Moonrise Kingdom
Beautifully shot and a story story line which keeps you smiling the whole way through. Definitely one of the best films I have watched in a while.
Tags: moonrise kingdom wes anderson
I have recently been following a story that has become rather popular in the media lately. It involves a controversial painting of the South African president Jacob Zuma in a Soviet style poster with his genitals exposed.
The painting is one of many by the artist Brett Murray in an exhibition at the Goodman Galley in Johannesburg.
After all the death threats,demonstrations,riots,assault charges,controversy and media coverage, two people finally defaced the painting, one with a red cross over Zuma’s face and another with a smear of black paint(The recent German owner may have lost or gained the value of a very interesting work of art).
What really baffles me is why people would waste their precious time getting so uptight about a poster of the president with his willy hanging out. What is freedom without freedom of speech? Freedom, always being a word loaded with much meaning in South Africa.
What interests me however is the way art can make such a massive impact on people and how it can get such an intense response locally and internationally. The social impact this painting has made is a testament to what can be achieved by art, which can often be very powerful medium of spreading ideas and messages. In many ways this can be related to Murray’s medium of the Soviet propaganda posters.
One of the positive aspect of this story is how it has exposed many of the problems in South African society.Whichever way you look at it, there seems to be something very badly wrong…..and of course we all enjoy a bit of gossip.
Here are a few shots I took on my 1963 Kodak Retinette 1B film camera while in South Africa and Swaziland. We were even lucky enough to get up and personal with the king of the jungle….I was even more lucky to get a shot of the wild male lion walking past the window of our little golf. Hope you enjoy..
Going back to Durban, South Africa for a holiday next week. I have been in London for almost 3.5 years without being back.
Three weeks of sun, beach, wildlife, giraffes, steak, braai’s (BBQ’s), road trips, family, friends, mountains, surf, dogs, stars, slops, memories, bunny chows…..
“Man’s possibilities are very great. You cannot even conceive a shadow of what man is capable of attaining…”
G.I.Gurdjieff
This a beautiful graphic novel done by a friend of mine Nick Hayes, a writer and illustrator who lives in East London. The Rime of the Modern Mariner is modern retelling of one of Coledridge’s classic poems. This is a brilliant book and definitely worth adding to your collection.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rime-Modern-Mariner-Nick-Hayes/dp/0224090259
Ive been going a bit Ebay crazy lately. I just got this vintage Oris Swiss watch for what seems like a good price. Have to do a spot of research to find out a bit more about it. Possibly from 1930-1940?
My new 1964 Cosmic 35 Lomo aka. Smena 8! It arrived yesterday, still with it original box, instructions and purchase certificate. I can’t wait to start snapping away.
Will hopefully put some pics up soon.
Lamb + Sea.
This is my good friends Sam Campbell’s company. Super talented and gifted designer and film maker. They specialise in art direction, design and moving image.
This weekend I went to a protest which was held to oppose The Secrecy Bill, also known as the South African Protection of State Information Bill.
I made my way to South Africa House which acts as the South African High commission, an impressive building built in the 1930’s which borders the east side of Trafalgar Square. I arrived to see a small crowd which certainly overcame their lack of numbers with their overwhelming enthusiasm. The protesters were proudly wearing their brightly coloured South African flags, clothes and sportswear with placards pleading for freedom of speech and the peoples right to know. A letter was posted through the gates of the building containing all the signatures protesting the bill as no representative from the High Commission was present.
This bill would give the South African government the power and authority to classify,regulate and control information which is disseminated to the South African and international community. Anybody opposing this or leaking information could serve a jail term of up to 25 years. This will lead to a limited and regulated press which contradicts the right to freedom of speech, precisely what people fought so hard for in the dark days of Apartheid. The main concern is with the government regulating the media, who will regulate them?
This weekend I saw people who love and care about their country and its future and this made me feel proud to be one of them
‘If freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we will be led like sheep to the slaughter’ George Washington
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