Seldom is creativity so bizarre that it can be labeled intriguing, disturbing, sparkly, and absurd. Modern art sometimes fits this bill..after watching the video for Bad Romance and ending with a confused and strange feeling, I’ve decided “modern art” is the only way I could attempt to classify the unclassifiable Lady Gaga’s works. Brace yourself before you watch it. It blurs through claw-like dances, kidnapping, poisoning, prostitution, diamonds, murder, and a dead polar bear..to name a few.
I call it art because the video is her abstract representation of a story. I Googled her explanation of this new wonder, and indeed, there is a plot. I’ll summarize.
Lady Gaga takes a bath to wash off her “badness” (which I assume is represented by the broken-style dancing that preceeds it). She is kidnapped by supermodels, who drug her, pour vodka down her throat, rip her clothes off, and ship her to an upscale whore house. Shots of Gaga dancing for an auction house of men while strewn in jewels are disected by clips of a reptilian-esque gaga – the beauty and the beast. Jump to a shot of the winning bidder sitting on a bed, awaiting his prize, who is shown walking up to meet him. A polar bear skin conceals a pyrotechnic bra which our little lady uses to torch the customer alive. The finale is a cigarette-smoking Lady Gaga laying in bed by the charred corpse. Hm.
Baffling, yes. Words obviously fall short. But I cannot help but find it curious and intriguing that so much organized absurdity can come from one musician/creative genius. Every detail is considered, each symbolism carefully thought out. Much like a Picasso or Matisse, the beauty lies in the bending of what we know. The first time I saw Guernica it seemed unfathomable that it could ever compare to Louis David’s immaculately executed Coronation of Napoleon; however, as I looked deeper, I found the appeal of Picasso to be in his creative portrayal of reality. This artist’s talent pulled the viewer away from her standard conception. He forced an openmindedness and reconsideration of “normal” that lay foundations for innumerable other alternative methods of expression. In my opinion, Lady GaGa does the same thing. Like all abstract and modern art, she is neither universally appealing nor understandable by our conventional means. And like all great artists, she wields elegant talent while remaining unscathed by the barrages of criticism that accompany it. To me, who will never step onto the streets in the things this woman drapes, sticks, balances, or paints onto her body, the core aspect of her appeal remains beautifully simple: She makes damn good sound!
And now, the much anticipated and rarely understood Lady GaGa in “Bad Romance” :
About a year ago I moved into the lovely house I still call home. Three days after I unpack, in comes another new mate. Suddenly, I live with two guys.
I cordially invite you to my musings about life with these men.
First, let me introduce you to the other two thirds of Chadwell House: Ben and Daniel. Benny owns the house and Izzy, our crazy Weimaraner. He brokers corporate insurance and co-hosts our pool parties with me. Daniel plays pro baseball for Germany. He’s been in Huntsville for the off season and heads back in a month.
1. There is no such thing as “your” beer, or vodka, or cognac. Think community supply.
2. Three foods Always in stock: peanut butter, spagetti, milk.
3. “clean up” = put in sink.
4. Four different girls in one week is no longer an anomaly. And if you’re still up at 4am after a night out, better turn up the music to drown out a different kind of singing.
5. “Handyman” is shenanigans. Ad asking for help? Doubt it. Case in point: last winter we didn’t turn on the fireplace once. Ben thought it was broken. Turns out he just didn’t know how to light the pilot.
6. ESPN and HBO might as well be the only channels.
7. Sarcasm, lightheartedness, and laughs are a dime a dozen. Drama is virtually non-existant. My perception of “lewd” has been drastically modified; in stead of responding with “dear God..animals!” when I hear guy to guy exposés I can usually laugh along. Bypassing shock lets me see the entertainment value.
Ben and Daniel are both great frends, they’re like the big brothers I never had. Crude, hilarious, wild and strange, the world of men will always be somewhat of a mystery to me. Living with you two has really opened my eyes to what I can see when I’m beyond passing judgement. Love y’all!
Kid Sis A
Our backyard during summer
Just threw iTunes on shuffle. Here are the first ten songs that play:
1. The Beatles – Eight Days A Week
2. James Taylor – How Sweet It Is
3. Kiss – Parasite
4. Los Lonely Boys – Velvet Sky
5. Schumann – Manfred Overture, Op. 115
6. Frank Sinatra – I Have Dreamed
7. Jack Johnson – The News
8. Yo-Yo-Ma – Happy Xmas (War is Over) [stellar remix!]
9. Bach – Suite for Cello No. 6 in D Minor
10. Dave Matthews Band – Lover Lay Down
I listened to Beatles, Schumann, Yo-Yo-Ma, Bach & DMB all the way through. Point? Make your own decisions, otherwise half the time you’ll end up fastforewarding to see if something better is up. Unlike iTunes, life can’t be rewound.
Amy
I sit here contemplating the most efficient method for streamlining my social media system. I have accounts on Twitter, WordPress, Delicious, Pandora, YouTube, Facebook (1personal, 2SCUBA).
How do I decide which updates on which medium are transferred to other mediums? And how do I automate this process? I mean besides copying and pasting links and logging in all over..the whole point of these internet evolutions is to streamline information and networking capacity. Can anyone put the following concept into computer coded action? : ‘Type your thought, post your link or photo or video, tag people across different systems, and check the boxes of your different sites where you want to display.” Isn’t there an app for this? And what a wealth of human social networking activity/data such an administrator could examine! Would love to play around with that.
confusion
Yesterday, while bingeing out on some classic Chappelle, we found these diamonds. The first is ridiculously funny about food and culture and examines our stereotypes in a typically DC way: blunt and hilarious. The second presents his astute observations on how impressions can be deceiving.. No intro will do justice..just watch. On another cultural note, listen for a vocal resemblance when Dave breakes into his “white guy voice”. He sounds just like Obama! I give you, “Grape Drink” and “How Women Dress”. Enjoy
Davie C we miss you, come back!
” The presence of an organism modifies the environment to which it is exposed, so that the physical stimulus received from the environment is partly determined by the physiological response to the environment.” – Principles of Environmental Physics, J.L. Monteith and M.H. Unswoth.
Intricately put. A differential equation in action. I wonder how to measure these things.
Might it apply to psychological or social scenereos, too?
G’day! Things are beautiful as always here in Hawaii. Mom, Dad, and little sis came to visit for ten days (it was great to see y’all and have such great experiences with you! ). Besides the beautiful views, phenomenal food, crazy nightlife, and relaxing drives across breathtaking shorelines, the waves in North Shore kicked up last weekend. First swell of the season = Perfect timing!
First swell of the season at Waimea Beach, North Shore. Fanstastic times!
Yesterday I hiked Kuli’ou’ou Trail with some friends. Here are two videos (+ two photos) of a ridgetop excursion along a skinny path flanked by 1000′ sheer drops and amplified by a strong gusty wind. So turn down your volume (the wind is loud) and try not to get vertigo as you take a few steps with me along the scariest trail I have ever set foot on.
A
Video #1
Video #2
photo captured on my iPhone
thank you, Apple, for the iphone, so I can capture views like this even when my camera is dead
Drove past Diamondhead today for some spectacular scenery. Here is a video I took on the phone.
Amy
. Then Jim Teed and I took part in Pato Pato Patito, duck duck goose, with about fifteen kids in the 100 degree shade on dry dirt. They LOVED to pick “ella” and “hombre” – “her” and “man” – and laugh at our attempts to run in work boots that several times ended in hilarious wipeouts. . I was so covered in dirt by the end of our game that the girls and their mothers asked me if I wanted to come into their house and change. (!) 