VOA文化艺术2024--Artist Puts Re-imagined Spanish Painting on Venezuelan Streets

Artist Puts Re-imagined Spanish Painting on Venezuelan Streets

　　A collection of modern statues has been placed around Venezuela's capital Caracas in an attempt to increase local interest in art.

　　A total of 19 fiberglass pieces – created by Venezuelan artist Antonio Azzato – are sitting in public spaces around the city.

　　The statues are modeled after the famous 17th-century painting "Las Meninas" by Spanish artist Diego Velazquez. That piece shows a young princess, Margaret Theresa, being assisted¹ by two helpers². The painting is displayed in Madrid's Prado museum.

　　The larger-than-life statues, or figures, appear in Caracas in modern, colorful designs. They show the same rounded dress shape as the princess in the Velazquez painting. The tops have a head, but no face.

　　The figures are made to look like different people or things. One is painted to look like Gleyber Torres, a baseball player with the New York Yankees who comes from Venezuela. Another represents⁴ singer Oscar D'Leon, while others are painted to look like colorful birds or flowers.

　　Azzato told Reuters news agency⁵ his street statues are designed to give the public a break from technology and the modern world. He hopes the street placements will persuade people to briefly⁶ stop and think about art.

　　"Lots of people don't know Velazquez and don't know Las Meninas," Azzato said. He added⁷ he hopes the figures will lead people – particularly younger ones – to be curious about the pieces and "to look closer" at the statues and their meaning.

　　Azzato has put statues in other cities in the past. In all, he says he has created almost 300. Among them were figures made to represent³ tennis player Rafael Nadal and other famous individuals.

　　Words in This Story

　　statue – n. a model made to look like a person or animal

　　fiberglass – n. a strong, light material made by combining glass or plastic threads

1 assisted   

adj.[计]辅助的v.帮助，促进( assist的过去式和过去分词 )；为…的助手；为…当帮手；辅助

参考例句：

• We were ably assisted by a team of volunteers. 我们得到一批志愿者的大力协助。
• The nurse assisted with the preparation of the medicine. 护士帮助准备药品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 helpers   

n.助手( helper的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a little posse of helpers 一小伙帮忙的人
• At election time the party needs a lot of voluntary helpers. 大选时，该党需要许多义务帮忙的人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 represent   

vt.表现，表示；描绘，讲述；代表，象征；回忆；再赠送，再上演；vi.提出异议

参考例句：

• I'll represent to him the risk he is running.我要向他指出他所面临的险境。
• We selected her to represent us.我们选她作为我们的代表。

4 Represents   

v.表现( represent的第三人称单数 )；代表；体现；作为…的代表

参考例句：

• This represents a volte-face in government thinking. 这代表着政府观点的彻底转变。
• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history. 俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

6 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

7 added   

adj.更多的，附加的，额外的

参考例句：

• They have added a new scene at the beginning.在开头他们又增加了一场戏。
• The pop music added to our enjoyment of the film.片中的流行音乐使我们对这部电影更加喜爱。