The insane quest to construct a massive border wall on the Mexican national line has continued to divide both literally and figuratively over the last 12 months. Conversation continues to bubble and brew. Sides are deeply entrenched as well. I definitely know where I stand on the subject - liberal snowflake that I am. Inclusion has always seemed like a better option as compared to alienating. Giving each other voice and a place at the table at least offers up humanity & dignity, even if any two sides ultimately agree to disagree. I think so much of it is generational and younger minds don't carry the baggage of their elders. This week I was drawn to 2 unique commentaries on this Wall. Both of course, are shared by artists. But more importantly, both also involve and engage community which is key to any conversation.
The first is a French artist named simply JR and occurred back in Oct '17. He is a street artist whose work is usually pop-up in nature and meant to invoke. This project involved a bench-table built at the border in the small town of Tecate Mexico. It was called the Giant Picnic as the table was built on both side of the border with an "eye of the dreamer" on each of the two areas. Once built, what followed next was a community meal shared over one massive table with live music during the feast. And rather than being met with resistance, even Boarder Security agents joined in the festivities as part of a toast.
The second is the blurred line where art & inspiration meets corporate branding. It is a short film produced by Diesel and directed by David LaChappelle. It is called Make Love Not Walls and stars ballet sensation Sergei Polunin. It is not any defined place, the wall could be any alley separated by metal and barbed wire. It is sexy and slick, but features free spirits from every culture imaginable coming together to burst through the barriers and unite in one generous tribe of joy. Both signal of Hope and Unity. And both charges are led by the inspiration of a new and bold younger generation.
I had originally shelved this post as a foray into art commenting on cinema. But on reflection it seems that it could also be slightly reclassified as a comment on the #GunControl epidemic that has seized our country with the revitalized attention in Parkland Fla. The visual content itself is a humorous take on sci-fi and crime movies where the deadly weapons have been replaced with a selfie stick. This of course totally changes the context of the scene into something with satire. But as I was rethinking the situation, it raised some consciousness with me about a side conversation that sometimes bubbles into the equation. Violence and Disturbing Images in film. I have also heard some blame cast on video games that engage young and adult audiences. With the addition of virtual reality, games take a strong detour into real experience. And it is fact that almost ALL center on the dominance of guns, warfare and battle of personalities. Whether it is Game of Thrones, Westworld or even the drug violence of Breaking Bad. No one would question that each of these are given credit as television that breaks barriers. Not to mention the countless arena of Marvel and DC Comics canons that are perceived as heroic, when they are also very heavy on destruction and casualty. But the question emerges about the blurred line between so called fiction and a real experience that takes lives and has consequence. How do you license and balance creativity & vision with censorship? I'm not sure, but somehow, for years there have been similar platforms in place for sexual content. Maybe it is a time to look at film ratings and have some sort of violence statement present in so many of these genres where it has become mere acceptance. But for now, here are some of those incongruous images that have gone from mortal combat into a photo op.
I think I have a pretty discerning eye. It plays out in the arrangement of my garden with its rainbow of tints. I know I am good with paint samples and finding just the right shade for room. My taste in clothes may be a but gawkish, but even then, it is a choice made.
