tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46833137358638958132024-03-12T19:07:31.548-07:00Cardboard Cutout SundownJameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.comBlogger172125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-67426596108715471432019-07-29T17:01:00.000-07:002019-07-29T17:01:34.984-07:00Artificialia EP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2g8gSC6jT-E/XT-HiARHeXI/AAAAAAAADp8/ItQPDU-aaSEHbJnQtGoeElK_0aE_79uIQCLcBGAs/s1600/bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2g8gSC6jT-E/XT-HiARHeXI/AAAAAAAADp8/ItQPDU-aaSEHbJnQtGoeElK_0aE_79uIQCLcBGAs/s320/bird.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://diagonalscience.bandcamp.com/album/artificialia">Four new tracks</a>, and what is likely to be the penultimate release from Diagonal Science, or at least this incarnation of it.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-63600178210483040682018-07-11T12:31:00.001-07:002018-07-11T12:31:49.834-07:00Section EP by Diagonal Science<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://diagonalscience.bandcamp.com/album/section-ep"><img alt="https://diagonalscience.bandcamp.com/album/section-ep" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljJRK48WMsA/W0ZYLbwytOI/AAAAAAAADo4/C487lmbxaHEzMB52rW55CW8BwLAb_mLdQCLcBGAs/s320/Section%2BEP%2Bcover%2Bnew.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Posting this on the offchance that anyone still reads blogs...<br />
<br />
Black Helicopters have mutated into Diagonal Science - partly because there's other bands called Black Helcopters, which was causing confusion, but also because anything related to conspiracy theories seems so toxic at the moment. There's a <a href="https://diagonalscience.bandcamp.com/album/section-ep">new EP</a> up on Bandcamp, four new tracks, one of which features some pretty extraordinary guest vocals from Rose Niland (Poppycock, Rose and the Diamond Hand). There's an album on the way, or at least there will be if we ever manage to pin someone down to play drums on it. And here's some <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEoz7A8mx0oeCJ-n78AjxvA?view_as=subscriber">videos</a> of us (well, 3/4 of the band) playing last month's Manchester Meltdown.<br />
Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-85463330091932692802016-11-28T12:16:00.000-08:002016-11-28T12:16:48.974-08:00Broken Knowledge EP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OXIdzABhJzM/WDyQB6o1YwI/AAAAAAAADng/dK9Vo_fr3_IOBNIlFzLp1AmEriXLLj6rwCLcB/s1600/a3875716244_16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OXIdzABhJzM/WDyQB6o1YwI/AAAAAAAADng/dK9Vo_fr3_IOBNIlFzLp1AmEriXLLj6rwCLcB/s320/a3875716244_16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">New Bandcamp release: <a href="https://black-helicopters.bandcamp.com/album/broken-knowledge-ep">Broken Knowledge EP</a>. Two radically reworked tracks from the <i>Diagonal Science</i> album, plus two outtakes (one of which is a fairly blatant tribute to/pastiche of a certain post-rock group), so these were recorded back when it was still just myself and Whitney</span>,<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> and once again they were mixed, mastered and made shiny by John Tatlock.</span>Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-60114803453491011442016-10-10T14:54:00.001-07:002016-10-10T14:54:49.378-07:00Collages<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QK-8vlfSJjA/V_wIL4LXURI/AAAAAAAADnI/6XWm2GBQ8AYIJ9ItE7qWqE2eMq1SWZb4ACLcB/s1600/beast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QK-8vlfSJjA/V_wIL4LXURI/AAAAAAAADnI/6XWm2GBQ8AYIJ9ItE7qWqE2eMq1SWZb4ACLcB/s400/beast.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MxvJEuj4dAA/V_wHPc-ImPI/AAAAAAAADnA/f_KQvGE2YQgbnsPV7OyQ_KTGfyR4l2m4ACLcB/s1600/tiger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MxvJEuj4dAA/V_wHPc-ImPI/AAAAAAAADnA/f_KQvGE2YQgbnsPV7OyQ_KTGfyR4l2m4ACLcB/s400/tiger.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A pair of Angela Carter-inspired beasts</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ocnylvC2U2s/V_wGnyHxqAI/AAAAAAAADm4/KcT-szp-5O8bJyCmPQE6NRcKuvswnjL1gCLcB/s1600/strip%2Bback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ocnylvC2U2s/V_wGnyHxqAI/AAAAAAAADm4/KcT-szp-5O8bJyCmPQE6NRcKuvswnjL1gCLcB/s320/strip%2Bback.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Black Helicopters - <i>Strip Back</i> EP</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DL4ZtOsDLhI/V_wGZoN0wiI/AAAAAAAADm0/hN3bwmB_xiM9RBUNkYDEzTMHL22pLUldgCLcB/s1600/diagonal%2Bscience%2Bcd%2Bsize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DL4ZtOsDLhI/V_wGZoN0wiI/AAAAAAAADm0/hN3bwmB_xiM9RBUNkYDEzTMHL22pLUldgCLcB/s320/diagonal%2Bscience%2Bcd%2Bsize.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Black Helicopters - <i>Diagonal Science </i>LP</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nGcHbPmmPkc/V_wE9XmXVeI/AAAAAAAADmg/p4HZGRfhvjMRaUcYeMjlVQ83atYsB5a9QCLcB/s1600/angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bWYEclxzHHQ/V_wHWOfQGbI/AAAAAAAADnE/smeRc7WTKYQbTiES36t4DxicpaPmnlr3ACLcB/s1600/cover%2Bimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bWYEclxzHHQ/V_wHWOfQGbI/AAAAAAAADnE/smeRc7WTKYQbTiES36t4DxicpaPmnlr3ACLcB/s640/cover%2Bimage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Black Helicopters Facebook page cover image</span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l14FBYErRUk/V_wGM2dzYWI/AAAAAAAADmw/QTwg7t0MOUMa7anuI_3H6nxzV_ncsUubACLcB/s1600/atrocity%2Bex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l14FBYErRUk/V_wGM2dzYWI/AAAAAAAADmw/QTwg7t0MOUMa7anuI_3H6nxzV_ncsUubACLcB/s400/atrocity%2Bex.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Atrocity Exhibition</i> (J.G. Ballard)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RShCtOU7k9k/V_wFNaaYQLI/AAAAAAAADmk/RHamjRUWVxwd3mRk4umIKlh1MmI1owo6ACLcB/s1600/a%2Bscanner%2Bdarkly%2Bbug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RShCtOU7k9k/V_wFNaaYQLI/AAAAAAAADmk/RHamjRUWVxwd3mRk4umIKlh1MmI1owo6ACLcB/s400/a%2Bscanner%2Bdarkly%2Bbug.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>A Scanner Darkly</i> (Philip K. Dick)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nGcHbPmmPkc/V_wE9XmXVeI/AAAAAAAADmg/p4HZGRfhvjMRaUcYeMjlVQ83atYsB5a9QCLcB/s1600/angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nGcHbPmmPkc/V_wE9XmXVeI/AAAAAAAADmg/p4HZGRfhvjMRaUcYeMjlVQ83atYsB5a9QCLcB/s400/angel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8P7QBmooRw/V_wGHuYVrKI/AAAAAAAADms/y9w1LyMCiMMkDCn0sd7yJSLdN6lkxAZMgCLcB/s1600/broken%2Bknowledge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8P7QBmooRw/V_wGHuYVrKI/AAAAAAAADms/y9w1LyMCiMMkDCn0sd7yJSLdN6lkxAZMgCLcB/s400/broken%2Bknowledge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
So this was supposed to be an illustration blog, wasn't it? I've barely had a chance to think about this over the past few years, but I have just about got to the point where I'm happy for my work to see the light of day. After frantically trying to make illustrations that looked vaguely "normal" in order to get through my degree, I decided just to make personal work for a while. What I don't have as yet is any idea what potential uses this kind of stuff might have. I really should try and get a full portfolio together, and I'd still like to incorporate drawing and painting into my work again… In the meantime, if anyone out there wants to commission any weirdo collage/painted images, please don't hesitate to get in touch.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-56600815507702223292016-03-03T08:07:00.000-08:002016-03-03T08:08:30.614-08:00Diagonal Science, the new album by Black Helicopters now available<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4_rbs7G6R5g/Vthc8lXrF7I/AAAAAAAADmM/KAs8iK2WPIA/s1600/diagonal%2Bscience.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4_rbs7G6R5g/Vthc8lXrF7I/AAAAAAAADmM/KAs8iK2WPIA/s320/diagonal%2Bscience.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I can't quite believe this is finally done - I've been working on it off and on with Whitney Bluzma (who's also a member of <a href="https://weareill.bandcamp.com/">ILL</a>) for I don't know how long - but we have an <a href="https://black-helicopters.bandcamp.com/album/diagonal-science">ALBUM</a>. Hoping to get it out on vinyl and/or CD at some point but for now it's pay what you want on Bandcamp.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thanks to Luca Corda (who we borrowed from <a href="https://loceanonitsskin.bandcamp.com/releases">Locean</a> and <a href="https://grovestheband.bandcamp.com/">Groves</a>) for some inspired drumming at short notice, and to <a href="http://johntatlockaudio.com/">John Tatlock</a> for doing a great job of mixing, mastering and generally making the thing cohere. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I realise it might seem a bit lazy to re-use the artwork from out first, deleted EP, but all the tracks from it reappear on the album, albeit in much-evolved forms. The lyrics were very much influenced by some of the things I've been writing about on here lately.</div>
