Mus'ak

It's not everyday that a film arrests your very being by uplifting your heart from the quiet mundane plodding of everyday life. It is only within the fissures of unexpected occurrences, those entrances that we keep a constant watch over, but seldom have the capacity to block out entirely, that the contagions of true art infest our very being and ignite a symbiosis of exultant passion.

Once is such a film. Capable of bowling over and winning even the most reluctant of hearts. The melancholy verses and infectious choruses of Once seem to steep the audience in a bath of saccharine delights. Music fuels the narrative and is at once seamlessly blended to evoke a dynamic and layered exegesis of music's purity.

I thank my musical compatriots in Edmonton for taking note and highly recommending this film. Now I wish to extend my own praise and gratitude towards the film by passing on the 'a' stamp of approval.























As I watched Once in awe and elation I was immediately reminded of the film 'Latcho Drom.'

Latcho Drom is equally unconventional, vernacular and well-pointed. A story of the Romany people, musicians and dancers, throughout parts of Europe.

Although this film is harder to find on video store shelves and a western DVD release is still pending, copies of the VHS can be found if one is willing to make the effort. Those who do make the effort will likely not be disappointed.

On second thought, for a taste of the film please see the video below. Taraf De Haïdouks
play out a section of the film and have long been a favorite of mine.

Here's a few to get us started. Remember anyone can post a comment and if you would like to become a contributor simply email technoculturelab@lakeheadu.ca.


Buena Vista Social Club
Quadrophenia
The filth and the fury
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
D.O.A.
End of the Century

empty

After I handed Dr. Gary Genosko a copy of my thesis titled 'Failure in the frostbelt: the city in winter,' FULL/empty ended up on my desk. Gary thought I may like to take a look at it. In all honesty my intent was to turn in a thesis that had a heavy bent towards visual studies and would bear many images. My textual result is a document that spans some 130 pages and contains a paltry 7 images, 8 including the cover. At this point in time I am also pondering heavily my next steps, academic and other. Phd applications will need to be completed soon. I think of the UofA, Waterloo and Concordia as places in Canada that I would like to spend some time. The conundrum at the moment: how to literally, with words, convey a conceptual project to committees of admittance folks, when I am unsure as to 'what project I want to do next.' In a sense I am feeling FULL/empty as the title suggests, my mind is awash with numbness from months of writing, light from accomplishing a goal, and clouded as to what to focus on next.

I digress, this post is really dedicated and motivated by the following:

In 1999 Gary Genosko, my current academic supervisor, developed a concept of FULL/empty while spending a one month writers residency at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

The purpose of the residency was to follow suit with the WAG's commitment to "engaging and meaningful interpretations to our collections" (3).

FULL/empty
Superficial Abundance and Profound Loss
June 16 to September 24, 2000

Since this curated collection of images was mounted in frames bearing 'glass,' the show has never traveled outside of Winnipeg and has likely found its way to the bottom of the basement among countless other 'treasures' and 'archival' artifacts. In this post and the following I attempt to cast a light into the dark recesses of hollowed out corners to illuminate a conceptually captivating essay.

This following image is by David McMillan
Rehabilitation pool, children's hospital, October 1998
Although this image is not in the WAG collection, it may contain traces of similacrum reminiscent of the described images.





















"empty is a photographic invitation to sadness. emptiness is not a thing but an emotional texture into which viewers are enticed through complicity; a shared complicity in which there is a desire to explore a profound emptiness as long as it is bearable" (26).

"empty is really deeply empty, but never vacant" (27).

"unintended desolation... we are in need of a new word, a variation on nowhere: perhaps 'newhere' will suffice... 'Newhere' is diametrically opposed to real estate because it contradicts the law of location. It is where you end up in the course of being rendered redundant by change, the result of which is that you can no longer find your way around. Tuck yourself into an interminable holding pattern. Out here, there is simply nowhere to go: and such newness is an aggravation some people apparently enjoy" (31).

09/11/07

Just as the new semester has brought this University to life in the past few days, so to has the sleeping giant of winters wind arisen from a summer of sedation. As I pedaled my bicycle to the office on this brisk morning I was reminded of the threat of winter as an actual force to be reckoned with. Winter as actual rather than the virtual theories of cultured objects that I have been pouring over for the past six months. It seemed fine to poke fun of winter from behind the tepid veil of a Northern Ontario summer, but now, now winter will have its revenge.

In the last few paragraphs of my draft thesis text I wrote of how the heat and light of summer granted me a boon, one that buoyed my writings of winter and ensured that I would never be far from the next sun-rise or warm sunny day. In earnest, I thanked summer for allowing me to complete an otherwise dark and cold subject from sinking under the snow.

Thus in a timely manner I am more than glad that I have at least managed to assemble the major portion of the written work, before this wind carrying a cold rain off Lake Superior decides that its time for the snow to fall.

Awesome Stuff

Jean-Paul De Roover - Fellow grad student and musical genius.

Completely Inspired me. A one man musical revolution if I do say so myself. His syncopated rhythms set to complex time signatures and dance happy vocal arrangements made his Thursday set sing with the grace and ease of dolphins at sea.









Mark Berube: Singer Songwriter from Vancouver who played defsup last friday night.

Completely Inspired me.

I got to the defsup art gallery a little late for the opening of the new show at 7 pm, I was diligently working on my thesis, so I arrived just as Mark Berube had begun his third song. Moments into his first seconds of say it aint so' I was hooked and I was kicking myself for being late. A true master played in a room that deserved a live recording. Nuff Said.
All that I ask is for you to visit his Myspace, click the above link and listen to Say it Aint so. go on have a cry, have a laugh and the post your comments.

The last thing.

The third thing.

I have in my hands, well next to me. A printed copy of my Thesis.

New Title "The Urban Winter"

I will receive comments over the next few weeks, edit it and then get it out to my committee.

It's been at least 10 months in the making but I finally have something to show for all my interpersonal negligence.

Here goes...

a

IS THERE MORE TO LIFE THAN THIS

This is a christian add.

But... it does do a fine job in a manner akin to Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times.

a

Jimmy / Radiohead