#Matric Portraits

[whodiditsubzdidit]

#WHODIDIT? | #MATRICDANCE

The job is easier when the family treats you like family.

[laurstudiesworld]

Good luck everyone for their alevels. And gcse students! (Tbh anyone who’s doing their exams) honestly I feel like deep fried 💩 rn. I honestly feel like I’ve bitten off more than I can chew and I’m so petrified for exams honestly. Like in theory I should be happy right, I have an offer from Oxford to do my dream course Maths and Philosophy, but I need 3A*s and an A in my alevels which rn seems like a distant reality tbh, with grade boundaries shooting up. Like I honestly feel like it wasn’t me who sat my mocks, like i honestly feel like I peaked at mocks which is a horrifying thought. Anyways bit of background why I stopped posting. Not like I was consistent anyways.

Honestly just needed to brain fart on here.

But hope you all are doing okay. And good luck everyone mwah

Enjoy my self portrait I drew in maths instead of doing matrices.

[baheret]

[image ID: a sketchbook page spread in blue-pen. on the left page, a portrait of a person in profile, facing left. the person has long hair and a long beard, and wears rectangular glasses. they wear a neutral, if slightly melancholic expression. on the right page is english handwriting, in a semi-cursive script. the writing contains mathematical expressions, including two matrices. /.End Id]

notes.

[androgynouspatrolblizzard]

Best Studio, Corporate, Wedding, Matric Farewell, Family & Baby Photography | Zeno Visuals Centurion

Capturing the precious moments of a newborn or young child is one of the most rewarding experiences for both photographers and parents. Baby photography is an art that requires patience, skill, and an understanding of the delicate nature of infants. Whether you’re a professional photographer or a parent looking to preserve those early moments, this guide will explore everything you need to know about baby photography, from planning the perfect shoot to tips for achieving beautiful, timeless images.

Why Baby Photography is So Special

The first year of a child’s life is filled with rapid changes and milestones that parents want to remember forever. Baby photography provides a way to capture these fleeting moments, from a newborn’s tiny features to their first smile or milestone moments like sitting up or crawling. These photos not only preserve memories but also create beautiful keepsakes that families will treasure for years to come.

Types of Baby Photography

Newborn Photography: Typically done within the first two weeks of life, newborn photography focuses on the delicate and tiny features of the baby. Poses, props, and soft lighting are often used to create serene, intimate portraits.

Milestone Photography: Milestone photography captures key moments in a baby’s early development, such as their first smiles, sitting up, crawling, or even their first birthday.

Family and Baby Photography: Often, parents want to be included in the shoot to document the bond between them and their baby. These sessions include family portraits with a focus on the baby’s interactions with loved ones.

Themed Baby Photography: For something unique, some families opt for themed baby photoshoots that could include holiday-themed outfits, birthday party settings, or even custom backdrops that reflect the child’s personality or interests.

Tips for a Successful baby photography Session

Timing is Everything: Babies can be unpredictable, so it’s important to schedule the shoot during their most relaxed times. For newborns, morning shoots are ideal when they are typically sleepier and more calm. For older babies, plan the session after naps and meals when they’re more likely to be happy and alert.

Comfort is Key: Ensure that the baby is comfortable throughout the shoot. Warm the studio or room beforehand, as babies are often sensitive to temperature changes. Bring extra diapers, wipes, and blankets to keep the baby clean and content.

Natural Lighting: baby photography often benefits from soft, natural light that gives the images a gentle and soothing feel. Try to use natural window light whenever possible or opt for softboxes that mimic the effect of sunlight.

Keep it Simple: While props can add a nice touch, it's best to keep the focus on the baby. Simple backgrounds and neutral colors allow the baby’s features to stand out and create timeless images. If props are used, choose ones that are soft and safe.

Patience and Flexibility: Babies can be unpredictable, so a successful shoot often requires a great deal of patience. Be prepared for breaks, feeding times, and moments when the baby isn’t quite cooperating. It’s essential to stay calm and adaptable to get the best results.

Choosing the Right Photographer for Baby Photography

Experience and Specialization: When looking for a photographer for baby photos, it's important to choose someone who specializes in working with infants and young children. They’ll understand how to handle babies safely, know how to pose them gently, and be skilled at creating a relaxed environment.

Portfolio: Always check the photographer’s portfolio to ensure their style aligns with your vision. Look for examples of past baby sessions that reflect the type of photos you want—whether you prefer candid moments, traditional posed portraits, or creative, themed shoots.

Safety: Safety is paramount in baby photography. Ensure that the photographer uses safe props, understands how to handle babies during posed shots, and is prepared for any emergencies that may arise during the shoot.

