Its in all of us

This is an amazing video- showing the amazing connection between people and music- as if we've got the music within us and we only need to express it. The more I look into the music- the more i realise how big it is.

Enjoy and share what it makes you feel!

Fantasia

Exploring the notion of visual music suddenly remembered the amazing classic Disney's movie- Fantasia. The movie is beautifully presenting the interpretations of music- in a visual way.

At some point the host is inviting the soundtrack to come and show himself. The soundtrack is presented visually and then the host says: "watching him, I discovered that every beautiful sound also creates an equally beautiful picture."

This saying is summarizing what Im exploring.

HARMONOGRAPH

I have officially begun my journey in search for the link between music and visuals. I'm not quite sure what it means yet- I just know that the connection exists. Many people have referred me to digital artist that interpret sounds into digital shapes and colours. I find the digital medium somehow detached mechanical and I aspire to explore the physical mediums of communication. Just like how Gondry made a connection between Bjork's playing and the colours (previous post)- I'm looking into the physical connection between what we hear and what we see.

Which brings me to introduce the amazing tool called the Harmonograph. The Harmonograph is a mechanical setup that employs pendulums to create a geometric image. In his book 'Harmonograph: a visual guide to the mathematics of music', Anthony Ashton is writing: "from the first moment I saw drawing of this kind I was hooked. Not only because of their strange beauty but because they seemed to have meaning...". I identify very much with what Ashton wrote- and I've decided to look more into this amazing machine.

Looking into the Harmonograph and its abilities- opened a new world of signs, symbols and meanings related to music. Hopefully, It'll be a useful tool in my journey..

Allegretto

I have decided to focus my research on the idea of sound visualisation.
Oskar Fischinger made this film in 1936, and It Is Inspiring!

Gondry

Michel Gondry, The one and only.

I've first discovered him in Bjork video, 'bachelorette', which he directed, and i have been following him since. The thing I love about Gondry's work (except it being painfully beautiful) is that he is creating a completely new realities, surreal and magical.

My favourite 'Gondry Work' is (with no doubt) the film 'Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind' which he directed. I think that this film is an amazing piece of art, which challenge the viewer to confront the film, and himself.

This short video is a quick glimpse at Gondry's way of working and thinking. He makes me want to get up and start making things! He makes me want to be French!

Why are we happy?

This guy is amazing. Not only that he is one of the best presenters I've ever seen, he is also looking into an interesting issue in a lovely way. I'm very much inspired by how he presents the way our brain work. At first it's a bit tempting to dismiss what he is saying, but then- when you really think about it, it kinda makes sense.

A little jump back to my 'love/hate' list, one of the things on the hate list is dilemmas. The situation of choosing is always making me uncomfortable. The possibility of being wrong or making the wrong choice can drive me mad. The quicker my decision is being made- the happier I am. It takes me 3 minutes (tops) to choose a dish from the menu because I can't cope with the variety and choices.

It is interesting to think about Gilbert's ideas in terms of life choices and reactions, but also in terms of design process. Makes me wonder about the decision making and how it is sometimes good to limit ourself towards a certain design. It happen to me not ones that i have been overwhelmed and paralysed by the amount of ideas, materials and process I could use.

This video is an inspiration not only towards how to design but perhaps towards what to design.

Airplane

I love airplanes.

I love airplanes because they remind me that the most impossible things can actually happen.

Here and There

It happens to me ones in a while. I suddenly think of a song I haven't heard for years, something from way back, something my parents used to listen to, and I play it.

Then I realise how much I've missed it and I play it over and over again for weeks. This is the song I have been playing for the fast week and a half. "lakachta et yadi be yadcha" (You took my hand in yours) is an amazing song written by Jacob Rotblit, composed by Matti Caspi and preformed by Yehudit Ravitz.

I don't know if its the words or the composition or the fact that it reminds me my childhood, but this song just moves me. There is something about how things used to be done back than, purely, honestly and beautifully.

I'll finish with the chorus main saying: "Things you see from there, you can't see from here".

Enjoy.

Old

I'm Scared of ageing. I'm really really scared of ageing.

There was a time when I tried to convince myself that ageing is a good thing. I thought I should embrace the maturity, and the fact that I'm becoming wiser, but it didn't last long.

I think that the scariest thing is the fear of loosing the abilities to things. Remembering, reading without glasses, eating greasy food, drinking and dancing all night etc.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think I'm old, I'm just constantly aware of the things that slowly get harder and harder to do.

But then I wonder... Would I want to stay young forever?

