Madame Pickwick

Rise And Fall

Ved — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:24:02 +0000

We all remember the Berlin wall. It’s rise and fall and the resulting reactions. both positive and negative, but mostly negative. many things have come from the fall of the berlin wall. Many deaths came from the wall’s existence, and much effort was needed for it’s destruction, both mental and physical. It was a major historical event for more reasons than one. It has influenced, among other things, the world of art. From the graffiti that ran on it’s surface to sculptures made from stolen pieces of the fallen wall. Art can be fueled by major events such as the Berlin wall.

Graffiti on the Berlin wall, 1989

The Fall of the wall’s 20th anniversary, was on the third of october last month. And this shows the 20 year mark for an event that changed many people’s lives. The resulting wave of art has been immense as well. from sculptures made from the plastic cases of Lamps on “Death strip” ( by artist Hans Hemmert)

Trauerarbeit 2, by Hans Hemmert

Art can be influenced and fueled by anything at all, from the simplest little animals on your kitchen floor to something as huge as the berlin wall. but this is nothing new. Historical events have subconsciously been influencing artists for decades. We find references to history in most paintings, sculptures and everything else. As if these events are eggs that liberate a load of cultural influence, Movie ideas, Writer motivation and a hint of cinnamon. The youth of today is heavily influenced by the world of yesterday, they listen to the music of yesterday, they resurrect the fashion of yesterday. They are living according to our past, which is as much a good thing as it is a bad one. But they also learn from our past, which is undeniably a good thing. For example projects like these right here.

Student project, reminiscent of Graffiti on the Berlin Wall

Expect the Unexpected

Ved — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:37:12 +0000

Sometimes you pass next to a sculpture, maybe very tall, or very small but with great attention to detail. Or whatever the case may be. and you’ll think you have a clear picture of what the artist is like. Oh my goodness that sculpture is enormous, the artist must have been really tall and strong. And we’re probably wrong most of the time. Case in point being Viola Frey, a pioneer of ceramic sculptures in California. Well known for her monumental sculptures of men and women, both nude and clothed. Monumental yet simplistic pieces that made reference to “Art Brute” artists, that Viola Frey mentions as her inspiration, artists like Jean Dubuffet.

One of her many humanoid ceramic sculptures

She sadly passed away on July 26th in Oakland, at age 70. her spirit however, lives on in the many large scale sculptures she left behind for the world and for our history. In some photos I have seen of the artist, She is seen in the midst of a few of her sculptures, looking quite small. like a child in a story book, on an island of monsters. or Something like Gulliver’s travels. where she would be a Lilliputian. Even the aspect of the sculptures is reminiscent of children’s stories. It makes the sculptures seem almost glowing with a magical radiance of childhood dreams come to life. The works of art themselves are somewhat simplistic but don’t lose any of their impact or realism. some are realistically painted to resemble nudes or clothed people. some others are painted with abstract symbols and patterns like the picture seen above.

Viola Frey in a garden of sculptures, circa 1981

In more recent photos, she is seen working on another enormous sculpture, this time sitting in a wheelchair. It seems to me this woman whose artwork seems to be stuck in her childhood. knew something we were all missing. She might have been 500 years old when she died, living for centuries because of some supernatural hormone in her blood. Or because she’s from the planet krypton, and instead of saving the world from crime she would make these huge sculptures even with her small size. In any case, she knew how to turn heads.

Rambo Picasso

Ved — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 05:53:05 +0000

I recently caught wind of Paintings, painted and recently sold by someone of who you wouldn’t necessarily expect as much. None other than Sylvester Stallone the man made of muscles and testosterone. He has recently unveiled his collection of paintings, from his part-time painting hobby spanning 30 years. At the Art Basel Miami Beach Fair, his Vernissage attracted many fans. exhibiting his many abstract paintings priced between 40,000$ and 50,000$ ( with two of them selling immediately.)

The same man who marked our childhoods with his appearances in Rocky and Rambo. Now sells supposed works of art to make an even larger profit to add to his bottomless pit of money and fame. It just goes to show how little art means now. Art isn’t anything anymore. If someone like Sylvester Stallone, who is know mostly for his muscles, can make 50,000$ for one of his paintings. The artistic world has gone down the drain. It just makes for one word less in the dictionary in my opinion. But it’s frustrating that what was once a precise work, that took an education and lots of dedication, now even Rambo can make a Picasso.

