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Footloose and fancy-free with ballet dancer Jessica Burrows
We dance the night away with Jessica Burrows, a Canadian ballet dancer who joined the prestigious Hong Kong Ballet company and was named one of its soloists in 2021. Join us as she shares her story on how she first got her start in the ballet world and her thoughts on why Hong Kong is a romantic city.
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"I think my favourite part is the performance. Nothing can replace live theatre. I also like the daily rehearsal — learning things about myself. I'm lucky I get to spend every day doing something that I love rather than sitting behind a desk. And I'm just really grateful that I can train, practice and perfect this art form and then be rewarded by being able to share everything I've learned, trained for, and wanted to give to an audience.
"I think on the journey to becoming a ballet dancer, there are many frustrating experiences, like finding the right place to work. When you're just graduating from school and finding that first job, the second job, the third job, you're trying to discover yourself and seeing where you fit into this big ballet world. And I think that's probably what the most challenging part is — at a very young age, usually 18 or 19, you're really putting yourself out there when you don't really know who you are as an artist yet. And I think this was really difficult for me, because I'm 10-plus years into my career and I'm still figuring out who I am. So dancers at 18 and 19, it's just such a difficult time."
"I came to Hong Kong the first time in 2010. I was working in a ballet company in Canada and I had also trained all my life in Canada. And the great thing about ballet is that you can do it in many places in the world. And I thought it was time for a change. So I auditioned for the company in Hong Kong. I had never been to Hong Kong before and I was offered the job basically on the spot. So I kind of took that as a good sign to come and join the company!
"It was really the work that brought me here. Hong Kong just was so much more than I thought it was, so I ended up staying for a long time. And the city is intense, so I needed a bit of a break. I left for two years, but I found that I just really enjoyed my time in Hong Kong and nothing else really compared. So I moved back again about two years ago."
"A dance piece that would represent Hong Kong? I think it would have to be something very inclusive. A grand dance piece with lots of energy, maybe like an opening number to a ballet. I'm imagining a big story ballet, like Swan Lake, Romeo & Juliet, even Sleeping Beauty — they all start off with a celebration piece danced by a large number of dancers. I think that's very much the spirit of Hong Kong — we're kind of a diverse, energetic opening number as a city."
"Art, for me, is infinite. Art can mean so many things and offer so many opportunities. It's a chance to grow. It's a chance to express yourself. It's a chance to give something to someone else at the same time. Art has also given me so much. It's given me a reason to wake up in the morning. It's given me the life that I have here in Hong Kong.
"My body is my tool to express my art. Sometimes, it's a lot of pressure that you put on yourself because you want to make sure you convey the right message. You put pressure on yourself to please everyone, but not everybody enjoys every piece of art. So you have to know that not everybody is going to enjoy your performance, even if you put yourself into it 100 per cent. You just have to hope that people appreciate your effort and your commitment."
"I think I like a balance of both city life and rural life. I can't have one without the other, and I think that's also why I love Hong Kong so much. I love the intensity and diversity of the people. I love the busy energy. I love the ambition. But I also like my wide-open space. I love to get in touch with nature. I also like re-centring myself after a really busy week of work. So I don't think I'm one or the other, I think I need both in my life.
"I really enjoy the trails of Hong Kong, especially on Lantau. I really enjoy hiking or even running the trails sometimes. I think I prefer the Lantau Trail and the trails on Lantau Island the most, but there are also so many beautiful beaches up in Sai Kung and along the MacLehose Trail. I think out in nature is where I prefer to relax."
"Hong Kong can be a very romantic city. I think what's so interesting is when people move here, they are coming from everywhere and you can meet another person from a totally different culture and learn so much. You're not just learning about Hong Kong. When you move to Hong Kong, you're learning about, you know, China, the Philippines, Europe, South America — you have a totally new outlook on the world when you live in Hong Kong. And I think, with the diversity of its people and the openness of its people, it's very easy to fall in love.
"I met the love of my life in Hong Kong and I think many people fall in love in Hong Kong — not just with another person, but with the city. I have tried to let it go and I came back, so yeah — Hong Kong is a love story, for sure."
Information in this article is subject to change without advance notice. Please contact the relevant product or service providers for enquiries.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board disclaims any liability as to the quality or fitness for purpose of third party products and services; and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, adequacy or reliability of any information contained herein.
Globe explorer Thor Pedersen: Hong Kong offers full-on opportunities
Humans of Hong Kong: off the beaten track with Stephanie Frossard
Hong Kong friends and fans
Ballet dancer Jessica Burrows: Hong Kong is a love story


