Game of Thrones: The Beginning of the End

Winter is here. It's actually here!

After six years of mild weather, the snowstorm is on our beloved and hated characters. Facing the challenges from within and beyond the Wall, there is no doubt not everyone will survive.

We have been waiting for more than a year since last season. Again, this pesky winter setting was dictated when production could film these bubble scenes - there is only so much a snowmaker can simulate.

But now is the time for season 7 on us. No word yet when George RR Martin will publish his next book. Our bet is never, or the week after never.

Here is what you need to know about Game of Thrones Season Seven.

WHO

The DBs - David Benioff and DB Weiss - remain showrunner of the show, which they created after reading the secrets of George RR Martin, which he so stubbornly refuses to share with his fans by completing the next book. The DBs have known the end game for a while, and we expect a faster dynamic as there are only 13 episodes left over two seasons.

Frequent game of throne director Jeremy Podeswa will play the season opener and the final, while Alan Taylor (who has not led an episode since second season) will be back for the penultimate chapter.

New actors this season are Jim Broadbent and Tom Hopper, while the regular guests and recurring guests who have made it through the bloodbaths of the last two episodes of season six should be back.

Especially the core pieces - Peter Dinklage, Kit Harrington, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke and Nikolaj Coster-Waldeau - whose salaries have pushed up to a reported $ 3 million per episode (thanks to the sweet, sweet syndicate shops).

OK, now we dare in the seasons one to six spoiler territory. And some discussions about what could be in store for season seven - the trailers were very generous to provide clues.So, if you'd rather be as blind as Maester Aemon, we suggest you return now.

WHERE WE ARE EVERYONE

Since it was so long since we saw the Westeros team last, let's take a stock where we've all left:

Starks: Arya walks away from the Riverlands after beating Walder Frey out of her list. Sansa is not in Winterfell Queen of the North, while Littlefinger whispers sweet things into her ear (what could he possibly?). Jon is King of the North, though he is only a strong through the Matriline line, after the series has confirmed the prevailing fan theory in this vision. Bran and Meera slowly enter the wall after the vivid adventures.

Lannisters: Lastly, we saw Cersei ascending the Iron Throne and looking at Jaime with horror as he recognizes his sister / mistress is now the wild queen. What is a King Slayer to do? Tyrion, who wore the insignia of the hand, stood next to Daenerys, when their fleet made way for Westeros.

Targaryens: After six years of meandering from one side of Essos to the other and then back again and back and back again - you get the point - Dany is finally sailing for Westeros, ready to conquer her ancestral land and take the power back from her crazy Papa abducted. Meanwhile Jon Snow is waiting ... is it too early to include Jon?

Greyjoys: Theon and Yara have joined Dany. The mother of the dragons liked to take the breakaway Greyjoy siblings "wood horses". Her murderous Uncle Euron, also known as Grizzly Pacey, tries to marry for an alliance and has vowed to chase his treacherous kinship.

Tyrells / Sandpipes: Well, almost the entire Tyrell line has been killed thanks to Cerseis fireworks, but Olenna is still there and she is plotting, this time with Ellaria Sand and Varys at a Confab in thorns with speech of revenge, fire and blood. Delicious.

Cleganes: The Hound has become under the brotherhood without banners in the riverlands and the mountain, or the reanimierte corpse of the mountain, Frankenstein-ing is around the Red Keep with Cersei.

Tarly: Sam and Gilly certainly made it to the Citadel, where he foams over the bound tones that form the walls. So many books.

WHAT WE CAN DO

Jon / Sansa: Both Sophie Turner and Kit Harrington in interviews have depended on a showdown or at least the tension between the half-siblings as the jostle for the power in Winterfell remains unstable. Sansa is the one who is really responsible for Jons triumph in the Battle of the Bastards, and she is the legitimate heir of the Winterfell throne, but Jon has proclaimed the King of the North. Expect this rivalry to play in the coming season, especially with Littlefinger seeds seeds of suspicion.

Cersei / Jaime: The injuries of the Inkestuous pair could come in this season with a Cersei-Morphing in the Mad Queen, which does not really coincide with the joyful character of Jaime. We also know what Jaime has done in the past with insane monarchs. Can he really be the one who stops Cersei? Could be. But not before he defends the Lannister House, as we've seen in the trailer with him and Bronn, who led the defense in the fight against Dany's Dothraki warriors.

Daenerys: She is on the charge, she and her dragons and the uninvited and the Dothraki and the Grayyys, Tyrells, the Sand Snakes and Tyrion and Varys. OK, she has almost all on her side. The trailers show Daenerys, who touch their hand on Westerosi ground, what Dragonstone looks like, the home of the Targaryens. There are also insights into another landing party at Dragonstone with suggestions that it might be Jon or Davos to make a deal for the real war - the one against the white hikers.

