SHIT I LIKE

Tim Curry In "The Worst Witch"

2010-01-13T21:58:00.000-08:00

It speaks for itself. Just watch it.

Some half bullshit rambling about art and religion

2010-01-10T19:10:00.000-08:00

Every once in awhile when I'm alone I convince myself that whatever I happen to be thinking about is worthy to be written down. I'll get in an intellectual funk, the result usually being some kind of self-crafted higher-than-thou propaganda. Most of this "thoughtful" writing is characterized by a hugely pretentious tone and a mildly schizophrenic attitude. I'm not even sure I believe any of this. For shits and giggles I decided to include a recent example. No, I am not serious about this. Please, feel free to laugh at it because I certainly do:

A CHRUCH IS AN INSTITUTION. THIS IS OBVIOUS.

EACH CHURCH MUST HAVE ITS OWN TENETS OF BELIEF.
THE CHURCH ITSELF REPRESENTS THESE TENETS SYMBOLICALLY.

TO JOIN OR FOUND A CHURCH IS TO CONTINUE THIS PROCESS VIA IDENTIFICATION.
THE IDENTIFICATION WITH THE IDEOLOGICAL SYMBOLISM OF THE CHURCH IS A PROCESS OF REIFICATION.
REIFICATION IS THE OBJECTIFICATION OF BELIEF INTO A SYMBOLIC PROCESS.

BELIEF IS THE PROCESS OF REPRESENTING (CREATING, CONSTRUCTING) ONES "PERSONAL" IDEOLOGY THROUGH THE ADOPTION OR APPROPRIATION OF PRE-EXISTING SYMBOLIC CONTENT. WE REIFY THIS CONTENT BY ADOPTING IT INTO OUR WAREHOUSE VIA IDENTIFICATION WITH THE PROCESS ITSELF (SYMBOLIZATION).

THE RITUAL PRODUCTION OF SYMBOLS IS SYMPTOMATIC OF A CULTURE THAT IS DESPERATE TO PROVE THE ADEQUACY AND INFALLIBILITY OF ITS CIVIL MYTHOLOGY. THE CHUCH IS A CATALYST FOR ITS SYSTEMATIC MOBILIZATION.

ART IS ALWAYS ABOUT SOMETHING HIDDEN. RELIGION IS ALWAYS ABOUT SOMETHING HIDDEN "WHICH MUST BE REVEALED". IT IS NEVER THE RESULT OF REVELATION BUT THE ACTION ITSELF WHICH IS ABSOLUTE. THE PARTING OF THE CURTAIN IS "FOR ITS OWN SAKE".

IN RELIGION, THE HIDDEN, FORBIDDEN, OR SECRET KNOWLEDGE IS ALMOST ALWAYS NUMINOUS. AT ITS CORE, ART IS ABOUT NUMINOSITY, THE ATTRIBUTION OF A TRANSCENDENTAL OR SIGNIFICANT "SOMETHING" TO MATERIAL. RELIGION'S MATERIAL IS "THE HUMAN CONDITION" AND ITS CONSTRUCTION. ARTISTS, LIKE PREACHERS, MANUFACTURE TRUTH BY RE WRITING THEIR MYTH EVERY DAY. THIS CIRCULAR PATTERN OF REPRESENTATION IS "PROGRESS".

LIKE ARTISTS, THE CHURCH CLAIMS SELF REFERENTIALITY:

ART FOR ARTS SAKE
LESS IS MORE
JUST HAVE FAITH
MAN IN THE IMAGE OF GOD
TRANS-SUBSTANTIATION

IF ART IS A CHURCH, I WOULD LIKE TO BE THE NEXT JIM JONES.

I ALREADY INDULGE MYSELF IN ART'S RITUAL PRACTICE, AS HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

I WOULD LIKE TO THINK I AM AWARE OF THE FATALISTIC ATTRACTION TO THE "NUMINOUS" (WHICH MUST ALWAYS REFUSE SOMETHING) AND THE FUTILITY OF AUSPICIOUS IMAGES.

