Between my career as an elementary school teacher and my joy-filled role as a father, I have spent a great deal of time reading aloud to children. I have always maintained that children are not given the credit they deserve for being able to understand complex issues and articulate their feelings on topics that become important to them. I have had the pleasure of engaging in many, many intelligent and intellectually-fulfilling conversations in our classrooms on a wide range of subject matter. A child’s capacity for problem-solving and for empathy is vast, especially if they are given access to information in ways that are interesting and informative on a level that speaks to them. This is partially why I love reading aloud to children so much. Any book, fiction or nonfiction, has the potential to be a launchpad into discussions that lead to deeper levels of understanding about the world around us. This was especially so when it came to reading to my own children. My eldest daughter has loved books her entire life. We read to her right from the moment she was born. Because she was drawn to stories and language and creative illustrations, my daughter always seemed to have a book in her hands as she grew into toddlerhood and beyond. Because my wife and I believed in reading and literacy so much, reading stories to our daughter became an integral part of her bedtime ritual. To be honest, those evenings reading with her before bed are some of my most cherished memories of being her father. Because she had a voracious appetite for stories, we quickly moved on from smaller books with simpler text and were reading chapter books by the time she was in Kindergarten. One of the first “classic” books we read was a coffee table-sized gorgeously illustrated version of Peter Pan that she was given as a gift from a friend of ours. From there, we plowed through series after series….Magic Tree House, Rainbow Magic, Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter (when that was still OK to say out loud), Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series and so many more. Reading with my daughter was always a pleasure for a storytelling language-lover like me because her curiosity demanded interesting books be read. Thus, I was often as interested in the stories we were reading as she was. This was especially true of a new series we discovered that was written by a lady named Blue Balliett. Her series was a trilogy of “Art mysteries”. In each book, three childhood friends used their knowledge of math and science and the Arts to solve mysteries in Chicago. Her first book was the award-winning Chasing Vermeer, which was about a stolen Vermeer painting and the whole notion of art forgeries. In that story we got to learn all about Vermeer’s style of painting, how art museums acquire the work they display, how private collectors and art dealers went about their business and much, much more. It was a thoroughly engaging read for us both. The sequel to Chasing Vermeer was called The Wright 3. This story dealt with a mystery at a historic Chicago home called Robie House that was designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. In this book we learned all about the mathematics of FLW’s design style, as well as trends in architecture that were changing the way that modern buildings are designed and constructed. The final book in the trilogy was called The Calder Game. This book was my introduction to the kinetic sculptures of Alexander Calder. I have to be honest and state that, prior to reading this book with my daughter, I knew absolutely nothing about Mr. Calder and his innovative sculptures that often contained parts that moved via air currents like a perpetual motion machine of sorts. I mention all of this because Alexander Calder and the theme of education are both part of the story of today’s live music venue known as Aula Magna or “Great Hall” that is the centerpiece of the campus at the Central University of Venezuela in the city of Caracas. There is much to celebrate about Aula Magna and much to be concerned about as well. Without further delay, let’s go exploring.
