We live in the future

Aaaaaaaaah!







...Not to forget GTA5 - 21st Century art at it's grandest.

Nietzsche & more

Finally got back into reading Nietzsche, here's a sketchy-painting to celebrate.

Quote from Beyond Good & Evil.

Note - it is traced (so no congratulations please)

The quote is a little out of context but I like it. He was talking about how regardless of the path of the way out (in his example stoicism), the necessity of a way out is what is important.

If you wanna learn more about Nietzsche, turn no further than my number 1 dinner party guest, Alain De Botton!

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Also, Art Show! Happening in Torquay in two week's (24th). Come on down!

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Lastly, a couple of good articles, first on GTA 5. I've said it many time's, the only games I really play are Fifa and anything Rockstar makes. Safe to say am looking forward to this one. Don't expect to see me for a week or two.

Article 1

Article 2

& thought this was interesting. I like Cartoon Brew but there overarching cynicsm of anything Disney do is tiresome. I think this could be a good idea, who's to say movies have reached their highest formula? I like how left-field the idea is too, perhaps it (not this, but the idea) may lead to some better film 'experience' (as is the catch word). I also think its playfully defining of this generations (not mine, but those who are bumbling onto the interenet aged 5) mind frame; we've already become aware of a shortening lack of attention span, perhaps this (sort of thing) is the icing on the cake - when it stops being a bad thing & we start to discover new virtue in it. The 'Shock of the new' (fear) to 'The shock of Excess' (gleeful acceptance).

Postmodernism: a somewhat succinct (if a little simple) explanation. Featuring Tame Impala

Post-modernism is a very difficult thing to get your head around at first. What's worse, is it's a very difficult thing to keep under your belt. Once your memory of its meaning begins to dwindle, loses a little clarity, you find yourself clutching at straws trying to explain it to anyone who'll listen (as they make excuses and leave).

I was watching some concert footage from Reading the other day with a pal & came upon a good example of postmodernism; music. One band in particular, Tame Impala.



Whilst you watch 'em, ask yourself who they sound like; some early shouts, T-Rex, Cream (wait till it kicks in),  Pink Floyd/LedZep/Chemical Brothers and on top of that a voice that sounds like John Lennon. That's just from my knowledge pool but you get the jist, they sound like lots of different bands - but the main thing - when they want to. Each song is a pop-pastiche to different trends of music.

And that's it, post-modernism.

If you think, for a band like the Beatles, when they started out their only source of inspiration was 1) whoever was on the Radio, and 2) whatever the local record store had to offer. The same for the Punks, all they could do was backlash against what came before (what was on Top of The Pops & in the record shops) - same right up to the likes of Nirvana, who's music stood counter to the over-produced 'hair & flying V's' that rock had become; they came along and brought back the dirty underside of rock. Sure they were no doubt inspired by the punks, but they're knowledge of the past was only short sighted, compared to ours today..

Today we have a wealth of knowledge, a complete back catalogue, right at our fingertips. A band today can say "we wanna play like... Jimmy Page era Yardbird's', or 'riff's like John Lee Hooker', or even 'sing like Paul Robeson!" (good luck..). If the other people in the band/studio/under the bridge don't know all they gotta do is wap out there phone and google it.

I think that picture at the start sums it up quite neatly. We got a wealth of knowledge right at our fingertips. Only most people are too lazy & sedate to reach for it (oh look, X-Factor's back on the telly..)

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A couple of quotes on Po-Mo

Intertextual references are emblematic of the hyperconciousness of postmodern pop culture.

Po-Mo highlight's an 'ironic knowingness' in the audience..

A post-mod person wants to say 'I love you Madly!', but, knows that this already is a cliche, regardless of how true it might be, & so, as a post-mod person, wisely qualifies the remark with the perspective "As Barbara Cartland would say, I love you madly!" & thus, in an unspeakable world, is able to speak honestly
- Post-modernism, as explained by Umburto Eco.


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END. If i'm wrong feel free to tell me.

Summer trip vid // I want to be a bandit can't you understand it??!

Finally knocked together the video for our summer trip. It was a fun trip, definetly a case of following the wind, we only booked our bus up to Romford, the rest was drawn on circumstance. It's always nice to see a map of how far you been, and how illogical your route often is, this one was quite sensible. Check it out:



I say knocked accurately. My computers getting so old and dusty now it won't let me preview in After Effects, so it was a case of exporting, writing down a long list of things to put right, then going through them. Like editing with a potato. I don't care though, it is what it is. Not the most exciting thing on earth but a document, that no doubt will be looked back upon through the ages as a work of pre-nihilist-age enlightenment. What.

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Also, reskinned the website. Don't really like it but I spent the time doin' it so i'm keeping it. Aint that the truth, ha.

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The painting are coming along fine but haven't advanced for three days as i've been very ill and not been able to get my hands on (or over) a certain thing (or hurdle). Read as you wish.

That's all for now, folks.

PS Check out my mate Todd's blog. Him and another pal have just got back from hitchiking from Budapest to Azerbaijan. Why I hear you ask? Two reasons; One, the Eurovision song contest, Two, for the Gurkha's.

http://toddthornback.wordpress.com/
http://toddthornback.wordpress.com/
http://toddthornback.wordpress.com/
http://toddthornback.wordpress.com/