So it’s been a while since I last posted, and that’s because I’ve been out doing things and writing papers and finishing applications and practicing drawing and all good stuff that I just haven’t had time to write about! But now the majority of my graduate applications have been submitted (save for the architecture-specific portion of my Berkeley application), and my scholarships are almost done…so in this little breather time I have, I thought I’d update you guys on what’s going on in Paris.

First, the important bit: today, it snowed! Before I came to Paris, everyone told me it rarely snows (if at all, a few flakes in January), and that I’d have to face a dreary wet winter full of freezing rain.  Well, November wasn’t all sunshine, but I continued to hope for a fluffy white December, and here it is! A couple of inches stuck to the ground, and for proof, here’s a shot of what I’m henceforth calling my backyard:

I'm not sure where exactly the body of water in the center of the gardens begins...and I wasn't planning on testing that out with my extremely un-winter-friendly suede boots...

In other news, I paid a visit to the Musée Rodin the other weekend. Some of the roses were still in bloom, and a couple of yellow leaves were clinging to the trees in the garden; I could see why people recommend this as one of the gardens to visit in Paris. I will definitely return in spring, when all the flora is in its full glory.

As for the museum itself, well, it’s a very small museum. That said, I’m particularly fond of its stairs and the arch-topped colonnade in the entry area. The pieces showed Rodin’s process, both in the technical (an exhibit displayed the step-by-step making-of one of the sculptures), and creative (multiple iterations of the same theme). Seeing The Kiss in person amplifies the eroticism of its tangled limbs and contrasting curved and angular forms. Even if it is cliché, it’s one of my favorite sculptures, and I’m probably going to go back to see it again, get a few more sketches in.

Speaking of: to prove that I have been sketching (though, to be honest, not every day as I hoped – but come January, I’ll have all the time in the world to put my pencil to paper…), as I was saying, to prove that I have been sketching, I will now show you two sketches. I did more than these two, but if I show them all now, who’ll review my sketchbooks with me when I get back?

This one's from one of the sculpture atriums at the Louvre. I unfortunately didn't write down the artist's name...

A drawing from the 'Hanako' bust at the Musee Rodin. I'd just like to note that sculptures are much easier to sketch because they aren't as fidgety as humans.

Next up: the last two weeks of school before winter break…

Marble sculpture of a couple embracing in a kiss! Auguste Rodin, the French sculptor originally created this pieces as a relief decorations to his monumental bronze portal, “The Gates of Hell”.

The first sculpture remains in Paris, but Rodin was commission by three different parties for the sculpture, and he had made the three large scale originals. One of them under the Warren’s Commission is in Britain and was purchased by Tate Gallery in 1955. It is now displayed at the Tate Modern on Southbank.

Hundreds of the sculpture was made and by French Law, only the first twelve created is legally classified as originals.

To my love, my dearest love,

My heart is yours and always will,

I crave for you, my lovely dove,

At any moment, your kiss I’ll steal.

My Love to Anne C.

I love lists. Live for them. They make life sensible. So here are my lists of the best and worst in music, film and tv of this past decade. Hope to open some eyes.

BEST ALBUMS of the DECADE

Stereo/Mono (Paul Westerberg/Grandpaboy) – This was the album that should have followed PLEASED TO MEET ME. The Greatest songwriter of the past 30 years at the top of his game, over twenty tracks of perfection, with production so lose it falls apart. If he hadn’t already done it in 1981, PW would have reinvented rock again. Instead, he just re-staked his claim as its reigning God.

Crooked Fingers (Crooked Fingers) –With his new band, Eric Bachmann, lead singer of the single greatest band of the 90s, the Archers of Loaf, reinvented himself as the damaged troubadour, and created a collection of songs that would rival anything ever released by Dylan, Springsteen, or Townes Van Zandt. NEW DRINK FOR THE OLD DRUNK became my sing-along-at-the-top-of-your-lungs song for this decade, while everything else is stark and brilliant. He’ll break your heart while holding your hand. (And really, there is no horror film on the accompanying list, because the greatest horror film of the decade was the imagery invoked by the song JULIETTE.)

Cold Roses (Ryan Adams) – Sometimes Ryan Adams is brilliant, sometimes overindulgent, occasionally boring, but wearing his influences on his sleeves, from the Replacements to the Grateful Dead, Adams weaves his rose-laden imagery on this two cd set to alt-country perfection.

