#unrepeatable painting

[funstealer]

Stone Island AW 14 Raso Hand Painted Tortoise Shell  Field jacket in a satin weave cotton fabric of military origin. The garment has been dyed and then faded in selected areas with a corrosive paste. The bleached parts have then been hand painted with a tortoise shell inspired motive also polluting the Stone Island badge on the left sleeve. This extraordinary manual process makes each piece unique and unrepeatable.

#Stone Island

[catboywizard]

Saying your Names

Chemical names, bird names, names of fire and flight and snow, baby names, paint names, delicate names like bones in the body, Rumplestiltskin names that are always changing, names that no one’s ever able to figure out.

Names of spells and names of hexes, names cursed quietly under the breath, or called out loudly to fill the yard, calling you inside again, calling you home.

Nicknames and pet names and baroque French monikers, written in shorthand, written in longhand, scrawled illegibly in brown ink on the backs of yellowing photographs, or embossed on envelopes lined with gold.

Names called out across the water, names I called you behind your back, sour and delicious, secret and unrepeatable, the names of flowers that open only once, shouted from balconies, shouted from rooftops, or muffled by pillows, or whispered in sleep, or caught of the throat like a lump of meat.

I try, I do. I try and try.

A happy ending? Sure enough—Hello darling, welcome home. I’ll call you darling, hold you tight. We are not traitors but the lights go out. It’s dark. Sweetheart, is that you?

There are no tears, no pictures of him squarely. A seaside framed in glass, and boats, those little boats with sails aflutter, shining lights upon the water, lights that splinter when they hit the pier.

His voice on tape, his name on the envelope, the soft sound of a body falling off a bridge behind you, the body hardly even makes a sound.

The waters of the dead, a clear road, every lover in the form of stars, the road blocked.

All night I stretched my arms across him, rivers of blood, and dark woods, singing with all my skin and bone Please keep him safe. Let him lay his head on my chest and we will be like sailors, swimming in the sound of it, dashed to pieces.

Makes a cathedral, him pressing against me, his lips at my neck, and yes, I do believe his mouth is heaven, his kisses falling over me like stars.

Names of heat and names of light, names of collision in the dark, on the side of the bus, in the bark of the tree, in ballpoint pen on jeans and hands and the backs of matchbooks that then get lost.

Names like pain cries, names like tombstones, names forgotten and reinvented, names forbidden or overused.

Your name like a song I sing to myself, your name like a box where I keep my love, your name like a nest in the tree of love, your name like a boat in the sea of love—O now we’re in the sea of love!

Your name like detergent in the washing machine.

Your name like two X’s like punched-in eyes, like a drunk cartoon passed out in the gutter, your name with two X’s to mark the spots, to hold the place, to keep the treasure from becoming ever lost.

I’m saying your name in the grocery store, I’m saying your name on the bridge at dawn.

Your name like an animal covered in frost, your name like a music that’s been transposed, a suit of fur, a coat of mud, a kick in the pants, a lungful of glass, the sails in wind and the slap of waves on the hull of a boat that’s sinking to the sound of mermaids singing songs of love, and the tug of a simple profound sadness when it sounds so far away.

Here is a map with your name for a capital, here’s an arrow to prove a point: we laugh and it puts the world against us, we laugh, and we’ve got nothing left to lose, and our hearts turn red, and the river rises like a barn on fire.

I came to tell you, we’ll swim in the water, we’ll swim like something sparkling underneath the waves. Our bodies shivering, to the sound of our breathing, and the shore so far away.

I’ll use my body like a ladder, climbing to the thing behind it, saying farewell to flesh, farewell to everything caught underfoot and flattened.

Names of poisons, names of handguns, names of places we’ve been together, names of people we’d be together.

Names of endurance, names of devotion, street names and place names and all the names of our dark heaven crackling in their pan.

It’s a bed of straw, darling. It sure as shit is.

If there was one thing I could save from the fire, he said, the broken arms of the sycamore, the eucalyptus still trying to climb out of the yard—your breath on my neck like a music that holds my hands down, kisses as they burn their way along my spine—or rain, our bodies wet, clothes clinging arm to elbow, clothes clinging nipple to groin—I’ll be right here. I’m waiting.

Say Hallelujah, say goodnight, say it over the canned music and your feet won’t stumble, his face getting larger, the rest blurring on every side.

And angels, about twelve angels, angels knocking on your head right now, hello hello, a flash in the sky, would you like to meet him there, in Heaven?

Imagine a room, a sudden glow. Here is my hand, my heart, my throat, my wrist. Here are the illuminated cities at the center of me, and here is the center of me, which is a lake, which is a well that we can drink from, but I can’t go through with it. I just don’t want to die anymore.

-Richard Siken, Crush

———————————————————

unfortunately tumblr would not let me format this the same as the poem originally appeared, which was my intention. got about 2/3 through before it was like “this paragraph is too long” bc the poem is literally one long paragraph with no breaks. so, i had to compromise and add breaks btwn most sentences. hopefully this was the correct choice to maintain the rhythm of the poem best as i could.

i’ve seen quite a few quotes from Richard Siken on tumblr, but i dont think ive ever seen one posted in its entirety. i was reading Crush and really fell in love with this one. so I decided to transcribe it and post it on here. could i have found it somewhere online already and just copy/pasted? probably, yeah, but i didn’t want to.

#richard siken #poetry #literature #reading #op #tw

[artemholubievgolubev]

Homotherium latidens is a saber-toothed cat that lived in North America, Eurasia and Africa from the middle Pliocene to the end of the late Pleistocene.

It reached 1.15 m at the shoulder and weighed approximately 150–250 kg.

Its large, flat, saber-shaped serrated fangs were designed for slashing and thrusting.

This exclusive and unrepeatable painting can be purchased here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KapelkaStudio?ref=seller-platform-mcnav&section_id=43237533

#sabertooth predator eats prey canvas wall art #paleoart ukrainian art prints for amazing gifts for boyfriend #husband gift #gifts for geeks #maximalist decor #apartment decor #extinct animal #fine art #forest print #home decor #ice age #illustration #modern art #nature art #nature prints #original art #original artwork #paleoart #paleontology #prehistoric animals #prehistoric artwork #dinosaur art #homotherium latidens #animal wall decor

[terbearcollectibles]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Ukrainian Hand painted wooden floral plate.

[juanitasmithart]

Brushing Dreams into Reality: The Artistry of Commissioned Paintings

Introduction:

In a world filled with mass-produced art, the allure of personalized and bespoke creations has given rise to a resurgence in commissioned paintings. Painter for commission  to bring your vision to life is a unique and intimate experience, one that transcends the boundaries of conventional art acquisition. In this article, we delve into the world of painters for commission, exploring the benefits, process, and the profound connection between artist and patron that results in the creation of truly one-of-a-kind masterpieces.

The Beauty of Commissioned Art:

Personal Expression: commission painting in brisbane offer individuals the opportunity to express their unique tastes, memories, and emotions through art. Whether it's a portrait, a landscape, or an abstract piece, commissioned art becomes a reflection of the patron's personal narrative.

Tailored to Individual Spaces: Unlike mass-produced artworks that may or may not complement a specific environment, commissioned pieces can be tailored to harmonize with the aesthetics of a particular space. The artist can consider color schemes, dimensions, and themes to ensure the artwork seamlessly integrates into its intended surroundings.

