Sunday, September 23, 2012
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Modern-Day Historical Society
Sometimes we forget, or just don't know, how the world around us grew and evolved, specifically in the case of cities. We see a lot of things getting built and maybe torn down, and there are always traces. This is a video my friend linked me to, that illuminates part of the amazing history of NYC. It makes me want to explore my city and find out what goes on beneath the surface.
UNDERCITY from Andrew Wonder on Vimeo.
Find out more at Undercity.org
Happy exploring!
K
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Summer Dreaming
We're nearing the end of my second winter in Boise, and I (like most people) can't wait for warmer weather, outdoor activities, and generally more color. Sometimes, when everything around me seems dead, I like to buy colorful clothes or listen to lively music. I would buy this if I wasn't dirt poor, but in the end, this video will have to do.
I've been a fan of this band, Orange Pekoe, since high school, though at the time I only knew one of their songs. Basically, I'm a fan of any Japanese band that does something other than Top 40 pop and rock, and OP's retro jazz, bossa nova and waltzes fit right in. I picked Honeysuckle not only for the joyful, upbeat sound of the music, but also the riot of color and sensation in the video. Even in the freezing cold, I can put on this video and almost feel the sunshine, grass and pool water. It would only be better if I had a best friend I could go swimming with in adorable suits and swim caps! Sounds like a great project to work on until May.
Still dreaming,
K
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
"This place is full of motherf***ing artists!"
There has been a ton of buzz lately about one of my favorite movies of 2010, Exit Through The Gift Shop. It's up for a Best Documentary Oscar, despite some controversy as to whether or not it's a hoax. In case you haven't seen it, I have a pretty nondescript trailer below, and you can also watch it for free on Hulu or Netflix Instant Streaming. I highly recommend it, especially if you are at all interested in art/being an artist/buying art.
Basically, we have the story of the transformation of Thierry Guetta from t-shirt hustler to documentary filmmaker to bona fide artist, all the while paying serious homage to big street art names. I've now watched the movie three times: once with friends, once with my parents, and once with my fiancée. Each time, Thierry's dialogue seems more disjointed and spastic, and I get even more frustrated with the whole creative process.
As someone who has always considered graffiti/street art "legitimate" art, I have an immensely hard time watching Thierry's production process. He basically gets the go-ahead from Banksy to be an artist (something he never seemed inclined to do before - he was fine filming artists and helping them out, but never seemed to have any creative ideas), somehow skips the whole creative process and goes directly to selling works he hasn't even made. He takes credit for work that he had very little hand in and becomes an overnight sensation. Personally, I feel that devalues the creative process - aren't we supposed to work on ideas, craft them, and purposefully create in order to make something? Or can we just change the color of someone else's work, slap our name on it and call it our own?
I would also like to point out that the only creative thing Thierry does in the entire movie is walk around and film stuff from different angles. He has ideas for paintings, but they are almost all rip-offs of Warhol and all the street artists he met over the years. Banksy has a superb line at the end of the film,
"Warhol repeated iconic images until they became meaningless, but there was still something iconic about them. Thierry really makes them meaningless."
As a result, neither Banksy nor Shepard Fairey really encourage people they meet to make art anymore, which I think is kind of sad. I still believe that everyone can make art, because everyone has a different way of looking at the world and therefore can translate the world in a different way. That being said, not everyone has what it takes to be a true artist - to work and create and develop a style, even one that changes. It's easier to just copy.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Blowing minds one breath at a time.
I'm getting started on the new year a bit early this year. Usually everyone waits until New Years Day to start putting their resolutions into practice, but I'm getting started on the new skills and traits early.
I've started taking a great new dance class called ElectroLock, which blends hip hop style (djs, graffiti, battling, b-boys, etc.) with electronic music and classic "rave" dancing. It's all about having complete control over every muscle in your body - no easy feat when you start off. After half an hour of working on the classic arm wave, my shoulders were ready to fall off. But I'm hoping it will pay off in the long run with a more diverse repertoire, and something cooler to do out at dance clubs than grinding or slow dancing.
This video showcases my fabulous ElectroLock teacher dancing to a new favorite band of mine, Pretty Lights. All of their music is available for free on their website, so if you're a fan of electro funk remixes, check it out.
Another band I JUST discovered today (yeah, a bit behind the curve): Hadouken! Grimy sick Leeds dubstep and rave elements combined with rap vocals and pop sensibilities. You can get one original track and two remixes here.
Rocking HARD,
K
PS: For anyone who follows me on Twitter (or speaks to me in person, anymore), I use a phrase in times like these: "[suchandsuch] kicks rocks." That originates from the Cowboy Bebop remix album Music For Freelance, where the pirate radio dj host Mr. Martian has this to say:
"Anybody out there remember the name Seatbelts? They were a maximal band from 30 years ago...all we know is that a woman named Yoko [Producer and composer Yoko Kanno] wrote all the tracks...all I know is she wrote music that KICKS ROCKS, and this is one guy who'll play even a boho's tune if it moves the 'little Martian', if you know what I mean..."
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Gooseberry Lay
I know everyone's still going crazy over revived 50s and 60s kitsch a la Mad Men, but allow me to direct your attention to another couple of decades that were just as exciting: the 20s and 30s. This time period has fascinated me since high school, and I love sharing it with people.
We've been consciously or unconsciously thinking about them for the past three years (we are in the worst financial crisis since the actual Great Depression, as if you forgot), but other facets of life in the days of flappers, jazz and social perversion are subtly making themselves aware too. For instance, the new HBO original series Boardwalk Empire.
Not only do gangsters never go out of style - just how many people are influenced by Scarface? - but the idea of speakeasies and leading double lives fascinates just about everyone. On the outside you may be a stand-up member of society, a real square, but who knows what you might do after you've tipped a few! The whole idea of going to underground clubs and participating in the counterculture, whether by drinking, dancing or listening to the jive, is still around. Have you been to a secret show lately? For that matter, everyone should learn how to do the Charleston and the Lindy Hop. Not only is it handy to know how to dance, these are the original American dances.
Being fashion conscious, there are definitely styles from the 20s and 30s that I emulate, and I'm not alone. Drop-waist dresses with shorter skirts, cloche hats, pixie cuts and smoky eyes are all still immensely popular, if updated. Why not try a finger wave next time you have a free day to play with your hair? Here are some more shots from Boardwalk Empire to give you some fashion inspiration:
I originally saw these photos on the Classic Bride blog, original post here.
If you're into webcomics, there's a fabulous one called Lackadaisy set in the 20s that chronicles the adventures of a bunch of people associated with an ailing speakeasy in St. Louis. I'll warn you, the characters are all anthropomorphic cats, but if you can get past that, the art, story and writing are really fabulous.
To finish up, here's an adorable song from one of my favorite bands, the Ditty Bops. This has the cute Charleston/Balboa rhythm and cheek factor of the era, from a modern band.
Keep on truckin' (a cool Charleston move you should look up),
K
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Long Or Short, It Don't Matter
The internet has been abuzz the past few months about Willow Smith's single "Whip My Hair", and now there is finally a video. Not really necessary, because we all loved the song already. Her fearless attitude and measured vocal style are enough to admire, on top of her eyebrow-raising fashion sense. This video showcases it all.
I (among everyone else who talks about this video) love her honest swagger and integrity. She doesn't have to inject sex appeal into her performance to get attention. We can all appreciate the song's infectious beat and uplifting lyrics as if it were a peer singing, not some celebrity's child. It's so accessible, even I can relate! I hope she keeps writing, and we hear more songs like this very soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)