Saturday 25 December 2010

昨夜

因為背上的中藥把我熱醒,忽然想起還沒把三九貼拿下來,於是便爬起來撕了貼布。

再躺下去的那瞬間,一個畫面須臾閃過腦海。那 是一條無人街,可以直直通往火車站前的大馬路,旁邊有一棟正在興建的飯店,玻璃一片片組成光彩奪目的面,不規則的架構則是顯出這座城市儘管杵在準則裡,卻 每個人都在嘗試有所不同作為。我扛著黑白圓點,被撐得很龐大的提包,手拉著塞滿各式東西的行囊,一度覺得自己會來不及,沒辦法到車站或者機場,沒法子走到 下一個城市,也許乾脆就此生活在哪一個長得像聖誕老人的家裡,每天看著牆壁上掛的老樹木老鹿頭度日。

可是,領 著我回家的念頭,還是要我前行。紅燈的時候,我站在路口,再次看了一眼哥本哈根,三天前,我還在阿姆斯特丹的機場潰堤,後來還不是坐了十三小時的野雞車, 挺了過來,來到哥本哈根。沒到冷冷清清的Tivoli,倒走訪路人介紹給我,很安靜卻怪誕的街頭小區,一個人像孤獨的學蠧,坐在店裡拍照喝咖啡,觀察身邊 的人用陌生的語言說些芝麻蒜皮的家務事,外頭建築物的玻璃牆上貼了新銳藝術家的作品,他走訪這社區的每個平民小戶,拍下失婚的男人/貧窮的一家/刺青的情 侶/正在做黑道的兄弟/靠領失業救濟金度日的老人/幸福的新婚情侶,我聽得見這小區甩門關窗戶的聲音,雖然見不太到許多人,可是他們的身影都被刻畫在那幾 片玻璃牆上頭了。人生,模樣,記憶,標籤,幸與不幸。可是誰也說不準,我這個過客是否分析得有理。

 冷風刮著臉,我騎著腳踏車嘯過移民區或者布爾喬亞區,最終還是回到原點,在那個初次乍到的地方離去。

看了一眼左方斜斜照過來的夕陽,每一個斑馬線上的路人,都變得模糊,只有形狀。但,我知道鏡子裡的自己越來越清晰。

Friday 10 December 2010

囚禁

我可能做了一個錯誤的決定。
所以才會徬徨失落,像一個失了重心的陀螺,旋轉再旋轉以後,即將要墜落。


那些有興趣的議題,在我耳際揮之不去。可能不是害怕自己沒辦法做出什麼,而是害怕以後只是一個糖衣的製造者,必須要用美麗甜蜜的形容詞來包裝出一則狀似華麗的文章,可是自己內心齟齬卻無法釋放在任何一處。

然而,我明知道這塊土地生存的不只有穿著Prada的惡魔,但筆端卻沒辦法選擇自己要什麼,彷彿背後是一塊荊棘,一幅史丹利庫柏力克的電影分鏡,爆裂性的古典樂悠揚地在空氣裡化為分子,憂愁的家暴傷者、沒有辦法與我們溝通的外籍勞工、校園裡被遺忘的霸凌兒、堅持理想的搖滾客、聲音從沒被聽見男人或者女人,我們的自由或者被囚禁,那些畫面都不再行進。

只是畫面,只是被凝固在平面裡的畫面。

我一直認為美麗佳人,能給讀者的不只是流行,但慢慢地,我已經分不出Elle、Vogue、Marie Claire。才不過工作七天,我每天都在想倫敦,我都在想自己閱讀過什麼,曾經有過什麼理想,為什麼我再也沒辦法很單純地聆聽明星說話。

是不是,我已經沒辦法回去過去的日子了......

Thursday 9 December 2010

pulp fantasy

female artists recommended from favorwire

The Top 10 Female Pop Artists You’ve Never Heard Of
12:30 pm Wednesday Dec 8, 2010 by Rachel Somerstein
History is written by the winners. As Meghan O’Rourke’s recent Slate essay points out, in the literary and cultural worlds, those winners still are — more often than not — men. That’s not because of any native advantage in intelligence or ability, but because of what O’Rourke calls “unconscious gender bias” and our unwillingness to accord “accomplishment and authority” to women as freely as we recognize these qualities in men.
Nevertheless, unequal status notwithstanding, there is more room at the cultural table today than there was in the chauvanist world of 50 years ago.  Indeed, blatant sexism is why so many of the artists in Seductive Subversion: Women Pop Artists, 1958-1968, up through January 31 at the Brooklyn Museum (and originally organized by Sid Sachs at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts), received little attention when they were actively making work. But O’Rourke’s “unconscious gender bias” is why so few institutions, academic or otherwise, have paid them any mind in the decades since. We spoke to Catherine Morris, the Curator of the museum’s Sackler Center for Feminist Art, about ten fantastic women Pop Artists from the show that you’ve probably never heard of.