I AM AWARE THAT ALTHOUGH I APPROPRIATE THEIR FORMS, I ADOPT ALSO THEIR FUNCTIONS AND ITS PROBLEMATIC NATURE, WHICH IS INHERENTLY SELF DEFEATING.

TAKE THE CASE OF PASTOR JIM JONES OF THE PEOPLE'S TEMPLE.

IN THE SAME SENSE HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH - A BELIEVER, AND A FOLLOWER. EVENTUALLY HE WAS CORRUPTED BY HIS ATTRACTION TO THE "HIGHER" CALLING OF THE BIBLE'S PHILANTHROPIC IDEALS.

HE USED THE BIBLE AS A CATALYST - APPROPRIATING THE POLITICS OF THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF SYSTEM BY NATURALLY EXTENDING IT TO SERVE HIS OWN INTERPRETATION AND DESIRE - THIS TOOK THE FORM OF CREATING A MARXIST-CHRISTIAN EDEN IN AFRICA. HE BECAME GOD BY RE WRITING THE POLITICS OF THE BIBLE AND ATTEMPTING TO ACTUALIZE THEM IN REALITY.

"IF YOU SEE ME AS YOUR GOD I WILL BE YOUR GOD" HE SAID.

HIS OCCULT SUICIDE AND THOSE OF HIS FOLLOWERS IS THE NATURAL RESULT OF REALITY'S MARTYRDOM FOR ITS SYMBOLIC REPLICA, THE MOMENT OF ITS ULTIMATE FUTILITY. HE LIVED A DREAM TO WAKE UP DEAD - A TRULY IDEAL STATE. HE BECAME A CULTURAL GOD, RESPLENDENT IN THE IRONY OF HIS "ACHIEVMENT". I'M CONVINCED THAT FOR THIS REASON THE MAN WAS A GENIUS.

The Residents Wormwood: Curious Stories From The Bible

2010-01-08T13:04:00.000-08:00

Bizarre, blasphemous, and incredibly strange. Since I'm too lazy to write something original about these geniuses, here is what Amazon.com has about this particular album:

Arguably the most disturbing of the Residents' numerous darkly amusing albums, Wormwood consists of 18 songs (bookended by the instrumentals "In the Beginning" and "Revelation") sung by the protagonists of Old Testament tales, featuring the Israelite god Yahweh in a capricious and vengeful mood. "Bleeding is better than breathing to God," complains the daughter of Jephthah in "Burn Baby Burn," a sentiment echoed by Abraham (whom God commands to sacrifice his son to prove his faith) in "Kill Him!" Lot sleeps with his daughters, Salome gets a head, Onan spills his seed, and a mysterious disconnected finger appears in increasingly outlandish tales conveyed by means of theatrical vocals and melodramatically overwrought keyboards. Don't believe their veracity? "Look it up!" suggest the Residents, who conveniently provide chapter and verse for each and every story. --Richard Gehr

Thanks Richard Gehr, whoever the fuck you are.
Here are some videos from a live concert performance of the album. Its difficult to tell but when you watch the whole performance from start to end you can see they begin in the daytime and end in the evening.

Light up a joint, and enjoy.

Propaganda Hour at the Vanity Blog! This week: T.O.P.Y. !!!

2010-01-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first weekly installment of Propaganda Hour! Propaganda Hour! will dedicate itself, once a week to bringing you a different report on the most pertinent, pure, and diversified information regarding occult oriented activity in the USA and beyond! Past, present, and future! I will be taking this time and opportunity to speak with you all about Thee Temple Ov Psychick Youth (aka T.O.P.Y.) Hello and Welcome!!

T.O.P.Y. was created primarily by the makers of Psychic TV although I am unsure as to which preceded the other. It is a loosely federated network concentrating on bringing an awareness to ritual in a contemporary setting. An "occult-y" network more than anything. For this reason it is associated mostly with artistic collectives, practitioners of magic, and psychedelically oriented musicians. Their official website "Statement Ov Intent" claims: "We are an organization dedicated to updating and de-mystifying religious thought.", while denying any claims to unchallengeable truths, finite answers or dogma. For those of you more interested I recommend reading this.