In films, Art Direction always amazes me when it works in stunning and surprising combinations. I found this web link that breaks down specific scenes from iconic and sometimes overlooked works of cinema - and then shows the color pallet that makes up the visual. In essence, it takes the creative and breaks it down into the logical choices that were made. I found it fascinating and will let some of the images speak for themselves. The link to the full article in Digital Synopsis is also attached where it goes much more into depth about emotional responses to color, period trends separates Sci-fi from Romantic Comedies in terms of spectrum. You'll see some wild choices by Tim Burton, emotional touches by Spielberg and cerebral touches by Christopher Nolan
One of my regular Twitter feeds is @historyepics - which constantly finds interesting and often mind-boggling pictures in history. Often it is monumental shots like the last noted photo of the Titanic setting sail. Recently it has been a bit morbid with shots of the back seat of the Kennedy limo or John Lennon's stained spectacles. But for the most part, it is curated albums that hold a place in time; whether slice-of-life shots or celebrity candids. This album highlights the poverty ridden children on the streets of London at the dawn of the 20th century. It is not quite the imagery of Charles Dicken's Oliver Twist and the Artful Dodger. But think more Newsies set in London's East End. During these holiday times when we think about the Cratchit children and Tiny Tim, I thought this would be a good share. Attached is an enlightening article that talks about the political climate of this specific world. When the poor were continuing to benefit the ruling British Empire, by favoring factories and trade which exploited both the children & families. It was not until the enactment of the Employment of Children Act of 1903 which started to turn the tide for these unfortunate urchins. Ironically, the photos show more charm than they do turmoil of infections, dead animals & excrement that littered their streets. The photos are mostly taken by historian Horace Warner in the Spitalfield neighborhood. Here is the link to complete feature with more photos and history of the time period. #GodBlessUsEveryone Daily Mail - London's East Side in History
My personal blog is often a place to share art, a musical memory or general joy in the world around me that I happen to stumble on. But every once in a while it becomes an outlet for me to share something on a bigger scale. It becomes a personal diary where I put my thoughts into word and circulate them with those around me. It gives me clarity; sort of a journal entry. With all the current wave of sexual allegations, #MeToo, political resignations, and careers destroyed I have been weighing the conversations. I am by no means choosing sides or battles. My method is usually to survey the larger picture for signs of reason among the raging chaos. Every story has worth. But I do think there is a larger epidemic under the surface that has been prevalent for my entire lifetime. The concept of a Consenting Adult has always been merely a theory to me. The real dialogue between two people is usually less clear. It starts with dating and exploring sexuality in our teens. Rarely are conversations clear or informed. They mostly whisper around the subject and any exploring happens quietly behind closed doors where actions speak louder than our words. So the idea that two people are navigating and "consenting" is a myth. My late life dabbling in on-line dating made this very obvious. I was always baffled that the internet made it feasible to say exactly who I was and what I was seeking, but yet it rarely played out that clearly. I can't tell you the number of times I was met with lies, dishonest married men, false profiles, stood-up dates, and awkward sexual encounters among SO many other things. These were not with teen children, but grown men who should have been much better at communicating who and what they were.
Later on while working in mental health & addiction, the whole consenting merry-go-round became even more skewed and was a dysfunctional apocalypse of humanity failing at the simplest of skills; speaking truth. Again, I am not pointing blame. But as a society, Americans are ridiculously inept at this primal rite. There is guilt, shame and a lack of honesty that shrouds all choices. So that brings us to the current state. There are witch hunts, accusations and pain that are brought into public forums. When the original conversations should have been much easier ones of a simple yes, no, or "I'm not remotely interested" without any sort of apology needed. These are the discussions we should be having as a society and as individuals. Let's behave like Adults first and then maybe we can broach the subject of Consenting as a sexual being.
As I hung up the holiday lights today, relegated the last of the root plants to the basement and put the forced bulbs in the fridge - I am visiting the garden one last time. I am a very anal type and some 15 years ago started a data base for my plants. Really unnecessary to anyone but me, but I like to keep track of bloom dates so I know if we are ahead or behind this year. Where I bought the plant from. Are aphids a problem? A reminder to transplant to a better spot in the spring. My inquiring mind wants to know. So many plants, now over 350+; but I decided to pick just 10 as my ultimate favorites. Sharing them with you. 1) Mandarin Lights Azalea - this fragile shrub goes back about 15 years now. It can be temperamental depending on the spring and has survived some major setbacks with heavy snowfall off the front porch. But when it shines, its orange dazzles!
2) Victoria Louise Poppy - most poppy species are either meager and have no shelf life from seed (CA) or are mangy invasive types (red). But this hybrid stunner is giant with its wispy salmon petals and always arrives exactly on time each year. It is just too bad that the blooms last a single day and are gone with the wind.
