#Transcending Obscurity Fest

[thethcministry]

[kanisema-blog]

The flickering glow of the movie screen cast distorted shadows across the darkened theater. The supposed rom-com playing out before me was a cliché-fest, the predictable plot twists inducing groans from the scattered audience. I, Kendra Drilon, a floral designer with a penchant for the unconventional, couldn't help but mutter under my breath, "This is beyond cheesy."

Suddenly, a voice, equally exasperated, chimed in from the seat beside me, "Couldn't agree more. They could have used some real conflict, you know, something with depth."

I swiveled my head, surprised to find a handsome man mirroring my frown. His amusement deepened with my surprised expression. "Sorry, couldn't help but overhear. Looks like we're both suffering through this cinematic disaster."

Thus began my unexpected connection with Jeck Lamela. We spent the rest of the movie dissecting the film's flaws, our shared frustration sparking a lively conversation that extended far beyond the terrible script. He was a CEO, his sharp wit a stark contrast to my more bohemian nature. Yet, there was an undeniable ease in our interaction, a sense of kindred spirits united by their disdain for cheesy rom-coms.

When the credits rolled, Jeck surprised me by suggesting coffee. Hesitantly at first, I agreed, drawn by his genuine curiosity and the twinkle in his eyes. Over steaming mugs of latte, we discovered a world of shared interests – a love for classic literature, a fascination with obscure historical tidbits, and a deep appreciation for the beauty hidden in everyday details.

Our initial encounter blossomed into a series of coffee dates, each one revealing a new facet of Jeck's personality. He wasn't just a corporate titan; he was a man who held a secret love for poetry, who found solace in the quiet beauty of a well-tended garden, a quality that resonated deeply with my floral design sensibilities.

One afternoon, while browsing a local flower market, inspiration struck. Jeck, ever the supportive partner, watched patiently as I meticulously selected blooms in a riot of colors – vibrant oranges, calming lavenders, and a smattering of deep purples. Back at my studio, I arranged them with a flourish, the final product a breathtaking explosion of color and texture.

Jeck's reaction was priceless. He stood speechless, mesmerized by the way I'd transformed ordinary flowers into a living masterpiece. It was then, in that moment of shared artistic appreciation, that I knew our connection transcended mere coffee dates.

Years flew by in a whirlwind of stolen moments, weekend getaways, and late-night conversations that stretched into the wee hours. Jeck, despite his demanding schedule, became my biggest supporter, his unwavering belief in my talent a constant source of strength. My floral design business flourished, my creations gracing weddings, corporate events, and even the homes of celebrities.

Our love story wasn't a fairy tale – there were arguments, career challenges, and the occasional bout of creative differences. But through it all, our foundation remained strong, built on mutual respect, shared laughter, and a deep appreciation for each other's individuality.

Today, as I stand in the flower-filled courtyard of our Napa Valley home, the scent of roses and lavender a familiar perfume, I steal a glance at Jeck, a few silver strands now streaking his hair. He's still the CEO, but his eyes still hold the same spark that ignited that night at the terrible rom-com. We've built a life together, a beautiful bouquet woven with the threads of passion, support, and the enduring power of a love story that began with a shared critique of a truly awful movie.

[ghostcultmagazine]