In order to achieve one's own highest creative expression, TOPY advocates awareness and analysis via deconstructing our own methods of religious or artistic practice whatever they may be. A strongly anti-authoritarian group, cross fertilization is key to these apocalyptic self created culture warriors; much of their online literature is dedicated to lamenting the nihilism of the present age and emphasizing the importance of manufacturing your own self empowering personal meaning. Their online library struck me as totally bizarre in light of this. Imagine what happens when postmodernists who truly believe in "magick" attempt their own cultural critique. I can't decide whether or not its stupid or awesome, but its definitely a mindfuck! And I get this suspicious feeling thats what the entire thing was created to be.

For this reason I find most philosophically oriented TOPY writing frustratingly vague, and the strictly intellectual side of the organization as a whole - though exciting - a disappointment. What do the Psychic TV videos do or say that the TOPY organization does not?

I bet the founders of T.O.P.Y. made videos like this when they were 14 or so, unless they took themselves more seriously..

Fad Gadget and More Psychic TV videossss

2010-01-07T01:31:00.000-08:00

Here are some more good ones I've discovered lately. Of course J told me about this sexy as hell Fad Gadget video called "collapsing new people". Half way through the thing I'm just wondering when the damn thing is just going to turn into a porn already. I want to hurt the little feathered emo boy. The second video is "Have Mercy" by Psychic TV...a great song too...but I'm obsessed with the little feathered boy..ugh

Proto-Sapien & The Witchcraft & JIM JONES AGAIN

2010-01-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

More Jim Jones Obsession!!!! My friend J who also made the video "Jim Jones Justifies Joy" has jump started his music project by releasing an album dedicated to this particularly gloomy and genius hero of religious politics. Its called "Flavor-Aid Me Dad". I have J to thank for about 90% of this very unpopular blog's video content! Free downloads on myspace! Woo hoo and THNX DADDY

http://www.myspace.com/protosapiens

THE AMAZING ARLEEN DELIMA

2010-01-06T12:40:00.000-08:00

I had the immense fortune to attend college with the glorious young Arleen Delima. She has since showcased her video and performance work at Miami Art Basel. I have always enjoyed how she is able to integrate her self portrait style sense of humor with probing insights on her status as a Floridian Colombian Lesbian living in the United States of America in the Year Two Thousand And Ten. Drawing from a background influenced by contemporary feminist performance art and critique, she uses her own identity and oddly specific documentation of her personal life as a microcosm for larger concepts feminity, colombian/american culture, lesbian politics, and Michael Jackson.

http://arleendelima.com/

BRACE YOURSELF from Arleen Delima on Vimeo.

Arleen: Born N Raised from Arleen Delima on Vimeo.

Lucrate Milk + Psychic TV = BADASSS

2010-01-06T12:19:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to present you with a few of my most artsy fartsy posts yet. One of many amazing of the 80's french punk band Lucrate Milk. The music is great but the videos don't compare. The second video is by Psychic TV, a video art and psychedelic electronic experimental music group collective that started in the late 80's. This is some shit that I really really like so there will definitely be more to come soon!

TREEVENGE!!!

2010-01-06T11:59:00.000-08:00

The following is part one of four of a short film made by Jason Eisener. If you are a depressive Christmas hater and horror film fan you'll love this twisted fuck up. It reminds me of a part from John Water's Female Trouble which I have also posted below. Enjoy!

This Brings Me Joy

2010-01-01T15:42:00.000-08:00

"Octomom" By Daniel Edwards

??????Is Everything Real??????

2009-12-31T04:03:00.000-08:00

I love the self indulgent attitude of the early 80's. When I watch this video I get the sense the lead singer is actually watching himself sing in the mirror the entire time (after he snorted about a gram of coke off of it). Its not just the campiness that sucks me in with this one, I think these guys really believe in the timelessness of their band as well as their question..