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Wilco) – As great as everyone claims? Probably not. But still damn amazing. And the first track, I AM TRYING TO BREAK YOUR HEART is as good as anything Wilco has ever recorded, and that’s saying an awful lot.

Essence (Lucinda Williams) – Lucinda William hit her mark on this boozy collection of lust and longing and pain. The title track is certainly the great lust song of the decade. Her voice has never sounded better.

The Thief & The Heartbreaker (Alberta Cross) – If Lynyrd Skynyrd has sounded like this back in 1977, I might have actually given Southern Rock a chance. But it’s not Southern, they’re from Brooklyn (the only good band at the moment from Brooklyn), and this brilliant 7-song EP sounds like the cd Ryan Adam should have made after COLD ROSES. The singer’s voice will break your fucking heart!

Fortress ‘Round My Heart (Ida Maria) – I had almost forgotten that women could actually still rock, with a vengeance no less. And then came IDA MARIA from Norway who put out the best CD of 2009. Live, she brings to mind Courtney Love minus the baggage and nasty attitude, but make no mistake, she could out rock and out roll any of the boys, and beat their asses to a pulp.

Ode to Sunshine (Delta Spirit) – An album that actually made you believe that there were, after all, new bands ready to carry the torch forward. Just a great band with a great singer playing great songs.

Taking the Long Way (Dixie Chicks) – Who would have thought that the most liberal protest song of the Bush era would come from the Dixie Chicks? And while NOT READY TO MAKE NICE can easily stand on its own as one of the greatest songs ever written, that it pulled no punches with one of the worst Presidents in history only adds to its thrills.

Fevers & Mirrors (Bright Eyes) – His masterpiece, back before he and others starting believing he was a god. Lo-Fi and brilliant, Dylan himself would have been proud of some of these damaged lyrical twists.

RUNNERS UP (in no particular order): Hometowns (Rural Alberta Advantage), War Elephant (Deer Tick), Neon Bible (Arcade Fire), Washington Square Serenade (Steve Earle), Magic, The Rising, Devils & Dust (all by Bruce Springsteen), Failer (Kathleen Edwards), Wilco, the album (Wilco), ONCE soundtrack.

WORST ALBUM of the DECADE

Vampire Weekend (Vampire Weekend) – everything that’s bad about the current state of rock music (and Brooklyn) can be summarized in two words: Vampire Weekend. As insipid as it is gutless, this embarrassing collection of ditties sounds more like children tinkering on adult-sized instruments, they haven’t the scope, the range, the insight, the maturity to even hope to make it work. And to add insult to injury, some idiots compared it to Paul Simon’s Graceland. Now that’s a slander lawsuit in my eyes!

RUNNER UP: Anything produced by Jon Brion. He makes everything sound like German cabaret from the 1930s, and even managed to castrate the rock band Spoon. Perhaps he and Vampire Weekend can hook up and create the ultimate ode to lame. Grow a fucking pair!

BEST FILMS of the DECADE

Once (John Carney) – pitch perfect in every way, shape, and blessed musical note. I guess I look at it this way, if I could have had my name attached to one film this decade, ONCE would have been it. I’ve seen it over and over again, and it still breaks my heart every time. The greatest use of music in a film ever? Yes, I’d say so. Both this and Amelie are creeping onto my list of the ten greatest films of all time.

Amelie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet) – an adult fairy tale told in the imaginary city of Paris, where a big-eyed child grows up to be a beautiful big-eyed woman who seeks life’s smallest pleasures. Amelie was the first film I saw after 9/11, and in a time when all seemed lost, it gave me hope again. It made me believe in romance, in fairy tales, in happy endings, and in small pleasures.

Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola) – A tender story of love and longing wherein a look or what isn’t said can be the most powerful dialog of all. Subtle and brilliant.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry) – Certainly the greatest concept, if not the greatest script. And thankfully Jim Carry is so un-Jim Carry-like. A nightmare, a dream, a glimpse into the mind of a mad genius. Whatever it is, I’ll take it.

The Station Agent (Thomas McCarthy) – Just something about this film makes me happy, whether it be the terrific ensemble cast, the originality of the story, or the perfection of the pacing…every decade needs a quirky darling, and this is it.

Man On Wire (James Marsh) – The ultimate love song to the twin towers and the skyline of New York, as it used to be, as told by a crazy Frenchman who’s got more balls than certainly anyone in recent memory. It’s the story of an impossible dream…that somehow comes true. A marvel.