What are new rock and metal releases looking forward to this week!? As Light Dies – The Laniakea Architecture, Volume II (Darkwoods Records) Asphagor – Pyrogenesis (MDD Records) The Atomic Bitchwax – Live At Freak Valley Fest (Heavy Psych Sounds) The Banishment – Machine And Bone (Frontiers SRL) Cripta Blue – Rather With The Devil EP (Argonauta Records) Demons Down – I Stand (Frontiers SRL) Duel – Live At Hellfest (Heavy Psych Sounds) For The Fallen Dreams – Self-Titled (Arising Empire Records) Giant Brain – Grade A Gray Day (Small Stone & Kozmik Artifactz Records) Gorod – The Orb (Self-Released) Handgemeng – Ultraritual (Ripple Music) Holy Roller – Swimming Witches (Black Doomba Records) Ignominy – Imminent Collapse (Transcending Obscurity Records) Judiciary – Flesh & Blood (Closed Casket Records) Läjä Äijälä & Albert Witchfinder – Ordeal And Triumph (Svart Records) Nanowar Of Steel – Dislike To False Metal (Napalm Records) Otherwise – Gawdzillionaire (Mascot Label Group) Periphery - Periphery V: Djent is Not A Genre (3 DOT Recordings) Rezn – Solace (Self-Released) Roadrunner United – The All-Star Sessions Re-Release (Roadrunner Records) Roadrunner United – The Concert (Roadrunner Records) Seventh Crystal – Wonderland (Frontiers SRL) Snayx - Weaponized Youth Vol 1 (Self-Released) Starcrazy – Another Day, Another Squalor EP (Self-Released) Story of The Year - Tear Me To Pieces (Sharptone Records) Suicide Silence – Remember… You Must Die (Century Media Records) Tribe Of Pazuzu – Blasphemous Prophecies (Self-Released) Unfelled – Fall Of Endless Perdition (Season Of Mist) AND Witchrot – Live In The Hammer (Self-Released) 🎤 Micaela Superstar https://ift.tt/iGa10b2 💻 Omar Cordy https://ift.tt/MmtjWVr 🎵 Fahad Syed https://ift.tt/ISHcTs8 ▵ PODCAST ▵ (Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Anchor) 👉 Ghost Cult Magazine Podcast https://ift.tt/yuR9pgM ▵ GEAR WE USE ▵ (These are affiliate links) Set up A: Sony A7 III - https://amzn.to/3tQm422 Tamron 17-28 - https://amzn.to/3ePrlTd Tamron 28-75 - https://amzn.to/3fqCjgY Desview Mavo-P5 Monitor- https://amzn.to/33LlTub Manfrotto Befree Travel Tripod - https://amzn.to/3hxbL0e Lighting: YONGNUO YN600L - https://amzn.to/2QkNrn5 YONGNUO YN300 Air - https://amzn.to/2QjN5gu Dfuse Softbox - https://amzn.to/3uQq4AN Aputure MC - https://amzn.to/3oirFgx NanLite PavoTube II 6C - http://bit.ly/NanLitePavoTubeII Lightstands - https://amzn.to/3uSBl3x 5 in 1 Reflector - https://amzn.to/33KHdjo And our iconic Rope Light https://amzn.to/3ycdmyz For the full list of Ghost Cult gear: http://bit.ly/OJCPicsKit ▵ LET'S BE FRIENDS ▵ https://ift.tt/EUFDcYq https://twitter.com/GhostCultMag https://ift.tt/XxQvLhm https://ift.tt/pve7OYA #newmusicfriday #nmf #newmusic #ghostcultmag

[shewholovestoread]

The Haunting of Bly Manor - Ramblings

HERE BE SPOILERS, BEWARE!

The Haunting of Hill House was an exceptional piece of television, both in terms of writing as well as execution. Any follow-up, regardless of its actual merit will be judged unfairly especially because the show is conceived as an anthology- each season is independent, a new story, a new house. In that regard, the key to enjoying Bly Manor is to watch it with no ties to Hill House. A tough thing to do but a must. If you watch Bly Manor, expecting the story and scares from Hill House, you will find it sorely lacking.

Bly Manor and Hill House could not be more different from each other. Other than a few repeated cast members and some behind the scenes crew, it's a completely new concept. Like its predecessor, the season resembles its source material only in the broadest of strokes. There are a bulk of characters, story arcs that don't exist in The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. Instead, Mike Flanagan and his team of writers have woven in other, more obscure stories by James into this television adaptation and the season is richer for it.

The beauty of a show like Bly Manor and indeed even Hill House are its characters. The story is engaging and keeps the audience glued to their seats, the characters though elevate it to a whole new level. I am perhaps waxing poetic but as I sit here having just finished the last episode, I find myself going back to the characters. There is such abundant richness to them, so many layers, even to the ones that we would mostly dismiss as the "villain". The show infuses such heartache into their stories that to label any of them as villainous would be to completely miss the point. Which is not to say that there aren't characters who do absolutely despicable things, like a certain Peter Quint, nor does the show offer them a redemption, merely understanding, a look into their lives.

Unlike Hill House, where a majority of the ghosts retained their menacing and malicious edge, the last 2 episodes of Bly Manor completely rid the ghosts of the house of all that makes them frightening, revealing them to be nothing but unwitting bystanders who had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The heartache is a running theme especially among 4 principle characters- Hannah, Owen, Dani and Jamie. Hannah who constantly finds herself in different times, who hasn't yet realised that she's no longer among the living, existing like an echo, repeating the actions in death as she did in life. Filled with regret at the life unlived, the regret of being in love with Owen and never telling him. For Owen to be in love with Hannah but also held back, whether due to his mother's illness or just never being sure of how Hannah felt about him.