A Christmas Present

2009-12-25T19:23:00.000-08:00

My friend J said I was the inspiration for this fine video he created as a Christmas gift to me. I'm honored!

The Glory of the 80's

2009-12-24T10:59:00.000-08:00

In line all of the cult stuff I've put up recently I thought I'd change it up a bit by putting up a cult movie. It is obvious that the 80's were glorious. So why point it out? I'd much rather present you all with a particularly glamorous fake gem from 1985 - the cult classic "The Last Dragon" directed by Michael Schultz. Think Bruce Lee from Harlem combined with a Karate Kid inspired plot. He tries not to fight, but be warned that when he does its on a gigantic illuminated neon glass dance floor complete with lasers, fog and synthesized specialty soundtrack. Also, who doesn't want a gigantic pink plastic triangle to hold their hair together?

More Jim Jones

2009-12-21T18:47:00.000-08:00

My obsession with dear J.J. has evolved into a full fledged investigation into his following, and a series of drawings I intend on posting here soon. Until then I have included the first of a video series on youtube made by T.O.P.Y. (The Temple of Psychic Youth) for your enjoyment. They are composed of photographs and audio clips from his sermons, and I think they present an interesting side of J.J's own psychology.

Some nice quotes :

"What you need to believe in is what you can see...If you see me as your friend, I'll be your friend. If you see me as your brother, I'll be your brother. If you see me as your God, I'll be your God."

"We are nonviolent people but we are extremely dangerous. Isn't that right?"

And my personal favorite :

"You don't know how clever I am, one thing you all have done is underestimate me."

The Jonestown Death Tape

2009-12-20T13:44:00.000-08:00

I have been developing a recent obsession with the cult leader Reverend Jim Jones, or J.J. as I have so lovingly nicknamed him. Yesterday I discovered his infamous "death tapes" online; the 45 min audio recording of his final sermon before they all drank the kill-aid and blissed out on revolutionary suicide. You can hear babies and children crying in the background as Jim Jones basically tells them all to get on with it. I have also included a link to the original FBI transcript of the tape for your perverse entertainment...
http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/Tapes/Tapes/DeathTape/Q042fbi.html

The Fools Gold of the Internet

2009-12-19T01:35:00.000-08:00

2009-12-19T01:23:00.000-08:00

A series of screenprints on paper I did in Feb 2009. The images were created by repeatedly printing and layering the same screen over itself, so I guess that makes them monotypes as well.

2009-12-18T23:30:00.000-08:00

I didn't make this, but I discovered it. Apparently, a teacher from my college didn't understand how to upload pictures correctly on facebook. In my opinion, this provides a glimpse into the self conscious mind of a hard core new york painter. A few weeks later only a select few of these remained online, apparently the rest were removed with humiliation through a strict selection process I'm sure...

2009-12-18T23:20:00.000-08:00

ink drawings on paper, 5 by 7 in each. The last thing I did in school. May 2009

2009-12-18T23:19:00.000-08:00

pastel on paper again. March 2009. This one started it all

2009-12-18T23:17:00.000-08:00

pastel on paper April 2009. I like this one.

2009-12-18T23:15:00.000-08:00

another pastel drawing on paper I did of some poor little guy March 2009 I think

2009-12-18T23:14:00.000-08:00

chalk pastel on paper March 2009

2009-12-18T23:12:00.000-08:00

Acrylic, April 2009

2009-12-18T23:10:00.000-08:00

Acrylic and White Pastel, May 2009

2009-12-18T23:06:00.000-08:00

Acrylic Painting, April 2009

VANITY SIX DRIVE ME WILD (CLIP)

2009-08-03T04:56:00.000-07:00

VANITY SIX UNDER THE INFLUENCE!

2009-08-03T04:53:00.000-07:00

SEX SHOOTER VANITY SIX

2009-08-03T04:47:00.000-07:00

Pickle Surprise

2009-08-03T04:41:00.000-07:00

LIQUID SKY

2009-03-27T14:03:00.000-07:00