Editing and Presentation

Once the photoshoot is complete, the editing process will begin. A skilled photographer will gently edit the photos to enhance the natural beauty of the images, brightening the baby’s features while maintaining a natural look. Common edits may include smoothing skin tones, removing distractions, and adjusting lighting to create a soft, dreamy effect.

Final Thoughts

baby photography is a beautiful way to preserve the precious early years of your child’s life. Whether you’re seeking the perfect newborn portrait, capturing a milestone moment, or wanting to create an album of family memories, these photographs will become cherished heirlooms for years to come.

Taking the time to select a skilled photographer and plan a session with care will ensure you get high-quality, timeless images that you and your family will treasure for generations. Be sure to take it slow, enjoy the process, and, most importantly, savor those sweet moments with your little one. After all, these memories are worth preserving.

[shunkawakan-ita]

AGRONOMIST

presenta

TUTTI PAZZI

primo singolo

tratto dal primo disco solista in uscita a fine anno

(Orangle / The Orchard / Sony)

GUARDA IL VIDEO

Il video

Il video del brano è girato interamente sul territorio lucano con persone reali, differenti, anche neuro divergenti, senza comparse o attori professionisti.

Musiche, testo e concept di Vincenzo Lofrano - Agronomist

Video di Walter Molfese

Il brano

Tutti pazzi è il primo singolo estratto dal mio primo disco solista.

Un brano inclusivo per i generi musicali e per gli esseri umani che celebra.

Una matrice hip hop che danza su ritmi energici post punk e garage rock. Un testo che ho fatto fatica a scrivere e che mi fa piangere ogni volta che lo risento, perché scava nel profondo e dice la verità. Ho fatto forse un buon lavoro.

“I normali non li voglio più… quelli sani pigliateli tu. Tutti pazzi, tutti pazzi, gli amici miei so tutti pazzi.“

Cosa è la normalità, cosa è la pazzia? Chi sta dentro i binari del giusto e del regolare e chi li travalica, sta ai margini, non rientra in categorie prestabilite, è considerato dalla società quasi un reietto, disadattato, emarginato.

“Fluidi nei sessi”, con lavori con nomi inventati, non troppo attaccati ai danari, ma molto fissati con i legami, precari, come gran parte della mia generazione, che si sente sempre fuori posto. Artisti, senza un posto di lavoro fisso, che forse non hanno trovato un posto nel mondo o che non hanno concepito ancora un figlio.

Forse senza un conto in banca rigoglioso o con non abbastanza followers, a differenza di molti rapper o celebrità. O forse bullizzati o dimenticati, perdenti. Tutto ciò può portare a sentirsi diversi, sbagliati, “pazzi”. Questo brano celebra proprio la ricchezza della varietà e tratta anche il tema della salute mentale  e non per ultimo l’amicizia che unisce nella diversità, l’inclusività. Un’ analisi di ciò che vedo intorno a me e un’autoanalisi di ciò che vedo dentro di me.

La straordinaria bellezza della diversità, la non perfezione e la stranezza, come valori aggiunti, sia nella vita, che nell’arte, dove spesso si rimane appiattiti, schiacciati da etichette imposte dalle playlist, dai trend, dalle case discografiche, dai social, dai numeri, dalla società in generale, fino a non esprimersi più, fino a smettere di esprimersi e creare, per paura di essere fuori.

Libertà di essere sbagliati, diversi e bellissimi così. “Reietti, outsider, sottovalutati, ma altrimenti saremmo scontati. Decine, centinaia di nulla, che insieme hanno un valore straordinario.”

Estetica identitaria e unica che non si rifà a cliché esistenti, ma crea nuovi paradigmi, sonori, di linguaggio ed estetica.

Una Basilicata bucolica e quasi utopistica, ma anche futuribile e sicuramente alternativa, dove si può ricreare, ripartire, facendo perno sulla propria unicità, sulla propria lingua e molteplicità di dialetti, su una fauna differente con diversi usi, gerghi, stile e suoni.

I Boschi, i paesini, la piazza, i volti reali di ogni età, sesso, estrazione, persone reali con la loro “pazzia”, che li rende unici, preziosi e poetici.

Biografia

Agronomist: polistrumentista, producer, rapper, cantante, essere senza età. Emergente e emergenza, più artista che uomo. Sta forgiando un alternative hip hop con una forte contaminazione e commistione di generi. Non ha mai creduto nelle regole e nei dettami, quando tutti ci credevano. Non ho una scena di riferimento, solo la mia visione da esprimere. 

Nato in Lucania, è fondatore della band Smania Uagliuns, gruppo di hip hop sperimentale, che si è distinto negli anni per originalità e innovazione ricevendo molte lodi dalla stampa.