I tip my hat to Mike Flanagan. In Hill House he gave us Theo Crain, the only complaint being that perhaps Trish only existed in the story to serve Theo's character. He does a much a better job in Bly Manor with Dani and Jamie. You can see the yearning in Dani's eyes almost as soon as she meets Jamie, there is an instant pull. And then through her flashback, you can see that it was her guilt that was holding her back. And once she let that go of it, you could see her embracing the happiness that came from being with Jamie. Their love for each other was one of the high-points of the show. The way the show concludes, leaves a bittersweet taste, in that, at the end, Dani does come back for Jamie and they can finally be together. And that was just beautiful.

Bly Manor is also beautifully made show, though if I were being honest, I missed some of those brilliant single takes shots from Hill House which were so superbly executed. The structure of the season bares some similarities to that of Hill House, in that almost each episode focuses on a particular character but it's not necessarily from their point of view. With each passing episode, the story slowly unfolds, until the last episode brings everything together like a tapestry unfurling, finally presenting the whole image in its entirety. That's the other thing to watch out for in the show, it is slow, it takes its time, the first episode especially. We have become so used to fast-paced storytelling that there is something soothing about one that takes its time, that also occasionally pauses and lets its inhabitants breathe and simply exist instead of pushing along one story arc or another. I almost miss it which is why shows like this are a treat.

The acting is also top-notch, though some of the accents take some getting used to, most notably Henry Thomas as Henry Wingrave. All of the others, especially the kids Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Amelie Bea Smith as Miles and Flora respectively were amazing. Special mention also to T'nia Miller who played Hannah Grose with such depth and sincerity. I'm going to mention all of the main cast members because of how amazing they all were- Victoria Pedretti as Dani Clayton, Amelia Eve as Jamie, Oliver Jackson-Cohen as Peter Quint, Tahirah Sharif as Rebecca Jessel, Rahul Kohli as Owen, Carla Gugino as The Narrator. Special mention also to Kate Siegel who only appeared in one episode but owned every frame she was in.

Mike Flanagan was being honest when he said that Bly Manor is gothic romance. It is not the horror-fest that was Hill House. Bly Manor, like Guillermo Del Toro's Crimson Peak, is a love story with ghosts in it. At its core, its about people deeply in love. Some of it, transcendent like Hannah-Owen and Dani-Jamie and some of it toxic like Rebecca-Peter. The Haunting of Bly Manor is a beautiful show and to watch it in the shadow of Hill House is a gross disservice to it's beauty and nuance.

P.S. – Petition to have Victoria Pedretti in the next season of The Haunting and to get a happy ending and if we get a wlw ship, that’s just an added bonus.

P.P.S – Netflix better not cancel this show! Seriously, keep your cancel-happy hands away from this.

[ourdallasvideofestthings]

