25 May 2010 inspiration: Nan Goldin
“The only people I photograph are people I really love.”–Nan Goldin
4 May 2010 inspiration: the new Rosies
Léon the Professional (Luc Besson, 1994)
Kick-Ass, (Matthew Vaughn, 2010)
After learning how to “read” film, it’s hard to just go to the movies and enjoy. It takes at least half my popcorn and 20 ounces of pop before I can stop trying to ascribe a socio-political metaphor to each scene and situate the overall themes of the film into a socio-historial context in order to analyze where this film fits into our current cultural landscape while synthesizing what it is communicating about our blah blah blah blah blah I JUST WANT TO LAUGH AT PEOPLE FALLING DOWN. With that said, I can’t help it. Must. Analyze. Cultural. Significance. (For a straight-up style post Gala (not Darling) posted some beautiful stills here and there’s a Mathilda polyvore set here!)
I went to see Kick-Ass the other day, just a couple weeks after screening Léon for my French film class, and I am not the first person to notice the similarities between the two precocious gangster gals. While Natalie Portman’s Mathilda is the obvious victor in artsy-fartsy badassery — she smokes, teaches an Italian hitman how to read, gets kicked out of a hotel, and inspires a suicide bombing –, Chloe Moretz as novelty Hitgirl performs mindbending gunslinging acrobatics, shooting down dozens of boys in one move and spitting sailor-mouth quips that only add to the charm. We already saw Moretz as the no-bullshit kid sister in 500 Days of Summer, and as someone who was once a ten-year-old know-it-all with a dirty mouth myself, that’s not really enough to make for a deep character.
Don’t get me wrong, I was appropriately jazzed when Joan Jett’s “Reputation” kicked in as Hitgirl maneuvered bookshelves like hopscotch squares knocking out bad guys. Point is, I wonder what.. the point.. is. I guess Kick-Ass is just a gimmicky film based on a gimmicky comic book that was written simultaneously with the movie, and Hitgirl is the carbonated-watered-down version of interesting characters like Mathilda or slightly more interesting characters like The Bride in Kill Bill. In Léon, Mathilda loses her family and school structures and becomes the neo-feminist who not only takes care of herself, but also guides the Post-WWII male who doesn’t know how to be independent, financially stable, domestic, emotional, sensitive and intelligent all at the same time. Hitgirl (or “Mindy”) lost her mom and would do anything to please her daddy, including choosing butterfly knives over ponies and mass killing sprees over hot chocolate. Is this what happens when daughters lose their mother’s influence? Become tough, untrusting, prone to violence, and thus, badass and heroic? Teach me how to be a sniper, Léon. Teach me how to take a bullet, daddy.
It’s not surprising that Hitgirl is a way better superhero than Kick-Ass; girls mature faster than boys. But I have to wonder if I should find her impressive destruction skills inspiring or disheartening. Well, I know I should just find them entertaining and that’s all, but my brain is annoying, it makes me do more stuff. I think Mathilda’s story is better because in the end she can’t go through with it: when it comes time to actually hurt somebody, she drops her weapon and runs away crying. We can vote, own property, have jobs, have kids, and do anything men can do except for a little less money… Do we want the penchant for physical violence as well? What do men have over us any more if we’re the best at killing people too, and in a way better costume? Are they finally forfeiting the battle of the sexes? Nah, cause Kick-Ass saves Hitgirl in the end anyway, since he has one of those big guns that shoots something big and makes big fire happen.
P.S. If Hitgirl and Mathilda had a style battle Mathilda would obviously win, because it’s Natalie fucking Portman, and that ain’t no wig.
24 Apr 2010 HENRY ROLLINS
In a rare incident of foresight I bought tickets to something awesome. That something awesome was seeing Mister Henry Rollins’ spoken word at the Buskirk Chumley here in Bloomington. Not being entirely, how do you say, “punk”? myself, I know Henry Rollins more as the knowledge-hungry world traveling speaker than the Black Flag frontman, so I was right at home listening to him go on and on about how WE SHOULD ALL GIVE A FUCK and how much potential we all have to let go of hatred be our greatest. He spoke for over three hours without taking a single sip of water. I jotted down a few quotes afterwards but they don’t do him justice. Go YouTube him, or visit his website for more!
HENRY ROLLINS:
“Destroy your audience.” (On giving your all in a performance)
“I fear you more than I like you. And I like you a lot. My love for you is only eclipsed by my fear of you.” (on his audience)
“This century is only 10 years old. There’s still time…”
“I’m like a shaken up can of Coke ready to explode.”
“I’m trying to channel all of my life force through a hole the size of a straw.”
and when I stayed after and (hands shaking and voice quivering cause he’s A DAMN CELEBRITY JUST STANDING THERE LIKE A REAL HUMAN BEING) asked if he would pose for a Polaroid and sign it: “I’ll do my best Polaroid face…. You know this is what Andy Warhol used to do.” !!! Awesome.
inspiration: polaroids portrait by Molly B leave a comment18 Apr 2010 factory girl
“Isn’t life a series of images that change as they repeat themselves?” –Andy Warhol
PHOTOS TAKEN BY SARA BALDWIN, edited by moi
-80s graphic shirt, Cactus Flower
-stretch miniskirt, H&M
-argyle kneesocks, Target
-high-heeled boots, Forever 21
-faker glasses, rings, clothespin in hair: Cactus Flower
Spent this past week researching Andy Warhol for a paper and began channeling him and Edie Sedgwick in a big way. Felt my brain shift from anxiety-ridden trivialities to full blown ARTMIND and life got a kind of surreal flow to it. I was so inspired I cleared out half of my apartment and deemed it the art factory (we still need an original title, open to suggestions). Since then it’s been the site of at least 3 tattoos and weathered countless brainstorms. I decided I want an art clan, creation over consumption, to juxtapose instead of judge. From now on I’m only spending time with collaborators and stars and magicmakers, and we don’t need amphetamines to make this a happening.
