#just admire her art interpret it and analyse it

[vampyrloar]

may hayden be free from both the vain empty brained tiktok fans and the friendless arrogants with a superiority complex who believe only them can understand her

[inconveniently-discorporated]

Everything is meant... Or is it?

First I would like to preface this by saying that I'm splitting this off because I've been kicking it around as its own thing, but was inspired to actually post it based on the meta @ineffablebookgirl did and the thoughts from @skeetlebeetle on the paintball scene.

So, is everything meant?

This is a question I've thought about a lot with all the meta I've consumed and posted. There are a lot of analyses that go on based on tiny details, micro expressions, so on and so forth. There are different interpretations one could make about different scenes and different characters. Throughout this I've asked myself: does it really count if the author/creator didn't intend for it to be this way?

It doesn't help that Neil Gaiman is a lot like the God he and Terry Pratchett wrote:

“Are you saying,” said Crowley, “that He planned it this way all along? From the very beginning?”

Aziraphale conscientiously wiped the top of the bottle and passed it back.

“Could have,” he said. “Could have. One could always ask Him, I suppose.”

“From what I remember,” replied Crowley, thoughtfully, “—and we were never actually on what you might call speaking terms—He wasn’t exactly one for a straight answer. In fact, in fact, He’d never answer at all. He’d just smile, as if He knew something that you didn’t.”

“And of course that’s true,” said the angel. “Otherwise, what’d be the point?”

There are times where Neil will clarify something, or confirm or deny something, but mostly I've seen him take the stance of, "Isn't that the beauty of art? Everyone can interpret things in different ways."

He doesn't clamor to correct people on their interpretation of his work, and that's something I've found very admirable and will certainly be taking with me as I put my work out in the world. It allows us, the fans of this media, to enjoy it to the fullest extent. It lets us take from it what we need, and that's truly a beautiful thing.

"Yes, but, how could it mean anything if that's not what was meant when it was written? How do we know we've gotten it right?" -- does that sound familiar? Because that reminds me of a certain angel who has spent the better part of six thousand years collecting Bibles and books of prophecy and everything else, seemingly in search of The Answer. In search of what it all means, in spite of its ineffability.

And as we can see throughout the story, the common thread seems to be: it doesn't matter what it means, it doesn't matter what it's meant to be. We can take from it what we wish, and our choices are our own, and our own choices are the ones that really matter. That's part of the beauty of being human.

Really, the conclusion I've come to, is that I suppose I don't mind if things were meant, or if they were beautiful moments of accidental serendipity.

It's truly admirable when an author can tie together all of these amazing details, on purpose. However, as I've discovered through my OWN writing, it's sometimes even more amazing when these details fall perfectly into place, all on their own. Those are the moments I sit back, look at what I've written, and go, "Holy shit, that is AWESOME!"

It's just like life, and it's just like Good Omens -- maybe it's written, maybe it's not. You don't need to see the story for it to happen, you don't need to be told what decision to make in order to be happy with it. That's why Anathema burned the second book at the end. To hell with the answers or what is meant, she can create her own answers and find her own meaning.

I feel like it can seem less impressive if something happens by accident rather than the author intending for it to happen. I would actually propose that it is MORE impressive.

What is the difference between intelligence and artificial intelligence? Sentient and non-sentient? The non-sentient AI does what we tell it to do. Sentience is when it takes on a life of its own. In that way, by facilitating these accidental moments of poetic meaning, I feel like the creator has imparted into their work a little bit of the magic that makes us who we are. They've harnessed the spirit of life well enough that it got away from them through their work, and created something utterly lifelike.

I've thought about this particularly when it comes to people speculating about neurodivergency. People recognize a lot of ADHD traits in Crowley, and a lot of autistic traits in Aziraphale. I'm actually not sure if Neil and Terry intended that (Neil has responded to the question in a similar way as sexuality, in that he acknowledged they behave like neurodivergent humans in some ways, but they're not human, so he wouldn't call them that -- but I haven't seen a yes/no on whether it was intended).

Regardless, even if it's not, I find that incredibly impressive. It means the creator has done a good enough job of creating a whole character that they can consistently embody this aspect of human psychology, without it being seen as pandering or like the author took a neurodivergent checklist and tried to cram it all in there. It's quite an impressive feat, considering the human brain is, well --

I suppose the point of all this is, life is utterly beautiful and so is art, especially when art mimicks life, and especially when it does so by accident. I love seeing all the meta going around, and I love when creators are able to let this sort of stuff just be. It's my favorite part of this fandom in particular, because I've been scared out of a lot of other ones because I enjoyed it the "wrong way", according to the fandom's interpretation or the creator's own rigidity.

I think the other point is that we all have the power of this kind of creation, especially if we take a page from Crowley's book. We can wall our characters and plotlines in the Garden of Eden where everything is meticulously perfect, but if we let them eat the apple and grant these things the freedom to take on a life of their own, even if it seems disastrous at first, our creations could go on to create things we never saw coming. If we let ourselves explore our stories freely, and we let our audience explore freely, we can see our own creations transform into wonderful things we never imagined.

And then, maybe, one day, you can reflect on this when someone asks you, "Did you mean for this to happen?"

Then, once you're done autographing their treasured copy of your book that they've dropped in the tub at least once and taped together with yellow tape, you can just sort of look at them and smile, as if you know something they don't.

[fideidefenswhore]

I read LM's book on Chapuys recently. I agree with you on some things, diagree on others. I wanted to know your opinion on something in the biography though. Do you think Chapuys had a disdain for Henry VIII and came to admire and sympathize with Anne Boleyn in the ened?

Well...humoring that? I think if he actually did then he managed to hide it really, really well.

Is prevented by indisposition from expressing in person his thanks for his good treatment at [Kimbolton]. Desires credence for the bearer and a favorable answer.  

January 1536

+

Would have waited on him before, but for an attack of fever. Cannot yet safely go out. Writes, however, to express his zeal for the promotion of an inviolable amity, and to congratulate the King on this new felicity, rejoicing at the removal of obstacles to the long desired alliance. God has shown special care for Henry. Many great and good men, even emperors and kings, have suffered from the arts of wicked women. It is greatly to Henry's credit that he has detected and punished conspiracy before it came to light otherwise. Enlarges on this at considerable length, and assures Henry that he may rely on the firm friendship of the Emperor.

June 1536

These are both letters from Chapuys addressed to Henry VIII, so...just make of that what you will.

It is interesting that this interpretation has developed in ‘fandom’, I guess (I know LM is a historian, but I do think some of it comes from her analyses) of Chapuys as this ‘softer’ figure, sympathetic, somehow beyond the mores of misogyny because he tried and failed to secure certain things for Mary and KofA. But then, most of Mary’s supporters tend to get the White Knight edit, so it’s probably part and parcel of that.

Anyway, I had a point... I see these sort of takes and am left wondering if those they come from have actually read Chapuys’ dispatches? Like, the original versions, not just the paraphrases that exist in pop history books. Many of them are fairly chilling, and he ass-kisses Henry as much, or perhaps even more, as he (alleges) he confronts him, so the use of Chapuys as a sort of self-insert for their Henry VIII animus doesn’t seem to be grounded in any sort of reality... 

[penclicksound]

“Willow” by Taylor Swift line by line Analysis

Welcome to a very elaborate analysis of the song “Willow” by Taylor Swift. My goal is to analyse all songs on Evermore, therefore creating an extensive but organised analysis of the whole album. A link will be provided when more song analysis are available.

Note: this is just my interpretation and in no way discards any other interpretation. I don’t claim my interpretation to be the “right” interpretation.

Please do not steal my words or ideas as your own or repost, but refer to me, when you talk about my ideas or post it somewhere else, thank you so much!

“I’m like the water when your ship rolled in that night

Rough on the surface, but you cut through like a knife”

The song kicks off with rough waters, which may equal to stormy waters. Taylor thus refers to herself as stormy waters, potentially thinking of herself or her life as chaotic or turbulent. A love interest then enters her life like a “boat”. This is an interesting metaphor, as Taylor has often referred to music as a “floating device” on a stormy sea (e.g. the piano in the Cardigan music video). Potentially, this means that she sees herself and her life as a stormy sea and the love interest enters her life as floating device (= the ship). Although the water seems rough, the love interest “cuts through” it “like a knife”, suggesting that underneath the surface, the water isn’t rough at all. This could mean that the love interests sees right through the stormy life/character of the singer and by doing that, enters the quiet part of her life/character. The ship/water metaphor is an ongoing metaphor throughout evermore (later: Gold Rush “eyes like sinking ships”).

 “And if it was an open-shut case

I never would’ve known from that look on your face”

An open shut case is a case “which is easily decided or solved because the facts are very clear” (collinsdictionary.com). This could mean that Taylor herself did not see the getting together with the love interest as an obvious thing that happened easily. She did not think of the issues that arise during the first period of dating and getting together as easily solved. And the look on the face of the love interest did not suggest he thought it was easy. Even if it was that easy to get together, she would have never guessed it.

 “Lost in your current like a priceless wine”

This is an interesting line, as it reverses positions. In the beginning, Taylor was the water and now the love interest is. Opposed to the love interest, she is not a ship that cuts through it, but instead she is lost in the waters. The priceless wine may be a reference to herself as being of high value, but the high value is lost in the relationship. It could also refer to the ships that sank while shipping wine, that then started aging in the sea, increasing in value only more. This would make more sense, as it could mean that while Taylor loses herself in her love interest, it only increases her personal value more. Aside from that, one may notice that Taylor uses “current” instead of “water”, perhaps referring to the actions and the course of life of the love interest, more than their personality. It also appears he is in control of the current, of the waters he’s in of he is. Taylor on the other hands, seems out of control, storming.

 “The more that you say, the less I know

Wherever you stray, I follow”

The more the love interests say, the less Taylor knows. This could mean that the love interest is very wise to Taylor, and therefore makes her feel unintelligent and discard old beliefs. It could however, also mean that the love interest is not making any sense when they’re speaking. Maybe they’re sending conflicting signals. This interpretation ties in with the upcoming lines “Now this is an open-shut case, I guess I should’ve known from the look on your face”. However, even though Taylor is not understanding what the person means (or possibly, what their intentions are), she will follow him wherever he goes. This ties in with the previous line: “lost in your current”. She is unable to separate from him, lost in his current, bound to follow him wherever he decides to go.

 “I’m begging for you to take my hand

Wreck my plans, that’s my man”

She then asks the love interests to take her hand. This could again refer to him as a floating device. She is lost, following him around in his stormy sea, and she’s begging him to take her hand, so she won’t get lost in his current. She’s also asking him to wreck her plans, possibly meaning that she’s confused and abandoning her own plans to follow him wherever he wants. She then goes on to say “that’s my man”, which has some sense of pride. Possibly she admires him for being her “current”, taking her everywhere and guiding her.

 “Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind”

This again ties in with the resemblance of the love interest to the “current”. He is in control of his life, deciding where to go, changing course and she will follow. Life bents to his wind. This is the first time the song title is named, so why did she chose a “willow” to equal life? A willow is often considered a beautiful tree, but also a sad tree (willow often means the “weeping willow”). This may mean that life is beautiful, but sad and weeping. All the same, the love interest is able to steer the beautiful and sad life.

 “Head on the pillow, I could feel your sneakin’ in”

Taylor is in her bed, possibly pretending to sleep, while the love interests sneaks up on her. This could mean that she felt like she was in “pause” in her life, sleeping, doing nothing or maybe just not being on guard, but vulnerable. The love interest sneaks into her life, but although Taylor is not on guard, she does know he is entering her life.

 “As if you were a mythical thing

Like you were a trophy or champion ring

But there was one prize I’d cheat to win”

He’s entering her life like he is a mythical thing, like he is not real. This may in a way refer to folklore. It is as though he isn’t real, but stories are told about him. Taylor then compares him to a trophy or a champion ring. Perhaps this line means that she sees him as something that people admire and desire to have, but nobody really ever wins. For example a Grammy is rarely won by anybody, it may feel rather mythical to many musicians. The love interest thus doesn’t seem real to her, but he is highly desired. She would even cheat to win him. Cheating could referring to cheating in a game (this ties in with the champion ring metaphor, such as taking dopamine to win a cycling race), but also cheating in a relationship (which ties in better with the fact that she’s talking about a love interest).

 “You know that my train could take you home

Anywhere else is hollow

I’m begging for you to take my hand

Wreck my plans, that’s my man”

After repeating the chorus, where she is again subject to his course of life, she then goes on to state that her train could take him home. This seems a lot more in control in this second chorus. She’s following him anywhere, but if he steps on her train, he’d go home. Perhaps this means that she will follow him, traveling anywhere, doing anything, but if he wants, he can come to her and she will take him home. She then states that anywhere besides home is hollow. This could mean that, yes, she will follow him anywhere, but she thinks it’s rather a waste, because she’d rather be home. Home could be referring to a familiar place, somewhere where there’s peace. She would follow him into the storm, but she’d rather be at home with him in peace. In this version of the chorus, her asking the love interest to take her hand, may mean the opposite of what it meant in the first version. In this version she’s begging him to let her control his route to take him home. Perhaps going home and staying in peace, however, wasn’t her original plan, as she does refer to it as wrecking her plans. She loves it though, as she again proudly states: “that’s my man”.