Idelle Weber’s terrific black and yellow paintings evoke the era of checker cabs, smoky back rooms, and the Long Island Railroad club car. Along with her paintings and sculpture, Weber’s set of nine Lucite blocks, imprinted with scenes straight out of Mad Men (men in suits, holding cigarettes) is a don’t-miss.

Idelle Weber, Munchkins I, II & III, 1964, acrylic on linen, 72” x 120” (in three panels). Courtesy of the artist.

The Top 10 Female Pop Artists You’ve Never Heard Of
12:30 pm Wednesday Dec 8, 2010 by Rachel Somerstein
Like Warhol and Lichtenstein, Marjorie Strider made bold-colored paintings of “pinup girls.” But Strider satirizes the usual overemphasis on physical assets by turning parts of her paintings three-dimensional – the pinup girl’s breasts in Triptych II (Beach Girl), 1963, for instance, barely encased in a yellow bikini top, literally pop off the canvas.
Strider was well-known during the ’60s, says Morris, and inspired the now-infamous Pop Art exhibition First International Girlie Show, held in January 1964 at New York’s Pace Gallery.

Marjorie Strider, White Linear (Lilies), 1964, oil and mixed media, 61 1/2” x 48”. Abrams Family Collection

“The history of Pop Art has been gone over and polished to a high sheen,” says Morris. But there’s “a whole history of footnotes that hasn’t been explored.”
To wit: prior to Seductive Subversion, Morris says that she “knew very little” about Rosalyn Drexler, whom she calls “an incredible painter and an incredible Pop voice from the period.” Indeed, Drexler’s cinematic, large-scale paintings encapsulate the Pop aesthetic: bright, bold, with more than a hint of a “commercial” influence.
Austrian-born Kiki Kogelnik was also little-known. Her works, at once dangerous and seductive, include a hand-painted, once-live bomb, as well as paintings depicting male and female figures, bones, and scissors.

Rosalyn Drexler, Home Movies, 1963, oil and synthetic polymer with photomechanical reproductions on canvas, 48 1/8” x 96 1/8”. Courtesy of Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC

During her short life, British painter and actress Pauline Boty created bold-colored, large-scale paintings of celebrities, as well as darker, political works about the Vietnam War and JFK’s assassination. Though she showed her paintings in British galleries, and was even included in Ken Russell’s 1962 documentary of emerging Pop Artists, Boty’s work largely disappeared from view following her untimely death at 28 from cancer.
In part that’s because one of her brothers, evidently grief-stricken, stockpiled Boty’s paintings in a barn. Making matters still worse, Boty’s husband, Clive Goodwin, died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage in the mid-’70s. As Alice Rawsthorn explained in the Guardian, “There was no one left to ensure that the critics and curators who would write the ‘official’ accounts of the 1960s art scene over the next two decades would remember to include Pauline Boty.”

Pauline Boty, With Love to Jean Paul Belmondo, 1962, oil on canvas, 48” x 59 7/8”. Collection of Nadia Fakhoury, Paris

Greek-born sculpture and multimedia artist Chryssa “had one of those typical European love/hate relationships with American pop culture,” says Morris. Partly as a result, Morris says, she was one of the first artists to use neon in her work. Another pioneer here is British artist Jann Haworth, who is credited with creating some of the earliest “soft sculptures” – which sound exactly like what they are. Frank, Dog, and The Maid appear together here, in a funny/sad tableau that seems like the opening scene to a drama about a lonely older man, his younger, very attractive maid, and his loyal, homely dog. In other words, Pretty Woman. Also, Maid in Manhattan. Haworth also collaborated with her husband on the album cover for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which includes her soft sculptures of Shirley Temple and an old woman. Chryssa, Car Tires, 1962, oil on paper, 38” x 23 1/5”. Abrams Family Collection.
 
