new location

hello,

if you have been checking this blog and wondering why i haven't posted on it in a while it is because i have a NEW location. my new blog is located here. thanks so much for reading!

cheers!

lindsey

on the line: MoMA



Susan Hefuna (German, born 1962). Building. 2008

browsing over lines in this collection of contemporary pieces, currently showing at MoMA, i am in line heaven. i love lines! it amazes me how works of this kind can be so touching and posess so little. they are delicate and megar; which contributes to their peaceful and unasuming nature. this piece, lines made of pencil and embroidery on tracing paper, has a certain kind of delicate-smallness to it that, in essence, is Great.

street art: art to the core

last night i watched Exit Through the Gift Shop, a Banksy documentary about street art and a man named Thierry Guetta who befriended well known street artists such as Shephard Fairey, Invader and many of the world's most infamous graffiti artists (including Banksy himself). there is a theory that this movie is a hoax to gain recognition. whatever it is, was, or supposed to be doesn't really matter- this film takes a step into understanding art. what is true art and who is a true artist?: that is the question. is simply producing something that "looks cool" art or does it take more time and skill? does everyone have the capacity to be an artist or is something more intrinsic at the center? as an artist (or someone who hopes to be) i respect the act of street art: recognition of its temporal nature, being driven by within rather than monetarily, and continuing to produce with disregard for recognition. street art is art to the core. 

 see more Banksy.

blue valentine:

 

 


this movie is genius: it is real and beautiful and tragic and lovable and raw and innocent and lost- it is a love story in the most humanly sense. both actors, Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, provide a vivid account of their characters' disillusionment with their relationship. flashbacks to falling in love intermixed with their marriage today is perfectly tragic. the 'today' scenes are filmed a little too-close-for-comfort while the 'past' seems to be shot further away- as if to portray the illusions of falling in love with the reality of mariage. not to mention, they are both painfully attractive.

i highly recommend this film.

lindsey's movie suggestions: my completely biased, un-watched opinion of what movies you should see.

one of my favorite things is to judge movies before i see them. i have strong opinons on this topic and i would like to share them with anyone who wants to listen (and, really, everyone else too). 

Blue Valentine: i have one word: sexy. Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling- period. this movie looks very sexy but sexy in a tragic heartbreaking way. so i say yes, see this. see it as soon as you can. tragic sexy is always a winner. 

Burlesque: Christina Aguilera and Cher make a cheesy movie full of horrible acting with a lot of attitude.  I will not be seeing this one. 

 

Country Strong: if we remember back to last year we will see this movie was already made but instead of Gwyneth Paltrow it is Jeff Bridges as the alcoholic country singer in Crazy Heart. That time, however, the song was more touching and the cinematography more stunning. I recommend waiting until this one comes out on DVD. 

Due Date: this movie is a flashback to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles with Steve Martin and John Candy in 1987, but this time more attractive (enter Robert Downey Jr.) and still equally as hilarious (enter Zach Galifianakis). sounds like a winner. 

The Fighter: i would say yes to christian bale but he looks really thin and dirty, which leaves us with fighting, which i don't like... on the other hand it is nominated, and has received, quite a few awards but that may just be our culture's obsession with fighting and violence. in the end, i say this one isn't worth my time. 

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1): why does this movie come in two parts? why do we need to draw out the pain of watching people go crazy over harry potter for not 7 full feature films, but 8! i don't understand. however, i will probably see this when in comes to the 3 dollar theater. 

 

The Kid's are All Right: lesbian mom movie staring Annette Bening and Julianne Moore (both great), plus Mark Ruffalo (yes please), all together, equal dysfunctional family comedy-drama. i say this will probably be a winner in my book- the dysfunctional family comedy-dramas always get me. 

The King's Speech: Colin Firth as a stuttering King, Helena Bonham in a stretching role as the king's wife, plus british comedy. this movie seems as touching as it is funny. i will be going to the movies for this one!

Little Fockers: this movie looks like it is getting back to what was great about Meet the Parents. i will not spend the big bucks for this one, but i will guarantee you i will watch it. 

 

Never Let Me Go: this movie looks very pretty, soft, endearing and sad. i think that's all i have to say about this one. 

No Strings Attached: Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman star in awful, cliché romantic comedy about friends with benefits. let me just predict, it's not going to work out. with that said, i still want to see it. 