Bart Chat 12/28/20

Greetings all, Commentary This year we turn the page of the calendar with more excitement and joy than any year in my lifetime. Who knew last January and February that leaving your room and hanging out with people would be such a rare delight?  In all this time of being insular and inside, the cinematic arts pushed through and the Internet has been a lifesaver.  We all consumed more media than ever, which sometimes elevated our mood or our feeling of loneliness. Other times, it just filled the time between now and some other undefined moment. As with all media, and for that matter all art, only so much of it is great. It’s an annual tradition (or burden) to come up with Top 10 Lists for writers, thinkers, critics, programmers, and busybodies.  Some of us really hate this. I’m reminded of J. Hoberman who, while writing for the Village Voice, put in Game 6 of the World Series on one of his top ten lists. Often top 10 lists are about critics trying to outdo each other, to be hip and cool, and to pick an obscure film.  In this spirit, I will give you a few top lists, starting with the top 10 documentaries. (You can hear why on the latest episode of the Fog of Truth.)   In no particular order: Boys State Capital in the Twenty-First Century Disclosure Feels Good Man Jasper Mall John Lewis: Good Trouble The Last Dance Mayor A Thousand Cuts Totally Under Control (and a special nod for Alex Gibney for making so many topical docs this year) Best in general: The Assistant Portrait of a Lady on Fire Bacurau Capital in the 21st Century Da 5 Bloods John Lewis: Good Trouble Boys State Mank Jasper Mall I’m Thinking of Ending Things Best VideoFest Events: Six Short Films about our Marriage-opening night of Alt-Fiction Miracle Fishing and Proof-opening and closing nights of the DocuFest at the Drive-in At the Crossroads Again, 40 Years of Race Issues on Television, opening episode of Frame of Mind John Cleese Kovacs’ Award (This was last year in December, which is cheating, but hey, it was great!!!) Pegasus Fest and 24-hour Video Race The North Texas Universities Film Festival The following Cinematic Conversation- Da 5 Bloods, Disclosure The First Rainbow Coalition, The Trial of the Chicago 7, RoboCop, and Spelling the Dream. For those of you thinking that Warner Brothers releasing Wonder Woman 1984 on HBO Max on drop date was the end of cinema, I think they did it because it’s a bad movie and it wouldn’t make that much money in theaters once the word got out. Cinematic Conversations This week we have a special film for you. Pixar’s Soul. To watch this, you will need to have Disney+, and here is how to get it for free.  Think about it. Have you ever seen a Pixar film? From the early shorts like Andre and Walley B. and Luxo Jr., the films had great scripts and stories that transcended the idea of how an animated film could make you feel.  The stories are both accessible to kids and deeply resonate with adults. With Coco, they created a full Latino Universe with again, a great story and one that was deeply felt. With Soul they do it again, take my word for it. We will be joined by Ya’ke Smith, filmmaker and educator, and Don Dixon a local animator. It will be a great discussion, so log in at 7:30 on Wednesday. (Yes, we are back on Wednesday, but will move to Thursday when school starts.) Recommendations Number one on the list is the Wong Kar Wai retrospective at The Texas Theatre, online. There are seven films to see. The full pass is $70.00, but you can watch the hits for $12 each.  A few other things worth seeing, Little Big Man, The Lady from Shanghai, O Brother Where Art Thou, Days of Heaven, and The Man Who Fell to Earth. That should inspire you. Stay alive for another week.  We need ya.

[theheadbangers]

GAEREA update live performances for 2021

Recently signed cathartic black metal outfit GAEREA are now updating their live dates with the addition of shows in Helsinki (FI), Tallinn (EE) and several dates in Russia! Besides newly added dates, the band also give an update on rescheduled and postponed shows.

GAEREA 24 Jul 20 Famalicao (PT) Laurus Nobilis Music 31 Oct 20 London (UK) Subterranean Manifestation II 11 Dec 20 Berlin (DE) De Mortem et Diabolum 03 Mar 21 Helsinki (FI) On the Rocks 04 Mar 21 Tallinn (EE) Sveta Baar 05 Mar 21 St. Petersburg (RU) Zoccolo 2.0 06 Mar 21 Moscow (RU) Rock House 01 Apr 21 Viveiro (ES) Resurrection Fest (Exact date TBA) 29 Apr 21 Barroselas (PT) SWR Barroselas Metalfest (Exact date TBA) 23 Jul 21 Zarnovica (SK) Gothoom open air fest (Exact date TBA) 31 Jul 21 Steenwijk (NL) Stonehenge Festival 18 Aug 21 Borre (NO) Midgardsblot (Exact date TBA)

GAEREA are about to release their brand new album via Season of Mist. You can listen to the band's previous album 'Unsettling Whispers' (2018) on their Bandcamp page. GAEREA is a black metal quintet from Portugal. Emerging in the beginning of 2016, the band released its first EP on November 11, 2016 through Everlasting Spew Records, receiving many praises from the worldwide press. With the release of the bands first full length album "Unsettling Whispers" (June 22 via Transcending Obscurity Records in 2018), GAEREA had the pleasure to perform and tour festivals in Europe and China, including performances with Jupiterian in April 2019 and a Headlining Chinese tour in May 2019. The band already performed on Festivals like SWR Barroselas Metalfest (PT), De Mortem et Diabolum (DE), Throne Fest (BE), Frantic Fest (IT), Eresia Metal Fest (IT), Amplifest (PT) and many more. GAEREA will release their brand new album in 2020 via Season of Mist. Links: www.facebook.com/gaerea www.instagram.com/gaerea_/?hl=pt gaerea.bandcamp.com Read the full article

[replicapromo]