 
Although May Wilson had an abiding interest in becoming an artist, it was her son who exposed her to the “downtown scene.” Inspired, at 61 she “moved to the Chelsea Hotel,” says Morris, to realize her dreams. For the pieces included here, Wilson took pictures of herself in photo booths, affixed her face to ridiculous or silly portraits, and then applied these pastiches to postcards and other found objects. The results are alternately surreal, hilarious, and profound. May Wilson, Ridiculous Portrait (Queen Elizabeth), c.1965-72, collage, 8 1/2” x 10 1/8”. Courtesy of William S. Wilson and Pavel Zoubok Gallery. Martha Rosler’s photomontages skewer the sexist roles ascribed to women during the period — maid, “bombshell,” perfect hostess (which aren’t too far off from idealized notions of femininity today). Although well-known, Rosler typically isn’t associated with Pop Art. Yet, says Morris, Rosler’s work “is very much about Pop ideas.” Martha Rosler, Vacuuming Pop Art, 1967-72, photomontage, 20” x 24”. Courtesy of the Artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York.

墨索里尼的情人

照我平日一向只願意看90分鐘電影的習性,周二這天,簡直是破天荒看了兩部140分鐘的電影。


墨索里尼的情人Vincere




當時會選這部片的原因,單純是因為聞天祥推薦,總之像是吃了顆定心丸,覺得肯定不會看到壞片。事實上,它的確讓我覺得兩小時多的電影,絲毫沒有失神,甚至一改我對近代義大利電影沉淪的印象。

看完回家查了IMDB以後,方才知道導演Marco Bellocchio是義大利老將,打從1961年開始拍戲,演員、編劇出身的Bellocchio,就是在電視上看到關於墨索里尼情人的故事,發現資料寥寥無幾,方才決定把這故事改編,搬上大銀幕。

精彩的是,Bellocchio也找來許多歷史資料片段、錄音檔,讓過去與現在的剪接,流動得渾然一體,歷史片段並不沉悶延宕,反而因為墨索里尼的聲音、音樂,把節奏調動得更加明快,映對出他時時刻刻在變化與發酵養大的野心,一再推進。

女主角同樣是一時之選,Giovanna Mezzogiorno,演過愛在霍亂蔓延時、帕勒摩獵影,她演出情人的瘋癲仇恨跟癡迷。在故事前半段,她把東西全都賣了,就為了資助墨索里尼,在情慾與愛交雜之間,臉部的線條極為柔和,連床戲都拍得極好,彷彿兩人之間不是欲而是愛。但,到了後半段,被拋棄與嫌棄以後,她堅定決心要墨索里尼認帳、認兒子的眼神,在公眾場所裡撩起裙襬,被精神病院院長質問的一場戲,許多細微的表情跟眼神,從理智瞬間到瘋狂,Giovanna演得絲絲入扣,也絕對不是年輕新一代義大利偶像演員能演出來的戲碼。


以下則是摘錄自國家電影電子報
《電影筆記》專訪了導演馬可․貝洛凱歐,讓我們來看一看。
導演何時對伊妲․達爾瑟的故事感興趣呢?原來,導演也是在電視上看到一部紀錄片《墨索里尼的祕密》(Le Secret de Mussolini),才知道有伊妲․達爾瑟這一號人物。他說,市面上一堆墨索里尼的傳記,提到伊妲․達爾瑟這個人也才不過幾行句子而已。義大利男導演法布黎吉歐․羅倫提 (Fabrizio Laurenti) 跟義大利裔美國籍男記者江法藍科․挪瑞利 (Gianfranco Norelli) 一起在美國搜尋檔案,因為那些檔案無法在義大利尋得;然後才拍成那部紀錄片。馬可․貝洛凱歐覺得這段只到一九一七年的戀情值得拍成電影,於是就在看過紀錄片之後的一年,正式展開《祕密戀人》的前製作業。
馬 可․貝洛凱歐認為這不僅僅是一位女人的故事,而是能夠透過她來講義大利的故事。墨索里尼年輕的時候,曾經是投入社會主義運動的青年,就是在這個時候,他吸 引住伊妲․達爾瑟;但是到一九一四年秋天(也就是第一次世界大戰開戰後不久),墨索里尼背叛了社會主義的路線,轉而支持中立路線,或說轉而支持義大利參 戰,支持和法國結交成聯盟。墨索里尼甚至還曾經被指控「被法國人收買」(être acheté par les Français),因為他所辦的報紙宣揚力抗德國。
墨索里尼在一九一三、一四年間,很被未來主義 (le futurisme) 吸引,認為戰爭的必要性即是要摧毀過去,即使是摧毀過去中的美麗的事物。
伊 妲․達爾瑟後來幾近是被軟禁,這讓馬可․貝洛凱歐能夠繼續實驗他的美學:政治跟心理治療之間的關係。伊妲․達爾瑟絕不投降,因此她是一位永遠都在抗議的女 人,因此也就是一位超級麻煩的人物,所以,在現實中,她後來被安置在醫院裡面被軟禁,目的就是要摧毀她。導演希望伊妲․達爾瑟這一角色,能夠像他好幾年前 片《早安,黑夜》(Buongiorno, notte) 一樣(該片處理一九七○年代的極左派暴力),「從內部來向我們呈現這些歷史事件」。
背景模糊、前面突然爆發暴力,「永遠都有在這之前跟之後的敵對立場,每一個立場都意謂著某些很精確的東西。我只是要在這之間注入影像而已。」