The Process of Commissioning a Painter:

Initial Consultation: The process typically begins with an initial consultation between the artist and the patron. This conversation allows the patron to articulate their vision, preferences, and any specific details they wish to incorporate into the artwork.

Collaborative Design Phase: Following the consultation, the artist and patron enter a collaborative design phase. This involves discussing sketches, color palettes, and any adjustments needed to ensure the artwork aligns with the patron's vision. This stage allows for open communication and ensures that both parties are on the same creative wavelength.

Artistic Execution: Once the design is finalized, the artist begins the process of bringing the vision to life. This may involve selecting the appropriate materials, employing various techniques, and dedicating the necessary time and skill to ensure the artwork meets the patron's expectations.

Benefits of Commissioned Paintings:

Unique and Unrepeatable: Commissioned paintings are inherently unique and unrepeatable. Unlike mass-produced art, each piece is crafted to meet the specific desires and preferences of the individual patron, resulting in a truly one-of-a-kind creation.

Emotional Connection: The collaborative nature of commissioned art fosters a deep emotional connection between the artist and the patron. This connection is woven into the fabric of the artwork, imbuing it with a sense of intimacy and personal significance.

Supporting Local Artists: Commissioning a painter is also an opportunity to support local artists and foster a vibrant artistic community. By investing in commissioned art, patrons contribute to the livelihood of skilled artists, encouraging a sustainable and thriving creative ecosystem.

Conclusion:

Commissioning a painter for a bespoke piece of art is a journey that goes beyond the acquisition of an object; it is a collaborative venture that transforms visions into tangible expressions of creativity. In a world where personalization and connection are increasingly valued, the experience of commissioning a painting becomes a celebration of individuality, artistic skill, and the enduring power of human expression.

Source Url:-https://sites.google.com/view/juanitasmithartcom5/home

[erbacealab]

Erbacea LAB is an artistic project of Ceramics and Cyanotype with a Botanical Theme.

Our small artisan workshop is located in Italy, in Santarcangelo di Romagna.

We use real plants on soft clay, and then hand paint in cobalt blue the impression left by the flower or leaf, which is always different and unique.

We produce everyday objects such as cups, plates, vases, etc., perfect for decorating your home, or to be purchased as gift items.

Our obstinate passions are botany, the blue color, unique and unrepeatable things made with our hands!

Visit our Etsy Shop >>

#botanical #botanicart #botanic illustration #botanica #plant lover #ceramics #pottery #ceramic art #handmade #etsyseller #blue lover

[kavinsps]

What are NTFs?

NFTs allow the representation of digital and real objects in a unique and unrepeatable way within the blockchain system. NFT development to its security, we can use this technology to manage these objects safely at any time.

 In this case, the tokens represent a work of art: illustration, photography, video, 3D animation, GIF, music, among others. However, this technology is also used in games, to create Internet domains, business cards, and more.

 NFT development company  cannot be reproduced or transferred without the permission of the owner, but can be traded on different open markets, such as Open Sea. Artworks can be put up for sale or auction whenever desired.

 The value of each chip is unique and its prices depend on the supply and demand of the market.

Some characteristics of NTFs:

Weirdly Unique – These assets have many analogies to works of art, of which there may be copies (it's even easier to make copies of digital works), but here the owner can certify that they are the sole and actual owner of the original work, although it can be easily shared on the internet (and it does). 

Indivisible – Unlike cryptocurrencies, NFTs cannot be broken down into smaller parts, and have full value as a whole entity or token, without more. You can't have 1/1000 of a crypto kitten.

 Indestructible – The data in an NFT is stored on the blockchain via a Smart Contract, making it indestructible, deletable, or replicable.

Verifiable – Blockchain makes it possible to verify something that is much more complex to prove or certify with things like art or stamp collecting, for example: Blockchain keeps track of who has bought or sold an NFT and who is their current (absolute) owner, including the original creator from whom that digital asset was purchased in the first place.

Sell ​​art as NTF

Imagine that you are an artist creating digital images or videos. How can you monetize your content? You can sell signed prints or some type of merchandise online. You can also create a painting, digitize it, and then modify it online. NFT development services  Is it the painting or is it the digital copy you modified? If a digital copy exists, does the original digital copy exist?

 This is where NFTs come into play. An NFT is basically a smart contract that claims that this digital piece is the original and all the others are just copies (or “digital prints”, if we were to use a real-life analogue). In other words, the NFT consists of your digital artwork plus a blockchain contract stating that you did in fact create the piece and that it is the original. 

Some terms of this topic:

NFT : (Non-Fungible Token / Non-Fungible Token). It is a digital element managed by blockchain. This is the crypto art token. They were launched in 2017 through the Ethereum currency blockchain network. Everything or almost everything can be converted to NFT, from digital art, internet domains, playing cards, event tickets, songs, videos, among many more.

Blockchain : The chain of blocks is, as the name implies, a data structure that is organized in the form of interlocking blocks that create an infinite chain. When a new block joins the chain, the hash of the previous block is included, so changing the information of a single block creates a break in the chain. All blocks need to be recoded.

Chain code : It is defined as an algorithm that is responsible for separately coding the formulas so that the platform complies with the actions.

 Cryptocurrency – Digital currency or currency that is powered by the blockchain system. Among the most famous are Bitcoin, Binance Coin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogcoin and Ripple. Each currency has different values ​​and its value depends on speculation.

 Cryptography : A set of techniques that allow messages or files to be altered and modified so that they cannot be read by unauthorized users.

 Ethereum : Public blockchain platform created in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin that hosts decentralized and collaborative applications. The platform is backed by an open decentralized network of nodes and is supported by a community of developers.

 Token: it is a unit of value, it is a type of cryptocurrency that represents "something" that is not a monetary transaction. There are fungible tokens (which can be divisible) and non-fungible or NFT tokens (which are not divisible).

Trading : is the speculation and sale of listed digital assets based on Technical Analysis (TA) with the aim of obtaining economic benefits.

#NFT development #NFT development company #NFT development services

[bookshopstelline]

♫BOOKSHOP STELLINE♫

presents:

Rada Koželj

Sailor Moon

2018

21x29,7cm

Pezzo unico, firmato

90€

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rada Koželj (Lecco, 1988)

Graduated in painting at the Brera Academy of Fine Art in Milan (2013).

During her internship year at the Archive Books - a publishing house in Berlin – she developed “Adamant”, her novel and artist book.

She chooses languages that require the mastery of one's own individual sign such as painting, singing and writing, means that have been used as sort of “divination tool” that allows, through the unrepeatable individual experience, to verify one's existence.

She lives and works between Lake Como and Milan, Italy.

TO PURCHASE THIS ITEM VISIT THE PAGE

“HOW TO PLACE YOUR ORDER”

CLICK HERE

XOXO

CoCo

#coco #comocontemporanea #bookshopstelline #radakozelj #como

[gowshak-blog]

The Genies, who are they?

The Genies, who are they?