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The latest episode of LEGION was terrifying & wild. One of the best TV episodes ever to exist! Huge fan of the series, & easily Father Gore's favourite Marvel adaptation out there. Not even huge on superheroes, yet LEGION continually knocks it out of the park. So many great performances! Not to mention the themes of mental illness the series tackles are incredibly interesting. Should be fun to see how they end the show with this season. #Horror #InstaHorror #LegionFX #Marvel #Superheroes #HorrorFan #Surrealism #NoahHawley #LegionSeason3 #DanStevens #TimeEaters #HorrorAddict #Creepy
DARLIN' (2019) screened at Fantasia Fest 2019. Hopefully others were as moved by this important piece of horror as Father Gore was, because it is one of the best films this year! An incredibly relevant slice of cinema. Click the bio link to read an essay on DARLIN'! #Horror #InstaHorror #Fantasia2019 #Darlin #PollyannaMcIntosh #HorrorMovies #HorrorFan #Film #Movies #FantasiaFest #HorrorAddict #Misogyny #Patriarchy #WomenInHorror #LaurynCanny #Sequel #JackKetchumy #LuckyMcKee #Trilogy
My girl Alycia Debnam-Carey killing it on FEAR THE WALKING DEAD in tonight's episode, as usual! She gives Sheriff Rick Grimes a run for his money. She's hard as nails— in fact, there are nails not even as hard as her. #Horror #InstaHorror #AlyciaDebnamCarey #FearTWD #HorrorFan #HorrorAddict #Zombies #TheWalkingDead #FearTheWalkingDead #Zombie #Gore #HorrorTV
JADE'S ASYLUM (dir. Alexandre Carrière) just premiered at Fantasia Fest 2019 in Montreal. What a wild ride! Keep an eye out for this one. A trippy horror-fantasy about a woman who attends a housewarming party in Costa Rica, where she experiences a break from reality. But there are also terrifying figures lurking around the house, too. What's real? Is any of it? Or, scarier still— is all of it? Click the bio link for a spoiler-y article! #Horror #InstaHorror #Fantasy #AlexandreCarriere #Fantasia2019 #FantasiaFestival #CanadianFilm #HorrorMovies #DarkFantasy #Drama #WorldPremiere #QuebecFilm #Movies #Film #HorrorFan #HorrorAddict #Parable
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From Johnny Depp
Rubbish Film of the Year: YOGA HOSERS
Kevin Smith ought to stop it with the Canadian-centric films. Because this one is pretty damn rough.
Words: Father Gore
Haley Joel Osment
Guy LaPointe
Ralph Garman
Secret Window: A Mixed Bag of Stephen King Treats
Secret Window. 2004. Directed & Written by David Koepp; based on the novella Secret Window, Secret Garden by Stephen King from the collection Four Past Midnight.
Starring Johnny Depp, John Turturro, Maria Bello, Timothy Hutton, Charles S. Dutton, Len Cariou, Joan Heney, John Dunn-Hill, Vlasta Vrana, Matt Holland, Gillian Ferrabee, Bronwen Mantel, & Elizabeth Marleau. Grand Slam Productions/Columbia Pictures Corporation/Mel's Cite du Cinema.
Rated 14A. 96 minutes.
★★★1/2
While I do love Stephen King's full length novels, some of his deeper, more penetrating work is found in the novels and short stories with which he fills the rest of his time aside from writing epic, sprawling books. I've read almost everything King has done, except for a few books here or there. As far as the short story and novella collections, I've run the gamut. So many great tales, such compelling writing. The collection from which Secret Garden is adapted, Four Past Midnight, also contains The Langoliers, which has also seen a tv movie treatment. It further has two more novellas, though neither of those has been adapted on film or for television.
The novella Secret Window, Secret Garden tells the story of Mort Rainey (played here by Johnny Depp), a novelist who one day is visited by a man named John Shooter (the ever wonderful John Turturro) accusing him of having plagiarised a story of his own. Mix in a failed marriage, an ex-wife (Maria Bello) that cheated on him that's currently in a relationship with the same man, Ted (Timothy Hutton), and there's plenty of psychological tension, as well as real life horror. Although there are a few portions of the movie that could have been tighter, some dialogue that doesn't work properly or well as it should, Secret Window improves on a couple aspects of the novella, mainly the ending; I do like the source, but this adaptation makes things more sinister, more eerie. Not everything works. What does work is the gradual sense of reality slipping away, as the script leans deep into the perspective of Mort and Depp is able to carry that with a top notch performance. Even if there wasn't enough to ultimately feel as scary as it ought to, writer-director David Koepp does well by coming to a different conclusion than the original story and at least pulls the tension tight for most of the runtime. Far as King adaptations go this is absolutely better than most. Something I love about both the writing of Mort's character and the performance by Depp is that the feeling of being a writer comes across effortlessly. As someone whose days have been filled before by naps, the lure of that comfy couch, food, cigarettes (and before I went sober, booze and so on), Mort feels impossibly real. Of course that comes from King as an author himself, putting what he knows into the character. He knows exactly what it's like. More than that, Depp ingrains a sense of that writer's life in the performance. This could actually come off easily as a standard character, and in a way he is, but Depp allows for more than that and brings his talent to the table in spades. Just how he sulks, heading back to the couch for comfort, picking away at his food, and even laying on the floor with his dog, all in lieu of actually being productive and doing some writing.
Overall, the cinematography is solid, courtesy of Fred Murphy (Auto Focus, The Mothman Prophecies, Stir of Echoes & more). The look of the film has a rich look, and at the same time the colours are muted; not too bright, yet not muddled either. It goes well with the mood of the story. On top of that, Murphy captures certain shots interestingly, and Koepp makes nice choices as director to keep the visual aspect of the movie exciting. At times, you could almost see this falling into a melodramatic tv-styled production. What saves it is the production value itself. In addition to the nice look, the score is phenomenal. There are foreboding scenes filled with tension, suspense enough to choke you, and a large part of this is due to the music from Philip Glass and Geoff Zanelli. On one hand, Zanelli is more of a blockbuster type composer, some nice titles under his belt. On the other hand, Glass has done some large scale stuff, but his strengths lie in the smaller, more heart-filled stories, working on everything from the recent Leviathan to Errol Morris' groundbreaking (and life changing) The Thin Blue Line. Somewhere between the two men their talent converges to become a pulsating wall of sound. Many moments are the typical mystery-thriller sounding pieces. At other times Glass and his sensibilities ring through, an ambient and soft glow of music hovering around the scene, and then there are those unexpected bursts of sonic goodness which are expected of the unusual, talented composer.
A lot of people, that don't read his books enough, usually peg King as a horror writer. As if he does nothing else. Secret Window doesn't contain much horror, other than the psychological sort and a slice of existential dread. Most of what becomes scary in this story concerns watching poor Mort try and distinguish what is reality, and what is fiction. There's a large focus on the theme of fiction blurring into reality, which ultimately plays into the very end of the plot. Before that we already see how the story Shooter confronts Mort about parallels the life of the author, his failed marriage and subsequent divorce, the paranoia and suspicion, et cetera. Best of all is that psychological deterioration of Mort into which Koepp allows the viewer to fall. His talents for character and plot are what makes him capable of actually adapting King, a task not many who take on one of his stories are capable of achieving. He doesn't write it all perfectly, some of the comedic elements come off too cheesy even for King. But the mystery and the thriller elements of the screenplay are well done. You may predict how some things play out before the end. Regardless, getting there is mostly a treat.
This is a better novella than it is a film. I don't think it's a bad movie, and it's definitely worthy of 3&1/2 stars. There's something missing, which I can't exactly put my finger on. I really dig King's writing. Again, that novella is a solid read I've gone through a couple times. And I even enjoy the adapted end Koepp comes up with better, as I mentioned. So why is it that Secret Window comes up short? Depp's performance can't hold up everything. The look and feel of the movie is good, the score comes off fantastic. Yet other than a sequence nearing the end when Mort figures everything out, there isn't any overtly innovative filmmaking at play, nothing other than a bit of interesting camera work to compliment the storytelling. No matter how good some of the shots are and despite the atmosphere, the nice colouring all around, Secret Window is mostly just the Depp show. Were there more interesting, bold choices by Koepp, aside from the changed ending, this could be great. The directing isn't bad, at all. King and his storytelling simply deserve more than run of the mill thrills. I can say all this, and still I own the DVD, I pop it on once every so often. It isn't bad. Just could be much more.
DEATH TO VIDEODROME - LONG LIVE THE NEW FLESH!
David Koepp
Charles S. Dutton
Four Past Midnight
Geoff Zanelli
Secret Window
Secret Window Secret Garden
A Nightmare on Elm Street: Wes Craven, Torturer of Dreams
A Nightmare on Elm Street. 1984. Directed & Written by Wes Craven.
Starring John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss, Jsu Garcia, Johnny Depp, Charles Fleischer, Joseph Whipp, Robert Englund, Joe Unger, & Lin Shaye. New Line Cinema/Media Home Entertainment/Smart Egg Pictures/The Elm Street Venture.
Rated R. 91 minutes.
All those who love horror, truly, are bound to miss Wes Craven. He's firmly planted amongst the masters of the modern horror genre. His film The Last House on the Left completely rocked and shocked viewers, though, even behind that brutal picture are bigger things than merely a rape-revenge horror. Some people pass over a later effort of his, The People Under the Stairs, yet that attacks everything from racism to Regan.
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a different story. Craven completely hit the mark in every way imaginable, both on a subtle level and the more obvious ones. Freddy Krueger became synonymous with nightmares, the bad dreams which shake you from your sleep. Little kids weren't afraid of a faceless boogeyman anymore after 1984 – from then on, it was Freddy. Because he was different than the other popular slashers, being a totally mind-based killer; he comes for you through dreams, and that means rules change. The unconscious is our most vulnerable place. He gets there, invading the private spaces of our inner mind. It's a delicate subject when you boil this slasher-horror down to its basic parts. Craven does his best job crafting a masterpiece of horrific dreams on the back of Freddy, along with the appropriately impressive and inventive effects to boot. This is a classic of horror if there ever were one.
We all know the plot. Let's skip that part this time around.
Part of my love for this movie is the innovation of Craven and his team. Everything from the blood bed to the simplest practical effects. Such care goes into the movie to make it look so excellent.
Love the effect of Freddy pushing through the wall, then Nancy wakes up with the cross knocked off on her, and the wall's back to normal. Always thought it was creepy, subtle. Then not long afterwards Freddy comes down the alley with those long arms, so surreal and dreamlike. Everything is warped and weird. And it is terrifying. Plus, once we finally get the few looks at his face, all scarred and burned up, it's hideous.
Freddy's the pure mercury liquid of nightmares. At first he doesn't even respond to Nancy when she asks "who are you?", but simply cuts his chest open to reveal ooze and maggots.
And that's the most terrifying part about Freddy. He's a dream, a nightmare figure. He gets you if you fall asleep, which time and time again tests the characters of the film. There's an unfathomable aspect to Krueger and his entrance through the unconscious mind. Almost as if your fears will literally eat you alive when he's around. Plus, there's also the angle of the buried secrets in a tight-knit community. Once the truth of Krueger, who he was and what happened to him comes out, then we start to see what the past does to the present. It invades and infects the next generation. You could make a case that Craven is talking about generational trauma, in a sense. Either way, the fact Freddy worms his way into the minds of the young people on Elm Street is a creepy sort folktale, a modern era Pied Piper leading the kids to their deaths. Sort of the death of youth, bringing adolescence to an end in horrific ways. Freddy is ultra creepy, as he's already a child murderer, but the injustice portion of things comes into play; questions of morality, and what exactly is justice, so on. You can dive deep into Craven, I've been saying that for ages.
Apart from being the big screen debut of Johnny Depp, there are a couple good performances. Heather Langenkamp as Nancy is a perfect choice. She's likeable, as well as sweet. Yet she's strong and independent, she wants to track Freddy down, no matter how she has to go about it; whether by force, or by dream. As opposed to the typical "Final Girl", Nancy is much more than just that. She's an antagonistic protagonist, if I can mix and match. I say that because she's able to turn the tables on Freddy and get the upperhand by going at him on his own turf. So, Nancy comes off as a decently strong, resilient female character in a genre with a dearth of those types of characters.
Of course we can't talk about this Craven masterpiece without mentioning the talent of Robert Englund. Nobody else can ever fill his shoes. Sure, you can remake it. And Jackie Earle Haley is actually a great actor. But certain roles are not meant to be played over and over like in the theatre. In stage acting, nobody is recording you (or at least they never were before these days), and so the performances are not cemented; many people can grace the role. Someone like Freddy Krueger can never be anyone else but Englund. He put the stamp on that role, giving it the performance of a lifetime. His character remains ever creepy, both slightly perverted and terrifyingly mad. The makeup effects involved with him, just his appearance alone, are insane. They remain with you, after years and years. You could be on a desert island for a decade and still remember who Freddy was if they showed you a picture. It's an iconic piece of horror, of cinematic history itself.
Craven's Nightmare is a 5-star horror. It defined what a supernatural horror could be without the need for the same old ghosts and spooky things in the dark. Freddy branded himself onto the brain of genre fans forever. Not only that, he marked the world. He's a phenomenon, still is really. Even kids knew who he was back in the '80s when they couldn't see the movies. They just knew. I knew who Freddy was before I'd actually seen the movie myself. So Craven not only gave people a good scare, he contributed to pop culture in a hugely significant way during the '80s, and then later in the '90s with Scream. This one always creeps me out, no matter how many times I've seen it. Never a boring watch, always good for that solid, enjoyable scare I crave.
Generational Trauma
Black Mass: Welcome Back, Mr. Depp!
Black Mass. 2015. Directed by Scott Cooper. Screenplay by Jez Butterworth & Mark Mallouk; based on the novel by Dick Lehr & Gerard O'Neill.
Starring Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson, Kevin Bacon, Peter Sarsgaard, Jesse Plemons, Rory Cochrane, David Harbour, and Adam Scott. Cross Creek Pictures/Grisbi Productions/Infinitum Nihil/Free State Pictures.
Rated 14A. 123 minutes.
Biography/Crime/Drama
The story of James 'Whitey' Bulger is a wild one. I remember when the excellent drama Brotherhood came on, with Jason Clarke and Jason Isaacs; that had roots in Bulger's story, the parallel between him and his political brother. It's a story that, if you know anything about it, is intense and has many layers. Almost as if it were written and made up. Yet the details most certainly are not made up. After things eventually went further south for Whitey, he went on the run as a Most Wanted face on the FBI's list. Only a few years ago, at age 81 ripe and tender, he was apprehended and in 2013 his trial started.
