Monday, November 27, 2006
Changing Times, the Universe and Friends
Last Friday, I found exactly what I needed: friends to help me through some inner difficulties with life, relationship, finance and most of all, change. I used to find going to the clubs and bars exciting and entertaining, never frowning an invitation from friends. Seeing new faces and loud noise was a good thing. I am changing and more selective in where I go to and the places I like. I feel too that I am moving into a more commercial realm, where I am more keen to know that my art and photography is reaching the right audiences, the 'right' people. The notion is elitist: hate that! But it appears that that is the way it is going. Picasso once said that the most difficult thing is trying to retain the child in you. I believe that what he was meaning was more to do with creativity and always moving forward in art, in imagination, in concept. Freshness. Stagnation is exactly that, a killer. Many times, I feel as though I'm lazy, slouching around (on my newly uphostertered sofa), and just thinking. Oh, the couch potato in me is particularly strong. Mix that in with constantly feeling tired and exhausted and a guiltly mind set. At this spur-of-the-moment drinks and dinner with my friends, Irene asked me "What do you want to ultimately want to achive in life?". I answered with an explanation I heard on tv the night before, which explained that your childhood thinking (at age 7?) doesn't fundamentally change or alter in life, no matter how old you are later in life, no matter what your surroundings are. Irene understood. But she also confirmed my direction that it is going along the path that it is meant to be: art and photography. I felt better, but well knowing that my life direction flowing with the waters and the swirling of the Universe. It's all too new age. My other concern related on a financial level to which Irene just said was the easy part. Honestly, and to her surprise, I am not a financial wizard. I earn money. I spent it. I don't usually know how much I have in my account. But what sort of mystifies me is how I instinctively know I have X amount of dollars to blow my money on, as in a sub-woofer (see my earlier blog) or a computer, or a holiday to Thailand or otherwise. Oh yes, I almost forgot: I'm psychic.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Subwoofer highs...
The problem with my postings is that I tend to return to them after many weeks or months. I'm rather inconsistent. Honestly, the past few weeks have been quite fruitful, with photographic projects coming in rather consistently and teaching a few photography courses at Open University. I think that for the first time in my few years of being a photographer-artist, that my work, social, personal and physical life has felt balanced. And although the side of love has entered and exited, there seems to be a gentler flow of things. I do not get intensely riled up inside as I find that someone or something does not happen the way I want it to.
My recent exhibition was a failure in terms of financial earnings, without having sold even one piece of art. This is not the first time this has happened. I was hoping that one photograph might sell, but alas, that was not the case. Photography is a hard sell in Hong Kong, whereby paintings fair much better. I can't help but feel a bit dejected, as much as I enjoy the creation of the artwork. Nevertheless, the consequence of not selling anything made me think of my fundamental reasons for happiness. For the past few years, I have always invested more of my time and energy to my artwork, but rarely, very rarely treated myself to some of life's simple (more normal) pleasures. And what might that be? Well, I bought myself a sub-woofer. A simple sub-woofer to compliment my 10 year old Revolver speakers. It was something I had put off long before my exhibition but really, really needed to make my stereo system sound decent. It was the missing component to achieving a full rich sound from my Arcam amplifier and DVD player. Now, HK$3,800 later, I have had beatiful sound coming from my system. To think that spending this bit of money on a set of speakers offered me MORE joy and happiness than the exhibition opening and all the accolades from friends and supporters of my work, profoundly bothers me and yet, excites me. Is it that I have suddenly become a 'normal' guy? Someone that is taken in by the consumerism that is so prevalent around us today? Or is it materialism? Why, for goodness sake, should I be so concerned about this?
Music for me has always been one of the most powerful sources of enjoyment. It was when I was young, as it is now. I love the sound of music when it is played through a great sounding sound system. It is intoxicating and euphoric. When music is recorded well, it is all the more engaging to the ears, to hear the voice become 'moist' (as my brother would say, to which both my younger brothers are pure audiophiles) and the instruments come alive in your living room. Sarah McLaughlan, Annie Lennox and Mariah Carey become live with breath. And to hear the famous Eagles "Hotel California" live recording is utterly breathtaking. James Cameron's recording of Titanic is surreallistically real. Oh, the bass is so so beautiful: thick, rich and tight.
I ponder why now that I didn't make my sub-woofer purchase much longer ago, knowing very well that I would enjoy my stereo system so much more. Why was I holding back? And not taking life to it's fullest. It was not as if I didn't have the money. I just thought it was better to put it to an exhibition. So now, after the accolades of the show, I realized that it didn't do it for me. I needed some of life's simpler pleasure of pure sonic entertainment: music at it's purest level I can find without hiring the real thing.
