First Friday Flowers of Summer

White Tulips

 White Flowers

(By Mary Oliver)

Last night
in the fields
I lay down in the darkness
to think about death,
but instead I fell asleep,
as if in a vast and sloping room
filled with those white flowers
that open all summer,
sticky and untidy,
in the warm fields.
When I woke
the morning light was just slipping
in front of the stars,
and I was covered
with blossoms.
I don’t know
how it happened ---
I don’t know
if my body went diving down
under the sugary vines
in some sleep-sharpened affinity
with the depths, or whether
that green energy
rose like a wave
and curled over me, claiming me
in its husky arms.
I pushed them away, but I didn’t rise.
Never in my life had I felt so plush,
or so slippery.
or so resplendently empty.
Never in my life
had I felt myself so near
that porous line
where my own body was done with
and the roots and the stems and the flowers
began.

Well, that brings us to the end of another week. I've been going at a slower pace recently. The upcoming two weeks will likely be much slower, especially during the July 4th weekend. Hopefully, the posts are of good enough quality to make up for the reduction in quantity. I plan to pick up production again sometime in mid-July.

If This World Makes You Crazy

It's been a while since we've done a "I Love the '80s" type of post. So, we'll remedy that by wishing a Happy Birthday to Cyndi Lauper, born on this date in 1953.

Back in the early and mid-80s, Cyndi Lauper was as big a Pop star as Madonna or Michael Jackson. In '84, it seemed like you could hardly listen to the radio or look at MTV without getting a dose of her music, usually "Girls Just Want to Have Fun". But the key to Pop longevity is the ability to drastically revamp your image. Cyndi's iconic style and sound weren't easy to dislodge from the public mind. Yeah, her music became more "Adult Contemporary" and she ditched the outrageous hair and make-up, but her fundamentals as a performer remained the same.

Nowadays, Cyndi Lauper has expanded her performance repertoire into numerous genres, including dance electronica and, amazingly, the Blues!!! In fact, her Blues album, Memphis Belle, was nominated for a Grammy and dominated the Billboard Blues chart for over four months!!!

Asides from '80s enthusiasts, Cyndi's primary fan base is among the GLBT community. She has been a long-time advocate for Gay rights and her music has become a staple at Pride events.

Let's listen to the music.

I Was Good Today, I Deserve it

Recently, there has been a bit of a stir regarding a Yoplait Yogurt ad. The commercial features a lady (Emily Tarver) opening an office refrigerator and seeing a raspberry cheesecake. She is instantly struck with a desire for the cake and begins to mentally negotiate with herself to create conditions by which she will feel justified in eating it.

A co-worker arrives and grabs a Yoplait Yogurt "Cheesecake" container, expressing great desire for the yogurt. The first lady notices that her co-worker had "lost weight" so immediately decides to have a yogurt herself instead of the actual cheesecake. She is later shown to be enjoying her selection.

That sounds rather harmless. However, the National Eating Disorder Association protested the ad, claiming that it encourages a behavioral pattern utilized by women suffering from eating disorders such as anorexia. The extended mental negotiation portrayed in the ad is symptomatic of someone suffering from negative body image, at the least. Therefore, this ad is transmitting a meme to women who are either suffering from such a disorder or who may be susceptible to such disorders, encouraging them to use Yoplait yogurt as a way to placate the impulse towards mental bargaining.

In short, this ad posits an unhealthy mental disposition as a typical state. Given such a state, this ad suggests its product as way to appease the disorder. That's problematic.

Verticle Rotations

Singapore Flyer

On this date in 1893, the first Ferris Wheel was opened at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. It was 264 ft. tall and took 20 minutes to complete two rotations. Currently, the world's tallest is the Singapore Flyer at 541 ft. tall. The London Eye, which was the world's tallest from 2000 to 2006, is the tallest European wheel at 443 ft. In America, we've got a dinky little wheel, the Texas Star at 212 ft. That's even smaller than the original Chicago wheel. :-(

Personally, I'm not big on Ferris Wheels. I'm slightly phobic towards heights. I can enjoy the thrill when it's brief, like when I'm riding a roller coaster, but, if I'm given time to think about it, realizing how high up I am freaks me out. It's the whole looking down thing. If I just contemplate the horizon, I can't easily put things into scale. When I look down, I can see ant-sized little people and toy cars. That's when I start getting tensed up.



Ferris Wheel at the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago


But I can appreciate the attraction of Ferris Wheels.

Summer Has Arrived

Summer (1909) by Frank W. Benson

Woo hoo!!! My favorite season is upon us! Summer, a time of warmth and long days. . .

Of course, here, in the Los Angeles South Bay area, the sky is dark and grey. The standard "June Gloom" casts a shadow upon the land. It's chilly at the beach and the clouds obscure the sun setting into the Pacific.

But soon the marine layer will lift. The sky will be bright and blue. The birdsongs will fill the morning air. The bright flowers will in full bloom. You all know how much I enjoy visiting the various local botanical gardens and nature preserves to look at the birds and flora. Well, this is the best time of year for such activities!

And there's the beach! Woo hoo!!!



Summer (1896) by Alphonse Mucha


It is often said that there are no seasons in Los Angeles. That is false.

Gala of the Grotesque

Untitled #2 (2011) by Scott Radke

"Burlap" is the title of an exhibit at Thinkspace Gallery, featuring the mixed media sculptures of Scott Radke. It's an interesting show but a bit difficult to accurately describe. The problem lies in the nature of the art works themselves. They have a shifting narrative premise based upon their current environment. To a degree, these are not self-contained sculptures, but focal points to an improvised installation artwork.

