Olaf, Ghosts, and Dance

I first saw this video 6 years ago at the Skin Tight exhibition at the MCA. It was being projected on to the back wall and was the only thing that captured my attention (besides the robot dress). Mostly this video is creepy and disturbing but there's an element of playfulness to it. I went through hell and high water to find and post this but now that I have, I'm as happy as a pig in excrement! Excuse the video's poor quality but try to enjoy it none the less.

Ghosts, 2003 by Olaf Breuning and Bernhard Wilhelm

Speaking of being insanely happy, I just found out The MCA will be hosting the Akram Khan Company in February! They'll be performing Bahok and if you are a loyal reader of this blog (and I know you are) you'll know that I posted about them way back in December of last year!!

A little taste of Bahok:

I hope everyone else is having a nice low key day!

Black Black Red

For some reason, it's impossible for me to complete a drawing in one sitting. I obsess over it for a few weeks and collects tons of images, then I eventually sketch out the basic ideas. I tend to forget about it for about a month and then come back to it later to add the ink and detail. A hint as to what I'm currently drawing:

I watched District 9 last night and it's still sitting heavily with me. I'm not sure how I feel about the movie as a whole but it made some very valid points about how the government sections off certain groups with the intention of keeping order but it ends up making things more chaotic. The whole film is a very obvious metaphor for the apartheid and racial relations in Johannesburg which seem to be far from resolved. In spite of the film's message I couldn't help but think to myself how gross and scary the aliens looked and how I wouldn't be able to bring myself to interact with them.

I thought a little bit of Nathalie Djurberg's work. She is a Swedish artist that uses detailed plasticine puppets to make stop motion animation videos. Her work is a mixture of sweet and sadistic and she frequently explores the darker aspects of humanity using this seemingly "low tech" medium. The only aspect of her work that makes me a little apprehensive is her portrayal of minorities. Most of the black people in her animations appear as if they have on black face (black skin and big red lips) and they usually wind up being the sexual play- thing of the seemingly white puppets or they terrorize the predominantly white cities and eat bananas.

still from Badain, 2006

still from In Our Own Neighborhood, 2007

I understand that this is not to be taken literally. But I don't think it's enough these days to say "This is a commentary" without understanding who it's a commentary for and with what purpose. Most of the interviews I've read with her discussing her art, she does not touch on its racial elements. None the less, her puppets are beautiful and I feel as if she's living my dream.

I'll eat you up. I love you so.

"You are now, the King."

I recently saw Where the Wild Things Are in theaters early on a Sunday morning. I felt myself spilling over with excitement as I sat patiently in my red seat. It's a dreamy story about being misunderstood and learning to control your anger. I was expecting to be a *little* bit more into it. I wanted to bee woooed and taken away to another place that wouldn't allow me to think about the weather or what I was planning on cooking that evening...but alas, I was not. It was a wonderful movie, don't get me wrong, with potent emotional moments, dance-worthy music and a beautiful backdrop but something was...lacking. Perhaps I feel this way because I believed the Wild Things hype and expected too much. Perhaps I wanted more of a lucid, emotional, Gondry-esque experience. But it was definitely worth seeing for the wonderful back drop, costumes, and moody music. It made me want to run through a forest and scream.


I for one was very excited about the objects and the props but unfortunately there weren't too many things that read as organic or distinctly hand made. Most things in the movie were CG, which was a total buzzkill. The actual body suits worn by the Wild Things were made by Jim Henson's creature shop but the facial expression were computer animation. Max's costume, however, totally rocked. Too bad I couldn't acquire one in time for Halloween. Perhaps next Halloween I'll make one, along with a paper crown and golden staff.

LET THE WILD RUMPUS START!!!

Check out Spike Jonze's blog following the Wild Things Progression


.. oh, and also the Amazing Soundtrack. Did I mention it's AWESOME! Karen O's crazy screechy voice is a perfect compliment to the film and the lovely chorus of children.

January, February, March, April, May...

I was searching for art about letting go and found these images.

I'm supposed to be drawing a shack and a forest but I can't bring myself to do it. Too many things running around in my brain.

Creepy aimation makes the world go round.

From "The Adventures of Mark Twain".

I've had a very beautiful day. After waking up and stretching and of course having my necessary bowl of Peanut Butter Panda Puffs, I headed to the library with one very obvious thing on my mind-books...lots of them! I must say I was not disappointed by the library's selection, especially in the comics realm. So dear readers something useful to remember is: whenever in doubt about buying a comic book, hit up the library first! I found a pretty decent and recent selection of books there.

One comic/manga I found is called The Aranzi/Aranzo Hour. Originally published in Japanese but translated in English so all the Americans can now enjoy it's awesomeness. The cast of characters include a fish named Fish, two nondescript guys named Bad Guy and Liar, a dog named Terry and two bunnies that to eat cake and take naps (which reminds me of me and my closest friend from school!)

The Complete Aranzi/Aranzo Hour

Melting Spritekin- Aranzi/Aranzo Hour

After my lovely time spent at the library, I headed to the cemetery.

No, I don not have a death wish...it's just like going to the park, except much more interesting architecturally. I strolled around, soaking in the greenness and all the headstones and before I knew it, I was locked in!! Lovely, huh? Luckily a young goth couple got locked in too and asked the caretaker nicely to let us out....

Surprisingly nice goth couple.

I rounded out the evening with going to the movies!!! A sort of recent habit that's been developing over the summer months and I have to say I enjoy going to the movies by myself. No having to put up with annoying conversations during the flick with your friend. No having to worry about getting mauled when the lights go out (j/k). Just quiet peacefulness with yourself in the dark in front of a big screen. You can even cry without feeling awkward about it.

I saw My Sister's Keeper, a semi-manipulative tear jerker about a family's struggle over a girl's cancer. I say it's manipulative because it was definitely tugging at your heartstrings but it was well done and Cameron Diaz surprisingly did a good job as the mom. Worth it if you enjoy emotional movies.

I must add, though that I did NOT cry. Even though I cried long and hard during each Harry Potter book. Ahhh, which reminds me- Harry Potter opens in two days! Go and see it so we could have something to chat about! <3

Michel and Pop up books.

I just rented the collected shorts of Michel Gondry and I am so utterly in love. I'm very fascinated with him because he's quirky and french and he seems to have created an entire mythology around himself. Also I appreciate how he tends to lean more towards "live" special effects and handmade props rather than CG. It's definitely worth watching if you enjoyed The Science of Sleep or Eternal Sunshine. I haven't seen Be Kind Rewind, though.

Tiny by Michel Gondry

Also, I have been on this weird pop up book kick. I used to think they were really dorky but I don't understand how I was able to overlook how amazing they are. I want to make one about my most recent trip to California. I stumbled across some really awesome pop up book art/artists during my research on the internet.

First Bank
An Elaborate Pop up by Colette Fu
http://www.fusansan.com/


Andrea Dezso

I found her by accident. I believe I was researching embroidery when I stumbled upon her amazing website. She works primarily in the book and paper realm but she created short animated films using nothing but embroidered images. I suggest you check out her stop motion animation, Demon Bridegroom when it's released in July.

New York Dreams
Andrea Dezso

Pioneers give first aid to their comrades.

Moon

Stillwater

I think Michael Jackson dying is strange because in the DVD I just watched, Michel Gondry named him as one of his musical heroes. I'm also beginning to suspect that I have a thing for quirky french men. Death is so scary, isn't it?