White Walkers: The supernatural threat is only escalating and the trailers have shown us a battle in which Jon and the brotherhood without a banner looks, are largely under the whitewalkers and their zombie minions. We're pretty sure it's the Brotherhood because you can clearly see Beric Dondarrion and his flaming sword. The human group is secured into a circle as they are surrounded, not unlike the movement of Ramsey's forces drawn on Jon at the Battle of the Bastards - how do they get out of this?

Gendry: No clear view of the Baratheon bastard, last seen, row, row, rowing away in this little boat at the end of the third season. He has a strong claim to the Iron Throne and the fans have expected him to recharge. But really, the story has been moving so far since the Baratheon era, and there is a matter of urgency in dealing with the White Walker threat, any Gendry return seems like an unnecessary complication right now. Especially if there are only 13 episodes to finish the series. Leave him out there.

The Virgin Mary Painting and Religion in Mexican art

Religion has over the centuries come to have a significant effect on the development of Mexican art and this trend has continued to be the case to the present. The fact that a large number of Mexican artists are influenced by religion in their work is mainly based on the fact that a majority of Mexicans are highly religious individuals, and very devoted to the Roman Catholic Church (Taylor, 145). It has been found that a large number of artists in Mexico consider it their duty to create religious images because in the devotional sense, they consider it to be an act of worship. The Virgin Mary also has a very prominent position in the religious art of Mexico and this is mainly because of the fact that she is highly venerated in the country with many Mexicans considering her to be the mother of the entire nation. In addition, many Mexicans during their prayers seek the help of the Virgin Mary as they ask her to intercede to God and Jesus on their behalf and this has ensured that she has come to be revered by all the people in the nation. The prominence of the Virgin Mary in the national psyche has ensured that she is also given a prominent position in art, because Mexican artists, like all Mexican people, are very devoted to her. This has led to a situation where most of the art in the country has some religious aspect in one way or the other and this has ensured that the religious spirit of Mexican artwork has remained prevalent with little sign of its diminishing in the coming years. Religion has been a source of inspiration for Mexican art for many years and it is for this reason that a large number of art that it produced in this country, even that in the secular realm, has some aspect of religion within it.

As has been mentioned above, Roman Catholicism is the most dominant religion within Mexico and this has been the case since the founding of the state after the Spanish conquest. However, it has been found that the Catholicism that is practiced in this country is highly syncretic, and this is mainly because of the fact that a large number of the indigenous people readily accepted it after the Spanish conquest (Carruthers, 358). While this may have been the case, most of them accepted the new religion by making an association between it and their own traditional religions so that the Virgin of Guadalupe came to be associated with their goddess Tonantzin, and it is in the latter manner that she has been depicted in Mexican art to this day. It is a fact that Catholic beliefs have an influence on the daily lives of many Mexicans and this is because the Church has been a powerful institution within this nation since its founding, at times being in good terms with the state and in others being openly hostile. The Catholic Church has always been a champion for the rights of all the common people in Mexico as they have fought against tyrannical or elitist rule since their independence (Purnell, 222). These actions on behalf of the people have given it massive influence over their lives and this has been based on the respect that many Mexicans feel towards it. It is for this reason that many Mexican artists include aspects of their Catholic beliefs in their artwork and many of them feel that in doing so, they are fulfilling their religious and devotional duty towards the individuals that they depict in their work. In the latter case, most of the images which are depicted in Mexican art involve the Virgin Mary, shown in her incarnation as the Virgin of Guadalupe, and the most respected religious figure in the country.

Most of Mexican art tends to depict the daily lives of the people within this nation and this cannot be done without some form of religious attribute because of the fact that most Mexicans are highly devout individuals. It is therefore common for Mexican artists to include some form of religious symbol in their art, the most common being the image of the crucified Jesus or the image of the Virgin Mary in one of her incarnations, especially as the Virgin of Guadalupe (Pardo, 312). This influence of religion in Mexican art is normally further enforced through the involvement of priests in the daily lives of most Mexicans. This involvement tends to be marked by various important events such as during births, weddings, and death; all of these events being normally officiated by priests. In addition, it has been found that priests also get involved in other activities in the lives of many Mexicans such as when the latter need to have their property, such as newly acquired homes, vehicles and businesses, blessed by a priest. Thus, priests are not only involved in the daily religious lives of many Mexicans, but parish priests tend to be also involved in their social lives as well and this is normally because the priests more often than not know a majority of the members of the communities whom they serve. The priests, being representatives of the church, usually end up emphasizing, albeit unconsciously, the role of the Church in the daily lives of many Mexicans and all of this, one would suggest, has a profound influence on the work of artists. In this manner, the influence of religious practitioners in Mexico cannot be underestimated when one considers the fact that most of the art of this country is very religious in character and this attests to the highly devotional nature of the artists to their religious beliefs as well.