My recent exhibition was a failure in terms of financial earnings, without having sold even one piece of art. This is not the first time this has happened. I was hoping that one photograph might sell, but alas, that was not the case. Photography is a hard sell in Hong Kong, whereby paintings fair much better. I can't help but feel a bit dejected, as much as I enjoy the creation of the artwork. Nevertheless, the consequence of not selling anything made me think of my fundamental reasons for happiness. For the past few years, I have always invested more of my time and energy to my artwork, but rarely, very rarely treated myself to some of life's simple (more normal) pleasures. And what might that be? Well, I bought myself a sub-woofer. A simple sub-woofer to compliment my 10 year old Revolver speakers. It was something I had put off long before my exhibition but really, really needed to make my stereo system sound decent. It was the missing component to achieving a full rich sound from my Arcam amplifier and DVD player. Now, HK$3,800 later, I have had beatiful sound coming from my system. To think that spending this bit of money on a set of speakers offered me MORE joy and happiness than the exhibition opening and all the accolades from friends and supporters of my work, profoundly bothers me and yet, excites me. Is it that I have suddenly become a 'normal' guy? Someone that is taken in by the consumerism that is so prevalent around us today? Or is it materialism? Why, for goodness sake, should I be so concerned about this?
Music for me has always been one of the most powerful sources of enjoyment. It was when I was young, as it is now. I love the sound of music when it is played through a great sounding sound system. It is intoxicating and euphoric. When music is recorded well, it is all the more engaging to the ears, to hear the voice become 'moist' (as my brother would say, to which both my younger brothers are pure audiophiles) and the instruments come alive in your living room. Sarah McLaughlan, Annie Lennox and Mariah Carey become live with breath. And to hear the famous Eagles "Hotel California" live recording is utterly breathtaking. James Cameron's recording of Titanic is surreallistically real. Oh, the bass is so so beautiful: thick, rich and tight.
I ponder why now that I didn't make my sub-woofer purchase much longer ago, knowing very well that I would enjoy my stereo system so much more. Why was I holding back? And not taking life to it's fullest. It was not as if I didn't have the money. I just thought it was better to put it to an exhibition. So now, after the accolades of the show, I realized that it didn't do it for me. I needed some of life's simpler pleasure of pure sonic entertainment: music at it's purest level I can find without hiring the real thing.
Inner Health
This is something that I wrote on another blog site regarding innner health, but felt should be included here, as this blog is more comprehensive. It was written on June 11, 2006....
Inner Health
I decided to put up a photo of myself after being sick from about may 2005 till about february 2006 with a very painful lower back pain that become exacerbated to sciatica (leg pain). I couldn't do anything it seemed. I feltI would never walk again and lived on painkillers when it was so severe that all i could do was lie and read or watch tv. I went to about 7 practitioners (including a western doctor, orthopaedic surgeon, chinese doctor, physio therapist, chiropractor and about 4 acupuncture doctors). Finally, with the last acupuncture doctor (an older man in T.S.T), a LOT of strething every day, walking, bodybalance, some yoga (have to be very careful!) classes, weekly massage (chinese accupressure but he/she MUST be very experienced), meditation and the support of a friends to talk to, I am now back near full recovery. I still have a dull pain, which can come back very easily if I'm not careful and don't excersise. so the pic I have up there now is after pulling my energy to getting my OUTER shape more or less back in order. what i realize most is that my INNER body was really out to lunch. sciatica is not something i wish on anyone... but it's been truly humbling to go through the physical pain.
Inner Health
I decided to put up a photo of myself after being sick from about may 2005 till about february 2006 with a very painful lower back pain that become exacerbated to sciatica (leg pain). I couldn't do anything it seemed. I feltI would never walk again and lived on painkillers when it was so severe that all i could do was lie and read or watch tv. I went to about 7 practitioners (including a western doctor, orthopaedic surgeon, chinese doctor, physio therapist, chiropractor and about 4 acupuncture doctors). Finally, with the last acupuncture doctor (an older man in T.S.T), a LOT of strething every day, walking, bodybalance, some yoga (have to be very careful!) classes, weekly massage (chinese accupressure but he/she MUST be very experienced), meditation and the support of a friends to talk to, I am now back near full recovery. I still have a dull pain, which can come back very easily if I'm not careful and don't excersise. so the pic I have up there now is after pulling my energy to getting my OUTER shape more or less back in order. what i realize most is that my INNER body was really out to lunch. sciatica is not something i wish on anyone... but it's been truly humbling to go through the physical pain.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
