Color my wonder
Theories of color, light and perception are upheld and challenged in Olfaur Eliasson’s: Take your Time exhibition now showing at the MCA Sydney. The exhibition, which takes the form of a visual journey in which viewers move from light filled open spaces through immersive, built structures invites us to become active participants in the creation and perception of meaning, rather than passive observers.
Playing with light and color; its the subtleties of transparency, shadowing and reflection that the viewer may not notice upon first look but delights in transcendentally discovering. The exhibition takes its starting point in a yellow glowing room entitled “Room for one color” comprising of mono-frequency bulbs attached to the gallery ceiling. As our eyes adjust to the intensity of the yellow light, we become aware of a retinal after-effect that produces the sensation of purple or even black as we look back out at the galleries beyond.
Stealthing my way from room to room, I spent a good hour immersed in what can only be described as a state of complete wanderlust. In a new city, discovering new beauty, I felt wildly invigorated. There must be something in the concept of color therapy! To step out onto the Sydney harbourfront afterward and bathe myself in the warm suns rays was the perfect ending to a devine morning.
Cover thee in a band tee
You know what they say. Too much of a good thing is never enough! I hate to actually admit that I am a “collector” of anything, but I’ve just started owning up to this fact. I collect band t-shirts. I have quite a lot. Some of them are brand-spankin new re-prints, a few “vintage-look” and some are legit vintage tees. I think my obsession started in my early days of working in music. Yes, I was once a record-store sales bitch with a bad attitude. I worked in several different independant and chain stores in my youth, and I think in these formative and influential years I started to realise the potential value in hanging onto promo tees and other bits and pieces of merch that were flung at us as staff on a weekly basis by the visiting label reps.
A few years later I went on to work in music PR for touring artists and continued adding to my collection at gigs and shows I would attend. I think my collection would probably be somewhere in the 40-50 mark, but most of them are currently resting in storage while I transition between living spaces. Here I have hauled out some of my more recent additions and favorites. I think my all-time fave is the Rolling Stones Tour of 78 tee which I found in New York a couple of years back. I’ve thrashed that thing to death. No collection would be remotely near complete without its “daggies” though. Somewhere in storage I have a pink Shirley Manson (Garbage) tee, I know I have several John Mayer tees, A very ugly brown Jebdiah tee (I am dying inside right now) and (although quite classic) a bright yellow and fluoro pink Sex Pistols – Never Mind the Bollocks tee amongst other unmentionables!!!!! When I am settled into a new abode, I might even delight you with some snaps of the uglies!
Whilst my collection is far from exhaustive, I intend on adding to it on a more frequent basis now so that one day (if I ever have them) my kids will thank me for it!!!!!
Dont come too close, you dont want to see my ghost
What more could Karen Elson ask for honestly? Not only is she absolutely stunning (her former model status attests to this) but she is married to the one and only Jack White of The White Stripes fame. Now the vintage clothing boutique manager has turned her hand to making music of the pretty, acoustic kind. And I cant really find fault with it. Sure, her voice isnt perfect, but its endearing with its raw fragility. The debut single from her forthcoming album of the same name – “The Ghost Who Walks” was produced by her gorgeous husband. Lyrically its got edge, but its delivered in such a sincere and virtuous manner that I can’t help but like it. As such, I find it has been rolling around the cavities of my brain for the past few days. I’m looking forward to hearing more.
Raw
This is me. Raw. Sleepless.
As captured by my beautiful friend Twiggy. Check out her Flickr here
She is a woman of extraordinary talent.
Color my life with the chaos of trouble
Just finished watching this. Fucking fantastic film. Whilst I was initially worried that I was being suckered into another teen-angst-ridden-come-arthouse take on romance and love, I am pleased to report that 500 Days of Summer was nothing but a visual and aural pleasure.
The soundtrack (which I have promptly purchased from itunes) features The Smiths (twice – perfect), Black Lips, Simon & Garfunkel, She & Him, Doves, Feist and Regina Spektor and The Temper Trap amongst others. The music intricately weaves its way into the bittersweet story about a boy and a girl. But this is not a love story. This is a story about love, as eloquently narrated in the opening scene.
The cinematography is absolutely beautiful. The music pushes the story line along in an unobtrusive but magnificently complimentary manner, and the appeal of Zoey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt as two friends that were never meant to be lovers is heart-wrenchingly agonizing. But in the most gorgeous of ways, it leaves me hanging on with a smile on my face by the end of the film.
If you havent seen it; you simply must.
Synchronicity Sucks
I’m fraught with lack of synchronicity at present. Whilst I am crossing the borders of three states over the coming month and couch-surfing my way into the future of the future I’ve actually just discovered that I will manage to miss not one, but all 3 of the possible opportunities to catch these guys perform. Rahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
If you, unlike me, have better synchronicity floating around – be sure to catch them at any one of the below states/dates:
17 Feb 2010 – East Brunswick Club – Melbourne
19 Feb 2010 – Perth Festival – Perth
20 Feb 2010 – The Zoo – Brisbane
21 Feb 2010 – Oxford Art Factory - Sydney
Walk in the Park
A friend of mine just threw me this way: Beach House. I love the experience of hearing music I havent yet been exposed to and making a beautiful, but quick critical evaluation. I love their romantic, dreamy undertones. I can hear/feel a little bit of Vampire Weekend in there somewhere, and I already feel like I’m home. Sounds like red wine. Nice. Very Nice.
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