Tuesday 9 November 2010

givenchy








it's quite easy to summarize the trends from Givenchy 2011 SS, basically all about zippers, gothic (still), ruffles, sheer, harness, leopard prints etc..

I adore the zippers attached on the chest part of the shirt, mixing up the heavy metallic touch with light sheer, sort of like 90s gothic style stepping into futurism. All the craftships and the spirit of haute couture are still preserved with some delicate details, such as the top with numerous leather folds and leather harness on the back, the top with ruffles of sheer/tafta (perhaps?) and trimmed with zippers. To me, sheer wasn't the innovative idea of Tisci, but it is how he collaged the material with those we rarely expect and also extended its length to long, slightly flared trousers. of course, the leather harness reminds me Zana from garbage dress, but Tisci levelled up its function as the back of leather top.

As usual, this collection is not designed for pleasing male animals, but if you pair up the single item with different styles, you'll see 90s Depp & Moss, new sexy power suits, a bit antwerpen deconstructural style, romantic leopard dress...etc.

Sunday 7 November 2010

被遺忘的時光

後場部落格

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnUfn1ogQM8

被遺忘的時光片段




今天下午去看了楊力州導演的新片,被遺忘的時光。可能因為一來太催淚,二來我的阿公一樣有阿茲海默症的問題,真要把這兩天看的其他電影都給拋到腦後去了。

現場在問QA時,除了聞天祥老師提的問題之外,有一位影迷完全自顧自地把自己對楊力州的支持與愛意,表達得淋漓盡致,「剪接、動畫等,都讓人感覺到您更上一層樓了」;另一位他在政大的學生,則問他的人生挫敗(難道這是楊導的影迷會?)。等到慢熱的敝人正想緩緩舉起手的時候,啊,聞老師已經說要做結尾了......。

畢竟紀錄片這件事,從尋找受訪者、尋找命題、篩選片段、剪接,都是不容易的事,特別是楊力州選擇要拍攝失智症-阿茲海默症做為題材。但,民生社區情侶檔,兩雙紅腫的眼睛與濕潤堵塞的鼻子,不爭氣地說明了,這部記錄片是成功的。

不過,醜話先說在前頭,我猜想,他的剪接是不肯定的,總感覺上儘管清楚要表達的命題,但是對於一個個不同的人生故事要串出一個主題,怎麼讓剪接師把兩年多來拍攝的片段,剪輯得有層次而分明,卻分外困難。對我而言,一)其實結尾真的不需要放Ella,因為那些平易近人的角色與她們青春時代的照片,就夠動容了,可是他卻在尾端穿插一段名人,跟現在許多廣告雜誌報紙為了接近年輕族群,而瘋狂邀請一堆相似的卡司做代言、採訪,是一樣的道理-太急於用名人去賭一個號召力與票房。但我看來,照在Ella臉上的特寫鏡頭,反而讓我彈性疲乏。二)開頭跟結尾放景珍奶奶,接回開頭那段一模一樣的掃墓部分,剪在後頭這裡,不曉得為什麼,反而少了力道,多了煽情,並且有點刻意要做比較整齊的收尾,卻好像沒有得到引導性的結論。三)私以為不把愛與我愛妳寫得露白,也能傳達出片子的情感。