<br />Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-17931678976214426342016-02-27T10:19:00.000-08:002016-02-27T10:24:15.438-08:00Inverted Anthropomorphism, Part 2: Jean Painlevé<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wATxezVCWaE/VtHXf-jBjuI/AAAAAAAADlc/ZHCxFnHD3cE/s1600/paineleve%2Bvampire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wATxezVCWaE/VtHXf-jBjuI/AAAAAAAADlc/ZHCxFnHD3cE/s320/paineleve%2Bvampire.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Roger Caillois wasn't the only figure involved with Surrealism - however peripherally - not to concur with Breton's insistence that the marvellous and scientific research were incompatible. Jean Painlevé (1902-1989) made over two hundred films during his lifetime, mostly natural history documentaries, many of which were aimed at scientific audiences rather than the general public. He was one of the first to film wildlife underwater, and his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVMsO56W-G4">best-known film</a> captured male seahorses giving birth. In 1924 he contributed a brief article, "Neo-Zoological Drama," to the journal <i>Surréalisme</i>, a "surreal melodrama" of marine organisms described in impenetrable scientific jargon, and Man Ray used footage of a starfish taken by Painlevé in his 1928 film <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csEDMzs3SXo">L'Etoile de mer</a></i>.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zXm_st9oflc/VtHXa59N31I/AAAAAAAADlM/izFqp9IVGKE/s1600/painleve%2Bseahorse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zXm_st9oflc/VtHXa59N31I/AAAAAAAADlM/izFqp9IVGKE/s400/painleve%2Bseahorse.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Painlevé believed that there was a risk that understanding nature could potentially "strip away its miraculous qualities," although that needn't detract from its "poetry" which "subverts reason and is never dulled by repetition." He argued that the human imagination produces "weak revelations" in comparison with nature:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We see offspring who slowly substitute themselves for their parents by resorbing them; elsewhere, we see parents decompose in their children. We witness organs of propulsion becoming jaws, an eye passing from one side to the other or fusing to the one next to it; in some, all the organs disappear. While some young begin with identical forms, they grow into adults who look nothing like each other. So wildly different are the stages in such a species that if one does not closely monitor their transformations, one could easily be fooled into believing these two individuals are not even related. Indeed, a dully coloured, carnivorous larva might grow into a dazzling coloured vegetarian who, when fully grown, no longer has a mouth and fasts until death.</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In <i>Science is Fiction: The Films of Jean Painlevé</i>, Ralph Rugolf writes that Painlevé's films are "spooked by the spectre of the inhuman"; the disconcertingly mindless movement of microscopic cilia disturb because they are "functional and reflect an intelligence - environmental and evolutionary - that is far vaster than our own puny claim in that area." The uncertainty as to whether or not something is sentient is, Rugoff points out, one definition of the uncanny. Painlevé's work leaves us "with a haunting sense of our own strangeness even as we gape in wonder at nature's bizarre marvels." As the narrator of <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg3mFmTDwW0">Acera, or the Witches' Dance</a></i> informs us, for the aquatic molluscs that are the film's subject, "as for other animals, dance is a way to find a partner." This isn't an inappropriate projection of human qualities onto another species, but an observation of how we resemble the rest of the animal kingdom: once again, it's a case of inverted anthropomorphism.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In his 1947 article "Science Film: Accidental Beauty" the critic André Bazin wrote that "Tanguy, Salvador Dal</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">í</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and Bu</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">ñ</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">uel have only distantly approached the Surrealist drama in which the late lamented Doctor de Martel, preparing for a complicated trephination, first sculpts on the nape of a neck - shaved and naked as an eggshell - the outline of a face." For Bazin, the "inexhaustible gift" of the science film was that "[a]t the far end of inquisitive, utilitarian research, in the most absolute proscription of aesthetic intentions, cinematic beauty develops as an additional supernatural gift." Painlev</span>é's 1978 film <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX8V8KdDYEI">Liquid Crystals</a></i> documents the effects of temperature and pressure on the molecular structure of liquid crystals found in caffeine, urea and acetic acid. Initially made for research purposes, Painlevé re-edited it for a general audience. The result is, as Scott MacDonald has noted, reminiscent of abstract animations by the likes of Oskar Fischinger and Harry Smith. Painlevé found a score he had previously been given by Fran<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">ç</span>ois de Roubaix to be a perfect fit; it was, he said, "a cosmic coincidence."</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1u437gFZ-IM/VtHXjkT9-tI/AAAAAAAADlk/rRYbSBP-rfc/s1600/painleve%2Bliquid%2Bcrystals%2B1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1u437gFZ-IM/VtHXjkT9-tI/AAAAAAAADlk/rRYbSBP-rfc/s320/painleve%2Bliquid%2Bcrystals%2B1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zhjwYHtrqYs/VtHX-2Y2zuI/AAAAAAAADls/BBFUm9be0jE/s1600/painleve%2Bliquid%2Bcrystals%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zhjwYHtrqYs/VtHX-2Y2zuI/AAAAAAAADls/BBFUm9be0jE/s320/painleve%2Bliquid%2Bcrystals%2B2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vZAPKClWNtA/VtHYPChfSSI/AAAAAAAADl0/KufeGbnNa58/s1600/painleve%2Bliquid%2Bcrystals%2B3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vZAPKClWNtA/VtHYPChfSSI/AAAAAAAADl0/KufeGbnNa58/s320/painleve%2Bliquid%2Bcrystals%2B3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SqHK0GKMHPw/VtHYTv2PgdI/AAAAAAAADl8/AUVqvnV5yuc/s1600/painleve%2Bliquid%2Bcrystals%2B4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SqHK0GKMHPw/VtHYTv2PgdI/AAAAAAAADl8/AUVqvnV5yuc/s320/painleve%2Bliquid%2Bcrystals%2B4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Painlevé did not attempt to exclude aesthetics or morality from his scientific vision, and was well aware that science could not be fenced off from other areas of life: At the end of <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-izHnJE3tCg">The Vampire</a></i> (1945), its Chiropteran star, the "brown pest," carrier of diseases, gives "the salute of the vampire," and consequently Painlevé had to escape persecution by the Nazis, fleeing to Spain using self-invented scuba-diving gear. Nature could also serve as an example to humanity - the fact that it was the male seahorse that gave birth and looked after the young was, Painlevé said, "a splendid way of promoting the kindness and virtue of the father, while at the same time underlining the necessity of the mother. In other words, I wanted to re-establish the balance between male and female."</div>
<br />Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-86814740414058748302015-07-22T16:53:00.001-07:002015-07-22T17:23:04.193-07:00Inverted Anthropomorphism, Part 1Prior to his departure from the Surrealist group, in 1934 Roger Caillois contributed an essay to the journal <i>Minotaure</i> on the praying mantis and its "objective capacity to act directly on the emotions." Researching the insect's etymology, he finds that it may be regarded as sacred ("pray-to-God") or diabolical ("pray-to-the-devil"), but that even the scientific terms for the various species are "on the whole, purely and simply lyrical." He also examines some of the stories and mythologies surrounding the creature, such as the belief that if a lost child asks it for directions it will point the way, that it is an infallible fortune teller, that it is creator of the world and owner of the moon. He concludes that "mankind has been highly struck" by the mantis, and, seeking to account for "the lyrical objectivity of certain concrete representations," he proposes the existence of "objective ideograms" which correspond to aspects of human psychology. This would, he argues, allow for the possibility that mythography is to some degree innate. He suggests that research in comparative biology could potentially shed light on human psychology, and even that the "castration complex" in humans might represent a "vestigial residue" of behavioural patterns common to other animals, i.e. the fear of being entirely consumed during coitus (while mating the female mantis may decapitate and begin eating the male, which continues regardless).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7PIFEmXTbkY/VbArF4R98bI/AAAAAAAADkc/KG3bSPQ3K00/s1600/mantis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7PIFEmXTbkY/VbArF4R98bI/AAAAAAAADkc/KG3bSPQ3K00/s320/mantis.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Caillois thought that the adaptive mimicry of certain types of mantis "illustrated, sometimes hauntingly, the human desire to recover its original insensate condition, a desire comparable to the pantheistic idea of becoming one with nature, which is itself the common literary and philosophical translation of returning to prenatal unconscious." He would develop this idea in a later piece for <i>Minotaure</i>, "Mimicry and Legendary Psychaesthenia" (1937). Here Caillois provides a brief overview of animal mimicry: a caterpillar that can imitate the head of a snake, insects with wings adorned with "eyes" which supposedly startle predators, seaweed-like fish, mantises disguised as flowers. He finds accepted theories of mimicry wanting, and concludes that it is inefficient either as an offensive or defensive weapon, citing, for instance, the fact that most predators do not hunt by sight, as well as the case of the Phyllidae insects, which mimic leaves so convincingly they browse on each other. Instead, he turns to an unlikely source for an explanation: mimetic magic, and the principle of correspondence:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The law of magic, <i>Things that have once touched each other stay united</i>, corresponds to the principle of association by contiguity, just as the principle of association by similarity precisely corresponds to the <i>attractio similium</i> of magic: <i>Like produces like</i>. Hence, identical principles govern, on the one hand, the subjective association of ideas and, on the other, the objective association of phenomena; that is, on the one hand, the chance or supposedly chance links between ideas and, on the other, the causal links between phenomena. </blockquote>
<br />
