Ottoman Bill

Artist Murat Palta 

After a positive response to “Ottoman Star Wars”, I decided to take the theme further, and developed more film posters using the same technique.

 Kill Bill:

Apple, Tarantino, Art and Life (and crickets)

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Watched Iconoclasts with Fiona Apple and Quentin Tarantino this week. I love how they talked about being artists and where inspiration comes from, a kind of 'God Antenna' (see above).

And I've just read in Katherine Mansfield's Letters:

November 1920

What you quote from Van Gogh is very fine.

["...Nevertheless I find in my work a certain reverberation of what fascinated me. I know that Nature told me something, that she spoke to me, and that I took down her message in shorthand. Perhaps my transcript contains words that are undecipherable; belike there are faults and omission in it too, - still it may possess something that the wood, the beach or the figures said."]

... Tchehov felt just like that.

...I don't believe there are any short cuts to Art. Victory is the reward of battle just exactly as it is in Life. And the more one knows of one's soldiers the better chance one has. That's not an absolutely true analogy tho'. The thing is more subtle.

But what I do believe with my whole soul is that one's outlook is the climate in which one's art either thrives or doesn't grow. I am dead certain that there is no separating Art and Life. And no artist can afford to leave out Life. If we mean to work we must go straight to Life for our nourishment. There's no substitute. But I am violent on this subjick. I must leave it.

I think with both art and life: neither can be pushed. And this is what Fiona and Quentin were discussing. If it's not all there and filling you up, then there's no use in trying to create something... from nothing. I believe also with life it's just cruel to yourself, and the natural state of things, to pressure yourself to do something when you don't feel called, compelled or inspired to do so. If it's a 'should do' then you most likely shouldn't. Or, as I've similarly heard: If in doubt... don't.

I typically have been a thinker, ruminator, cogitator, (agitator!)... i.e. worrier. Going through a list of shoulds in my head concerning the 'best' to do for the future. Of course the future doesn't exist. One only has 'now' and one ought to sense the now and how one is feeling now, because that is what will guide one in the 'future'. If you stick with that you can't go wrong.

So, this is the God Antenna of which the Apple and the Tarantino speak. You sense what's happening with you at each moment and when inspiration or interest comes, it comes. No use erecting voluminous satellite dishes just to find something. Stick with where you're at this moment and it will come to you.


*sits*



*crickets chirp*


so... *sits listening to crickets*


P.S. I meant to put this on my other blog, but seeing as I've put it here I'll leave it. I've been wanting to bring this blog back to its former eclecticness anyway. Also... can't think of anything else I'm interested in writing about at the moment. (at least these means I'm walking the walk, or the talk, or the blog, or whatever...!)

Q & A mosaic

.

(click for bigger image)

Have been immersing myself in a lazy Sunday today. The only active thing I've done is hack at the bougainvillea, and the intertwined and rampant passionfruit vine which is eternally attempting to choke it. I won btw. My aim was also to warm myself up, which I achieved nicely... for a while. Very sunny lately at least.

So, being a lazy day, I thought it was an opportune moment to have a go at a flickr-mosaic meme that's been going around the blogosphere.

It goes like this:

• Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
• Using only the first page of results, pick one image.
• Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into Big Huge Lab’s Mosaic Maker to create a mosaic of the picture answers.

And the questions are these:

1. What is your first name?

2. What is your favorite food right now?

3. What high school did you go to?

4. What is your favorite color?

5. Who is your celebrity crush?

6. What is your favourite drink?

7. What is your dream vacation?

8. What is your favourite dessert?

9. What do you want to be when you grow up?

10. What do you love most in life?

11. What is one word that describes you?

12. What is your flickr name?

They're answered in rows, left to right.

I'm quite happy with how it turned out actually - it will do well as my new desktop image (although it could be quite dangerous as it will surely encourage me to up my indulgence in sweet treats - how good does that mud pie look!!!).


Update: Thanks to kiki's encouragement, I shall annoy, I mean, tag people to do the meme. I hereby tag kiki, kath, mai, ariel and homo j. Enjoy or ignore as you wish!

