Photos

Sometimes, I take photos of people and actually capture a rare moment in time:

shucking oysters 

So hungry!

I haven't been taking many photos as of late, but that is going to change. There is something beautiful about capturing a moment locked in time- expressions of people, emotions, beauty and forever trapping seconds and making them permanent.

A more visual old, display can be found here: Old, but beautiful

Movement

These are the strange, wonderful days that happen too far in-between.  Life becomes lulled by redundancy, predictability, aided and coddled by routine. 

The Las Vegas airport looks as if it were the basis for the first season, some sort of B—grade cable-going pilot episode of a Sopranos spinoff. There are brightly colored neon lights surrounding the top of a faded soft pink wooded ceiling, curvy cursive blue and red neon letters spelling “cocktail lounge” and “Las Vegas Restaurant and Bar.” There are pockets of noisy, gold and white gambling machines with the old pull down levers. There is patterned blue and pink carpeting worn from foot traffic. This is a place of movement; it is the grey area that exists solely to give meaning to the destination. And.  It is in the middle of the  beautiful Nevada desert’s nothingness and open space. 

For some reason, in-between the coming and  the going, the goodbyes and hellos, the escapism and reality, I feel good about where I am. There is a lot to be vocalized about America, and for some reason, the glow of the slot machines in the afternoon December Nevada sun, comfort me. I am supposed to be here, and no where else right now, living in the grey, the in between. I am movement. 

Ownership

A while back, I wrote a post about the things we own and what they say about who we are. I'd like to add a little twist and add some photos of the things others own.

This one was taken quickly, so the quality isn't great. I found the idea of a vintage clock from the 40's, paired with a WWII calendar and a bottle opener with japanese writing on it, an odd, eclectic and confusing pairing.

Waste Land

“Do I dare 

Disturb the universe? 

In a minute there is time 

For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.” 

T.S Elliot 

Recently, I watched “Waste Land” a documentary about art, artistic production of everyday objects and classism in Brazil. I was more than hesitant to watch this film, but I was intrigued by the idea of creating art through everyday material.  More so, I was interested in how art was created out of waste.

 I am always hesitant on the bourgeoisie idea of the poor. The movie ends and I have vague lingerings of  exploitation in their lifestyles.  There are always prevalent underlying themes of how “they” are primitive and less modern than “us." All I truly desire is an honest depiction of life. Beautiful art=honesty.   In my view, this is subtly disguised as an outsiders (usually a white Westerner) appreciation of a different way of life. And then we sit.  We judge. We make life in our comfortable homes and privileged lifestyles and become a voyeur to another’s life for a brief hour and half then go about our daily lives.

I went in expecting something to that effect. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised and happy that I spent the time to watch this movie. In fact, the ideas and people actually emotionally reached me in a way I did not expect.

This documentary is note worthy for a variety of reasons. In one manner, there is the artistic production and involvement of the people in the making of the pieces, the subtle introspective nature on Brazil’s poverty and class system, the idea of human’s wasteful nature and  strong bond of humanism. The people were not exploited in their poverty, they were part of the process of the art. From the art, they grew, and as a the viewer, we grow too.

And most importantly, there is the idea of art as a mechanism for change in a tangible artistic and humanitarian manner. Vik Muniz did something very powerful, for not only the viewer, but for the people and objects he was capturing. This harmonious relationship can be seen in the art itself, and to me, it is incredibly profound and powerful.

© Vik Muniz  

© Vik Muniz  

© Vik Muniz  

All this was created from this:

© msnbc

It's Time For Change

Under Construction.

Please bear with me while I take some time to redesign, re-edit and reacquaint myself with the creative direction I want my blog to take.

It will be more focused, more creative and well, hopefully more reflective of what I desire a blog to be,   such as artistic expression, daily musings and whatever else feels good.

 Here are some things to get us started:

this video's humorous undertone and mute colors make it one of my favorites for 2011.