GOTHAM.BLACK

I Get Lost

2010-03-27T09:45:41Z

Well, well… It has been a while, hasn’t it?

I’ve taken quite some time off from blogging, mainly using a large chunk of 2009 and 2010 to re-assess, if you will. I guess I’m rather prone to these types of hiatuses, though they are clearly not as organized as those of Stefan Sagmeister.

While I have been gone for a bit, I’ve attempted to write a few posts more than a few times in the last year. It seems that my lack of attention to this blog isn’t so much a function of laziness, so much as a reflection of my lack of actual time and ease to virtually publish…

Zero-Sum

2009-12-11T06:37:31Z

Nine Inch Nails is known for a louder, harder–hitting sound, but I find Reznor’s ballads to be just as evocative, if not more. From the album Year Zero, “Zero–Sum” has a great ghostly piano part paired with strong lyrics that just seem to just pull at your thoughts, memories, and emotions. The song plays like fuzzy old memoir recording, but it works just the same. You can just imagine feeling a bit stranded, and this track playing on a loop after things have seemingly gone all wrong. It’s been stuck in my head for over a month now, so I thought I might share the song and lyrics with you… I hope you enjoy it.

The Burn Lines of of Memory and Truth

2009-05-31T18:13:06Z

Truth arrives with a violent, fiery light
Burning memories to ember, then ash, without mercy in sight.
Guard loving recollections with your body and soul,
But you too will vanish and erase as a whole.

And All That Could Have Been

2009-05-27T11:12:27Z

With my recent fervor surrounding Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails (NIN), I thought I would give a retrospective on how I became exposed to NIN, and the drive behind my recent consumption and study of any materials related to Reznor’s work and philosophy on music. Whether you enjoy the music of NIN or not, it’s difficult to argue Reznor’s brilliance as an artist and pioneer — the intelligence behind it is at times, astounding.

Truths Before I Told You

2009-05-10T11:07:19Z

What if I told you the truth, instead of lies?
My flaws, my weaknesses without the alibis.
Would you accept me for who I am or subtly cast me out
Tell me your own version of excuses and reflect upon doubt.

Saul Bass

2009-05-01T11:38:05Z

Saul Bass was an influential graphic designer, and to a lesser–known degree, filmmaker, whose work extended from 1950’s up through the 90’s. While I won’t attempt to recapture his life and achievements here (as it could never do it justice), I can tell you about my own experience when I came across Bass’s work, and the fascination that ensued.

All a Twitter

2009-04-19T03:43:39Z

It seemed that all of the sudden, droves of people have begun to use Twitter. While I know that Twitter has been around for quite a while now, I only knew tech–heads to be using it — writing short statuses, keeping in contact during conferences, etc. Now it seems to be the next cultural phenomenon, mentioned on the Today Show, popular websites, and I hear even Oprah is getting in the game. Seriously… Oprah? Twitter is now the third largest social network after Facebook and MySpace, and gaining more and more users every day.

The Return of the Lost Generation

2009-04-11T07:00:21Z

What is it to be a Lost Generation? Part victory, part defeat, and an expectation to achieve without outlet for inner passion. After the first World War, a group of notable expatriate writers and poets collected themselves in Europe, disenchanted by what the States had become in its post-war manifestation. In a way, they fled. They fled to foreign soil with notions of cosmopolitan culture to experience that “joie de vivre,” escaping a life void of art and meaning, and searching for something greater.

Things I Learned From Television

2007-12-06T06:59:59Z

As filled with clichés as they are, there is a lot to draw insight from if you’re looking hard enough. Television shows deal with reality in their own small ways, doing as best they can to highlight aspects we take for granted, and bringing excitement and wonder to the most menial of day to day tasks. We can be certain that most are not so naïve to believe that television is a mirror, but perhaps we’re willing to stretch enough to see it as a magnifying glass… The details are majestic, the imperfections glaring, and the view is so close that it’s hard to recognize the larger picture, the greater scheme… the reality of it all.

Sure, Why Not? The Art of Dave Kinsey

2007-10-24T19:29:08Z

I was lost. Wandering streets filled with villainous shadow, small glints of light catch my eye. Upon further inspection some light reveals miscellaneous debris, while others shine off of the eyes of hidden transients. The evening wind howled in the empty, and yet not–so–empty streets as I searched for the BLK/MRKT Gallery in Culver City. I’m finally greeted by lights and the low murmur of art patrons, a defiant guard sits at the door — part spook, part usher.

Vincent The Painter

2007-07-21T19:30:54Z

The gallery goes dim, flashes from a strobe set the mood, and then a strong, firm beat sets the tone and intro for the evening. The crowd mumbles in anticipation (they have yet to see a piece of work from this famed artist), but if he lives up to half the hype they’ve been hearing about in those art circles they consider themselves members of, it will have been well worth the wait. His humbled voice comes over the speakers… “I just want to thank you all for coming… I hope you enjoy the show.” The music cuts to a startling silence just before the room lights up, there’s a short pause for the awe, and then the music fills the room again. For a solid minute, everyone just stares…

Lost and Found

2007-05-01T07:00:05Z

White. It fills the room. Lying on his back on a queen-sized bed, Jonathan Lu stares at the ceiling and for a moment, you wonder if he even realizes you’re in the room with him. He’s wearing a clean white undershirt with pajama pants (those are white too). “You know, I didn’t always have one of these…” he says as he slowly kicks his feet back and forth - swimming in the sheets. “I mean, at least not when I first got out here. I slept on a couch, and then a really good mat… God knows, I slept on that thing forever.” His eyes drift a bit, and he looks as if he didn’t really mean to let that last fact slip out. The sigh he lets out afterwards confirms.