Hellfest Open Air Festival / Tattoo day le 30 septembre prochain à Paris Quitte à être un festival qui fait couler de l'encre, autant qu'elle soit indélébile ! Le contexte :L’univers de la musique métal a toujours été bercé par les codes et les arts du tatouage, et c’est avec plus de 2200 flashs réalisés dans l'enfer de Clisson en juin dernier, que le Hellfest affiche un nouveau record de peaux encrées à l’effigie du festival ! Face à une telle marque de respect et de fidélité de la part de nos fans, nous sommes heureux de proposer en partenariat avec le salon de tatouage parisien : La maison des tanneurs, notre premier " HELLFEST TATTOO DAY" Cette rencontre inédite aura lieu à Paris, le samedi 30 septembre de 14h00 à 20h00, directement dans le salon de La Maison Des Tanneurs. Lors de cette journée spéciale, 4 tatoueurs proposeront leurs services gratuitement en immortalisant le célèbre "H" du Hellfest (Flash de 4 cm ou 2 cm*) sur la peau des fans du festival - voir ci-dessous pour les conditions d'inscriptions. A partir de 20h30, la soirée se prolongera juste à côté, au Dr Feelgood - les halles. Nous proposerons un goodie offert aux participants du « HELLFEST TATTOO DAY » et nous ferons gagner le premier pass 3 jours pour le Hellfest 2018 et de nombreux cadeaux ! * voir la grille flash "H" dans les commentaires facebook ! Quelques mots sur la Maison des Tanneurs : Musiciens, amateurs de musique extrême et fans du festival Hellfest jusqu'aux origines du Fury Fest C’est par le biais de la musique Métal et de ses nombreuses déclinaisons que Seb Otis et Romain Giner ont pénétré l’univers du tatouage et créé la Maison Des Tanneurs. Situé en plein cœur de Paris au pied de l’église St Eustache La maison des Tanneurs est un salon atypique. Avec une décoration de caractère, le salon suscite la curiosité et attire l’œil du passant qui pénètre dans un univers fascinant composé de multitude de pièces de cabinet de curiosité. (Crânes humains côtoient, pièces de taxidermie, antiquités, insectes, ou encore reptiles dans du formol.) La Maison des Tanneurs a forgé sa réputation en proposant un esprit unique qui réside tant dans l’ambiance qui se dégage du lieu que dans l'approche artistique de son équipe de tatoueurs tous fans de métal. La Musique extrême fait part intégrante de la vie de ces artistes tatoueurs elle transcende l’essence de leurs inspirations au quotidien. Depuis sa création il y a six ans, La maison des Tanneurs s’efforce de répondre au mieux aux demandes des clients afin d'aboutir à leur projet en proposant des pièces originales, uniques, et personnalisées. Ici la patte unique de chacun des tatoueurs rejoint l’esprit sombre et singulier de la boutique pour y former cet univers particulier qui forge son nom et sa réputation.A l’origine spécialisé dans le « Dark » et le Noir et Gris, le salon a su ouvrir son spectre de compétence en passant du réalisme pur et dur jusqu' à l’ornemental, on y retrouve aussi parfois une inspiration plus traditionnelle et colorée. La Maison Des Tanneurs - 19 rue du Jour 75001 Paris. Metro Chatelet les Halles / Etienne Marcel Tel : 01 40 26 11 65 - lmdtparis@gmail.com Les artistes tatoueurs qui participent au HELLFEST TATTOO DAY: - Kurv // Tatoueur résidant depuis 6 ans // Son style se démarque dans le réalisme noir, avec de forts contrastes clair-obscur. - Jimi Jugio // Tatoueur résidant depuis 4 ans // Son style est basé sur le traditionnel, le surréaliste et le "dotwork" revisité par ses soins. - Asphyx// Tatoueur résidant depuis 1 an // Son style macabre se caractérise dans le "blackwork" et le "dotwork", l’univers gore et décalé des films d’horreurs et du blackmetal. - Marcus // Tatoueur en guest // Son style est d’inspiration, geek/cartoon/horror-movies. Le fonctionnement du HELLFEST TATTOO DAY : Nous vous donnons rendez-vous de 14H à 20h00 à la Maison des Tanneurs pour enregistrer votre participation au « HELLFEST TATTOO DAY ». Nous vous remettrons un ticket d’inscription divisé en 3 coupons référencés avec le même numéro unique ! Une partie du ticket sera à toujours garder sur vous, une autre sera à glisser dans l’urne de sélection des gagnants des tatouages gratuits. La troisième partie