We have long known who these genies are, but we do not suspect it. Knowledge of djinn closes the world to us, constructions on a materialistic foundation. The Djinn are also the demons of the Christian world. Djinn are disembodied beings who can contact people through the world of thought. All thoughts of people and other entities interact in a single information field. We don’t see other people’s thoughts, but sometimes we guess them, or we feel other people’s moods and emotions. And the Jin (or demons) always dwell in this field and hear the thoughts of all living beings. It is hard to say how the genies will look, they are led bodiless, but Western cinema very often tries to depict them, not only Western. For example, fairy elf creatures are nothing but disguised genies. I will also write an article called "How Gins Make Movies". Gins, a lot of other places appear under different guises, different names. Gins can be identified by two descriptions, "First Born" and "Immortals". If, wherever you are, whether it’s a movie or a video game, the race of the first-born or the immortal is described as the Djinn. From cartoons, I remember the Pokémon universe, yes, Pokémon are also hiding genies or demons. It was mentioned in one of the books that God gave each person a Gene, or a demon, if the language is popular. If I’m not mistaken Pokémon cartoon shows us the same? You can also think of a Hollywood painting by Venom that also describes genies, but the truth is in a different way. The film Venom in particular promotes that the connection of man and genie (or demon) gives strength, but in fact it is not so.

Who is the Devil and how is he connected to the Gins?

Speaking of Gins, it’s impossible not to mention the Devil. Shaitan or Devil, also one of the Gins, but the modern media paint us a different picture of this guy. We have been taught for decades that the Devil is a unique being, one of a kind, one that is so brave that it goes against the Creator. That he was an angel in heaven, but for his beliefs, was banished from there. Yes, some of what is said is true, but always eats one thing.

The devil is an almost ordinary gin that is not indifferent to humanity. There must be many such as the devil among the gin race, I have to enter the level of intelligence, but these guys before humanity does not care. Even in one holy scripture, the Group of Demons supposedly plead for their fellow Devil for lying about God. They call him a fool. As I read that transcript, my brain drew a very bizarre picture: Put a spaceship to yourself, and there’s only one alien coming out, and this alien starts to tell the grounders that he’s one of a kind, That he’s unique, that he was banished from somewhere. The appearance of the devil in the life of each person is about as I am entering the nature of the information received through the media and cinema. They’re trying to convince us that the Devil is a half-fairy-tale character, but that’s not true, the devil must be seen as a person, we’ll come back to that question, and now let’s talk about the alien. In short, this alien begins his murky business on earth, assuring everyone that he is such a great genius the one and unrepeatable being in the entire universe who dared to go there against the Creator. But after a while another spaceship arrives, and out comes the same guys like our Devil and say that the Devil, who was in front of us all the time, in fact they on the planet is considered an ordinary fool. That he found himself a weak race and a racehorse, in every way in front of him. And do not listen to him, he only embarrasses our race and disgraces. We have dealt with the Devil, he is the same gin (or demon if you like) as others, but not indifferent to mankind. And how do we assign him now? It’s Hollywood’s work, which he’s pretty fond of.

Djinn influence on our world.

Djinn live in the information field, so all our thoughts are known to them. Also, djinn can, will inspire us their thoughts, or their will. It turns out that all the thoughts and discoveries, the great scientists of mankind, past and present, are known to the djinn, and the devil himself in particular. Perhaps for this reason the Genies consider themselves Geniuses? The word Genii as a race and means Jin, only spelled slightly differently. Having an opportunity to listen to all the thoughts of mankind, the intruders are opened at once limitless prospects. Having come to this point in the text, who would not be, remembered the Hollywood movie «X-Men», where Dr Xavier through his machine is looking for people and maybe they will instill their thoughts? These are descriptions of our chief Gene, the devil.

In his work the Devil is not alone, he has like-minded people, in principle, in any case you can find like-minded people. And the main goal of the Devil, it will lead mankind astray. I used to think the Devil wanted all people to go to hell, but I made sure it was mined so people couldn’t get out of hell. And that’s where they’ll be sent, but they’ll keep people in hell. Will try to make people in hell flames do not repent. And what is it, and yes, the influence of the Djinn on our world? That’s what I wanted to tell you. All the Gods we remember from ancient times, Zeus, Seth, Athena, who else can be remembered there? Basically, they’re just genies, but the truth is, they have super powers. For example, the gin which called itself in antiquity Zeus, for several hundred years convinced people that he God thunderer, (or who is it there?). How do you convince people of that? With immortality or a very long life in reserve, and yet being in the information field, where one can interact with humanity through thoughts, one can achieve anything. The Genies are a separate race, and they’re more likely to help each other than people. For example, some authoritative Jin wanted in the world of people, say in Greece, will determine as God what he needs for this. First and foremost, the other djinn in this country. The genie of every Greek must be in conspiracy to whisper to his ward the right arguments about the god Zeus. Thus a whole set of conspiracies is formed, with a specific purpose. Through this set you can punish someone in the world of people, or reward someone. It will impress upon a powerful man that this and that enemy may also impress upon the masses that Lady Gaga is a good performer.

Usually in such Jinn networks the Devil should understand best? This guy, able to create a worldwide network of conspiracies of genies, against people. Can we see the image he’s created over the centuries? But no matter how brilliant you are in the world of genies, it still takes direct accomplices in the world of people to leak images to the masses. Through images, people are most likely to be led to certain thoughts. For example, pornography is very good at casting images to people who at the right moment our personal genie will be able to turn on in our brain for us to do the right thing. Without visual imagery, there is no escape, and who is our biggest supplier of visual imagery, right, it is Hollywood, not accidentally led Hollywood sometimes accused of Satanism. While I was writing this article, I was distracted 3-4 times, and it is not accidental, the information field knows what I write, and it must be urgently prevented. On the point, my personal gin won’t convince me not to do it, because I’m in this tape, demoting him as the head spiritual guide, which they don’t like. If I can’t be influenced, my surroundings start to affect me, like phone calls, and my wife starts acting irritated and vacuuming the apartment. Everyone around me is actively starting to distract me, although it was usually not done. In short, the set of the Devil works very actively. I suspect the Gins live in a different, timeline where our world seems very slow, giving us time to think and plan. I also know that the manipulative information of all people is coming out of the sky, and the Djinn can see it all, here you have to remember the movie picture of the matrix, where on the black screen from the top come down like a dodge, all kinds of symbols. And in our world, something like this happens, a directive for every human being flows from heaven to earth, and we can’t see it, but Gini can see it, and the higher the genie from the ground, the sooner he knows what’s going to happen. And for this reason, in the world eats all sorts of fortune-tellers and fortune-tellers. This category of people, their personal Gene directly whispers the heavenly information. But it doesn’t eat well.

That’s all I can say about the Genies for today, if I can learn more, I will definitely supplement the material.

#Genies #Djinn #Devil

[psitrend]

Shuling Guo: 5–6 PM

New Post has been published on https://china-underground.com/2020/09/03/shuling-guo-5-6-pm/

Shuling Guo: 5–6 PM

Shuling Guo is an artist and illustrator based in Philadelphia that creates many of her artworks painting all by herself on a sailboat.

Featured image: Shuling Guo: “5—6 pm” installation view. Photograph by Serko Artinian ©Shuling Guo, courtesy Fou Gallery.

Fou Gallery has launched its first exhibition since the long pause due to the pandemic which broke out in New York. The title of the first Shuling Guo’s solo exhibition: “5-6 pm”, refers to the artist’s series of oil paintings, which is presented together with her “Skin” series.