Heil Rudd!

I suspect our PM is becoming a bit of a Nazi!

Firstly he's opined that art works he hasn't laid eyes on are "revolting". And said art works (by Australia's third greatest photographer) have been taken away by police as suspected pornography.

When really he would have won a lot more political points if, instead, he started a rumour of the artworks' pornographic and pedophiliac merits.......

And THEN announced that Malcolm Turnbull owns two.

Oh! For shame!


I think, in fact, all pornography should be only legally allowed as art - so at least pedophiles will have to pay a hell of a lot more for it.

Or even better, only public art. That way we can catch all the pedophiles in the art gallery just as they're about to pull out their old fella!




Second, he's working public servants to the bone! And makes no apology for expecting people to "burn the midnight oil".


It seems though that he's just enjoying his mighty power!! (As he did in Queensland government.) He will arrange a meeting with staffers, and then not turn up as they all sit around and wait for him. Also:

"What the public services is angry about is not so much that they're asked to do reports and to spend all night working on them, but once they deliver them to the Prime Minister and other Ministers, nothing happens with them for weeks and weeks and weeks...

"That's what's making them angry - that they give up their nights and then there are no decisions coming from the Government arising from their work."

And our dear little PM's reply? THERE'LL BE MORE!!!! YOU SLACK BUGGERS!!!! As he busily shuffles his (is it 18?) piles of paper about in front of him:

"I understand there's been some criticism around the edges that some public servants are finding the hours a bit much," he said.

"I suppose I've simply got news for the public service - there'll be more.

"This Government was elected with a clear cut mandate, we intend to proceed with that. The work ethic of this government will not decrease, it will increase."

And so what work is he getting done? He's just blathering on back and forth about petrol prices!

Note today's (yes, a bunch of troops came home today, hurrah! maybe he's not quite so much of a Nazi after all...) news:

The Opposition argues that the Government is happy to have issues which divert attention from prices at the bowser.

It says that the spat between the Prime Minister and the public service over working hours and the end of combat operations in Iraq are both distractions from the petrol issue.

When surely the whole petrol thing is a distraction in itself!!!!

Opposition MPs say they will continue to question the Government in Parliament this week about what it can do about rising petrol prices.

Oh great. So Rudd's going to have to work even harder at not getting any work done cause they're still going on about this petrol nonsense just so Nelson can show he can raise his voice and go red in the face with the best of them. "I HAVE CAJONES TOO!" he'll scream.



But, and here's my third point, he has made time to tell all his staff, office and household, they have to take down their Facebook pages.


Hmmm...


Pot... kettle... black:

Rudd has too many web friends
Posted Mon Aug 13, 2007 3:42pm AEST

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's popularity in cyberspace is continuing to rise.

Mr Rudd recently joined Facebook, a popular social networking website similar to My Space, where people can join and become friends with others online.

A note on Mr Rudd's site says he now has reached Facebook's cap of 5,000 friends.

It says the Rudd team is in negotiations with Facebook to increase the cap so they can respond to all the requests to become friends.

Tsk.



Now. If he starts burning books....!!!!!!!!!!

Check Out My Very Own Snow Dome!!!

-- I HEART The Man at the Pub --

Look!!! Viv... Perth skyline... and even my requested silver glitter!!!


Is The Man not The Man?


Is he not just so much awesomeness!?



*cuddles snow dome*



*shakes gently*



*giggles with glee*

____________________________________

*trumpets*

The EB Snow Dome has been Proudly Presented to the 1000th visitor
Dune Princess.

She has received the award with much delight and has graciously presented it upon her blogge with much pride and oh most awesum joy.
A very deserving recipient.

*applause*

_____________________________

...

I am no artist (& no Vivien either *sigh*) NOW with UPDATED Political Commentary!!!