The Constant Gardner (Fernando Meirelles) – a heartbreaking romance between two perfect beautiful people, with a message no less. (The cinematography is nothing short of breathtaking.)

The Girl in the Café (David Yates) – a heartbreaking romance between two damaged misfits, with a message no less. Kelly Macdonald and Bill Nighy are awkwardly amazing.

Somersault (Cate Shortland) – Abbie Cornish gives the bravest performance of the decade as a young teen girl exploring everything wrong. Stunning.

RUNNERS-UP (in no particular order): Born into Brothels , City of God, Grizzly Man, Personal Velocity, DIG!, Vicki Christina Barcelona, The Devil and Daniel Johnston, Surveillance, Mulholland Drive, Murderball, Speak, Memento, Half Nelson, Angel-A

WORST FILM of the DECADE

The Kiss (Gorman Bechard) – The film could have never been great, but it could have been watchable had it not been railroaded by an ego-centric producer ,with no understanding of the script, who was more interested in make a three million dollar demo reel for his actress wife than in telling a good story. I directed and co-wrote THE KISS, and the final version, which was edited and scored completely without my approval or involvement, makes me fucking cringe.

RUNNER UP: Punch Drunk Love (Paul Thomas Anderson) – Alternately like watching paint dry (the extra boring paint, not the at-times-exciting paint) and listening to fingernails on a chalkboard. If the word “pretentious” had not year been devised, the phrase “punch drunk love” would have been used in its place. Even the usually brilliant Emily Watson cannot save this mess about, well, I honestly have no idea what it’s about, but then neither does the filmmaker. Oh, and it has what is quite possible the most annoying score in the history of film, by none other than…you guessed it…Jon Brion.

BEST TELEVISION of the DECADE

(I include my top ten, more or less in order, but with little explanation. I don’t feel any is really needed. It’s TV. It’s all a guilty pleasure, in one way or another.)

Glee (any show that can make me like a Journey song must be pretty damn powerful)

Survivor (especially the two back-to-back Stephenie LaGrossa seasons)

Weeds (first 3 seasons)

24 (first 5 seasons)

Entourage (first 3 seasons)

Mad Men (so well written)

Family Guy (best animated show on TV, and every week I get to say “I can’t believe they just said that on TV.”)

30 Rock (Tina Fey)

Sopranos (see Glee)

So You Think You Can Dance (for the amazing collection of young dancers, and for being the only talent show that actually showcases talent)

I include no worst TV list because ultimately it would be endless…

Until next decade…

Gorman Bechard

I love lists. Live for them. They make life sensible. So here are my lists of the best and worst in music, film and tv of this past decade. Hope to open some eyes.

BEST ALBUMS of the DECADE

Stereo/Mono (Paul Westerberg/Grandpaboy) – This was the album that should have followed PLEASED TO MEET ME. The Greatest songwriter of the past 30 years at the top of his game, over twenty tracks of perfection, with production so lose it falls apart. If he hadn’t already done it in 1981, PW would have reinvented rock again. Instead, he just re-staked his claim as its reigning God.

Crooked Fingers (Crooked Fingers) –With his new band, Eric Bachmann, lead singer of the single greatest band of the 90s, the Archers of Loaf, reinvented himself as the damaged troubadour, and created a collection of songs that would rival anything ever released by Dylan, Springsteen, or Townes Van Zandt. NEW DRINK FOR THE OLD DRUNK became my sing-along-at-the-top-of-your-lungs song for this decade, while everything else is stark and brilliant. He’ll break your heart while holding your hand. (And really, there is no horror film on the accompanying list, because the greatest horror film of the decade was the imagery invoked by the song JULIETTE.)

Cold Roses (Ryan Adams) – Sometimes Ryan Adams is brilliant, sometimes overindulgent, occasionally boring, but wearing his influences on his sleeves, from the Replacements to the Grateful Dead, Adams weaves his rose-laden imagery on this two cd set to alt-country perfection.

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Wilco) – As great as everyone claims? Probably not. But still damn amazing. And the first track, I AM TRYING TO BREAK YOUR HEART is as good as anything Wilco has ever recorded, and that’s saying an awful lot.

Essence (Lucinda Williams) – Lucinda William hit her mark on this boozy collection of lust and longing and pain. The title track is certainly the great lust song of the decade. Her voice has never sounded better.

