"A modest man is usually admired- if people ever hear of him. -Edgar Watson Howe
The thing I love most about receiving a Sophia Baphomet Mix is not always as much the music as it is the art work. Although the mix itself is one for the record books, I'm happier that I'm receiving a one of a kind Lance Mcbride drawing. He might not see it, but I do! Thank you brutha for everything, especially the ticket! You have know idea what a gesture like that means. It's time to create some amazing shit! See you soon!
"Where you have a plot of land, however small , plant a garden. Staying close to the soil is good for the Soul." -Spencer W. Kimball
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. -Chinese Proverb
It's amazing how many things we're capable of doing if we only tried. Since being in North Carolina I've learned that I'm much more then just a photographer and artist. I'm also a Designer, Screen-printer, Carpenter, Plumber, Commercial Roofer, I would say master Soul Food Chef (that's right... MASTER SOUL FOOD CHEF) and now Watermelon farmer.
In earlier May I decided to start a garden with my grandfather. Being that the farmers who rented the land last year had such poor results with their crops, they decided not to plant anything this year leaving the whole field for us. Compared to most of the farmers in the area our garden is small, but being that it's a little more then half an acre it's larger then most gardens in the area. Most of our crops consist of watermelons, cantaloupes, tomatoes, greens, peppers, and squash.
Being that the season has been so dry and with such little rain fall we had begun to think that our garden wouldn't produce any crops. WRONG!!! WRONG!!! This past friday around 5:00a.m we decided to pick a few of the larger watermelons to test for sweetness and to try and sell. We ended up leaving with about 70 of the sweetest watermelons ever, the largest of the batch weighing about 40 pounds. They were all sold before noon!! This morning we picked our second batch of 45 melons with the largest weighing about 50 pounds. It's funny that one of the farmers who passed on the land stop by while we were pulling this morning. He couldn't believe the crops that we had produced. As he walked away disappointed that he'd passed up the land, my grandfather looks at me and laughs, he then says "hey, don't that fool know I'm the Watermelon King"?! I had to laugh because I guess that would make me the Watermelon Grand Prince.
Thanks for showing me how pop! It means more then you know!
For the last few months I've had the pleasure of working with friend and fellow photographer Julian Hibbard on a collaborative project that began years ago with an elderly Chilean artist and his hand-assembled, model planes. Below are samples and a brief description of the project.
This ongoing project documents an extensive collection of small scale, one-off, hand-assembled, model planes, made by an elderly Chilean artist. All the planes are from the WWI & II period and are fashioned by him using only found materials. Like objects glimpsed in a dream, the planes are photographed and then treated in a way that blurs the line between being "real" and being a "model". Seen as a whole, the collection speaks of time, history, nostalgia, memory, courage and conflict.
“I had to fight all my life to survive. They were all against me... but I beat the bastards and left them in the ditch.” -Ty Cobb
“Let an opponent graze your skin and you smash into his flesh; let an opponent smash into your flesh and you fracture his bone; let an opponent fracture your bone and you take his life! Do not be concerned with your escaping safely; lay your life before him!” -Bruce Lee
Peter Bjorn and John’s video for their single, “Nothing to Worry About” is a prime example of the Japanese adopting another culture and making it that much more interesting. Directed by Andreas and Filip Nilsson, the video showcases the booming Greaser and Rockabilly culture in Japan through a gang of rockabilly break dancers. Enjoy!
Brilliant!!! That's the only word I can use to describe the first episode of The Boondocks season 3! Just when I thought Aaron Mcgruder had pushed the boundaries of social commentary with the banned B.E.T. episode, he dedicates an episode to the election of Barack Obama. O.K. I just thought of two more words, Fucking genius! Being that I was starting to believe that I was the only blackman in American that didn't jump on the Obama fanwagon, it was nice to be reminded that there are still like minds in the world. Oh yeah... just to make myself clear, I'm not saying that Barack isn't a charming dude and no, I didn't vote for McCain. HELL NO!!! I'm just aware enough to know that in this illusionary two party system he's just another politician. What better way of making you believe change has come to America then by changing the face of it's leader, especially it's color! Think about it, what other change have you seen thus far? I've included a brief trailer of the episode below. Enjoy!!!
