to assist me with this difficulty.

What I do with my spare time?

during my spare time, I like to be creative and active at the same time. I enjoy designing houses when I'm motivated, I enjoy watching anime's, football or rather what Americans call Soccer. I also enjoy playing soccer and last but not the least, I am a die hard Manchester United F.C fan.

Chris in a Nutshell