For a similar life-altering experience, no illegal substances necessary (only a library card and computer access): read The Philosophy of Andy Warhol, listen to the Velvet Underground & Nico, watch Superstar and Factory Girl (warning: will trigger chainsmoking, fur-coat donning, persistent lip gloss application and swooning over a mythical Bob Dylan), and take 100 pictures. Do all of this in the span of 12 hours for maximum effect.
“I wish I were a machine. I don’t want to be hurt. I don’t want human emotions. I’ve never been touched by a painting. I don’t want to think. The world would be easier to live in if we were all machines. It’s nothing in the end anyway. It doesn’t matter what anyone does.” –Andy Warhol
21 Feb 2010 Cosmic Roomie HQ
My close friend & cosmic roomie Kate recently moved out of her crazy-stylish apartment in preparation for a cross-country move. I am so excited for her to dive into life so hard, which I know was extra difficult cause she had such an amazing place set-up for herself in Terre Haute, where rent is dirt cheap and one girl can live in a place the size of a $1,000 house in Bloomington! Here are some images I took when I knew it was the last time I’d see her sweet bachelorette pad…
Ikea Audrey painting
Dumpster-dived leather seat, and grade school rose painting by Ms. Kate herself!
Butterfly habitat/bedroom, sweet sectional couch, handmade curtains & pillows
Me: “If your house was burning down and you had to run in and grab one thing, one would you get?”
Kate: “My blankie.”
19 Feb 2010 you’re gonna need a bigger boat.
Salvation Army button-up. Old Navy little boys shark t-shirt. BDJ jeans cut into shorts. Thrifted pink belt. Cactus Flower tights. Target thigh-highs. Goodwill boots.
I’ve never been an animal person. I go through at least five lintroller sheets after the briefest of cat encounters and both of my attempts to take care of water-beings have had less then desirable outcomes (including a morbid poem entitled, “Betta Luck Next Time”). Nonetheless, I think I have found my spirit animal!!!
I first paid attention to great white sharks simply cause they reminded me of Patrick’s JAWS obsession, and I wanted to get a gruesome looking shark added to his memorial tattoo on my left leg. Then it became a full-blown obsession, prolly cause THESE FUCKERS JUST LOOK SO RAD! Here’s some of the sharkness I’ve been collecting recently…
My 2010 calendar (!), black+white art by Robert Longo, and random Googled images.
I love the way their mouths look like scars!
P.S. Go watch Jaws. inspiration outfits: cigarettes film sharks stripes by Molly B leave a comment
19 Jan 2010 my apartment, lately.
Surprise tulips from a sweet boy, roses for the new moon, thrifted gems, and artmaking every day with said sweet boy. Don’t mind the cigarette butts — life is fresh.
diary inspiration: adventures in thrifting art flowers home portrait by Molly B leave a comment17 Oct 2009 diy or die: insta-necklace
This was so easy I’m not sure it qualifies as a project. But it helped relieve the separation anxiety I felt after leaving work without buying a certain black ribbon necklace, so I recommend it!
1. Cut off the bottom inch or two of a t-shirt or skirt. If you’re like me, you do this all the time and have a bag full of scraps already. I used the neckline of a black t-shirt.
2. Take your favorite charm off a necklace you never wear.
3. Since I was using a padlock heart, I just folded the fabric strip in half and made one of those loopy adjustable knots (?) through the opening.
4. Tie in a haggard bow at the nape of your neck.
5. Tie any extra fabric around your wrist for a matching insta-bracelet. Fini!
What do you do with all your discarded skirt-hems, necklines and jean legs? I can’t help but wonder about all the lost sweatshirt-necks of the 80s. Did they come together to make an enormous quilt? Or were they just heather vagabonds, floating around back-alley trash heaps, never to catch the sweat of a dancer again?
inspiration: adornments crafts diy by Molly B leave a comment27 Jun 2009 when the groove is dead + gone
Oh, Michael: making me dance since 1988. I’ve been a fan ever since I can remember, although I did discard all your cassettes when my six-year-old mind could not fathom the charges against you. I’ve since reconsidered, and yours is the first album to spin when I’m in the mood to get down.
You might be the only star to make a dance move famous on its own. There is not a single contemporary dance style as iconic and widely known as yours. You’re the working man’s Martha Graham. Gratuitous crotch-grabbing aside, you’ve got criminally smooth moves.
I mourn the loss of your youth, skin color, sanity, reputation, and life. So far I’ve celebrated you by attending an impromptu Moonwalker screening, hosting a 70-mile mobile dance party, and doing everything I possibly can to “ride the boogie”.
May you haunt my dance parties forever.
My Top 5 Favorite Dance Sequences:
5. Scream (3:05)
4. Beat It (2:52)
3. Thriller (above)
2. Smooth Criminal (6:00)
1. Bad (5:00)
Other necessary videos:
Michael Jackson performing two of my faves
Thriller Wedding Dance
Black or White feat. Macauley Culkin
Lisa It’s Your Birthday
Wearing:
powder blue deep V from Urban Outfitters; fedora from Charlotte Russe (stolen from my roommate); red loafers from Payless; everything else thrifted.
inspiration outfits: celebrity dress-up michael jackson music pop culture selfportrait by Molly B 2 comments