可是,整部片笑中帶淚,妳會為景珍奶奶時而精明、時而糊塗的性格爆笑,會為沒辦法表達自己的水妹而痛苦,為重型機車老爺爺奶奶的感情而感動,為許多對彼此一度無法諒解的父子/父女,在人生最後重新擁抱牽手的時刻而流淚 。

如同楊力州說的,這部片在說遺忘,是被阿茲海默症病患遺忘的片段;但也是尋找,旨在尋找記憶深層裡很珍貴的回憶,尋找家人彼此之間曾經緊密的關係,尋找走到近乎人生最終點時,生命裡剩下來唯一的重量。

妳會很難想像一部在談阿茲海默症的紀錄片,能把你的情緒操控得如此精細,上一秒哭得不能自己,下一秒卻破涕為笑,為景珍奶奶看副導演的樣子給笑壞肚皮。妳看著這些非演員的你我他,他們有時清醒,看著身旁的病友們,品頭論足,說對方糊塗;有時自己又陷入某段幾十年的迷思,懷疑身邊的人是共產黨,深信自己曾經擁有十棟房。

那些七老八十,也曾經風風雨雨做過國大、做過探員的老人家們,走到滿面風霜、白髮蒼蒼,反倒跟個孩子一樣,想念孩子的探望,想起自己的父親母親,想給她們捎個消息、寫封信。儘管語言已然沒法為他們溝通內心,時間年紀早已沒辦法作為衡量先後順序的工具,可是他們眼裡的期待就跟兒時一樣,他們被家人接回家的那些個周末,就像小時父母親給分了塊糖一般雀躍。

還有一對情人,同樣是七十餘歲,從年輕時候在馬場認識,一塊騎著重型機車上山下海,環島旅行。一直到老了,老爺爺還是戴著他的頭巾,只是老奶奶已經記憶不復鮮明,一度沒辦法記得什麼時候該上洗手間,該怎麼生活、怎麼回家,老爺爺無力獨自照顧,只好把她送到療養院。可是他還是天天來探望她,多是一天一次,有時還一天兩次,守候著他的情人,等待也許還是有那麼一天,他們可以再踏上最後一次的摩托車旅程。在醫院裡,他問奶奶:我是妳老公還是妳男朋友阿?老奶奶笑稱:你是我的老朋友。有那麼一度,你能看得出來老爺爺很著急害怕地問:真的假的?你真的不認識我了嗎?

他是懼怕的。懼怕是不是有一天,這病症會把他們超過半世紀的婚姻給捲走,會把他剩下在世界上最重要的人給帶走,會把他們最珍貴的回憶從妻子的腦海裡剝離。

我家也有個阿茲海默症的阿公。在我去倫敦讀書以前,曾經回台中住了好些天,在那時候寫下一篇日記,不,應該這麼說,不必寫日記,我都會一輩子記得那天的情景。那天下午我帶阿公進去工廠裡走走,散步,因為這是他最願意走動的地點,他在這裡辛苦了大半輩子,即便機器不能說話,但他不會遺忘那樣的熟悉。然後我牽他回辦公室裡面,我便跑去旁邊看書。晚些,我找不到阿公,跑到二樓查看,看到陽光透過浴室的毛玻璃照進來室內,阿公搬了一張椅子,坐在洗手台前面,拿著他一貫喜歡用的扁梳,很安靜地在梳頭髮,並拿出已經要生鏽的刮鬍刀,沾了沾水要剃下巴的鬍鬚。

一年後,我回到台中,阿公坐在那邊已經不太能說話,他不再會叫我小茵,不再能跟以前一樣拄著拐杖小碎步練習散步。他只能吃流質食物,所有的食物要進入他的食道都要先碾碎、切碎,確定不會讓他哽到。他經常翻閱放在桌上一百零一本農民曆、報紙、漫畫,或者是偶爾我們會拿些年輕時候照片讓他看,不曉得他看進去多少,但他總會堅持要從第一頁翻到最後一頁。每次看著他坐在那個位置,看著一百零一本農民曆,我老想起一年前的下午,他好像回想起年輕時候,想要再把自己打理整齊帥氣。老想起以前午夜時候,就是像現在這樣的三點多,他會起床上洗手間,倘若被他發現我還在打字,他就會用低沉的聲音怒罵:小茵,怎麼拿罵晚還在用電腦捏?