Oops. It appears I accidentally gave you lot the wrong message the other day. My new pic is not some artistic creation of mine. Sorry! Just a photo of me, made to appear comic-like (cause I really prefer being a drawing thank you) by the click of my camera's software 'Cartoon' button. I apologise if I gave anyone the impression that I actually have some artistic talent or any creative skills whatsoever (hey, I clicked on them buttons real fancy like! it's all in the wrist you know.).
Pic of me + Scribbly lines all over = Much better. [EDIT 9Aug: 1.5 photos removed - Told ya!]

PS - I prefer Vivien too (really, who could compete?!). She will return!!!!














PPS - Just had a lovely laugh watching Howard on 7.30 Report again. (Kerry was cackling too.) Oh our PM's an absolute hoot lately: "No, no no... But... but... But Kerry!!" Old and 'rattled'??! Naahh!!!

UPDATE: 7.30 REPORT TRANSCRIPT NOW AVAILABLE - just a snippet:

[Only the comments in CAPS are mine, they do the rest themselves.]

KERRY O'BRIEN: Now to your own problems, Mr Howard? I know that you've tried to reject the leaked findings of your own pollsters this week that you're regarded as dishonest, but if that's how people see you then that's a real problem for you, isn't it?

JOHN HOWARD: Well Kerry, I won't be a commentator [commenter?] on that. I will deal directly with the issue. I'm not dishonest. [blah blah WMDs etc]

KERRY O'BRIEN: Have you asked your pollsters to find out why the public thinks you're dishonest?

JOHN HOWARD: No, but Kerry, I will deal with the facts I will deal with the allegation. I am entitled... I AM ENTITLED!!!!

*pouts*


KERRY O'BRIEN: It's not so much an allegation it's what your pollsters are telling you about the public perception.

JOHN HOWARD: Well, it's used in the question as an allegation. DON'T YOU GET TRICKY WITH ME YOU YOUNG WHIPPER SNAPPER! I'M ONTO YOU... I'm asked to say what do I think of the allegation that I'm dishonest? Well my reply to that is to say I'm not dishonest and I've grabbed hold of one of the examples of where I'm alleged to be dishonest. I mean, you will acknowledge that I have a right to defend myself. I HAVE A RIGHT TO DEFEND MYSELF!!!

KERRY O'BRIEN: But of course.

JOHN HOWARD: In what I regard as a false claim and I think I owe it to the Government supporters who watch your program, BOTH OF THEM, and I owe it to other people who are taking an objective interest in political debate in this country, to deal with those sorts of allegations. I OWE IT TO THE PEOPLE!!!!



KERRY O'BRIEN: But I suppose what I'm asking you is not so much an allegation but a finding by your pollsters that there is a strong perception out there amongst voters who are deserting your party that they think you're dishonest and I was asking you whether you've asked your pollsters to try and pin down the reasons why they think you're dishonest?

JOHN HOWARD: I certainly don't intend to go into what I have and what I haven't asked my pollsters YOUNG MAN. But I would have thought the best way to deal with that question is to address the substance of the alleged perception and that is what I've done. NOT THAT I'M GOING INTO WHAT THAT PERCEPTION ACTUALLY IS CAUSE I WON'T COMMENT ON IT...

KERRY O'BRIEN: You raised one element of what you think might...

JOHN HOWARD: Well, let me go into the other quoted examples. Children overboard [blah blah, bloody advisers *shakes fist*]

KERRY O'BRIEN: Is this what your pollsters are telling you that those are the kinds of reasons why people don't believe you?

JOHN HOWARD: No, I read them all the time in the newspapers.

KERRY O'BRIEN: No, no, I'm talking about what your pollsters have told you.

JOHN HOWARD: No, I'm saying I'm not going into what my pollsters have told me.

KERRY O'BRIEN: Of course if that perception of dishonesty is there, then the more desperate you appear to get with your promises or your interventions, the more that perception of dishonesty is going to haunt you, isn't it?

JOHN HOWARD: Kerry, you say my interventions are desperate but which ones do you...

KERRY O'BRIEN: No, no, I'm saying that the more desperate you appear to get...