So naturally, after seeing Scott Cooper was taking on an adaptation of this man's boisterous, wild life, it had every bit of interest I needed. Black Mass gives us big heaping slices of the life of Bulger, from a time when he was already known to later on when he became one of the most well known names of the underworld. A ton of what makes the movie interesting are the central performances, particularly Johnny Depp in one of his strongest roles – ever – and then there is great writing on top of great directing from Cooper. This intense and at times fairly grim tale is weaved out of real life, pumped full of bravado, but best of all it breathes air into a true villain out of the history books.
James 'Whitey' Bulger (Johnny Depp) is a tough customer. One of the worst. He's a notorious criminal from South Boston whose reputation precedes him. Better yet, he's the brother of prominent politician Billy Bulger (Benedict Cumberbatch). While Billy is busy climbing the political ladder, Jimmy is on the streets busting heads, killing, doing the most illegal of business.
But a terrifying deal is struck behind the scenes between Jimmy and the FBI, led by John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), who just so happens to have grown up on the same street as the Bulger boys. Using the FBI to essentially take out competition and aid his nefarious dealings, from guns to drugs, Whitey spins the entire deal into a downward spiral. Soon enough, the FBI informant in Jimmy is lost and he is officially on the Ten Most Wanted List. His story is one of family, corruption, ego and above all else – crime.
Immediately we're introduced to Whitey Bulger as someone who does not mince words, nor does he put up with anything he sees as bullshit. No nonsense. The opening scene with Depp his eyes are piercing through the darkness, Bulger is sitting in silence and watching Johnny Martorano (W. Earl Brown) – an extremely dangerous and feared man in his own right – sloppily eat peanuts on the table, which he does not like. And makes it known. But this semi-funny scene brings a little more to the front. If you understand who Martorano is, then it's even further evident that Whitey does not care who is in front of him. He says it like it is and couldn't care less what anyone feels about it. The menace is present enough in the shots where Depp is barely visible through the darkness, almost like a predator laying, waiting in the black. More of that comes out later, though, it is heavily featured in this first moment. As time goes by, it isn't only the contacts Depp wears that makes the eyes of Bulger burn into your soul. It is the absolute dead eye stare Depp seeps through the frame, it won't let you go. With only a few looks Depp conveys the nastiness in Whitey.
Everyone is really solid here. One of those ensemble casts you dream of, as there's a number of performances to enjoy. Of course you can't not talk about Cumberbatch, whose American Boston accent is pretty great, and natural. Not just that I found he was well contrasted with Depp; they truly felt like brothers, two guys at the opposite end of one spectrum. Their chemistry was good when they shared the screen. Then there are smaller roles that worked well, such as Peter Sarsgaard (always a fan), Rory Cochrane, and more. But I also have to mention Joel Edgerton. He is a talent, one who can play interesting roles with lots of weight. He is compelling from scene to scene, especially considering what his character is involved in, and Edgerton definitely sells the performance. He and Depp do nice work together, too. Having all the actors in this film together is a definite plus. Without them these real life characters would've felt like caricatures and bad impressions. With them, Whitey Bulger, John Connolly, Billy Bulger and the rest of them all appear to us vividly and full of passion.
There are certainly similarities at times to the classic Martin Scorsese mob picture Goodfellas. Cooper does an excellent job mirroring some of the music montage moments in that film, excellent homage. Although, it isn't borrowing too heavily. This is its own story, its own film all the way. But apart from some of the techniques Cooper uses to move the plot along, particularly the first montage with "Slave" by The Rolling Stones, there are plenty differences. The writing doesn't fall back on homage. We get lots of exciting dialogue, which in turn obviously brings us fun, intense, and likewise exciting relationships between characters, scenes that come to life. It's not just some period piece jumping from one decade to the next with a couple decent characters. The screenplay is solid. I love the pace of the movie, from start to finish. Never once during the 123 minute runtime did I find myself hoping for more excitement. There are bits of extensive expository dialogue, but only in the sense that we need it re: FBI actions, and so on. Then, we also get our fill of the character development, the violent scenes, the mob talk. There could've easily been too much, or not enough, of all these aspects. Instead, Cooper & Co. offer us up a good variation most of the time.
Easily a 4 star film. There could've been a few things edited better, to ramp up the intensity and suspense, but overall the pacing of the film especially keeps things proper. Boasting a massively impressive performance from Johnny Depp, as well as a handful of great supporting roles, Black Mass packs a heavy, bloody punch. Maybe people see too many parallels with other films and that Scott Cooper drew off classics too much. Not I. This is a truly compelling story that deserved to be told and this was told in fine fashion. There are moments you'll laugh, moments you will root for a good outcome. But this is a dark, twisting story. There are no happy endings. Regardless, the film is very well made. It has a wonderful atmosphere and a constant tone that brings out the best in every aspect of the production. This is top notch and one of the best crime biographies of the past decade. Some bits and pieces need tuning, though, if any Depp shows us he's not done yet. Not by a long shot.
Irish Mob
James Whitey Bulger
Johnny Martorano
W Earl Brown
Kevin Smith's Whacky Creature Feature: Tusk
Tusk. 2014. Directed & Written by Kevin Smith.
Starring Michael Parks, Justin Long, Genesis Rodriguez, Haley Joel Osment, and Johnny Depp. Sony Pictures Releasing Canada.
Comedy/Horror
First of all, a lot of people seem to misunderstand Tusk as a film overall. It's meant, above all else, as a comedy and a drama. Yes, there is horror, and it is a horror film, but the comedy and drama trump everything. Just a little over halfway through the movie, things get divisive because a lot of people think it gets ridiculous, or silly, or whatever.
Me – well, I think differently.
Second, I just love the premise of this movie. Kevin Smith is not particularly one of my favourites, though, I really love Clerks (the first one – I don't dig the second so much), Mallrats, Dogma, and Red State a lot. His move into a bit of horror while still holding onto the comedy roots he works so well with really is spectacular. Red State was a lot of fun, and I've re-watched it a bunch of times since the first; for me, it holds up time after time.
The story of Tusk follows Wallace Bryton (Long), a rising podcast star, who interviews weird and wild people everywhere; he travels to different locations, interviews different characters, and then retells his experiences for Teddy Craft (Osment) who never travels. There emerges a side story involving Wallace's girlfriend Ally; the two share a bit of a rocky relationship, as we see both Wallace's infidelity, as well as Ally's eventual, secret at first, indiscretions, too. Wallace goes up to Canada to interview the Kill Bill Kid – a young man who chopped off his own leg with a sword accidentally – but once he arrives in Winnipeg, he discovers the kid has taken his own life, and the story is quite literally now dead.
Unfairly pissed, Wallace heads to a bar before moving on home. In the bathroom he discovers a wanted ad: an old man, once an adventurer at sea, has a room for rent, and stories to tell. Out in the woods of Manitoba, Wallace finds Howard Howe in a beautiful, sprawling estate type home. Howe seems just a little eccentric at first telling stories of being at sea, meeting Ernest Hemingway (even claiming one of old Ernie's most famous quotes about drinking was first quoted to him personally), however, soon enough it's really damn clear the old man doesn't just want company. He misses an old friend, and Howe is determined to bring him back by any means necessary.
Once Wallace goes missing, Ally and Teddy wake up to a frantic voicemail he left them both; he claims Howe has kidnapped him, and wants to turn him into a walrus. Worried, they seek out the police, who are of course sceptical (I spell it that way 'cause I'm Canadian, eh). They then meet a man named Guy Lapointe (played hilariously by Johnny Depp). He has been hunting a serial killer across Canada, and it turns out this is most likely Howe. They join together hoping to track down and save Wallace.
A lot of people have trouble with the way Tusk shifts gears between horror to drama to comedy, and back, and forth. I don't necessarily see the problem. If either of these genres were being inappropriately served up, then I would understand, but to my mind it's all carried out pretty well. The horror works. Some may say the "transformation" is silly. I understand. I mean, the comedy of Long's "transformation" is not lost on Smith – he knows it looks a bit funny. Aside from the initial laugh it might get, the "transformation" (I say that because I don't want to outright describe anything and give it away) is pretty fucking disturbing. Especially when you couple Long's appearance with the shrieking and moaning he does after being transformed. After awhile it really gets grating on the nerves. Not in an annoying sense. It grates on them hard and makes me uncomfortable. Watching Parks' character rant at Long, transformed into a hideous thing, feeding him, making him eat; it's awful. But awful in the best sort of way.
The bits of drama worked into the storyline served things well. Once you get to the end and look back at the drama Smith infused into the screenplay, they really add to one another. The ending (I won't give it away) sort of makes you look at how both Ally and Teddy feel about Wallace, deep down, regardless of everything which came before. Some might see the ending as foolish, or whatever – I don't see it that way. There's a real sentimental angle at work that serves the dramatic storyline well. It isn't just an attempt for a goofy/happy ending to a horror-comedy. It's how Smith closes out the emotional angle he'd been playing at with the Wallace/Ally/Teddy story. I thought it was probably the best way for Tusk to end. In a way, it's sentimental, yet still a bit horrifying.
The comedy really works. I'm Canadian, and I thought a lot of the Canada jokes were hilarious. The 'aboot' thing is a bit overworked in film/television generally, but other than that it's really funny. I thought the 'double double' joke was pretty funny because I've heard lots of people actually say things like that. Some might misinterpret the joke as Smith not understanding what a 'double double' actually is, but it's the opposite – he knows, and he's making fun of Tim Hortons lovers. At least that's how I see it.
Also, near the opening Long's character goes through the airport, and one of the Canadian guys working there is just so ridiculously funny it makes me tear up – plus, his beard is gnarly as all hell.
The performances in Tusk are what really make things chug along wonderfully. Of course people will talk about Parks because he did a great job, as he did in the previous outing with Smith on Red State. And he was fascinating. Really creepy, especially in the early dinner table scenes opposite Long. Some very ominous stuff.
Even Just Long, who I'm admittedly not huge on really, does a good job with the material. He is a perfect fit for Wallace, and was pretty funny at times, especially in his banter with Parks, as well as with the two young girls at the Canadian convenience store (played by the daughter duo of Depp and Smith's girls). There are a few really creepy points where Long does a fantastic job after his "transformation"; his vocalizations are really god damn scary at times, to me, and I watch a lot of horror. He could have simply wailed, but you could really feel some of Wallace's fear by the way Long screamed and pleaded for help.
Mainly, though, I really want to talk about Mr. Depp. A lot of people like to say he isn't actually a great actor, he only takes a role depending on the hat he gets to wear, he sold out, blah, blah, blah. I think that is a load of bullshit. Depp is not only an extremely talented actor, he absolutely blows the screen to bits in Tusk. First off, his portrayal of a French Canadian Quebec accent (for those who don't know, yes, there are other French people in Canada aside from the people of Quebec..) is so awesome. Even just his speech patterns, let alone the accent, are perfect. Loved it. A lot of times we see Depp in roles where he's got a sexy sort of edge to him; even his dirty, fiendish Jack Sparrow was meant to have a kind of sex appeal to him. Here, Lapointe is just a really awesome dirtbag. He's lovable, but good lord is he strange and sort of gross.
One of my favourite parts of the whole movie is when Lapointe mashes down a slider, nearly flat against a table, reminiscing on the only downfall of the great people of Quebec, and then eats it up (special note: wait until after the credits before you leave the theatre or turn off the film – there is a fun little post-credit scene with Lapointe recalling his love of the slider). Plus, there are plenty of other little bits where Depp absolutely sucks the marrow out of every bit of the Lapointe character. Anyone who says he "ruined the movie" or some such nonsense is a hater. Depp is hilarious here. For a second, I almost didn't recognize him. Once he speaks, of course you'll know. Before that, though, the prosthetics and the facial hair and the accent almost conceal him. I loved every second of his performance.
I really have to give Tusk a 4 out of 5 stars. It isn't a perfect film. There are points where things sort of drag a little. I don't know if the switch between genres had anything to do with pacing – I really liked the genre mashup here – but it's possible that maybe a little less of a stark contrast between the genres in Tusk might appease more fans. Regardless, this film really hits the right notes. As I said, Smith finds a way to loop all those dramatic elements back together into something tangible while still hanging onto all the comedy and horror of Tusk. Not to mention Smith shot the film gorgeously. His eye for shot composition has only gotten better with time, film after film.
People will say it's too funny to be all out horror. I say bullshit. People say the "transformation" is too silly to take seriously – I say, you're watching a movie about a man wanting to turn another man into a fucking walrus, stop acting like it's an Ingmar Bergman film. Sit back, enjoy Tusk for what it is – a horror comedy with dramatic elements and a few really awesome, creepy, and fun performances to boot. I really can't wait for this to finally get out on Blu ray because I will most certainly be picking it up. Smith continues to impress me with his horror efforts on this second outing after his initial dip into the genre with Red State. I like the way he approaches horror. Looking forward to some more.
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Father Gore is first and foremost a passionate lover of film— especially horror. He's also a Master's candidate at Memorial University of Newfoundland with a concentration in postmodern critical theory, currently writing a thesis which will be his debut novel of literary fiction, titled Silence. He also used to write for Film Inquiry frequently during 2016-17 and is currently contributing to Scriptophobic in a column called Serial Killer Celluloid focusing on film adaptations about real life murderers. As of September 2018, Father Gore is an official member of the Online Film Critics Society, and as of April 2019 he's currently listed as a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic.
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text:
Expedice 65 byla šedesátá pátá dlouhodobá mise na Mezinárodní vesmírné stanici (ISS). Začala 17. dubna 2021 odletem Sojuzu MS-17 a skončila 17. října 2021 s odletem Sojuzu MS-18. Během Expedice 65 byl po 20 letech používání vyřazen z provozu dokovací modul Pirs a nahrazen nově vypuštěným vědeckým modulem Nauka. Sedmičlenná posádka uskutečnila 7 výstupů do volného prostoru o celkové délce 50 hodin.