可能時間來得太快,我還沒來得及懼怕,就已經先被阿公給遺忘了。但有那麼一天,我會說給我的孩子聽,說在我記憶裡的那個阿公是生得怎麼樣的,是怎麼陪伴我長大的.....

電影的月份

十一月對我來說,一直都是個屬於電影的月份。

又基於去年一年,什麼該看的電影我全都在倫敦,沒看到任何一部,所以從十月自法國歸途的飛機開始,我正嘗試把該看卻一直沒機會看到的兩岸三地電影補齊。

是 的,請不要笑我,但我在飛機上才看了艋舺,在寫論文的時候看了第三十六個故事(因為當時美劇都在休息),在今天早上吃早餐時看了父後七日,某一天早晨在整 理行李箱的時候看了香港片志明與春嬌,今天下午去看了楊力州的新片[被遺忘的時光]。前幾天看了記錄片狗仔教主,在講攝影師Ron Gallela的故事;上禮拜六的早餐是配nowhere boy,約翰藍儂的童年故事;昨天早餐配下妻物語;禮拜五婷玉喝酒拖,是配李昭帶來的今敏第一部作品。

很久以前,我總覺得音樂才是人生中不可或缺的因子,就像蟲兒之於鳥兒,高領襯衫之於Karl Lagerfeld,鬢角之於菲哥。可是直到如今,我發現電影才是我沒辦法缺少的要素。

它是很多場夢,也是許多人的夢,你可以平鋪直敘地把市井小民的悲哀人生,唱得像是一首磅礡的交響曲;當然你也可以把巨星的生活,寫成一齣悲劇。我不見得有那樣的福氣能夠在這樣的場域做一個專業工作人員,可是我每一次,都覺得很享受短暫地走進、也走近不同的世界裡,為導演花了大把時間架構出近乎真實的虛構國度而讚嘆,為妳彷彿踏入另一個時空看見觸碰不見的偶像而感動。

Tuesday 26 October 2010

demolished




可能她們唱什麼已經不再重要,因為英文唱起來比中文好聽
可能今年的黑絲襪黑靴子一定要,因為國外都這樣穿
可能在美國之後,是無止盡的英國、法國、義大利
文青小資一定要喝咖啡,Monocle跟Wallpaper要奉為圭臬
說到泳褲跟訂製香水、手工玳帽框總是頭頭是道
舔別人的屁股都一定比聞到自己的香
全球化與資本主義敗壞了我,敗壞了年輕的一輩
不是說那些精英文化不可取,而是你找得到自己在哪裡嗎?
你是一個精英,還是模仿精英、荷包空空的follower?

當然大有一席之地、第四張畫、當愛來的時候
這些拍社台灣故事的電影,讓人覺得是二次台灣電影復興。
可是能有自覺與自我認知的觀眾已少
知道陳映真的人不到閱讀女王與史丹利的十分之一
頂多拿一套龐克與文青的套裝做為偽裝

崩壞的成分大過完好的五分之一
就憑聽了不知所云的音樂
每一年一再重複的楊陳林、張會妹、阿信、配岑
少女雜誌鼓吹潮流與美妝
療傷系部落客分享失戀心情

我們能去得了哪裡?
我們還會崩壞到哪裡?
Where is the originality and authenticity?

zines from GDR













These are the photos from the magazines issued in GDR. we thought that there wouldn't be any cultural products in communist country, but the fact is that there were loads of fashion magazines since the trends are the least harmful thing for dictators.


Honestly, being an insider of publishing industry, these layouts and photos are actually much better than many we had seen on the zines. They are not out-of-date yet. The message is clear, the photos tell the stories directly instead of sending the ambiguous and mysterious  information to the readers.

shame on us, but why couldn't we make progress with more spaces of publishing freedom and why didn't we grow with time?

Sunday 17 October 2010

swiss cult

I ran into this girl in front of Lafayette. She's like an actress-despite the fact that she looks more like the version in reality-in Silent Hill, a bit gothic, a bit doll-look, but she's sweet and nice in person. I noticed her whilst I was talking on the phone with Alex. As soon as I found her vintage lace shirt, I couldn't concentrate on the call..(sorry Alex), then I hung up the phone quickly and asked her before she walked across the road if she would like to let me take a photo. She said yes sans doubts. 