Bull-knitting

Ved — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:19:47 +0000

Canada, second largest country in the world, 36th most populated, And best source of maple syrup and of course, Hockey. If there’s anything you hear about enough to want to rip people’s heads off, it’s gotta be hockey. The sport that people would die for. A sport that people would kill other people for. A sport so violent, so magical and filled with magicky magical magicness. It’s a huge part of our Canadian Culture, it has influenced hundreds of books, movies… One such artistic exploit is the legendary book and animated film The Hockey Sweater. the story of a young boy, An avid fan of the Montreal Canadians, who one day receives a sweater from his mother, a hockey sweater, not of his favorite team but of their sworn enemies. The Toronto Maple Leafs. Even today, talk about the Leafs to a Habs fan, you might get a bloody nose, if they’re crazy enough to do more than thoroughly insult you. Rivalries run deep in the sport’s history. Many controversies over the years. many fights. All of this in addition to hockey fans filling our air with their banter about last night’s game and how much carey price sucks, I say this merely after hearing it for myself from a hockey fan’s gaping maw. spare my life, angry hockey fans, I beg you.

Violent Hockey Hugs

But as much as Hockey seems like an over-advertised, violent sport, interest and way of life. It still is a part of society and history that will never be forgotten. Hockey Legends like Maurice “Rocket” Richard, Wayne Gretzky and many others. Even small things like the hockey team sweater I mentioned earlier are very important parts of our heritage. People recieve these sweaters as children, keep them their entire lives. only to see what their childhood was like. Either if they still like the sport and look back thinking of the “good times”, or they see how much they wasted their time with it. The book I mentioned earlier The Hockey Sweater, by Roch Carrier, who you might know from the quote on the back of the canadian 5 dollar bill, It says: “Nous vivions en trois lieus: L’école, l’église et la patinoire; mais la vrai vie était sur la patinoire” ( We lived in three places: School, Church and the skating rink; but our real life was on the skating rink) this quote is said to be the most definitive and representative of Canadian culture, history and Heritage. Countries often depend on sports such as hockey, they bring tourism, fans, bring out potential talent in the country. Like in Brazil where soccer players are discovered without end. The world has learned to depend on sports. Some people’s entire lives depend on it. Be it their careers or purely devotion to their favorite team.

Sports are sometimes addictive, And just like anything, it’s fine in small quantities, but let it take over your life and you’re in for trouble. In the movie Big Fan, Robert Siegel’s directorial debut, Paul Aufiero, 35 year-old parking garage attendant from Staten Island, New York. Paul is the self proclaimed :”Biggest New York Giants Fan”, The movie details the sad story of a middle-aged sports man that still lives with his mother. Turned into a lifeless pile of sports trivia and hamburgers. The world is against him, society, his mother, his coworkers…

Patton Oswalt and Kevin Corrigan in Big Fan

So let’s stop and think for a second. Sports like hockey have defined in many ways the way our society is now. Soccer is played in every single country in the world and Football gathers the most people in the world for the yearly superbowl. But people sometimes let it take over their lives, with horrible results most of the time. Those Hockey sweaters that Canadians wear. They must be magic or something, knitted by Fairies. Fairies that knit dreams. This is why our national sport is on the dollar bill. It’s built on dreams. And “Losers” like Paul Aufiero (who is a football fan if that much isn’t clear yet)don’t have the sweater made of dreams Big Fan stars Patton Oswalt and Kevin Corrigan, It will be making it’s way to DVD and Bluray on January 12th 2010.

Hurricane Beast

Ved — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:32:03 +0000

They call them the next great thing out of Montreal. The Electro-Indie-Rock band Beast. having travelled all over their home province of Quebec, and all around the world. The French-born duo has recently had the honor of a nomination at the prestigious Grammy awards. The nomination being for their single Mr. Hurricane, off their debut, self titled album. For Lead Singer Béatrice Bonifassi, It isn’t her first time at an awards ceremony of this grandeur, Her Ex-Husband Benoit Charest, known for his band, Les Triplettes de Belleville, and the movie of the same title, whose soundtrack earned two award nominations, An Oscar for Best animated feature, and one for best song.