Religious rituals and holy places have been found to play a significant role in the art of Mexico and this is because of the fact that these are very important aspects of life in this country. In most art, it is normal for artists to make depictions of the events leading up to Easter, which is the most important event in the Mexican calendar (Conover, 441). These events, from the Last Supper, Transfiguration, and Crucifixion are among the most revered aspects of Mexican religious belief and because artists want to connect with their audience, they normally include these events in their art. The ability of religion to influence the artists of Mexico can also be attributed to the numerous religious observances that Mexicans often participate in throughout the year in veneration of the large number of Catholic saints according to the religious calendar. These events often attract a large number of people and pilgrims not only from Mexico but also from the rest of the world who come to visit the holy places in this country. It is mainly because of the high religious observance by people from Mexico that artists add aspects of religion in their work and they do this to ensure that they not only connect with their audience, but that they are able to sell their art, because it is through the latter that they make a living. Thus, artists often tap into the emotional attachment that many Mexicans have to religion in order to develop the form of art which is full of religious aspects which are often sold faster than those with secular aspects. For a nation which is highly devoted to Catholic beliefs, it is normal for many individuals, especially those who go on pilgrimage to religious shrines, to want to take religious art back to their homes (Bailey, 191). This is where artists have an advantage because they are able to develop art forms which appeal to the majority of the pilgrims and in this manner; they are able to make a more comfortable living from their work than those who concentrate on nonreligious art. Furthermore, it is a fact that all communities in Mexico, both urban and rural, tend to have their own patron saints and artists have taken advantage of this aspect of Mexican life to make art which is representative of all of these communities.

Because of the religious nature of many Mexicans, it has become common for the artists to make depictions of death and the afterlife in their art. This obsession with death and the afterlife can be attributed to the massive integration of indigenous religious beliefs into the Mexican Catholic culture and this has ensured that many of the artists within this culture are very interested in the subject (Nesvig, 225). For most Mexicans, the need to live a good life so that when they die and reach judgment, they can be promoted to paradise is very essential for them and this leads them to devote at least some of their time to religious observances. Their entreaties to the Virgin of Guadalupe to intercede to God on their behalf have created a situation where artists work very hard to ensure that they present this situation as it is. Death in Mexican culture is not something to be feared but is accepted as a basic part of life and is at times celebrated and it is mainly because of this perception that it has become part of their basic religious beliefs. It is for this reason that many Mexican artists, in their depictions of death, instead of making it gloomy and a sad event, depict it a celebration, as it is believed that those individuals who are dying have moved on to be with their creator (De León, 493). This is in contrast with other cultures, especially those to the north of Mexico, where artists often depict death as something scary which many human beings fear and try to escape it at all costs. Mexican art, on the other hand, is quite open concerning the various aspects of death and this is because of their staunch religious beliefs concerning the matter, since there is the constant belief that there is an afterlife and that the best means to deal with it is not to fear it, but to celebrate it. The best examples of Mexican art concerning death are those inspired by the Days of the Dead, which act as days when the dead within the society are not only remembered but also celebrated.

Artists in Mexico come from very religious backgrounds and their works shows how much it has a massive influence on them. One will find that even in their depictions of the most regular things in life, such as love, hate, nature, and other forms of art subjects, most of these artists often make religious depictions or they create images which more or less have religious connotations (Wolford, 1049). This not only enables them to show their artistic prowess, but it also allows them to ensure that they do so in a manner which is both attractive and devotional. Catholic beliefs are predominant within Mexico and it is very difficult to go anywhere within the settled part of the country where there are no religious depictions in one form or the other (Schroeder, 56). These often serve as inspirations for many artists who base their works on them while at the same time working towards depicting the everyday lives of Mexicans. Because of the highly religious nature of some of the Mexican artworks, there is a lot of demand for it from the extremely devoted members of the local society, many of whom put these artworks in their homes or places of work in the belief that they bring them closer to God. The art of Mexico which has religious aspects has come to also have a high demand internationally, especially from those individuals and states which are devoutly Catholic and this has ensured that there are massive purchases of the same. This demand has also encouraged more artists to concentrate on the creation of works which are religious in nature as this has more demand than secular art. However, in recent years, with the younger generation of Mexicans not being as devout as their parents and previous generations, there has developed a high demand for secular artwork. There has developed a trend where the influence of religion on Mexican art has begun to wane as the population becomes more secularized as a result of the various aspects of globalization. While this has been the case, one will also find that the influence of religion is still strong and while its influence may be waning, it will likely remain a strong part of Mexican art in the coming generations.

