From time to time, (this seldom happens) i grab a random stranger and sing looped lullabies as if it were my last night on this planet. This obviously comes with a nice price tag, and very often much unwanted/needed attention, or a few random text messages during several weeks following “the incident”. This song/video from The Rapture has the ability to transform my crab-like persona into what i just described; a devastating explosion of 100% S.W.A.G…

As the myth goes, Daedalus was the architect and inventor that designed the Cretan labyrinth that imprisoned a monstrous creature. The mythical story tells of heroic Theseus who slays the minotaur beast found at the centre of the structure.

Much like the greek labyrinth designed by Daedalus, the labyrinth within us is a complex structure infiltrated by confusion— a dark and unfamiliar place located in the mind. Battling with the perplexing build of this structure is necessary to connect and discover one’s authenticity. When we decide to travel through this confusing structure, for all its psychology and fancy; we find our beast at the centre and accept it (or rip its guts out, ‘Theseus style’) Even if we travel through a place of complete darkness, we can always hold on to the notion that once we’ve entered the labyrinth, we will always reach the center as long as we keep moving forward.

“The seven circuits of the labyrinth correspond with the seven spheres of the sacred planets, the seven principles of the human being and the cosmos, the seven days of the week, and other such sevenfold meanings. Passing to the center of the labyrinth and returning to its circumference represents the involution and evolution of the universe, the coming into birth and the passing out of earthly life of an individual, and–most important–a journey into the center of our own being, the achievement there of a quest for wholeness, and the subsequent return to our divine source.”

3. Mars, desire, Tuesday
2. Jupiter, self-identity, Thursday
1. Saturn, empirical mind, Saturday
4. Sun, vitality, Sunday
7. Moon, form, Monday
6. Mercury, intuition, Wednesday
5. Venus, pure mind, Friday

http://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/1276

“Your bite might leave a mark, but my horns will pierce through your heart”
-Mann Gomez.

If you know me, or the work i produce, you probably know that i am heavily influenced by film noir, german expressionism, horror sets/props from the silent era, and grain…lots and lots of film grain. My interest lies in those physical areas of deep depression; textured areas that can summarize the background history of a setting, character or subject. Still undergoing post-production, i began a project this past sunday that embodies/condenses most of these elements. So.. if you need to find me, i will be working through 45 minutes of video footage and 537 still images..yeaaaa……

When exploring different techniques in motion design, the approach i’ve adopted towards editing pretty much follows the traditional steps of creating an oil painting. The use of layering and blending until a depth of field becomes apparent on a surface creates a nice traditional blend/atmosphere. I know the two have absolutely no relation and painting is a stagnant medium, but approaching it in this manner actually surprised me with an interesting final product.

Whenever i choose to go out in public with friends (mostly just to keep myself from becoming a goblin) i always end up having a great time because of them. However, the whole process of meeting people that will probably never share anything besides a few blurred sentences; dressing a certain way to complement the caged arena; head-bobbing/bouncing to a song that loops the off-key voice of a lady that may/may not be under the spell of an auto-tune; all the while im trying to consume as much alcohol as possible to ease awkward eye-contact sequences with my bartender…yeaa, that process just doesn’t appeal to me.
Lindsay Scoggins has actually simplified this whole process through a range of edited/juxtaposed mammals in her video “party animals”; which serves as the promo for the contemporary art show curated by her as well. This girl is a pro at beat-editing, and quite the master of contemporary satirical content. Check out her YouTube channel if you haven’t done so already.

***Also, many thanxs to Jay for introducing me to the term “goblin”; which i will shamelessly abuse in future posts***

Looking at film through the process of ritual, a great experimental ritual in film is achieved not in spatial terms alone, but in terms of a time created by specific sounds and most importantly by the techniques and processes involved in editing. This time, has the ability to transform the viewer into a “traveler” by blending these two elements into form (“choreocinema” is the form used in this case) This experience is probably felt in most of Maya Derens films; although sound is a minimal character in most of her experimental trips, the world she superimposes on film becomes a trance-like experience you can’t peel your eyes from.

