Louis Malle's Phantom India / L'Inde Phantome

Stumbled upon these beautiful clips the other day of the 1968 documentary L'Inde Phantome (Phantom India), by the French film director Louis Malle. Mesmerizing. I was especially taken by the personal tone of the film's narration. I think it really adds something to the footage - somehow making the director's own story part of the one he is telling of India at that moment in time...

Also see these clips of the same documentary:

caste system (part 1, part 2, part 3)
Toda tribe
temple cart (part 1, part 2)

They are all so great! I am going to have to rent this somewhere so I can watch the whole thing.

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"But these dancers have gone beyond technique. These images clearly show dance as language, or better yet, dialogue."

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Bestest Bud G gave me two packs of polaroid film for my birthday! Guess how long it took me to shoot them all off?? With great restraint they lasted me two days. Here are the best ones. I like gifts that you can make something with. Fun times.

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Video Radio Star

If your attention span is anything like mine you probably won't get through these videos, but I thought I would post them here as a collection nonetheless.

Trying to get better with video. I love that all the point and shoots have such an awesome video feature these days. The possibilities are endless!

More over here...

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Mental Dynamics

(...beautiful poster design by Raphaël Garnier...click to enlarge...)

So thrilled to be included in this exhibition at Synchronicity curated by Stephanie Davidson!

Keeping very good company too:

Michael Deforge
Nick Demarco
Jacob Broms Engblom
Raphaël Garnier
Jesjit Gill
Eilis McDonald
MDCCLXIV
Jon Rafman
Y. Val Gesto

Show opens November 14th, at Synchronicity, 4306 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, California.

Check it out if you can! I wish I could...

:)(:

Ramblin...

At a loss for what to post today. Happens every once in awhile, strange because I have a lot of ideas but I just don't feel like digging into them. Season change maybe, throwing me for a loop.

Had a birthday recently, that was fun. Got the day off and everything. And lookit my new shoes! Hand painted! Lucky me.

What about a mini-links list? Things I am obsessing over the last few weeks. Sound good? Here goes:

...beyond love, brings tearstoeyes, this, this and this series in particular. Nigel Shafran photographer...
...Weird Friends! Can't get enough!...
...Woody Allen's Manhattan is on youtube in its entirety! Who knows for how long so catch it while you can. Meryl Streep as the lesbian ex-wife writing her tell-all is one of my favorite parts amongst many others...
...the real normal blog, good stuff here, curated by some very talented people...
...post-postmodern interpretations of "chair" (click through photostream to view all), thank you ChristianBrandt...
...the documentary In the Womb, not for all, but definitely for some (I thought it was fascinating)...

C-ya L8R

b.

Inside Chanel

I watched these videos last night thanks to my good bud Elizabeth over at her new blog persuasion. I thought they were so great I also wanted to stick them over here. It has five episodes, so make sure you find all the rest of them in the youtube slider. The only bummer is that the sound is off for the climax of the film, I think it is Epsiode 5, Part 2. But don't be discouraged! It is still worth it.

It is very (very) similar to the movie that I saw a few months back, Valentino: The Last Emperor, which I also really enjoyed. It is kind of a combination of things that makes these two films so fascinating - the glamour of high (haute!) fashion, the exhaustive day-to-day labor and camaraderie of the women making everything run smoothly behind the scenes, the unfathomable amount of money, care, time, energy and love that is put into the collections, the air of antiquity to the whole operation with the feeling that everything everyone works so hard for will soon be lost to globalization, corporate capitalism and the inevitable restructing of the meaning and practice of work as the new technological generation evolves.

My favorite scenes were in Epsisode 3, "Rituals". I love the braid-maker!! She really is unbelievable.

xo

Weak Moment

I try not to post much "hey go buy this" stuff but while working at the Art Book Fair, a girl approached the table with this amazing necklace. It was kind of thick and ropey, leathery and chainy with some hot orange embroidery on white. Wow! I asked her where she got it and she said she made them herself and gave me a little catalog. Her business is called Lizzie Fortunato Jewels. Makes my fingers itch for some make and do jewellery sessions...maybe I could get another Arts degree?? Textiles slash jewellery slash ceramics?? How else will I ever get the chance to try all these different mediums I find so inspiring?? Man.

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