The Thief & The Heartbreaker (Alberta Cross) – If Lynyrd Skynyrd has sounded like this back in 1977, I might have actually given Southern Rock a chance. But it’s not Southern, they’re from Brooklyn (the only good band at the moment from Brooklyn), and this brilliant 7-song EP sounds like the cd Ryan Adam should have made after COLD ROSES. The singer’s voice will break your fucking heart!

Fortress ‘Round My Heart (Ida Maria) – I had almost forgotten that women could actually still rock, with a vengeance no less. And then came IDA MARIA from Norway who put out the best CD of 2009. Live, she brings to mind Courtney Love minus the baggage and nasty attitude, but make no mistake, she could out rock and out roll any of the boys, and beat their asses to a pulp.

Ode to Sunshine (Delta Spirit) – An album that actually made you believe that there were, after all, new bands ready to carry the torch forward. Just a great band with a great singer playing great songs.

Taking the Long Way (Dixie Chicks) – Who would have thought that the most liberal protest song of the Bush era would come from the Dixie Chicks? And while NOT READY TO MAKE NICE can easily stand on its own as one of the greatest songs ever written, that it pulled no punches with one of the worst Presidents in history only adds to its thrills.

Fevers & Mirrors (Bright Eyes) – His masterpiece, back before he and others starting believing he was a god. Lo-Fi and brilliant, Dylan himself would have been proud of some of these damaged lyrical twists.

RUNNERS UP (in no particular order): Hometowns (Rural Alberta Advantage), War Elephant (Deer Tick), Neon Bible (Arcade Fire), Washington Square Serenade (Steve Earle), Magic, The Rising, Devils & Dust (all by Bruce Springsteen), Failer (Kathleen Edwards), Wilco, the album (Wilco), ONCE soundtrack.

WORST ALBUM of the DECADE

Vampire Weekend (Vampire Weekend) – everything that’s bad about the current state of rock music (and Brooklyn) can be summarized in two words: Vampire Weekend. As insipid as it is gutless, this embarrassing collection of ditties sounds more like children tinkering on adult-sized instruments, they haven’t the scope, the range, the insight, the maturity to even hope to make it work. And to add insult to injury, some idiots compared it to Paul Simon’s Graceland. Now that’s a slander lawsuit in my eyes!

RUNNER UP: Anything produced by Jon Brion. He makes everything sound like German cabaret from the 1930s, and even managed to castrate the rock band Spoon. Perhaps he and Vampire Weekend can hook up and create the ultimate ode to lame. Grow a fucking pair!

BEST FILMS of the DECADE

Once (John Carney) – pitch perfect in every way, shape, and blessed musical note. I guess I look at it this way, if I could have had my name attached to one film this decade, ONCE would have been it. I’ve seen it over and over again, and it still breaks my heart every time. The greatest use of music in a film ever? Yes, I’d say so. Both this and Amelie are creeping onto my list of the ten greatest films of all time.

Amelie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet) – an adult fairy tale told in the imaginary city of Paris, where a big-eyed child grows up to be a beautiful big-eyed woman who seeks life’s smallest pleasures. Amelie was the first film I saw after 9/11, and in a time when all seemed lost, it gave me hope again. It made me believe in romance, in fairy tales, in happy endings, and in small pleasures.

Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola) – A tender story of love and longing wherein a look or what isn’t said can be the most powerful dialog of all. Subtle and brilliant.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry) – Certainly the greatest concept, if not the greatest script. And thankfully Jim Carry is so un-Jim Carry-like. A nightmare, a dream, a glimpse into the mind of a mad genius. Whatever it is, I’ll take it.

The Station Agent (Thomas McCarthy) – Just something about this film makes me happy, whether it be the terrific ensemble cast, the originality of the story, or the perfection of the pacing…every decade needs a quirky darling, and this is it.

Man On Wire (James Marsh) – The ultimate love song to the twin towers and the skyline of New York, as it used to be, as told by a crazy Frenchman who’s got more balls than certainly anyone in recent memory. It’s the story of an impossible dream…that somehow comes true. A marvel.

The Constant Gardner (Fernando Meirelles) – a heartbreaking romance between two perfect beautiful people, with a message no less. (The cinematography is nothing short of breathtaking.)

