The right amount of earth

There are a few things, well, more than a few things actually, that I am not. I am certainly not an artist or an art critic by any stretch of anyone’s imagination, even the Dreamfinder’s. However, I do know what I consider to be good art and, by my standards, good art evokes emotion. One piece visible within the four parks at Walt Disney World that never ceases to induce that swelling feeling in my chest is the mural on the exterior of The Land pavilion in Epcot.

The almost identical murals, the right mural includes a small green tile on the left hand side of the sign as the signature of the artists, on the left and right sides of the entrance represent a slice of the Earth, and the various layers that compose our planet. Within these layers there are indications of oceans, civilizations, weather patterns, crops, and various land formations. The materials used in both of the one-hundred and thirty-four foot murals include natural materials such as marble, slate, glass, granite, and gold, and sets the stage for the introduction of the connection theme between us, the Earth, and how our lifestyles and cultures affect all aspects of life.

While the climb to the entrance of The Land pavilion may be innate to the design needed to create the correct visual lines from outside of the pavilion as well as to create the needed space inside for the various attractions and restaurants, it also increases a guests sense of the land around them. Though it may not be a message that hits anyone over the head, we have all been in the presence of other guests complaining about the climb. Whether they are tired from a long day, have difficulty with inclines due to health reasons, or just simply do not want to walk up the hill, this climb again presents the idea that nature affects us just as we affect nature.

Along with not being an artist, unlike the father and daughter-in-law team that created the mural, I am also not a fantastic photographer and photo editor. However, I did take some time to get up close and personal with The Land mural during a recent visit, an experience I highly recommend by the way, as the emotions in this piece grow stronger as you invest more time discovering its intricacies (plus it means you are tackling the incline at a slower pace), and came away with some pictures of all of the various sections for you to enjoy.