Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Graffiti & Street Art - Images | Clay Williams Photo


Graffiti & Street Art - Images | Clay Williams Photo
these street-wise art attacks by clay williams... original artists, mostly unknown... but i share clay's love of this possessive art... i call it possessive cause it does tend to take over square footage... lending beauty and intrigue to the most mundane surfaces...
to the left, my favorite right now...

Monday, July 19, 2010

erzulie, again

can you tell that SHE is the one who speaks to me? at different points during the day, i feel i embody all of her nuances... all of her travails, her pain, her pleasure... her demands, her gifts.

veve, a mystic calling




the VEVE is a religious symbol that serves as a lightening rod for the lwa/loa ~ the spirit.
the ritualistic placement of the veve on the Earth obliges the loa to descend to this plane.
sacrifices, offerings, and prayers are laid upon the veve. each veve is unique and specific to the loa
whose presence is being requested. veves are complicated and intricate art forms, created with a variety of powder-like substances, depending on the particular ritual.

above, from left to right, veves representing:
ERZULIE, ogun, and papa legba

erzulie is the goddess of love, romance, art and sexual intrigue, fantasy, and loving encounters.
she is divisible by three aspects: erzulie FREDA, a virgin, often depicted as the Black madonna or virgin mary, erzulie DANTOR, who wrecks havoc as the loa of jealousy, fractious energy, and confrontations with those who oppose her, and LA SIREN, goddess and feminine energy of the sea, of motherhood, ruling the womb and the breasts... creating and controlling the family.
her favorite colors in all incarnations are pink or red, her flower is sweet-smelling, and white, her preferred offerings are chocolates, candies, dark rum, and sweet wine. she wants pearls, and white doves, parfum and incense.
she loves hearts, white cloth, pink and red candles, and her choice in most things is... MORE.

a beauty.... a songstress... a phenomenal woman...

Friday, July 16, 2010

the beauty of the Black Madonna lies in her surprise, her other-worldliness... her image haunts my dreams, she shadows my waking thoughts... i can be immersed in her beauty. i was told in AYITI that her child is a girl-baby, named ANAIS... i have a fleeting interest in her historical context; i only know she is erzulie to me.
you can read more about the Black Madonna here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Madonna

oddly disturbing yet intriguing...
steven klein for vogue italia

Thursday, July 15, 2010

my heart, in kreyol...

when i said i loved you, i meant it would always be true
i would never promise what i could not give, freely
with my heart in your blood you can be strong
you will have the grace of the life we share, you are safe and whole
so hold me tight, i am but smoke
hold me near, i am but water
love me right, i am but human
LĆØ mwen di: mwen renmen ou, mwen siyifi li toujou ta verite mwen pa janm ta pwomĆØt sa mwen te kapab pa ba, se avĆØk kĆØ m' nan kĆØ kontan san ou, ou kapab delivre ou p'ap gen favĆØ a lavi nou pataje w an sekirite epi an antye, se konsa, kenbe m' sere m' men lafimen ki kenbe m' pwoche bĆ² a, mwen menm ki men dlo renmen m' dwat, mwen menm ki men imen

Mi niƱa Lola- Buika

concha buika (bwee-kah) was born in 1972 in spain. her parents fled political strife in equatorial guinea... her family relocated to a impoverished all-"white" neighborhood, where she was the lone Black girl with a head full of curly kinks the locals would touch for "good fortune". i like the mystery and mood of this video.

jenny holzer is a master of words....

Jenny Holzer was born in Gallipolis, Ohio in 1950. She received a BA from Ohio University in Athens (1972); an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence (1977); and honorary doctorates from the University of Ohio (1993), the Rhode Island School of Design (2003), and New School University, New York (2005). Whether questioning consumerist impulses, describing torture, or lamenting death and disease, Jenny Holzer’s use of language provokes a response in the viewer. While her subversive work often blends in among advertisements in public space, its arresting content violates expectations. Holzer’s texts—such as the aphorisms “abuse of power comes as no surprise” and “protect me from what I want”—have appeared on posters and condoms, and as electronic LED signs and projections of xenon light. Holzer’s recent use of text ranges from silk-screened paintings of declassified government memoranda detailing prisoner abuse, to poetry and prose in a 65-foot wide wall of light in the lobby of 7 World Trade Center, New York. She has received many awards, including the Golden Lion from the Venice Biennale (1990); the Skowhegan Medal (1994); and the Diploma of Chevalier (2000) from the French government. Major exhibitions include the Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin (2001); Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston (1997); Dia Art Foundation, New York (1989); and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York (1989). Since 1996, Holzer has organized public light projections in cities worldwide. She was the first woman to represent the United States in the Venice Biennale (1990). Jenny Holzer lives and works in Hoosick Falls, New York. Quoted directly from ART:21