Il suo primo singolo da solista è stato “WOW” (2020), prodotto dai Gumma Vybz. Dopo i freestyle della serie “Hit Mania Enz”, alcuni featuring e varie collaborazioni, a febbraio 2021 ha pubblicato il secondo singolo “Hype Blog”, prodotto dal londinese HLMNSRA. Nel 2023 ha collaborato con un altro producer, Zero Portrait, per il brano “Instagram” e all’inizio del 2024 ha pubblicato “BERLIN (Travel Freestyle)”.

Attualmente al lavoro sul suo primo progetto solista che sarà totalmente scritto, arrangiato, prodotto e cantato  da me, in fase di finalizzazione. 

Ogni aggettivazione o descrizione di generi e stili sarebbe fuorviante e sminuente.

Sarà ciò che nessun altro fa, con un’identità e una verità scioccanti sonicamente e liricamente parlando.

Il suo vero nome è Vincenzo Lofrano e, oltre a essere un musicista, è un dottore in traduzione letteraria e tecnico-scientifica.

[mariannerulland]

TRACE CAILLOUX ATELIERS 2024/25 La gravure sous différentes formes

Au sein de l'atelier Trace Cailloux, il est possible de faire de la linogravure, du monotype, de la gravure sur Tétrapak et du gaufrage. Il sera aussi possible, lors de séances spéciales, d'apprendre d'autres techniques et d'imprimer sur textile.

Pour qui ? Pour tous ceux et celles qui veulent découvrir, s'initier ou se perfectionner dans les pratiques de la gravure. Stage adulte à partir de 15 ans.

Et c'est combien ? 1 jour à 68€ *en plus : adhésion à prix libre à l'association Les ADG

Et le matériel ? A partir de 4 participant.e.s/séance - matériel fourni : plaque, papiers, encres, outils et presse...

Où ? Les Ateliers du geste, 42 Les Devèzes, 12330 Mouret (à 25 min au nord de Rodez)

Les dates des samedis Stages adultes (10h -17h00)

samedi 28 septembre Gravure sur Tétrapak. Travail au trait autour des dégradés, des ombres et lumières. Thème > paysage

samedi 9 novembre Gravure sur Tétrapak. Travail autour des aplats et du trait pour une image en 2 couleurs. Thème > nature morte

samedi 11 janvier Risographie. Découverte et/ou approfondissement. Thème > cartes de vœux

samedi 1 février NEW ! Carborundum et/ou collagraphie. Travail autour du flou/net, des aplats et des dégradés. Thème > là-haut dans le ciel

samedi 5 avril NEW ! Gaufrage et linogravure. Travail en bas relief dans le papier et en nuances de blanc. Thème > illustration

samedi 17 mai Linogravure. Travail d'une image à deux couches en couleurs. Thème > portrait chinois "Si j'étais un animal, un objet, un lieu…"

Les techniques (dans l’ordre des photos)

Gravure sur Tétrapak : matière des emballages cartonnés que l'on utilise pour imiter le rendu de la gravure à l'eau forte. On utilise pour graver une pointe sèche.

Gaufrage : procédé qui permet de créer une empreinte dans le papier. Celle-ci peut être de la couleur du papier ou être encrée.

Risographie : système de reproduction à l'aide d'un duplicopieur d'images imprimées en tons directes superposés.

Carborundum (pas de photo) : procédé qui consiste à coller les grains de carbure de silicium sur la matrice en dessinant des formes et en combinant le calibre des grains et la densité de leur distribution avant de les coller.

Collagraphie (pas de photo) : technique d’estampe dans laquelle on superpose des couches de matières et/ou de plaques gravées sur une plaque pour servir d’empreinte lors de l'impression. Ce collage est ensuite encré et passé à la presse.

Linogravure : procédé de gravure se pratiquant à l’aide de gouges qui creusent du linoléum (taille dite d'épargne, car on enlève là où on ne veut pas d'encre).

Monotype : procédé d’impression sans gravure, à l’aide d’une plaque enduite d’encre et essuyée, qui produit un tirage unique.

Infos & réservation

Marianne Rulland mrulland@gmail.com - 06 59 44 61 05 Plus d'images sur mon Instagram

[luxlucis3]

Understand More About Printmaking

Printmaking is actually an art form that involves the uploading of an image in surface like an inked plate to another 1 like a piece of daily news, fabric, metal or even lumber. The talent finds its durability in its cosmetic value and its chance to be replicated, introducing greatly to the notion of world cultures. https://theartofberlin.com

1 will find alternative printmaking techniques as specific as Indian, Asian, European, as well as National civilizations. With each and every, a style has notable itself over time, transforming into a sort of aesthetic lifestyle for the people.