du coupon vous servira quant à elle dans la soirée. Nous tirerons donc 3 gagnants au hasard toutes les 20 minutes, les gagnants présents à l’appel passeront immédiatement sous les aiguilles des tatoueurs en faction ! Afin de gagner du temps, nous vous invitons à réfléchir en amont sur le format (4cm ou 2 cm) et l’emplacement du flash Hellfest désiré ! Si votre numéro n’a été tiré à aucun moment, n’oubliez pas que la soirée continue des 20h30 au bar Dr. Feelgood ( halles ) ou vous pourrez à l’aide de la dernière partie de votre ticket, récupérer gratuitement votre gobelet collector** « HELLFEST TATTOO DAY » et participer à la tombola pour gagner quelques cadeaux dont 1 cheque cadeau tatouage d’une valeur de 100€ à la maison des tanneurs, du merchandising et 1 pass 3 jours pour le Hellfest 2018 ! Le tirage aura lieu à 00h00 directement au Dr. Feelgood – les halles - Bonne chance à tous !HAPPY HOUR prolongé jusqu’à 21h00 - & « Tu as un tatouage Hellfest sur toi, tout frais ou originaire des premières années ? le Dr Feelgood t’offre un shot avec ta première pinte ! » ** photo du gobelet pinte collector en commentaire facebook Dr Feelgood les halles - 37 rue Quincampoix, 75001 ParisMetro Chatelet les Halles / Etienne Marcel / Rambuteau Tel : 01 77 13 38 30 FAQ : - Puis je choisir le tatoueur qui va me faire mon flash ?Non, nous sommes sur des formules flashs simples, nous vous attribuerons votre tatoueur ! - Puis je modifier le motif, la couleur ou sa taille ?Nous restons sur 1 seul motif, avec uniquement deux formats disponibles (4 cm ou 2 cm), uniquement en NOIR ! - Quelles zones puis-je me faire tatouer ?Toutes les zones sont acceptables sauf : la paumes des mains, la plante des pieds, l’intérieur de la bouche, les doigts et les parties génitales - Puis-je être accompagné d’un ami lors de la ma session de tatouage ?Non, pour des raisons de confort, de concentration et d’intimité, nous n’autorisons aucun accompagnateur dans la cabine de tatouage ! - Puis je réserver en avance mon créneau de passage ?Non, avec cette formule, l'agenda de la journée serait remplis en moins d'une heure, à chaque créneau libre des tatoueurs, un numéro est tiré au sort, si vous êtes présent lors du tirage vous passez immédiatement sous les aiguilles ! - Comment récupérer un numéro ?Dès votre rentrée dans le salon de tatouage, vous recevrez immédiatement un ticket composé de 3 coupons ( un coupon numéroté à conserver sur vous TOUTE LA JOURNEE et TOUTE LA SOIREE pour justifier votre participation, un coupon avec le même numéro à plonger dans l'urne destiné au tirage au sort de la séance tatouage, et un dernier coupon, toujours avec le même numéro à présenter au drfeelgood pour récupérer votre cadeau ( verre pinte collector* ) et qui vous servira à participer à la tombola pour gagner quelques cadeau dont unpass 3 jours Hellfest 2018 ( - *300 exemplaires uniquement ) - Combien de temps dure la séance de tatouage ?Afin de pouvoir prendre le temps de poser le flash, de discuter avec le client, nous sommes sur des roulements de 20 min. 3 ateliers mis en place pour un 4eme de repos ! Ce qui représente 9 tatouages par heure ! - Si mon numéro est tiré au sort et que je ne suis pas là ?Si vous ne répondez pas présent à l'appel de votre numéro, votre bulletin est remis dans l'urne à chaque tirage ! L’intérêt est qu’à chaque appel vous avez la chance de pouvoir être tiré au sort, que vous arriviez en début de journée, ou en fin ! Si votre numéro est tiré lors de la tombola du pass 3 jours, un autre numéro sera tiré immédiatement après rendant votre participation caduque ! - A quelle heure est le tirage au sort du pass 3 jours ? Etoù ?Le tirage au sort aura lieu au Dr. feelgood des halles, à 00h00 pétante ! Notez qu'il n'est pas obligé d'avoir été tatoué pour participer à la tombola, il faut par contre récupérer obligatoirement un numéro de participation à la maison des tanneurs dans l’après-midi !    Entrée gratuite https://www.facebook.com/events/114872782493909/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%223%22%2C%22ref_newsfeed_story_type%22%3A%22regular%22%2C%22feed_story_type%22%3A%2217%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D

