dumbrapeslut:

I’ve never been a fan of guys who want to make me cry. Not because I think it’s mean, but because I get off on being objectified. If the guy actively tries to make me cry, it implies that he thinks of me as a real person with real emotions. I much prefer when guys just fuck me and not give a shit about how I feel, good or bad.

Yes!!! This is the kind of sex toy that I’m looking for!

MUSEUM SECRETS: A Miniature Masterpiece

“At first glance, we might assume that this copy of a German print belongs in the Ashmolean’s collections of European art. But no. This is an Indian drawing, and is housed here in the Eastern Art department. And it’s not just any Indian drawing, but one of the greatest of the Mughal Empire."⁠⁠

In the series 2 finale of our Museum Secrets podcast, Keeper of Eastern Art Mallica Kumbera Landrus introduces us to the child genius behind this tiny drawing. This piece of paper, only 10cm high, tells a story of cultures embracing each other across vast distances and the curiosity of one exceptional 13-year-old boy in Mughal India, 421 years ago. ⁠

⁠Listen to ‘A Miniature Masterpiece’ here, or wherever you find your podcasts. -> https://www.ashmolean.org/museum-secrets

New Acquisition: A Golden Tea Bowl

One of our most recent acquisitions at the Museum is this beautiful golden tea bowl by Japanese artist Ogawa Machiko (b. 1946).

Clare Pollard, our curator of Japanese Art, writes: ‘Ogawa’s work is characterised by the raw intensity of its materials. Many of her ceramics resemble strange and wonderful mineral formations or archaeological artefacts that have just been excavated from the earth. Even this carefully crafted bowl retains an elemental quality, as if scooped out of raw clay. The earthy cracks and deep fissures of the roughly textured exterior contrast with the creamy-smooth, matte gold flow of the interior, creating an intriguing, powerful dynamic between interior and exterior space. This one small tea bowl encompasses a whole spectrum of moods.’

Our recent Ashmolean Members’ Magazine featured an article on this object and the artist behind it. Become a Member for access to these magazines, as well as a host of other benefits and perks.

ashmolean.org/membership

OUR MUSEUM: OUR VOICES

Part of the beauty of an object, or a museum collection, lies in its capacity to respond to more than one gaze and to unlock more than one story. We’re committed to hearing and telling as many of those stories as possible.

One of the ways we’re doing this is through ‘Our Museum: Our Voices’, a programme in which we asked 24 students to write alternative labels for objects on display in our galleries. The labels are written from personal experience as well as expertise, with participants considering their ethnicity, gender and sexuality in responding to the collections.

Keep an eye out for 'Our Museum: Our Voices’ labels as you roam the galleries during your next visit, and explore a virtual exhibition of the objects and their labels here: https://www.ashmolean.org/omov

Happy Birthday, Ashmole!

Today is the 404th birthday of Elias Ashmole, the founder of the Ashmolean Museum.

Ashmole was a well-connected antiquary, government official, collector and student of alchemy. His own collection of coins and a magnificent library of books and manuscripts had been dramatically expanded in 1659 with the addition of a collection – both man-made and natural – assembled from around the world by John Tradescant the Elder and his son, John Tradescant the Younger.

Ashmole donated most of his collections to the University of Oxford in 1677, and when the Ashmolean opened in 1683, it was not just a repository and place for research and teaching but also a public museum. Ashmole’s vision ultimately laid the foundations for museums as we know them today.

Though our collection has evolved considerably, Ashmole’s founding principle remains: that knowledge of humanity across cultures and across times is important to society.

Oil in canvas painting by John Riley, 1681-82.

Not All Heroes Wear Capes

“Not all heroes wear capes: some ride around on a Mobile Elevated Working Platform, wear a back-mounted vacuum and have been said to resemble a young Sigourney Weaver from the final scenes of ‘Aliens’."⁠
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While the Museum has been closed, our technician Tim has been taking advantage of the quiet galleries to do some rather unconventional cleaning and maintenance.

In this week’s story, find out how he’s been caring for our collections behind the scenes and helping us to prepare for reopening. ⁠
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Read 'Not All Heroes Wear Capes’ here: ashmolean.org/article/high-level-cleaning