 “Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind

They count me out time and time again”

Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind

But I come back stronger than a ‘90s trend”

While he is completely in control of his beautiful and sad life, the people in Taylor’s life (“they”), keep counting her out, as though she’s no longer a part of the world/life. After stating again that he is in control of his life, she then takes control over hers and states that she “comes back stronger than a ‘90s trend”. This could mean that, in the beginning of the song, she felt out of control, following her love interest anywhere, unsure and confused, but now she’s back, and she’s stronger than ever.

 “Wait for the signal and I’ll meet you after dark

Show me the places where the others gave you scars”

Waiting for signals and meetings in the dark suggests there’s secrecy in the relationship. This could be because she is cheating (“there was one prize I’d cheat to win”) and therefore they have to meet secretly. In my view, however, it could also refer to some sense of darkness in the world and they have to built their relationship in secrecy to avoid other people from interfering (this could tie in with “they could me out time and time again”. It also interesting to note that the love interests enters her life in the nighttime (“your ship rolled in that night”), so perhaps they have always met during the nighttime in secrecy. It is also interesting to note the parallel this line has with Cruel Summer (album Lover track 2): “I snuck through the garden gate every night that summer just to seal my fate”, perhaps referring to the same type of secrecy and nighttime meetings. During the meeting in the dark, they tell each other everything, showing each other their scars and where they got them from. They get to know each other deeply, in secrecy.

 “Now this is an open-shut case

I guess I should’ve known from the look on your face

Every bait-and-switch was a work of art”

Then follows a slightly different version of the ending of the first verse, where she states that if it was an open-shut case, she never would’ve known. Now, however, she states that it in fact was an open-shut case and she should have known. Where at first, she thought that starting and building their relationship was a complex and uncertain thing and perhaps she wasn’t even sure her love interest wanted it, now she knows. It was clear as day and it was quickly and easily done. And apparently he was already aware of that, before she was. An interesting parallel can be drawn with Cruel Summer again, where she sings: “I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?/He looks up grinning like a devil”. This means – as is widely accepted among Taylor Swift listeners - he was already long aware she loved him and he was just playing along. She then goes on to state that every bait-and-switch was a work of art. A bait and switch is a “sales tactic that lures customers in with specific claims about the quality or low prices on items that turn out to be unavailable in order to upsell them or a similar, pricier item”. In this context it could mean that the love interest was pretending to be something he was not, therefore luring her into getting to know him. Then, as she dedicated herself to him, she stays with him, even though the costs are higher. In this case, I believe this is a “cheeky” comment, about him selling himself a player, but when she falls for it, she finds out he actually never intended to enter her life as a player, but as a life partner. So now, instead of just dedicating to a period of fun loving, she is in the relationship for life. There is, yet again, a parallel with Cruel Summer: “Bad, bad boy, shiny toy with a price, you know that I bought it”.

[blue-lights]

what are your thoughts about fine line! hope you're well x

Hey, love. Thank you for asking! Hope you’re well, too!

The word which I find best describes Find Line is wondrous. I think it truly is a piece of art, something that belongs in a museum, to be kept for years and years, admired, analysed, inspire. It is such a vulnerable and REAL collection of thoughts and emotions and I truly don’t think there is anything more valuable a person can put out to the public.

It tells a story; not just to the ones who know what events inspired the album, but if you listen closely, you can hear how the first three songs, Golden, Watermelon Sugar, and Adore You, are about that initial infatuation you have with someone, the lust which burns in you, the obsession with every single part of another person.

Then there’s Lights Up which I see as a transition; this is a key point in this relationship between two people where, maybe, they both started to experience changes; not just with themselves but within their partner and their world around them. Lights Up can have many different meanings and interpretations, as art should, and this is just mine. I think it’s a bittersweet song about a person discovering themselves, growing, changing and maybe their partner can’t, and maybe doesn’t want to, keep up. This transitions into the aftermath; the heartbreak.

Cherry, Falling, To Be So Lonely.

I know everyone is infatuated with Cherry - which I btw find very brave of a person as private as Harry to put a voice memo of his ex-girlfriend at the end of the song because it will be a part of his art forever - but for me, Falling is probably the most gut-wrenchingly, sad song on the album. It’s the aftermath of, not just a breakup, but the act of your partner leaving you...leaving you for someone else. These doubts he has about himself; not only does he question her feelings for him; ‘what if I’m someone you won’t talk about,’ it also makes him insecure about himself; ‘what if I’m someone I don’t want a round,’ and that breaks my fucking heart. I can’t imagine how broken he must have felt, how much he doubted himself, how he felt like he wasn’t good enough.

Moving on to She; a well calculated and thoroughly thought through piece of art. I know people have been comping is to Woman, but I don’t think this song is about a romantic love interest. I think it’s about a man, living a double life; on one had he has a regular life with a wife and kids, on the other hand, this woman who lives in his imagination is haunting him to the point where he considers running away because he can’t explain it. I think it’s about the mans sexuality, how he isn’t sure of who he is; feminine vs masculine. I think it’s a continuation of Lights Up and it may show the discovery a person has done in the aftermath of a breakup.

The next set of songs: Sunflower and Canyon moon I think are about his memories about this person who he had to let go of. Fond memories, sad memories, just memories of all kinds and fuck these break my heart. So bittersweet, so vulnerable, so nostalgic.

And then there’s the final two songs, TPWK and Fine Line. Fine Line is probably one of my favourites, it wraps up the entire album in the way it goes through all the themes discussed in the previous songs, love and hate and joy and heartbreak; there’s a fine line between them. I could go into a lot more detail of this song but I honestly don’t have the emotional capacity right now. It’s such a beautiful and bittersweet and reflected song and it ends a brilliant album in the perfect way.

All in all, I think Fine Line is a magic piece of art, it inspires me, it wakes emotions in me that I have never felt and only a real artist, who dares be vulnerable and expose his own emotions, is able to do that to his audience. I can’t believe I’m lucky enough to witness such work of art and I know it will be admired for many many years to come.

I’m sorry this turned into a long analysis but I truly have such strong feelings towards this album and I have so much more to say but all in all, I think this album is perfect. Not ONE things out of place or miscalculated. It breaks my heart and mends it all in one. It makes me lust after the love he experienced and fear the heartbreak he went through. It makes me feel like I can feel his emotions in my heart and on my skin. No other album, or person, has been able to do that before. And for that I am truly thankful.

[explodo-smash]

Warning post about SaiSaixChan

Regarding recent problems, the team at Explodo Smash has decided to put out a long overdue warning about the user SaiSaixchan.

We often get messages about why we don’t consider, nor hold any value to her word or her analyses about the BNHA series.

It goes much beyond disagreements with her interpretations about the show/manga itself and more with her displays of manipulation, homophobia, hypocrisy, and absolute disregard for the morality of the source of her information, her words, or the concerns of the people who admire her.

We do not think her followers, or people who interact with her, are aware of her misdeeds, and we would like to confront them now.

TW: homophobia, mentions of pedophilia, transphobia and sexual assault

Firstly, I would like to emphasize SaiSai has expressed homophobia on more than one occasion and tends to either delete it, excuse it, or disregards people’s comments or worries about it. 

Never once does she apologize or acknowledge it for long periods.

On her twitter, when talking about gay ships, she spoke on how she just preferred heterosexual ships + friendships because she was exposed to incestuous/pedophilic art which made her turn away from gay ships (specifically) and also blaming those who ship gay ships, referring to them as “toxic”.

Preferring platonic relationships in art/story alone is fine, however she had made it clear she associates pedophilia and incest with gayness only, despite these horrible tropes also existing in a mass in heterosexual shipping.

Instead of acknowledging this, she deleted her tweets and ignored the people who tried to speak to her (names omitted).

She had a tumblr post stating similar, which has again, since been deleted (recently because it was up about last month when a friend asked why I was wary of her).

But here’s proof of those screenshot’s existence (X) and how she repeatedly reblogged that because she thinks many people were that traumatized by gay content online like herself. (Screenshot below incase she deletes this too)

She does not seem to realize her homophobia is not a case of whether or not she supports them, but the fact she associates gayness with these things, and holds this idea that her fans, and fans of same sex ships, are always out to fetishize them, but never this experience to heterosexual ships, somehow.

This leads us to discuss her treatment and discussion of gay ships and the characters. To justify her distaste for any of the gay ships in BNHA, she cites the most transphobic, abusive, and absolutely abhorrently worded translations of the series.

She acknowledges the translations are bad, but whenever people try to speak to her about her meta or interpretations as derived from those translations being bad--and not reminiscent of the characters--again, she ignores it, and yet, people continue to heed her words and listen to them as fact.

Her support for LGBT cannot exist alongside the fact she admits she associates [gayness] with abuse, incest, pedophilia and “fandom fetishization” inherently, not without her acknowledging that’s a horrible thing to believe and spread to others, period. Yet she seems to take no interest in taking that route, even as her fans have approached her multiple times in that hope.

It’s incredibly dangerous she has such a voice in the fandom considering her words and vitriol almost always comes from a place of either internal hatred, homophobia, or her own perceived projection.

And that’s where we lead into her weird obsession with Bakugou, and how it’s finally reached the point of being completely inappropriate.

Sai will insistently cite the character Bakugou as abusive in every situation but his relationship with Ochako. She has been known to go between insisting she loves this character alongside obsessively seeing him as some weird combination of abusive to tsundere.

She is creepily and constantly on the edge of sexualizing if not inappropriately romanticizing him, despite calling him her “son”, and this offense may not be as severe or obvious if she didn’t insist on putting someone she wants to be seen as a “mother” to in obscene situations.

She describes a situation from early chapters of BNHA as a “molestation”, an INCREDIBLY triggering, exaggerative and awful word to describe something that happened to a child character, and she cites this as Bakugou getting ‘proper punishment’ to an anon who asked.

When confronted about this and how horrible and unnecessary the wording and description was, she had no care in the world to alter or maybe consider that it was inappropriate.

And now recently, she has begged the question to her followers of whether or not Bakugou would have a crush on her, going onto add she means “puppy crush”, nothing serious, as if that makes it a cleaner question.

And again, when confronted about this, she has deleted replies speaking against her, and allowed the user who said something about how weird and creepy it was to be relentlessly and horrendously harassed for more than enough time before saying “it was an old post” and no one deserves “anon hate”.

She’s intentionally double-speaking here. It being an old post does not disregard the fact she was the one who reblogged it again, got confronted about it, and allowed a CSA victim to get harassed for days about it afterwards.

The user who confronted her never got any reparations or apologies from Sai about the comments her followers are saying to her. Instead, Sai chooses to once more be quiet about, and ignore, the situation.

Over the past 2-3 years our team has existed in the fandom, Sai has presented manipulative, two-faced, and horrendous behavior, and has not changed. We very much regret being silent this long. Her audience of primarily children continue to echo and repeat her, not realizing her words, analyses, and demeanor have always, and will always, stand from a place of hatred.

She uses her position as “fandom mom” to have kids start her fights for her, she uses her following to create an unsafe space for BNHA fans, and preys on the naivety of those who follow her to pat her position.

Her ego makes her incapable of letting any kind of conflict around her name breathe, she has hailed herself as the Second Coming of Horikoshi despite nothing she’s ever said or done has been credible, genuine, or from a place of love for these characters, she goes out of her way to make the environment of fandom toxic while believing herself to be the most non-toxic user of them all.

Sai not only uses transphobic/abusive translations to make a distorted points about the characters, the conclusions she arrives at with the story and other people just aren’t true and actively contribute to a lot of evidently harmful pervasive mentalities in the fandom, which she defends and dances around upon confrontation.

We ask for nothing but people to be wary of her, and her true nature. We are very sure many other people have had bad experiences with her that have been dug out or ignored, and we encourage people to share them be it on this post or on anon.

[parkminijiminie]

Why would jungkook be thirsting over a 16 year old girl with the cameras around? He was impressed by her movements

Anon 2: tbh he had a similar reaction to the boy before, he was very attentive and looked genuinely into it, i saw the clips of them dancing and i must say that girl at the end was really something. the control she had over her body was really impressive and they all looked shook. i don’t even believe km are in a relationship but some people are overreacting already and painting them as these horny teenagers like? +y'all’s logic is weird. being in a relationship = can’t find any other person attractive?