what fascinates and please me most about the expressive work of JENNY HOLZER is her use of language as a pure art form. she can write seven words (Expiring for love is beautiful but stupid.) and make the reader see love with a new twist. She never minces words while being succinct and forthright (Sloppy thinking gets worse over time.)
here are her most famous "truisms"... take what you like, and leave the rest... but, my favorite (today) is: you must know where you stop and the world begins
a little knowledge can go a long way
a lot of professionals are crackpots
a man can't know what it is to be a mother
a name means a lot just by itself
a positive attitude means all the difference in the world
a relaxed man is not necessarily a better man
a sense of timing is the mark of genius
a sincere effort is all you can ask
a single event can have infinitely many interpretations
a solid home base builds a sense of self
a strong sense of duty imprisons you
absolute submission can be a form of freedom
abstraction is a type of decadence
abuse of power comes as no surprise
action causes more trouble than thought
alienation produces eccentrics or revolutionaries
all things are delicately interconnected
ambition is just as dangerous as complacency
ambivalence can ruin your life
an elite is inevitable
anger or hate can be a useful motivating force
animalism is perfectly healthy
any surplus is immoral
anything is a legitimate area of investigation
artificial desires are despoiling the earth
at times inactivity is preferable to mindless functioning
at times your unconsciousness is truer than your conscious mind
automation is deadly
awful punishment awaits really bad people
bad intentions can yield good results
being alone with yourself is increasingly unpopular
being happy is more important than anything else
being judgmental is a sign of life
being sure of yourself means you're a fool
believing in rebirth is the same as admitting defeat
boredom makes you do crazy things
calm is more conductive to creativity than is anxiety
categorizing fear is calming
change is valuable when the oppressed become tyrants
chasing the new is dangerous to society
children are the most cruel of all
children are the hope of the future
class action is a nice idea with no substance
class structure is as artificial as plastic
confusing yourself is a way to stay honest
crime against property is relatively unimportant
decadence can be an end in itself
decency is a relative thing
dependence can be a meal ticket
description is more important than metaphor
deviants are sacrificed to increase group solidarity
disgust is the appropriate response to most situations
disorganization is a kind of anesthesia
don't place to much trust in experts
drama often obscures the real issues
dreaming while awake is a frightening contradiction
dying and coming back gives you considerable perspective
elaboration is a form of pollution
emotional responses are as valuable as intellectual responses
enjoy yourself because you can't change anything anyway
ensure that your life stays in flux
even your family can betray you
every achievement requires a sacrifice
everyone's work is equally important
everything that's interesting is new
exceptional people deserve special concessions
expressing anger is necessary
extreme behavior has its basis in pathological psychology
extreme self-consciousness leads to perversion
faithfulness is a social not a biological law
fake or real indifference is a powerful personal weapon
fathers often use too much force
fear is the greatest incapacitator
freedom is a luxury not a necessity
giving free rein to your emotions is an honest way to live
go all out in romance and let the chips fall where they may
going with the flow is soothing but risky
good deeds eventually are rewarded
government is a burden on the people
grass roots agitation is the only hope
guilt and self-laceration are indulgences
habitual contempt doesn't reflect a finer sensibility
hiding your emotions is despicable
holding back protects your vital energies
humanism is obsolete
humor is a release
ideals are replaced by conventional goals at a certain age
if you aren't political your personal life should be exemplary
if you can't leave your mark give up
if you have many desires your life will be interesting
if you live simply there is nothing to worry about
ignoring enemies is the best way to fight
illness is a state of mind
imposing order is man's vocation for chaos is hellin some instances it's better to die than to continue
inheritance must be abolished
it can be helpful to keep going no matter what
it is heroic to try to stop time
it is man's fate to outsmart himself
it is a gift to the world not to have babies
it's better to be a good person than a famous person
it's better to be lonely than to be with inferior people
it's better to be naive than jaded
it's better to study the living fact than to analyze history
it's crucial to have an active fantasy life
it's good to give extra money to charity
it's important to stay clean on all levels
it's just an accident that your parents are your parents
it's not good to hold too many absolutes
it's not good to operate on credit
it's vital to live in harmony with nature
just believing something can make it happen
keep something in reserve for emergencies
killing is unavoidable but nothing to be proud of
knowing yourself lets you understand others