The Girl in the Café (David Yates) – a heartbreaking romance between two damaged misfits, with a message no less. Kelly Macdonald and Bill Nighy are awkwardly amazing.

Somersault (Cate Shortland) – Abbie Cornish gives the bravest performance of the decade as a young teen girl exploring everything wrong. Stunning.

RUNNERS-UP (in no particular order): Born into Brothels , City of God, Grizzly Man, Personal Velocity, DIG!, Vicki Christina Barcelona, The Devil and Daniel Johnston, Surveillance, Mulholland Drive, Murderball, Speak, Memento, Half Nelson, Angel-A

WORST FILM of the DECADE

The Kiss (Gorman Bechard) – The film could have never been great, but it could have been watchable had it not been railroaded by an ego-centric producer ,with no understanding of the script, who was more interested in make a three million dollar demo reel for his actress wife than in telling a good story. I directed and co-wrote THE KISS, and the final version, which was edited and scored completely without my approval or involvement, makes me fucking cringe.

RUNNER UP: Punch Drunk Love (Paul Thomas Anderson) – Alternately like watching paint dry (the extra boring paint, not the at-times-exciting paint) and listening to fingernails on a chalkboard. If the word “pretentious” had not year been devised, the phrase “punch drunk love” would have been used in its place. Even the usually brilliant Emily Watson cannot save this mess about, well, I honestly have no idea what it’s about, but then neither does the filmmaker. Oh, and it has what is quite possible the most annoying score in the history of film, by none other than…you guessed it…Jon Brion.

BEST TELEVISION of the DECADE

(I include my top ten, more or less in order, but with little explanation. I don’t feel any is really needed. It’s TV. It’s all a guilty pleasure, in one way or another.)

Glee (any show that can make me like a Journey song must be pretty damn powerful)

Survivor (especially the two back-to-back Stephenie LaGrossa seasons)

Weeds (first 3 seasons)

24 (seasons first 5 seasons)

Entourage (first 3 seasons)

Mad Men (so well written)

Family Guy (best animated show on TV, and every week I get to say “I can’t believe they just said that on TV.”)

30 Rock (Tina Fey)

Sopranos (see Glee)

So You Think You Can Dance (for the amazing collection of young dancers, and for being the only talent show that actually showcases talent)

I include no worst TV list because ultimately it would be endless…

This is the print that was chosen as one of the best prints of 1949 and was exhibited in the National Exhibition of Prints held at the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C

SEE OTHER WORKS BY THIS ARTIST

What can I say?….the hype is at the max….shocking makes headlines…..

I haven’t heard this contest before. I like the idea so much. I think this is my the best one (metropolitan kiss) made by fraxav which was chosen 5th. The original painting is The kiss, by Francesco Hayez.

_ Segatori! _

_ P.zza del Popolo from Piazzale Flaminio _

_ The Kiss, P.zza di Spagna _

_ Via San Pantaleo _

Este maravilhoso quadro do austríaco Gustav Klimt está localizado no museu Obere Belvedere (Superior, na Galeria Austríaca) em Viena, Áustria. De acordo com alguns, a obra reflete o próprio Klimt com sua amada Emile; para mim, um quadro muito romântico, que ficará para sempre entre os meus prediletos.

O rapaz de cabelos cacheadinhos com uma coroa de folhinhas, a moça em seus braços, o ar de proteção, de amor, de romantismo, a prevalência do dourado e ao mesmo tempo o colorido são os elementos que me chamam a atenção. Há outras interpretações atuais para este mesmo quadro, de que a moça estaria resistindo às investidas do rapaz. Bom, eu prefiro acreditar que é uma cena de carinho, sem submissões ou recusa por parte da moça (deve ser porque sou uma pisciana totalmente romântica).

Eu gostei tanto, mas tanto, desse quadro que acabei comprando, no museu, alguns souvenirs em que ele está estampado, como um lápis (sou colecionadora), um espelho de bolsa, uma caixinha em lata e um pequeno porta-jóias, os quais seguem em foto abaixo:

Trecho de nosso diário de viagem:

“(…) pegamos um Trem (bonde) para a Sudbhanhof e de lá para o Obere Belvedere. Passeamos pelo grande jardim de cerca de 500m. Compramos as entradas e voltamos para o Belvedere Superior onde estão as obras de Klimt. Entramos e fomos direto para o setor onde estão as obras a partir de 1900. Lá encontramos alguns Monet, um Degas, um Renoir e outros impressionistas. Chegamos ao Beijo, obra mestre de Klimt, assim como Judith e Halofantes, dentre outras. Depois visitamos o resto da galeria que é dominada por pintores austríacos de várias épocas. Vimos belas esculturas de Rodin”.

