VISUAL REFERENCES - Postcard Project

BRING MOSS BACK Sensual Art Calendar

Aesthetically Inspiring Photos!

A Tiger Relieving Himself

I took this picture of a tiger who lived at the Como Zoo. I wasn't really as close as it looks, I zoomed in pretty far! I suppose some people might call me a pervert for photographic a tiger defacating. The issue of zoos is a tough one, because it's a little sad to see the animals in cages. But how else are kids supposed to see wild animals in real life? A heated debate!

I Turned This Picture In For A Class, And People Hated It!

Critics contended that this photo was not interesting or pleasing to look at. Some believed that I just liked the photo because I think my cat is cute. But that's bullshit. I think this photo is very creepy in a Stan Kubrick sort of way. I think it's a moment that needed to be captured, because how often is a cat laying next to a pillow that has a very similar looking cat embroidered on it! Come On! I will admit that it is not a very crisp image, but I support it compositionally. Word.

Me and Twin Cats

I don't remember the names of these two cats, but they are very cute, as you would assume from the picture. I bet these cats are a lot bigger now. These kitties were strays that my stepmom took in off the street in Pasadena, California. Is there anything cuter than kittens? Maybe not!

Me And A Cat Named Samantha

This is a photo of me and a cat named Samantha, who lives with some rich people in Edina. Samantha has probably the cutest face I have ever seen on a cat. But you can't tell, because her face is obscured in this picture ironically. It's a very fat, round face, with expressive eyes. This cat could probably play Garfield in a movie. She used to have a friend named Tigger, who was put to sleep about a year ago.

The Pumpkin Man

This cat's name is Jasper, and he's owned by an associate of mine who, for the purposes of this conversation, we'll refer to as John Q. Public. Mr. Public and his cat live in a basement apartment near the University with Mr. Public's girlfriend, who, for the purposes of this conversation, we'll refer to as Gayle Sample. They both own the cat. Jasper, who is sometimes nicknamed "Jabbster" of "Pumpkin Man," is actually part lynx and part bobcat, and as a result is much larger and more dashing than the average housecat.

Coincidentally, an ex-girlfriend of mine, who, for the purposes of this conversation, we'll refer to as Cold Bitch, once lived in the very same basement apartment unit where Mr. Public and Ms. Sample now reside with their lovely cat. For her personal quarters, Ms. Bitch evidently took same nook where Mr. Public now enjoys his favorite pasttime, playing an internet video game which, for the purposes of this conversation, we'll refer to as Uncle Clyde's Midnight Ride.

A Picture of Me and My Cat

This is a picture of me and my cat. Her name is Clarissa, but most of the time I call her Kitty. She is 13 years old. I think she's always had some mental issues. When my mom and I went to see these kittens 13 years ago, Kitty was very standoffish, and she had a kink in her tail that probably came from getting slammed in a door or something. I guess only kitty knows for sure.

Whenever my cat is approached by someone she doesn't know, she hisses at them, which scares most people. I read somewhere once that cats started hissing by doing an imitation of snakes, whom cats apparently, and understandably, found very frightening.

Another disturbing milestone for Kitty came when my little sister Ainsley was born. Apparently cats are not big fans of babies. I think they may think that the baby is another cat who is suddenly stealing all their attention. Kitty was very mopy and depressive for about two years. Her energy level seemed to go way down and she gained a bunch of weight. Soon, people from the neighborhood were cracking jokes about how fat our cat was. Those bastards. That was the last time I babysat for those yuppy assholes.

The Strokes' "Last Nite" Directed By Roman Coppola

This video is a major influence on my aesthetic sensibility. I love the way it looks, sort of like it's from the Muppet Show or early Saturday Night Live. The color looks bright but slightly weathered, which is a romantic combination. When the bandmembers move, there is a slight blur that is reminiscent of vintage analogue videotape. The camera work is also well done in replicating the feel of a television show. But interestingly, there is a vague futuristic quality about this video, which creates an interesting tension.

I also think it's very interesting that the band is actually performing the song live in this video, not lip-syncing, as is the standard with almost all music videos. Most bands would never use a live version of the song in a video instead of the album version, because most bands don't really sound nearly as good as on the album when they play live. But, since the Strokes are a very precise live band, they're able to replicate the recorded version almost exactly, but with more "oomph." It's a very confident and very effective move to simply show a band playing a song as they are, without the filter of overproduction.

Grindhouse: The Best Movie of the Year

I saw this movie six times in the theatre, I became really obsessed with it. It really takes all the little things that are fun and unique to the filmgoing experience and combines them for the ultimate theatrical experience. Grindhouse utilizes the effects of movie trailers, (faux) aged film stock, the double-feature format, horror-movie archetypes, self-referentiality, and pretty much any cinematic "icing" that can be conjured by two of the most film-loving directors around, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez.

I like Tarantino's movies a lot because he sort of purposely makes these "ultimate" genre movies. Kill Bill, for example, is Tarantino taking everything he knows about kung fu, action, and western movies to make the ultimate action film. He makes these movies so good that they transcend the genres that inspired them to the point where they turn their own influences into footnotes. "Death Proof," Tarantino's half of Grindhouse, is his stab at the ultimate "slasher" film. He steals the films structure from probably the greatest slasher film of all time, Psycho. I like artists who structure their work like a thrillride. Non-stop thrills, or at least interest, is a good goal.

Hairspray: The 2nd Best Movie of the Year

Fantastic movie. I think when a film musical is done well, it can be the most exciting form of art. And using a John Waters movie as base material is one of the best decisions that could be made. They definitely stay true to the sunny and twisted spirit of John Waters. Waters makes a cameo during the opening song. He plays a flasher, which should alone put to rest any doubts about the authenticity of this movie. The casting could not be any better if Andy Warhol had done it himself. Divine is replaced by John Travolta, which I think really makes a lot of sense. Deborah Harry, who played Velma Von Tussle in Waters' 1988 original, is here replaced by Michele Pfeiffer, who could easily be mistaken for her sister. Nikki Blonsky (in the Rikki Lake role) and Amanda Bynes (as permanantly-punished Penny Pingleton) play their roles perfectly and are very attractive, which is also fun.

The art-direction is like beautiful candy, and the musical sequences are orchestrated well enough to produce super thrills. If this movie doesn't win some major awards, it's an outrage.

I would like to make some musical films.

A Spectacular Video of Randy Moss

This collects some of the greatest career highlights of a true artist, Randy Moss. He's quick, like a cat. The video is set to a Moss-themed rap song. Very Kitschy. I am very fascinated by football. i think it's interesting because it's 22 guys dressed like super heroes fighting to move the ball one way or the other. I'd like to see more artists design professional sports uniforms, just like in the Russian futurist movement, where they sought to merge art with all aspects of society. They could start by playing one game a year where each team in the league wore jerseys designed by a different artist from the teams' respective city. That would be incredible.