[nofomoartworld]

Hyperallergic: Cloud Blossoms

Paul D’Agostino, “Cloud Blossoms 1” (2017), watercolor, ink, felt marker, graphite, and charcoal wash on paper, 12 x 9 inches

Disclaimer #1:

In a very real way, these “Cloud Blossoms” drawings are about as vapid as they look. Frivolous eye candy for some, perhaps, and maybe relatively pleasant as such. For others, idiotic visual treacle, more or less, and likely several drops too much. I’m fine with either take on them, really. I’m also fine with a regard of complete indifference. At the same time, some of the drawings do just happen to engage in joyously silly dances when looked at through 3D glasses. So, there’s that to consider. Oops!

Those are a few possible takes on my “Cloud Blossoms,” takes that might well have been made more resolute following the note about 3D glasses — the likely effect that note had on the treacle-seers. Speaking of treacle, and while I’m still here disclaiming, I might as well also acknowledge that it’s abundantly possible that looking at my “Cloud Blossoms” brings to mind the Care Bears, because that’s what happened to me at one point as I was photographing them — which did seem an almost exaggerated act to perform on works like these.

But it is true that I thought, with mixed chagrin and delight, ‘Care Bears!’ And then, an instant later, ‘Care Bears.’ You know, because sometimes one thinks with punctuation. The more I thought about that, and the more my thoughts went back and forth in punctuation, the more resolved I became that there must be something about a certain mix of blues and pinks that causes the brain to conjure an entire spectrum of colorful little teddy bears who live in the sky and shower love, happiness, peace, well-being, and other 80s myths all over the place. Right?

Well, I suppose this would require being of a certain age, which I am, and having a certain slightly-less-than-passive awareness of Care Bears, which I do. All the same, I did think the Care Bears were a mushy drop of treacle too much even way back when I was a kiddo — long before I would’ve used the word treacle, obviously, which was also a time when no amount of exaggerated sweetness was ever ‘too much,’ particularly with regard to breakfast cereals — in part because I was much more a fan of Transformers, WWF wrestling, Garbage Pail Kids and, very soon thereafter, Thrasher Magazine, among other things that weren’t very Care-Bear-like. This is back when Thrasher’s inner pages were still printed on newsprint, by the way. It had a smell; it sullied your hands; it advertised mostly skateboard decks, wheels and other parts, and hardly ever shoes; and it would even feature round-ups of contest results, which were interesting and important to the sport back then. You bought Thrasher and sometimes TransWorld at local surf and skate shops, where you’d also leaf through the concurrent mix of surfing magazines, in no small part because of the significant presence of girls in very slight bikinis in those periodicals, a tendency which didn’t filter into skate mags with real consistency until the early 90s, most notably with one called Big Brother.

Paul D’Agostino, “Cloud Blossoms 3” (2017), watercolor, ink, felt marker, graphite, and charcoal wash on paper, 12 x 9 inches

Big Brother, oh my, what a magazine! Visionary! Transitional! Transcendent! Excellent skate photography, a somewhat oversize format overall, lots of raunchy humor and, yes, copious soft porn. Come to think of it, some of it was actual porn. On a magazine shelf, at your local skate shop! What a coup! It was also a definitively problematic skate mag to look at in school. I’m pretty sure a skater or two was beaten up for snagging someone else’s Big Brother.

Back to the Care Bears, though. They were out there too, or perhaps up there, in the Zeitgeist, right there alongside so many other broadly propagated falsehoods about the better angels of government, commerce and society at large, or about alleged improvements in equality and opportunity and so on. This is not to say that the Care Bears were part of some massive 80s conspiracy to dupe the distracted masses into waving American flags and pledging allegiance every day (remember that?) while overlooking the incipient dismantling of all manner of generally supportive sociopolitical structures and democratic mores. The Cold War hadn’t quite yet come to its supposed ‘end,’ after all, so such superstructural shifts, probably so subtle at the time as to be nearly imperceptible, were often obscured if not subsumed by the greater narrative of The United States of America versus The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. And so on.

No, the Care Bears were (probably) not part of some conspiracy like that. Although if they were, then the Cabbage Patch Kids were in cahoots with them, along with professional sports and soap operas, sitcoms, and talk shows, Saturday morning cartoons, minivans, and home improvements, and enough soda pop to fuel many a journey to space.