Mimicry must be, Caillois argues, "a disorder of spatial perception" or <i>lure of space</i>, which he terms "legendary psychaesthenia." He compares it to the dissociation between mind and body in schizophrenics, for whom "space seems to constitute a will to devour." (Caillois would later write that he found these ideas far-fetched.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JObaMqLFX_g/VbAr7HvuQCI/AAAAAAAADkk/igqb-Xnk3Xg/s1600/LeafInsect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JObaMqLFX_g/VbAr7HvuQCI/AAAAAAAADkk/igqb-Xnk3Xg/s320/LeafInsect.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
In natural mimicry Caillois saw equivalents to human fashion, carnival theatre and ceremony, but denied that this projection was a case of anthropomorphism; rather it was<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
exactly the opposite. It should be realised that the point is not to explain certain puzzling facts observed in nature in terms of man. On the contrary, it is to explain man (governed by the laws of this same nature, to which he belongs in almost every respect) in terms of the more general behavioural forms found widespread in nature throughout most species. This attitude prompts one to greatly vary the principles of biological explanation and to assert that nature (which is no miser) pursues pleasure, luxury, exuberance, and vertigo just as much as survival.</blockquote>
<br />
In her introduction to <i>The Writing of Stones</i>, Marguerite Yourcenar describes Caillois' theories as "an inverted anthropomorphism in which man, instead of attributing his own emotions, sometimes condescendingly, to all other living beings, shares humbly, yet perhaps also with pride, in everything contained or innate in all three realms, animal, vegetable, and mineral."Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-53740028233624264402015-05-05T11:54:00.003-07:002015-05-05T18:54:47.234-07:00Diagonal ScienceIn 1970 Roger Caillois wrote an article entitled "A New Plea for a Diagonal Science" (to be found in the collection <i><a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Edge-Surrealism-Roger-Caillois/9780822330684">The Edge of Surrealism</a></i>) in which he decried the fragmentation of knowledge into increasingly narrow, specialised, even arbitrary categories, each scientist "burrowing away in his own special tunnel as if he were some efficient and myopic mole, operat[ing] like a complete maverick, like a miner who is digging ever deeper, almost utterly unaware of the discoveries made by fellow workers in neighbouring galleries, and even more so of the results in distant quarries." What was needed was a "diagonal science" which would "seek to make out the single legislation uniting scattered and seemingly unrelated phenomena. Slicing obliquely through our common world, they decipher latent complicities and reveal neglected correlations."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bw40bvO0EXE/VUkQ53fetMI/AAAAAAAADkM/Efk5xjytbWo/s1600/dante%2Band%2Bvirgil%2Bin%2Bhell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bw40bvO0EXE/VUkQ53fetMI/AAAAAAAADkM/Efk5xjytbWo/s1600/dante%2Band%2Bvirgil%2Bin%2Bhell.jpg" height="309" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Dante and Virgil in Hell. From Roger Caillois, <i>The Writing of Stones</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Caillois was searching for correspondences in areas of human knowledge and creativity as well as among natural phenomena. In <i>The Writing of Stones</i> he describes a painting on paesina of Dante and Virgil in Hell, and finds "a clear case of complicity here between the subterranean levels of suffering and the genesis of a stone that itself comes from the depths of the earth, roasted in the heat of some non-human furnace." This kind of correlation between nature and art was frequently encountered in the objects exhibited in Renaissance-era curiosity cabinets, as Lorraine Daston and Katharine Park describe in their fascinating book, <i><a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Wonders-Order-Nature-1150-1750-Lorraine-Daston/9780942299915">Wonders and the Order of Nature</a></i> (1998):<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Implicit in the typical objects of the Wunderkammern that drew nature and art together in mutual emulation - the landscape veined in marble, the mechanical duck that swam and quacked, the nautilus shell garlanded in gold - was a personification of nature as an elevated kind of artisan. She (for the personification of nature was traditionally and invariably feminine) was neither Aristotle's humble maker of mundane, functional objects like beds and ships, not the creative, almost divine artist exalted by the Neoplatonic art theory of the Italian Renaissance. Rather, she was the creator of luxury items, as elaborate as they were useless, combining costly materials with fine craftsmanship. Like the goldsmith, the ivory turner, and the painter of miniatures, she was freed from the demands of utility. The virtuoso artisan could play with form and matter, just as nature occasionally "sported" with her ordinary species and regularities.</blockquote>
Caillois, like Breton and the Surrealists, was well aware that a rationalist view of nature is an incomplete one, that there's no <i>reason</i> why we should be able to fully comprehend the universe. To attribute to nature a drab utilitarianism based on "the struggle for survival" is a form of anthropomorphism. He argued that "[t]he time has come to invoke 'motives' that are just as pressing on a universal scale, such as profusion, play,<i> ivresse</i>, and even aesthetics, or at least the need for ornament and decoration."<br />
<br />
In <i>The Origins of Museums: the Cabinet of Curiosities in Sixteenth- and Seventeenth Century Europe </i>(a book edited by Oliver Impey and Arthur McGregor and accurately described by Lawrence Weschler as "almost insanely recondite"),<i> </i>Guiseppe Olmi relates an anecdote concerning the Italian collector <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinando_Cospi">Ferdinando Cospi</a> (1606-1686), whose cabinet was arranged in "in such a way as to exclude systematically all normality" and who "did not consider such things worth collecting unless they were either monstrous or had some bizarre peculiarity." It's an interesting precursor to Breton and Caillois' jumping bean argument (see <a href="http://jameshoodillustration.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/research-and-poetry.html">previous post</a>).<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Above all, those beliefs in the habits and miraculous properties of animals which scientific research had by then shown to be unfounded, are still stubbornly reiterated. Evidently the results of scientific investigation could not be totally ignore; but the rational explanation… is usually confined to a few grudging lines at the end of each description. The effort to maintain the greatest possible sense of mystery and wonder is quite apparent. In the same town, and at the same time as [the physician and biologist Marcello] Malpighi was subjecting the vegetable world to microscopic examination, it did not even occur to Cospi to open up a dried Ethiopian fruit to discover the nature of its interior, although the catalogue notes that the fruit rattled when shaken. He still clung to a method of enquiry based largely on vague supposition rather than dissection and empirical analysis.</blockquote>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iQ7YQqMyhxk/VUj5QDb3XEI/AAAAAAAADj8/XdEtSe9b75U/s1600/cospi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iQ7YQqMyhxk/VUj5QDb3XEI/AAAAAAAADj8/XdEtSe9b75U/s1600/cospi.jpg" height="261" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Cospi's cabinet, c. 1677</span></div>
Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-29907670235529298262015-05-03T08:49:00.000-07:002015-05-03T08:49:14.539-07:00Research and poetry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
In 1934 <span style="text-align: right;">two Surrealists had an argument about Mexican jumping beans.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="text-align: right;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
The subject of the disagreement was whether or not the beans should be dissected in order to ascertain what caused them to jump. Was there some kind of larva inside? André Breton, Surrealist "Pope", insisted that they should not. All possibilities for wonder must be exhausted before any kind of empirical investigation took place. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Caillois">Roger Caillois</a>, however, believed that "research and poetry" could be combined in "a form of the Marvellous that does not fear knowledge, but thrives on it." Their dispute led to Caillois leaving the Surrealist group.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WmGw2ZIfoEY/VUYtmecinoI/AAAAAAAADjc/ILBgK4sShMg/s1600/caillois.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WmGw2ZIfoEY/VUYtmecinoI/AAAAAAAADjc/ILBgK4sShMg/s1600/caillois.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Caillois seems to be quite an obscure figure nowadays, at least in the Anglophone world, and - not unreasonably - very much in the shadow of Georges Bataille, with whom he co-founded the Collège de Sociologie. He's probably best remembered for <i>Man, Play and Games</i> (1958), in which he developed Johan Huizinga's ideas on ludology, but he also wrote <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Pontius-Pilate-Roger-Caillois/9780813925516">a novel about Pontius Pilate</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Man-Sacred-Roger-Caillois/9780252070341">an ethnographic study of the sacred</a>, some bizarre articles on mimicry in nature (an influence on Jacques Lacan's psychoanalytical concept of the mirror stage), and a beautifully illustrated book about his collection of non-precious stones, <i>The Writing of Stones</i> (1970), many of the images from which can be seen at <a href="http://50watts.com/The-Writing-of-Stones">50 Watts</a> and <a href="http://butdoesitfloat.com/There-are-impossible-scribblings-in-nature-written-neither-by-men-nor">But Does It Float</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-216fKK5crZ8/VUY6ZOdTyII/AAAAAAAADjs/n0dhCtek2mE/s1600/writing-of-stones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-216fKK5crZ8/VUY6ZOdTyII/AAAAAAAADjs/n0dhCtek2mE/s1600/writing-of-stones.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A couple of years ago I wrote a masters dissertation on Caillois and the Surrealists, their attitudes towards nature and creativity, and their context within the broader histories of curiosity and wonder. I'm unlikely to be pursuing this further any time soon - I'm not sure how I could without becoming fluent in French - but in coming weeks I'll be posting fragments from my research, among other things.</div>
Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-47501288748215036332015-04-29T16:22:00.000-07:002015-06-14T03:43:52.381-07:00Black Helicopters - Strip Back EP now available<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-em7P_paNh9Y/VUF-qf7P60I/AAAAAAAADjM/rVKeWZ1RTz4/s1600/strip%2Bback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-em7P_paNh9Y/VUF-qf7P60I/AAAAAAAADjM/rVKeWZ1RTz4/s1600/strip%2Bback.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Has it really been so long?<br />
<br />
Having been preoccupied with various activities such as writing a dissertation on Roger Caillois and the natural fantastic, recording an EP and an album, the occasional bit of artwork, and teacher training, blogging hasn't seemed so much of a priority over the past couple of years.<br />
<br />
There is finally - <i>finally</i> - a Black Helicopters EP <a href="https://black-helicopters.bandcamp.com/">available to download from Bandcamp</a>.<br />
<br />Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-29792822511961397382013-01-14T08:20:00.000-08:002013-01-14T08:57:27.552-08:00Jankel Adler<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2eAew5hk5f8/UPQi_UvMHGI/AAAAAAAADfw/bLyHZM0g9aM/s1600/No+Man%27s+Land+1943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2eAew5hk5f8/UPQi_UvMHGI/AAAAAAAADfw/bLyHZM0g9aM/s400/No+Man%27s+Land+1943.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
No Man's Land, 1943</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DVOZKlRshoA/UPQi9FLgR7I/AAAAAAAADfY/1i8WJ96Si1g/s1600/Cleron,+the+Cat+Breeder+1925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DVOZKlRshoA/UPQi9FLgR7I/AAAAAAAADfY/1i8WJ96Si1g/s400/Cleron,+the+Cat+Breeder+1925.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Cleron, the Cat Breeder, 1925 </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KUILNLgdX_8/UPQi-LQ-3_I/AAAAAAAADfg/-F_ZYVwEfQs/s1600/Composition+c.1943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KUILNLgdX_8/UPQi-LQ-3_I/AAAAAAAADfg/-F_ZYVwEfQs/s400/Composition+c.1943.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Composition, c.1943</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pkRK3WsV2O0/UPQi-bhsHlI/AAAAAAAADfk/ncgN-bXyVns/s1600/Landscape+1953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pkRK3WsV2O0/UPQi-bhsHlI/AAAAAAAADfk/ncgN-bXyVns/s400/Landscape+1953.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Landscape, 1953</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OtGLoMji9kM/UPQi_cfrdTI/AAAAAAAADf0/FucHkWH2kps/s1600/The+Game+1933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OtGLoMji9kM/UPQi_cfrdTI/AAAAAAAADf0/FucHkWH2kps/s400/The+Game+1933.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Game, 1933</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NpirzhBuwzA/UPQjAu9ceQI/AAAAAAAADgA/J7orFQFeVYw/s1600/The+Poet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NpirzhBuwzA/UPQjAu9ceQI/AAAAAAAADgA/J7orFQFeVYw/s400/The+Poet.jpg" width="305" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The Poet</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CyY82lBrpJk/UPQjD_QN3bI/AAAAAAAADgI/yT3fqqPrZd8/s1600/Ein+Jude,+c.1926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CyY82lBrpJk/UPQjD_QN3bI/AAAAAAAADgI/yT3fqqPrZd8/s400/Ein+Jude,+c.1926.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Ein Jude, c.1926</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jankel_Adler">Jankel Adler</a> was born in Tuszyn, near Łódź in 1895. His family were orthodox Jews, and he was the seventh of ten children. Having studied engraving with his uncle in Belgrade, Adler travelled throughout Europe, and took up a teaching post at the Academy of Arts in Düsseldorf alongside Paul Klee. Influenced by Picasso and Leger as well as Klee, Adler's art was inevitably labelled “degenerate” by the Nazis, and he fled Germany for Paris in 1933. None of his siblings survived the Holocaust. He enlisted with the Polish army when World War II broke out but was discharged due to health reasons, following which he settled in Scotland and later London. He died in Aldbourne in 1949. More on Adler: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/artists/jankel-adler">one</a>, <a href="http://weimarart.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/jankel-adler.html">two</a>, <a href="http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/jankel-adler-630">three</a>, <a href="http://benuri.org.uk/public/?collection-details=171">four</a>.</div>
Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-33250065571311222472012-09-09T15:39:00.000-07:002012-09-09T15:39:44.806-07:00Yet more Quay covers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dndrGYuw1a8/UE0ZJFVKZtI/AAAAAAAADeE/GnbEPLv6jWc/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dndrGYuw1a8/UE0ZJFVKZtI/AAAAAAAADeE/GnbEPLv6jWc/s400/1.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gJYlvqcdvHM/UE0ZKjyxe_I/AAAAAAAADeM/UQDEGPou884/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gJYlvqcdvHM/UE0ZKjyxe_I/AAAAAAAADeM/UQDEGPou884/s400/2.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7JCPSODgGp8/UE0ZLMSp7ZI/AAAAAAAADeQ/dP5g4OzCyb8/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7JCPSODgGp8/UE0ZLMSp7ZI/AAAAAAAADeQ/dP5g4OzCyb8/s1600/3.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bFDG0ZsUVno/UE0ZLkDL63I/AAAAAAAADeY/whoODOqmlWQ/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bFDG0ZsUVno/UE0ZLkDL63I/AAAAAAAADeY/whoODOqmlWQ/s1600/4.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Previously: <a href="http://jameshoodillustration.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/quay-brothers-at-manchester.html">one</a>, <a href="http://jameshoodillustration.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/more-quay-covers.html">two</a>. And there's lots of their drawings and graphic work to be seen in this <a href="http://jameshoodillustration.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/quay-brothers-at-manchester.html">exhibition catalogue</a>.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-21761583835382753802012-09-01T10:33:00.000-07:002012-09-01T12:04:01.341-07:00Wallace Smith revisited<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WVnbrp9cZA/UEI2zV7fA6I/AAAAAAAADcg/9C-T1jwnNBI/s1600/vulgus+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WVnbrp9cZA/UEI2zV7fA6I/AAAAAAAADcg/9C-T1jwnNBI/s400/vulgus+2.JPG" width="308" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l5DPISM4TqE/UEI23qJkV-I/AAAAAAAADco/wVtKeo0hrn0/s1600/vulgus+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l5DPISM4TqE/UEI23qJkV-I/AAAAAAAADco/wVtKeo0hrn0/s400/vulgus+3.JPG" width="267" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXi_3bGDbtY/UEI26-tTc6I/AAAAAAAADcw/yNXau11PKm8/s1600/vulgus+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXi_3bGDbtY/UEI26-tTc6I/AAAAAAAADcw/yNXau11PKm8/s320/vulgus+4.JPG" width="272" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--i7pZM95Mvk/UEI3D5X8j0I/AAAAAAAADc4/qEV7c1ubf7w/s1600/vulgus+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--i7pZM95Mvk/UEI3D5X8j0I/AAAAAAAADc4/qEV7c1ubf7w/s400/vulgus+5.JPG" width="288" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hwhYjs8HlyA/UEI3H-DoLDI/AAAAAAAADdA/D4-12Cc64U4/s1600/vulgus+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hwhYjs8HlyA/UEI3H-DoLDI/AAAAAAAADdA/D4-12Cc64U4/s400/vulgus+6.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PInMluaKkn0/UEI3LYZff9I/AAAAAAAADdI/qoG1APv1eO0/s1600/vulgus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PInMluaKkn0/UEI3LYZff9I/AAAAAAAADdI/qoG1APv1eO0/s400/vulgus.JPG" width="251" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6cCFnSE_M_E/UEI3QaCytAI/AAAAAAAADdQ/cFovUmc3XKk/s1600/ws1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6cCFnSE_M_E/UEI3QaCytAI/AAAAAAAADdQ/cFovUmc3XKk/s400/ws1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v9tUNY6rP1w/UEI3WVVGWpI/AAAAAAAADdY/FqgZjjgBfE4/s1600/ws2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v9tUNY6rP1w/UEI3WVVGWpI/AAAAAAAADdY/FqgZjjgBfE4/s400/ws2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ptVVa7j2XNI/UEI3Z59CDiI/AAAAAAAADdg/Ik-lINFGDBs/s1600/ws3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ptVVa7j2XNI/UEI3Z59CDiI/AAAAAAAADdg/Ik-lINFGDBs/s400/ws3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_nF1vK_s6V8/UEI3c_1YFoI/AAAAAAAADdo/oeasBrFE8j8/s1600/ws4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_nF1vK_s6V8/UEI3c_1YFoI/AAAAAAAADdo/oeasBrFE8j8/s400/ws4.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Julien Gorbach, who's writing a doctoral dissertation on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Hecht">Ben Hecht</a>, very kindly sent me some images and articles by Wallace Smith (see this <a href="http://jameshoodillustration.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/wallace-smith.html">previous post</a>) from the <i>Chicago Literary Times</i>, a paper established by Hecht in 1923. Some of these are credited to "Vulgus", but I'm pretty sure they're by Smith, whose Beardsley-esque line is far better suited to fantastical visions than to caricature. Julien describes Smith's articles as being " like the kind of thing you might see from the last few decades in an underground 'zine or comic mocking urban hipster culture," so the following is from one of his "Wise Cracks by Joe Blow" columns:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"They tell me where you have been hanging out with these Bohemians, like they call 'em," charged Bitter Bill, "and I look to hear any day where you have wrote a book or done a old master painting."</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Somebody has gave you a very wrong steer about the jolly land of Bohemia," replied Joe Blow. "Otherwise, you will be next where true Bohemians don't do the kind of things."