Five {More} Ways to Immerse Yourself in Culture

Credit: Mark Shaw for LIFE, 1960

Back in October I wrote about five ways to immerse yourself in culture; it was an article I’d been turning over in my mind for quite a while, and I was thrilled to know it was something people were interested in. It’s a great example of how one person’s everyday thoughts can introduce new ideas to someone else. From watching foreign films to visiting art museums and listening to lectures, there was a smattering of concepts to inspire a more culturally enriched life; and now I’ve had some time to think about the original list, the things I love and the things I left out. That brings me to today’s article: I’ve got a few more ideas to tack on to October’s cultural to-do list, as it were; I hope there’s a bit more inspiration left to be had in them!

Credit: Apartment Therapy

01. Travel…from home

If your financing won’t afford you the opportunity to experience another country’s culture in the flesh, you can still learn about it from the comfort of home. I’ve been known to spend my breakfast hour perched in front of the television with my coffee in hand while tuned in to the Travel Channel. A particular favorite is the Passport to Europe series, hosted by Samantha Brown. The show chronicles Samantha’s trips to some of the most iconic and unexpected cities on the continent where she engages in the local pastimes and educates the viewer on the country’s way of life. She’s a romantic sort of traveler so she’ll no doubt appeal to the daydreamers; if you’re looking for a show with a bit more cultural edge there are any number of programs you might find at the library.

Credit: House of Turquoise

02. Surf the web, smartly

When the folks at Wikipedia blacked out the entire website in protest against SOPA they replaced every page of the site with the words, “Imagine a world without knowledge”. A lot of us use websites like Wikipedia for need-to-know-now information, but it’s the perfect place to visit at leisure to gain more insight into people, places and just about anything you could be interested in. I’ll find myself getting lost in it, hoping from page to page as my fancy takes me.

Credit: Richard Calmes

03. Attend a new performance art

I’ve been to my share of ballets, symphonies and operas, but I’ve actually never seen a play – only musicals. Theatre has all manner of avenues to take you on a journey of enlightenment, so why not try them all? I mentioned last time that going to the opera or symphony are wonderful ways to gain more cultural insight, but if you’re more of a strictly visual person than why not try a dance program? I read and enjoy Shakespeare often, and while I’ve seen several dance performances based on the Bard’s works I’ve never actually seen one of his plays as he intended it to be seen.

Credit: Desperate Romantics stills, John Millais’ ‘Ophelia’ from Google

04. Watch a period miniseries

I know what you’re thinking. Downton Abbey! Does the girl ever stop? But really, if Downton isn’t a prime example of culture in soap opera form then I don’t know what is. Edwardian England at its most savage and glamorous, the show is chock-full of fascinating insights into an era long gone. But, as much as I love it, Downton isn’t the only miniseries out there that will take you to another world. One of my favorites, and one of the most historically engaging for me, is Desperate Romantics from 2009. The show stars Aidan Turner, Rafe Spall and Samuel Barnett as Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais, respectively – and collectively they’re known as the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a group of reformists and artists of varying mediums (primarily painting) who were quite the rebels of their day. Desperate Romantics adds in a bit more spice to the lives of the inventive men, taking the story off the track a bit from its historical accuracy, but it’s full of brilliant performances and leaves you with a keen desire to better understand the real-world Pre-Raphaelites. (You can always refer to #2 and read about them on Wikipedia!)

Credit: Style.com; Dior Pre-Fall 2012

05. Be fashion-forward

Whoever knew of a better vessel for culture than fashion? Consider some of the most renowned labels of today and the imagery they stand for: Alexanders Wang and McQueen, Prabal Gurung and Peter Som. Tom Ford, Oscar de la Renta. Marc Jacobs. Cushnie Et Ochs. Rodarte. Every designer in the industry right now brings something unique to the table, a new influence on our taste and style, and sometimes even a look into history. Whether they draw on their home countries for inspiration or places they’ve visited in the past, there’s a lot of worldliness in fashion for us to experience if we get down deep enough into it. Then there’s always the opportunity to take a step into the past through men like Yves Saint Laurent and the legacy he left behind. Fashion photography, vintage shopping, there’s always a way to find new ideas and new worlds through fashion.

As I wrapped up my article last time I said that there’s no limitation on our ability to experience the world and immerse ourselves in culture, and that still holds true. Information and concepts and the beauty of thinking for ourselves, we can get in touch with it all when we take the time to involve ourselves in the world around us, the world away from us and the world behind us. Every moment can hold a new breath of intellect and enlightenment if only we allow it into our lives in even the smallest, simplest, most beautiful way.

Tagged as: art, culture, desperate romantics, living, samantha brown, television, travel

 

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