Shuling is a freelance painter who lives part-time in Philadelphia and every year, completely alone on a sailboat, paints her artworks in which she mainly explores lights and colors. The “5-6 pm” series immerses viewers in the works created by her contemplation and observation during this time span, in the winter evening, in the Northern Hemisphere, when the sun descends towards the horizon, and the light of the day gradually decreases. Shuling Guo’s series portrays this phenomenon in the sky and displays a palette of shades and reflections that subtly change in light, color, and intensity. In Japanese Shintoism, dusk, when night alternates with day, is the appropriate chance for the appearance of non-human spirits. Atomagatoki is the time to encounter with demons. But it’s not a moment of fear or painful emptiness because the melancholy portrayed in its own simplicity shows to viewers only beauty.

Fou Gallery | Instagram

Shuling Guo, “5–6pm” -3, 2020. Oil on board, 10 x 10 inches. Photograph by Yun Kai ©Shuling Guo, courtesy Fou Gallery.

Shuling Guo, “Skin” -4, 2020. Oil on board, 12 x 12 inches. Photograph by Yun Kai ©Shuling Guo, courtesy Fou Gallery.

Guo’s use and intuition of colors bring a breath of fresh air. According to curator Lynn Hai, the gradients and shades of her paintings, inspired by her dedicated study to the artist and educator of color theory Josef Albers, find their essence in light, offering subjective and variable perceptions. 

The light reveals to each one different things that others couldn’t see immediately, as it assists the flow and emergence of deep emotions, increasing attention, and inner focus, to allow the perception of the subjective essential. The role of light is fundamental as it attributes significant vibrant qualities in the delicate minute shades of color and in small variations. As the instants of time that create the changes are infinitely small, in the arc of her observation of the phenomenon, in the same way, those apparently tiny and minimalist details create a uniform and unrepeatable meaningful unity, since although the phenomenon is cyclical at each dusk times, circumstances make it such, that it’s never the same. 

Shuling Guo: “5—6 pm” installation view. Photograph by Lynn Hai ©Shuling Guo, courtesy Fou Gallery.

In her artwork time exists, it’s portrayed in its moment, but evenly, time is not found, as it flows and dissolves in color, is split down, reassembled, and recomposed. Looking at her works, despite most of the scenes featuring empty frames, viewers are immersed in a myriad of transitions of tones and shades created solely thanks to the analysis of light and color. The series “5-6 pm” describes the vivid evenings present in her memory and what she paints is able to make people relive past reminiscences lost over time, not that exact moment, but certain absolute feelings that turn into ubiquitous details shaped by our reality, of personal experience.

Shuling Guo, “Skin” -2, 2020. Oil on board, 12 x 12 inches. Photograph by Yun Kai ©Shuling Guo, courtesy Fou Gallery.

The Skin series sees Guo’s attentive gaze linger on the impressions of refracted light as it penetrates through the petals and leaves, some little details apparently less important, as soon as enlarged and amplified, are converted into delicate visually abstract images, where the focus of the particular is almost as if it were an out of focus, in which it’s easy to move between the antipodes; between a near and far point and soft shades between warm and cold colors. As curator Hai suggested, Guo’s choice of this creative and artistic practice is also influenced by the works of Mark Rothko, where exquisitely blurred complementary contrasting colors swing and jingle. In this fluctuation of apparently abstract tones, Guo observes from different perspectives and reveals her connection with light through her animated color notes. By capturing the light, she gets in touch with it, showing its face that gives balance, because the light itself captures all of us, getting in contact with the light make it part of us. The essence of light, captured by color takes shape, is transformed into a cycle of sensations and therefore into a window into the mind, in which portraits of light and emotions are transformed into a collection of tiny memories and fragments, and moments of infinity.

Shuling Guo: “5—6 pm” installation view. Photograph by Lynn Hai ©Shuling Guo, courtesy Fou Gallery.

Shuling Guo is an artist who is part of the new generation that grew up in the era of globalization and therefore she benefited from the cultural and artistic openness in China. I learned from Hai’s statement that among her many interests is the “Wabi-Sabi” aesthetic derived from Zen Buddhism which values austerity and humility, and considers ephemeral, impermanence, and imperfection inevitable in the beauty of all substances. In fact, in the chromatic choice of her artworks, we find a direct, immediate, and spiritual language. That peaceful glow and stillness help to ignite the memory that magically comes out of the shadows to improve mental health and emotional well-being.

Shuling Guo: “5—6 pm” installation view of Ikebana Workshop. Photograph by Echo He ©Shuling Guo, courtesy Fou Gallery.

Shuling Guo gives color to the wind, opens up horizons that shape glimpses in time, where a thin line is created, a perceptual rift in which a feeling of well-being and inner peace is perceived. She transports us to a place between dreaming and awakening, where there are memories, desires, expectations, what has been positive and what we would like to relive or relish, what we don’t yet have, and which we wish and would like to reach. The light of her works appears as the passage between a before and an after. While and during, that moment of that little fragment of eternal life that we would like to be repeated continuously and for which we yearn and sigh. This always seems to us so far and so close and due to its delicacy, it reassures us and fills us with the strength to make us overcome limits and deep anxieties, thanks to its fluidity and completeness.

Shuling Guo, “5–6pm” -16, 2020. Oil on board, 12 x 12 inches. Photograph by Yun Kai ©Shuling Guo, courtesy Fou Gallery.

 In her works, we find the feeling of potential, the creative processing of all the small emotions that in some moments are not always able to emerge with words and in everyday contexts. Going beyond and beyond, removing blocks or barriers, because the vital force doesn’t stop: it creates moments and transitory nuances capable of arousing unexpected and surprising inner landscapes.

Shuling Guo: “5—6 pm” installation view. Photograph by Lynn Hai ©Shuling Guo, courtesy Fou Gallery.

As we are still in a state of constant alert worldwide, organize a physical event shows a lot of courage. Thanks to the collective effort of many volunteers from the staff of Fou Gallery, the curator Lynn Hai and the artist Shuling Guo, it’s once again possible with full attention and respect for social distance, to benefit from the intoxicating power of art as a vehicle of emotions, through an exhibition capable of offering a unique, calming, and relaxing deep experience.

Shuling Guo, “5–6pm” -19, 2020. Oil on board, 12 x 12 inches. Photograph by Yun Kai ©Shuling Guo, courtesy Fou Gallery.

Colors influence the ways of being and convey part of the feelings managing to penetrate an intimate and spiritual sphere. They are highly significant in life and have a strong evocative value, which allows them to see that beauty, which sometimes due to certain circumstances or experiences you are unable to perceive.

Shuling Guo: “5—6 pm” installation view. Photograph by Lynn Hai ©Shuling Guo, courtesy Fou Gallery.

This event is the perfect opportunity to take some time to enjoy art, make a melancholy convert and transform it into a vital harmony, to look at a unique, completely personal world in which curious and never tired eyes travel in the universe portrayed by Shuling Guo who brings a caress, freshness and to the heart of each one’s own dimension of a dreamer to reconnect with the personal self.

Fou Gallery is planning to host a Meditation and Pranayam workshop in September to evoke a dialogue between art and science. The workshop will be led by a doctor/neuroscientist/meditation educator Nitin Ron, and his father, Pralhad Ron, who is an atomic scientist and yoga teacher.

Shuling Guo: “5—6 pm” installation view of Ikebana Workshop. Photograph by Echo He ©Shuling Guo, courtesy Fou Gallery.

