nouveau mois / nouvelles inspirations [JUNE]
Inspirations for a new month. We live with a desire to dive into every new month suitably bursting with good thoughts and inspiration. Firm believers in curating a life you want to live, here’s what we’ve been finding happiness in recently.
Read: Friendship on Film
Reminded of our beloved (un)influenced issue with the arrival of a few of those maverick boxes that went astray when I visited Hamburg for Indiecon last year. I thought it was time I shared online the story of ODE, a project by Dutch photographer Melissa Schriek and cover story of the missing issues. Now back in the shop and available to snap up. These went quickly during lockdown so I don’t expect them to be on the shelves in-store for long!
“If I ask ten people to stand in a certain position, they will all look and position themselves differently. I find that interesting, it’s their interpretation. The person in front of my camera has the freedom to express themselves in that way. But still, I do give direction so it’s a bit of both, staging and documenting.”
Melissa is a dream. Her images are playfully performative, and effortlessly sit somewhere between staged and explorative. Questioning the relationships between humans and the environment. Magic. Check it out online or in print, your choice 🙃
Watch: Wasp
Wasp is a short 24 minute film, an early one in the career of one of the UK’s most inspiring contemporary filmmakers, Andrea Arnold. Shot on location in her hometown of Dartford, Wasp premiered at Cannes back in 2005 and won her an Oscar before she even graduated.
Starring a baby faced Danny Dyer as Dave, the old flame of single mum Zoe, played by Natalie Press. Wasp offers a snapshot of life on a council estate in days when the jukebox serenaded afternoons in the pub amidst a sea of no shits given popped collar polo shirts (cc, Eric Cantona) and copious amounts of Bacardi Breezers.
“I try and be truthful. With endings, beginnings, the million choices in between. To me, that’s the point of it all, making those choices honestly. Black coat or brown? Naked or dressed? Films are all about decisions, and that’s what I love.”
Torn between what she wants (a date) and what she needs (to take care of her kids), Wasp is twenty four minutes in exchange for a day-in-the-life taste of the overwhelming responsibility of a young single mum desperate to break through the limitations bound upon her. Her search for air was as indefensible as it was understandable.
I’m looking forward to immersing myself in more of films by Arnold. Where should I go next?!
Watch now on Mubi. 1 month free trial using the link below. I’ve been a paid member for 3 years and couldn’t be without it tbqh.
Follow: The Hat Lady
I’ve been chasing the good vibes that sculpture, painter, milliner and mama, Maryam Keyhani dishes up in each of her social media posts for ages. Whenever the instagram algorithm serves up doom, I make a conscious effort to seek out the content I enjoy in the hope I’ll trick aforementioned unwieldy beast into delivering me wonderful, fun, happy people instead. It works!
“Essentially, I’m in my late 30s and still live like I’m an 8-year-old kid, but for me, it’s the only way possible to go through life.”
Listen, I’m Not Fine: My self-isolation playlist
A compilation of melancholic hyper-focus (though, be warned… there are lyrics this time for any writer friends reading this!) with a sprinkle of irony thanks to I’m Not Fine, School is Cool. Lyrics here to tempt you over for a listen.
See honey I'm not fine
And I haven't been for a long time
But I'm beginning to believe
That only you could help me overcome
It's like nothing's real
And it hasn't been for a vast expanse of time and space
But in the life you ??
I can be distracted for a while
No I'm not alright
I'll tell you since you're asking
I was hoping you'd rush in
To save me from the axe and chopping block
I'm used to life just being cruel
Like it will throw you out in front
That would merit most love
While you know it's a mistake
Well you shouldn't and you won't make I've learned my lesson now
Honey I'm not fine And I haven't been for a long time
But I'm beginning to believe
That only you could help me overcome
No honey I'm not fine
And I haven't been for a long long long long time
But I have reason to believe
Even in this fear and hate filled land
Even in this dried out patch of dirt
We will survive Baby we can fly
Also, where the hell did Alice Pheobe Lou come from/go? Must delve in and get angry that I didn’t hear the beautiful sounds of Fynbos earlier. Found this ridiculously magical performance on youtube.
This playlist also features tracks from Warhaus (had to), Sophie Hunger, The Bony King of Nowhere (strong name don’t you think?), Pitou, Dino Brandão, CATT and a story from Michelle Gurevich. It’s only 35 minutes, so go wild in the bath, pals.
A curious find: Marie Lieb
In the delightful haze of my isolation, I’ve been avoiding the modern scroll hole… partly because opening Instagram can be a slap in the face from a reality that I don’t recognise or really want to hang out with. As a mere smol fish in a big noisy pond, I’m not sure I can turn up to that party when I’m feeling less than whole. Anyway, thankfully another, more traditional scroll hole exists to keep the eyes suitably crinkled.
I don’t know how or where or why I reached this work. But I did and it stuck with me. This picture was taken in 1984 by all accounts, it is the only evidence of the creativity of a woman named Marie Lieb. Torn linen cloth (maybe bandages) on the floor of a cell at an unidentified German Hospital. Some sources say she was a patient, completely silent with these middle of the night creations her only form of interaction. Some other sources say she was just visiting someone.
Either way I find it really lovely despite the mysterious descriptions patched together from various sources on the interwebs. Does it speak to you as much as it does to me?
Oh more curious? It led me to The Material Cultures of Psychiatry which you can pretty much read for free. It has some notes on Lieb on P.147, but I’ve bookmarked it for a closer look in future.