Posádka
Expedice 65 začala 17. dubna 2021 v 01:34 UTC odletem Sojuzu MS-17, jehož velitel Sergej Ryžikov o dva dny dříve předal velení nad ISS astronautce Shannon Walkerové. Ta spolu s dalšími třemi astronauty přiletěla na stanici v listopadu 2020 v lodi SpaceX Crew-1 a byla členkou předchozí Expedice 64.

Dlouhodobou posádku Expedice 65 tvoří ruští kosmonauti Oleg Novickij a Pjotr Dubrov a americký astronaut Mark Vande Hei, kteří se k ISS připojili 9. dubna 2021 v lodi Sojuz MS-18, a posádka letu SpaceX Crew-2, která se ke stanici připojila 24. dubna 2021 a jejímiž členy jsou američtí astronauti Robert Kimbrough a Katherine McArthurová, francouzský kosmonaut Thomas Pesquet a japonský astronaut Akihiko Hošide. Ten také od Shannon Walkerové 27. dubna 2021 před odletem SpaceX Crew-1 převzal velení nad stanicí. Walkerová se tak stala nejkratší dobu sloužícím velitelem ISS – funkci zastávala pouhých 12 dní. Před blížícím se koncem expedice, 4. října 2021, převzal velení nad stanicí od Akihika Hošide jeho kolega Thomas Pesquet.

V závěru Expedice 65, 5. října 2021, se k jejím členům na 12 dní připojila návštěvní posádka lodi Sojuz MS-19 v čele s kosmonautem Antonem Škaplerovem. Její další dva členové, ruský filmový režisér Klim Šipenko a ruská herečka Julija Peresildová, přiletěli kvůli natočení záběrů pro film Vyzov (rusky Вызов; doslovně Výzva) 17. října se vrátili na Zemi v Sojuzu MS-18 s jeho velitelem Olegem Novickým. Okamžikem jejich odpojení od stanice v 01:14:05 UTC Expedice 65 skončila. Kosmonaut Pjotr Dubrov a astronaut Markem Vande Hei, kteří na stanici přiletěli s Novickým v dubnu 2021, zůstali na palubě na delší dobu než obvyklých šest měsíců, spolu se Škaplerovem vytvořili ruskou část Expedice 66 a na Zemi se společně vrátí na jaře 2022 v Sojuzu MS-19.

Vývoj obsazení ISS shrnuje následující tabulka.

Legenda:

《 》členové návštěvní mise Sojuz MS-19

(V závorkách je uveden dosavadní počet letů do vesmíru včetně této mise.)

Průběh letu
Kosmonauti Oleg Novickij a Pjotr Dubrov uskutečnili 2. června 2021 již 48. ruský výstup do volného prostoru (VKD-48). Trval od 05:53 UTC do 13:12 UTC, tedy celkem 7 hodin a 19 minut. Šlo o teprve druhý výstup do vesmíru z dokovacího prostoru modulu Poisk. Ten je součástí ISS od roku 2009, ale poprvé použit byl při předchozí ruské vycházce VKD-47 během Expedice 64 v listopadu 2020. Oba kosmonauti během svého vůbec prvního výstupu do volného prostoru  odstranili všechna spojení mezi stanicí a spojovacím modulem Pirs (kabely přibližovacího systému Kurs a zábradlí), aby mohl být podle plánu v červnu 2021 od stanice odpojen a poté nahrazen vědeckým modulem Nauka. Dále nahradili na modulu Zarja tlakový kontejner novým zařízením, přičemž původní kontejner navedli k Zemi, kde zanikne v atmosféře (tato výměna se za dobu existence ISS uskutečnila už potřetí). Také instalovali vybavení pro ruské vědecké experimenty ke studiu vlivu vesmírných podmínek na různé mikroorganismy a materiály.

V programu expedice byly naplánovány výstupy do volného prostoru také z amerického orbitálního segmentu (USOS) Mezinárodní vesmírné stanice za účelem instalace první dvojice ze sady šesti nových solárních panelů (Roll Out Solar Array, iROSA). Tu na stanici dovezla bezpilotní transportní mise SpaceX CRS-22 (k ISS se připojila 5. června v 09:09 UTC). Astronauti Kombrough a Pesquet si obleky pro vesmírnou vycházku oblékli 16. června a mimo stanici strávili 7 hodin a 15 minut. Kvůli poruše na Kimbroughově skafandru se nepodařilo instalaci a rozvinutí prvního panelu dokončit,  a proto se jí astronauti museli věnovat i při další vycházce 20. června, která trvala 6 hodin a 28 minut.  Během původně neplánované vycházky 25. června (celkem třetí v deseti dnech) pak za 6 hodin a 45 minut nainstalovali a rozvinuli také druhý panel.

Posádka také 24. června 2021 provedla rutinní změnu dráhy stanice zažehnutím motoru nákladní lodi Progress MS-16 v 02:40 UTC na celkem 466 sekund. To udělilo impuls 0,5 m/s a zvýšilo střední výšku dráhy stanice na 420,28 km, oběžná doba nově dosáhla 92,92 minuty. Další korekci posádka uskutečnila 21. srpna 2021 v 04:04 UTC, tentokrát pomocí motorů servisního modulu Zvezda, jehož zadní port (Zvezda aft) byl neobsazen. Oba korekční motory běžely 50 sekund a udělily stanici impuls 0,71 m/s. Po manévru se střední výška dráhy zvýšila na 420,91 km a oběžná doba na 92,93 minuty. Také třetí korekci dráhy během Expedice provedly motory modulu Zvezda – 11. září 2021 ve 18:54 UTC udělily po zapálení na 31 sekund stanici impuls 0,45 metru za sekundu, což podle předběžných údajů zvýšilo dráhu stanice o 750 metrů.

Kvůli očekávaném automatickému příletu lodi Boeing CST-100 Starliner na misi Boeing Orbital Flight Test 2 byl také proveden přesun SpaceX Crew-2 mezi spojovacími porty ISS. Loď s celou posádkou v přetlakových oblecích na palubě se automaticky odpojila od ISS 21. července 2021 v 10:45 UTC, vzdálila se od stanice o několik desítek metrů, manévrem se přemístila před horní port modulu Harmony (Harmony zenith) a v 11:35 UTC se k němu připojila. Přední port (Harmony forward) se tak uvolnil pro přílet Starlineru, jehož start byl naplánován na start 30. července 2021.