I haven’t been doing anything lately, so I decided to show you a few works of my favorite artist – Gustav Klimt.

Christmas is coming up soon, and why not celebrate with a beautiful print of Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss painting which is currently on offer at Art.com. It would make a great present for any art lover out there, or why not just add it to your own wall?

I have purchased several art products recently and find that The Kiss has proven popular with most people whilst some other choices have not always worked! Artists like Picasso or Van Gogh are similarly brilliant, but this work really does satisfy most, which is crucial when picking a present for a loved one.

I recommend Art.com because of the quality of their products, my success with each item that i have purchased from them (mainly prints, plus two posters this year) and the fact that they reguarly offer great deals across their site. Only last week there was 30% Off everything on their site! And that is on top of their already really competitive prices.

The range of service is also good, with many framed prints available too. Lots of people prefer these and so the wide range on offer could be of interest to you. Shipping is also pretty reasonable too, and that is a common concern of mine when buying anything bulky online.

If you purchase something from Art.com please leave your comments here and i shall add any videos too that you use to discuss what you have received. I am entirely separate from them, so both good comments and bad comments alike will be included – no censoring!! This way, greater trust and honesty should lead to more confidence in buying from them. They are the market leader in art prints, for all the very reasons that i have included.

So, if you’re short for xmas ideas just click the link below to take a look at all the different prints that Art.com have to offer, normally at great prices and low shipping!!

Merry Xmas.

So some people have been asking me recently… Ning, what IS that painting on the wall near your kitchenette?

Well, it’s none other than a reproduction of Der Kuss (The Kiss) by Austrian artist, Gustav Klimt. It’s my favorite painting of his, and I dare say it’s his most beautiful work

Der Kuss by Gustav Klimt

My studio apartment’s not very big, so I left most of my personal collections (reproductions of paintings by Botero, Van Gogh, etc.) at my folk’s place and my office. But Klimt’s painting had always caught my eye as something very special, a couple in love.

Marc Chagall’s La Mariée (The Bride) made an appearance in Nottinghill, one of my favorite films, and Julia Robert’s character tells the male protagonist that love’s only complete with a cello playing goat… quirky niceties that makes a memorable line for a movie, but I think Klimt’s painting does it more for me

La Marie (The Bride) by Marc Chagall

I mean no disrespect of course, but to me, Klimt’s Der Kuss is direct and straight to the point. Marc Chagall’s works always have a dreamlike quality to them, but with this, it’s really about that current moment – as if the lovers are in their own universe, and they really are the center of attention, I mean, the canvas/ frame *grin*

There’s bold love and beauty, and shades of passion surround the couple locked in a tight embrace, entwined into one. Like soulmates, who complete each other.

You feel what the artist wants you to feel immediately, when you take a moment to soak it all in and appreciate Klimt’s sensuous masterpiece. What hits you immediately is the strength of the bond. Unbreakable. Solid. Golden. Glowing.

The original painting is located at Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, in Vienna so maybe most of us may never get to see it with our own eyes …but the colors really pop, as Klimt artfully used oil and golf leaf on canvas, wich would have been very contemporary in his time.

Righty, so much for the art history lesson for today *grin* But seriously, he’s got some really fascinating works that he made in the early 1900s like Danaë & Mulher Sentada, for instance.

Look up Gustav Klimt online before you head to a gallery or library. The artist’s also got a very fascinating life, without any unrealized ambitions

So yesterday I praise The Guardian for not mentioning Doisneau’s The Kiss. Today they run an article on a viral vid inspired by said snogging Frenchies.

The teaser for the online movie experience is below. The actual ‘movie’ keeps disappearing from YouTube but you can see it here.

Ich mag Bilder von Gustav Klimt, sehr sogar. Meine Tochter habe ich auch schon versucht dafür zu begeistern

Aber Kännchen mit Motiven von Klimt, finde ich genial!

Aus der Serie

„Famous Paintings Collection“
Gustav Klimt

Hoje tô inspirada!

Fuçando na internê, encontrei esta maravilha de site, com as fotos que marcaram a história

http://photosthatchangedtheworld.com/

(*) Cuidado. Assim como na história, não há só belas imagens..

