The Pyramid at Chichén Itzá (before 800 A.D.) Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
MEXICO: Chichén Itzá, the most famous Mayan temple city, served as the political and economic center of the Mayan civilization. Its various structures - the pyramid of Kukulkan, the Temple of Chac Mool, the Hall of the Thousand Pillars, and the Playing Field of the Prisoners – can still be seen today and are demonstrative of an extraordinary commitment to architectural space and composition. The pyramid itself was the last, and arguably the greatest, of all Mayan temples.
Christ Redeemer (1931) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
BRAZIL: This statue of Jesus stands some 38 meters tall, atop the Corcovado mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Designed by Brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa and created by French sculptor Paul Landowski, it is one of the world’s best-known monuments. The statue took five years to construct and was inaugurated on October 12, 1931. It has become a symbol of the city and of the warmth of the Brazilian people, who receive visitors with open arms.
The Roman Colosseum (70 - 82 A.D.) Rome, Italy
ITALY: This great amphitheater in the centre of Rome was built to give favors to successful legionnaires and to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire. Its design concept still stands to this very day, and virtually every modern sports stadium some 2,000 years later still bears the irresistible imprint of the Colosseum's original design. Today, through films and history books, we are even more aware of the cruel fights and games that took place in this arena, all for the joy of the spectators.
The Taj Mahal (1630 A.D.) Agra, India
INDIA: This immense mausoleum was built on the orders of Shah Jahan, the fifth Muslim Mogul emperor, to honor the memory of his beloved late wife. Built out of white marble and standing in formally laid-out walled gardens, the Taj Mahal is regarded as the most perfect jewel of Muslim art in India. The emperor was consequently jailed and, it is said, could then only see the Taj Mahal out of his small cell window.
The Great Wall of China (220 B.C and 1368 - 1644 A.D.) China
CHINA: The Great Wall of China was built to link existing fortifications into a united defense system and better keep invading Mongol tribes out of China. It is the largest man-made monument ever to have been built and it is disputed that it is the only one visible from space. Many thousands of people must have given their lives to build this colossal construction.
Petra (9 B.C. - 40 A.D.), Jordan
JORDAN: On the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the glittering capital of the Nabataean empire of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to 40 A.D.). Masters of water technology, the Nabataeans provided their city with great tunnel constructions and water chambers. A theater, modelled on Greek-Roman prototypes, had space for an audience of 4,000. Today, the Palace Tombs of Petra, with the 42-meter-high Hellenistic temple facade on the El-Deir Monastery, are impressive examples of Middle Eastern culture.
Machu Picchu (1460-1470), Peru
PERU: In the 15th century, the Incan Emperor Pachacútec built a city in the clouds on the mountain known as Machu Picchu ("old mountain"). This extraordinary settlement lies halfway up the Andes Plateau, deep in the Amazon jungle and above the Urubamba River. It was probably abandoned by the Incas because of a smallpox outbreak and, after the Spanish defeated the Incan Empire, the city remained 'lost' for over three centuries. It was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Source: Article
Art is anything that people wouldn’t look at and say ‘oh, how pseudo’. To me, it is simplicity and depth-Pranati Khanna, Media artist Media artist Pranati Khanna talks about her inspiration, work and her future plans in an interview to Sunday Hans. What do you think art is all about? Art, in this day and age, is anything that people wouldn’t look at and say ‘oh, how pseudo’. To me, it is simplicity and depth. At the same time, it helps in expressing one’s thoughts and emotions in ways that everyone can relate to. It’s expression in colour as well. What inspired you to be a media artist? I grew up with a computer. I took to animation and was exposed to the world of creation on a medium that wasn’t paper. So, while I was doing 3D work, I started to explore drawings on my digital tablet (WACOM) more than ever. I have been exposed to the world of rock music, bands and album art as well. Many artists and photographers abroad have influenced me. Please tell us something about your unique style of graphics and about your discovery? My style of art is something that’s new to Hyderabad, but a lot of it is done abroad! I have been exposed to numerous album covers of rock and metal bands. The artists who come up with these covers work largely in digital/new media format, merging photographs, drawings and other elements to make graphics. I followed and studied many of such artists’ works and thus began my discovery of what I feel is an incredibly expressive and versatile medium of art. I kept working at it and eventually broke away from trying to ape other people’s styles. I developed my own style which I'm very proud of! What is the significance of the title ‘Metamophorescence’ that you have coined? This title is basically a portmanteau -- the merging of the words “metamorphosis” and “phosphorescence”. My mum helped me coin the word. She’s an incredibly talented author! I wanted a unique word that would convey the theme of my exhibits: turning the negatives in life into positives. So, we settled on this one. It states very simply that I took all my lessons in life, absorbed them, and now I’m radiating out (or illustrating) the outcome of these experiences on my canvases. How did you get to this form of art? I got to this medium of art after mastering the basics of traditional mediums like pastels and water colours. Once I started my 3D animation course, I learned about digital mediums and that’s how I began my journey of experimentation. Eventually because of my exposure to the music culture, my influences lay in album covers, websites, hours of research etc.You say your exhibition is all about turning the negatives in our lives into positives. What does this mean? What it means is: I grew up. I have learnt that everything we believe in is a lie; and everything we’re told is mostly false. We need to pop this bubble of idiocy most of us live in and realise where our true peace really lies in our lives. How would you compare life in Dubai, India and the US? As far as art goes, each is so unique! So, I can’t really say. Has being artist Krishna Khanna’s grand niece helped you in any way? It’s been nice to be his grandniece only in the sense that I have learnt a lot from his art and also from the stories about his life.Why have you not taken to traditional form of painting? It just happened. I’m not sure why. Besides, I wanted to be among those artists who break away from tradition a little bit and try to encourage progression. I do, after all, belong to a new generation and I want us to have something unique when it comes to art. Askari Jaffer, Source: The Hans India, 