Morals

I think that the best word to describe my view towards fashion is ambivalence. On the one hand, I love it. I love dressing up, I love expressing my mood with what I wear, I love the endless options and varieties, I love matching things together, I love guessing people's personalities according to what they wear, and I love the feeling of excitement when I buy something new.

On the other hand, I despise the fashion industry. A slim model walking on impossible heals, snobby and alienated society, and abusive behavior towards enthusiastic new blood are some of the things I resent. I keep on wondering whether the attitude carried by the people of the industry- is what makes it what it is- glamours, harsh and unattainable.

This 'split personality' of mine, which admires beautiful and fashionable artifacts, but is also repulsed by the worship of it, is torn, trying to find a way to live with the contradiction.

Speaking of fashion....

I was on my way out from the library when i accidentally noticed 'Cleavage', a book by Wayne Koestenbaum, which I have decided to borrow without even reading its description. In his book (which I haven't finished reading yet) Koestenbaum is giving great attention to people appearances, and what it communicates. The book is a collection of fun essays, which gives an interesting view on material culture.

In his essay 'Thrifting", Koestenbaum is writing a few stories about pieces of clothing, and in the end he is giving a list of morals he got from the stories:

"wear what you want; don't let designers bully you; visit flea markets to create trends of your own; don't be afraid of the return of the repressed; wash your vintage items so they don't stink; think of the concept that you are dressing towards (French sailor during Fleet Week); don't be afraid to abandon a favorite color; dress either to be noticed or overlooked, but not both; ignore what friends tell you; if your not bald, keep your hair clean; stand up straight, or, if you can pull it off, slouch; when someone, even if that someone is your mother, gets remarried, wear a thrift-store item to the wedding; observe no proprieties; cross-dress at whim; create private mythologies around each garment you wear; tell these myths to your friends and lovers; dress down or dress up but not both at once; donate; do not condemn the garments of passerby, lest you be harshly judged; admire relentlessly, lest your spirit's springs dry up; choose a fetish (high heels) and stick to it; don't weep when a garment's life is over; say proper good-bye to every garment so that when it's dead you won't regret what was left unsaid; remember that garment have as much soul as you do; respect the genus locii of shoes; worship at the shrine of no one else's wardrobe, only your own; say a fashion pray everyday before falling asleep, lest you wake up without a style; everyday reevaluate the distance between the grotesque and the beautiful; do not fear the grotesque, lest it kidnap you; love the garment for its insufficiencies as well as its strengths; do unto your garments as you would have them do unto you." (Wayne Koestenbaum/ Cleavage- essays on sex, stars and aesthetics/ 2000)

I agree with most of the morals in the list- but not all of them. I guess what i like about it so much- is that it makes me wonder about the important of artifacts in our modern life style.

Walking

One of the first things on my 'Hate list' is 'people who walk slowly'. I have never got into why 'm irritated so much by these people- except the fact that they are keeping me from rushing to the train/ bus/ plain/ class etc.

I've decided to look a bit more into the reason of my continuing rage. Firstly, I wanted to understand whether it is me that walks too quickly, or is it actually the 'other people' who are not aware (or care) for their slow pace? In the beginning I presumed that the reason for my anger was driven from my jealousy to people who have lots of time on their hands. I was soon proven wrong as i've been disturbed by the slow walkers even when not being in a rush...

Spending some more time thinking about it, it occurred to me that the walking is actually a resembles of a city pace. I think that as a person who lives in a city, I have subconsciously adapted a certain rhythm which the city moves by; quick, efficient and alienated. The slow walk, on the other hand, is a complete contrast of that; comfortable, calm and with an opportunity for social interaction to become.

I think that the clash between my adapted rhythm and the 'Slow' rhythm is the reason for the enormous irritation. A few questions come to mind now:

Is there a different pace/ rhythm/ beat for each city? and if so, Is it measurable?

Is by living in one place for long time we are adapting its speed? or are we working according to our own speedometer? And.... I'm I the only one not liking these people....?

What do you think?

Love/Hate

The first thing that went through my mind when i was asked to share my ideas, thought and experiences was my Love-Hate list. I have been working on the list for the past few months knowing that one day i would need it- but didn't know what for.

All of the 'things' on the list (whether they are a person, an object or a behaviour) has been instinctively chosen, and i did not put much thought and care into why I love or hate these things. Throughout this blog i will look a bit dipper into the things that arouse my attention and inspires me while trying their nature and their effect on others and me.

Hopefully, it'll be enjoyable and interesting.

M.