Modul Nauka se k ISS připojil 29. července v 13:29:01 UTC, ale tři hodiny poté se jeho motory v důsledku softwarové chyby samovolně spustily a způsobily otočení stanice kolem osy o 540 stupňů. Ačkoli nebylo zaznamenáno žádné poškození ISS a posádka nebyla mimořádnou situací nijak ohrožena, byly kvůli události dočasně přerušeny všechny činnosti, přičemž posádka stanice prováděla prověrky Nauky. Také byl a o 96 hodin odložen start Starlineru k letu Boeing Orbital Flight Test 2, který se však ani v odloženém termínu neodehrál a byl znovu posunut, tentokrát nejméně o čtvrt roku kvůli technickým potížím s ventily.

Počátkem září se odehrály první dvě z celkem až 11 plánovaných vycházek za účelem plného začlenění nového modulu Nauka do systémů ISS. Při výstupu zahájeném 3. září 2021 ve 14:41 UTC kosmonauti Pjotr Dubrov a Oleg Novickij připojili modul na elektrickou síť a datovou síť stanice a instalovali část zábradlí pro usnadnění pohybu při dalších výstupech. Výstup skončil po 7 hodinách a 54 minutách v 22:35 UTC. Oba kosmonauti se na další, jubilejní 50. ruskou vycházku z ISS vydali o šest dní později, 9. září ve 14:51 UTC. Dokončili propojení ethernetových kabelů, televizní sítě a systému setkání s přilétajícími kosmickými loděmi, nainstalovali další zábradlí a na modul Poisk umístili biologický experiment. Výstup trval 7 hodin a 25 minut a skončil v 22:16 UTC. Oba kosmonauti tak včetně výstupu 2. června strávili mimo stanici celkem 22 hodin a 38 minut.

Další výstup se odehrál hned o tři dny později, kdy do volného prostoru z ISS poprvé vystoupila dvojice, v níž nebyl ani jeden ruský kosmonaut nebo americký astronaut. Akihiko Hošide a Thomas Pesquet zahájili výstup 12. července ve 14:15 UTC. Jejich hlavním úkolem bylo sestavit a připevnit na část příhradové nosné konstrukce, označovanou P4, speciální konzoli, která později umožní instalaci a roztažení třetího ze šesti nových fotovoltaických panelů iROSA. Mezi další cíle výstupu patřila výměna zařízení, které měří elektrický nabíjecí potenciál polí a přidružených povrchů na nosné konstrukci, Hošide také mimo jiné provedl odběry vzorků mikrobů z povrchu stanice k inkubaci a analýze na Zemi. Výstup – pro Hošideho celkem čtvrtý a pro Pesqueta šestý – byl ukončen ve 21:09 UTC, tedy po 6 hodinách a 54 minutách. Celkem šlo o 12 výstup z ISS v roce 2021 a 7. pro Expedici 65.

Živo bylo také v posledních dnech září. Nejprve byla 24. září upravena dráha stanice, když byly v 14:38 UTC na 47,5 sekundy zapnuty dva korekční motory modulu Zvezda, čímž udělily stanici impuls 0,65 metru z sekundu a snížily výšku oběžné dráhy o 1,2 km. Průměrná orbitální výška ISS nad Zemí tak dosáhla 491,88 km. Dále posádka Sojuzu MS-18 přeparkovala svou loď z modulu Rassvet na nový vědecký modul Nauka. K odpojení od Rassvetu došlo 28 září v 12:21 UTC a k modulu Nauka se loď – jako vůbec první v historii – připojila o 43 minut později. A 30. září odletěla nákladní loď Cargo Dragon, mise SpaceX CRS-23.

První polovina října byla ve znamení návštěvy ruských filmařů Klima Šipenka a Julie Peresildové. Stanice také prostřednictvím hlavních motorů modulu Zvezda provedla 12. října další orbitální manévr, když zážehem trvajícím 38,9 sekundy při impulsu 0,54 metru za sekundu zvedla průměrnou výšku své oběžné dráhy o 940 metrů. Nově minimální výška dosahuje 419,44 km a maximální 441,21 km. Manévr byl označen za součást příprav na přílet další návštěvnické posádky na stanici v Sojuzu MS-20 v první polovině prosince 2021.

A 15. října 2021 v 9:02 UTC provedli ruští letoví dispečeři plánovaný test zážehu trysek kosmické lodi Sojuz MS-18 před jejím blížícím se návratem na Zemi. Zážeh trysek nečekaně pokračoval i po skončení testovacího okna, což způsobilo ztrátu kontroly nad polohou stanice 09:13 UTC. Letoví dispečeři kontrolu během půl hodiny obnovili a uvedli stanici zpět do stabilní konfigurace. Nikdo z 10 členů posádky nebyl událostí nijak ohrožen.

Připojené pilotované a nákladní lodi, obsazení portů

Porty ISS
ISS měla na začátku Expedice 65 celkem 8 portů umožňujících připojení jiného kosmického tělesa:

 přední port modulu Harmony (Harmony forward) – port na přídi stanice, mířící ve směru letu
 horní port modulu Harmony (Harmony zenith) – port mířící směrem od Země
 spodní modulu Harmony (Harmony nadir) – port mířící směrem k Zemi
 spodní port modulu Unity (Unity nadir)
 spodní port Rassvet (Rassvet nadir)
 spodní port modulu Pirs (Pirs nadir)
 horní port modulu Poisk (Poisk nadir)
 zadní port modulu Zvezda (Zvezda aft) – port na zádi stanice

Během trvání mise byl 26. července 2021 od stanice odpojen modul Pirs, čímž se dočasně uvolnil druhý port na modulu Zvezda. O tři dny později se ale k němu připojil nový vědecký modul Nauka se dvěma porty. Jeden z nich (Nauka nadir) míří směrem k Zemi a byl poprvé využit pro připojení lodi Sojuz MS-18, do konce roku by však k němu měl být připojen uzlový modul Pričal, který bude disponovat celkem dalšími pěti spojovacími porty. Druhý port modulu Nauka míří ve směru letu (Nauka forward) a bude použit pro připojení automatizované přechodové komory k vynášení materiálu pro venkovní experimenty z vnitřku modulu. Ta byla k ISS vynesena americkým raketoplánem už v roce 2010 a je dočasně připoutána k modulu Rassvet, aniž by byla používána.

ISS tak má na konci Expedice 65 celkem 9 portů umožňujících připojení jiného kosmického tělesa, kde v porovnání s předchozím seznamem chybí spodní port modulu Pirs a přibyly tyto dva nové porty:

 spodní port modulu Nauka (Nauka nadir)
 přední port modulu Nauka (Nauka forward)

Připojené kosmické lodi
Při zahájení Expedice 65, kterým byl okamžik odpojení lodi Sojuz MS-17 od stanice, byly k ISS připojeny 2 pilotované a 3 nákladní kosmické lodi. Následující tabulka shrnuje pohyby kosmických lodí (přílety, odlety a přesuny mezi spojovacími porty ISS) po dobu trvání expedice, která podle plánu skončí 17. října 2021 v okamžiku odpojení lodi Sojuz MS-18 od stanice.

Legenda:

-> označuje směr přesunu lodi k jinému portu

Odkazy

Poznámky

Reference

Související články

 Mezinárodní vesmírná stanice
 Základní posádky Mezinárodní vesmírné stanice
 Seznam pilotovaných letů k ISS
 Seznam nepilotovaných letů k ISS

Externí odkazy

Klim Šipenko. csfd.cz [online]. [cit. 2021-06-07]. Dostupné online. (česky)
Julija Pěresild. csfd.cz [online]. [cit. 2021-06-05]. Dostupné online. (česky)

Expedice na Mezinárodní vesmírnou stanici
Kosmonautika v roce 2020
Kosmonautika v roce 2021

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I use a variety of tools and materials for what I do. Currently most of the desktop machines we supported via crowdfunding have been delivered. So I am able to efficiently make things I can sell. One of these is the Formbox by Mayku. Their idea of a desktop vacuum forming machine was great. Before we saw their project, I thought I'd have to DIY one for myself like my furnace or find a used one like my letterpress printer.


Do you want to have the most productive day ever? Then take the advice from some of history's most productive people, like Ernest Hemingway, Roald Dahl, Socrates–oh, and the person who only invented electricity, Benjamin Franklin. Watch the video above, then be on your way to creating your own masterpiece!


Pixel Dust Photo Art: Figuring on a freebie?
Hey Everyone - it's October - already!
To download your high res version of pdpa Heartache by the Number texture, simply click HERE.
Doing my best to be helpful ... and not just figuratively!
Thank you for the texture.
Thanks Bonnie, oh this looks like some fun!
Ooh, this is lovely - thank you, Bonnie!