Guo’s artworks have healing power and are like regenerative oxygen for the mind and body. Breath is the main vehicle of exchange between the external environment and ourselves, so through the emotional immersion in colors, we can find and perceive a starting point to relax, breathe and channel thoughts and feel the energy, motivation, and the desire to start over. Color is light, it is freedom because it allows us to see beauty, it lets us dream, hope to spur us to improve and it is what makes us alive, just the sensation necessary to overcome the sense of stress due to the particular moment that the world is experiencing and facing.

Photo courtesy of Fou Gallery Art: © Shuling Guo Photographers: Lynn Hai, Yun Kai, Echo He, Serko Artinian

#FouGallery, #Illustrator, #Painter

#Fou Gallery #illustrator #painter

[tron-token]

The blockchain is everywhere: what do NFT and Web3 have in common?

We have been hearing  about the benefits of blockchain for years. An encryption and authentication technology that serves a lot. But it has not been until a couple of years ago that there has been an explosion of  projects based on blockchain development and that they intend to come to stay. First it was cryptocurrencies. Next came NFT assets . And now everyone is talking about the metaverse. Even  Facebook changed its name to  Meta . 

Blockchain is a word common in cryptocurrencies, NFTs and Web3, are the. We have talked long and hard about this technology. Known in English as  blockchain and as chain of blocks in Spanish, IBM defines it as "a shared and immutable  ledger   to  record  transactions, track assets and build trust." The definition follows with “virtually  anything of value  can be tracked and traded on a blockchain network, reducing risk and costs for everyone involved.”

In short, to exchange information securely Blockchain technology is a best option. This implies that this information is not corrupted or lost or altered. Or to return to the words of IBM: “It provides  immediate, shared and completely transparent data  stored in an unalterable distributed ledger to which only authorized members have access”

From blockchain to cryptocurrencies and NFTs

IBM says that  any asset can be part of the blockchain. Tangible assets (buildings, vehicles, cash, land...) and intangible assets (patents, copyrights, trademarks, intellectual property). Those assets are represented by data that, according to Wikipedia, can be  stored, transmitted, and confirmed. 

Precisely, thanks to the characteristics of the blockchain, they have made possible the creation of cryptocurrencies or cryptocurrencies The No one The blockchain aims to ensure that the information or data saved and exchanged is accurate, uncorrupted, and trustworthy. With virtual money, the same thing happens. wants a currency  that is easy to copy or counterfeit . Hence the  importance of cryptocurrencies . It is It's difficult to make them, and they're valuable in and of themselves.

And from there we go to NFT. Two sides of what the blockchain can do are Cryptocurrencies and NFTs. In the case of NFT, it is a  unique digital asset that cannot be divided or replicated. Y denotes a one-of-a-kind virtual item, regardless or not it has a real counterpart. While it is possible to produce similar cryptocurrencies, which is why they are used as currency, the NFT is unique, despite the fact that it represents the same real-world counterpart.

At a historical level, the first time that the blockchain of encrypted information is mentioned is in 1991. Since then, the blockchain has been introduced little by little in companies for the exchange of data and information in a secure way. But the big boom occurred in 2008 when  Bitcoin , the first major cryptocurrency, saw the light for the first time. Its creator is the Japanese  Satoshi Nakamoto, an alias whose real identity is yet to be known. In 2014,the development of  blockchain technology begins to be tested for financial transactions and the  Ethereum platform and algorithm is born .

Precisely, thanks to  Ethereum it is possible to create NFTs, what we know as non-fungible tokens.  Anything real or virtual can become an NFT, an original and unrepeatable copy that has value in itself such as Music, video, paintings, cartoons, trading cards, GIF animations... And one of the keys that has made possible the generation of other projects related to blockchains, such as blockchain games or  cryptogames  and the metaverse.

Blockchain games are video games that  employ NFT items or virtual tokens . They can be utilised to obtain game assets or act as game assets themselves, such as weapons, armour, powers, extra lives, virtual properties, and so on. These assets can be traded.. And on the other hand, by the mere fact of playing, players can  obtain prizes or tokens that can be  exchanged for real currency, usually in the form of cryptocurrencies.

The metaverse is also nourished by cryptocurrencies and NFTs, since these three-dimensional virtual worlds use all kinds of  digital elements and assets . Anything virtual, as we've seen, is likely to become an NFT.

From blockchain to Web3

Web3 is the most recent project related to the chain of blocks or blockchain. And, in turn, it is closely linked to the world of cryptocurrencies and NFTs. To begin with, to access Web3, instead of using an email you will use a   virtual wallet or wallet. It's the same one that's utilised to acquire and sell cryptographic digital assets nowadays. This has an unavoidable commercial component, but on the other hand, its defenders emphasize its security and privacy.

Whereas today you identify yourself with your personal details or an easily traceable email address, on Web3 we will be an anonymous alphanumeric code. This will give us more privacy and prevent us from being traceable or that online companies and services can collect information about us. It will continue to be possible but maintain our anonymity.

The New York Times  credits Packy McCormick with making the concept of Web3 "fashionable." This defines it as "an internet that is owned by developers and users, coordinated with tokens." Precisely, a characteristic of Web3 is its  decentralisation. The Internet was designed as a decentralised network of networks, meaning that even if a few nodes went down, the network would continue to function. But over the years, large companies have taken over this Internet and today there are small "hecatombs" every time the servers of Microsoft, Google, Apple  or  Meta  (formerly Facebook) go down.

In Web3 we will see  services similar  to those we already know. Social networks, video games... But with its own characteristics, such as decentralization and anonymity. Or the possibility of obtaining cryptographic tokens and/or trading with NFTs. What opens the doors to  companies from all over the world  to take part in a market until now limited to the big ones.

Although at the moment there is more theory than practice, what we do know about Web3 is that it will be based on the blockchain and on platforms such as  Ethereum  to facilitate the exchange of NFTs, tokens and cryptocurrencies. Precisely, on Web3 you can pay through  Ethereum , among other cryptocurrencies accepted on the NFTs and  cryptos platforms .

#nfttokendevelopment #blockchaindevelopmentcompany

[artemholubievgolubev]

Artwork elephant - Forest European elephant - Palaeoloxodon antiquus

This is a European forest elephant that lived in Europe during the Pleistocene. Along with the forest rhinoceros, "Merka" was one of the main ecosystem engineers in Europe.

This exclusive and unrepeatable painting can be purchased here: https://www.etsy.com/KapelkaStudio/listing/1498323241

#Artwork elephant #large canvas wall art prints. Unusual gift for boyfriend #girlfriend gift #husband gift #new home gift. Used as rustic home decor #living room wall art #kitchen wall decor #college room decor #cottagecore decor #paleoart #prehistoricfauna #animal wall decor #extinct animal illustration #ice age paleoart #paleontology #prehistoricartwork #pleistocene #elephant #amazing facts

[terbearcollectibles]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Ukrainian Hand painted wooden floral plate.

[fanaticalfantasist]

Anxiety (Benedict Bridgerton x Reader)

A/N: If you want to be added to the tag list give me a message. 

It was a moment that he'd spent the last two months counting down too, but now that it was happening Benedict felt nothing but anxiety. A deep fear was working its way through his veins, flooding into all of his organs. An all consiming anxiety of What If?