Anon 3: i personally only saw them all as impressed with her performance n i didn’t see anything sexual with their reactions, especially considering the girl was 16 n they all kept referring to her and the other performers as kids

Anon 4: I think it‘s quite unfair how fast and strong people tend to Analyse EVERYTHING BTS does. I feel like the boys can‘t even breathe these days without someone reading into it. That Rookie girl she was 16 ffs CALM DOWN PEOPLE.. for me it was a normal reaction, because from what we got to see that girl could move her body in such an impressing way. I honestly feel rather sorry if you people never experienced being touched by art before. Because it‘s the most beautiful feeling. Just give them space!!

Anon 5: Wow so people out here can’t tell the difference from being impressed with someone’s talent vs attraction and thinking someone is hot ? Wild.

Anon 6: I’m ace and don’t even feel sexual attraction, but I react the same way to performances I find really amazing. It’s an attraction to the skill and art, not the performer.

Anon 7: weird.. I didn’t read into any of their reactions at all?? like, nothing about their reactions to those videos raised a red flag, I really don’t understand why everyone is making a deal of it. Especially because they were reacting to dancers… as dancers themselves.. the reactions make sense? this fandom is so dramatic sometimes lol

Anon 8: If he had pulled that same reaction with a guy on the screen no one would bat an eye, would say it was because of his dance/talent. but because it was a pretty girl on the screen (who I think is underage?), it must mean he’s attracted to her and not because he’s impressed by her talent. there is just so many things wrong with that way of thinking smh

Anon 9: Y'all really out here making jk look like a pedophile by claiming he looked attracted to or turned on by that underage girl. Can he not admire someone’s talent without people claiming he is attracted to them. Unnecessary drama that jk or any of the members don’t need especially involving underage children.