</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"I am on to these Bohemians account of some one tells me where they're making a book over on Washington Street. Naturally I mosey over to see if some new handbook bloke has opened up a racket. I am very dumb to make this play. Because it ain't a gambling joint at all, only a place where they print novels and poems named after colors and literature."</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"But while I'm in there, i run into my friend, Language McCarthy, and the next thing I know I am eased into a crowd of these Bohemians. They ain't foreigners, like you think. Although now and then you do hear some very heathen dialects, at that. And I get into some artist studios and meet some of the girls and boys with bobbed hair.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"But I never do catch one of these jobbies doing any writing or any painting. The long suit of the Bohemian blokes is heavy conversation. The main privilege of being a Bohemian is telling off-color stories in a mixed crowd and getting away with it. And talking about things which usually are left to the sewing circle clinics.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Besides that, they gab most about literature and painting. They are strong for free thinking, like they call it. You can see right away where the kind of thinking they use ought to be free; or, at least, have no very hefty price mark on it.</i></blockquote>
Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-65861949055379732902012-06-16T16:47:00.000-07:002012-06-16T16:47:46.220-07:00Fred Tomaselli<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_fK7-j1UhP4/T90GvIEkn-I/AAAAAAAADac/WiKNvqn5bgk/s1600/1+Night+Music+for+Raptors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_fK7-j1UhP4/T90GvIEkn-I/AAAAAAAADac/WiKNvqn5bgk/s400/1+Night+Music+for+Raptors.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LNox4-BINiU/T90GxJhXh2I/AAAAAAAADak/-Nj6dikZlh0/s1600/2+Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LNox4-BINiU/T90GxJhXh2I/AAAAAAAADak/-Nj6dikZlh0/s400/2+Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BYUiA9llqoA/T90GzwdkqhI/AAAAAAAADas/-RoLaFcw950/s1600/3+woodpecker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BYUiA9llqoA/T90GzwdkqhI/AAAAAAAADas/-RoLaFcw950/s400/3+woodpecker.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qEeCii-zPWA/T90G2SAQGRI/AAAAAAAADa0/zBBG6w0SAls/s1600/4+big+raven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qEeCii-zPWA/T90G2SAQGRI/AAAAAAAADa0/zBBG6w0SAls/s400/4+big+raven.jpg" width="341" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Ko4TzkV8NA/T90G4IIslHI/AAAAAAAADa8/ANLD2XWzmks/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Ko4TzkV8NA/T90G4IIslHI/AAAAAAAADa8/ANLD2XWzmks/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tWq8aLXOP7U/T90G646_IxI/AAAAAAAADbE/m5g5n6x_rP4/s1600/6+Fred+Tomaselli.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tWq8aLXOP7U/T90G646_IxI/AAAAAAAADbE/m5g5n6x_rP4/s400/6+Fred+Tomaselli.JPG" width="398" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QtuPxsyKwn4/T90G9A5QuKI/AAAAAAAADbM/YAZXhIIq_Qg/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QtuPxsyKwn4/T90G9A5QuKI/AAAAAAAADbM/YAZXhIIq_Qg/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Having recently finished <i>TechGnosis</i>, <a href="http://www.techgnosis.com/index.php">Erik Davis</a>'s fascinating exploration of the various esoteric and mystical currents lurking within our supposedly rational technological society, I'm currently reading <i>Nomad Codes</i>, a superb collection of articles by the same author on, among other subjects, Philip K. Dick, Terence McKenna, Goa trance, African trickster gods, Lee Perry, H.P. Lovecraft, and Burmese transvestite "spirit mediums." The cover features the extraordinary psychedelic art of <a href="http://www.jamescohan.com/artists/fred-tomaselli/">Fred Tomaselli</a>, who incorporates pills and herbs (legal and otherwise) as well as fragments of found images into his paintings before coating them in resin and varnishes. His work also adorns the excellent <i>Wounded Galaxies Tap at the Window</i> LP by <a href="http://www.cyclobe.com/">Cyclobe</a> (bottom). See more at <a href="http://www.jamescohan.com/artists/fred-tomaselli/">James Cohan Gallery</a> and <a href="http://whitecube.com/artists/fred_tomaselli/">White Cube</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bi9zT_hbjpA/T90HA8f8M3I/AAAAAAAADbc/c_oSLXp34bA/s1600/Nomad+Codes.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bi9zT_hbjpA/T90HA8f8M3I/AAAAAAAADbc/c_oSLXp34bA/s400/Nomad+Codes.jpeg" width="267" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cyclobe.com/shop-wounded-galaxies-cd.php"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fgoRbkrFwAs/T90G-O4-d7I/AAAAAAAADbQ/oCQXZsI2854/s400/8+Generator.jpg" width="397" /></a></div>
<br />Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-59975130609426299642012-06-02T13:40:00.000-07:002012-06-02T13:40:07.899-07:00Das Kabinett des Jan Švankmajer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tokFIyTd_2A/T8poc2ducYI/AAAAAAAADZk/c5Aqn3-JsBQ/s1600/cabinet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tokFIyTd_2A/T8poc2ducYI/AAAAAAAADZk/c5Aqn3-JsBQ/s320/cabinet.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GNYTBDuHXg4/T8poduFoMII/AAAAAAAADZs/3iQDewQvyUs/s1600/svankmajer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GNYTBDuHXg4/T8poduFoMII/AAAAAAAADZs/3iQDewQvyUs/s400/svankmajer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://jameshoodillustration.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/jan-eva.html">A while ago</a> I complained that the art of Jan <span style="font-size: 100%;">Švankmajer wasn't easy to come by. This <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Cabinet-Svankmajer-Bert-Rebhandl/dp/3869842563/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338665138&sr=1-2">exhibition catalogue</a> rectifies the situation with numerous reproductions of his collage chimaeras, photos of his "natural history cabinet" of fantastical creatures made from found objects, and stills from his short films and features.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 100%;">***</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://thombeau.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/torchbearer.html">Form Is Void</a> recently posted an animated short</span>, <i>The Torchbearer,</i><span style="font-size: 100%;"> by Jan's son </span>Václav Švankmajer<i>, </i>and it's a remarkable piece of work. Below are some of his paintings and collages, more of which can be found <a href="http://vaclavsvankmajer.jex.cz/">here</a>. <br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Fc-Cbxqf3U/T8p3XE1mgnI/AAAAAAAADZ4/MobfArcwVdA/s1600/breaking_web.gif.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="353" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Fc-Cbxqf3U/T8p3XE1mgnI/AAAAAAAADZ4/MobfArcwVdA/s400/breaking_web.gif.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UEUkRiTGMWU/T8p3Y32HU1I/AAAAAAAADaA/rXPskeVJmGA/s1600/mysi.gif.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UEUkRiTGMWU/T8p3Y32HU1I/AAAAAAAADaA/rXPskeVJmGA/s400/mysi.gif.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cP0YbXr84Zg/T8p3aOpspGI/AAAAAAAADaI/qcvqbVx2wvo/s1600/signum_web.gif.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cP0YbXr84Zg/T8p3aOpspGI/AAAAAAAADaI/qcvqbVx2wvo/s400/signum_web.gif.png" width="287" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8xW56-47vAE/T8p3bfiuVbI/AAAAAAAADaQ/BJX0TRStPwY/s1600/stir.gif.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8xW56-47vAE/T8p3bfiuVbI/AAAAAAAADaQ/BJX0TRStPwY/s400/stir.gif.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 100%;"></span>Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-16570792545399462772012-05-19T13:03:00.000-07:002012-05-19T13:03:33.771-07:00Eduard Wiiralt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lmy6jgGZDgU/T7frVfzXqII/AAAAAAAADW4/iX0AqS21JNo/s1600/wiiralt+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lmy6jgGZDgU/T7frVfzXqII/AAAAAAAADW4/iX0AqS21JNo/s400/wiiralt+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9cu4WV73cGY/T7frjcihfMI/AAAAAAAADYQ/zgIYdLf9QIg/s1600/wiiralt+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9cu4WV73cGY/T7frjcihfMI/AAAAAAAADYQ/zgIYdLf9QIg/s400/wiiralt+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OpwFe24Pphg/T7frmie7FdI/AAAAAAAADYo/VlVrLEXNqp8/s1600/wiiralt+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OpwFe24Pphg/T7frmie7FdI/AAAAAAAADYo/VlVrLEXNqp8/s400/wiiralt+3.jpg" width="330" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ct3WL-z24V0/T7froVj0LBI/AAAAAAAADYw/xcrKTdYtD0k/s1600/wiiralt+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ct3WL-z24V0/T7froVj0LBI/AAAAAAAADYw/xcrKTdYtD0k/s400/wiiralt+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EHYo5nGAVfE/T7frpVV_7VI/AAAAAAAADY4/gONVm5XBoEM/s1600/wiiralt+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EHYo5nGAVfE/T7frpVV_7VI/AAAAAAAADY4/gONVm5XBoEM/s400/wiiralt+5.jpg" width="366" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kuss6iN0I0o/T7frqUkQIvI/AAAAAAAADZA/ZedE-_qJLFo/s1600/wiiralt+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kuss6iN0I0o/T7frqUkQIvI/AAAAAAAADZA/ZedE-_qJLFo/s400/wiiralt+6.jpg" width="397" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0mOqIHv1xdM/T7fr4WKoRqI/AAAAAAAADZI/W-euqvlCRus/s1600/wiiralt+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0mOqIHv1xdM/T7fr4WKoRqI/AAAAAAAADZI/W-euqvlCRus/s400/wiiralt+7.JPG" width="313" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gPFjoEZMEek/T7fr5aO7F_I/AAAAAAAADZQ/8y2w2EVFqgQ/s1600/wiiralt+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gPFjoEZMEek/T7fr5aO7F_I/AAAAAAAADZQ/8y2w2EVFqgQ/s400/wiiralt+8.jpg" width="343" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-THL7Kbk29Rc/T7fr7yyEqmI/AAAAAAAADZY/A8ifJ5ZMPBg/s1600/wiiralt+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-THL7Kbk29Rc/T7fr7yyEqmI/AAAAAAAADZY/A8ifJ5ZMPBg/s400/wiiralt+9.jpg" width="385" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Svp3WR1I44Q/T7frWe55pGI/AAAAAAAADXA/XIOo4EQfNE0/s1600/wiiralt+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Svp3WR1I44Q/T7frWe55pGI/AAAAAAAADXA/XIOo4EQfNE0/s400/wiiralt+10.