The story of Aula Magna is one that combines form and function in ways that make this venue one of the most acoustically pleasing concert halls in the world. In order to understand and appreciate the magnitude of what has been accomplished here, it is relevant to note that the Aula Magna has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site because of the design innovations that integrated Art with the science of sound. In particular, there is a portion of the UNESCO World Heritage designation that is set specifically aside to acknowledge a series of artistically designed acoustic panels that were created by the afore-mentioned sculptor Alexander Calder. These colourful panels have become known as Calder’s Clouds. They are hand painted wooden cloud shaped panels that are suspended from the ceiling at various levels and at various angles which help to distribute sound evenly to all areas of the inner auditorium. Not only are Calder’s Clouds helpful from an acoustical point of view, but their vibrant colours help create a Wonka-like fantastical environment for audience members as they sit in the interior of this great hall. Alexander Calder worked in partnership with Venezuelan architect Carlos Raul Villanueva. Villanueva was an architect who, at the time that the Aula Magna was constructed in the early 1950s, was at the forefront of a modernist approach to building design. In the past, many buildings were designed in ways that focussed on their interiors as separate and distinct spaces from their exteriors. Under Villanueva’s leadership, many buildings in Venezuela were designed in ways that allowed interior and exterior spaces to flow together and feed off each other, as it were. This integration of the interior to the exterior can be seen dramatically in how the campus area surrounding the Aula Magna was created to complement its colourful, vibrant interior. The Aula Magna is accessible through several entrances. These entrances are located on different pedestrian walkways and concourses that surround the building. These walkways and concourses all are at different levels and are all surrounded by lush plant life and the art of prominent Venezuelan artists. The whole idea is to combine the functionality of moving pedestrian traffic safely and efficiently with the artistic creativity that allows one to be transported to whole new worlds at the same time. The Aula Magna has been the scene of many concerts, dramatic plays and, of course, university commencements over the years. Famed conductor Leonard Bernstein conducted the New York Philharmonic Orchestra there and claimed that the Aula Magna possessed the best acoustics in the Americas. At the time that Aula Magna opened to the public, it was viewed as being something that perfectly promoted the best of Venezuelan art, architecture and education on a world stage. It is not for nothing that it was designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
However, the story of Aula Magna is not all bright colours, fantastical designs and crystal clear sounds. The story of many countries in South America is one that involves political unrest. It is difficult to find a South American country that, at one time or another, hasn’t fallen victim to political upheaval of one sort or another. Venezuela is no different. That country has seen its share of coups and military strongmen over the decades since the Aula Magna opened its doors. What has contributed to the increasingly sad saga of Aula Magna has much to do with the fact that it was built as the centerpiece of the Central University of Venezuela in that country’s largest city, Caracas. If you have ever attended a university almost anywhere in the world, then you know that they are often hotbeds of revolutionary political thought. Universities are filled with young idealists who often possess a vision for the world that is at loggerheads with how the gears grind in the real world of high finance, military might and politics. There are many instances all throughout history, all throughout the world, of military coups happening in countries in which elected officials are replaced with political appointees. In many cases, one of the first acts of these military juntas is to round up/eliminate political opposition. This often leads to the imprisonment/execution of artists and educators, union leaders and political opponents…in short, anyone viewed as being capable of inspiring a future uprising. With those types of people out of the way, all that remains to be done is to eliminate education, restrict personal freedoms and, just like that, you have an enslaved population at the mercy of leaders who exploit their labour and their country’s resources to line their own pockets. In Venezuela, there has been a succession of leaders who have engaged in political acts that were viewed as contravening their own national constitution. Regardless of the name of the leader or the political party they represent, the end result has been a marked destabilization of the entire country. As part of this unrest, investments in public education have been curtailed to the point where the entire education system is nearing collapse. Part of the reason for these funding cuts is a worldwide trend by rightwing government leaders who do not believe in the public investment of tax dollars for the mere sake of improving life at the community level. It is all big business models that rule the world. If an investment has the potential to turn a profit, then it is an investment worth making; otherwise, it is not. Secondly, the Central University of Venezuela has been the epicentre of many opposition protests. It is thought that the only thing that is truly protecting the university from being completely shut down is the UNESCO World Heritage designation that acts like a shield surrounding the Aula Magna and the adjacent campus space. Because the eyes of the world are watching over Aula Magna, in a sense, the various Venezuelan government leaders have had to adopt tactics that are more subtle yet still very effective in showing their contempt and disdain for those at the university. What is happening, as you read these words, is that for the better part of the last two decades, almost all government funding that was given to the university and to the upkeep of Aula Magna has been cut off. The only reliable funding source Aula Magna has had for years is revenue gained through concerts and from the tourism industry. As a result, Aula Magna is falling into a state of disrepair. Already some of the exterior concourses and walkway structures have collapsed due to their exposure to the weather and their lack of maintenance over long periods of time. There are many who fear for the safety of the multitude of art works that line the exterior plazas, as well as for the Calder Clouds that give the interior space such beautiful acoustics and such vibrant imagery. As I write these words, this situation remains ongoing. From what I have read, the United Nations is prepared to intervene with the financial resources to begin the appropriate repairs, but according to the terms of their charter, they cannot intervene unless invited to do so by the government of Venezuela. To date, the government has declined to request that assistance.