And Then I know, I am a bit tricky, but I took photo when she was still checking her shirt with ciggie in her mouth. But I like her in this way, I mean, without any defence of gothic look..

It's too bad that you couldn't see her shirt in face, it's embroidered with trimmed collars, very delicate. And, when it comes to a hand-made old shirt, simply a black dress will make it shine. I asked her where she found this shirt, she said, it's just from a little flea market in Swissland. yes, she can speak in french, english and german cos she's a swiss girl. You can tell her confidence from her eyes, innit?

passengers were everywhere back to that afternoon, it's a bit pity that I didn't find the best opportunity to take photo with better background. Just want to let you know that she paired up her dress with vintage heeled ankle boots.

Wednesday 13 October 2010

muses for this week

gemini's fantasy is always various, especially on the outfits. from androgynous, vintage geek, sophisticated and feminine to effortless casual chic, we can't make up our minds to focus on one style. But, I'll say it's our strength to try everything with no fear.

These are the photos I collected from other bloggies or websites, I forgot to note down the links, but I'll do so next time.

this is my fave one,a bit too masculine, but I quite like the metal mesh tank to layer up the shirt.

this photo must be from jak and jil. love her style as usual.



Wednesday 6 October 2010

5 Octobre

我現在一個人坐在巴黎公寓一樓的地板上,如果說這是我人生中最慘的其中一天,可能也不為過。徹頭徹尾就是走了霉運,反正沒一件好事,選哪條路就是哪條路錯。

早晨出門開始,誤打誤撞走進Helmut Newton Foundation,這大概是一整天唯一一件好事,在那裡看了許多Helmut & June的照片。他喜歡拍裸女。其實跟Guy Bourdin的裸女有一樣怪誕的美感,可是在Helmut的照片中,你能更加感受到那種胴體的慾望蠢蠢欲動,乳房變成不再是一個令人羞赧的器官,而是如呼吸一樣自然的存在,在鏡頭前面,又或是在公眾之前,也無需要遮掩害羞。並且,在他的照片裡,女人乳房的堅挺或微垂,乳暈如漩渦又或如花苞的大小,這都是我們與生俱來的天賦。

此外,他跟老婆June結褵要五十年,看到他們兩人的照片,我更是感動,那是叫人再羨慕不過的理想關係,互相了解,互相理解,在June為他拍的紀錄片裡,他總是拿著鏡頭,穿著一雙白布鞋、牛仔褲、繫著老皮帶,如同要嚙食的動物一樣,聲音忽大忽小,說明他情緒隨著模特兒的一舉一動所起伏,June就在一旁安靜地為他做記錄片。片子的尾端,Helmut Newton在講一通重要的電話,眼尾是充滿了歲月的痕跡,和那張許多年前的結婚照早已不同,也和再個十多年前、他穿著修女服的輕浮模樣早不相同,可是他說完電話以後,也不顧鏡頭電源都還開著,就朝June那裡啾了一下嘴巴,作勢向她索吻。

如果真有什麼是幸福的樣板,恐怕這就是那張理想的圖。你在你們所喜愛的事物裡面一塊兒成長,一塊變老,成熟或者不願長大,但始終分享相同的語言,從沒有因為歲月或者時代,又或是身邊的誘惑,而改變了價值觀。然而在這樣的國度裡面,你們能夠互相扶持,無論疾病或者貧窮,無論富貴或者榮華,我相信那就是永遠。

在荷蘭的日記






親愛的樂

那天我去了阿姆斯特丹的梵谷美術館,比起奧賽美術館裡頭展出的,這裡多了更多他待在低地國度創作的畫。老有種錯覺,認為梵谷可能是一個沉默、喜歡大自然勝過於都市生活、重感情、不愛也不擅於與人交往的人。

往往若有畫家能到巴黎、能到大城市裡生活,一如像畢卡索這樣子,可能早就賴著不走,也不認家了。可是梵谷也許一來因為財務狀況不佳,他也並不喜歡都市生活,只有到後來病發了,到Auvers-Sur-Oise居住,才讓生活慢慢回歸安寧,這件事情是跟莫內相同的,且不管商業與否,兩者都對於兒時看過的自然情景反倒懷念。但卻也因此,他便越往黑洞裡頭跳,誠信自己未來就是一個 [failure]。在那張,傳說中最後的一幅畫裡,天空非常地沉,沉得把明亮的稻草田壓得很低,烏鴉也跟著飛得低低的,在天與地的邊際,渾雜的黑宛如不祥的預兆,沒幾天以後,他就在親愛的稻田裡,向自己胸膛開了兩槍自盡。過了兩天,弟弟來探望他時,梵谷就這麼死在弟弟Theo的懷裡。