Unite in harmony for love, peace, justice, fraternity and happiness!
Since February 15, 2005, GHA is an international NGO uniting more than 500 members in 56 countries and more than one million participants from the GHA collective members in 80 countries.
Global Peace from Harmony in the 21st century is an unprecedented phenomenon and unprecedented task of humanity in world history. Therefore, it requires the equally unprecedented social, spiritual, cultural and moral ideas, initiatives and efforts as well as unprecedented people and their leaders. They are prepared for the first time to consciously and systematically develop the Global Harmony Association (GHA) during 9 years since February 2005: www.peacefromharmony.org (which has about 5 million visits). This website published thousands of pages of peacemaking diversity, including the GHA's seven books and 49 projects of global peace from harmony. The GHA created, by using and uniting this diversity, the foundations of unprecedented Global Peace Science from Social Harmony in the ABC of Harmony for World Peace (2012: www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=478) and is now preparing the text of this science for a special book (www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=585). Without this science Global Peace of the 21st century is impossible. These spiritual achievements of the GHA made it an unprecedented scientific and holistic center for Global Peace in the 21st century.
Mankind stands on the brink of military self-destruction by militaristic civilization, where almost every adult is constantly forced to pay taxes to the military budgets of $ 2 trillion dollars annually and global peace is devoid of any system of funding remaining at zero. War, violence and terrorism have millions of sponsors in this civilization and global peace only one sponsor - the Nobel Peace Prize offering just over a million dollars a year. Such a weak level of sponsorship was powerless to ensure global peace in the 20th century which was filled with world, interethnic and terrorist wars.
The social pathologies of this civilization - greed, consumerism, extreme individualism and other confront to global peace - these pathologies have been criticized by the Supreme Pontiff Francis. GHA develops this criticism in the current project and others. Global peace of the 21st century will never come without a common scientific understanding of the sources, guarantees and actors of global peace and without systemic institutional funding in trillions of dollars beginning with donations of the most conscientious citizens-peacemakers.
SOCIONOME is a scientific symbol and essence of Global Peace from Harmony in deep structural comprehension of its sources, guarantees and actors (http://youtu.be/hbxY5lREOeA).
1.Global Peace Gandhi - for leadership in the global civil nonviolent disobedience to military taxes with a positive alternative of global peace and general disarmament from harmony.
2.Global Peace Francis (Assisi) - for the donation of anyone of all his fortune for the goal of global peace and general disarmament from harmony.
3.Global Peace Nobel - for a donation for global peace $ 20,000 or more.
4.Global Peace Maecenas - for a donation for global peace $ 5,000 or more.
5.Global Peace Mother Teresa - any woman for her donation for global peace $ 3,000 or more.
6.Global Peace Numa (Pompilius) - political or civic leaders of any level from municipal to global for practical efforts towards global peace with a donation $ 2,000 or more.
7.Global Peace Donator - for a donation of any citizen for global peace up to $ 2,000.
Each one of them is a Global Peace Sponsor or Donor. These are supremely worthy persons who possess the beauty character, intellectual courage, civic responsibility and moral will to reach the first common good of humanity - Global Peace.
Any sponsor's donation is estimated as a Honorary and Spiritual contribution to Global Peace of the 21st century, as an example of compassion and help for mankind to get rid of wars.
The portraits of Honorary Titles Laureates of Global Peace along with their biographies will be published in the book "Global Peace Science" in late 2014, as well as on the GHA website in "Global Peace Sponsors Gallery" forever as the first in world history donors of global peace of the 21st century.
1. Political resistance and organization of mass civil nonviolence disobedience to war (only) taxes with a positive alternative of general and complete disarmament (GACD) for 50 years (until 2065) through the reduction of military budgets of all countries by 2% annually. (This objective, in the first approximation is formulated in the GHA appropriate petition to the UN here: (www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=529).
2. Development and promotion of Global Peace Science as a consolidated scientific peacemaking consciousness based on the social genome (SOCIONOME) of global harmony in all countries: (http://youtu.be/hbxY5lREOeA).
3. Funding for the Institute of Global Peace in UNESCO, Academy of Peace and Harmony, Monitoring Centers of Peace and War (www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=588) etc.
4. Establishment of institutions of global harmonious education (schools, colleges, universities and academies) in Global Peace Science (the 10 projects of such institutions are listed in the GHA projects: www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=472) worldwide.
5. Stimulation of the global peace art and interfaith harmony as its special sources.
These purposes can be expanded along with the increase of donations.
1. All Honorary Titles of individual persons are approved by GHA members by a majority of votes of the voting participants.
2. The first and the seventh Honorary Titles are initiated by members of the Board and President of GHA and after their approval they are offered to approval by the GHA members.
3. Other Honorary Titles are approved by the GHA members on the basis of appropriate donations, for which each sponsor shall inform the President of GHA or any of the GHA leaders using e-mail addresses which have been published in "Contact Us" here: http://peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=574.
4. Depending on the size of donations, special conditions, time and how they transfer, the GHA Board and the President determines all the parameters for transferring donations acceptable to the sponsor.
1. The GHA approved sponsors of Global Peace create an independent Supervisory Board of Sponsors (SBS) to control the use of donations for Global Peace and determine the details of its regulatory relationship with GHA.
2. SBS elects the necessary bodies of governance and creates its own Charter, which is offered for discussion and approval by the GHA members.
3. Within this Charter the SBS creates other necessary bodies of governance and monitoring at its discretion.
4. The SBS with the GHA Board creates on the GHA website "Global Peace Sponsors Gallery" together with their portraits and brief biographies and for Global Peace Donators - Honorary List in this Gallery.
6. Honorary List of Donators and Maecenases for Global Peace.
On February 20, 2014. Donations are in U.S. dollars.
These donations constitute the unprecedented in human history conscious BUDGET of Global Peace to create Global Peace Science as its first necessary spiritual condition.
These GHA members, with more than modest incomes from the poorest countries, by their donations have proven their true dedication to global peace and ethical dignity to serve it, providing it, above all, spiritual contribution and moral support.
This list, together with the new donor's names will be published on the first page of the book "Global Peace Science" in December 2014.
We are happy to invite you to discuss and approve the GHA updated Project: World Honorary Titles of Global Peace for Donations (in attachment) by your YES (I approve, support) or NO (I do not approve, do not support) with your comments within three days to February 20 inclusively.
Since February 1 we have been discussing the GHA Appeal about donations for Global Peace Science (GPS), without which there can be no global peace. So we are encouraging donations to global peace, which deserve moral support and recognition. During this time we have not received any objections to establish the honorary titles for donations as a funding source for GPS and its book. At present 19 people have offered donations already. We appreciate their contribution to global peace and sincerely thank them for their high spiritualty of self-sacrifice. We all understand that the donation - it is an extreme measure but GHA has no other way. Our 9 -year-old history has shown that we have not found any financial support from the rich peacekeeping organizations and foundations for our 7 books and 48 projects of global peace from harmony. For the GPS book we were looking for funding from them since March last year. Our search also was unsuccessful and they showed that at these institutions a priority is greed not peace. A similar situation exists not only with GPS but also with others, such as the Institute of Harmony for which Laj Utreja, its Director is looking for a grant about two years but he cannot find it. At least we have not heard from him positive messages on this account. The search for help from these institutions seems endless and pointless.
Therefore, no one could suggest other ways to finance GPS except donations. This is for the GHA members only way to prepare and publish GPS book. Our donations are an ethical act of compassion and help to pauper global peace. This is spiritual dimension of every donation that is a natural for a true peacemaker.
Unfortunately, spiritually and financially war and militarism have the overwhelming priority in comparison with global peace. This empirically proves not only appropriate monitoring GHA (www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=588) but also a number of other powerful facts.
First, almost every adult citizen of each country must pay taxes which include funding the military budget. The state collects military taxes from citizens without asking their consent and against their will. It will not be held accountable for their use whenever it is a state secret.
Second, it's a whopping annual military spending of two trillion dollars, which is constantly growing. Similarly the budget for global peace, compared with the military budget in the national budgets, basically does not exist and is zero.
Third, we all know about the social pathologies of militaristic civilization - greed, consumerism and extreme individualism. Pope Francis has sharply criticized this reality. In the proposed project, GHA continues and develops the critique of these social pathologies. However, we are also well aware that many people have kept a civil and moral immunity from greed, consumerism and extreme individualism, as evidenced by our 19 donors in two weeks. To similar people the GHA project about the honorary titles of Global Peace is addressed. It is created so that not global peace and its organizations such as the GHA looking money but money looking for them in a form of the honorary donations.
Our hope as hope and world peace can be found only in these donations of noble people, peacekeepers in spirit, in the new Gandhi's, Francise's, Nobel's, Maecenase's and Numa's of Global Peace in 21st century! We have no other hope. Our project has nothing to lose. We invite other peacekeeping organization of Global Peace to join this project to receive funding for global peace from the donations.
We will send our project signed by all its donors from around the world and believers of different faiths to bless the Pope and other religious leaders.
We are waiting for your active participation in discussion and voting this important peacemaking project. Thank you.


WLF-159 Three - Jules Jurgensen Watches for the price of one. Model 5934 Yellow 17 jewel wind up movement open face pocket watch, Retail $131.95. Model 5972Q Lady's Yellow Quartz movement 6 diamond wristwatch, Retail $188.95. Model 6200Q Yellow Lady's Quartz movement 4 diamond wristwatch, Retail $195.95. Total weight with boxes 916.3 grams.


Personal Injury Lawyer in Red Deer - The two most common clients our company represent are insurance companies and self-made corporations. All our lawyers are really knowledgeable and experienced in insurance law. When self-insured corporations and insurers come to us, we handle their cases with expertise and efficiency.
When handling new case, we first ask our clients to define their objectives so we can create a solution based litigation technique that would attain them. Utilizing our experience and resources, we Make certain that the plan is executed cost-effectively and efficiently.


Adult Star Wars Coloring Book – Children are fascinated by colors. Being that they are relatively new to this world, and are exceedingly curious and perceptive, they consider each fresh hue and shade to be exquisite and exceptional, unlike us, who have learned to take all of the colors in the world for granted, and don't even look twice at any new color as such, believing it to be just another section of the surrounding environment.
Children, however, witness and perceive everything, and are always wanting to let their knowledge stream to others through various means, verbal and non-verbal. adult star wars coloring book While the verbal means are also essential, the non-verbal ones are a lot more fun-oriented. These include various types of coloring books and, talking about the new generation, free of charge printable coloring pages from the internet.
Apart from giving your kids a creative method of remaining engaged and passing leisure time, these coloring webpages have quite a few other advantages. They are, to begin with, free to download and print, therefore all you need is a pc, an internet connection, and a printer.
Adult Star Wars Coloring Book Other than this, once again, these printable coloring webpages will help develop your son or daughter's finer motor abilities, such as eye-hands coordination etc, and will also help develop their focus and perseverance towards completing confirmed task within an adequately satisfactory manner. They'll also learn a lot of concepts through the method of these printable coloring webpages.
But most of all, you provides your kids with a fun-filled, colorful period of time, which they will enjoy to the fullest degree possible. It is possible to see the feeling of pride and achievement in their eyes, that they are bound to feel on the completion of each of the little projects. adult star wars coloring book Coloring webpages are a comprehensive entertainment package for kids, particularly if you find types which depict their favorite character, period or theme. Some situations are Pokemon coloring pages and Disney coloring web pages.
And lastly, aside from all the great amount of happiness, education and satisfaction that these coloring pages provides to your kids, you're sure to agree when I say that they will give you some period of time to lay back again and relax, rather than chasing your kid throughout the house for numerous reasons. adult star wars coloring book They will also help maintain a great, friendly rapport between the two of you, and will be a fun activity completely, whether on a person basis, or a collective one.
So go on and seek out various fun and enjoyable coloring pages for your baby, fill their lives with pleasure, and splash them with plenty of colors – shades of happiness, joy, creativeness and learning. Allow these toddlers to explore the deepest sea of visual effects and color-schemes, and witness your little Picasso grow into an intelligent, sharp, perceptive not to mention, creative individual, and a complete package.