JOHN HOWARD: With my interventions?

KERRY O'BRIEN: With your promises and your interventions, yes.

JOHN HOWARD: Can you give me some of the examples that are desperate?

KERRY O'BRIEN: Well, let's take the case of the hospital and I'm talk about perceptions, Mr Howard. Let's take the case of the hospital at Devonport. You said that decision had nothing to do with holding on to a marginal seat.

JOHN HOWARD: No, I didn't say that.

KERRY O'BRIEN: You haven't said that?

JOHN HOWARD: No, no, YOU NINNY, I was asked about isn't it coincidence in a marginal seat. My reply to that is well if it's a good policy, if it also has the impact of BUYING ME VOTES AND being popular what's wrong with that?
*laughter in background*

KERRY O'BRIEN: Well you've now got one of your own Tasmanian Liberal senators, Stephen Parry, telling journalists today that he thinks the hospital is a disaster and it should be closed.

JOHN HOWARD: Well, he's given me some slightly different version than that.

KERRY O'BRIEN: And what's that?

JOHN HOWARD: Well, I'm not going to go into that as a discussion between us. But, can I tell you the Government's policy is to go full steam ahead with the intervention.

KERRY O'BRIEN: Did he tell you he supports your intervention?

JOHN HOWARD: Can I say... well he's put out a statement... *SIGHS* Can I say that the Health Minister, Mr Abbott, went to Tasmania today and had a meeting with the Tasmanian Health Minister and to say the least the Tasmanian Government is being extremely uncooperative, which I think is very poor. *TSK* I would have thought the Tasmanian Government would have welcomed with open arms the fact that we are willing to USE THEM TO BUY VOTES, inject up to another $45 million to $50 million a year into the health system in northern Tasmania and for the Tasmanian Health Minister to say in effect well, we're going to spite the Federal Government because we don't like the idea of the Federal Government BUYING VOTES being involved, shows an arrogant disregard for the interests of MY PARTY the people in Devonport and the people of northern Tasmania.

KERRY O'BRIEN: Mr Howard, the Tasmanian Government, as you well know, is acting on two independent reports in implementing its health decisions and its health profile for Tasmania. There's a lot of sentiment in Burnie next door about the rights an wrongs of your intervening in Devonport, aren't there?

JOHN HOWARD: But Kerry, let's just look at the objective facts, AS THIS IS MUCH MORE CONVENIENT THAN ANALYSING THE BIGGER PICTURE OR MY TRUE INTENTIONS, I mean we are willing to inject $45 million to $50 million into keeping that hospital at full bore as far as public hospital facilities are concerned and instead of sitting down and cooperating with us, the Tasmanian Government so far, and I hope it changes its attitude. There has been agreement for the health officials of the Commonwealth and the State to meet not later than Thursday of this week. They are, you know, playing denial politics, they're playing spite politics. Well, I just ask them to think of the [VOTERS] people, the tens of thousands of [VOTERS and] people who will benefit from this decision [ME AND MY PARTY]. That's the point I'm making.

KERRY: *rolls around on the floor laughing holding his sides in pain as tears roll down his cheeks*

HOWARD: *right eye starts to twitch*



Honestly, should we vote him back in just for entertainment value?

I've misplaced my art, can you help me find it?

Look darlings, you must get your kitsch right… and - heavens to Betsy! - whatever you do, don't get it wrong!!

Sydney-based Emma Elizabeth Coffey, of Emma Elizabeth Designs, … says. "I think there's a big difference between modern kitsch and vintage kitsch. Modern kitsch can be very sleek and minimal and I like that, while with vintage kitsch . . . well, some people think its uber-cool, but it's actually not."

This seems just fine and dandy: choose stainless steel lime-green-quaffed Elvis statuette over cuckoo-clock suffocated by multitudinous brown suckering sea-shells, indeed yes, I agree wholeheartedly.

But, good God, included in examples of modern kitsch is a gnome side table - essentially, a typically garish gnome with his head morphed into a wee round table top (go to link to see pics).