Printmaking is the method of generating artworks by generating, usually on paper. Other than in the case of monotyping, the procedure is capable of developing several duplicates for the exact same piece which is sometimes called a print. Each and every piece will not be your replica but an unique as it is not a good reproduction of some other type of masterwork and is more or less known as an impression. Portrait or drawing alternatively, produce a unique real piece of artwork. Printing are made from a single genuine surface regarded practically as a matrix. Typical kinds of matrices consist of: plates of aluminum, commonly copper or simply zinc for engraving or etching; piece of rock, put to use in lithography; chunks of wood for woodcuts, linoleum for linocuts combined with fabric plates to get screen-printing. But there's lots of other kinds. Works out printed from a singular plate create a edition, in modern times characteristically every signed in addition to numbered to make a restrained edition. Prints could possibly likewise be printed in book kind, as artist's publications. A single print is most likely the product of one and several techniques.

Printmaking techniques can be smashed into the following essential families or areas: 1) relief creating, where the ink goes over by the original surface of the matrix. Elimination techniques include: woodcut or woodblock being the Asian forms will often be known, wood engraving, linocut and metalcut; 2) intaglio, wherein the ink will go beneath the original surface area within the matrix. Intaglio skills include: engraving, etching, mezzotint, aquatint, chine-collé and drypoint; 3) planographic, in which the matrix maintains its general surface area yet a couple areas are dealt with to be able to make a graphic. Planographic solutions include: lithography, monotyping, as well as digital tactics. 4) stencil, including: screen printing in addition to pochoir. 5) Viscosity printing.

Other forms from printmaking techniques beyond these groups encompass collagraphy and foil imaging. Contemporary printmaking technology may covered such as digital units, photographic platforms along with combination of both digital camera methods and customary techniques. A number of such techniques can similarly be combined. An example, Rembrandt's prints may also be referred to as etchings designed for ease, yet commonly consist of work within engraving and drypoint as well, and at times don't have any etching in any way.

Frequently color around printmaking which involves etching, screen printing, woodcut, or linocut can be applied by also using separate dishes, blocks or window screens or by using a reductionist technique. In various plate color techniques are a number of plate designs, screens or prevents produced, each presenting a different coloration. By having a few printing approaches such as chine-collé and also monotyping, printmaking musicians and artists might sometimes purely paint into the tones they would like, as a painter will and next print. The subtractive color principle is furthermore used in offset or even digital print and is particularly present in bitmap or simply vectorial software inside CMYK or each and every color spaces.

[plumedepoete]

Matrice d ’ eau - Daroca Mikael

Ruisseau jus du monde Rivières veines des êtres Rû capillaires des joies Lacs bouches des eaux. Étangs des reins intérieurs Fleuves l ’ amour navigable Océans désirs des céans Mers la plénitude humaine. Cils de vie. Il tire des portraits Détournant leur profil Imagine belle lampe Est venu la silhouette. Mon nom est ainsi Étienne de Silhouette Né à Limoges 1 709 1 767 Fut Haut - Fonctionnaire. Séquence. Nuages de gaz Poussière molécule Cœurs stellaires Hausse température. Hélium en fusion Dilate le cœur Géantes étoiles Phase lumineuse. Read the full article

[tgvphoto]

Matric Farewell Photography

While I often receive the invitation to photograph a Matric Couple, its not every day that I get to shoot an entire event.

Wow! how these events have changed from my time.

In our day the Standard 8 & 9 (Grade 10 &11) school kids used to do fund raising and then decorate the school hall for the Matrics. If you were too self conscious about your parents vehicle, then you had them park around the corner and you walked to the school hall . . . no entrance, no ceremony.

Im not complaining, just an observation . .. after all, the change has made photographing an event like this a LOT more entertaining.

[thewolfworx]

. Are you going my way? . Matric dance things . #woman #beauty #beautiful #skirt #outfit #legs #matric #matricdance #portrait #portrait_today #portraitphotography #model #pentax #pentaxian #shoes #classy #hair #nails #mua #beautifulpeople https://www.instagram.com/p/B85apulHACy/?igshid=1jppxxytcp6zi

[uispeccoll]

#VoicesFromTheStacks

Image taken from National Portrait Gallery here.

Claude McKay a Jamaican bisexual poet, novelist, and activist was heavily active during the Harlem Renaissance. His work mainly composed of Black life and experiences, including economic and social inequalities, celebrating Jamaican culture, and challenging racist policies and politics.

He was born in Sunny Ville, Jamaica on September 15, 1889 to farmers. He was one of eleven children, and one of eight to live to adulthood. His family engrained pride of their African heritage into him and his siblings. His parents, while peasant farmers, were highly respected in the community and in their local church. With experienced planter parents, and their Christian homeschooled education, they were seen as a higher social class (close to the lighter-skinned caste) of Black Jamaicans.

