Explorations into artful existence through artful activity.
True stories, dreams and projects. Lucid reality hacking in the early 21st Century.
Broadcasting from Melbourne, Australia.
Friday, September 29, 2006
LAst night i went with friends to an opening. On the way home i was really 'busting' from the two cans of beer i had. We were going down some back streets oppisite a park. It was a VERY dark little street so i asked to get out to relieve myself. I found a tree, quite obviously not 'exposing my self in public'.And who should pull up...but a car load of police! I was hassled but not booked (mainly because they coulnt find my 'info' on their computer as i had no drivers licence)...BRING BACK THE PREHISTORIC DAYS I say! how ridiculas the human species has become. Fair enough , if everybody did it then Melbourne would be stinky... but to get hassled by thugs for going to the toilet? Thats just silly!
Can you make out my name on the flyer? 'LOneWolf' makes another appearance and my mask work with Leonie Van Eyk is looking to be a lovely treat. I went to the museum yesturday with my friend Rachel.We drew a diorama where a polar bear, an antelope elk thing, an albatross and a giant Japanese crab shared the same window. The constant stream of family activity was but a little distraction. I had an idea for my L.W. performance for Fiday... THe 'wolf' goes polar, telling a story in the animal toungue.
Take away the tables and chairs, pack it with one thousand people (half of them drunk) and <--THIS is the view I had while performing LoneWolf on Sunday night. Totally solo with a microphone for 7 minitues. Terrifing going on, not so bad actually doing it, hard to gauge performance points after. Anyway, at least this brief act of heroism will be imprinted on my mind till the day i die. (im on slow speed internet again so i havnt the patience for crazy link finding, and im WAY tired after the weekend) xx
Phew!...back to bUTOH WITH yUMI cHAN! (pictured to the left) Its fun but not easy. Its a relief to be moving in a deep and expressive manner again. Today was a long walk on thin ice and a change into a VERY worried character (CAnt imagine WHERE i bought THAT one up from!). This was after an hour and a half of isolation 'warm' up excersizes. The 'shoulder to the floor behind your back' one, is always a killer for me. Tonight I perform at Mechanoid as the classic Frankinstein Monster, along with wolfman, the mad professor, and Dracula. We perform a three minitue act doing the 'mash' Itll be fun. I cant stay up and dance all night though, as i have a scarier performance tomorrow!
This is my most loved book of the moment. 'Kabuki Dancer' by Sawako Ariyoshi. Its the story of a troupe of Kabuki performers in 16th century Japan. Im in love with Okuni, the heroine! Its one of those books i dont read TOO fast beacause i know ill be sad to reach the end. Its ever so beautiful. Heres some links: FUN STUFF: Mike the Headless Chicken Freaky Dreams anyone? Skin bag Geisha asobi Blogged before but such a favourite! Why work? possibly the new Daniel Mounsey manifesto finding page
ART STUFF (for my mum): Ye ol' Guggenheim 1000 Journals Art passions (those pictures that started it all off) Heidie {a Melbourne Gallery started by some arty beatniks back in the '50's} (And remember theres alot more links and previous posts in the ARCHIVES at the bottom of this page}
These are two of my paintings. This post is dedicated to Barbara and Ann, two most wonderfully interesting artists who i have spent the last two days modeling for. {8 hours!}There was much inspiring talk about art across the world while they painted ,drew, and i sat. We had coffe, bread and cheese and it was all very artfull. Thankyou to you both. I said i would show them some of my own painting... here is some in reflection of the sea.
Sunday was Earthdance ,an eco friendly event happening in 222 locations accross the world. The Melbourne Earthdance was located at the Collingwood Childrens fram, surrounded in bush and trees in the middle of the city. Good music, Good people, food , positive ideas. It makes one have faith in the human species! I met old friends, made new friends and had a good {to say the least} dance amist cheers, yahoo's and beats. I got as high as a kite but took no substance other than water. An amazing day! Thankyou fellow humans!
Saturday was spent modeling at the Victorian Artist Society where its all very 'old school'. Older, well established artists doing fine, old school paintings and drawings. Not a word spoken, no music. Its set up like it was in 1940 with the models 'stage', its prehistoric cushions and heaters, and glaring spotlights. A little models dressing room where one can 'feel the vibe' of a million other models changing into their dressing gowns throughout the ages. Tea and biscits, long nudie poses and a payment in cheque, of 66 dollars exactly, in a sealed envelope. It was fun , i like tradition, and being a Gentleman.
