I think this is the first time (at least in a long time) that the word nifty came to mind – enough so that I would even use it to express myself in writing.
I came across this page with recommendations for 4 applications:
Thank you Greg.
I recently came across Ryan Swagar’s blog and found myself spending the better part of an hour enjoying the contents he chose to share. I walked away with a smile, with a sense of familiarity and inspired to do the same. So I hope you enjoy Jack Johnson which keeps appearing in my life and caressing me gently:
Thank you Ryan, Thank you Jack.
This is another SweetClarity publication. The images were taken during a recess at Shahar’s Tune Barcelona project a few months ago. The performer is Aube – she was participating in the workshop but she wasn’t dancing (long story – and for Aube to tell – if she ever wants to) she was writing. When the breaks come she just had to let out her thirst to move – and one time I joined her to play around with the camera. It was frivolous fun and play and this is what it looked like.
If you haven’t already done so then please turn on your speakers. This presentation was our first attempt at adding a sound-track. I had refrained from doing this for some time (another long story) but Shahar asked me to give it a try. The result was amazing and inspiring. Read More
For some time I have been wanting to switch from Outlook to Thunderbird. Thunderbird is a mail client developed by Mozilla – the same organization that is behind the Firefox Browser. These are both open source tools and I am slowly migrating to open-source applications – the reasons deserve a whole separate post. They both have a rich offering of plugins and addons that extend their functionality. A popular Thunderbird addon is Lightning – which provides calendar functionality. Thunderbird & Lightning together are a formidable substitute to Outlook.
What has prevented me from making the transition until now was synchronizing my Nokia E65. The Nokia software provides a solution for Outlook. I could not find a solution for doing this with Thunderbird. Now I have. I found a nicely written post on how do this here (techies you might want to visit this wikipedia page on SyncML). The solution is founded on a free mediating service that you can use to sync both your mobile phone and Thunderbird. The one I found that has both phone and Thunderbird compatibility for both contacts and calendar entries is ScheduleWorld.
Now that I have this sorted out – I have encountered another obstacle. I have grown somewhat accustomed to some of the search features provided by Xobni (which I have installed on Outlook). Xobni compensates for Outlook’s meek search features (amongst other things). I will miss these features in Thunderbird – so again the migration is on hold – but I believe it is a matter of time!
‘I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
the dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had’
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen this movie. I enjoy it time and time again – and I have no idea why. There is an elusive quality to it – almost mystical. Paul recommended that I watch the movie. I have no idea why. I guess you have to try it for yourself.
Some more interesting facts about the movie here.
I just looked at the movie website… don’t really know what its about… but it caught me for a few minutes (much like the movie does)
If for no other reason then watch the movie for the penetrating rendition of “Mad World” by Tears for Fears. It was sung by Gary Jules – and if you haven’t heard it yet – then stop everything and listen to it now on his myspace page.
Post update – found this clip of Mad World:
This is one of the first images I took deliberately out of focus. I went out numerous times to walk the streets of the rather dull suburbishcity in which I lived, with a camera in hand. I usually came back empty handed. I could see nothing. Then one day as I was walking up the main street facing the sunset I got an idea to go out of focus.
What a relief – suddenly I felt an interest arising in me – I was seeing so many new things. An overflow of disassociated details literally blurred into a whole that made sense. It changed from something I could not understand to something I could sense and experience. It shifted from my thinking mind into a realm of imagination.
The images below were taken as a preparation for an improvised performance. The performance was part of an art-exhibition opening event that celebrated the theme of ‘city’. I had an idea to prepare visual materials, based on that theme, that we could then project during the performance to establish a landscape. I am not naturally curious or fond of city landscapes so I was faced with a challenge.
These images were taken during two excursions. One was close to home – in a rural-village landscape. The other was in ‘the big city’ Tel-Aviv. Again I found myself drifting towards the out-of-focus perspective. We did not use the images in the performance – and they have never been displayed. Until now.
A great presentation:
Since I released the post on VC & Philanthropy I have encountered some interesting links:
I will update this post as I find more interesting reading and insights
I have been thinking about a new Glimpses post for some time – but no image came to mind – until this morning. The image in this Glimpses represents a shift in my experience of photography and creation. As you can see in the small image when I started out on my journey with Shahar – I wasn’t very subtle. I was trying to understand my relationship and position in this space. I was feeling separate for the space – the result was a dramatic intervention – photographically inserting myself into the space. I took an intimate moment and inserted myself into it. That’s one way.
The other day I went to visit an art gallery with an exhibition that displays 23 pairs of portraits of people before and after their deaths. It’s an intense exhibition – but I also found it comforting and amusing. Initially I felt nothing but then I felt a physical pressure in my abdomen. I found this image which you can click for a link to additional information about the exhibition:
When that gave way some thoughts came to mind. Read More
I suppose it’s about time I made a formal introduction of SweetClarity here at StillCreation. The best way for me to describe SweetClarity is through it’s manifest which you can read here. SweetClarity was born during the summer of 2007 shortly after Shahar & I completed our second collaboration and my first exhibition. The best way to understand SweetClarity is to experience it. So I will take this opportunity to share a new SweetClarity publication.