During his education, he studied European philosophers, Romantics, and English poetry. After traveling to the US in 1912, McKay became distraught at the racism he faced there, and the racism that gripped America as a whole. He returned to Jamaica, then traveled to Europe to live.

He found himself invested in communism in the 1920s, thinking that racism would be eliminated under that system. Though in the 1930s, he became critical of communism, viewing it as a political movement motivated mainly by power and wrote about his disillusionment. In the 1930s McKay returned to the U.S. and settled in Harlem, kept his interests in racial politics and became more invested in spirituality and religion, and he eventually converted to Catholicism.

Special Collections & Archives has a copy of Banjo: a story without a plot. This semi-autobiographical novel details the story of a group of Black drifters on the 1920s Marseilles waterfront. Banjo, the main character, wants to rediscover his African roots after a writer named Ray joins his group of friends. The novel combines a pleasure-seeking lifestyle with conversations about race (relations and politics) both in France and abroad. Our copy is signed by the author.

Image taken from Poetry Foundation's article.

Happy Pride Month Everyone! 🥳 ✊🏾🏳️‍🌈

-Matrice Y, Special Collections, Olson Graduate Assistant

[thebiographyorg]

Biographic tales regarding Rick Rossovich

Rick Rossovichwas born in Palo Alto in California USA on 28 August 1957 with a zodiac sign will go and holds American nationality. He is an actor who is probably known for his trial of Ron slider Canal in 1986 in an action drama movie Top Gun. It is written by gym cash and to others is directed by Tony Scott and stated by Tom Cruise Tim Robbins and Kelly meticulous. It follows a pilot of the US Navy who is learning about the ropes from a civilian instructor. In reality, they win approx. 11 awards including an Oscar while it was nominated for 5 other awards as well.

Which early life and education background

Rick was raising grass Valley California alongside his brother temp by their Italian mother as well as Croton's father. Tim is a retired professional American football player as well as a former actor who act from 1977 to 1998 He studied at needy Union High School at which he become interested in acting after being offered a basic role in the playoff school.

He went on to practice skills at a local theatre as well as being into sports because he is very interested in football. Even he played football for the school steam and also practiced basketball as well as soccer upon Matric letting in 1975. He enrolled at University from the graduated with a Bachelor of Arts grade in 1978 and started his acting career.

 Different roles in the TV series ND movies

Rick Rossovich has appeared in more than 50 movies as well as TV series and mentions some of his most suitable performances in the different articles. He made it up to TV series in 1979 along with the Portrait of three characters in The Three episodes of The Adventure comedy-drama, Fantasy Island in an episode of various popular series such as the adventure of the comedy and the Bear. The family comedy-drama 8 is enough and the crime macromere as well as loud he gives a breakthrough performance in 1991 where he was cast to play the lead character in the comedy-drama sums and daughters it follows the life of a family living in Portland in 1994.

Rick's age is 64 his height is 6 feet and 1 inch and his weight is around 78 kg his net worth is around $ 800000. For more details visit: https://thebiography.org/where-is-rick-rossovich-now-wife-net-worth-family-bio/

[fatehbaz]

[C]ontemporary Caribbean artists whose focus is the ruins and debris of the plantation [...] use bagasse as either artistic material or symbol of colonial ruination. [...] [S]ugarcane cultivation [...] [was among] the most salient form[s] of power and environmental violence through which empires manifested their hegemony over colonized territories throughout the Caribbean and beyond. [...]

In “There is a Country in the World,” Dominican poet Pedro Mir spoke of the Caribbean as “an implausible archipelago / of sugar and alcohol” in which land and men “belong[ed] to the mill,” exhorting his readers to “tell the wind the surnames / of the the thieves and the caverns / and open your eyes on a disaster / the peasants have no land” (Mir 1949, my translation). The works [here] [...] [are] invitations to reconsider the legacy of the plantation as still holding sway over the islands’ ecologies and peoples. [...] [T]hese representations of the ruins and debris of the sugar plantation [...] engage central themes [...] in the region: land tenure, diaspora, slavery and indentured servitude, family networks, community, and modernity [...]. Their depictions of ruined landscapes and the crushing of cane through which this ruination is articulated [...] points to a violence that [...] affects humans and nonhumans in an unbroken continuum. [...]

---

Martinican artist Herve Beuze [...] has built [...] a sustained critique of Martinique’s history of sugar production [...] through installations that use fermenting and pungently smelling bagasse as prime material. [...] The project’s design is a simple one - sculptures in the shape of the island of Martinique are generally filled with bagasse, cane leaves, or trash [...]. His goal goal is that of establishing [...] “Matrice-Cartes” or Master [...] Maps [...].

