Matrix III by John Whitney

Matrix III by John Whitney, 1972
Inspiring triangles.

Emak-Bakia by Man Ray

Film #7 | Man Ray, Emak-Bakia, 1926
A slightly longer film by Man Ray.

Anemic Cinema by Marcel Duchamp

Film #6 | Marcel Duchamp, Anemic Cinema, 1926
Other than the famous rotated urinal, Duchamp has other goodies.

Ballet Mecanique by Fernand Leger

Film #5 | Fernand Leger, Ballet Mecanique, 1924
Repetition.

Symphonie Diagonale by Viking Eggeling

Film #4 | Viking Eggeling, Symphonie Diagonale, 1924
Mirroring and rotating images. All done by hand.

Le Retour A La Raison by Man Ray

Film #3 | Man Ray, Le Retour A La Raison, 1923
Featuring Paris at night and Kiki.

Opus I by Walter Ruttman

Film #2 | Walter Ruttman, Opus I, 1921
Another experimental abstract film.

Rhytmus 21 by Hans Richter

Film #1 | Hans Richter, Rhytmus 21, 1921

An inspiring and fascinating film.

Opening by Philip Glass

The original music was composed by Philip Glass, now combined with wire frame stimulator graphics for ever better experience. See the youtube link for more details about the performer and artist.

Geometry of Circles by Philip Glass

The music was composed by Philip Glass for Sesame Street in 1979. Still amazing after 30 years.

Is it just me or I found this fascinating?
Philip Glass + geometric shapes + rainbow colour = speechless

Eaux d'Artifice

Beautiful water movements. Beautiful fountains. Beautiful Villa d'Este.

Short film by Kenneth Anger. Summary from youtube:

Eaux d'artifice is a 1953 short film which consists entirely of a woman dressed in eighteenth century clothes, who wanders amidst the garden fountains of the Villa d'Este in Tivoli, Italy, until she steps into a fountain and disappears.

Squarepusher - Tommib

Beautiful video.

Domestic Transformer: 24 Rooms in a Tiny Apartment

As an architecture student who appreciates efficient use and homey-ness of tiny spaces, I want to have a home like Gary Chang's...

During early years in architecture school, my professor from the design studio course always thought I'm not a good designer because I don't give enough space to users and tenants in my visionary projects.

But to grew up in a tightly packed environment described by the architect Gary Chang in the video, it's no wonder that I tend to compartmentalize everything in a small volume without considering personal space and comfort - one learn from what one had lived through after all.

Now the questions...
Are all individuals advantage enough to have personal space? I think this is less in discussion when most people in the particular community are packed like sadines anyway.
Also what are the standards for comfort? Things that are comfortable to one might not be well enough, or actually too good, for another. Different cultures and various living experiences can change the level of comfort one can accept and tolerate.

My First Crush by Julia Pott

This is just soooo adorable! It is an animation based on interview with people about their first crushes.

Check its creator Julia Pott's website here:
http://www.juliapott.com

Voices for Beijing by Jonathan Borofsky

I was very fortunate to be able to encounter Jonathan Borofsky's mini show at the Pyo Beijing Gallery inside the 798 art district, roughly 2 year ago in the same summer as the Beijing Olympics 2008. Now whenever I feel very paranoid or pissed, I always turn to Voices for Beijing (2008) to calm myself down. It really helps me to clear my mind.

Jonathan Borofsky is an installation artist from the States, and had projects over North America, Europe, and East Asia. His official website can be seen here: http://www.borofsky.com/

The film piece is 8 minutes and 8 seconds long. Sound was done with artist's own voice, digitally altered with a computer system.

And did I mention I adore his installation work revolving on the theme of people, on top of this film? He's ranked second after Andy Warhol on my favourite artist list. Claes Oldenburg can only come in third after Jonathan Borofsky.

She Stole My Voice

It is so hard to watch She Stole My Voice, a documentary on lesbian rape by Justine Chang and Armand Kaye. It is truly devastating to finish the film. It's purely disturbing. And definitely the topic raised up million of question within my head.

Do you think it's possible for a woman to rape a woman?

Is it more hurtful for a man to rape a woman than a woman raping a woman?
What if the victim is a lesbian?
Would she be traumatized if the rapist is a male or a female?

Would you think yourself, or your female partner, be more impacted by the event if the rapist is a woman instead of a man?

Would you deal with the situation differently someone told you they have been raped by a woman instead of a man?
Would you take them seriously?