A few weeks ago Shahar initiated a performance in his garden where he installed a 60sqm wooden stage. The performance was of course completely improvised. We also setup a screen and projection for live-stills that were an ongoing part of the performance.
The first piece was a contact duet with Or and Miki who are both impressive physical dancers. It was a great opening as they began their warm-up on stage while Shahar addressed the intimate audiences that showed up. Their piece ended as they rolled off the stage to merge with the audience and clear the stage for Shlomit.
The second piece was by Shlomit who had contacted Shahar and asked to perform just a few days before the performance. We met her for the first time a few hours before the performance. I was really moved by her performance and I hope I get to work with her again in the future.
The third peace was with Shahar. It was intended to be a duet with a musician who couldn’t make it. Instead Shahar asked Shantam, a friend in the audience (who is also a musician), to recite some poetry written by a friend who came along with Shlomit. It was a funny meeting that results in curious & refreshing energies.
Then the stage became an open-space for all to play, including some people from the audience who were familiar with the creative dynamics.
A Shakuhachi is a japanese bamboo flute. I first heard a recording of it (Sanctuary: Music from a Zen Garden
Two days ago there was an intimate performance in Shahar’s garden where there is a 60 square-meeter stage. One of the solo performance was by Shlomit. Shahar told me she called a day or two before the performance and asked if she could take a part in the performance and Shahar welcomed her.
This was the first time I saw Shlomit perform (or at all for that matter) – it was a moving performance and I felt drawn to abstract images that were formed by the high contrast of her moving body and exposed skin within the black costume and settings.
The performance was an important one for me. It came after long months of hard work with less open and blessed interactions. The camera wireless setup broke down before the performance – and it took some time to get fixed – during this time I was thinking of staying out of the performance. I felt lost and disassociated in my creative work. This was a cherished reminder that (1) it is not really in my hands (2) it takes talented people and (3) space and patience to let moments of improvisation appear and crystallize. I got some great supportive feedback after the performance … I needed it.
These images were taken during a walk I took in fields near our house. In a way it was a new beginning because I had not wandered out with the camera in hand for a long time – I still don’t. I usually feel lost in the world with the camera in hand. This time I went out to challenge that concept.
This occured shortly after an intense three month project with Shahar ended. I was carrying with me a question, which comes up often, about my relationship to the people and work I encounter when in Shahar’s bubble (which is where I have spent most of the last two years). My first impression is that I am some kind of a parasite. What can I do with the camera without other performers doing their work? What images would exist for me?
With this in mind I went for a walk. These images are technically extreme, they were taken in low-light conditions, in which I pushed the camera into extreme settings and then (shortly after I arrived home) used a heavy hand in post processing. I felt I was fighting something.
This occurrence is a reminder to me of the amazing potential of improvised work. This session took place during preparations for the final performance of Shahar’s Tune-Barcelona workshop.
I was busy preparing all kinds of technical things for the performance when Sophie came up to me and asked if I can join her, Africa and Judit in the bathroom (you get used to these kind of question when working in improvised settings). They wanted to incoporate a projection of images into a piece during the performance. When I completed some of the other tasks I was doing, I took the camera and headed in their direction. These images were born during a magical 10 or 15 minute session. I then went to the computer, downloaded the pictures from the memory card and within 20 minutes more completed to select the 32 images that were presented during the performance. This was the first time that I completed a work, including digital post-processing in the performance space and within the bubble of the actual piece.
Beautiful Flowers Installation
I am creating an installation through which these images can be experienced. The installation will be a space in which people can travel a linear course that takes them through the story portrayed in the printed images. The installation is divided into zones – a zone includes one or more printed images. The zones are used to establish an interactive system of light and sound. Interaction is achieved through proximity sensors that can detect the presence of people. When people enter a zone the lights in that zone are activated to reveal the images (the rest of the space is as dark as possible).
The core idea for sound in the installation is that there is a complete audio piece playing the background. It is made up of tracks. One track is a constant base-ambient track that is always playing in the space. The tracks are also associated with Zones. In effect when a zone is activated the track that is associated with the zone is also activated (volume turned up?). The result is that the sound that is heard throughout the entire space is shaped by the presence of people in the space.
The physical setting of the installation has yet to be determined – the wish is to relate to qualities of the work while provising a solution that can be constructed and transported with ease so that the installation can travel to numerous locations around the world.
I am seeking people who can help realize this work: a sound artist, a lighting and multimedia programming artist, funding and a location that will host and produce the first installation.