Incredibly textured and dramatically lit, The Very Eye of Night contrasts themes like movement, aesthetics, physical beauty, and dark inner workings. For a modern audience, the rituals involved in this piece are missing fast cuts, deep layering and poetic melodies. I took the liberty of re-ritualizing Deren’s visuals with Bonobo’s Billie Holiday twist; this can hopefully bring back an obsolete experience to the modern viewer.

Also, I’ve been looking at Deren’s work for quite sometime now as visual reference, and just recently found that a lot of her work was actually shot in her home. She was thrilled to shoot The Very Eye of Night in an actual studio. I bring this up because lots of incredible filmmaking nowadays is still being produced this way. Even with a limited budget, and spatial limitations, what makes a great film is exploiting that certain ritual and strong content /or story.

For years, Amnesty International has informed the world about human rights, and tales of the oppressed and forgotten. Standing up for causes involving racism, execution of innocents, and the unfair situations regarding court representation. When we think about human rights, (particulary those like myself living in a capitalist civilization) we don’t necessarily see the rest of the worlds struggle to obtain freedom. This piece illustrates just that by contrasting illusive and clear representations of freedom. Borrowing symbolic and street art from artists like BLU and Banksy, this piece shows us that even though freedom may be suppressed at times, and we might suffer a great deal along the way to obtain it; it always prevails.

Freedom Week takes place August 1 -7, and with that said; this incredible piece of work directed by Carlos Lascano, with accompanying music by composers Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe, can conclude our thoughts.

Making a few organic digital wraps on my down-time. When i first heard HML, for some reason Barbara Steele kept looping in my brain. This woman can really do no wrong in my book, she plays the ultimate evil as well as she does the pure virgin. I was working on a site with Bava’s ‘Black Sunday’ playing in the background, and decided to take a break and play with final cut. I’ll be doing more of these, beat editing is incredibly fun if you chop up visuals and make your own sequences.

Incredible use and manipulation of multiple techniques and forms of media. Blending of current mediums has never looked so traditional. Parra’s work can be as subtle as an oil painting, and as rigid as a charcoal drawing. His use of line placement to sculpt and portray realism in figures was originally what attracted me to his work. Also, I always praise the idea of making the subjects of each piece life size in order to confront the audience, its almost as if interaction is practically forced upon the viewer by making the piece itself equal in height. It makes each piece seem less like a work of art and more like an actual living being.

From Parra’s artist statement:

“I question the innate desire to capture a person through artistic production. Can you replicate an individual, the components that whittle a form, onto a surface? I consciously displace my ability to portray a person and use this hindrance to develop process. While I physically try to reveal an image, with the intention of seeing the internal, I use multiple layers to reflect the different constructs of being human. Exposing and concealing of an appropriated figure is my tool. This includes, sanding to reveal an image printed underneath multiple opaque and transparent layers, or sanding a print ridding the figure’s physical information and obscuring identity. I incorporate layering with printmaking, digital printing, drawing and painting. The figures are usually life-size because I am interested in the duality between confrontation and connection. In my life-size charcoal drawings moments of landscape, cellular structure, bodily interior, textures and mark making are present. The visual generates a push and pull as the abstract marks create the figure while also diffusing it into abstraction.”
-Joseph Parra

“Many many things inspire me. People, friends, places, architecture, images, internet, technology…

For many years I’ve been inspired by the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. She was the most moving and gorgeous thing to look at.

Sex and eroticism are for me indeed beautiful. It is part of our lives as is eating or breathing. Sexual areas are usually hidden. In painting, when you feel that the model is actually a professional, when you see that the pose is forced, unnatural or when you see the pose is trying to hide some areas, It doesn’t say much to me.

I really like to see intimacy in my paintings, but my intention is not to provoke at all. I just think it’s certainly beautiful when a woman is comfortable enough to just lay down completely relaxed on a sofa, almost innocently. The eroticism is innocent.

Sport is a very important thing for my daily motions too. I need to run, cycle and swim every week. Very personal and intimate sports where I just concentrate on my thoughts and let my body move provide something psychological for me. I need it everyday. It keeps me fresh. The best ideas came to me in action.

Music is also a huge influence and inspiring thing for me. It moves me. It makes my mood change. I need it for work all the time”