{Law}

After comparing the Ten Commandments and Hunefer’s innocent 42 sins, there are many similarities. In both, there is no lying, no adultery, no killing or death, no stealing, no harm and so on. The Ten Commandments were created as guidelines so that we could try our hardest not to sin. Of course, being human, we sin everyday; but the Ten Commandments are still being used today and are a very well known thing. According to how well we keep the Ten Commandments, we will later be judged. The followers of the Ten Commandments only believed in one God. It is a personal choice to keep the Ten Commandments or not, whether it be religion or it is what you feel is right. Keeping the Commandments builds character and is a guideline on how to live your life. Where Hunefer was in a much harder situation.

Hunefer’s 42 sins that he was innocent of are very detailed. It would be a very hard thing to go in front of Osiris and be judged. They had to be careful of everything that they did, because if you did any bad, they believed it would stay in your heart. So if you had any bad in your heart, it was weighed on a scale at the Judgment Day in front of Osiris. How hard would it be to claim that you have never made anyone cry or ever caused any harm? Because I know that I have. With this kind of law, you are only protecting yourself. Of course you have followed it and not harmed anyone, killed anyone, or made anyone cry, but it is only for your own salvation. They were doing anything to keep their heart lighter, or so they believed.

Both of the laws are very good. They both have meaning and were making the people in the communities live to a higher standard to receive the salvation they wanted. Everyone who followed the laws were protected, those who do not are either sentenced to the underworld, or judged before God. Laws like this are and have been the basis of communities for thousands of years.  

{docUT: Tikotin}

Tikotin

                        Felix Tikotin is known worldwide for his beautiful collection and his respectable knowledge in Japanese art. He originally wanted to be an artist, but his mother would not allow that, so he settled and became an architect. That did not last long. He fell even more in love with Japanese art and could not stay away. He was trading, buying, selling and collecting rare pieces of art. He knew the brush strokes of one artist and the type of materials for another. It’s like he was born to do it. We get to watch as his grandson discovers parts of his grandfather’s life that no one has seen before.

            In this film, his grandson is trying to inform us of Japanese art, and the great man Tikotin was, along with his struggles. He was a Jewish man and no one quite understood why he was so intrigued in Japanese art. He didn’t speak the language or live in the country. When he came out of hiding after the Second World War, he was worried that his shop in Berlin would be destroyed. But because of the sign on the front reading “Japanese Art” the people assumed he was Japanese, and left it alone.  His store was everything to him.

Tikotin left Berlin to open his museum in Israel. He later got banned from his own museum and the movie did not tell why. He left Israel and moved on to the mountain and left his family in Israel. He became the lonely old man on the mountain with all of his art. But he created happiness for himself.

Tikotin was also a family man, although he did not show it. His wife was in a manic, deep depression her whole life and later ended her own life, leaving him with their 3 daughters. Soon after their mother’s death, the third daughter also took her own life. Leaving Tikotin and his two eldest daughters. After his tragedies, he didn’t know what to do besides turn to art. His daughters began to become very jealous of the art.

            In the film, they interviewed many different close friends and family members of Tikotin. Everyone came from different countries, resulting in the whole movie being in subtitles. With all of this, it made you realize how many contacts Tikotin had. He was a very respectable man who knew many people. He used his talents with Japanese art to interact with people all around the world.

            The film was based on the readings of letters that his grandson had found from his grandfather to his colleagues or his grandfather to his daughters and wife. The film was very personal and fulfilling. I never knew about Japanese art, let alone Felix Tikotin. It was interesting to follow his life, along with hearing the personal inputs of the people in his life. His grandson was able to convey the importance and the personal level of Tikotin’s life and I really liked watching that. He also made an effort to emphasize the Japanese art aspect. Many art vendors and professionals were involved in the film.

            Before watching Tikotin I had no idea about Japanese art or Tikotin. I’m really impressed with the way that they conveyed the message of his life and his love for the art.