The show consists of a series of sculptures and some photographs of these pieces, generally within a evocative setting. The sculptures are of chimerical figures of a "fairy tale" nature. They are gnome-like fey creatures. Some are humanoid in their general appearance, but others are animals or flowers with gnomish faces. The majority of them are covered in a dark sackcloth material either as clothing or skin. It is from this rich material that the show derives it name, "Burlap".

I really enjoyed looking at them. Each piece had a distinct "personality" and expressive presence. The craftsmanship of their design was excellent. These chimerical figures really captured my imagination.



Bird #5 (2011) by Scott Radke


And it's in the imaginative engagement that the pieces become especially noteworthy.

Happy Father's Day!!!

To Her Father with Some Verses

(By Anne Bradstreet)

Most truly honoured, and as truly dear,
If worth in me or ought I do appear,
Who can of right better demand the same
Than may your worthy self from whom it came?
The principal might yield a greater sum,
Yet handled ill, amounts but to this crumb;
My stock's so small I know not how to pay,
My bond remains in force unto this day;
Yet for part payment take this simple mite,
Where nothing's to be had, kings loose their right.
Such is my debt I may not say forgive,
But as I can, I'll pay it while I live;
Such is my bond, none can discharge but I,
Yet paying is not paid until I die.

It's not my style to celebrate "Hallmark Holidays" but the mood is upon me today. ;-)

In looking for appropriate music to celebrate, I was surprised by the wildly inappropriate Father-themed music out there. LOL!!!

Heard, Not Seen

Calm and serene

The sound of a cicada

Penetrates the rock

(By Matsuo Basho)

The Hammer Museum had a series of performance over the month entitled "Insect Ensemble", a performance curated by Jessica Catron. Using hand percussion and simple mouth sounds, the concept was to create an ambient aural environment of insect-like sounds. Five performers were scattered across the Hammer Courtyard to create this effect.

The performers were Jessica Catron, Jessica Basta, Julia Holter, Tanya Rubbak, and Chris Votek.

Fuchsias for Friday's Flowers

Vivien Lee

Light

(By Rabindranath Tagore)

Light, my light, the world-filling light,
the eye-kissing light,
heart-sweetening light!

Ah, the light dances, my darling, at the center of my life;
the light strikes, my darling, the chords of my love;
the sky opens, the wind runs wild, laughter passes over the earth.

The butterflies spread their sails on the sea of light.
Lilies and jasmines surge up on the crest of the waves of light.

The light is shattered into gold on every cloud, my darling,
and it scatters gems in profusion.

Mirth spreads from leaf to leaf, my darling,
and gladness without measure.
The heaven's river has drowned its banks
and the flood of joy is abroad.

Well, it's that time of the week again. I've been wanting to do a post on a Fuchsia show that I got to visit last weekend, but blogging opportunities have been slim. So, we'll show off a few pretties today and maybe we'll do a full on post later. ;-)



Sparkles


Here are a few more.

Be Serious About It

Morning (1821) by Caspar David Friedrich

It's been a while since we celebrated the birth date of a composer of classical music. So, let's take the opportunity to think on and enjoy the works of the great Norwegian composer, Edvard Grieg, born on this date in 1843. Overall, I'm not wild about his music, but I usually find it charming and fun. Late Romantic compositions often incorporated nationalistic themes and styles. Grieg's work is a paradigm of this trend.

My main criticism of his works is that they are so excessively folksy and syrupy that it's a bit overwhelming. It almost becomes campy or self-satirical. However, there is such a dedicated seriousness to the underlying compositional techniques that it can't be dismissed as mere bombast or sentimentality. No, although the expressive impression of these works seems flashy and shallow upon a casual listen, they are actually deep and complex works.

Stetind I Take (1864) by Peder Balke

Let's give them a listen and you can judge for yourself.

Beware of Bears

I am not a fan of the Bible, especially the Old Testament. Yes, there is a great deal to admire and appreciate about Scripture. Giving it a full and honest reading is a worthwhile endeavor and can certainly bring knowledge and wisdom. However, there is plenty of objectionable stuff as well, products of a tribalistic Bronze Age mentality.

Since today is the Feast Day of the Prophet Elisha, let's reflect on this passage from 2 Kings 2:23-24 (KJV):

And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.

And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

Yeah, that's quite a disproportionate response. How do apologists defend this blatant act of injustice?

Well, there are three main lines of defense.

Nostalgia in Neon

El Tavern - Vacancy IV (2010) by Terry Thompson

About a month ago, I saw an exhibit of Terry Thompson's signage paintings at the George Billis Gallery in Culver City. The show was entitled "Sign of Life". I thought that was a strange name, given the aged and deteriorating appearance of the subjects. I was thinking "Memento Mori" or even "Et in Arcadia Ego" would be a more fitting title.

But Thompson's idea is that these signs are survivors. While their fellows from the late '40s to the early '60s have fallen to real estate redevelopment, these signs have persevered. The rust and wear are badges of endurance. Yes, they are from Googie era, but, in spite of the odds, they still exist. They are still part of "Now".

Canyon City Liquor (2010) by Terry Thompson

So, I spent a few weeks considering the matter. Then I returned to the gallery to reassess the paintings. Upon review, I can see his point.