Anon 10:Why people keep talking about a reaction of ONE DANCE omfg, can we be honest? It’s just a performance and he saw someone performing very good. I guess everyone who watches a good performer admiring that way. Tha heteronormative thing sucks, for God sakes she’s a minor, wtf, this people need to chill out their way of think, it’s discuting, the boys cannot be beside a girl for all this s**T start again. Just need to stop, this is ridiculous…

~~~~~~~~~~~Hey, Anons!

I hope you don’t mind me combining your asks but I feel like I have some things to say and I’d only end up repeating myself otherwise. This will also be the last time I’m talking about it as I believe I don’t have anything more to add. Not only that but I don’t wish to ever incriminate in any way shape or form Jungkook or Bangtan so maybe this post will be deleted in the future. 2 of the previous asks already are as I want to protect the members and not aid in any additional drama.

I’ve told you in the previous asks that at first I only saw the BTS react video and not what they were reacting to. I had only their expressions and comments to go by and that means I couldn’t be objective. It’s impossible without the source material. At the initial watch, their reaction to the last video really striked me. Apparently what they were seeing was special even from the moment the music started. All I could see were them being hyper focused, amazed at the performance and mesmerized, as well as I could hear a sexy song.

To me, had they not watched a dance or been professionals, if this was a normal social situation, I could interpret some of that reactions to some sort of attraction. Keep in mind that one can be attracted to the way a person moves ,talks, sits, one can find it worth watching and alluring to the eye without really having any sexual intentions towards that person. Had Bangtan been normal people, normal young adults and not idols, currently working it would maybe make sense. That’s not the case though which is why from the beginning I said that admiration is a very highly plausible explanation.

Obviously, when you see what they’re reacting to, things seem in a new light. The girl is crazy crazy talented and honest to God, their reaction was more than justified. When you see that video, you’re bound to be amazed and affected. It’s how she dances. Doesn’t even matter what sexuality you have, she is just that good. You can be a rock and still have a strong reaction and be mesmerized. It’s what she deserves.

The thing that striked me then and I said is very important to keep in mind, is her young age. Really, 16 is too young and them having sexual desires towards her is highly highly unlikely. Attraction to her talent and art? Sure. But not a desire to bone. So, I’m not making them out to be so pervs. From the beginning I said her age is very crucial here for all alternative explanations and actually can’t be overstated. I don’t think Bangtan would see a person so young as a potential sexual object. There’s just no way, especially considering there was no promiscuity whatsoever. But even then, I believe they know well where to draw a line, as anyone should.

Eventhough JK is not that much older than her (5 years, I think) and maybe in some places a man that age can date younger girls, it’s still not a small difference, especially at that point of their lives, she is still underaged and they all know that. Not only would something like that be a literal scandal from hell due to their idol status but it would be morally very ambiguous or if we want to be really blunt - paedophilic. A 5-6 years difference is not much when both people are adults but not in the case of one of them being underaged. Though if we want to talk about paedophilia - isn’t that what we saw in the early Bangtan days? People shipped Tae, who was 18 at the time and JK, who were only 16. Not to mention how JM is overly sexualized before he was llegal and so was Jungkook. So let’s not pretend like issues like that don’t exist in kpop because they do.

On a much serious note, I am always worried about all those young, naive and fame hungry trainees who leave their homes, only to be entrusted to men, usually much older than them. It worries me because this sounds exactly like the perfect setting for some very dark things to occur with one side being very young, almost helpless and the other being much older and richer and holding all the power. It’s unsettling what could be happening behind the curtains, far away from our knowledge..

Onto heteronormativitity. It’s an issue and we all know it. It has always been. Had this been a boy, even one at their age, many peolle would never even look twice, even if BTS reaction was a rather quizzical one. It’s how the minds of many people work, sadly. When it’s a malexfemale interaction, everything is fair game and “evidence”. With malexmale it’s exactly the opposite - “brothers until proven otherwise” and even then..

Age completely aside, for many people it’s hard to imagine a man can appreciate a girl for her talent and achievements and not her sex appeal. It’s concerning. This is exactly why I said that we don’t see more femalexmale interactions in kpop, there’s no way a genuine friendship won’t be twisted. Just look at the situation with Yoongi and Suran. The company had to even make a statement denying the dating rumours. Not to mention JK x IU and that whole can of warms. Boy can’t even be a fan nowadays.

In the end, regarding this concrete issues, it’s obvious it was a case of tallent appreciation. But the problem is not there. Tomorrow someone else might be involved, someone not underage or a rookie and then we’ll get a whole scandal on our hands. It’s not even about shipping or sexuality, about KM or whether or not X member is gay, bi or straight. It all kind of boils down to the rather problematic way malexfemale relations are perceived in kpop.

I really hope my words didn’t pour oil into any fire

[corseque]

I wanted to publish/answer the asks I got because of the bullying thing because they made me emotional and I’m really grateful to you guys. like, genuinely, I was overwhelmed by the support that day, and I’m feeling 100x better about the whole thing now.

Anonymous said:

I’m so sorry you went through that! I haven’t had a tumblr in literal years but after TLJ came out I somehow found your blog through Pinterest and wound up creating a new one because I admired you so much and wanted to follow you lol. Keep doing what you’re doing, and thank you for being so cool and like a beacon of positivity

holy shit, this is such a nice message. ;_; I’m so happy you like my blog, and I hope you have fun. I actively work and concentrate on being positive when sometimes I might not want to be, and I’m not perfect, so I’m glad that it at least comes through in a noticeable way.

morphinepudding said:

Confession: you're the only blog on this hellsite I've been following for years, since it seems we both love scar-faced, emotional, broken men with ominous masks and a soft spot for (not so) vulnerable little birds. I am a silent lurker outside of my art posting but know how much I appreciate your insight, your humor and your tags, and how I audibly squealed when you reblogged my latest piece since your posts were such an inspiration for it. Never let them bring you down.

this message made me burst into tears at my grandma’s house when I got it in my inbox. I adore your art so much, whenever I go to your page I have to like clutch at my heart with the emotions they give me. When I saw your latest piece, I was overwhelmed with like ‘oh my gosh, this is so relevant to my interests, how did they know???’ I genuinely felt like my heart was being read. My posts were an inspiration for it??? oh my god, I thought it was just because of Wayward Jedi’s videos or something and we were mutual fans of the theory ;______________; 

hahah, I’m tearing up again.. good to meet you after so many years

Anonymous said:

As someone whose not a reylo shipper I’ve always loved seeing your analyses of the scenes and what it means for the ship because it makes me happy to see you happy; to see thousand upon thousands of other fans happy. I like to do the same exact thing for my ships (like I’m a fan of finnrey) I can not stand those anti posts about reylo. Literally why on earth am I going to hate something that brings someone else joy and is not causing harm to anyone. I hope you continue loving what you love ♥️

This ask gives me so much hope. This is like, my goal, to just effing talk about stuff that makes me happy and draw people to me who like to talk about the things that make them happy. I actually love following blogs of people just talking about their interests, even if I know nothing about them. I’m glad my posts are a positive and not annoying to you, because I genuinely adore Finnrey. I think it’s literally only that I’m so married to certain extremely specific tropes that made me ship reylo more. And I’m just utterly annoyingly myopic about stuff until I feel like I’ve ‘figured it out.’

Anonymous said:

I love your Reylo metas!! It's a real shame that some in the tumblr Star Wars community are so closed minded and think it's cool to bash and make fun of viewpoints and interpretations that are different than theirs. Your posts are so well thought out and articulate. I am glad you are not deterred by the haters, and wish you well.

Thank you!! It was so fuckin bizarre to me because I don’t even mind being disagreed with. for a minute, I was almost like ‘why didn’t anyone I know tell me politely that I was writing foolishness?’ but then I realized it was all just middle schooler bullshit and bad takes. Thanks so much...

Anonymous said:

This is a fan who loves your blog and meta and interests!!! I’m sorry you have to deal with antis but I think you’ve really touched on something that I relate to in terms of the male characters I’m interested in as a heterosexual in theory but rarely in practice female. We are both interested in raw, emotional, flawed male characters and I think that’s just fine. Screw everyone else and do you! You’re fantastic. Sorry, this is a tired rambling late night ask haha

God, thank you. Like, this whole blog is me trying to figure out why I’m interested in these emotional male characters, especially in terms of my sexuality and gender, and I’m glad the wild stabs in the dark resonated with someone else in any way. “we are both interested in raw, emotional, flawed male characters and I think that’s just fine” BEAUTIFUL, I want ‘’and I think that’s just fine’’ tattooed on me. I feel like I’m constantly thinking ‘it’s not fine’ because this site’s culture gets to me sometimes, and having to shake myself out of it. This site is hell on earth.

Anonymous said:

I saw that stalking post & the bullying post. Someone I used to chat w/ (I left the Solas fandom & Tumblr about 2 years ago) was completely delighted by it & participated.For what it's worth,she is an incredibly miserable person who hates herself, her body, her family, her boyfriend.Everything/everyone. It's nothing about you, it's these sad people who would rather tear others down because it's easier than building themselves into better people who make genuine & sincere connections w/ others.

It makes me uncomfortable to think that someone who knew me from Dragon Age was enjoying this, cause like... man. That’s worse. I thought I had a relatively good reputation, so that’s kind of sad to me. I guess I’m falling for the fallacy of thinking ‘if I behave well enough x won’t happen to me.’ I don’t understand the draw of being so negative, but I hope someday they can self-reflect and figure stuff out.

Anonymous said:

what i don't understand about a lot of antis on this site is why they have to be so mean. look, i have characters i dislike and ships i dislike and if someone asks me about why i dislike them i'll tell them but otherwise why would i actively seek out things i don't like? i stay away. instead people have to mock and act like child bullies. we are just trying to enjoy, they are the miserable ones. don't need to publish this but just want you to know there are people that appreciate you.

Thanks, I have no idea either. I think getting worried and interfering about what other women are doing or interested in sexually is a thing people start doing when they feel powerless in other parts of their lives. The whole thing is pretty transparent because you just don’t see this kind of patronizing moral policing on websites populated by mostly men. Anyway, it always feels nice to have a Holy Crusade to believe in, and feel like you’re protecting children and doing good. Even if you’re not doing anything productive, it still feels great and the rush of moral superiority is addictive.

Anonymous said:

i like the assertions from people that folks use too much freudian stuff in talking about analysis in film and talk about how it's discredited and, ok sure but if people took a few film theory classes they'd find themselves running into freudian theory an awful lot in the context of, well, most films and especially hollywood films. (this is about tlj specifically though)

Yeah, like, it’s deliberately used in symbolism in movies. Full stop. Nothing more to discuss.

reinaben said:

Hey, corseque, you rock and you were right! I'm so happy today I'm bouncing like Adam on that gif. I remember reading some of your posts tagged #shitty wizards after TFA and wondering maybe she likes Kylo Ren? because he is like the shittiest wizard ever. I was so happy when you started posting meta about Star Wars, I still am. Anyway, I'm sorry to bother you and I'm sorry that the antis were assholes. Have a nice day!

Kylo Ren is such a #shitty wizard and I have loved him from day one. It’s just that this website is such a bad one that I was convinced not to post about the boi. Part of the reason why I’ve been posting So Much in like a flood is like... I was censoring myself for 2 years, so there’s a lot to catch up on. Glad you enjoyed my transition to Star Wars <3

[dreamsofthescreen]

How ‘Malcolm & Marie’ Did Manage to Keep Us Watching - Review

Though already critiqued, writer and director Sam Levinson's lockdown project 'Malcolm & Marie' does still soar and fulfils much of it's own potential.

Zendaya & John David Washington in 'Malcolm & Marie'

Widely anticipated black and white drama ‘Malcolm & Marie’ gathered mixed opinions, yet the portrayal of it’s intense emotions succeed to highlight the push and pull between a young couple. Starring Zendaya and John David Washington, the interest created in the simplistic feature is the indulgent argument sequence that is the film itself, very real in it’s reflection. Director Sam Levinson’s writing didn’t garner praise, yet it is the simplicity of it that should be admired, as the monologues cleverly portray the ever-changing emotions throughout. Though unoriginal through it’s format, ‘Malcolm & Marie’ makes a good point in staying relevant to pop culture today, and though criticised, is a very decent work with an impressionable and impassioned script.

‘Malcolm & Marie’ tells the tale of a 20-something year old couple returning from a successful premiere of a film that Malcolm (John David Washington) had worked on for years. The argument that arises from Marie (Zendaya) recognising that her boyfriend had forgotten to thank her upon presenting the film, stemming from her feeling unappreciated in the relationship, especially when compared to Malcolms work. As a former drug addict, it isn't hard to notice that Malcolm’s film seemed to base itself off of his girlfriend's own experience, as it tells the story of a young girl struggling to get clean. Director and Writer Sam Levinson’s script has been titled by New York magazine as having ‘utter emotional inauthenticity’, yet however simple it may seem, it is this harsh simplicity that analyses the unbalanced relationship. Levinson had previously worked with actress Zendaya in widely popular drama series ‘Euphoria’, casting her in the main role, as a drug induced, troubled teen. And this character is definitely reminiscent in Marie herself, Zendaya's performance creating the most tension, similar in 'Euphoria'. This very performance of hers had even garnered Oscar buzz, the dark and quiet moments of 'Marie' being the most powerful.

From the ‘Malcolm and Marie’ script, audiences don’t get an abstractly cliche or hollywood-esque writing style. And sure, the black and white aesthetics can be deemed as pretentious, and both characters screaming profanities down the hall at each other or wildly flailing their arms in protest doesn't amount to much, but Levinson creates a raw, emotional screenplay. A screenplay that analyses a relationship and allows audiences to understand the push and pull between Malcolm & Marie’s perspectives.

With just two characters, their monologues are what become paramount in the story. Marie defending her position with lines like, “agents, producers, crew members, actors, f***ing fictional characters get more respect and empathy from you than I do” & “You know what, Malcolm? I feel like once you know someone is there for you, and once you know they love you, you never actually think of them again.” Perspectives differ and an upheaval begins, with the two’s insecurities being revealed, as well as their fragile ego’s being targeted. As the complications are furiously discussed, what it comes down to is the way that Malcolm & Marie perceive each other, seen through Levinson’s writing. As Malcolm’s perspective of Marie reveals his attempts to understand her insecurity, he targets her with lines like “I promise you, I can hurt you ten times worse. You’re a f***ing featherweight, a level-one boss. I can snap you like a twig.” & “you may have gotten clean, but you still haven’t figured this part out yet. Why you love being hurt, traumatised and f***ing eviscerated? It’s not normal. It’s not healthy, and it permeates every aspect of our relationship.” Yet, Marie’s pain is revealed in lines like, “the difference is you were able to take all the ugly s**t and make it something beautiful. Something good. Something that could move people. But, Malcolm, I’m stuck with it.” The writing is straightforward, but it is the monologue moments that allow the cutting emotion to come through, and for us to see what’s really under their skin. And that mostly is their insecurities and lack of consideration for one another, something prevalent in many relationships today, giving audiences something to relate to, and hopefully influence them positively. Yet as Marie begins to understand Malcolm’s apparent reasoning behind his mistake in forgetting to thank her, she utters, “The man I’m looking at right now is as good as he’s going to get. You yelling at me in a bathtub about how you’re going to snap me like a twig is the best and worst of who you will be in this relationship. And that’s why you can forget to thank me in your speech.” Again, these sharp lines aren’t glamourised, but hook audiences to the characters experiences, rather than just the plot at hand. The plot is the character’s experiences, yet it is their speech-like moments that strive to stand out & prevail in doing so. Where other critics could have been looking for dialogue sprinkled with fairy dust and rhetorical metaphors, as most Hollywood rom-dram’s go, Levinson succeeds in communicating the character’s true hurt, because of the realistic bitterness in his writing.