He was stood at the front of the church, his new suit was slightly tighter than he liked. And the flower in his lapel, a peony, was making his nose twitch. Anthony and Simon had taken it upon themselves to not only give him more alcohol than he'd ever seen, and there advice on what it meant to be a husband. Most of it was unrepeatable and a few gave him some ideas.

But none of that mattered now, what mattered was that he didn't run away. He loved (Y/N) from the moment he'd met her, shouting her way into the Royal Academy pointing out that she was a far more superior artist than most at the academy. But anxeity was playing with his mind, which meant his biggest what if was what if she didn't show up.

What if (Y/N) left him standing at the altar?

But what if he wasn't a good enough husband?

What if she realised she could do better?

What if her father had changed his mind and was ending the relationship?

What if she'd been in an accident on the way to the church?

He could feel his heart rate increasing and his breath was going quicker and quicker. He didn't quite know what was happening to him but he couldn't act like this in front of the church, turning to Anthony was a panicked epxression Benedict bolted into another room. He could hear people muttering, as he'd timed his need for a break with the arrival of his bride.

~ ~

(Y/N) saw Benedict run, she knew he wasn't going to leave her at the altar. He wasn't that type of man. The Ton might see his artistic nature as a cause of concern, that he was too bohemian that he'd rather take opium and paint. But he'd told her his every secret, he'd told her what she meant to him. He was also an honourable man, and would never hurt her.

(Y/N) hitched up the overly detailed dress her mother had chosen for her and marched down the aisle. She pushed past Anthony and the priest entering the room Benedict had run away into. He was bent over a table taking deep breaths his jacket and waistcoat where strewn on the floor.

(Y/N) carefuly made her way over to him and placed her arms around his waist. Benedict tensed for a second before he realsied who it was, she moved her mand up this heart and just held him. When this didn't work she took his hand and placed it on her heart. They stood starting into eachother's eyes as Benedict's breathing calmed down.

"Ready?" (Y/N) asked holding out his waist coat for him.

"Ready."

Taglist 

@canpillowscry

#benedict bridgerton #bridgerton #bridgerton fan fiction #benedict bridgerton x reader #benedict bridgerton x you #benedict bridgerton fan fiction

[themuseandantarctica]

* 𝒒𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒑𝒕. 12

change however necessary.

“Most of her strength seemed to go into the raising and lowering of her eyelashes.  No wonder.  They were at least an inch long.”

“One’s eyes are what one is; one’s mouth what one becomes.”

“The serial number of the human specimen is the face, that accidental and unrepeatable combination of features.  It reflects neither character nor soul nor what we call the self.”

“The human face is really like one of those Oriental gods: a whole group of faces juxtaposed on different planes.  It is impossible to see them all simultaneously.”

“A man’s face is his autobiography.  A woman’s face is her work of fiction.”

“Our notion of symmetry is derived from the human face.  Hence we demand symmetry horizontally and in breadth, not vertically nor in depth.”

“Every European visitor to the United States is struck by the comparative rarity of what he would call a face, by the frequency of men and women who look like elderly babies.”

“My face looks like a wedding cake left out in the rain.”

“I have a face that is a cross between two pounds of halibut and an explosion in an old clothes closet.”

“I have a face like the behind of an elephant.”

“No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true.”

“A man determines upon the task of portraying the world.  As the years pass he peoples a space with pictures of provinces, kingdoms, mountains, bays, ships, islands, fishes, dwellings, instruments, stars, horse, and people.”

“Shortly before he dies he discovers that the patient labyrinth of lines traces the image of his own face.”

“For God’s sake!  What is that?”

“The truth is more important than the facts.”

“In the spiderweb of facts, many a truth is strangled.”

“Facts are the enemy of truth.”

“Do not become a mere recorder of facts, but try to penetrate the mystery of their origin.”

“Facts are the ventriloquists’ dummies.  Sitting on a wise man’s knee they may be made to utter words of wisdom; elsewhere, they say nothing, or talk nonsense.”

“I am no poet, but if you think for yourselves as I proceed, the facts will form a poem in your minds.”

“Anyone who is practically acquainted with scientific work is aware that those who refuse to go beyond fact rarely get as far as fact.”

“There’s nothing as deceptive as an obvious fact.”

“There are no facts, only interpretations.”

“Facts are what pedantic dull people have instead of opinions.  Opinions are always interesting.  Facts are only the scaffolding, the trellis up which bright opinions grow.”

“Everything I touch seems destined to turn into something mean and farcical.”

“When I was a young man I observed that nine out of ten things I did were failures.  I didn’t want to be a failure, so I did ten times more work.”

“Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.”

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.”

“If at first you don’t succeed, failure may be your style.”

“Good people are good because they have come to wisdom through failure.  We get very little wisdom from success, you know.”

“Failure is the key to success.  Each mistake teaches us something.”

“Dealing with failure is easy: Work hard to improve.  Success is also easy to handle: You’ve solved the wrong problem.  Work hard to improve.”

“Every failure to cope with a life situation must be laid, in the end, to a restriction of consciousness.  Wars and temper tantrums are the makeshifts of ignorance; regrets are illuminations come too late.”

“My faith is the grand drama of my life.  I’m a believer, so I sing words of God to those who have no faith.  I give bird songs to those who dwell in cities and have never heard them, make rhythms for those who know only military marches or jazz, and paint colors for those who see none.”

“To me faith means not worrying.”

“My faith is that the only soul a man must save is his own.”

“Faith is much better than belief.  Belief is when someone else does the thinking.”

“Faith is under the left nipple.”

“The opposite of faith isn’t doubt, it’s certainty.”

“Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.”

“Being famous has its benefits, but fame isn’t one of them.”

“Fame is the noise of madmen.”

“Fame is a figment of everyone else’s imagination.”

“It’s like having Alzheimer’s disease.  You don’t know anybody, but they all know you.”

“If I spit, they will take my spit and frame it as great art.”

“Just because you like my stuff, doesn’t mean I owe you anything.”

“A man who is being delivered from the danger of a fierce lion does not object whether this service is performed by an unknown or an illustrious individual.  Why therefore do we seek knowledge from the famous?”

“A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized.”

“Everyone wants to be [name].  Even if I want to be [name].”

“Those who are very beautiful, very good, and very powerful scarcely ever learn the truth about anything.  In their presence we involuntarily lie.”

“The easiest kind of relationship for me is with ten thousand people.  The hardest is with one.”

“With fame I become more and more stupid, which, of course, is a very common phenomenon.”

“Glory: to become a literary theme, or a common noun, or an epithet.”

“I’m never going to be famous.  My name will never be writ large on the roster of Those Who Do Things.  I don’t do anything.  Not one single thing.  I used to bite my nails, but I don’t even do that anymore.”

“It’s wonderful to be famous as long as you remain unknown.”

“The family you come from isn’t as important as the family you’re going to have.”

“Personal hatred and family affection are not incompatible; they often flourish and grow strong together.”

“There is no such thing as fun for the whole family.”

“If Mr. Vincent Price were to be costarred with Miss Bette Davis in a story by Mr. Edgar Allan Poe directed by Mr. Roger Corman, it would not fully express the pent-up violence and depravity of a single day in the life of the average family.”

“Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.”

“Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.”

“Oh, never mind the fashion.  When one has a style of one’s own, it is always twenty times better.”