O.k.!!!!! I just saw this video a few minutes ago and have to say..... its fucking brilliant. The simple fact that M.I.A. went here with it gives me a new found respect for her. Some want like it but, to each is own. It remains me of the 1971 film Punishment Park. If you haven't seen it, I recommend you do so. Although the video has a dark undertone it makes more of a statement then big bootys and platinum chains. Below I've link the video and a write up.
Warning: the video features sex, drugs, and harsh language and depicts a young kid shot point blank in the head and others beaten and blown up in various fashion.)
Brit singer-rapper M.I.A.'s new long form music video may have been too violent for YouTube, which reportedly pulled it early Tuesday, but the controversial piece is worth watching for a number of reasons. Whether you're intrigued by its politics (redheaded children are systematically hunted down by the military), its director (Romain Gavras, son of Costa), or M.I.A. herself (whose new album hits in June), it's a welcome reminder of the power short form filmmaking can have, both as an artistic medium and as a breeding ground for up and coming talent.
Admittedly, however, "Born Free" is hard to watch. It opens as masked American soldiers raid an apartment building, beating its residents until they find their children. Arresting them on the basis of a shared minority trait equated with terrorism -- here, red hair stands in for the wrong color skin, ethnicity, surname, you name it -- the troops take the prisoners to a desert location where they're forced to kneel with their hands behind their heads. Graphic violence erupts as the prisoners panic and are shot down in vicious fashion, while the charging sounds of the 1977 post-punk song "Ghost Rider" by Suicide and M.I.A.'s detached voice pulsate in the background.
"Nudity is the uniform of the other side... nudity is a shroud." -Milan Kundera
About a year ago, I was contacted by porn-star Adriana Sage about doing a photo shoot in LA.. Unfortunately the shoot never happened, yet it still left me curious as to what the end results may have been. Lately I've found myself wanting to incorporate nudity into my photographs, and after talking with a friend a few days ago he'd mentioned he'd been wanting to do the same, yet didn't know if the ideas he had would come across pornography or art. I mentioned to him I had recently seen an image that hung over the bed in a multi-million dollar home that portrayed a man having sex with two women. The image clearly show the man receiving head from one of the women, but what I found must appealing was that the image was out of focus. It still came off highly erotic yet, the fact it was blurred still made it fell more artistic. It made me wonder, is the difference between art and pornography in the content or how you approach it?
Long story short I came across the work of Szymon Brodziak who often shoots for Playboy overseas. Needless to say the work looks different from anything being done with Playboy in the states. I would never think of hanging anything from U.S Playboy on my walls, the work of Szymon Brodziak is a different story. Again I ask is it content or your approach?
I can still remember trying to go see Thievery Corporation in concert when I lived in Atlanta. In my mind I just knew that I and my boy Rodney were the only two of a few people that had heard of these kats. To my surprise once we arrived to get tickets the line was out the door and down the street. Needless to say we didn't see their performance. We swore that night that the next time they performed no matter where it was we were going. Fast forward two days later and we were off to New Orleans to catch the show. To take off of work, drive 8 hours just to turn around and drive back the next day says something about my love for this group. It also says alot about the huge crush I have on songstress LouLou. I love this collab with the two. The lyrics and music are great. Hopefully I'll get around to seeing the both preform again in the near future. Enjoy!!!!!
My mind is full bursting over With all these things I can’t remember Every little single memory reminds me of you
My eyes were weary with all these tears You left your shadow in my dreams And all my doubts seem to disappear when you came along
Flowers melting up into the sky Hear my heart where our love colides We hear the songs we found in the times we lost our way
Gentle memories replace our tears All the love we had is still right here We hear the songs we found in the time we lost our way
From without words can not describe What caused the stars to fall deep inside Every little single memory reminds me of you
Our days are gone lost forever Reflecting light glistening under water Naturally this could be everything that seems so unreal
Flowers melting up into the sky Hear my heart where our love colides We hear the songs we found in the time we lost our way
Gentle memories replace our tears All the love we had is still right here We hear the songs we found in the time we lost our way
Flowers melting up into the sky Hear my heart where our love colides We hear the songs we found in the time we lost our way
Gentle memories replace our tears All the love we had is still right here We hear the songs we found in the time we lost our way
My friend Julian shared this animated short with me a few days ago. It's a short film that was directed by French animation collective H5, Francois Alaux, Herve de Crecy + Ludovic Houplain. It was presented at the Cannes Film Festival 2009. It opened the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and won a 2010 academy award under the category of animated short.