Made during the 2020 Coronavirus lockdown, Levinson’s arthouse attempt needed to have interest in a simple story, given the limitations of the production. Set in a contemporary, empty home, the costumes never change, nor the location. All audiences have is the debate between Malcolm & Marie themselves. Yet the impassioned speeches create said indulgence for audiences. From a fight in the middle of eating mac and cheese, to Marie frightening Malcolm with her acting skills, the continued substance is in the ever-changing scenes. The acting in this feature is, of course apart of the heavily intense feelings that are communicated. Zendaya’s acting skills are at peak when compared to any of her previous, Disney-related projects, as she is able to take on a true performance in a twisting leading lady role. John David Washington has a running streak for emotionally inquisitive pictures, and could certainly keep up with the demanding performance. Within the two hours of the argument saga, there was room for growth that wasn’t used, as Malcolm and Marie rarely change and remain two dimensional. Yet, it can be argued that the entire plot was only within a four to five hour time period that Malcolm and Marie spent together, meaning that it's lack of development was realistic to the time set. Something to be positively noted is that with this short time period that Levinson focuses on, it allows us to really delve into and  analyse an unbalanced relationship to a considerably good extent, it remaining insightful.

However much it may seem like an ‘homage’ to Old Hollywood black and white pictures or ’Film Noir’ features, Levinson’s interpretation doesn’t sell too well, as it seems like a parody or attempt at reinventing classic cinema. As appealing as it looks, the aesthetics come off as quite two dimensional, with both characters longingly staring as they lonesomely smoke a cigarette, or with repetitive close up shots seeking to distinguish their deep-seated emotions. Additionally, something that was interesting was the juxtaposition between the classic cinema aesthetics when put with a modern story. As Marie changes from a sleek silver dress into a basic white tank top, with the black and white setting, you might expect her to be dressed in an Old-Hollywood, Marilyn Monroe-esque costume, delivering corny, Casablanca inspired lines. Yet, her and Malcolm sit on the porch, scrolling through their phones, with no sweeping soundtrack or dramatic stylings.

As this is a modern love story, Levinson chooses to create homage, but still cleverly focus on topics that are significant today. However pretentious others may view it, his comments on the oppression that African-Americans face in the entertainment industry does ring relevant, especially to the past year. Although a white man himself, Levinson doesn’t overstep boundaries when he writes Malcolm commenting on his hardships in the filmmaking world as a black man. As Malcolm compares himself to the next Spike Lee, Marie touches on the idea of an Angela Davis biopic, as well a poking fun at critics attempts to support black voices in the film industry. These comments create some substance an lift the story considerably, in a way to reach creators or minorities today.

Furthermore, as ‘Malcolm and Marie’ received backlash from writers at ‘Rolling Stone’ and sparked opinions circulating on Twitter. Yet, this backlash commented on the attack at film critics that the movie seems to point towards at times, with Malcolm aggressively threatening a writer of a mediocre review that his work got, again, his sensitive ego on display. And sure, the argument sequences were truly overplayed and there was little character development. Yet again within the time frame that Levinson set, as well as the COVID19 production restrictions, there wasn’t much room for any major changes. And the pretentious, teen-like fighting between the two is exhausting to watch play out. It can be said that Levinson had potential to create a story more complex, but it is the simplicity of the monologues, not arguments, but monologues, that grab our attention and create a gripping story.  

As the trailer put it, “this is not a love story, this is the story of love”, and with that, love needed to be represented realistically. Though given backlash, writer and director Sam Levinson’s independent drama ‘Malcolm & Marie’ flourishes in it’s representation of a relationship on thin ice. Though the art direction and cinematography attempts to distract us or gloss over the straightforward writing, the performance is still strong, despite critics picking apart the simple and unchanging plot. Levinson’s attempt at an arthouse film didn’t end up being niche, but was widely received by many and greatly succeeded in it’s dramatic communication. As some can see it as two hours of repetitive quarrelling, it is the small, but meaningful journey that Malcolm & Marie take in discovering what the other needs that is relevant. Where NPR said that it 'can't seem to find it's meaning', the meaning can be seen in the words. It is the writing that gives insight into both characters and is what highlights the basic plot in Sam Levinson’s romantic drama, ’Malcolm & Marie’, creating interest in a film that was, at times, deemed too tedious.

Stars Out of Five: 3/5

[merryfortune]

Not Quite Cubism

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc V

Ship: None | arguable Gensis | implied Fruit, FallenAngel, and Apple though

Alternate Universe - none but slight alternate interpretation of canon

Synopsis:

Cubism: an art movement which wanted to capture the ephemeral nature of time; a cross-section of past, present, and future in a single instant. Depicted through geometric or cubic shapes, collages, and the overlaying of interlocking planes and dimensions.

In which Ray constructs her own artworks. In which Ray constructs the universe and all within it.

Word Count: 1,346

Warnings: Surrealist imagery, none

Links: ao3  | ko-fi

  Ray held her head high and thrust her hand into the air. The bracelets manifested from thin air: four. They clamped onto her and became the only thing anchoring her to the one true reality beneath her feet as she bent time and space. As she destroyed the universe and recreated it from scraps. She recreated it perfectly. Her ideation of perfection surfaced from the destruction.

  Her father always said she had her head in the clouds. Now she was rending them as she saw fit. She was the sculptor of hills, mountains, canyons, and more. She created people like an author would create characters in a novel; she gave them all appearances, families, personalities, homes: everything. She wrought the wind and water. She remade the planets, stars, and constellations. She was a Goddess. She was infinity and a fifth.

  She could see it all.

  She could feel it all.

  Her brain was fit to burst but she ascended humanity. She became something more and something less. Not quite divinity, not quite dead.

  Four. Four. Four. Four. Five.

  She became one of five. She became four of five. The universes and histories and dimensions unravelled and she frantically tried to save it; try to fix it but she had to start from scratch. It was strangely easy. There was to be four of everything. She could see it all once and rend it all at once. Four of everything. She would create everything in the perfect image so to keep everyone safe from the wrath of Zarc.

  Ray’s body shifted. She left a corporeal form before as she refused to bow to the dragon before her. She became five forms: herself and her selves. Not just her. As she ripped through the dimensions, through space and time and void, she did the same to Zarc.

  She kept her head up and her eyes dry. She held onto her memories – not theirs. Hers. She refused to let herself become one of many. She refused to let them – these four girls – become parts of her. She wanted them to be their own person. She didn’t want them to be four quarters of one whole: of a full fifth.

  She hoped it was the same for the boys. In this state of omnipotence, she hoped that Zarc wasn’t allowing those boys he was becoming to let them become four quarters to a full fifth. She didn’t want them to become one.

  The energy of the universe funnelled through her. The lights were immense and dazzling but she stood through it all. She refused to bow beneath the pressure and power. It was hers. She wouldn’t let this power use her. She would use it. She would remain calm and in control. She would remain incandescent even as her body became nothingness and only echoes of her remained.

  She could see it all.

  She could feel it all.

  The universes were in her fingertips. It was past, present, and future all at once. Ray knew what she had to do.

  She made them. She made the past. She made the present. And she would do her best to create the future.

  Hiragi Yuzu: The Bracelet Girl of Standard whom she would gift the power of En Flowers to. She would be determination and thoughtful. She would be appreciated. Ray will also gift her with a doting father and many friends. Ray gives her the ability to adapt and learn to become bigger than herself; the ability to help draw that out in others. Ray hopes that she will guide Sakaki Yuya, the Standard incarnation of Zarc, to the right path. Ray hopes that Yuzu will be able to guide the four counterparts of Zarc away from destruction if given the chance.

  Kurosaki Ruri: The Bracelet Girl of XYZ whom she would gift the power of En Birds to. She would be beauty and grace but resolute. She would be admired. Ray will also gift her a protective elder brother and gentle circle of friends. She knows Ruri is destined to be the dove they shoot to start a war but Ray gives her that resolute will to defy and defy even against the ones who want to protect her and the ones who want to harm her. Ray hopes that she will bind Yuto, the XYZ incarnation of Zarc, to friendship and righteousness. To smiles.

  Rin: The Bracelet Girl of Synchro whom she would gift the power of En Winds to. She would be bravery and level headed. She would be reliable. Ray knows she can’t give Rin a cushy life as she designs the world of Synchro and as Zarc rages against those plans so instead, Ray gives her the ability to survive and to analyse so she can be independent. Ray hopes that she will ground Yugo, the Synchro incarnation of Zarc, and help him make the difficult decisions; even when she isn’t around.

  Serena: The Bracelet Girl of Fusion whom she would gift the power of En Moon to. She would be unyielding and noble but she would also have the capacity to learn. She will learn. And for Serena, Ray tries to give her the best but she knows her Father will try and bring her back so she gives Serena a mentor will instil virtues in her and the will to fight against what’s wrong even if its grinds against what Ray’s Father will teach her. Ray knows that Yuri, the Fusion incarnation of Zarc, is beyond saving before she starts but Ray hopes that Serena will learn and grow beyond the teachings of Academia by meeting the others, Yuya and Yugo.

  Ray knows these girls are destined for a nigh apocalyptic ending. She would know. After all, she’s all of them combined and she can see her sugar, her spice, and her everything nice in them but she could see that they would be their own person. They would be complementary to each other for they will be bound by the silver on their wrists. But they would also be completely different; even if they were cursed to have the same face despite it all.

  So, she makes sure that in their lives which are set to start in mere seconds.

  And the universe becomes silent.

  And Ray’s mind becomes silent.

  Zarc gives in. His final howl resounds through the emptiness as the universe, as Ray, takes a breath and prepares for the second coming of life across four, newly created planes in the best image Ray could muster against the manifest evil that she knows Zarc created in his defiance of her power.

  She’s done the best she can in these moments – in these infinities – and she puts the final touches on the ones whom she knows will become the fighters in the second coming in this war. After all, history repeats and her Father will never forget her.

  But now, she can only wait as her plans, her stories, come into motion and into life. She designed all the characters to be the best they can be and she hopes they all take a life of their own and make something she could never have foreseen. No matter how insignificant she created them in their universe. Everyone will become their own person and surprise her.

  The four boys will become one.

  The four girls will become one.

  But at least, they all got the chance to live and be free. They were given the opportunity to do what Ray could not do in this Original Dimension which is to prevent catastrophe before the winds of chaos could even gust. Its futile.

  Destruction and recreation is the foregone conclusion but, at the very least, the four who will become one were given the chance to live. With that, Ray can be content. She knows she’s done the right thing given the circumstances. She might have made a hollow mess of things here and there but that’s the beauty of life… we can all grow.

  We can all use the powers seen in nature.

[simikaurblog]

Artist and designers who use colour, Pop Art and aesthetics.

Polly Apfelbaum 

Apfelbaum is an American contemporary and visual artist, who is best known for her colourful drawings, sculptures, and fabric floor pieces. They are referred to as "fallen paintings". 

The artist is influenced by music, art history, popular culture, and cartoons. When looking at her work I believe that Apfelbaum brings in the high and low by using different mediums. There is a lot of experimentation through Apfelbaum’s work and she describes her self as a hybrid. The mediums the artist works with include fabric, paint, dyes, wallpaper, plasticine, and ceramics—her work has dissolved spatial, plastic, and temporal boundaries. 

The Ikon Gallery presented Polly Apfelbaum’s work, which featured a large scale colourful installation of textiles, ceramics and drawings. Her practise is framed in a wider social and political context and the legacy of post war American art. The background behind her work has allowed Apfelbaum to create pieces of art that are expressive through the visual element of colour, shape, form and movement. This is why it is important to have a lot of research and context behind your work. From experience this has helped me as a artist / designer to create expressive pieces. 

The artist was intrigued by the space, obsession and otherness. This was emphasised by the way the gallery was put together. It was a visual experience and made me think that i was apart of the art. 

I really liked the work of Polly Apfelbaum and the use of different mediums and techniques she included in her work to create something different and innovative. She has explored the visual element colour successfully. Moving forward, I too would like to open my mind to using materials I wouldn’t use in order to be experimental and innovative. 

Josef Alberts

Josef Albers is an artist and educator who uses the use of colour to express the most important element in painting. Albers was influenced by Minimalism, colour field painters, Abstract Expressionism, Op Art and has influenced me as an artist / designer to use colour to explore aesthetics and rule breaking in design. This is an area I am interested in and would like to explore again during my time at University. 

Some of Albers’s work is intriguing to view as some colour choices are not suppose to be paired together. For example dark green and black, pink and red or tones of colours . In my opinion, I like these colour choices. 

Albers wanted his audience to understand the complicated ways the human eyes perceive eyes. I want my audience to open their eyes when they view my art and to analyse what is really there. Albers was interested in the way colours interacted with each other, and the effect that interaction had on human perception. I will take inspiration of how effective I can use colour and composition because I want to improve and develop my skills. 

Aesthetics 

Aesthetics is the philosophical study of beauty and taste. The term stems from the Greek word “aisthetikos,” meaning “of sense perception,” and is related to the study of sensory values. In design, aesthetics refers to the visual attractiveness of a product. Studies have proven that creating good aesthetics in a product leads to better usability and user experience. 

Gunta Stolzl 

Gunta Stolzl was a German textile artist who played a fundamental role in the development of the Bauhaus school's weaving workshop. 

The artist uses colour and shape to create successful composition and visual excitement. I like the harmony of the curvilinear and horizontal lines and vertical grids. The materials and techniques used to create these vibrant colours without any digital editing is amazing. Stolzl ideas are from the color theory, Paul Klee visual thinking, and Wassily Kandinsky abstract art. This knowledge was then used into the method of weaving. Lack of technical guidelines allowed the artist to question and experiment with different materials and techniques, allowing her to make the step from traditional textile techniques and weaving done by generations before to the new weaving that would become admired by generations after. 

It would be interesting to experiment with these materials and techniques to combine it with visual designs. I like how the lack of technical guidelines allowed Gunta Stolzl to experiment with techniques and materials to create textile designs that is still admired and loved generations after. 

Shelia Hicks 

Shelia Hicks uses colour to create fibre art sculptures. Her methods include knitting, knotting, bonding, felting and tufting. I love her vivid use of colour, experimental and innovative approach using natural materials. Her work is refreshing, for the reason that it allows me use the inspiration of texture and colour in my work and use it in a style to express myself as a designer. Hicks doesn’t just use one shade of colour, the artist uses different tones and shades to convey a particular feeling or mood. 

Again, I like how Shelia Hicks is another artist who uses colour differently and explores it using materials that require the artist to put it together using their hands and not relying on digital techniques. 

Morag Myerscough 

Morag Myerscough is a design agency based in London. The work is characterised by an engaging boldness, creating specific, local responses to each distinct audience that will see and experience the design, using it to create community and build identity. 

I love the designs, use of colours within these designs. The use of strong colours, big type, stripes, spots and puzzle-like arrangements of geometrical elements creates scale and drama. This is what I call visual excitement! 

The artist states that she ‘likes interpreting spaces; by ‘putting narrative into spaces that don’t exist’. What I really like about this design agency is that they are not just creating pictures or art for aesthetics; the art has a use for places and people. For example, train station, cafe, installations, exhibitions and interpreting buildings.  Myerscough works with community groups to develop ideas that reflect the identity of the users. This is successful approach used and allows design to be shared between cultural history and heritage of the local area.

