Category Archives: silvio rodrigues

31

Dec. ’10

WE OWN THE SKY

This year has been an incredible source of inspiration for myself, and i believe also my surroundings. Living life in the present moment, not worrying about things that can be solved through intangible purchases or monetary exchange. The personal bonds we’ve built along the lines of this fickle life will be what is carried on to the next. In 2011, i plan on making these already built foundations into the tall and solid skyscrapers they are. I will remember this year as the wind that changed my path; a path that has proven to be/will be, nothing short of incredible. With that conclusion, I leave you all with my warmest regards and wishes for paving/changing your very own path in 2011, make it a memorable one.

“We Own The Sky” By M83. Directed by Alex Takacs and Joe Nankin of Young Replicant. D.Photog. Adam Kauper. A perfect blend of imaginative cinematography and special effects portraying life as we know it; full of emotions, ups and downs, climaxes and tribulations.

Posted by . Categories: 1, 3D, abstract expressionism, acapella, after effects, animal collective, animation, arcade fire, Art, art and culture, art movement, beat boxing, bieber, big kids, blonde redhead, breakbot, cartoons, Cascading Style Sheets, catalan, chrome browser, classical electronic, cocorosie, communist cartoons, Compositing, Concept, contemporary culture, cowboys, css, cuba, cuban culture, CYRIAK, da kooning, decompos, deep therapy, digital media, djs, drawing, dreamweaver, electronic music, empyr, eskimo, expressionist movement, facebook, film and video, flash, france, freedom of expression, google chrome, graffiti, Grafitti, guster, hip hop, hipsters, html, indians, indians vs cowboys, industrial, interactive story, into the wilderness, jenny saville, julie heffernan, kimbra, krozm, la habana, life, lowbrow art, marina and the diamonds, marina diamandis, miami, miami horror, miike snow, Music, music video, new media, OJALÁ, Painting, performance art, pets, photography, pigeons, playing, poetry, polaroid, polaroid film, pop art, pop culture and technology, pop surrealism, portfolio, Portrait, praxinoscope, prefuse 73, reinassance, rococco, rotilla, rotilla music festival, rotoscoping, russian animation, sarcasm, satire, School of Seven Bells, sculpture, self portrait, sfumato, silvio rodrigues, Silvio Rodriguez, sketchbook, sketchbook project, soyuzmultfilm, special effects, stars, stendeck, stop motion animation, storytelling, Street Art, surrealism, technology, the cuban woodstock, THE HUNDRED IN THE HANDS, the new cuba, The Wilderness Downtown, The Wilderness Downtown Arcade Fire, the xx, traditional art, video, water balloons, watercolor animation, we used to wait. 1 Comment

26

Oct. ’10

Today, I noticed hope

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment”
–Emerson

It has been about 6 years since i payed my roots a visit. Today, i noticed something while i stayed still and observed; how incredibly full of shit our society is. I payed close attention to the daily whines on twitter over insignificant things like choosing the latest, fastest, superhuman mobile phone that will wipe an asshole at the mere download of an application. I noticed how incredibly blessed I am to have the power to simply EXPRESS MYSELF. Through any means, i could wake up tomorrow (like many in our society) and wave a giant flag in the middle of a busy street displaying my belief systems/sexuality/political endeavors.

Today, i was shown a documentary which stemmed from a fairly new movement; fueled by art/music/freedom that is shaping the future of a culture that would’ve been my own as i type, had my parents decided to stay in Havana. Cuba, the country that is deeply embedded in my character; a country i was ashamed to claim roots during a larger part of my teenage years; a country i blamed for my heavy accent, is now going through a great period of CHANGE and awakening. Sometimes i wonder how i would’ve survived in a country in which freedom of expression is strictly prohibited. I wonder how i would’ve turned out and if i would’ve even made it as far as 23 without getting shot or raped for believing in something.

More often than not, I find myself writing about western culture, it’s artists and the processes and conception of their contemporary work. Not today; today i pay the closest homage i can afford to a land i once called ‘mi patria’. Today is that i refuse to neglect a movement that could give tiny specs of freedom to a generation frustrated with ideas. A movement so strong it cannot be shut down by monetary fury, or insufficient funds. The act of expression (even if for a weekend) that my generation stuck with mere hope can taste at no cost. Today i write for them.

I posted Silvio Rodríguez’ song “OJALÁ” in contrast with contemporary views posted in this electronic music festival. Very often, cuban artists disguise their political statements in a romantic/poetic lullaby based on a love story. Although i don’t think OJALÁ is the case, this song represents the only intangible element cubans have been holding on to for the last 50 years; hope.

Posted by . Categories: Art, art and culture, contemporary culture, cuba, cuban culture, digital media, djs, electronic music, expressionist movement, freedom of expression, la habana, new media, OJALÁ, pop art, rotilla, rotilla music festival, silvio rodrigues, Silvio Rodriguez, Street Art, the cuban woodstock, the new cuba, video. 1 Comment