In this film there are two pieces of licensed music, in the beginning and in the end. All the other music and sound design are original. The opening track ( Dean Martin "Good Morning Life') and closing track (The Ink Spots "I don't want to send the world on fire') songs are licensed pre-existing tracks. All original music and sound design is by, human (www.humanworldwide.com)
I really can't say anything about this work that your eyes haven't already told you! Besides I'm not in a writing mood today. I'd much rather observe. I will however give you my opinion.....it's Dooooope! Just let your eyes enjoy it!
Believe it or not I can actually draw. - Jean Michel Basquiat
I was on facebook about a week a ago when I received a friend suggestion from Rodney. To my surprise it was our old advertising professor Ray Shead who I last saw some ten years ago. The sight of Mr. Shead instantly made me think about those days of old and how we often never know what paths we might follow! I mean, I always saw myself as an artist but, I never thought the camera would be my main tool of expression.
I decided to go thru some of my older work in hopes of finding something to validate my talents a draftsman. A hour or so into searching I came across what I considered to be one of my favorite and most detailed pieces. It's the image of an Ape drawn on etch-board using only a razor blade, and had been one of Mr. Sheads assignments some ten years ago. As I look at this drawing I think to myself "where is the artist who created this image" an if it's possible to tune into those draftsmen talents again. Maybe I'm still the same draftsman at heart, but now I use my camera and light to paint with light instead of razor blades and etch-boards!
I've always liked Michel Gondry's work. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is still one of my favorite movies. Being a fan of the old vintage black and white film, (see a broken home series on site...hint hint) I fell in love this Levi's commercial that he directed in 1995. My friend Julian put me on to the commercial about a year ago; and after coming across the alternative version tonight I love it even more!
Here is the original version. The alternative is linked below.
A few weeks ago I was asked If I'd be interested in displaying a few of my images in a show for black history month. The show was to be held at the local library and would include myself and three other artist. In all honesty, I really didn't want to do the show, but after hearing it was for the kids I decided to go along and would go on to enter 3 mix media pieces from a older body of work. After seeing the work of the other artist I knew that mine was completely different then everything there; but it would definitely be interesting to hear what the people thought of such a chaotic form of expression!
This past Tuesday was the opening of the show and as expected not the largest of turn outs. Since I was early to arrive, I decided to get a little reading done before it started. As I sat there I heard a little girl no older then 9 say to her little friend "It's Him...Demetrious is here". It was funny that both little girls recognized me from my photo in the paper and were going in to see my work! As they walked in both of their responses were "OOOOOOooooo.....Oooooooooo....OOOoo!" Which when I thought about it, is more then I've gotten from some adults. I then helped the girls color pictures and talked to them both about what they wanted to become (one a fashion designer, the other a singer and song writer) before the rest of the people arrived. They both were two of the highlights of my night!
Most people who showed up had nice things to say, mostly about the other artist. A few were nice even though I had some mention that they had no idea what the pieces mean! It wasn't until Mr. Haislip showed up, that I heard what I needed to hear that night. Bryan Haislip is a older gentlemen in his mid 80's, who I first met while doing a group show together at the Blount Bridgers House. He mentioned that he had came to the show in hopes of seeing more of my photography, yet was quit pleased to see that I had such a wide range of artistic talent.
He told me that the pieces I'm showing were the works of an artist who'd been thru a very dark time; and how the images seem to express the plea of trying reach out to someone or something! ( He was DEAD ON!) We then went on to talk about film and alternative processing as usual. Just before he left he looks at me says "Stick with it Demetrious, your work is great and you'll soon make it where your going; you simply must understand that your audience hasn't been born yet"! As he walked away I smiled, wondering to myself if what he'd said was a good thing, and also how his statement was one of the best compliments I'd ever gotten!
If Mr. Haislip statement is true, I can only hope that I live long enough to see my audience being born into existence! But if I'm lucky the two little girls responding to my work with a simple OOOooooooo... is proof that my audience is alive and growing!!
As a photographer I always have to respect the old masters. With the world moving more toward retouching, there is something to be said about about making beautiful images without the help of photoshop. Every time I see the work of Joel-Peter Witkin, it's hard to believe that it was done without the help of a computer. His work often deals with such themes as death, corpses (and sometimes dismembered portions thereof), and various outsiders such as dwarfs, transsexuals, hermaphrodites, and physically deformed people. Joel-Peter Witken's work is definitely dark and dare I say morbidly beautiful...which I'm sure some may differ with, but, I'm certain they want be able to not stare at it!