“I have heard with admiring submission the experience of the lady who declared that the sense of being well-dressed gives a feeling of inward tranquility which religion is powerless to bestow.”

“Fashion is what goes out of fashion.”

“Beware of any enterprise that requires new clothes.”

“When Spring comes around, I merely write my tailor, send him a small sample of dandruff, and tell him to match it exactly.”

“Once you can accept the universe as being something expanding into an infinite nothing which is something, wearing stripes with plaid is easy.”

“Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.”

“Dressing with style is akin to issuing a manifesto; dressing fashionably is like signing a petition.”

“It is easy to become a father, but very difficult to be a father.”

“My father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic.”

“I did not become a father because I am fond of children.”

“The time not to become a father is eighteen years before a war.”

“Whoever has not got a good father should procure one.”

“It doesn’t matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was.”

“You care for nothing but shooting, dogs, and rat-catching and you will be a disgrace to yourself and your family.”

“I have done everything possible to please you.  I am the most famous artist in the world.  I have worked day and night and undergone hardships of every description, but I still do not know what you want of me...”

“There are fathers who do not love their children; there is no grandfather who does not adore his grandchildren.”

“Nothing in life is to be feared.  It is only to be understood.”

“Fear is that little darkroom where negatives are developed.”

“Anything I’ve ever done that ultimately was worthwhile initially scared me to death.”

“It was high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, ‘Always do what you are afraid to do.’”

“I prefer my people to be loyal out of fear rather than conviction. Convictions can change but fear remains.”

“The first duty of man is that of subduing fear.  We must get rid of fear; we cannot act at all till then.  A man’s acts are slavish, not true by specious; his very thoughts are false, he thinks too as a slave and coward, till he have got fear under his feet.”

“Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive—the risk to be alive and express what we really are.”

“Yeah, though I walk through the valley of death I will fear no evil, for I am the meanest son of a bitch in the valley.”

“If a man harbors any sort of fear, it makes him landlord to a ghost.”

“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.”

“Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose, or paint can manage to escape the madness, the melancholia, the panic fear which is inherent to the human situation.”

“Without fear and illness, I could never have accomplished all I have.”

“You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you.”

“There are only two forces that unite men—fear and interest.”

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

“The only thing I am afraid of is fear.”

“Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.”

“Fear cannot be without hope, nor hope without fear.”

#rp meme #rp starters #sentence meme #sentence starters #prompts #rp prompts #writing prompts

[izayoi-hakuyu]

Vanitas no carte: A case study of the vanitas motif?

In this I want to examine how the vanitas motif is used in the manga “Vanitas no carte”. In other words: Is the main character just called Vanitas because it’s a cool name or is the manga embedded within a certain literary/artistic/cultural tradition? And is the connection to that tradition just the name of the main character (spoiler: it isn’t, at least in my option) or is the vanitas motif deeply interwoven within the narrative and its themes (spoiler: it is, at least in my option)?

Talking about spoilers: I have only read up to chapter 40, so this may be updated as I continue reading. On the other hand, there will be spoilers for the chapters up to chapter 40.

Note: I don’t know if something like this has been done before. If it has, I’m very sorry. This is actually my second step into the actual fandom and I’m lacking an overview. Also English is not my native language and it’s hard for me to articulate myself properly. I’m sorry if the topic of the vanitas motif within the manga has been discussed before and I’m sorry for any mistakes I make.

So what is vanitas as a motif?

“Vanitas” is latin for “vanity”. As a theme in literature it addresses the transience of all being.

These works of art associates with the vanitas motif show the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death. Symbols of wealth and symbols of death are often arranged in a contrasting matter. Similar to “memento mori” (latin for “remember that you [have to] die”. Memento mori is a vanitas symbol itself and they are overlapping), it accentuates the inevitably of death. But instead of the death itself it emphasizes the vanity and transiency of the human life. Motifs connected to vanitas became especially popular during the baroque period due to religious and social upheavals and the experience of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) and several plague pandemics and the steady presence of destruction and death. On the other hand, social injustice rose due to the build of expensive castles by absolutist rulers.

The vanitas-motif not only criticizes the worldly glory and pleasure that is transient in nature. But vanitas also accentuated that the humans are powerlessly confronted with their own fate and have no control over their own life. This mindset originated in the traditional Christian belief that earthly pursuits and goods were believed to be transient and worthless. Furthermore, people would be expected to accept their fate that would be inflicted by God. While everything earthly would be eventually in vain, God would be eternal.

The paintings under the term “vanitas still lifes” are the most well-known incarnation of the vanitas motif, but it has been also incorporated as a motif not only in painting, but in poetry (for example in the works of the German baroque poet Andreas Gryphius. And I kid you not, he wrote an ode called “Vanitas! Vanitatum Vanitas!”) and other forms of literature. Within the vanitas motif developed a whole collection of symbols associated with it. These are also presented in this manga.

Vanitas symbols in Vanitas no Carte

Hourglass

The hourglass that takes form in Vanitas’ earring is a classical symbol of vanitas. The flowing sand symbolizes the passing of lifetime and mortality. A symbol of the passing of time and the eventual death is also expressed in the gearwheel ornaments on the “Book of Vanitas”.

Skull

The cover of the first volume shows Vanitas in front of a picture frame made of golden skulls. Skulls are symbols of vanitas and memento mori. They are reminder of death and human transience. One of the skulls on the cover is wearing with a crown, which alludes to the typical form of presentation of the vanitas motif, to juxtapose symbols of death and symbols of wealth and worldly power. This relates to the role of the vampire Queen Faustina, who is both in reign of the vampires but who also seemingly spreads death over them by spreading the curse as Naenia (a name also connected to death, as Naenia was a funeral deity in ancient Rome. The name Faustina on the other hand…is a whole new topic for another day and is most likely referring to Goethe’s Faust, a play that revolves around a scholar who makes a contract with the devil. Actually the act of vampires exposing their real name includes elements of/refers to the Faustian pact motif).

Book

The book itself also a symbol of vanitas and finds its place in the story in form of the…”Book of Vanitas”. Books (among measurement tools and the like) within the vanitas motif represent the emptiness and vanity of earthly knowledge and striving. Subsequently they symbolize the haughtiness that can arise out of thirst for knowledge. From this perspective this symbolism is also tied to Dr. Moreau, who horribly abused Vanitas and other children in experiments to gain scientific knowledge in order to become a vampire himself...and his eventual failure.

Knife

Another part of Vanitas as a character is also connected to the vanitas motif – his knife. The knife stands for the vulnerability of the human life and also functions as a death symbol. The knife is especially charged symbolically as Vanitas attacks Noé on the rooftop, declaring their cooperation has ended at this point. Vanitas is refusing to let another person in his life, refusing to trust someone else but himself. His attack towards Noé with his knife not only is an attempt to make Noé hate him, but also a symbolic “cut” of their ties. But the symbolism doesn’t end here, as Noé is the one who stops the knife with his hand. Showing that he will refuse their ties to be cut. Showing that he will stay at Vanitas side no matter what and that he accepts him and doesn’t want him to be alone. In a second situation where their relationship is on the verge of breaking is the conflict within the catacombs, as Noé refuses to agree with Vanitas idea of fighting back Laurent. Vanitas lashes out, severly insults Noé and tells him to leave, if he doesn’t agree. But Noé stays at his side (and still shows him that he doesn’t agree). One could conclude that Noé’s relationship with Vanitas has an element of transience in it by Vanitas coping mechanism of avoiding and leaving others in case of conflict. And Noé fights this transience of their relationship by offering Vanitas trust, acceptation and in the end stability. During their next conflict, where Noé spits out that he wants to drink Vanitas’ blood, Vanitas leaves. But this time it is Vanitas himself who initiates remediation, who fights his own transience when it comes to social relationships. He returns (which is unlikely to him, as Dante states), his care for Noé are stronger than his desire to be fleeting, not being able to be “caught” by anyone. And sees Noé waiting for him. Again, offering stability.