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jZ-d3HQ23xg/T7frXIF-ejI/AAAAAAAADXE/1gt9c5xPsAA/s1600/wiiralt+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jZ-d3HQ23xg/T7frXIF-ejI/AAAAAAAADXE/1gt9c5xPsAA/s400/wiiralt+11.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SjBfQV2kLwg/T7frZ5OXV2I/AAAAAAAADXQ/jCmeeK1XRJI/s1600/wiiralt+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SjBfQV2kLwg/T7frZ5OXV2I/AAAAAAAADXQ/jCmeeK1XRJI/s400/wiiralt+12.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xUow3aubVS8/T7frazliF0I/AAAAAAAADXY/NBPEk6rAepw/s1600/wiiralt+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xUow3aubVS8/T7frazliF0I/AAAAAAAADXY/NBPEk6rAepw/s400/wiiralt+13.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l0ZGeQda6DQ/T7frcD4A3II/AAAAAAAADXg/VKda6J7161E/s1600/wiiralt+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l0ZGeQda6DQ/T7frcD4A3II/AAAAAAAADXg/VKda6J7161E/s400/wiiralt+14.jpg" width="323" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ibsUpczKau4/T7frdYF-RhI/AAAAAAAADXo/7aVUzJ1wot0/s1600/wiiralt+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ibsUpczKau4/T7frdYF-RhI/AAAAAAAADXo/7aVUzJ1wot0/s400/wiiralt+15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zM7jK9yGG1Y/T7freJwUliI/AAAAAAAADXw/hG2N0xpiNm4/s1600/wiiralt+16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zM7jK9yGG1Y/T7freJwUliI/AAAAAAAADXw/hG2N0xpiNm4/s400/wiiralt+16.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_PQ9oj0DOrI/T7fre83BLfI/AAAAAAAADX4/6RtSxNJ9Wc4/s1600/wiiralt+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_PQ9oj0DOrI/T7fre83BLfI/AAAAAAAADX4/6RtSxNJ9Wc4/s400/wiiralt+17.jpg" width="353" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_gXDYurH6Ao/T7frgHF9HUI/AAAAAAAADYA/unhsFbriE0U/s1600/wiiralt+18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_gXDYurH6Ao/T7frgHF9HUI/AAAAAAAADYA/unhsFbriE0U/s400/wiiralt+18.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pDVT1tjGjzk/T7frh3fJ7bI/AAAAAAAADYI/zl_R6sHBuiE/s1600/wiiralt+19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pDVT1tjGjzk/T7frh3fJ7bI/AAAAAAAADYI/zl_R6sHBuiE/s400/wiiralt+19.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hDGaKdrFiDE/T7frkfWceBI/AAAAAAAADYY/apCGU8ieGs8/s1600/wiiralt+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hDGaKdrFiDE/T7frkfWceBI/AAAAAAAADYY/apCGU8ieGs8/s400/wiiralt+20.jpg" width="287" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CzsGo1vjXi0/T7frlT_bE_I/AAAAAAAADYg/6FCt9iFOF78/s1600/wiiralt+21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CzsGo1vjXi0/T7frlT_bE_I/AAAAAAAADYg/6FCt9iFOF78/s400/wiiralt+21.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
<br />
I came across the Estonian artist and illustrator <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eduard_Wiiralt">Eduard Wiiralt</a> (1898-1954) in S.A. Mansbach's <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Modern-Art-Eastern-Europe-1890-1939/dp/0521456959/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337454548&sr=1-1"><i>Modern Art In Eastern Europe</i></a>, which has this to say about him:<br />
<br />
<i>Wiiralt's artistic career was conducted principally through the graphic arts, whose various media effectively employed to reveal disturbingly mystical and erotic incidents that he had imagined while in Paris. In his print </i>Cabaret<i>, the artist detailed well-attired men and diaphanously dressed women dancing in a club that might have been owned by a latter-day Hieronymous Bosch. Similarly disconcerting in its juxtaposition of the overcarefully observed and the extraordinarily imagined is the aptly titled </i>Hell<i>, where in the crowded jostle of heads we find contorted physiognomies and mechanical beings that might have been conjured by an obsessed modern Giuseppe Arcimboldo. Clearly, the optimism that informed the group of Estonian Artists in the 1920s had diinished significantly by the early 1930s, when Wiiralt presented his alternative to the constructed world of [Arnold] Akberg and the latter's philosophy of progress.</i><br />
<br />
There's an interesting article on Wiiralt at the <i><a href="http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/18919/">Baltic Times</a></i>, as well as <a href="http://50watts.com/filter/eduard-wiiralt">two posts on 50 Watts</a> (which I realised having spent quite a bit of time gathering these images! Oh well). Some of Wiiralt's work isn't a million miles from the German <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neue_Sachlichkeit">Neue Sachlichkeit</a> art of George Grosz or Otto Dix, while the aforementioned article describes him as "Estonia's original surrealist." There would appear to be an inexhaustible supply of bizarre, uncategorizable art from Eastern Europe.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-59020127161190916302012-05-10T18:54:00.000-07:002012-05-10T19:08:54.509-07:00Loplop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qwCEQUV1Ezo/T6xjVVnycbI/AAAAAAAADVA/6uN9pZhzgEc/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qwCEQUV1Ezo/T6xjVVnycbI/AAAAAAAADVA/6uN9pZhzgEc/s400/1.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Loplop pr<span class="typonoir11" id="_ctl0_ContentPlaceHolder1_lblTitle">é</span>sente, 1931</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hj2oLL0w-xk/T6xjg8rA19I/AAAAAAAADWA/tqixdSSsiMQ/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hj2oLL0w-xk/T6xjg8rA19I/AAAAAAAADWA/tqixdSSsiMQ/s400/4.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Loplop pr<span class="typonoir11" id="_ctl0_ContentPlaceHolder1_lblTitle">é</span>sente... les vip<span style="color: black;">è</span>res, 1931<span class="st"><i></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yasXhw_vhxo/T6xjeAM9kBI/AAAAAAAADVw/f-ER_c4bdJs/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yasXhw_vhxo/T6xjeAM9kBI/AAAAAAAADVw/f-ER_c4bdJs/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Loplop aux papillons, c.1932</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q60STW9Npy4/T6xjfRBXN5I/AAAAAAAADV4/yrSL2KQs_j0/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q60STW9Npy4/T6xjfRBXN5I/AAAAAAAADV4/yrSL2KQs_j0/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Max humaine et papillons p<span class="typonoir11" id="_ctl0_ContentPlaceHolder1_lblTitle">é</span>trefi<span class="typonoir11" id="_ctl0_ContentPlaceHolder1_lblTitle">é</span>s, 1931</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bLEw_LcMd0c/T6xjig4onrI/AAAAAAAADWI/MKUgh_5MUJQ/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bLEw_LcMd0c/T6xjig4onrI/AAAAAAAADWI/MKUgh_5MUJQ/s400/5.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Le facteur Cheval, 1932</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1p220VhLyDU/T6xjj7bC-iI/AAAAAAAADWQ/zC1NIb8wLrM/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1p220VhLyDU/T6xjj7bC-iI/AAAAAAAADWQ/zC1NIb8wLrM/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Du verre, 1932</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AS7q9imwK3Y/T6xjmMH7qqI/AAAAAAAADWU/zFcO2yCBaaU/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AS7q9imwK3Y/T6xjmMH7qqI/AAAAAAAADWU/zFcO2yCBaaU/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Loplop pr<span class="typonoir11" id="_ctl0_ContentPlaceHolder1_lblTitle">é</span>sente, 1931</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ubyqrvx_eiQ/T6xjnbEDDmI/AAAAAAAADWg/Dm__cSZnWPo/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ubyqrvx_eiQ/T6xjnbEDDmI/AAAAAAAADWg/Dm__cSZnWPo/s400/8.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Matin et soir, 1930</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cVK2zZ6phTc/T6xjpQCGRmI/AAAAAAAADWo/ipDD9ETECW4/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cVK2zZ6phTc/T6xjpQCGRmI/AAAAAAAADWo/ipDD9ETECW4/s400/9.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Anthropomorphic figure, 1930</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oaq6Mz6FZFA/T6xjWyDv5NI/AAAAAAAADVI/dVciJM1QtHk/s1600/10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oaq6Mz6FZFA/T6xjWyDv5NI/AAAAAAAADVI/dVciJM1QtHk/s400/10.jpg" width="330" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Two anthropomorphic figures, 1930</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4609LiM9R1Q/T6xjYbx5zII/AAAAAAAADVQ/sMUFoiJgHt4/s1600/11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4609LiM9R1Q/T6xjYbx5zII/AAAAAAAADVQ/sMUFoiJgHt4/s400/11.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Figure humaine, c.1930</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-veeYriIJwX4/T6xjZpdcRcI/AAAAAAAADVY/eU5B9_-NOC4/s1600/12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-veeYriIJwX4/T6xjZpdcRcI/AAAAAAAADVY/eU5B9_-NOC4/s400/12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Loplop pr<span class="typonoir11" id="_ctl0_ContentPlaceHolder1_lblTitle">é</span>sente Loplop, 1930</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ImmM0u3lRjI/T6xjbEavjxI/AAAAAAAADVg/_UJcGvZPdNo/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ImmM0u3lRjI/T6xjbEavjxI/AAAAAAAADVg/_UJcGvZPdNo/s400/13.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Figure humaine, 1931</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ve5E5kFEaaQ/T6xjctaUuNI/AAAAAAAADVo/9n5JVh2Cz6U/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ve5E5kFEaaQ/T6xjctaUuNI/AAAAAAAADVo/9n5JVh2Cz6U/s400/14.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Loplop pr<span class="typonoir11" id="_ctl0_ContentPlaceHolder1_lblTitle">é</span>sente une jeune fille, 1930</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>... Max Ernst always defended himself against interpretations of his work. In so doing he distanced himself from pictures that present - as Dalí in his concurrent writings said they should - a completely closed system of superimposed images each of which, however, can be read for itself. Max Ernst's own pictures refuse to yield to compulsive interpretation, paranoiac-critical or otherwise. Here we might again cite that statement in the Leonardo essay - "that in many places it becomes hard to see where Anne stops and Mary begins" - this time as a self-commentary on the part of Max Ernst. What it expresses here is the relation between encoding and decoding, ambiguity and clarity.