Somedays I have the must random ideas pop in my head. Rather then disregarding the thoughts, I run with them. As artist I often think that is what most of us do...we run with it. As artist if we didn't, how would we ever discover what's good and what's not. Most of the following images come from me playing around in my downtime.
I remember seeing the trailer for this film online. It's a short that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival! Personally I think it's kinda funny! It doesn't matter what ya'll think! This is my blog! :) Below Dock Ellis gives a brief summary of this animated short:
"I was in Los Angeles, and the team was playing in San Diego ,but I didn't know it. I had taken LSD.....I thought it was an off-day, that's how come I had it in me. I took LSD at noon. At 1pm, his girlfriend and trip partner looked at the paper and said, "Dock, you're pitching today!"
It's amazing to me how the American media will take proven facts, turn them into lies and present them back to we the people as the truth!
On January 21, 2010 Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez was stated saying that the 7.0 magnitude Haiti earthquake was caused by the testing of an experimental shock wave system that could also create floods, droughts, hurricanes and other weather anomalies. Chavez also goes on to state how the 2008 Sichuan earthquake in China may have also been caused by the experimental shock wave system. The media instantly presented Chavez's idea of such a system even existing being ludicrous and a far fetched; while at the same time telling we the people the exact name (HAARP) and location of the system and it's uses.
HAARP (High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program) is an ionospheric research facility in Alaska, jointly funded by the US Air Force, US Navy, the University of Alaska and DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). Based on the research and patents of Nikola Tesla's Teleforce weapon or Death Ray when active HAARP releases more then One Billion watts of energy into the upper ionosphere recreating the same effects of the sun. When the same One Billion watts of energy is aim into the ground, the vibration it causes is powerful enough to cause earthquakes. Chavez goes on to saying that the earthquake in Haiti was an excuse for the United States to invade and militarily occupy the nation; with the ultimate goal being the destruction of Iran through a series of earthquakes designed to topple the current Islamic regime.
Maybe I'm crazy but, I find none of Chavez's claims over the top! The fact that out of some 195 known countries the United States military occupies 156 of them, only tells me that America is nothing more then a new age Empire; using our military to achieve great territorial gains much the same as the Romans did before us. Tesla once referred to his Teleforce weapon, now (HAARP) as a superweapon; capable of ending wars. If President Chavez is right (which I wish he wasn't) HAARP might just put an end to alot more then wars.
In the absence of the gold standard, there is no way to protect savings from confiscation through inflation. There is more safe store of value. Gold stands as a protector of property rights. -Alan Greenspan
Paper is poverty, it is only the ghost of money and not money itself. -Thomas Jefferson
Who controls the food supply controls the people; who controls energy can control whole continents; who controls money controls the world. -Henry Kissinger
Give me control of the nation's money supply and I care not who makes it's laws. -Mayer Rothchild
We the people are in control of our governments! Not the other way around! Wake Up!
While at the book store trying to find inspiration I picked up the newest issue of HI•FRUCTOSE. After flipping throw the pages I came across the work of Greg "Craola" Simkins and to my excitment, I had found the inspiration I seeked in all of 15 min. Here are a few of my favorite pieces.
Artist Statment After years of chasing the monsters under his bed, Greg “Craola” Simkins has reemerged into the everyday world to create images of what he saw in those forgotten lands. Simkins didn’t always use a paintbrush to display this mob of characters, but spent many of his early years filling sketchbooks with images that were later spray-painted on walls, and finally found their way onto canvases. It is his careful weaving of pop culture, the old masters, nature, carnival kitsch, and (most importantly) his warped imagination, that makes Greg Simkins a sought-after surrealist painter today.
It's been awhile time since I've seen fashion images that speak to me but, it seems that the upcoming V Magazine's Size Issue just want stop talking! Here are a few of my favorite images from photographer Sebastian Faena.
To see the full story check out V Magazines's Size Issue and Models.com
As a culture I feel that we have grown so accustom to a certain standard of beauty; that when a different version of beauty comes along we so often don't even notice it. In every magazine all we see are the tall super (skinny) models and we accept that as what it is to be beautiful. When the truth is that's the furthest thing from the truth! When I came across these images I loved them right away. Not only do they show that beauty is not only limited to a size double 0-4 but, they also show me that true beauty comes in all sizes.
Check out Models.com and V Magazine's Size Issue to see more Images!