I don't think I've any answer to the questions above. I'm still overwhelmed by the film.

Trailers and producer interview can be seen here:
http://www.rmdglobal.net/she-stole-my-voice/

To view She Stole My Voice online:
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=TAT2SFMR

El Niño Pez

El Niño Pez is also know as The Fish Child. It seems like an interesting film to watch - not to mention there is girly love (along with pregnancy and murder and the tale of Mítã’í Pírã, the fish child).

Synopsis from the official site:

Lala, a teenager from the most exclusive suburban neighbourhood in Buenos Aires is in love with the Guayi, the 20-year-old Payaguayan maid working at her place. They dream of living together in Paraguay, at the shores of lake Ypoá. The murder of Lala’s father rushes their plans.

This is the starting point that spurs the escape through the highway that connects the North of Buenos Aires with Paraguay. While Lala waits to be reunited with her lover in Ypoá by reconstructing her past (the mystery surrounding her pregnancy and the legend of a fish child who guides the drowned to the bottom of the lake), the Guayi is detained in a minors institute. She turns out to be hiding a crime from long ago.

Some snapshots from the movie:

To view the beautiful trailer and for more information, go to http://www.thefishchild.com/

Be Like Others

Curing homosexuality with sexual reassignment surgery?! Woah. Iran seems more open-minded (okay in reality is more igonrant, go on reading and you will see why) than I thought it would be. Iran not only grants sexual reassignment surgeries as legal in the country, but also the entire process would be paid by the government too. This must be great for Iranians who are born in the wrong body and opting for surgeries. BUT for those who are just interested in the same gender, this might push them into an endless downward spiral. The government's reasoning is human beings are so intelligent and advanced now that correcting mistakes of nature is doable (not to mention heterosexuality is the only right way to go). I mean, are they stupid enough to not realize sexuality and gender are really two separate things? Why do people (in general -including the pre-educated me- not just the Iranian government) always group them together as one thing...

Be Like Others is a documentary by Tanaz Eshaghian, providing "an intimate examination of the intersection of state power, science and religion, gender and sexuality" (quoted from Joanne Nucho's article, Gender Neutralized) Read more description on the film and critiques from Gender Neutralized at http://www.reverseshot.com/article/be_others.

Androgynous and Proud

Our society likes to categorize and generalize people into either male or female, but there's more than that. One example is androgyne, which is a perfect mix of the two.

Just be who you are. Be proud of it.

200 Pounds Beauty

Many of you know I'm pretty outdated on so-called "popular" stuff. The past Sunday I finally watched 200 Pounds Beauty (2006, South Korea). Yes I'm 2 years late. Whatever.

It's funny because the movie and its theme songs reminded me the time when I was very into Korean entertainment and culture years ago (hey, there was sort of a reason for it. I was curious to know more as a lot of non-Koreans thought I'm Korean! My tiny eyes are just a stereotype... geez. Plus all the Korean girls are so pretty nowadays. I don't resemble them at all, not even close, okieee?). I was doing my first work term on main campus, and all I did for free time during that 4 months was to watch (not so new) Korean dramas and movies. Then on every weekend I would stopped by Finch Station to go home (I haven't discover the greatness of Go Train at that time yet). I also went singing Japanese and Korean karaoke with my high school night-class classmates in K-Town and ate yummy authentic Korean barbecue with my family at that restaurant on the SW corner of Finch and Yonge. And one thing irrelevant to any of the above - I permed my long hair the first time that term. It's weird to think that now I've straight short hair. Those few months were like a dream, floated by and gone. However I'm glad I did got over the want-for-cosmetic-surgery period. At that time I did thought of having my eyes done by making them a bit bigger, not double eyelid nor doll-like though, but depuffing and elongating them so they look less kiddish and better looking visually yet maintaining my signature features (my eyes will turn into lines when I smile, and apparently many people remembered me because of that). Fortunately I discovered the magic of bold acrylic glasses soon enough (well I kinda know it all the way since early high school) to save myself from going under the knife.

Anyway, enough mention of my memories and past struggles. While watching the movie, I really enjoyed one of the theme songs, Maria, sang by the main lead Kim Ah Joong herself. But soon I realized the song was actually a Korean adaptation of Blondie's Maria. No wonder it sounded familiar... Here's the Korean one clipped from the movie:

And Blondie's version:

Check out the plot summary and review of 200 Pounds Beauty by clicking here.