我知道他的絕望。就像我們篤信,人生可能就這個樣子,不會再有變化了,不會再有作為了。在他畫向日葵的時候,也一度因為自己向日葵畫得很好,沾沾自喜,像個孩子一樣跟高更提到這些生氣勃勃的花兒,甚至自信地把黃色的向日葵畫在黃色背景上,yellow in yellow,多麼驕傲的色彩交疊,不難看出他對這幅畫多麼有信心。又或者是,在Theo的太太生小孩時,梵谷難能可貴地畫了一幅Almond Blossom,背景的藍色,是他較少用到的藍色,我不懂美術,也念不出那顏色的名字,他介於土耳其藍、孔雀藍與深藍之間,帶一點綠與紫,上頭的花瓣卻暈著紅粉,意味著二月裡春天初來乍到,帶來生命裡的新希望,畫裡不但有他最喜歡的日本文化,同時也能感受到新生的力量。畫送到Theo手裡時,他把它掛在家裡鋼琴上方,高高的,在最醒目的地方。

Almond Blossom,可惜顏色沒有真畫那麼飽滿


但是,那些曾經閃過的期盼、興奮,卻在他人生最後,好像全然消失了一樣。草木花朵都不再說話了,原來跳舞的橘色、綠色、黃色、藍色,最後只變成沉默的黑與深藍。

我討厭每次博物館都把矯情的照片放在展覽的最後,就像利物浦披頭四博物館也爛得要命,但最後放一座藍儂的白色鋼琴,活脫脫就是催淚的利器。然而,梵谷博物館亦然,走出來的剎那,會看到一副很大的照片,是Vincent Van Gogh 以及Theo的墓碑,兄弟倆被葬在一起,因為梵谷過世以後的六個月,Theo也走了。誰能想像得到,只差那麼一步,他們就能看到成功?誰能想像得到,兄弟倆能這樣互相扶持到人生最後?



稻草生得高入天際
泥塵也被染成鮮紅
我所喜愛的黃,渾著鮮血的渣。

深藍色的天空沉沉要碰到地。
放眼望去,看不見
百里以外的目的地
看不見清醒時分的景致
看不見成功以後的勝利

我被困在這裡
被稻草和繩子紮得緊實不得動彈
無助地任黑烏鴉輕蔑自在地站在肩頭上
他們用夜晚的色澤讓我喘不過氣。

從今以後,春天也許不會再來
暮色在低垂以後
向日葵也不會再有更易
我活在我的名字裡:
我寫起來是個牢籠,
你們看起來是株花朵。

Tuesday 7 September 2010

le premiere dimanche de septembre

What rescued me from the dissertation hell is the sneak out to le musee d'Orangerie and St. honore to peep the masterpieces and fashion goods. well, just peep, cos most shops are closed in sundays..even Colette is closed for counting the stocks. But, I'm still more than satisfied with the pieces by Modigliani, Monet etc..


from 1922-24


Monet, sleeping ivy, I never expect those pieces to be this huge, like, wallpaper sur le mur. what impresses me most is the combination of purple, blue, pink and green. you can picture a swamp?/pond? with whole loads of ivy floating on. Even if you take a physignomic look at a tiny part of the whole painting, it still amazes you with the colours. But, honestly, the smoky pink sometimes disgusts people if it's too much.
little italian girl dans la jardin Tuileries.

Before I came to la jardin, I bought a little sweet from Gateaux du pains, it's made by apricot. see the sparks under the sunshine. oh lalalala, it made my day anyhow.




 Then it's me and my fourth time to step into jardin tuileries. I almost forgot that your shoes will be easily dusted as long as you're walking in the jardin. Then, my black ankle boots got tainted and actually almost cracked for no reason.

I tried to keep minimalism on that day, and then I regreted cos it a fait trop chaud a vrai dire. my thighs are binded by the tightly-tight skinny jeans. oh and it reminds me, yes, I did eat too many breads/baguettes/croissants dans cette semaine. But, hun.....I'm in PARIS!

I'm gonna post more on this blog, I begin loving it..