Béatrice Bonifassi and Jean-Phi Goncalves

Béatrice had also participated in the creation of the movie, lending her Low baritone singing voice to the animated characters in the musical film. The Band’s first music video, nominated with the likes of Coldplay, The Black Eyed Peas and other chart topping artists, is a strange one indeed. Having viewed it myself a few times, I find it troubling to say the least. The whole of the video is made much more light-hearted with the electro-pop music that goes with it. But it’s really a work of art. Set in some kind of cabin, filled with bees, we follow a clumsy ethereal man, composed of these bees that swarm the cabin, Interspersed with clips of the band happily playing their upbeat song. I tried watching it without the song playing. It’s a weird result.

Moulin Rouge, Kabul

Ved — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:33:37 +0000

Our childhoods hold numerous happy memories, for most. Memories of frolicking with our play-buddies playing with our hot wheels and our Gi-Joe’s and our Barbies and our Easy-Bake Ovens. Summer days outside where your little sister would play with her dolls and annoy you, or where your brother would steal your barbie and rip its head off in your face. Good times. Let’s narrow it down to barbie, the blonde girl with impossible proportions that gave young girls false hopes about the future and young boys something to dismember and torture. Created in 1959 by Mattel toy company. Since it’s beginning, it has been subject to numerous controversies. The first Black Barbie, The Oreo Barbie, even Barbie in a wheelchair. And not surprisingly we have yet another shocking Barbie enter our world. The Burka Barbie.

Burka Barbie

The Burka Barbie, is part of a collection of around 500 black barbies, clothed my italian designer Eliana Lorena, for the doll’s 50th anniversary. The dolls are meant to be sold at an auction for the Save The Children Charity organization. I can’t help but smirk at the irony. Barbie is supposed to be the evil little blonde doll that makes our daughters and sisters anorexic in hopes of looking just like her.

Sarah Palin Barbie? Why not.

The same barbie that wore an all-leather suit with fishnet stockings, the same blonde stereotypical, college girl with a provocative tattoo on her lower back. With a well-known symbol of female oppression right in the box? I’m not amused. Some say it’s ” a great opportunity for girls, wherever they’re from, to play with a Barbie they can relate to.” So now the oppressed girls of the middle-east can have just as much fun as the shallow blonde american girls with future eating disorders. It’s very ironic, but I can’t say I find it particularly funny. not funny at all in fact. And I doubt I’m the only one. What’s next? Jihad Ken with war sound effects and suicide bomber action! The day that goes on the market, I’ll be rolling on the floor, laughing my intestines out. It would be sad though, to see our society get that low.

The Road To Hell Is Paved..

Ved — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:42:45 +0000

With good intentions. People almost always mean well and wish no harm to anyone. Almost always. But friends sometimes say things that they shouldn’t, Bad advice isn’t always intentional. But there’s no getting away from it. people aren’t all fit to give advice. Some of them should just keep their mouthes shut. Gladly ,There are funny people in the world that can make these kinds of things enjoyable for everyone. I found a new column in the National post recently, titled “Extremely Bad Advice” written by Steven Murray. you can find his articles here. These articles consist mostly of a made-up problem, usually impossible or just improbable ( an example being a wife finding out her husband is a werewolf) and a series of four steps to solve the “problem”

Steve Murray, Columnist for the National Post

It’s really a way to take parts of our everyday lives and make them ridiculous and funny. The one about the werewolf husband obviously influenced by the Twilight Phenomenon. Another being a guide on how to observe attractive women in the workplace without being the “Office Lech”. It’s really ridiculous, but I find this man brilliant. I cant help but think about The Onion News Network. If you’ve never heard of it, you’re in for a Treat. It’s a little of the same heavily sarcastic advice/news/fake studies. all of it made to look really serious and legit. But Headlines like “Americans too fat to commit suicide” are immediate eye-catchers.