The Social Network: from the moment i saw the preview for this film i predicted it would be horrible. it is a movie about facebook. faceboook! but okay, it's directed by david fincher and justin timberlake is in it and everyone says it's great. despite my attempts to dislike this movie, i will have to watch it. i reserve the right to think it's horrible, i will give it a chance to win me over though. 

Somewhere: from the moment i saw this preview i was enthralled. this is Sofia Coppala getting back to her beginning (Lost in Translation). my fear, however, is it might be too close a copy of her beginning without the genius of Bill Murray. i will see it and let you know. 

Tangled: oh no! why does disney have to make such horrible, asinine, indulgent movies? 

Tangled 3-D: it's in 3-D too! what is wrong with our country? 

The Tourist: this is just a bunch of hollywood people getting together to make a movie. they're not even trying to be creative. don't see it, you'll only perpetuate the cycle. 

Tron- Legacy: this movie looks cool. i mean that solely in an optical sense. other than that, it looks slow and boring- much like it's predecessor: TRON. 

127 Hours: i want to see this because the guy chops his arm off to stay alive. that is hard-core! it also looks like it has great cinematography. 

okay. there you have it. my opinions on the movies i have not seen yet and whether you should see them or not too. thanks for reading!

the decemberists, 'the king is dead'

This album has been streaming free on NPR music: Frist Listen. It feels lighter than their previous work with a grounding in American folk. I can't get enough.

Supakitch and Koralie

SUPAKITCH & KORALIE - VÄRLDSKULTUR MUSEET GÖTEBORG from elr°y on Vimeo.

this couple is from sweden and they are pretty rad. i want to do this!

a single man

what do you do when you are stripped of the love and goodness you found in the world? when your heart is in despair, how do you look on the bright side? in the end, it is the trite, seemingly insignificant things that get us through. a single man makes me remember: it's the small things that count.

"...so many things are possible so long as you don't know they're impossible."

Recently I took a journey through a phantom tollbooth with a little boy named Milp. I met friends Tock & Humbug. With these new found friends we traveled through unknown lands. Starting at the Kingdom of Wisdom, we saw the cites Dictionopolis and Digitopolis. These two cities were ruled by brothers both believing their land was greater than the other and who had banished their sisters Rhyme and Reason, resulting in disorder throughout the lands. Many magical and unusual occurrences were had. One of my favorites being when Chroma the Great conducted his orchestra of colors. We knew our goal must be to bring the sisters back to the land when more and more we saw the un-right state of these two towns. Making our way through the Mountains of Ignorance, many demons tried to steal our motive and distract us from our purpose. One in particular struck me as interesting: the Gelatinous Giant. This enormous beast tried so hard to instil fear into us by his great presence. When we talked further with him, however, we learned that he was the one who feared- he feared change. Finally, after many great obstacles, we made it to the Castle in the Air to recover the sisters. On our return there was much rejoicing and the kings told us something very important. They said our task was an impossible one and no one else would have even dared to accomplish it. Yet, "...so many things are possible so long as you don't know they're impossible."

I found the unassuming tale The Phantom Tollbooth a wonderful, encouraging story of overcoming those things that stand in our way. Being a creative person, it was especially poignant. Being able to name the things that distract and separate them from the things that assist is vital. This book breathes life and speaks truth to the creative process. What a great find!

Steps

All too much I grow frustrated with myself and become upset when I expect too much. I want to be great, and I want to be great now: I am a product of my culture's wanting instant gratification. Learning, however, takes time and energy and patience and endurance and focus and, and, and... When I take a minute, what I really long for is space to slow, to breathe, to give myself time.

I went skiing on Mt. Rainier yesterday (my first time in the back-country) and I was frustrated that I wasn't as accomplished as the others. I wasn't able to 'enjoy' our experience on the same level. My longing for sameness actually only defined more clearly my separateness. The goal must be to accept my situation. Accept where I am and move forward. Only there will I be able to take the first step.

I need to apply this to my life as an artist too. I see where I am not and grow frustrated, my fear prevents progress.

The goal: accept my situation and relinquish fear in order to take ONE step at a time.

learning to ignore everybody

"Work hard. Keep at it. Live simply and quietly. Remain humble. Stay positive. Create your own luck. Be nice. Be positive."

This quote is from the book I just finished reading: Ignore Everybody: And 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh Mac Leod. It has struck meas quite profound application for my life right now. It is simple advice that will take work to accomplish. I think I am ready for this next step in my life. I guess we shall all see...

see his website here.