text:
Bluff Point Lighthouse
Built in 1874 on the western side of Valcour Island, Bluff Point Lighthouse was one of the last lighthouses constructed on the island. It is situated 90 feet above the water and is a part of the Adirondack State Park. The Clinton County Historical Society manages the lighthouse it is usually open in July and August on Sundays but it was closed in 2015 for renovation. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
View of the lighthouse from the Lake
The first lightkeeper was Civil War veteran Major William Herwert, who served in that from from 1876-1881 when he died suddenly. His wife took over, which was very uncommon at the time, and she worked until 1902. A steel tower built in 1930 rendered the original light obsolete and was dark for several decades. However, in 2002 the light in the steel tower was moved to the first lighthouse, reactivating the old structure.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluff_Point_Light http://www.clintoncountyhistorical.org/#!bluff-point-lighthouse/cy24
http://www.clintoncountyhistorical.org/#!bluff-point-lighthouse/cy24
Valcour Island, NY 0
July and August, Sundays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Maritime and Naval History
Created by Ben M on September 8th 2015, 6:36:29 pm.


text:
Constantin Alajálov: Portrait of Jane Bourbon del Monte, Princess di San Faustino
My self-appointed trial as off-site guest curator to the Clark Art Institute's collection of original illustration art by Constantin Alajálov must now come to an abrupt end. Six of the Clark's works by this artist are easily-identified New Yorker cover pieces, one being a preliminary version. This seventh work, if it was published, is likely an interior illustration to some other magazine such as, perhaps, the Saturday Evening Post, with which Alajálov was associated. The sitter, Jane Bourbon del Monte, the Princess of San Faustino, was an American expatriate who was a formidable social presence on the Roman and Venetian social scenes. She is here dressed in her widow's garb, which she wore in some form for more than two decades.
Constantin Alajálov, Portrait of Jane Bourbon del Monte, Princess di San Faustino
The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute
http://maca.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p132501coll22/id/915/rec/2
Princess di San Faustino
http://theesotericcuriosa.blogspot.com/2010/12/formidable-princess-jane-americas-own.html
Note: Perhaps some reader can identify where and when this illustration was published, or indeed whether it was published at all. Just let me know.
Previous posts about Constantin Alajálov can be found here.
Labels: Constantin Alajálov, Constantin Alajálov: Portrait of Jane Bourbon del Monte Princess di San Faustino, Jane Bourbon del Monte, Princess di San Faustino, Princess Jane, published?, The Clark Art Institute
The Theatre Lobby: Constantin Alajálov New Yorker Cover Art
The final example of original New Yorker cover art by Constantin Alajálov in the collection of the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts is a superb illustration of a Broadway theatre lobby at intermission. Dress, of course, is far less formal today, but the experience of attending a Broadway production is still totally recognizable from this 1940 illustration.
Constantin Alajálov, The Theatre Lobby,
Collection of the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute
The Theatre Lobby Museum Description,
Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute
The only thing I have to add to the Clark's metadata is the publication history:
Constantin Alajálov, Original artwork, The New Yorker, February 10, 1940
Constantin Alajálov, The New Yorker, February 10, 1940
Note: You can read more on the New Yorker work of Constantin Alajálov here. If you have artwork of your own you'd like to share, this is the place.
Additional examples of original New Yorker cover art may be seen here. There are now nearly thirty posts on the subject, which is one of my favorites.
My posts about Broadway are collected here.
Labels: 10 February 1940, Broadway, Constantin Alajálov, intermission, lobby, original New Yorker cover art, The Clark Art Institute, The Theatre Lobby: Constantin Alajálov New Yorker Cover Art, theatre
The Bewildered Sentry: Constantin Alajálov Preliminary New Yorker Cover Art
My survey of the works of Constantin Alajálov in the collection of the Clark Art Institute continues with an example of preliminary New Yorker cover art, the only such example in their collection. The title Fatigue Duty already appears on another Alajálov work of preliminary New Yorker art discussed here last week, so I'll use the alternative title of The Bewildered Sentry which I prefer for this piece anyway. Beyond that helpful alternative title, the Clark's online description doesn't have all that much to say about the art:
Constantin Alajálov, Fatigue Duty or The Bewildered Sentry,
Fatigue Duty or The Bewildered Sentry Museum Description,
This preliminary wartime New Yorker cover artwork was simplified and improved upon for publication. The subject of the preliminary art is the summer heat, while the subject of the published August 1943 cover is body heat. The thermometer has been eliminated from the strap on the side of the finished artwork. The sentry, who once held his forward right knee awkwardly hyperextended, now strides confidently with his left foot forward and his knee slightly flexed. Most of the folks on the beach have been written out of the script, leaving only our sentry and a quintet of sunbathing women. From the published cover, it's hard to say just what the sentry is thinking, but we readily can guess what is on the young women's minds.
Constantin Alajálov, Preliminary artwork to The New Yorker, August 14, 1943,
Constantin Alajálov, The New Yorker, August 14, 1943
Note: Why, yes, I have more to say on the New Yorker work of Constantin Alajálov here.
More examples of preliminary New Yorker cover art may be seen here.
Further posts about the Second World War may be seen here.
Labels: 14 August 1943, Constantin Alajálov, preliminary New Yorker cover art, The Bewildered Sentry: Constantin Alajálov Preliminary New Yorker Cover Art, The Clark Art Institute, World War II, WW II
A Hot Tip: Constantin Alajálov New Yorker Cover Art
Take a look at this amusing original illustration by Constantin Alajálov in the collection of the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown. The museum's online metadata gives it the title A Hot Tip, which seems pretty reasonable. The museum has no information regarding publication, although the date May 31 is clearly written on the original for all to see. Instead, not-very-helpful subject keywords are given such as trees and binoculars.
My temporary status as uninvited volunteer guest curator (which I made up) allows me to provide the publication history to the Clark and others as a public service. This was a New Yorker cover, of course, as is easily verified. If others have made this same observation before, I haven't been able to find where that might be.
Constantin Alajálov, A Hot Tip,
A Hot Tip Museum Description,
Constantin Alajálov, Original artwork, The New Yorker, May 31, 1947,
Constantin Alajálov, The New Yorker, May 31, 1947
Note: There is more on the New Yorker work of Constantin Alajálov here.
More original New Yorker cover art may be seen here.
Labels: 31 May 1947, A Hot Tip: Constantin Alajálov New Yorker Cover Art, Constantin Alajálov, horse racing, jockey, original New Yorker cover art, The Clark Art Institute
Here is my entry for the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #424 for April 21, 2014. The drawing is provided by Tom Cheney and the caption is by me.
"I still say we should do the laundry at my mother's."
Here are a few other captions I came up with that I didn't use:
"Next time, hallucinate a refrigerator."
"The good news is we don't need a dryer."
"Maybe this is your idea of an oasis."
"Good news. It's eco-friendly."
"We're only forty miles from the nearest detergent."
April 28, 2014 Update: The Finalists
May 12, 2014 Update: Winning Caption
Note: Last week in Contest #423, some poor guy was abducted by his bathtub and the best caption I could come up with was this.
I'm fond of saying that Tom Cheney gives me more trouble than any other cartoonist in the caption contest, but the truth is they all give me trouble. Previous posts on Mr. Cheney are to be found here in the archives.
Labels: 21 April 2014, Caption Contest, Cartoon Caption Contest, desert, My Entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #424, The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest, Tom Cheney, washing machine
A Chorus Girl's Eyelashes: Constantin Alajálov New Yorker Cover Art
The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute boasts seven works by illustrator Constantin Alajálov, no fewer than five of which are fine examples of original New Yorker cover art. Clearly, this was a carefully-assembled group that may well have been donated by the artist himself. Otherwise, it's hard to imagine how so many superb pieces came to be together in one collection. Often museums indicate who donated a work or else what particular fund was used to purchase that work. This kind of information seems to be absent from the Clark's website, at least for these Alajálov pieces. It's always possible the museum may even have been aware all along that these are New Yorker pieces but it simply wasn't indicated on the website.
Just in case the Museum doesn't know about these magazine illustrations, though, I'm going to continue my stint as uninvited volunteer guest curator. Yes, I finally have given myself a title. It sounds so much more impressive than Blogger at Large.
This piece is identified on the Clark's website as Chorus Girl Putting on False Eyelashes. I have been accepting of these titles for the most part because I believe they might possibly have originated with the artist. I'm more leery of the Clark's subject keywords, which in this case include Interior Spaces. I just don't find that particularly helpful.
Constantin Alajálov, Chorus Girl Putting on False Eyelashes,
Chorus Girl Putting on False Eyelashes Museum Description,
Finally, your guest curator pretends to earn his keep by relabeling the piece as original magazine cover art:
Constantin Alajálov, Original artwork, The New Yorker, April 3, 1948,
Constantin Alajálov, The New Yorker, April 3, 1948
Okay. I'm ready for my close-up.
Note: Read more on the New Yorker work of Constantin Alajálov here. I'll get to his other stuff soon, I promise.
Additional examples of original New Yorker cover art may be seen here.
Labels: 3 April 1948, A Chorus Girl's Eyelashes: Constantin Alajálov New Yorker Cover Art, Broadway, Chorus Girl, Constantin Alajálov, false eyelashes, original New Yorker cover art, The Clark Art Institute
Chorus Line: Constantin Alajálov New Yorker Cover Art
In writing Monday's post, it occurred to me that the Clark Art Institute, owner of an original work of New Yorker cover art by Constantin Alajálov published on June 6, 1942, almost certainly has no idea what it possesses. If the museum realized that it owned original magazine cover art from the New Yorker, surely it wouldn't be using keywords like Utensils to describe the piece. Utensils!
Constantin Alajálov, The New Yorker, June 6, 1942
Constantin Alajálov, Original cover art, The New Yorker, June 6, 1942
Wave and Maid Museum Description