Posted by Naomi Firestone

1) Congratulations to the 2008 Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest Winners:

First place: Racelle Rosett for “Levi”

Second place: Judith Groudine Finkel for “Two by Four”

Third place: Amy Graubart Katz for “The Kiss”

To read more about the winners and for information about attending the free event honoring the winners, contest judge, Anita Diamant, at the JCC in San Francisco on November 1st, please click here.

2)Norman Gershman, author of Besa: Muslims Who Saved Jews in World War II (Syracuse University Press), will be on CBS Sunday morning show with Charles Osgood on November 8th.

Barbara and I were never the type of couple who felt they needed to buy each other expensive or elaborate presents in order to prove our affection. Regardless of the occasion we always agreed that the goal of our gift giving was to buy or make the other person something that was unique and a little bit of a surprise. While not every gift we ever gave one another was truly original or contained some type of sentimental significance a majority of our holiday and birthday exchanges left the other person brimming from ear to ear.

Barbara was the most considerate gift giver I have ever known. She knew me so well, and as result displayed a unique ability to come up with remarkably thoughtful gifts to buy or make me.  I remember one year for Hanukah she searched online and bought me the “I, Claudius” Collectible DVD Box Set because she saw how much I was enjoying my Roman History class and knew I would appreciate it.

For G-d sakes the woman went to the craft store and picked out all the materials to sew me a quilt! To this day that quilt remains one of the most wonderful presents I have ever received. That’s the level of caring, no, the amount of loving that went into the gifts she gave me.

Knowing how great it felt to receive a present from Barbara I strove to find gifts that would make her feel that same way. During our last year or two as a couple I began to really feel like I was matching Barbara’s level of thoughtfulness in the gifts I gave her. Maybe for the first time I was emotionally and physically invested in the relationship to level that I knew Barbara as well as she had always known me.

The last meaningful gift that I gave Barbara was for her birthday earlier this year. I racked my brain for weeks in advance and just couldn’t come up with any presents that were worthy. Even though her 24^th birthday was not until Saturday April 4^th we had planned to go out to dinner and see a movie the night before. Finally on the Wednesday of that week I had an epiphany and came up with a present so perfect I could see myself giving it to her before I even purchased it.

The gift idea popped into my head when I was thinking about the last trip Barbara took to visit me in Hanover the previous winter. I recalled that we sat drinking K-Cup coffee in the Dartmouth Athletic Department lounge while I excitedly thumbed through an Art book, that I had recently finished reading, showing Barbara all the paintings that I had fallen in love with as a result. Specifically I remembered a wonderful painting by Gustav Klimt titled “The Kiss” that she had expressed adoration for.

With ordering a print of this world-renown painting on the Internet out of the question, due to my time constraint, I concluded my only chance was to check the Michael’s Arts & Crafts store. Without wasting a moment I drove to the nearest Michael’s and quickly found the Klimt print, of a couple beautifully and forever locked in embrace while the setting around them dissolved into the patterned background, I was searching for.

I felt absolutely on top of the world when I saw her gorgeous face illuminated by the smile my present had given her. That feeling stayed with me for several weeks as the brightness of our relationship faded until our eventual break up. Although to this day I still smile when I think of how happy Barbara was when she received my gift I am quickly brought back down to earth when that thought is overshadowed by one dark and haunting question.

Now that I no longer have Barbara in my life will I ever find someone else I’ll know well enough to buy them a Klimt?

This was a trully one HOT wedding. Speaking litterally! 90 degrees outside, with 90% humidity. 8 hours of pure joy of Florida sun!! Marion and Joseph tied the knot at Ponce de Leon Park located in Punta Gorda, FL.

Myself and Jim (2nd shooter) started with some bridal preps, and captured few details:

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Off to the reception. Some limo and the girls.

We had a lot of fun with this couple. They were fantastic! Despite the heat, they would do anything for a picture LOL

We wish them a long and happy life together, few kids, and all that love can bring to two beautiful people.

More of the images can be found here:

http://intruecolors.smugmug.com/Business/Engagement-and-Weddings/Marion-and-Joseph-Wedding/9784358_2PQmV#667296390_RJYou

“It’s only a state of mind.”

Though Terry Gilliam’s Brazil (1985) may be an homage to Fellini and Orwell, and an astute critique of society’s path towards the future; it is, incidentally, also a jarring depiction of how invasive society is in human relationships.