My most exciting news at the moment is that the TOWN BIKES have asked me to fill in a 10 minitue slot while they do a costume change at a gig at the Regal BAllroom next week! THis is very cool as they are one of the most loved acts in Melbourne. So I have to quickly learn a song and 'get my act togeather'! {Regal BAllroom,8ish 24th Sept Northcote}Also, on the good news vibe, i have a small line up of 4 hour modeling jobs which gives me the opertunity to save a little $ for some distant grand adventure! Life is swell.
Boy oh boy, i must have had THE most freaky dream ever last night. I drempt i was being exorcised . There were friends who laid me down on this bed and carressed me and said secret incarnations. I felt this very spooky feeling grip my being and i was seeing the room, the hall and other rooms from all kinds of weird angles. Its difficult to explain as there was no 'creature' to focus on...all i know was that it was very VERY dark and spooky. Afterward i kept waking up to dreams within dreams...untill finally, i made it back to 'reality'.I was terrified of going back to sleep.
Im busy making paper mache heads for the DADA show with my friend Leonie.They will be crazy people things. VEry tall with googly eyes and funnel mouths. The rest of my day is consumed with the eternal Kung fu and Tiger, Cat, Dragon and Crane. I noticed Paul, the teacher, had added some extra classes later in the evening.OH no! Im compelled to do them! even though im SO tired after the Qi gong & KF.I blame the Shaolin monks for being so GOD dam inspirational!
A rebirth of inspiration to perform came from Dean, who is organizing a DADA night. Lots of refrence, movies and acts, for later this month. Ive gotta come up with a good little something with my microphone. Its easy, as the whole DADA idea is quite obscure, and pretty much, anything goes!
Dada, it doesn’t smell. It means nothing, Absolutely nothing. Dada is like your hope: Nothing! Like your paradise: Nothing! Like your idols: Nothing! Like your politicians: Nothing! Like your leaders: Nothing! Like your artists: Nothing! Like your religion: Nothing! Hiss, shout, kick my teeth in. So what? I shall still tell you fools that in three months, my friends And I will be selling you our picture for Francs.
Whats been on my mind as of late, is this notion of Capitalism, and how, without even really being aware of it, here we all live, smack bang in the middle of it.It really is a shitty way of handling people. Get them to work and sell them crap. I admire people who do REAL work,dont get me wrong, but all this STUFF everyones trying to sell each other! Im tired of all the silly adds...i think ill go live in Cuba.
A Day in the LIfe 6.40 Woke up, put back pieces of reality 7.00 Back dozing 7.30 Coffee , music, emails, shower 9.08 Sigh of relief at finding lost wallet at visited Malaysian resturant night before 10.00 Life modeling in St Kilda- positive, dynamic , artfull . 12.30 Over eating at 'Falalfel Kitchen' in Sunny St Kilda in an 'all you can eat' type scenareo. 1.30 Reading book at Fitzroy Libary about nightshades {Eeevill Potatoe!!) 2.50 Life modeling at 'Melbourne School of Fashion', quite strange. Ive seen schoolkids do better drawings! room full of young potential fashion designer girls, obviously quite bored. 5.40 Doing Qi qong with 'Sifu' Paul, and Sue, his partner and dog and cat. 6.40 Doing Kung fu with 'the crew', enjoyed a bit of sparing. 8.50 MAde it back home , news on Tv and write blog...
There are only a few famous people who i love and admire, and this guy was one of them. Steve Irwin was a Warrior for animal welfare. I would love seeing him on tv telling it how it is, in such an open and intelligent way. Doing good things for conservation, for the planet. He was killed today which is terribly sad. Im sure he made it to animal kingdom heaven.
{On another sad note, the oldest sheep, George, in the (recorded) world has also died, at the ripe old age of 21, on the west coast of Australia.SAd but im satisfied in the notion that at least ONE sheep got to die a natural death }
The last two sessions of Kung fu have been full of 'sparing'. Trying to put into action some of the moves in a fight situation. I have a sore thumb still, where i didnt tuck it into my fist enough and made a sloppy punch. It's toughening me up tho, makin' me a man! Every month our internet is set back to fast speed, after a week of slow. Heres some cool links in celebration: The BEE dance. Japanese Drum machine. Flow. Too long online. Maze game.