Morag Myerscough states that ‘’ I’m not a graphic designer, illustrator, architect or a sculptor, but maybe I’m all of those things. It’s about mindset and trying to create something for people to feel they are part of. My mantra is the Chinese proverb - make happy those that are near and those that are far will come’’. 

This research has opened my mind to think about what I communicate and how I do this. I realised that there isn’t a limit and through experiments and opening your approach, you can achieve something wonderful. Looking at the work within this agency I first thought that it doesn’t really have any meanings or use. After some researching my opinions have now changed. I love how the agency use bright colours and other elements, which in a way hypnotises and consumes you. 

Philip Stearns

Philip Stearns is a Brooklyn based artist and designer, who is well known for using glitch and combines this technique with textiles.

The work has been developed by a curious exploration of visual technology through corrupting the hardware of digital cameras. This then creates distorted images that show unnatural acidic like colours and shapes. Stearns then went onto explore glitch as a textile concept; now producing rugs and blankets. 

Stearns has achieved bring contemporary technological rebellion and traditional weaving into a new concept together. A viewer might not feel ready to be exposed by this art, however once you understand it, it starts to become less intimidating. When I look into the art I feel memorised by the mix of colours and this visual experience and human interaction is what a lot of artist and designers are starting to use. By enjoying and embracing the aesthetics of technological mistakes, the beauty of art becomes a deep feeling of complex streams of information, visual media, and our own lives converge in the chaos of art. I believe that bad designs has some kind of control and we can’t help but amend bad design.

Sam Coldy 

Sam Coldy is a graphic designer, surface designer, filmmaker, animator and art director. This artist is successful in using colour and composition. 

I decided to research into Coldy’s work as his designs have intrigued me. Sam Coldy has used elements of hazy, blurred and strong geometric textures and forms. These elements overlap within each other to create a bright and noticeable piece. Analogous and complementary colours have been used to create harmony within in the piece. Different tones and shades are used to highlight the colour scheme and it becomes dramatic. 

Coldy states that it is good to try something new and unique for each project; hence why Coldy’s designs vary. I have learnt to incorporate this professional advice into my experimentations, as I feel it is important to try new things, even though might make mistakes. I think this is why I am really intrigued by art that is experimental and uses other techniques and materials. I believe you should embrace this and accept it as art; this can be achieved by pushing the boundaries and trying something new and developing visual elements you never know what the outcome is. 

Pop Art 

The technique of screen printing became a popular printing method in the 20th century, in the commercial and artist printmaking sector. This technique has produced some of the most successful print images and greatly influenced the silkscreen print production, graphic design, poster works, and garment printing of the present. 

Colour plays an important part in this historical art movement. The colours used were yellow, red and blue. In contrast to other art movements, pop art does not reflect the artists' inner sensation of the world. Instead, they refer to the popular culture.

Examples of this include Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Peter Blake. 

Screen printing is a form of stencilling that first appeared in China during the Song Dynasty (920-1279 AD). It was then adapted by other Asian countries like Japan. It then came west in the late 1780s when silk mesh started being traded. Early in the 1910s, several printers experimenting with photo –reactive chemicals with glues and gelatine compounds. The medium changed to photographic techniques that influenced art and print. Not only did it influence art and print the Industrial Revolution had its impact on this art form as well, as the frames and presses started to become mechanised. The end of the 19th century brought about the first 'silk-screen' patent.

Looking at how successful this historical movement has been, the method and technique of screen printing has appealed to me. In my opinion, I believe that these artists chose the medium of screen printing because it allowed them to maintain bold, bright colours when reproducing their works. Boldly colourful and novel, screen printing has become one of the basic techniques of postmodernist art and contemporary art. The versatile in design and technique makes screen printing different and is perfect. 

Other examples I have found that use colour in the creative industry. 

W&Q is the work of two young Chinese designers who are exploring the relationship between classic Chinese bamboo handcraft and modern Chinese design, using bold colour in unexpected ways - vibrant blues, emerald greens and sunburnt oranges mix with intricate woven pattern.

Splitz Popsicle's brand identity is visually pleasing and features popsicle packaging with graphic and geometric details. They feature three flavours that are designed for the health-conscious consumer with a sweet tooth. 

[klphotoawards]

POSITIIV 27 Magazine - The world beyond your backyard: a comparison of Asian and European photography ~ Annika Haas

There is no doubt that photography has immensely expanded our visual perception. Although photos can bring the entire world to our home, it is still not the same as immediate experience. It is always good to meet real people, hear and see their unfiltered thoughts, admire the amazing multitude of ideas and visions, and find common features or experience something entirely new and different from our former perception. This applies regardless of the contemporary facilities available, especially if you are interested in learning about the trends of modern photography and the tendencies prevailing in its imagery and focus in different continents.

In the summer of 2016, I participated as a finalist in the exhibition of the international portrait photo competition “Kuala Lumpur International Photo Awards 2016” (KLPA 2016) in the Malaysian capital. The competition has been held for eight years by now. This venture, started by its head organiser Steven Lee, represents a good example of mutual influence and interaction of different photography schools around the world, based on a simple logic: every new artistic expression in photography develops in specific historical conditions, stemming from current reflections of a global mind. Nowadays, the influence seems to feature a rather west to east orientation, but it is not limited to that. In this article, I will focus on the comparison of mutual relationship between Asian and Western world in photography.

According to Steven Lee, KLPA came to life by the example of the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize, the most prestigious portrait photography competition in the world, organised by the National Portrait Gallery in London. He says, “There was absolutely no meaningful approach to portrait photography in Malaysia; there were no opportunities to learn the specifcs of this genre. I remember that in the first year of KLPA, majority of the 500 works entered to the competition were so-called beauty pictures with virtually no story-telling focus. Local photography schools focused more on the technical aspects; technical quality prevailed over content. But year-by-year we began to receive conceptual portraits by local Asian photographers, because they had seen the successes of the European school of photography, the key of which consists in focusing on the meaning of portrait photography.”

Despite being one of the most important international competitions of portrait photography in Asia (its number of participants has tripled), the best works of KLPA in 2016 still consist of photos by authors from Europe, USA or Australia. All strong Asian photographers who have succeeded in the competition have global experience. Perhaps our own local artists interested in taking their creations beyond Estonian borders should make their own conclusions from that.

Kathrin Tschirner #14-09-03 Frau VII 

Kathrin Tschirner, Germany

Before coming to Kuala Lumpur, German photographer Kathrin Tschirner, the winner of KLPA 2016 in the category “Stillness and Distance”, thought of Rinko Kawauchi from Japan as the best example of modern Asian photography. “I love her photographic images and their clear yet amazing and poetic language. I could look at them for hours and always find new angles. Perhaps this is because several cultural codes in these photographs are not self-evident for me, but this makes the images even stronger, more mystical and attractive. I experienced that feeling again at the Japanese photo exhibition (Focus Japan) of KLPA 2016. It seems that the photography in Asia operates by using symbols galore. Artists dare to work on alienation and find multiple layers between art and reportage,” she explains.

Here, Kathrin refers to a book by Mayumi Suzuki, in which the artist speaks of losing her parents in the tsunami in Japan. “It is executed beautifully: the photographer works with several narrative elements, plays with text and images, paying attention to different texture, material, colours and visual language. It seems to me that Europe lacks such detailed and experimental courage in the use and execution of photos.  The West is more likely characterised by the fear of losing enshrined principles.”

As one of the winners of KLPA 2016, Tschirner does not refer to herself as a portrait photographer, although she often uses the concept of that particular genre in her work, expanding the definition of portrait photography as she sees fit. She needs human perception in order to delineate something very personal, and she moves in areas that she finds intriguing. Thus, the winning photo belongs to the series on a region in Berlin that has been an active centre of prostitution for the last 130 years. Working as a volunteer in the counselling centre for sex workers enabled the photographer to have a deeper insight in the life of these women. “Walking with them opened new perspectives of this area and my photos revealed new layers. My motifs softened and I removed needlessly loud photographs from the series. I wanted the viewer to feel the message without being too detailed and straightforward. These photos are like puzzle pieces, fragments of the concept of reality.”

Mayumi Suzuki, Japan

Above-mentioned Japanese photo artist Mayumi Suzuki remains modest when describing her photography in the context of her experience of KLPA 2016. “I think that the difference between Asian and Western photography comes from different approaches to photographic education. In Japan, there is not much discussion regarding conceptuality and context, resulting in insincerity of the majority of works. Winning European artists have powerful works built on stories with social, historical, cultural or artistic backgrounds. They have excellent story-telling skills.” 

Mayumi Suzuki. The Restoration Will. In progress (2016).

Mayumi points out a new trend in Japan – compilation of photographic biographies (cf. the works of Estonian art publisher Lugemik (“Textbook”)) that act as a general portrait of the artist. Such books are compiled as an installation of experienced perceptions, and this is truly powerful. When looking at the works created by Mayumi, the viewer sees the light from stars that no longer exist ‒ beautiful, warm, and painfully tender. “Engagement in the process of creating that book was the key to my inner healing,” resumes the Japanese photographer.

Alia Ali, Yemen-Bosnia-North America

One of the most cosmopolitan photo artists I met in Kuala Lumpur was Alia Ali. She does not easily compare different photography practices from geographic aspects. “For someone, who is simultaneously Asian, European and North-American, and lives in Africa (Alia has roots in Yemen, Bosnia and America), it is annoyingly complicated to answer the question about geographical distribution of ideas. In fact, my entire collection of works contests the existence of borders. Many artists of Asian origin have lived in Europe and North America, and then returned to their homeland. Why should we categorise the origin of ideas of these people in any way.  They are just their ideas, their eyes, and their vision. I would rather focus that question on the individuality of every photographer.” 

Alia Ali. Dots II. Cast No Evil.  New Orleans, USA. 2016 

Alia Ali. Semen I.People of Pattern. Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia. 2016

In Alia’s interpretation, the division of global photography trends is based more on style and theme. At the same time, she frequently points out the dangers in following visual trends in photography. Photographers should find their own “eye”. However, themes are still crucial. “I think that photographers should bring their creation to public discussions, and also communicate with each other. Discussion of topical issues often remains too verbal. Inaccurate use of words and resulting ambiguity may instead cause misunderstandings in various communities. Acute topics that the photography should address include migration, Islam, identity, disappearing gender concept, climate change and its impact, etc.”

When analysing the works by Alia Ali, her heritage seems to play an important role: both Yugoslavia and South-Yemen no longer exist. After struggling with that on various levels, she decided to exit the polarity and define herself through her photos. Marcel Duchamp has introduced a French term inframince, which suits well to describe Alia’s identity. This term signifies concepts that are impossible to define, but can be illustrated by descriptive examples – “I know it, because I see it”.  Thus, Alia’s identity is that of a photo artist and her projects stem from inframince.

Her ongoing photo projects (e.g. Cast No Evil) often focus on the sincerity of the motives behind our daily activities. At the exhibition, the viewers feel forced to confront themselves and ask inconvenient questions. Fabrics are something that we all know and use on a daily basis, but in Alia’s works, they represent a more far-reaching symbol, denoting “fabricated” borders we built to isolate ourselves either on individual or social level.  The ambiguity of the project manifests already in the title of the series “People of Patterns”, fragments of which were also included among the awarded photos of KLPA 2016. As her work covers seven different countries, she concludes that although we are all similar in terms of needs and self-realisation at birth, we still remain different in terms of reaching satisfaction. Without giving any answers, Alia rather helps the individuals to relate to themselves.

Heiko Tiemann, Germany

One of the most striking exhibitions by European artists participating in KLPA 2016 was that of German photographer Heiko Tiemann. Exhibition contained photos from series Infliction, portraying boys and girls at a school for children with special needs, suffering from traumatic disorders, complicated social background, or raised in an orphanage.

Heiko Tiemann. Infliction

In Malaysia, Heiko was fascinated by photography focussing on the aspects of people’s internal life, and these aspects clearly feature in his own work. He is a sensitive photographer, whose photos do not seem to be taken by a man (yes – stereotypes may occasionally mislead the author as well).

“I believe that the Asian photographers’ skill to probe the depths of human nature originates from the photos by Eikoh Hosoe and  films by Akira Kurosawa,” says Tiemann. “The works of these authors feature a fragile connection between internal processes and external epiphanies. European photography is sometimes limited to visible aspect without perception. I think that this stems from the Europeans’ overall scepticism towards emotions and representation in art. Many photographers tend to have detached, at times even ironic approach. It may work, but in photography it represents the easy way out.”

Heiko considers himself more of a chronicler, observer of daily life, constantly taking mental photos without camera. His long-term projects are not products of rational process; they grow together into a whole over time.

Eiffel Chong and Nadirah Zakariya, Malaysia

Malaysian photo artists Eiffel Chong and Nadirah Zakariya have also participated in previous KLPA competitions.  They have said that in their homeland, photography as an autonomous art discipline is still a very young area of self-expression.  Thus, it is not surprising that they both obtained education in photography outside Malaysia and refer to that experience as an important aspect in their development. Eiffel Chong studied in London (London College of Printing) and Nadirah Zakariya in New York (Fashion Institute of Technology). Eiffel even mentioned that in his homeland, photographers had to look up to the western photographers for a long time, because European photography has had the greatest impact on the developing Malaysian photo community.

Eiffel Chong Pearl River Estuary. Seascape. 2016

“For me, taking pictures serves as a means of communication, an opportunity to visualise my thoughts.  the things I choose to express through photos are very personal.” Chong has primarily studied the subjects of identity and existentialism. For example, he staged an entire series of works based on the idea how people create customary masks and how allegedly protective mask actually exposes their vulnerability and weakness instead of hiding it.

Nadirah Zakariya. Girlhood. 2016

Nadirah Zakariya is a good example of a modern, multicultural creative spirit. She provided a laconic description of her photographic style: raw or unprocessed, emotional and personal. In her most recent art project, she uses photography to disclose the secrets of sisterhood (Girlhood), studies tight connection between sisters and the spirit they share. A seemingly simple topic has been visualised to shape dreams, hope, fear, layers of various feelings, elevating the magic between women. Nadirah boldly crosses standards and often embeds contradicting content and form elements in her photos. The artist’s inner freedom to experiment has paid of.

In an attempt to sum up my meetings and experiences during the events of KLPA 2016, I can say that all the abovementioned artists have peaked in their strength, visibility and unique approaches to photography thanks to their companions and openness towards the world. I call it ‘indivisual’ – individual visual – because such pun seems rather appropriate and accurate in this case.