knowledge should be advanced at all costs
labor is a life-destroying activity
lack of charisma can be fatal
leisure time is a gigantic smoke screen
listen when your body talks
looking back is the first sign of aging and decay
loving animals is a substitute activity
low expectations are good protection
manual labor can be refreshing and wholesome
men are not monogamous by nature
moderation kills the spirit
money creates taste
monomania is a prerequisite of success
morals are for little people
most people are not fit to rule themselves
mostly you should mind your own business
mothers shouldn't make too many sacrifices
much was decided before you were born
murder has its sexual side
myth can make reality more intelligible
noise can be hostile
nothing upsets the balance of good and evil
occasionally principles are more valuable than people
offer very little information about yourself
often you should act like you are sexless
old friends are better left in the past
opacity is an irresistible challenge
pain can be a very positive thing
people are boring unless they are extremists
people are nuts if they think they are important
people are responsible for what they do unless they are insane
people who don't work with their hands are parasites
people who go crazy are too sensitive
people won't behave if they have nothing to lose
physical culture is second best
planning for the future is escapism
playing it safe can cause a lot of damage in the long run
politics is used for personal gain
potential counts for nothing until it's realized
private property created crime
pursuing pleasure for the sake of pleasure will ruin you
push yourself to the limit as often as possible
raise boys and girls the same way
random mating is good for debunking sex myths
rechanneling destructive impulses is a sign of maturity
recluses always get weak
redistributing wealth is imperative
relativity is no boon to mankind
religion causes as many problems as it solves
remember you always have freedom of choice
repetition is the best way to learn
resolutions serve to ease our conscience
revolution begins with changes in the individual
romantic love was invented to manipulate women
routine is a link with the past
routine small excesses are worse than then the occasional debauch
sacrificing yourself for a bad cause is not a moral act
salvation can't be bought and sold
self-awareness can be crippling
self-contempt can do more harm than good
selfishness is the most basic motivation
selflessness is the highest achievement
separatism is the way to a new beginning
sex differences are here to stay
sin is a means of social control
slipping into madness is good for the sake of comparison
sloppy thinking gets worse over time
solitude is enriching
sometimes science advances faster than it should
sometimes things seem to happen of their own accord
spending too much time on self-improvement is antisocial
starvation is nature's way
stasis is a dream state
sterilization is a weapon of the rulers
strong emotional attachment stems from basic insecurity
stupid people shouldn't breed
survival of the fittest applies to men and animals
symbols are more meaningful than things themselves
taking a strong stand publicizes the opposite position
talking is used to hide one's inability to act
teasing people sexually can have ugly consequences
technology will make or break us
the cruelest disappointment is when you let yourself down
the desire to reproduce is a death wish
he family is living on borrowed time
the idea of revolution is an adolescent fantasy
the idea of transcendence is used to obscure oppression
the idiosyncratic has lost its authority
the most profound things are inexpressible
the mundane is to be cherished
the new is nothing but a restatement of the old
the only way to be pure is to stay by yourself
the sum of your actions determines what you are
the unattainable is invariable attractive
the world operates according to discoverable laws
there are too few immutable truths today
there's nothing except what you sense
there's nothing redeeming in toil
thinking too much can only cause problems
threatening someone sexually is a horrible act
timidity is laughable
to disagree presupposes moral integrity
to volunteer is reactionary
torture is barbaric
trading a life for a life is fair enough
true freedom is frightful
unique things must be the most valuable
unquestioning love demonstrates largesse of spirit
using force to stop force is absurd
violence is permissible even desirable occasionally
war is a purification rite
we must make sacrifices to maintain our quality of life
when something terrible happens people wake up
wishing things away is not effective
with perseverance you can discover any truth
words tend to be inadequate
worrying can help you prepare
you are a victim of the rules you live by
you are guileless in your dreams
you are responsible for constituting the meaning of things
you are the past present and future
you can live on through your descendants
you can't expect people to be something they're not
you can't fool others if you're fooling yourself
you don't know what's what until you support yourself
you have to hurt others to be extraordinary
you must be intimate with a token few
you must disagree with authority figures
you must have one grand passion
you owe the world not the other way around
your actions are pointless if no one notices
your oldest fears are the worst ones