Mirror

The vanitas motif is not only imbedded in the accessory of Vanitas himself. It also finds its place in the design of Noé, more precisely in the small mirror attached to his tophat. In the context of the vanitas motif, mirrors symbolize vanity and the evanescence of earthly beauty. It also stands for pride and haughtiness, similar to the Greek myth of Narcissus. This actually contrasts Noé’s humble personality.

Flowers

Within the manga Paris is described as the “City of flowers”. While flowers can be also a symbol of love and even immortality, their blooming and withering can also be a symbol of death and fleetingness of beauty, especially in the context of baroque symbolism.

Musical instruments

Musical instruments are a sign of transiency as well, as the sound vanishes into nothing as soon as it is articulated. Music is seen as something unique and unrepeatable, and also as something that is transient in its nature. This becomes evident in Cloé’s character arc, as music is her way to manipulate the world formula. Her life is also highly influenced by the transience of her surroundings, while she herself is forced to remain static.

Carpe diem

Latin for “seize the day”. It’s the name of Jeanne’s weapon. “Carpe diem” is an idiom that was especially popular in the baroque era, but it dates back to the roman poet Horace. Along with “memento mori” and “vanitas”, it emphasized the fleetingness of all life. “Carpe diem” emphasizes the call to make use of the day and the time left and to act, despite the eventual transient nature of all afford. The own mortality should be remembered and therefore the day should be seized. This reflects the main characters Vanitas, Noé and Jeanne, who carry on and refuse to give up, despite the external and internal struggles they face.

The color blue

The color blue takes a significant role within the narratives (Vampire!Vanitas being born under the blue moon). While it is not traditionally connected with vanitas itself, the color blue, together with the color black (which are the two dominating colors within human!Vanitas’ character design), is connected to death and melancholy.

The role of the vanitas motif within the narrative

The vanitas motif is embedded both in the form and in the content of the narrative.

The vanitas motif is embedded within in form of the manga as it has an analytic plot structure. This means the story’s conclusion is already presented in the beginning and the rest of the story unfolds how the eventual conclusion happened. This is the case in “Vanitas no carte” as it presents the conclusion, that Vanitas dies in the end within the first chapter and we are actually reading Noé’s memoirs. Therefore it is a constant reminder, that Vanitas will die and nothing that will happen in the story will change that outcome. Everything that happens in the story appears basically unable to change the end. Every positive development is overshadowed by the fact that it is made clear by the narrative since the very beginning that there will be no happy ending for the main characters. This is especially notable in the scene on the rooftop in volume 3, where Noé declares, how he will stay on Vanitas’ side. This scene is followed by an overlying narration of Noé, who says that memories of the beginning awake memories of the end and expressing his regret. In this positive, powerful scene where Vanitas and Noé make up and the themes of human bonds, free will, acceptation of oneself and others and trust really shine…also embeds the eventual tragic end. The omnipresence of death and its fatality and the transience of life and the knowledge that nothing lasts is the essence vanitas motif and it is presented in the mere structure of the manga.

But its not only the structure where the vanitas motif is woven in, but also the story. This shows especially in the character Vampire!Vanitas and in the mere name itself. As Cloe’s case shows: Vampires are pretty much immortal, if not directly killed. On the other hand, it is the curse of Vampire!Vanitas that endangers vampires: Because it gives them back their mortality and the transience of their existence. A transience not brought by an outside force as in the church, that hunts the vampires – but transience within themselves and their very nature. Vampires fear becoming cursed as much as humans fear death – it can always happen, to everyone. It’s not fast, but slow, seemingly unstoppable “decay”. So it is fitting for someone called “Vanitas” to bring transience and the constant reminder of death and fear upon their whole species.

Another factor of the vanitas motif is the inevitable passing of time and the changes this brings – a theme that is deeply tied to several characters arcs, where death and loss and how to deal with both is a major theme (especially when it comes to Vanitas, Noé, Jeanne, but how they relate to each other thematically is worth an analysis itself and I would digress too much). This is especially notable in Cloé’s arc, who is the only vampire in her family and becomes more and more isolated and alienated from her family, who eventually forgets about her. Cloé’s wish to stop the passing of time (and the underlying wish to be happy with her family, to be accepted for what she is), to fight the transience or rather to fight the vanitas manifests in the time loop. The time is reset and tied into a loop – symbolizing not only her being stuck in the past, but also her refusal of a future, since a future meant nothing but being forgotten for her, who sees no other purpose in herself but to execute the will of her family that has long forgotten her.

The concept of vanitas also includes fatalism and the belief that humans don’t have control over their own lifes. This makes Lord Ruthven , who uses curses to bind other vampires to his will and eliminating their own (as he did/tried to do with Noé, Jeanne and Cloé) a fitting villain from a thematic viewpoint as he impersonates fatalism. Personal choices or free will don’t matter for him as he erases both. This makes him a foil for Vanitas and an antagonist not only in actions but in world view. To Vanitas the freedom of his will and the consciousness of his own choices are extremely important to him. He could never choose in the past and was more seen as tool used by his surroundings than as a person. This emphasis of choices opposes Vanitas to the traditionally fatalistic viewpoint of the vanitas-motif. Not only that, but he uses the Book of Vanitas to actually reverse the curse and fighting the transience of existence that has befallen the vampires.

So Vanitas fights Vampire!Vanitas not only as a person by preventing the curse from killing vampires – but simultaneously he fights the transience and the fatalism: He fights vanitas as a concept itself.

But the narrative doesn’t deem transience not as internally negative. Quite the opposite, the narrative sees transience as an opportunity for change. The change of fixed structures is also an important theme after all. This change of structures is of both negative (as the curse dissembles the true name of the vampire and therefore their entire nature and Jeanne’s struggle and agony with coming in terms with seeing herself changing) and positive qualities. In one of the early chapters Vanitas complains about how the vampires are stuck in the past and therefore refusing his help – it is not only after Vanitas proofs himself that he is at least tolerated. The message of the positive side of change is also within Vanitas’ and Noé’s improving relationship and understanding. Even though Vanitas has a hard time to accept these changes (as he didn’t tell Noé about the state of the Queen, because he thought he wouldn’t believe him and refers to the several past experiences of vampires almost killing him), the positive relationship of both of them even inspires changes in others. Notably Laurent. Who, inspired by seeing a human and a vampire in a positive relationship begins to question his own beliefs and is even on the road to uncover secrets of the church, breaking up entrenched structures as well.

As a conclusion one could say that the manga makes many, many allusions to the vanitas motif and incorporates them structurally, thematically and plot-wise.

Vanitas no Carte is really a case study of vanitas.

#vanitas no carte #vanitas no shuki #the case study of vanitas #noe archiviste #vanitas #meta #vnc meta