The project stems from Beuze’s understanding of mapping as “the point of departure for the geographic, military and human conquest of the world”; his maps, he has explained “are linked to notions of borders and peripheries” [...]. Beuze has described the series as “an attempt ‘to perceive the marrow of our being in the world,’ through forms and materials associated with sugar production” and plantation debris [...].

Beuze’s privileging of the island’s silhouette as a container for plantation debris invites us to read [...] Martinique’s history as a dumping ground [...], as a geographical space crushed altogether by the forces of empire. [...]

---

Beuze’s most memorable Machinique (2007) installation was mounted at the old distillery buildings of [...] one of Martinique’s best-known producers of artisanal rums [...] founded in 1887 [...] now [...] a popular tourism site [...]. In the Machinique installation [...], the “map” [of the island] was suspended over the grinding machinery of the former sugar factory by thin plastic threads [reminiscent of spiderweb, hanging above the heads of visitors]. The juxtaposition of the bagasse-filled map, the plantation implements, and the life-size portraits of the cane workers in a room from whose large open windows one could see the still active cane fields gave this installation a poignant cumulative quality, highlighting the specificty of [...] landscape, history, and debris.

Anne Walmsley and Stanley Greaves, commenting on the piece in their book Art in the Caribbean, underscore the multiple resonances of the installation’s venue: the use of bagasse “as a powerful symbol of the crushed spirit” of the formerly enslaved; the map’s suspension as a “gigantic spider in the middle of its web” as a reference to the Anansi trickster/god figure of Caribbean folklore who often takes the shape of a spider; and its suspension as reference to the island’s existence in limbo, “[...] still attached to the colonial power [...].” In [...] the 2009 reiteration of Machinique, you see the silhouette of Martinique under looming pieces of sugar mill equipment, a juxtaposition that negates [...] nostalgia [...].

Gleaming and menacing - as if to express the possibility of their eternal return - as possible revenants or returning ghosts - the machinery hovers over the island, ready to crunch cane again at any moment.

---

All text above by: Lizabeth Paravisini-Gerbert. “Bagasse - Caribbean Art and the Debris of the Sugar Plantation.” Global Ecologies: Postcolonial Approaches to the Environmental Humanities, edited by Elizabeth DeLoughrey, Jill Didus, and Anthony Carrigan. 2015. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Text within brackets added by me for clarity/context. Presented here for commentary, teaching, criticism purposes.]

[paganimagevault]

Etruscan female bust from Cerveteri 300-250 BCE. Museo Gregoriano Etrusco, Vatican Museums.

"The bust is not among the votive terracotta produced in series with matrices, but rather constitutes an original work modeled directly by a talented artist for a commission of rank. It represents a relatively young woman with well-defined physiognomic characters and a clear portraitist intent. The surface of the face and neck is very smooth, to make the complexion more radiant. The wrinkles defined on the neck and under the chin mark the passage of time on a face more absorbed than ideally detached.

The lion's head earrings, reproducing gold specimens widespread in the Etruscan and Magno-Greek area (about 325-200 BC) and the fluffy hair inspired by the portraits of Alexander the Great allow us to date it to early Hellenism.

Middle-Italian portraiture is partly indebted to the formal conquests of Greek art, which in early Hellenism elaborated the first dynastic portraits. The portrait constitutes a well-attended genre in Italic culture, adopted both in the votive and funerary ambit, which will be made by the Roman aristocracies due to the importance attached to the individual image. The genre will pass through Roman art in Western figurative culture."

-taken from museivaticani.va

https://paganimagevault.blogspot.com/2020/03/etruscan-female-bust-from-cerveteri-300.html

[teddemort]

#parents #photographie #blackandwhite #portraits #fondnoir #matrice #familysunday #famille (à Gare Saint-Lazare) https://www.instagram.com/p/BvtJ4jZBF82/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=pmg7m2yyxbh1

[thelifedocumentor]

Nkuley Masemola and his iconic creative expressions

Nkuley Masemola is a multidisciplinary creative who works as a fashion model, DJ and stylist. Nkuley Masemola has modelled for iconic South African fashion brands such as Rich Mnisi, Thebe Magugu and Nao Serati. They also invite the young vibrant youth of Johannesburg to the eccentric scenes of Braamfontein through DJ’ing. With styling that transcends cultural eras and borders, Nkuley translates their experiences of navigating South Africa and the creative culture artistically into their photographs. The success they have garnered since working as a fashion model from the age of 17 is truly inspiring. In this interview we talk about what inspired Nkuley growing up, their artistic journey and the importance of being yourself in order to thrive in the creative industry. 

