Carlos Museum In Stabiano Exhibit part I

I was toked to visit this exhibit since I found out about it, minly cuz I've been obsessed with Roman villa frescoes since the roman art class -whenever the devil that was- and in general, considering how much the exhibit's text was so glowy and obsessed with relating the gloriously decadent, beauty-filled lives of the Roman patricians, who had their lovely villas in their contemporary equivalent of St Simons' island or Lake Oconee, and the way they lovingly mentioned the idyllic nature of the slaves' bringing the meals to the candlelit diners in the Dionysus-themed triclinium makes me think that Antebellum rhetoric is alive and well in the 'new south'. Then again, what the fuck do I know...

This particular fresco depicted, however, was the source of some interesting conversations, as it turned out...

Flora, the personage depicted, was peaceably collecting flowers in the woods (a la little red riding hood) when many "portentous, spectacular events" befell her, namely, being forcibly deflowered by Jupiter, or some other God. In the manner of Persephone, etc. "Shows women's fantasies of being raped by powerful men" I overheard someone close by; the example he came up with, very distastefully IMHO, being Dubya.

Now, insofar as rape fantasies, I can think of at least 1,000 folks whom I'd prefer to forcibly take me than ole Chimp-face pseudo-prez. Even if such a thing as publicly describing women's rape fantasies were anything but at best the most astounding faux pas... I merely looked at him askance, and said "hmm, projection is it? I think I understand your own secret fantasy..."

Then there was the total stranger asking me in the darkened hallway leading from one exhibit hall to another 'where are you from'. Been getting this a lot lately... my first instinct 'why? why must you know? do I look like some alien? I don't know you - go away'. But you know,you just smile and say something and walk off.

nest time I'll say "I'm from Entropia, a small village in Saturn. Heard of it?"