Those Care Bears, though, were very much a part of the popular consciousness — relevant to the ‘kindness and might’ of the USA and the evangelical movement alike. At least, they must’ve been, because they were everywhere — all over the place in toy stores and department stores, not to mention at the homes of most all of your friends who had younger sisters, and just generally visible on everything from TV to t-shirts to some kid’s Trapper Keeper. And you know, visuals sink in. So those visuals sunk in. This is also because, you have to admit, the quality of those graphics was more than passable. A few simple lines. Entire personalities conjured out of belly-bound emblems and colors. The Care Bears were also quite fun to draw—because sometimes you drew them getting ripped in half by Transformers, Voltron, or the Powell & Peralta ‘Ripper’ guy.

There were good cartoons back then. There were great cartoons back then. There might also be great cartoons now, but I don’t really know. What I do know is that gems like Ducktales are obscure to college students these days, as I recently learned from some of my students. Do they also not know Muppet Babies? What about Ren & Stimpy, who really carved the way for so much newfangled cartoonery thereafter, along with The Simpsons? I do believe they’re aware of The Simpsons.

Paul D’Agostino, “Cloud Blossoms 5” (2017), watercolor, ink, felt marker, graphite, and charcoal wash on paper, 12 x 9 inches

Well, before this first disclaimer gets any more out of hand, I’ll move on — because if I don’t, I’ll soon get on a ‘useful’ tangent about the joys of certain breakfast cereals, especially those high-octane sugar-fests that had the best graphics and most lovable ‘mascots,’ and that your parents would almost never let you get.

And so, in sum, the thrust of Disclaimer #1: My “Cloud Blossoms” are insipid drawings, and easy to like, hate or ignore (with or without 3D glasses). They might also be reminiscent of the Care Bears, icons, and associative memory-conjurers of an entire era.

Disclaimer #2: There’s not much of anything interesting or justificatory to say about these drawings, and they’re not in any fundamental way ‘about’ our times, these times, strange times.

Disclaimer #3: You’re still here? There’s not even a third disclaimer.

Well, no matter the content of my disclaimers, my “Cloud Blossoms” drawings, however devoid of concept or active sociopolitical commentary, do exist for a reason. They’re the result of wanting to make — starting one weekend afternoon, on a whim and while listening to a basketball game on the radio — some corny drawings in a variety of media.

That desire to make some corny, mindless drawings had its partial impetus in a need to get away from the cerebrally crushing news cycle that day, because it was a day in 2017, and nearly every day of the news cycle has been like that this year.

That’s also why these drawings don’t have any words on them at all, which is somewhat atypical for me. I tend to relish merging texts of various sorts with drawings of various sorts, especially when working a bit insouciantly with simple materials on paper.

This was also around the time I had written quite a long treatise on ‘the difficulty of words’ this year, thanks to the caustic nature of debate and the generally shocking or harrowing nature of the news. I wrote that as a cover letter for a job, actually, knowing quite well it wouldn’t really ‘do the trick,’ as it were, of getting me the job. It certainly didn’t.

However, I did think it might ‘do the trick’ of somewhat counterintuitively making ‘words’ thereafter ‘less difficult’ — to receive, to read, to write, to process — which it did. A catharsis of sorts.

Paul D’Agostino, “Cloud Blossoms 6” (2017), watercolor, ink, felt marker, graphite, and charcoal wash on paper, 12 x 9 inches

But I still didn’t feel like putting words on these drawings. I just felt like toying with the image of thick ‘happy’ clouds having flowers blooming out of them. ‘Better than silver linings,’ I thought.

I also thought, ‘What if ‘cloud seeding’ could do this!’

And now I’m wondering if perhaps 2017 has been a particularly great year for questions beginning with ‘What if…’.

These times do feel very hypothetical, conditional, conjectural, if in fact ‘times’ can ‘feel’ that way. They’re also not awfully different — although it’s possible they’re relatively more awful — than the ‘times’ a few decades ago, as described in Disclaimer #1.

It’s all very weary-making, even for the most fearless and thickest-skinned among us. The fellow below is a testament to that. He loitered on my block for a few days a couple weeks ago, then simply disappeared.

Ah, to disappear!

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Designed by Anoop Bhat for Transcending Obscurity Fest in 2014 featuring Djinn and Miskatonic, Albatross, Gutslit, Fragarak, Halahkuh, Cosmic Infusion, Orion, Stark Denial and Grossty