Double Trouble

Ved — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:55:51 +0000

Everything comes in “twos” for evil there is good, for light there is shadow, for wet there is dry, and so on and so forth. In the event of a birth, When a human life enters our world, There is sometimes the occasion of two humans being born at the same time. This is the phenomenon of twins. most of the time it’ll end up being two brothers or a brother and sister with no particular common traits. And sometimes you get identical twins, looking the same, sometimes dressing the same, and having the same DNA. So basically a back-up copy one for the other.

Candice Breitz

South-African born, Berlin based Photographer/Videographer Candice Breitz addresses the question of “Who are we?” with her new multipart work titled: “Factum”.All about this question that immediately causes confusion with most people. Because when you think about it, the answer can’t be, we’re human beings, because that doesn’t really mean anything.What is a human being? Why are we more important than the tree across the street? Why this, why that. a load of questions that make you tilt your head and go” Huh?” Twins are important. Or at least they will be when we discover their philosophical meaning in our lives. Maybe like Stevey-Ray Vaughan’s rythm section, Appropriately called Double Trouble. Stevey would be nothing without them. Iget freaked out by twins that are exactly the same. I see those often, they get the same haircuts, wear the same clothes, and just confuse the hell out of you. I would think they’d want to look at least slightly different so people could tell them apart and save them the frustration. Like in that movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito, “Twins”. The two of them played twins in that. Arnold is huge, bulky and has an accent, Devito is Short, Balding, and looks like he might give you a pair of concrete shoes and send you to sleep with the fishes. At least you can tell them apart. No Life secret there.

Dark Days

Ved — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:01:12 +0000

Black Friday. Not a day for satanist rituals, or turning off all the lights in your house. But a day for spending as much money as you possibly can. The first friday following thanksgiving day, A day when retailers open amazingly early and offer extraordinary prices to customers that swarm the doors of the store. Black in this case seems to be synonymous with death, People are likely to get trampled in the hordes of bargain hungry customers, as much as employees are scared of the things their customers might do to them if things don’t go as they want. By the looks of it, these people revert to their simplest primal attitudes and just literally go wild.

The ferocity of it all reminds me strangely of Latvian-American Abstract Expressionist painter Mark Rothko. The simplicity of the shopping day reminds me the simplicity of his paintings. The day being simple in the most basic description of it. It also all reminds me the ferocity of Rothko’s actual life, Committing suicide by slashing his wrists and overdosing on anti-depressors. Black Friday in the United states is responsible for the death of at least one person. In 2008, a long island Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death by frenzied customers. It’s all very, very dark stuff. Although I find it slightly pathetic for someone to die during a shopping holiday, It just shows how big an idiot the human being can be. It’s sad that a man’s life was taken so that people could get to their flatscreen televisions or their Xbox 360’s.

Mark Rothko

Danke Very Much Hitler

Ved — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:23:53 +0000

The Nazis just never get boring. You’d think people would like to forget about the evil people that decimated a large part of the european jewish population in the 1940’s. But we just keep hearing about them. The secrets just don’t stop turning up. Recently, A painting by french painter Paul Delaroche, Thought to have been completely during a German air raid. The Nazis just ruin everything for everyone don’t they? The painting titled “Charles I Insulted by Cromwell’s Soldiers” which shows the king shortly before his execution in 1649, was originally taken down and moved to a country house in scotland where it stayed untouched and unseen for nearly 70 years. Originally thought to be completely decimated by the Nazi bombings, the painting was recently unrolled and found to be in rather good shape.

Charles I Insulted By Cromwell's Soldiers, Paul Delaroche

The scandals never stop with these people. First the painting stolen by nazis that turns up on an antiques show, and now this one that the nazis tried to bomb to destruction. It reminds me of “The Davinci Code” where every painting has some kind of hidden meaning and some clue. Maybe the nazis knew something we still don’t. Maybe these paintings will lead us to the golden city of El-Dorado or something messed up like that. Why else would they steal these paintings and try to bomb the living daylights out of everything around them. There is of course the fact that they were mostly doing it because they needed something of value in their greedy little Nazi hands. But I say to look out for Dan Brown’s upcoming book, you never know what might come up next.