Well now, I can see her point though. Important to note really when you’re paying $5995 for 'a horse lamp - yes, we're talking about a polyester horse with a shade on its head'.

Now, creative or no... the following people are probably quite happy that their random wanderings about some foreign locale means they are suddenly and inexplicably art.

BERLIN (Reuters) - A Chinese artist will bring 1,001 of his compatriots to Germany to spend months wandering around the city of Kassel as live-exhibits for his entry to a leading modern art show.

Ai WeiWei's "Fairytale" artwork will cost 3.1 million euros ($4.14 million)...

The event artist, 49, attracted his live-exhibits through a post on his blog. Within three days 3,000 people applied and 1,001 picked.

The participants, who will arrive during the course of the exhibition in batches of 200, will stay overnight in a converted factory ... Ai plans to cook for his performers during their stay.

Cool, no? A free trip out of CHINA *and* the artiste will feed 'em!

Wow. If I was wanting to get out of China I'd become an artiste, invite my blogger friends along and call it art too.*

Well, if you're going to spend millions to create art, it might as well be useful and humanitarian while it's at it... don't you agree?

P.S. Whilst I was trying to find a 'kitsch' pic for this post I came across Mr Tylor Kitsch. I'm guessing he'd fit Ms Coffey's standards: Modern kitsch can be very sleek and minimal. (Mmm, indeed!)




* (Where shall we go?)

Eyes on the box (no, not that one)

Yesterday’s ‘drivel dvd’ was V for Vendetta. It was good as long as V sounded like Rowan Atkinson (re snooty Blackadder voice). Less amusing once I reminded myself it was Hugo Weaving behind the mask.

Hearing ‘The Girl From Ipanema’ was another highlight.

Watched ‘The Machinist’ today. I’m still recovering.

It’s supposed to be “Fight Club meets Memento”, two films I love. But this was just… eew! He’s way too skinny, and it was so crazy I felt I was going nutty myself (well, nuttier). Why make it? This isn’t entertainment, it’s torture!

One gruesome scene (you know which I mean if you’ve seen it) was extra yucky cause it reminded me of an erstwhile friend who’d lost part of his arm in a sugar cane thrasher cutting thinga-ma-jiggy. He was attempting to dislodge something using a long stick and couldn’t be bothered taking the time to turn the machine off first.

He has the apt sobriquet of Lefty.

The other day I had a much more enjoyable experience (documentary this time) revisiting the life and art of Frida Kahlo - she of the most beautiful monobrow. (And I recommend the movie if you haven’t already seen it. I mean, who doesn’t like Salma Hayek??)

Most tragic in Frida’s life was the accident she was in when only 16. A tram hit the bus she was in. The bus split apart. Frida ended up naked and impaled by a handrail (who a guy on the street yanked out of her), her body shattered. She was covered in gold dust which had been carried by a labourer on the bus and now adhered to her bloody body. Pretty horrible stuff. A few years back I went to see a play about her. My then husband was with me and when the accident scene came up so did his dinner – he just managed to control it thank goodness. (I probably should tell him not to see The Machinist...)

Anyway, the image of her, impaled and covered in gold dust, makes me understand why she was so influenced by religious art. I was ‘raised’ Catholic (I have since ‘left’ my faith, but of course I feel very GUILTY about it!), and the art’s pretty gruesome. So is some of Frida’s art, but it helped her to deal with her tortured body.

Her husband was Diego Rivera. He was an ugly sod but popular with the ladies. She became interested in him romantically when he shot a phonograph. As you do. (Here’s a lesson for you guys, get a ‘pistol’ and shoot a ‘phonograph’. That’ll have ‘em lining up!)

Well, enough rambling. I’m off to the oldies’ for dinner now. Off to the sanity of my family to remove the clinging nuttiness of the Machinist.

Actually, it will just be replaced with a different nuttiness. More of the fruitcake variety than the nutcake.

And it’s an excuse to drink a nice bottle of Cab Sav which I have held for such an occasion.

Cheers!