The world has become more open for Estonian photographers, too. For years, many of my colleagues have cooperated with foreign photo agencies, shown their exhibitions abroad and introduced local photo art in recognised international galleries.  They have reached their current positions not just because of their high-quality and original creative baggage, they are also open and receptive, ready to make contact and communicate with other artists around the world, and they have learned to see other things besides their own work.

I truly wish that our fragmented photo communities would become more open to communicate with each other and curious to see beyond their own noses. There are no limits if we do not limit ourselves. ~ Annika Haas, POSITIIV 27, 2016.

Alia Ali, Yemen-Bosnia-North America, www.alia-ali.com 

Eiffel Chong, Malaysia, www.eiffelchong.com

Heiko Tiemann, Germany, www.heikotiemann.de 

Kathrin Tschirner, Germany, www.kathrin-tschirner.com 

Mayumi Suzuki, Japan, www.mayumi-suzuki.com

Nadirah Zakariya, Malaysia, www.nadirahzakariya.com 

Steven Lee, Malaysia, www.stevenleephotography.com

POSITIIV is a photography magazine published in Estonia

Annika Haas, writer for Documentary & Portrait Photography

www.positiiv.ee

[itsleafourie]

My little Endgame.

There is a type of paradoxical creature inside of me.

One second I want to devote my entire life to studying the academics and subjects such as law. Then the next second, my mind wanders off to a destination such as art, literature, philosophy, history and all the shit in our reality that makes us basically question our entire existence. When people ask, “What is your ultimate dream in life?” It always comes down to me wanting to leave the same feeling of questioning and examination of our interpretations of reality, in the minds of our society behind. Basically, I would love to mind-fuck people. For me, the ultimate indication of a wealthy individual is education, intelligence, emotional growth and how great our ability is of interpreting others’ situations and circumstances are, and then implementing this new found wisdom into our everyday lives.

So basically, what I’m trying to say is, I deal with a shit ton of thinking each and every day. For example, asking someone of my age a simple question such as, “How are you feeling?” And then replying with the most simple and common answer of, well, pretty great. For me, it becomes a full on class discussion inside my mind. Every Lea Fourie that every existed starts to debate about different responses. They take things further like, “Why did they ask that? Is it because of my body language? Is body language a natural occurrence or did humans trick themselves into thinking that there is something to look in how a person is sitting? Does this suggest self-centeredness that we naturally assume people are continuously lying to our faces, thus we feel the need to search for a lie? Is the way I’m reacting to this body-language debate initiating anxiety? Is this reaction an indication of my childhood trauma of feeling isolated from my fellow peers? There must be some phycological explanation…” And the discussion never seems to stop.

Listen, I’m not a self-breed mess of anxiety and stress. In fact, I respond the same exact way that this average individual would respond. I just have an extra little hidden equation at the end of my answer. Something only I can see. There’s this constant conversation that I’m having with my consciousness. Some breaking-the-third-wall-of-my-personality shit. It doesn’t make me more fucked up than the rest of the world, it just makes me a little more entuned with my nature, emotions, and thought process.

Or maybe I’ll be one of those adults at the reunions who speaks frantically about the world ending in 13 hours because of some government based disease being bred on the Antarctica plate or some shit. You know, one of those individuals who spits some freaky truth about the capitalistic system messing up our society, environment and phycological selves, even though the original conversation was only about the prices being lifted at our school’s tuckshop. I take a mundane complaint like an expensive muffin to the next level. Hell, to the 87th level. Within a minute of that convo being born, I’ve got you questioning your entire contribution within this system and shaping you into a conspiracist against the world economy. Just like that, an average muffin goes from being, well, average to some universal weed infused mind-fuck potion that got you hating yourself and every person you’ve ever encountered. Within an instant, opinions and this magical train of thought that I experience, gets shared with another individual.

Shit, now that I think of it, maybe a life as a conspiracy-theory ambassador seems quite fitting for me.

Just a PSA, I’m kidding. Or am I? I could be making this entire interpretation of my brain up as we’re going along. Hell, I could be manipulating you into thinking I’m some profound individual who’s constantly philosophising about the meaning of life. You know, someone who just casually discovers what the meaning of the universe is while collecting my Ice Gelado at our local Vida E Caffe as a study break, with almond milk of course, being lactose intolerant. (Now that’s some next level capitalistic first world problem.) Got your train of thought speeding now, don’t I? Relax, I can confirm that I am, in fact, a truthful and over-analysing bitch (with a huge diary allergy problem.)

And discovering the meaning of the universe is more of a bedtime self-care activity.

I’d rather be some mentally-confused goose who’s constantly on a wild chase for some new profound intelligence than some fucktard that refuses to accept any possibility of an opinion or statistic or story or reality that might challenge his precious values and viewpoints of life. I say it’s against our nature to live such shallow and empty lives. Let us live lives with constant pain, disappointment, change, arguments and discoveries. Let us live lives full of experiences.

To come back to the original message of this discussion: I am a living paradox. It is because of these constant conversations inside of me that I am like this. It feels like the parliament of South Africa throwing around chairs and yelling out insignificant remarks up there. But somehow, it all works. Somehow, I’m sitting in the chair enjoy this wonderful scene of word violence going on. It amuses, frightens and excites me, all at the same time. Maybe the comparison to the parliament isn’t quite accurate, considering that my version is more a continuous friendly (but violent) banter about newer and more improved versions of opinions and ideas. It’s liberating, it’s empowering and it’s wonderful. Less than a negative parliament attacking each other and more like the legendary fight scene in Endgame. My friend, I am not a person who gets emotional about Marvel films, but that scene got me feeling some type of way. It’s this fight inside of my brain about better and newer ideologies that excites me, because that means growth and change is coming. This debate got me sitting on the edge of the seat, throwing my popcorn everywhere and admiring how these empowering women are fighting together for a common goal of a better future. Did Lea Fourie just compare the biggest blockbuster movie of 2019 to her own imaginative reality of self-growth? You sure right I did.

You see, if I wasn’t challenging myself by writing this piece, I would have never made this ground-breaking discovering of my own little Endgame. And, to be honest, I developed a little insecurity about my writing over the years. It started in grade 7, when I realized that a noticeably amount of 13-year-olds were getting a lot better marks for their essays about the Colourful Caterpillar than I was. It was because of this, that the fear of putting myself out there and improving my writing became something I avoided. Even though I loved reading and telling stories, it scared the living poop out of me to phantom my thought constellations  into physical words. I’d rather prefer them hanging up in the night sky, than ever physically exanimating and studying them. I acknowledged that they were there, but I just kept looking at the ground whenever they would come say hi. So here’s this one side of little Lea, anxious about writing stories trying to drown out to other Lea, who is in love with the idea of writing stories. What a bittersweet tragedy.

Because of this fear and weird paradox inside of me, I just decided to ignore all confrontation. I ignored everything that could possibly produce some type of outcome or conclusion surrounding my writing skills, because I was scared that it would threaten what I already know. I was so sure of my poor writing skills, that the idea of improving or discovering a further love for writing, scared me. The idea of challenging what I thought and how I thought others viewed my writing, really made me curl into a small anxious ball. It’s like believing that strawberry milkshakes are the best flavour, like, ever. But then you taste the chocolate flavour and you got yourself questioning your trust in your taste buds. Then shit gets even more wacko and you get introduced to the love of your life, coffee. You lived your entire childhood almost religiously knowing chocolate and strawberry milkshakes are the dominant drink, and now with this new founded caffeine addiction, your entire meaning of existence is falling apart. On top of that, you realize you’re fucking lactose intolerant. Thanks universe, now I’ve got a Romeo and Juliet vibe happening between me and my childhood crush, and I’ve got an addiction. (Sometimes, even a working stomach)

This paradox stretches to whenever I should focus on my school work or on my artistic elements. Should I care what others think or should I focus on what I think of myself? Do I like genuinely like the trend of Netflix and YouTube or am I forcing myself to enjoy this act of staring at a screen for some temporary distraction, just so that I can fit in with my peers? Do I actually enjoy Instagram or am I just using it because people deem it as a necessity? Is Nickelback actually a good band or does the only reason why I avoid listening to their music is because of that godforsaken vine. I mean, according to countless graphs (tehe), our generation is the most entuned with other’s opinions or stories. But does this mean that we should implement these elements onto our own personalities? Must we accept this as constructive feedback? Or should we see it as a negative factor, something that is destroying our self-assurances and negatively influential our daily choices? Got the train of thought working at full-speed again.

This paradox-mess is the fuel behind the fire that sparks these weird ass debates inside my head. And I love it. This paradox enfuses different interests and opinions to form inside of me. This paradox is confirmation that no matter how hard I try, I am always going to be on the search for change or for something new. I think, the reason why I’m so hesitant to embrace this paradoxical mess is because our modern society despise indifferences and the feeling of the unknown. We are all programmed to think that we are equally special, equally constructed, equally wired and just equal in every single way possible. But, it’s honestly just a façade to ensure economic and capitalistic success, if you ask me. Equality does not mean that everyone in our society has the exact same contributes and attributes, it just means that even though we have such a vast diversity of qualities in our genetic codes, we still need to treat everyone with the same equal amount of respect.

I say embrace  your paradox. Embrace your uncertainty and your questioning. Never stop asking questions and never stop admiring the wonderful parliament fighting inside of you. It’s what makes us human, after all.

[skylar-stanley-art-blog]

Week 3 - Evaluation

This week, I was looking at the work of Marisol Escobar, focusing on her piece ‘Love’ (1962) and analysing it in my sketchbook. For me the most significant aspect of this piece is how Escobar uses real life objects within this piece (the Coca Cola bottle) and combines it with her own sculpture. This could be because it allows all people, not just people who are knowledgable about art, to relate and understand this piece as it contains an object that most of the world, particularly the Western world, are able to recognise and it makes this piece stand out the most to me among her work. After researching this piece, I then presented my Pecha Kucha presentation which explained what my theme and idea was which I am going to investigate, how I’m going to do it and who may have inspired my work. I felt like this presentation went well as I was able to answer all the questions asked, such as why I chose this as my topic and who my influences are, but I feel like I may need to be much more specific about what my project is about. I received feedback and I was told to define what Power and Control is more and I need to decide what aspect of this theme that I will be focusing on. When I write my proposal I will be able to do this and specify much more about what my project is about and what themes I will be focusing on. To get a better idea about illustration and to find illustrators that could inspire me aesthetically, I decided to research four Illustrators, Mason London, Ruby Taylor, Jan Bielecki and Brosmind. The most interesting outcome from this was my visual response to Brosmind’s ‘What’s Inside?’ characters by creating my own version and interpretation of these figures. This was because I wanted to create a character which related to a theme (Gluttony) but also had the typical brosmind style which I really admire. I feel like I was successful in doing this, but I need to use better quality materials for it to look more professional and not so patchy. I then went to the Imperial War Museum to look at the ‘Age of Terror: Art since 9/11′ exhibition, to see other pieces of artwork which shared a similar theme to the one which I have chosen for inspiration and to see what types of mediums and subjects people had decided to focus on. The most enthralling piece which I saw there was ‘Epigraph: Damascus’ by Julie Mehretu as I really liked the combination of the chaotic black markings which masked the architectural drawings underneath to demonstrate the death and destruction of Damascus. A writer for Samizdat Online, William Kherbek has written ‘Knowing the history of the present conflict will lead some viewers to see these fragments of a city in even darker terms: elements of Syria’s history and heritage will now only be known from drawings, photographs, and digital modelling.’. I found this comment very interesting as it really highlights the destruction of Syria and how permanent the demolition of these homes is, and how the civil war will always cast a scar on the lands of Syria. Having analysed my work which I have completed this week, I now feel that I need to further explore political conflicts and political figures as imagery within my work. As a next step I will start developing my own style and I will continue to visit exhibitions and research political conflict to do this.

[patricia-cs]

ENTRY N.2

    In my second blog post, I am interpreting images by the theories of Peirce (iconic, indexical, symbolic signs) and Barthes (denotation, connotation). I’ve decided to choose 3 new images, which would support my chosen topic - Young Blood of Editorial Photography. I am not just focusing on young photographers but rather on a specific style of the editorial photography which speaks to me in its unique way. I guess what I want to say is, the content is more important than the creator.

    Without knowing about it, all of the images I chose for today's blog post are photographs of current music artists.

Fig. 1 Jimmy Marble Shawn Mendes for Paper Magazine editorial 2017

[Interpretation by the theory of Barthes]            The key elements that caught my attention were the expression of the model (in this case, young singer) and his posture, the flower and its position in the frame, the jar, background and soft colour palette.          The connotation of the expression would be day-dreaming, singer's happiness is captivating and we wonder what or who is so lucky that such a bright soul is spending time on it/him/her. His mind is in a different place, one that is calming and understanding. His smile is not exaggerated but rather completely honest and “barely there”. His head is laying on his hands in a relaxed way, he is giving support to his heavy thoughts while sitting on the chair and targeting the flower which seems to help him to concentrate. The positioning of the flower in the image is important because it is hiding one of the singer’s eyes which may be suggesting his natural talent and honest young soul. The orange vibrant colour can be symbolised as the singer’s current success in the music industry. The jar reflects the transparency of the singer as well as simplicity of life, how everything doesn’t have to be luxurious and how the function can be found in simple things. Background support the ideas of the day-dream, it takes us flying to the skies. The colour palette also supports the context of the image, its harmlessness, surrealism and naiveness.

[Interpretation by the theory of Pierce]          The iconic signs which I have found are the background clouds, the flower in the jar and the model. They represent things that we can all simply identify and interpret.         The flower in the glass is an indexical sign because it was picked up by someone from a specific place, put in the glass jar with a little bit of water and put on the table. The background is also an indexical sign since it is a fabric with a realistic print and so somebody was inspired by the real skies that he or she saw sometime in her/his life and then recreated them on the fabric, brought to the stage and somebody else chose to put it in this scene. The photograph is an indexical sign itself because it reflects the work of the art director, the model, scene designer, hair and makeup department (possibly even more people) who all met at a specific moment in time to follow the instructions and vision of the photographer.         The background is also a symbolic sign. Its function is to take us to a different place, it doesn’t pretend to be the exact thing because we can still see that it is a fabric, we know it is not real but we still imagine we are in a higher place where everything is welcoming and safe (also because of the naive colour palette of the image).

Fig. 2 Olivia Bee Migos for Billboard Magazine editorial 2017

[Interpretation by the theory of Barthes]        I was looking for the main components of this photograph. First of all, it is the light and the setting. There are three models (rappers all part of the one group called “Migos”) sitting on three white, saddled horses in a formation next to each other wearing excessive clothing and accessories.        The light is suggesting the surrealistic, cosmic feeling. The function of the dark, night setting is to make the rapers look more cool and interesting, this photograph would look rather funny in a sunny weather. We know that this photo is staged and that it wants to introduce the artists in a metaphorical way. The singers look like they have been riding horses since they were young because they look so relaxed and not at all stressed. But the horses are tamed and trained and somebody was probably making sure they don’t do anything crazy which explain the origin of singers confidence. There is something about the old tale of “The Prince on the White Horse”, who saves us all, that I can clearly understand from this image. Maybe this means that their music saved the rap/trap genre or at least pointed in a different direction since they became extremely successful and admired for their vision. They stand in a “ready-to-fight” formation, next to each other, not making any of them more important than the other one. They are prepared to confront us. Their styling is inspired by their personal style, they express their coolness and wealth by gold chains, rings and sunglasses.