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>With this, Max Ernst's critical reading of Freud takes on a fabulous significance. We have seen that Max Ernst was fascinated by Freud's acumen, his capacity for mental association, his interpretive drive. These corresponded to a deep instinct of his own. I quoted at the beginning from the </i>Biographical Notes<i> what he had remarked under the year 1906 - that a kind of mania to explain had possessed him to see the death of his favourite bird, Hornebom, in causal relation to the birth of his sister Loni. The shock had gone deep, he said, adding:</i><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Yet in the boy's mind there remains a voluntary if irrational confounding of the images of of human beings with birds and other creatures; and this is reflected in the emblems of his art.</i></blockquote>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Werner Spies, <i>Loplop: The Artist's Other Self</i></div>Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-70635378604956299332012-05-05T17:43:00.001-07:002015-08-09T09:08:01.860-07:00The Depository<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-js1ANvsNZFI/T6W9X7c3JnI/AAAAAAAADUY/wQ8X1z2HpEE/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-js1ANvsNZFI/T6W9X7c3JnI/AAAAAAAADUY/wQ8X1z2HpEE/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S6M2Ls4ETq4/T6W9YdqDlJI/AAAAAAAADUc/jsgKaItmX8o/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S6M2Ls4ETq4/T6W9YdqDlJI/AAAAAAAADUc/jsgKaItmX8o/s320/2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-POgmn0NXxzo/T6W9Y51oQrI/AAAAAAAADUk/BVo9B-gW8oU/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-POgmn0NXxzo/T6W9Y51oQrI/AAAAAAAADUk/BVo9B-gW8oU/s320/3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S9vz2q1Hjvo/T6W9ZghOjkI/AAAAAAAADUw/_M7VncLstVc/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S9vz2q1Hjvo/T6W9ZghOjkI/AAAAAAAADUw/_M7VncLstVc/s320/4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Depository-A-Dream-Book/dp/0571172865/ref=sr_1_17?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336261722&sr=1-17"><i>The Depository</i></a> (1994) was <a href="http://www.polishposter.com/html/klimowski.html">Andrzej Klimowski</a>'s first graphic novel, and it's a wordless, ambiguous tale of flying people with books for wings and the sinister organization that pursues them. These stills are from an animated adaptation from 2003 by Andrew Kavanagh, which can be found on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iDkwyAfap0&feature=related">YouTube</a>. It's been said before but Klimowski's stark black and white imagery was much improved in linocuts for later books like<i> The Secret </i>and <i>Horace Dorlan</i>, and Kavanagh's film is actually closer to those works in style than the loose brush and ink drawings of the original.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-50097985967166830332012-04-30T16:51:00.000-07:002012-05-19T13:33:37.209-07:00Baron Prášil<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--TLYQEFQ2iA/T58RUgInNaI/AAAAAAAADS4/63ooXw5wHIw/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--TLYQEFQ2iA/T58RUgInNaI/AAAAAAAADS4/63ooXw5wHIw/s400/1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bGRbfRV4WeE/T58RVi-FrlI/AAAAAAAADS8/P4TgWkCYCeI/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bGRbfRV4WeE/T58RVi-FrlI/AAAAAAAADS8/P4TgWkCYCeI/s400/2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i5Pb72T_MAM/T58RWdKkO4I/AAAAAAAADTE/pt59nZcILEs/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i5Pb72T_MAM/T58RWdKkO4I/AAAAAAAADTE/pt59nZcILEs/s400/3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pIl8tc4MGoI/T58RXMgGAEI/AAAAAAAADTM/9fI7sI73DKI/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pIl8tc4MGoI/T58RXMgGAEI/AAAAAAAADTM/9fI7sI73DKI/s400/4.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZniMLrNL1FA/T58RYC8eAhI/AAAAAAAADTY/goDYBs9OoEg/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZniMLrNL1FA/T58RYC8eAhI/AAAAAAAADTY/goDYBs9OoEg/s400/5.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CYT77LlyEWk/T58RZC2M_0I/AAAAAAAADTc/9_IoriGOYBE/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CYT77LlyEWk/T58RZC2M_0I/AAAAAAAADTc/9_IoriGOYBE/s400/6.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bhauQG-MbCU/T58RZ3SmODI/AAAAAAAADTk/mdBEvv5zBOU/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bhauQG-MbCU/T58RZ3SmODI/AAAAAAAADTk/mdBEvv5zBOU/s400/7.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r65e2Z6ZuF8/T58hO7bzrYI/AAAAAAAADUM/XCGsMFXKHQk/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r65e2Z6ZuF8/T58hO7bzrYI/AAAAAAAADUM/XCGsMFXKHQk/s400/10.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GRKuv9hz5Js/T58Raxzge4I/AAAAAAAADTs/1LUb-a8Yay4/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GRKuv9hz5Js/T58Raxzge4I/AAAAAAAADTs/1LUb-a8Yay4/s400/8.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AEAp8xZzjZw/T58RSeAOLdI/AAAAAAAADSw/uABjXVtvirg/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AEAp8xZzjZw/T58RSeAOLdI/AAAAAAAADSw/uABjXVtvirg/s400/9.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Stills from <i>Baron Prášil</i>, aka <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fabulous_Baron_Munchausen"><i>The Fabulous Baron Munchausen</i></a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0954724/">Karel Zeman</a>'s part animated, part live action film from 1961. It's one of five Jules Verne-inspired features Zeman made between 1955 and 1970. The largely handmade sets, partly based on the engravings of Gustave Doré, are wonderfully inventive and detailed, and Zeman's adaptation of the tale was a major influence on Terry Gilliam's 1988 version. This is the first of Zeman's films I've got round to watching, but there are lots of clips on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=karel+zeman&oq=karel+zeman&aq=f&aqi=g5&aql=&gs_l=youtube-psuggest.3..0l5.270.2221.0.2774.8.8.0.2.2.0.261.905.2j2j2.6.0.">YouTube</a> including <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8IVf17MuX4">excerpts</a> from Munchausen.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-4617550130128766152012-04-27T11:09:00.000-07:002012-05-19T13:34:51.202-07:00The Art and Craft of Montage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lnuBtcsuSgs/T5rMwcZD3QI/AAAAAAAADRw/rSXewrM6MEg/s1600/fern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lnuBtcsuSgs/T5rMwcZD3QI/AAAAAAAADRw/rSXewrM6MEg/s400/fern.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Dan Fern</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XK240VvTbuw/T5rMyxathvI/AAAAAAAADR4/LSwUjI4vdpM/s1600/klimowski.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XK240VvTbuw/T5rMyxathvI/AAAAAAAADR4/LSwUjI4vdpM/s400/klimowski.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Andrzej Klimowski </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M5oOiLjBVJE/T5rM0F5xDvI/AAAAAAAADSA/r-J7RENl_d0/s1600/larbalestier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M5oOiLjBVJE/T5rM0F5xDvI/AAAAAAAADSA/r-J7RENl_d0/s400/larbalestier.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Simon Larbalestier </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1IsDSDpty8o/T5rM112t4PI/AAAAAAAADSI/b9_K0WA22BU/s1600/mills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1IsDSDpty8o/T5rM112t4PI/AAAAAAAADSI/b9_K0WA22BU/s400/mills.jpg" width="293" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Russell Mills (from <i>More Dark Than Shark</i>, Mills' collaboration with Brian Eno)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I stumbled across <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Craft-Montage-Simon-Larbalestier/dp/1857320999/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335549856&sr=1-1"><i>The Art And Craft of Montage</i></a> by Simon Larbalestier in a secondhand book shop recently, and although I haven't got round to reading it yet I thought I'd share a few of the images that you'll be unlikely to see elsewhere. It was published in 1993, so the techniques discussed are non-digital, and many of the pieces have a kind of depth you can't easily achieve with Photoshop.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.simon-larbalestier.co.uk/">Larbalestier</a> is a photographer best known for collaborating with Vaughan Oliver (as 23 Envelope or V23) on designs for the 4AD label for the likes of The Pixies and Red House Painters. And speaking of Oliver, Hard Format has <a href="http://www.hardformat.org/designers/vaughan-oliver-designer/">numerous examples</a> of of his music graphics, including this <a href="http://www.hardformat.org/7789/lonely-is-an-eyesore/">recent post</a>. I've never been all that much of a 4AD fan so many of these are new to me.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.hardformat.org/7789/lonely-is-an-eyesore/"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M1klE6WIFCM/T5rc9pyLc7I/AAAAAAAADSk/LQf1e2oZ6bk/s400/Various-Artists-Lonely-Is-an-Eyesore-.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
All of which gives me an excuse to post the Quay Brothers' gorgeous poster for their short film <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6Uaww0yon4"><i>Nocturna Artificialia</i></a>, which was an early influence on Vaughan Oliver and can be found in Rick Poynor's book on him, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vaughan-Oliver-Pleasures-Rick-Poynor/dp/1861540728"><i>Visceral Pleasures</i></a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Li7LPuGJ1E/T5rM4xLwcvI/AAAAAAAADSQ/9eR6-7MYivw/s1600/nocturna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Li7LPuGJ1E/T5rM4xLwcvI/AAAAAAAADSQ/9eR6-7MYivw/s400/nocturna.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