In conclusion, it has been found that religion has over the centuries come to have a significant effect on the development of Mexican art and this trend has continued to be the case to the present. It has also been found that Roman Catholicism is the most dominant religion within Mexico and this has been the case since the founding of the state after the Spanish conquest. In addition, it is a fact that Catholic beliefs have an influence on the daily lives of many Mexicans and this is because the Church has been a powerful institution within this nation since its founding, at times being in good terms with the state and in others being openly hostile. Moreover, it is important to note that most of Mexican art tends to depict the daily lives of the people within this nation and this cannot be done without some form of religious attribute because of the fact that most Mexicans are highly devout individuals. Furthermore, in most art, it is normal for artists to make depictions of the events leading up to Easter, which is the most important event in the Mexican calendar. Finally, because of the religious nature of many Mexicans, it has become common for the artists to make depictions of death and the afterlife in their art. Thus, one would say that the artists in Mexico come from very religious backgrounds and their works shows how much it has a massive influence on them.

The Role of Art in Making Political Statements

Art has, for a lengthy time, been used to make political statements among the Rapanui. The art of the Rapanui, in particular the statues of Moai, are the last part of the ancient history of these people and because of this, they still have a special impact on then Rapanui. When the Spanish colonized the Easter Islands, they discovered the importance of these statues to the Rapanui and in order to make a political statement, these giant statues were toppled from their pedestals, to show that the Spanish were dominant on the islands. While this may have been the case, these statues have come to be recognized as a unique part of the Rapanui heritage and attempts have been made by the Chilean government, which governs the islands, to restore them. The Rapanui have made these statues their rallying point when agitating for political independence from Chile, which they consider to be an oppressive colonizer.

A similar political statement was made in the past by the English in a bid to establish their dominance over the Scottish people. The English, after defeating the Scots in battle, took the important Stone of Scone, which was an essential part of the Scottish coronation ritual, from Scotland to England. This was used as a symbol of English dominance of the Scots, but in this instance it does not seem to have worked since Scotland came to regain its independence later. In essence, art and objects of power have been used throughout history either as rallying points for political causes, or as means to dominate people who hold them in high regard.

Claes Oldenburg

Claes Oldenburg was born on January 28, 1929 in Stockholm, Sweden to a Swedish diplomat who was based in New York and he attended the Latin School of Chicago and afterwards went to Yale University where from 1946 to 1950, he studied literature and art history. He then returned to Chicago where he took classes at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago later, after moving to New York, he met and was influenced by such artists as Jim Dine, Red Grooms, and Allan Kaprow. Starting 1969 to 1977, Oldenburg was in a relationship with the artist and sculptor, Hannah Wilke with whom he shared several studios and travelled together with and in 1977, he married Coosje Van Bruggen. Oldenburg’s first show was at the Judson Gallery of New York in 1959 and it included metaphorical drawings and papier - mache sculptures and in 1966, he was credited with an exhibition of his work at the Moderna Museet; in 1969 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, among several others. Oldenburg won the Wolf Prize in Arts in 1989, in 2000, he was awarded the National medal of Arts and he has also received honorary degrees from several universities in the United States and in Europe. His sculpture, named the Typewriter sculpted in 1976, and was one among an edition of three was sold was sold for $2.2 million at Christie’s New York in 2009. Oldenburg’s creativity can be traced to his childhood when he was often left to entertain himself with his father’s office machinery. He has always been fascinated by scale, and during the 1960s, he began enlarging everyday items, often imagining them the size of public monuments.

Oldenburg’s art reflects the popular culture of the 1960s when he and his associates began to use images associated with popular culture in their work.  In the early 1960s, Oldenburg helped to usher in the Pop Art revolution by using materials like burlap and canvas to create sandwiches and ice cream cones the size of furniture and everywhere he traveled, he replaced existing monuments with those of his own design. His non-heroic subjects challenged traditional concepts of public sculpture and the artist has envisioned a huge pair of scissors on the site of the Washington Monument, a giant fan to replace the Statue of Liberty, and two enormous toilet-tank floats installed on a river in the city of London. His work has concentrated more on environmental awareness and conservation. Oldenburg's installation The Street, exhibited twice in Greenwich Village in 1960, used banal, trash like materials to depict pedestrians, cars, street signs, and other elements of a New York City streetscape and as it turns out, the food sculptures are autobiographical. "The key to my work is that it's about my experience," said Mr. Oldenburg, 83, in an interview in Vienna some years ago, "If I ate BLTs, which I did, I would sooner or later want to create them".