Since Gilliam fought tooth and nail with his producer over the film’s ending, both a ‘depressing’ director’s cut and a Hollywood-finish “Love Conquers All” edition of the film are in circulation. Forever on the side of artistic expression, and since it was predominantly recommended over the other, I watched the director’s cut, asking myself: who doesn’t enjoy some sadism at the end of a film?

Brazil is set “somewhere in the 20th century,” in a retro-futuristic society in which the government is an expansive, convoluted, paper-pushing bureaucracy that is a labyrinth of inefficiency. After a literal bug in the bureaucratic machine mixes up the last name of terrorist/rogue heating technician Harry Tuttle (Robert De Niro) with civilian/shoe-repairman Harry Buttle, Buttle is wrongly arrested and killed, much to the dismay of the bureaucrat who finds the source of error and must correct it. That bureaucrat happens to be Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce), positioned well in the bureaucracy partly due to merit and partly due to family connections, who finds the Tuttle/Buttle error in the paperwork and takes personal responsibility in correcting it. Likewise, Buttle’s upstairs neighbor Jill Layton (Kim Greist) witnesses Buttle’s unjust abduction and arrest, and seeks to confront the government. But navigating the monstrous bureaucracy is somewhat counterintuitive, the realization unfortunately fueling Sam’s increasing resentment towards reality and aspiration towards a romanticized life.

The surrealist nature that pervades the film stems from Sam Lowry’s affinity for his fantastical dreamworld over his humdrum reality, progressively welding both realms into one. The film opens into a dream sequence as Sam soars through the clouds as an angel decked in face paint and a silver breastplate towards his dream girl: a beautiful woman with flowing blond hair, encased in ethereal white cloth. But as Sam’s reality is engulfed by the government bureaucracy with heightened frustration, conflict invades his dreams; he finds himself battling samurais, golems, and baby-faced monsters that cage his ideal woman and threaten to steal her away forever. This romanticized life as the savior-angel is juxtaposed against his clumsy real-life pursuit of Jill, a stranger who resembles the woman from his dreams. But Jill, the woman of his reality, cannot be of a starker contrast to the one he fantasizes about: she has a butch hair-cut, drives a truck, wears a jumpsuit, smokes cigarettes, and is fiercely independent.

Where the woman of his dreams is hyper-feminine, the woman of his reality is independent, brazen, and somewhat masculine. In his dreams, he portrays himself as hyper-masculine, whereas in reality, he is dependent, cautious, and somewhat effeminate. In both situations Sam and Jill complement each other, thus assuming an Anima/Animus relationship.

In the beginning dream sequences, the gender roles are fairly storybook-esque:  Sam is literally the knight in shining armor and Jill is the damsel in distress. For me, it specifically evoked the image of Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss that illustrates the romance yet the inescapable power discrepancy between a male god and a female mortal. Contrastingly in the ending dream sequences, the gender roles swap as dream merges with the grit of reality. As Sam flees from the government, he falls through the black door of death seemingly into Jill’s truck. As they drive through a picturesque landscape away from the city, Sam nuzzles against Jill’s shoulder; she responds protectively and drives both of them towards safety. Sam has finally become the damsel in distress and Jill, the knight in shining armor. Reality seems to have crept in under the guise of a dream: Sam is his diffident self and Jill is brazenly confident as usual. Sure, Sam may still have his dreamland, but it is no longer the sanctuary from reality it once was, no longer the untouched Eden he could recede into; society has irreversibly corrupted his ideal world.

Though the last dream sequence seems a little too finite, in no way does it spoil the ending. Honestly the last ten minutes will blow your mind, for if this movie teaches you anything, it’s that you can’t anticipate what comes next; this film is wholly unpredictable. Brazil definitely goes down in my top ten films of all time. So, watch it! Please? Pryce gives a sympathetic portrayal as a man losing his innocent perception of his government and consequently the innocence of his dreams. De Niro ninjas his way on and off screen as the ‘terrorist’ or, better yet, the heating technician who went rogue to avoid paperwork. And Michael Palin wonderfully adds to the film’s dark humor as Sam’s best friend Jack Lint, the bureaucracy’s morally amibiguous interrogator. Brazil is visually beautiful and intellectually haunting, its theme song sure to gnaw at your brain until watched again.