<br />Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-12821795246497559562012-04-18T04:16:00.007-07:002012-04-18T04:33:33.188-07:00SMC poster image<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SJGAqwYsei4/T46iwqvtufI/AAAAAAAADRo/ve9dI41AnkM/s1600/salford%2Bmedia%2Bcity.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SJGAqwYsei4/T46iwqvtufI/AAAAAAAADRo/ve9dI41AnkM/s400/salford%2Bmedia%2Bcity.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732698332681058802" border="0" /></a><br />Yesterday, instead of procrastinating or attempting to illustrate literary masterpieces, I spent the afternoon making an image for a gig poster for <a href="http://soundcloud.com/salford-media-city">this lot</a> (I wasn't familiar with them but they're currently being produced by a bandmate of mine).Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-45457834867316390952012-04-10T15:44:00.005-07:002012-04-10T17:02:09.130-07:00Jiří Svoboda<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7boiEV5p-BE/T4S5LJXL0NI/AAAAAAAADRc/6HnMseTwnRY/s1600/svoboda.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7boiEV5p-BE/T4S5LJXL0NI/AAAAAAAADRc/6HnMseTwnRY/s400/svoboda.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729908227064975570" border="0" /></a><br />Back to the Czech posters/book covers. I haven't managed to track down much of Jiří Svoboda's work, but from what I've seen his use of collage and texture is impressive, and I'd be intrigued to know how some of these were made. The examples at <a href="http://www.terry-posters.com/posters/attribute-1-authors/38-svoboda-jiri">Terry Posters</a> are all from the 1960s; I haven't found any later designs and I've no idea if he's still around, although there is a film director of the same name.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b5UmhzHRIPk/T4S5DicVypI/AAAAAAAADQs/ZjvDPWpINzU/s1600/3841-oww.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b5UmhzHRIPk/T4S5DicVypI/AAAAAAAADQs/ZjvDPWpINzU/s400/3841-oww.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729908096358533778" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k6ORr7BAT7U/T4S5DxwlCLI/AAAAAAAADQ4/c7XdnyW1Hns/s1600/a50-oww.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k6ORr7BAT7U/T4S5DxwlCLI/AAAAAAAADQ4/c7XdnyW1Hns/s400/a50-oww.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729908100469950642" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DmOhiIZK8Lw/T4S5DByo1oI/AAAAAAAADQg/EGrkfYpheow/s1600/3059-oww.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 285px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DmOhiIZK8Lw/T4S5DByo1oI/AAAAAAAADQg/EGrkfYpheow/s400/3059-oww.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729908087593686658" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8AByHrEvbZw/T4S5Edh3FoI/AAAAAAAADRE/TUExjDt2U4o/s1600/nevim_mf_78.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8AByHrEvbZw/T4S5Edh3FoI/AAAAAAAADRE/TUExjDt2U4o/s400/nevim_mf_78.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729908112219379330" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SsiizmDRx0o/T4S5EtYJZgI/AAAAAAAADRQ/Eju8Wq042WA/s1600/vstup-do-zivota-oww.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 285px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SsiizmDRx0o/T4S5EtYJZgI/AAAAAAAADRQ/Eju8Wq042WA/s400/vstup-do-zivota-oww.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729908116473603586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-79768000129405490852012-03-17T11:22:00.007-07:002015-07-31T05:04:15.519-07:00A special kind of wonder<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bgUb4t_3LLI/T2TjDGICt4I/AAAAAAAADQI/-ZYnVeM2-YA/s1600/cabinet.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5720947068990830466" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bgUb4t_3LLI/T2TjDGICt4I/AAAAAAAADQI/-ZYnVeM2-YA/s400/cabinet.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 264px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Those earliest museums, the ur-collections back in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, were sometimes called </span>Wunderkammern<span style="font-style: italic;">, wonder-cabinets, and it occurs to me that the Museum of Jurassic Technology truly is their worthy heir in as much as wonder, broadly conceived, is its unifying theme. ("Part of the assigned task," David once told me, "is to reintegrate people to wonder.") But it's a special kind of wonder, and it's metastable. The visitor to the Museum of Jurassic Technology continually finds himself shimmering between wondering </span>at<span style="font-style: italic;"> (the marvels of nature) and wondering </span>whether<span style="font-style: italic;"> (any of this could possibly be true). And it's that very shimmer, the capacity for such delicious confusion, Wilson sometimes seems to suggest, that may constitute the most blessedly wonderful thing about being human.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
***<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-style: italic;">David Wilson has thus pitched his museum at the very intersection of the premodern and the postmodern - or rather, perhaps what he has done is to tap into the premodern wellsprings of the postmodern temper.</span></div>
</div>
<br />
- Lawrence Weschler, <span style="font-style: italic;">Mr. Wilson's Cabinet of Wonder</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dsRS1PeN_o4/T2TjDc2oEBI/AAAAAAAADQU/_1R_Np6QFPc/s1600/puppets.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5720947075091795986" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dsRS1PeN_o4/T2TjDc2oEBI/AAAAAAAADQU/_1R_Np6QFPc/s400/puppets.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 266px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">If the postmodern indeed turns out to be premodern, as Lawrence Weschler provocatively implies in </span>Mr. Wilson's Cabinet of Wonders<span style="font-style: italic;">, we now stand at the threshold of a paradigm shift whose scope is equivalent to that of the seventeenth century. But this shift finds us standing at the threshold with Leonardo, not Francis Bacon, since the upheavals in philosophy and aesthetics currently under way in the West - those overthrowing modernism and postmodernism alike - draw heavily from the premodern image of a living cosmos. Over a span of three hundred years, we have maintained our connection to officially vanquished notions, principally via the arts, in unconscious ways. But now this worldview is being explicitly revived in the new technologies of cybernetics, with the result that the widespread use of Platonic metaphors such as "virtual reality" to describe computer-generated images as if they "lived" in a tangible place has carried us deeply (backward or forward, according to one's bias) into the Western mystical tradition.</span><br />
<br />
- Victoria Nelson, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Secret Life of Puppets</span><br />
<br />Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-89881016134448319142012-02-06T12:14:00.000-08:002012-05-05T17:51:33.452-07:00The Drowned World & The Atrocity Exhibition<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--2pf7JaswtQ/TzA1BD4M-mI/AAAAAAAADPs/Qy9KINXFSE0/s1600/drowned%2Bworld.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706119020215597666" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--2pf7JaswtQ/TzA1BD4M-mI/AAAAAAAADPs/Qy9KINXFSE0/s400/drowned%2Bworld.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 283px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0JXEqWPEdgc/TzA1BYOvQEI/AAAAAAAADP8/ACpnI_TByHk/s1600/atrocity%2Bexhibition.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706119025678827586" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0JXEqWPEdgc/TzA1BYOvQEI/AAAAAAAADP8/ACpnI_TByHk/s400/atrocity%2Bexhibition.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 283px;" /></a><br />
It might seem a tad hubristic to try and tackle an author whose covers and related visuals have been so much discussed and analysed when I'm still figuring out my own working methods, but I've been intending to produce some Ballard-inspired images for several years now. Ballard's writing is so visual in a specific, deadpan kind of way that I thought it unwise to stray too far from the literal content of the stories, and the Max Ernst references seemed like a way around this (Ernst was one of Ballard's favourite artists and is mentioned in both novels). I'd be interested in hearing what people make of these, especially from anyone who's familiar with the books, so feel free to leave a comment (I've also added my email address on the right).Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683313735863895813.post-49239235167416072662012-02-02T08:45:00.000-08:002012-02-02T08:51:29.790-08:00Franciszek Starowieyski<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRhn_WvM9GY/Tyq-FhXsr9I/AAAAAAAADPU/QHXAYByBoag/s1600/Starowieyski.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 275px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRhn_WvM9GY/Tyq-FhXsr9I/AAAAAAAADPU/QHXAYByBoag/s400/Starowieyski.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704580880084545490" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WK6Y9MMTOUc/Tyq-FTCbIcI/AAAAAAAADPE/HScm7Jsq-js/s1600/Starowieyski%2B2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WK6Y9MMTOUc/Tyq-FTCbIcI/AAAAAAAADPE/HScm7Jsq-js/s400/Starowieyski%2B2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704580876237218242" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CxSHdPqtBEY/Tyq-D_xjaLI/AAAAAAAADO8/NjTFBoJXTKU/s1600/Starowieyski%2B3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 297px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CxSHdPqtBEY/Tyq-D_xjaLI/AAAAAAAADO8/NjTFBoJXTKU/s400/Starowieyski%2B3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704580853886314674" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PH6EK5CWkNY/Tyq-GJwpGhI/AAAAAAAADPg/O2-mTNY66JA/s1600/Walka%2Bwa%25C5%25BCek.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 319px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PH6EK5CWkNY/Tyq-GJwpGhI/AAAAAAAADPg/O2-mTNY66JA/s400/Walka%2Bwa%25C5%25BCek.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704580890926586386" border="0" /></a><br />Four images by the Polish artist and designer<span style="font-size:100%;"> <a href="http://www.polishposter.com/html/starowieyski.html">Franciszek Starowieyski</a></span>, found while researching yesterday's post.Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13879466150346060247noreply@blogger.com0