One of the reasons that I became an educator was that I firmly believed that the work we all did was important. An informed citizenry is one of the best protections we have as a society to keep the forces of fascism and violence and greed at bay. It is easy to look around the world at some of the usual hotspots and say that such events could never happen here to us. But not all descents into fascism and depravity happen in a blitzkrieg fashion. Sometimes, those who seek control above public service play the long game in such a way that the tightening of the noose goes almost unnoticed. For me, one of the most alarming developments in the Western World is the consistent constriction of the free flow of information in our society. Having access to information that we require in order to understand our world is vital to democracy surviving. However, we are finding ourselves increasingly at the mercy of media conglomerates who tell us what we will see rather than what we decide to see for ourselves. Furthermore, we are also at the mercy of right-wing governments who have been starving our public education systems of funding for years now. Destroying public education is always one of the first steps that all dictators throughout history have taken. Don’t let the fact that there are not jackboots in our streets yet fool you into a false sense of complacency. We are not that far removed from the Venezuelas of the world. We still have time, but not as much as you may think. Support progressive governments and political parties when it comes time to vote. Support public education and libraries and independent book sellers and artists. Read to your children and in front of your children so that they learn to view reading and being literate as the important life skills that they are.
I began this post by talking about the utter joy that I derived from a lifetime spent reading to and with children. In my own home I can attest to the windfall profit that has been realized from my investment of time. I have a daughter who loves to read. While many teenagers use their phones to watch mindless YouTube and TikTok videos, my daughter reads newspapers online. She is well informed. She is becoming increasingly political. She is not fooled by the peddlers of division and discord. But, more than that, she reads because it brings her pleasure and inner peace. Being literate and educated is an integral part of the fabric of her being. Stories are important. Education is important. The politics of deprivation begin by the forceful silencing of the voices that tell stories and of the stories, themselves. It is happening to Aula Magna in Venezuela. Let’s not let the same thing happen here.
The link to the official website for Aula Magna in Caracas, Venezuela can be found here. *Note: This is the UNESCO World Heritage site.
The link to the official website for Alexander Calder can be found here.
The link to the official website for Carlos Raul Villaneuva can be found here.
The link to a video (in Spanish) that gives a guided tour of Aula magna and some background on Calder and Villanueva can be found here. ***If you read this post first you will easily be able to follow the video along. I feel wiser for being able to do so.
The link to a live performance of a band called UHF can be found here. Even though the lyrics are in Spanish, the sound quality is excellent and gives you an idea of the acoustical properties of Aula Magna.
The link to the official website for author Blue Balliett can be found here.
The link to an article that I wrote that chronicles the reading journey that my daughter and I shared, including a complete list of the books and book series that we read, can be found here on the website of Happy Hooligans.
***As always, all original content contained within this post remains the sole property of the author. No portion of this post shall be reblogged, copied or shared in any manner without the express written consent of the author. ©2024 http://www.tommacinneswriter.com
In turn, I sent her a photo Leah’s bedroom so she could see the print for herself. ***You can see the print on the right side of Leah’s bookcase, in the middle of the column of three framed works. The painting is called, Lady Writing. Blue Balliett replied that Leah’s room was “the bedroom of her dreams”.
We finished the final book in late Fall. Because of the emotional impact of the series, I decided to try and find something that I could give to Leah for Christmas that would serve to remind her of our time reading Little House together. My search took me to the Laura Ingalls Wilder website. There, for sale, was the china shepherdess doll that Pa had given to Ma Ingalls in their early days together. The same doll that had accompanied them across America. This doll was my gift to Leah that Christmas and has sat on a shelf in her bedroom ever since.
We read the entire How To Train Your Dragon series. This framed print was the first time I paired a quote from the series with art work. The quote was uttered by the main character, Hiccup and goes like this:
Finally, Leah and I are big fans of Phillip Pullman and His Dark Materials trilogy. I maintain that the final scene in the final book is one of the best scenes in Children’s Literature. From it, a speech of Love that spans the entirety of Space and Time.