1. How was it like growing up in Pretoria? 

The funny part is that I didn’t actually grow up in Pretoria, it was more outside of Pretoria than it was Pretoria. I grew up on the outskirts of Pretoria - that’s the farms. Bronkhorstspruit is where I was from. And it was bland - I don’t know any other way to explain it. It was like growing up on a big sheet of white paper. I had to make out myself. It was an experience but it was also really overwhelming because no one there had progressed to anything. It was complicated but also a good learning curve. I always say I would have rather not. I would have rather had a soft life but I guess I see the benefit of growing up like that but it was overwhelming. 

2. What are some unforgettable childhood experiences you believe shaped who you are today? 

When I finally moved to Bronkhorstspruit, after my father passed on, my mom bought herself a huge mirror. I didn’t have friends, I didn’t have anyone. So the only thing I ever did was look into that mirror. I had all my performances there, I had all my interviews, I did everything with that mirror. I just became so self-obsessed, all of my art is self-obsession. Everything is all about me. It’s my self-portrait, it’s music that is about me, everything that is structured in a way that is like self-worship. So I think that particular childhood experience shaped me forever. I got harassed but I never got bullied. I never let anyone bully me. If it happens, I can just avoid it, I’m not gonna stick around. I was always inside the house. I would make up my own stories, live in my head, and wait for the day I move to Jo’burg. When it finally happened, I already had like self-discovered so much. That particular childhood experience shaped who I am today. I created my whole world, and now I’m living in it. 

3. How did you start modelling? 

Back home, there used to be this modelling agency. It was just high school kids who had high-quality cameras, more than it was a modelling agency. They were like, “Yeah you should be a model.” And I was like, “I guess.” It was never my thing. I take really good photos, but I don’t look like a model, I don’t present myself as a model. At that time, I wasn’t the typical male model. And so I was like I’m not a model. That happened and it wasn’t really serious. When I moved to Jo’burg, my friend and I had just come from registering and we were going past Kitcheners and my friend was with their friend. We were all speaking to a guy and he said, “Yeah you can just come back to my place.” We all went back to the place. Then I left my matric certificate at their place and then when I left and went back home, they were like, “You left your stuff here [matric certificate] and also, I saw on Twitter that you might have to drop out of school because you don’t have anywhere to live until March so you can just live with me.” This is the person that I met with a friend because they met on the streets of Braam, literally at the corner of Kitcheners. I lived with that person for 3 months. They literally got me into modelling.

The first day I got here they were like, “You’re a star!”. I was on a music video set, and they needed one guy and I had just moved to Jo’burg and put my bags down. My parents had just dropped me off. I put my bags down and went up to shoot the music video. After that, I had another job. It was quiet for a minute and then my friend asked me to escort them to a casting. Still, I was not in the modelling game, I was just deep in love at the time. So cool, I go to this modelling gig, and then when we get there, my friend doesn’t get picked but they’re choosing from outside. They’re like, “You? Come here.” I said that I’m not here to model what’s happening? They said, “No, just audition quickly.” So I walked and strutted to the wall and then when I came back I got picked. It was The Threaded Man show. After that, everything started picking up, everything just set off. That’s how that happened. I just started modelling after that. Still very weird. 

4. Wow! The Threaded Man was so huge at that time. 

I didn’t even know. I didn’t know who Siya Beyile was. I had just got to Johannesburg. I had no idea who anyone was. So literally getting calls from Rich Mnisi being hey it’s Rich Mnisi. When I found out it was Rich Mnisi I was like OMG! They were shooting for i-D. That is one thing I’ve always dreamt about - I’ve always bought i-D magazines at the taxi ranks. When they said, "You’re 17 you’re gonna shoot for i-D", I was like that’s crazy, that’s crazy. I shot for almost every magazine that I had back at home. In one year, I had Cosmopolitan, Vogue, and i-D. My mom was like, “Aren’t these the magazines that are in your room.?” It was my favourite flex. I didn't even know it’s gonna happen in terms of modelling. I had always imagined being a part of the creative team or like one day when I’m all the way older on the cover of i-D for doing something. But not a whole documentary that is based on us. That’s so crazy, that’s insane. 

4. Which would you say are your favourite fashion collections you have modelled for?

I really enjoyed the Rich Mnisi collections that I modelled for in the first year - I thought I looked really good in zebra print. Thebe Magugu gave me a suit and said “Do what you must with it.” That was really insane for me. Siyababa Atelier’s collection, Rich Mnisi’s collection and Nao Serati’s collection. 

5. The South African creative scene has truly evolved over time, but there’s still so much work to be done. What do you think still needs to be done to move the culture forward? 