More to the point, this is pretty much how the Clark Art Institute catalogued all seven of its original Alajálovs. There is no publication information at all, and remember we're talking about illustration art. That range of dates, 1910-1955, broadly indicates that the artist may have created it anytime between his tenth birthday and the year the museum acquired it. His tenth birthday! Does this pass for scholarship? Readers of this blog know it was created between January (the date of the preliminary artwork) and May of 1942 specifically for the New Yorker's June 6 cover. Would you like to know what I think? I think the Clark needs a guest curator, that's what I think. OK, I volunteer. Well, if they absolutely insist on paying me, they can lend me a Renoir.
Here then is another brilliant Alajálov illustration from the Clark's collection, along with its official scholarly description. Let's see what the museum has posted online after having this to study for 59 years. We should be able to set them straight in a few minutes.
Constantin Alajálov, Chorus Line in Spotlight,
Chorus Line in Spotlight Museum Description,
Well, it's immediately clear the museum has done a better job on this piece with its keywords. Dancing girls is, I hope we can agree, a solid improvement over Utensils. So now all that our guest curator needs to do is supply in a single line the publication history that has eluded the Clark for all these years. From the title of this post, you can pretty much guess what it is already, and it isn't exactly obscure. After almost six decades in the Clark then, here goes:
Constantin Alajálov, Original artwork, The New Yorker, January 17, 1942
Constantin Alajálov, The New Yorker, January 17, 1942
That wasn't so hard, was it?
April 27, 2014 Update: The Clark Art Institute was founded in 1955 from the collection of Sterling and Francine Clark. It seems almost certain then that the Alajálov works in the museum today were collected by Sterling and Francine Clark themselves. To put together a collection of this quality, they must have had to purchase the artwork shortly after publication in the New Yorker. They knew exactly what they were doing. Whether they kept records of it for the benefit of today's curators I don't know. If they did, the online catalogue of these works doesn't reflect it.
May 19, 2014 Update: According to the July 15, 1946 issue of Life magazine, these chorus girls are actually the famous Rockettes of Radio City Music Hall.
Life, July 15, 1946, page 70
http://books.google.com/books?id=NUoEAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Note: With museums putting more and more of their collections online, it's entirely possible that crowdsourcing could be used to identify publication histories of obscure illustrations. Unfortunately, my own attempts to use the knowledge of blog readers for such purposes have been disappointing so far. For a compendium of illustration art I've posted from unidentified or incompletely identified sources, click here.
Constantin Alajálov's art has been the subject of a lot of discussion here lately. See what you've been missing here.
There's a fair amount of original New Yorker cover art on this blog. You may as well have a look at it here, especially if you happen to be a museum curator.
Labels: Broadway, Chorus Line, Chorus Line: Constantin Alajálov New Yorker Cover Art, Constantin Alajálov, original New Yorker cover art, Rockettes, spotlight, The Clark Art Institute
Visiting the Barn: Constantin Alajálov New Yorker Cover Art
Illustrations are created for a purpose, and that purpose is generally to be reproduced in print. Not knowing the publication history of an original illustration often means not understanding its context or perhaps even its importance. Charles Martignette was an important illustration collector and he must have known that this original illustration of his by Constantin Alajálov was used as a 1945 New Yorker cover. One wonders what sort of records he maintained and whether the auction house that sold off his estate had access to them. Heritage Auctions is an extremely reliable seller of illustration art, yet even they did not recognize the significance of this particular illustration. The lot description gave the art a reasonable title, Visiting the Barn, and noted the medium of gouache and watercolor on board. There was no publication history provided and the painting sold for only $625.
This may not be the most appealing of Alajálov's New Yorker covers, but it is still a published New Yorker cover and probably would have sold for considerably more if it had been properly identified as such. Yes, the assembly-line nature of the milking operation depicted here is somewhat sobering. And yes, Alajálov has a regrettable penchant for showing sophisticated women smoking cigarettes. Nevertheless, even back then it couldn't have been prudent for even a sophisticated woman to carry a lit cigarette into a wooden barn with hay all over the floor.
Constantin Alajálov, Original artwork, The New Yorker, August 18, 1945
Constantin Alajálov, Framed original artwork, The New Yorker, August 18, 1945
Constantin Alajálov's signature
http://fineart.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=5090&lotNo=78005#74547454449
Note: I have surveyed illustrator Constantin Alajálov's work for the New Yorker in a variety of blog posts which are located here. I suppose I can't keep this up for very much longer.
Some of my favorite posts feature original New Yorker cover art. You can see them all right here.
I'm always looking for fine examples of original New Yorker art, alternative versions, preliminary sketches, presentation drawings, etc. If you have access to the raw material of a future blog post, let me know. If not, don't worry. I don't think I'm going to run out anytime soon.
Labels: 18 August 1945, barn, Charles Martignette, Constantin Alajálov, cow, cows, original New Yorker cover art, Visiting the Barn: Constantin Alajálov New Yorker Cover Art
Earth Day with Asterix and Obelix
Happy Earth Day! Asterix the Gaul and Obelix dominate the Eastern hemisphere in this 1975 painting signed by artist Albert Uderzo and writer René Goscinny. Asterix remains popular around the globe, but Sotheby's Paris may have put a prohibitively high estimate on this piece in their 2012 Bande Dessinée auction. At any rate, it failed to find a buyer.
Albert Uderzo, Astérix et Obélix, 1975
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/bande-dessine-comics/lot.31.html
The awkward English translation is probably state of the art, for what it's worth:
Note: See how Earth Days past were celebrated on this blog here.
Labels: Albert Uderzo, Asterix, Astérix, Asterix and Obelix, Astérix et Obélix, Bande Dessinée, Earth Day, Obelix, Obélix, René Goscinny
Fatigue Duty: Constantin Alajálov Preliminary New Yorker Cover Art
Comparing preliminary with published versions of New Yorker cover artwork allows one to infer the kinds of changes requested by the magazine's editors. Of course, some changes might have been made independently by the artist and some could be more or less random. Constantin Alajálov's preliminary cover illustration dated January 1942 is finished and seems perfectly adequate, but it was repainted by the time of the June publication. The question is, why?
Illustration House sold this alternative version of the June 6 cover in its May 2010 sale. The lot description notes this "is evidently the first version of Alajalov's idea, the main difference being that the woman has an officer's hat." The cap is a part of the uniform and seems to belong there right alongside the gloves. Were the editors concerned that readers might take it for a man's cap, that of a visitor? That would be totally out of context here. Did the editor Harold Ross think she should have hung it on a coatrack? I doubt we'll ever know.
The gloves have definitely been improved upon in the published version. In the preliminary artwork, they are somewhat creepy, like the gnarled roots of a tree. In the final version, they are sleek and elegant, befitting a woman's hand. Unfortunately, the woman's hand holds a cigarette in both versions.
The room has been rendered less frilly and more colorful. The feminine ribbons have been removed from the wallpaper. The window curtains are less ornate. Color has been added to the vanity, the ribbon on the lampshade, and the summer dress. Were the editors concerned that a white summer dress looked too much like a wedding gown? Why on earth were the slippers removed from the floor by the vanity?
Finally, for those who look at the New Yorker of this era as a bastion of propriety and respectability, it is interesting to note one other minor change. The bathroom door has been closed just slightly.
Constantin Alajálov, Preliminary cover art, The New Yorker, June 6, 1942
Lot 6, May 22, 2010
http://www.illustration-house.com/exhib/a41/a41pages/a41_006.html
The Illustration House sale price:
http://www.findartinfo.com/search/listprices.asp?keyword=14468&name=Constantin-Alajalov
In the previous year, 2009, this lot was offered by James D. Julia Auctions. They were unable to identify it as a variant of a published New Yorker cover, although they did note Alajálov's work for that magazine and for the Saturday Evening Post. They also noted the January 1942 date written on the back as well as the title Fatigue Duty, which I have adopted. The work did not sell.
Constantin Alajálov, Framed preliminary cover art, The New Yorker, June 6, 1942
http://jamesdjulia.com/item/lot-2305-constantin-alajalov-american-1900-1987-preparations-for-the-officer-s-ball-97180/
http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/constantin-alajalov-american,-1900-1987-prepara-2305-c-696c573d19
By November of 2009, someone identified the New Yorker connection. The work was sold for $900 and the buyer must have taken it to Illustration House for resale:
By the way, the original artwork to the published cover is in the collection of the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts. They acquired it in 1955 along with six other works by the artist. They identify it by the title Wave and Maid. (During World War II, women serving in the U.S. Navy were known as WAVES, which stood for Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service.)
May 13, 2014 Update: An earlier sale of the preliminary art was held in 2008 by Trinity International. Interestingly they identified it as published, not preliminary or alternative, New Yorker art, and they gave it the title "The Wedding Dress." It sold for $2,000, more than twice what it fetched in 2009.
Constantin Alajálov, Framed preliminary cover art
The New Yorker, June 6, 1942
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/4710980
Note: Alternate versions of published New Yorker art are often quite interesting. If you have access to any, please contact me to share your variations on a theme right here on Attempted Bloggery. Fame can be yours, but most collectors prefer anonymity.
More of my blog posts about the New Yorker art of Constantin Alajálov may be seen here.
I have just a few additional posts with preliminary versions of published New Yorker cover art and they may be seen here.
My previous posts about Earth Day are here and they're 100% organic.
Labels: 6 June 1942, Constantin Alajálov, Fatigue Duty: Constantin Alajálov Preliminary New Yorker Cover Art, Janet Flanner, preliminary New Yorker cover art, The Clark Art Institute, World War II, WW II
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