3) Madame Galena Trumpet Vine - is the plant that tests my patience. When I first got it from Linder's I loved it so much I bought a huge trellis just for it. But it lasted a single year and was replaced - twice. Waylon did some major damage to the main stem. And I have waited for 2 years for the plant to mature - sometimes they take 10 years to thrive. I had given up until late July when I got huge sprays of the most intense coral trumpets ever. Love them.
4) Blue Gentian - I'm not sure where I got this little gem from. And I feel badly that it has been moved to 2 or 3 spots in the garden. Either too short, not enough sun..... But it has the most lovely royal blue sprouts on it.
5) Firebreather Iris - I have tons of gorgeous spring blooms, but the topper is this one. It is one of the largest and it is not a soft peachy color, but a bright orange peacock of a bloomer. As long as I can keep the iris bore at bay, this one is amazing. 6) Midnight Marvel Hibiscus - many people have the tropical hibiscus on their decks that have to be brought in for the winter. But this one from Gertens is a true perennial that has envious huge flowers in a deep maroon red. One of the tallest plants on the boulevard - you can't miss it come late summer.
7) Mexican Flame Vine - I am always searching for climbers that grow up and are space savers in the garden. This rare find is almost always found at Mother Earth. And like most climbers takes some time to manifest. But when it hits its stride on the trellis it is like bright orange fireworks!
8) Cheyenne Coneflower - another Gertens gem. There have been so many attempts at hybrid coneflowers that fizzle and fail, in pretty golds and reds. But this one has the genes for the long haul. Although it is a shorty, the tomato red petals can't help but grab attention.
9) Lisianthus - this annual is a must have each year. Sometimes called the purple rose, although not a rose at all. But it has buds that unfurl in the coolest colors of lilac, violet and blue. Always lovely.
10) Salpiglossis - another annual that can be hard to hunt down and must be grabbed while found on the shelf or they are gone. They are also known as Mexican Petunias and look like their sister plant but in much more vivid technicolor. They always come in 4-6 packs and are a mystery as to what color they will yield. But I've had them in reds, orange, white, yellow and even a dark almost black.
This was an awfully difficult year for our MN Gardens. I look forward to them with high expectations - each flower is a gift that has a mere few days each year to share its bounty. So when the calendar and nature sell them short, it can devastate me. On our local front we have had a Perfect Storm to contend with. Our last mild winter had a huge impact on root systems and many with short tendrils took a toll. Creeping Phlox and Monarda were a few that either diminished or went away completely. Then we had weeks of heavy rain. That rotted most seedlings I put in or washed away attempts at grass seeding. It also laid the table for the inevitable diseases and insects that followed over with the recent heat wave; orange rust o the grass, aphids, Japanese Beetles and plenty of powdery mildew! What should have been a banner Cherry crop dwindled with small fruits pummeled to the ground in 2 hail storms. Every plant from Coneflowers, to Roses to Hydrangea needed some meds to yield any sort of bloom. All I can say is thank God I work at Gerten's where I have a whole apothecary at my disposal to play plant doctor.
But the crisis looms on a global level. Lest anyone be wary of climate change - it is indeed a real and haunting factor. Note this article about the Global Seed Vault. It was constructed on the Norwegian isle of Spitsbergen. There is a huge vault underground in an Arctic mountainside which stores precious reserves of millions of seed packets. It was built to safeguard our food ancestry in case of any sort of global apocalypse. Built in 2008 it was deemed fail proof to man and natural disasters. But a mere 10 years later, with record temps, somehow there was leakage into the entry which then froze and created a glacial tunnel leading towards the precious reserves. The vault is now under 24 hour surveillance with temperature monitors to see if the occurrence was rare or in fact predictable on a regular basis. Scary at the least. It brings new meaning to the old phrase "what is this world coming to?"