I think South Africa needs to stop normalizing things and actually live in them. We need to stop trying to normalize things so much because we are othering them more than we think. We are othering people more than we think. We are regressing more than progressing. If we keep saying “Normalize trans women” - why? They’re women. Women are already normal. You don’t need to normalize women. It’s microaggressions like that. People don’t realize homophobia is just as serious as racism. The same way people are judging you because of your skin colour is the same way you are judging someone for loving someone. I think South Africa would be much better if they just lived in their truth more than trying to be these progressive people. We’ve been through so much, that we should know by now that we can’t risk having another revolution. We’ve revolved too many times. We’ve been traumatized too many times - we don’t need any more trauma. We just need to get that into our heads. We need to let go of the power game. The obsession with power in this country is a hectic obsession - that needs to be let go of. 

6. How do you find the experience of integrating fashion, music and creative direction together to tell a story? 

It comes easily because everything that I do is still self-obsession. Everything that I create is based on me so it’s not that hard. Self-awareness. It’s hard in that term that you know yourself so much that people want to digress you into this way. The only thing hard about it is people not understanding you and wanting to change you and who you are at that point. You already know who you are. Trying to accommodate everyone into your world because I’ve already said I am living in my own world, in my own space. In my own space, there is no need to accommodate other people. I think that’s the hardest part about it. It’s just me finding spaces for people in my world. In terms of navigating it, it’s always been me living out what I wanted to live out. It’s always playing music - when I DJ I play all the music that has registered with me. I’ve always been a Rihanna girl, I’m always going to play Rihanna. I’m always going to have the Rihanna aesthetic - the same way she does it. I’ve been studying Rihanna for the longest time in my life. The same way she does it. The same way she has this creative direction that goes into her music that also goes into her modelling - it’s really insane. That’s what I’ve always done. Rihanna, FKA Twigs, and FAKA do that in the most perfect way ever. That’s my thing. 

7. If you ever feel a creative block during a project, how do you reconnect and channel your energy? 

I like feeling things out. If it doesn’t happen then it’s not gonna happen. I was at a point where I was really depressed last year - I was at my lowest. I had never been that depressed ever in my life before. I told myself that I never want to feel like that ever again. For that to happen, I always have to be honest with myself. I have to know that I can’t do this right now. If I’m gonna go somewhere and I’m like okay you’re gonna have to model today but you don’t have the haircut. You look bad, you’re gonna feel bad and the pictures are going to look bad. So rather, we don’t do it. Rather sacrifice that and put me in a risky position but I’m not going to put something out there that I don’t believe in and don’t feel comfortable with. Being uncomfortable with something that’s seen by so many people is actually kinda crazy. It’s like uploading a picture of your pinky toe that you don’t like. I know people always say embarrassing yourself on the internet is being real, but that is always different for me. My realness is perfection. The real me is the perfect me. 

8. Which creative material inspired you on your overall journey - it could be a book, film, exhibition, art collection - anything really. 

Definitely seeing FAKA. Sitting down, talking to FAKA, and realizing that we have had the same life experiences. When I was 15, when I was a party girl - I still am, FAKA was like, “Oh you host this party called “Umrubisho” and I was like omg we used to host that party and FAKA was like we were always there. It’s so crazy how the Universe aligns like that - that’s insane to me. No one at that point understood what that meant to me but it just means to me my life is fine, I don’t need to worry about a lot of things. Life is just going to progress the way life progresses. I’m just going to get to where I need to get. A moment most pleasing to me was when FAKA was curating a Versace show. That’s so insane. That means anything is possible. That moment for me just sparked up everything. Thebe Magugu winning the LVMH Prize. Rich Mnisi doing Milan Fashion Week. Moments like that for me make anything. Moments like that for me are the most affirming.

9. Which brands and artists would you like to collaborate with in the future? 

I’m not a big fan of Kanye but I really love Yeezy and the direction that it’s taking. As much as I’m working with Adidas, I would love to go deeper into Yeezy like that. Of course, I want to be a FENTY girl so, so, so bad. All the luxury brands - not necessarily as a model but as a muse nonetheless. I would love to be a DIOR girl, I would love to work with YSL but most mostly, I want to be a FENTY girl. 

10. And lastly, which words of advice would you give to artists who aspire to manifest their dreams in this creative industry? 

I would say be yourself. It’s not a joke, really be yourself. Everyone always says this, and it sounds corny all the time but really but it took me at least 2 years to realize, be yourself. Don’t fake it out, be yourself in such a way that even if you are being fake, you’re being fake in a way that is beneficial to you. You’re being fake in a way that is not going to hurt you in the end. You’re doing chaotic things but everything you do must be aligned with you. Everything you do must not come back and bite you. Everything you do must be something that you’ve always wanted to do. Be selfish as much as you can because being selfish just means being yourself and be selfish in ways that will still benefit you. That’s what it has always meant. Just remain yourself because that’s all you’ll have. People will come in and out, but you’re gonna remain with the same person forever - and that’s gonna be you. Take care of yourself, you know what’s good for you, you know what hinders you. You know what you need to do, so just do enough of that to keep yourself going.