[Interpretation by the theory of Pierce]       Iconic signs are the horses, artists and the nighttime landscape.       The saddled horses are an indexical sign because somebody trained them over the years, saddled them and brought them to the shoot. The green light which is visible on the left side of the image is clearly artificial and was brought and placed by someone. We can guess that there was another light of red colour used as it clearly reflects on the singers and horses. This photograph is again an indexical sign itself.       The symbolism of this photograph is hidden in a magic number three. The horses, trained or not, represent the power which is even more supported by the aggressive red light. The night landscape is making us curious, why are they there and what were they doing. Which are also questions for their success, they became famous fast and their music is unheard of. They came from the darkness, from some unknown place, suddenly, armed with talent. The lighting is on them, as the spotlight, in the real life, is on them too, they are watched and every step they make is analysed.

Fig.3 Piczo Rina Sawayama for i-D Japan editorial 2016

[Interpretation by the theory of Barthes]       Important denotations of this image are the reflections, the setting, the look, styling of the model and the angle from which her photo was taken from.       I interpret the reflection as something special, it is quite difficult to find them (naturally) and when you do, they make you happy. They bring up the uniqueness in every person. The model was carefully positioned to stand at the specific spot so the small sparkle is reflected on her face but because it is not overdone, it feels quite candid and believable. Because I can see green leaves in the background, I assume that the photograph was taken outside, probably in a garden or a park on a sunny, warm day. I can imagine how her white blouse is flowing in the air. She is the romantic essence of this image. Her hair and make-up styling is minimal and casual. She is a natural beauty with her own style - the pink hair. The singer is glimpsing over the camera and her look is captivating, alluring and charming. It feels like she is seducing the camera. Her lips are slightly apart, revealing a little smile. Because she is so close to the cameraman, she trusts him and reveals her self completely. She is near and dear. Her presence doesn’t feel overpowering, she is inviting us to meet her. If I could judge a person by the photograph, I would want to be her friend, her eyes just look like they have lived a million stories.

[Interpretation by the theory of Pierce]      I consider her face, pink hair and the small reflections to be the iconic signs of the image.      The reflections are also an indexical sign. It is only possible to capture them in a specific moment when the time and place meet perfectly. We don’t know from where they came from exactly. It can be purely just sun and water on the ground, it can be sun and clothing with glitter/crystal applications, or a sculptured glass with water inside. They can represent a happy accident or a precise work of somebody on the set. This photograph is once again an indexical sign itself.      I interpret the reflections in a symbolic way too. They are precious and their presence suggests that the person photographed is precious too. It makes us curious about who this person is and why is she photographer so closely and naturally. Her glimpse symbolizes her openness, she is studying the camera from up close and she is not worried about being seen from a wrong angle, in the photo or in her career because she is absolutely confident about who she is.

Resources - Figures:

Fig. 1 Jimmy Marble, Shawn Mendes for Paper Magazine , editorial, 2017. Available at: http://www.jimmymarble.com/2017/09/shawn-mendes/, (Accessed on: Oct 16, 2017).

Fig. 2 Olivia Bee, Migos for Billboard Magazine, editorial, 2017. Available at: http://oliviabee.com/editorial/migos-for-billboard/ , (Accessed on: Oct 17, 2017).

Fig. 3 Piczo, Rina Sawayama for i-D Japan, editorial, 2016. Available at: http://piczo.co/i-d-japan-rina-sawayama/ , (Accessed on: Oct 17, 2017).

[byrowanbailey-blog]

PERSONAL VOICE PROJECT NIGERIA 70

Brief: Produce a body of work that is entirely of your own devising.

Statement of Intent

Titled Nigeria 70, my project focuses on the genres of music surrounding Afro Beat, Afro Funk, High Life, Afro Funk and World Music celebrating the influential artists and musicians at the centre of the movement. Through research, exploration and experimentation I aim to to emphasise Nigeria’s cultural change that took effect from the expressive music of the 1970s. Using a mixture of mediums my outcomes take form of two seven inch compilation record cover designs based on the album Nigeria 70, as well as four accompanying posters, the overall concept represents an imaginary special edition box vinyl set that I have been commissioned to produce the artwork and design for. This project is an exploration into a personal interest of mine, the music from Nigeria during the 1970s is filled with excitement, enjoyment and meaning; the stories behind some of the music inspires and provokes a message, whilst the accompanying culture is filled with igniting visual imagery through art and fashion; my work is a celebration of this and a reminder of a movement that changed a cultural movement not just in Africa but worldwide, that combines contemporary illustration to challenge the existing.

Research

With already a basic understanding of the music from Nigeria in the 1970s, I wanted to delve further into the culture and meaning behind the music and its artist, to gain a better sense of the subject that would in turn influence my outcome. I began by focusing on the broad genre of music that Nigeria has to offer, going back to the folk beginnings origins with JuJu and Sakara, then developing into Highlife and then later Afro Beat, Waka, Afro Funk and Afro Rock. An interesting aspect from the multiple genres of music I researched is there progression from one to another, and at there core are pickings of western and African stimulus such as jazz, pop, and rock; this approach to combining and mixing many different features was an aspect I wanted to include in my design process. 

Research Notes

Research Notes

Research Notes

Continuing I researched into the artist's and musicians behind the sounds of Nigeria, forming a list of many musical creatives I selected four to take forward to explore more and form the basis of my outcomes. Fela Kuti, William Onyeabor, King Sunny Ade and The Lijadu Sisters are the four that connected with me the most both through their music but also their stories behind the music. Extending my analyses of the four musicians, I started to gain an in depth narrative behind each individual, for example Kuti was a very influential activist as well as a progressive and highly skilled musician who used lyrics and sound to voice protest about Nigeria’s inequality and corrupt government and military. The intriguing knowledge that I gained from researching further into the four chosen musicians enabled a clearer story behind each character but also supplied essential subject matter to build visual imaginary upon. 

OneLoveRvR: The Music and Message of Fela Kuti

Noisey: 'Fantastic Man' (Full Length) - A Film About William Onyeabor

With a better insight into the music to Nigeria in the 1970s, and having established a basis to work from, I wanted to search more into the culture of the music and Africa in general. An outstanding pointer I came across was the Nigerian civil war that took place from 1967 and 1970, the end of the war saw an influx of fresh creativity both aural and and visually, the music industry exploded with fresh sounds and meaningful lyrics that spoke to the people and brought Nigeria into a new world; many of the influential musical artist rose to prominence as a result of the end of the war. Additionally I looked into the fashion, many African garments contain hidden meanings and provoke individual cultural and personal ideologies, for instants Adikra symbols are a west African representation of concepts, beliefs and aphorisms formed of delicate emblems. Colour also influenced emotion in African fashion, red is often used to highlight violence and anger, where as blue is an indication towards love and prosperity; this way of using medium to describe emotion was an asset I wanted to bring forward into my outcomes and experiment with.  Although immensely broad to research, my investigations into Nigerian music during the 1970s brought a new and fresh output of knowledge that in turn supplied an in depth structure of source that I could explore ideas, processes and techniques further.

Nowness: 1960 Lagos, Nigeria and its musicians in the years after independence

Inspiration

Before I began drafting ideas for my final outcomes I wanted to gain visual inspiration to aid my work process. I looked into four contemporary and historical designers, illustrators and artists:

Gaurab Thakali

Using the process of print, Thakali explores bright and contrasting colours to ignite an expressive, broad and highly textual image. Music heavily inspires Thakali, with influences of jazz exploding from the pages of his print. For me his eye for colour and light alongside creating depth through line and texture excites the eye and draws and fixes attraction and satisfaction.

Gaurab Thakali: Monks Dream

Lemi Ghariokwu

Nigerian artist Ghariokwu is most renowned for providing many of the original cover images for the recordings of Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. Using a mixture of paint and ink, Ghariokwu turned Kuti’s powerful lyrics into visual interpretations, provoking immense meaning and questions to his album covers. His approach to creating a response through a mixed visual process was an aspect that I wanted to take forward with my explorations.

Lemi Ghariokwu: Fela Kuti “Confusion Break Bone”

Camila Perkins

The bold, risky and energetic imagery of Perkins instantly attracts the human senses into a frenzy. Using the African cultural as an influence Perkins paints and prints portraits highlighting the vibrant and exciting representation of everyday African society. An intriguing aspect to Perkins are her works on wood, inspired by barber shop signs, her very illustrative approach beams originality and her use of painting onto physical objects bows an unusual approach that I would like to experiment with.

Camila Perkins: Sapeurs

Mingering Mike

Mike is well known for surrounding himself in a fictitious funk and soul world, creating fake cardboard albums with accompanying album design cover and then placing them in record shops during the 1960s and 70s. Despite not officially creating music for a real record label, the artwork of Mike is something to admire, created using limited mediums such as crayons and colour pens, Mike produces very characterful and illustrative imagery. The imagination of Mike is child like, his approach to image making is humorous yet stylish and his character designs bode a for of inspiration for myself. 

Mingering Miker: Boogie Down

Record Cover Design

Having established enough research and inspiration to source from I began the production of my outcomes. To begin with I focused on the two seven inch album covers, I chose to not do a whole album because having two single albums enabled a avenue to express the four key musicians I selected to base my work upon, in a simple and not over shadowing context. The album Nigeria 70 is filled with an abundance of varied music that tells an important narrative to the music and culture of Nigeria during the 1970s, so in turn was a very good source to base my outcomes upon. 

Robert M: Nigeria 70: The Definitive Story of the 1970’s Funky Lagos - Disc One

King Sunny Ade & His African Beats: Syncra Chapter 1 - Record Cover Design

The Lijadu Sisters: Double Trouble - Record Cover Design

Fela Kuti And His Africa 70 - Album Cover Design

William Onyeabor: Atomic Bomb - Album Cover Design

After reviewing and analysing a series of visually stimulating album covers that I found interesting from a design point of view I began to sketch out rough drafts for mine own. I had an initial idea to use collage, but I felt using photographic content on the album cover wasn't fresh enough as many of the design during the seventies contained this; so I opted for a more illustrative approach using inks and gouache. Using Africa’s rich content of meaning to colours, shapes and patterns  alongside Nigeria’s genre’s of music to mix mediums, I played with combining different imageries together as well as balancing line, tone and colour. The final design plan I settled for resembles a sun, represented via various instruments and text laid out within its rays, the reason behind this is on hearing the album and learning the meaning and stories behind the lyrics and musicians I felt many spoke of a new Nigeria, and the songs themselves shifted not only Africa but the world into a new awaking musically, politically and culturally. 

Record Cover Design Sketches

Record Cover Design Sketches

Record Cover Design Sketches

Record Cover Design Sketches

Record Cover Design Sketches

Record Cover Design Final

Record Cover Design Final

With a design drafted I finalised imagery needed, scanned all the assets into Ps and proceeded to composite both covers. Building the covers up from the background I applied the edited and stretched text elements then placed the illustrated and coloured instruments to the sides of the cover. Lastly I generated imagery for the vinyl sticker, then with all components completed I finessed them by assembling them all into a mock up display, to highlight the final outcome. On reflection of the two final covers I am very pleased with how they have evolved, I feel the subtle allude to a sun reinforces the provocative messages behind the music. A possible change I would make is playing more with the type, perhaps the end result is to squeezed and a flatter form might make it easy to reader, yet the styling of the text nodes to styling of the 1970s and the fashion of funk. I believe the experimentations into colour and pattern making, again suggest the culture of Nigeria and Africa but also supply an ascetically pleasing design. 

Nigeria 70 Record Design 1

Nigeria 70 Record Design 2

Nigeria 70 Record Design 1

Nigeria 70 Record Design 1

Nigeria 70 Record Design 1

Nigeria 70 Record Design 1

Posters

With the two record covers designed and finalised, I turned my attention to producing the four accompanying posters. The function of the posters are to act as celebrated portrait's of Kuti, Onyeabor, Ade, and the Lijadu Sisters, the four influential musicians that I chose to feature on the records and as subjects to the posters. Within the posters I planned to subtly indicate various signs meanings and messages that I previously researched to tell the narrative of the music but also the cultural issues surrounding Nigeria in the 1970s. Playing with layout, context and shape I began drafting design ideas until I settled on four which I was satisfied with, I kept the planning process quite minimal and my sketches quite vain because I didn't want to restrict myself and let the design flow more naturally as it evolved. 

I began constructing the posters by firstly drawing the portraits needed for the context of the posters, sourcing imagery of each of the four artists I then used coloured pencils for there textual use to creates final portraits. After then scanning them black and white into Ps I edited them all slightly to increase the depth and crop the composition, then printed them individually out A3, to later draw on the frames to each image. I decided to place each of the portraits within an illustrated frame because I felt it represented a hall of fame ambience, but also offered a space to experiment create the visual meaning through patterns, shapes and symbols. I completed the frames through the same process as the portraits, and with all the assets completed I went back into Ps and finalised the portraits and coloured them. 

Initial Poster Sketches

Final Portrait Sketch 1

Final Portrait Sketch 2

Final Portrait Sketch 3

Final Portrait Sketch 2

Frame Sketch 1

Frame Sketch 2

Frame Sketch 3

Frame Sketch 4

For the final stage I printed the posters out in black and white to then paint on with gouache, I chose to use paint to emphasise a more textual and tactile outcome but also to allude to the DIY way of creating that is notable within Africa and Nigeria. I am very happy with the resulting four posters, the portraits I feel are the strongest element , the depth created through expressive line and contrasting tone portrays a characterful and exciting image. The borders hold subtle meaning and narratives, for example within the Kuti poster the twenty seven circles and female emblem indicate the tent seven wives that Kuti married in one day, more subtle alludes to the cultural stories behind the music and its artists can be visible throughout the other three posters. I would like to develop the frames to be slightly more detailed just to add a more finer look and feel, additionally I want to further explore a different painting technique to increase texture. Saying that I still feel my four posters are strong and impactful illustrations that share context, narrative and meaning. 

Black And White Print Out 1

Black And White Print Out 2

Black And White Print Out 3

Black And White Print Out 4

Final Poster 1

Final Poster 2

Final Poster 3

Final Poster 4

Overall I feel Nigeria 70 has been a successful project. Based on a interest and passion of mine this project has enabled myself to develop my own illustration style and approach. Through extensive research and inspiration I have learnt more about the subject of music in Nigeria during the 1970s, that in turn I feel has produced a series of strong, interesting and provoking works. I feel my outcomes work well as a set, the colours, styling and design between the posters and record covers bolsters continuity and an even flow of visually pleasing and satisfying imagery. Going forward I want to explore the content of music during Nigeria in the 1970s, perhaps evolving the subject matter into fashion and producing a garment; in addition to progressing my illustration style into something of its own. However ultimately I believe this project has progressed my working aesthetics, through exploration, experimentation and development I have built a better understanding of the impact that illustration and design can have on communicating provocative signs, meanings and messages.