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Robert Longo Untitled (Bullet Hole in Window, January 7, 2015), 2015
Charcoal on mounted paper
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Mat Collishaw Bullet Hole, 1988
‘Bullet Hole depicts a horrific wound to the top of a human scalp, the hair of the recipient plastered to the sides to reveal the entry point. Collishaw appropriated the original photograph from a pathology textbook; despite the work’s name, the wound was in fact caused by an ice pick. He then enlarged the photograph, creating fifteen transparencies each mounted on its own lightbox.’
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Walt Creel Rabbit, 2011
‘Walt Creel creates original artwork with a deadly weapon. The Birmingham, Alabama-based artist uses a .22-caliber rifle to make pointilist portraits of southern wildlife onto 4×6-foot aluminum panels.’
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Christine Borland Shoes with .44 mm Hole, 1995
pair of leather women’s shoes, size 38, with bullet hole in right shoe
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Piers Secunda ISIS Bullet Hole Painting (Assyrian Horse), 2015
‘For ten years, British artist Piers Secunda has been capturing the violent manifestations of geopolitics using industrial floor paint. He described himself to me as merely “a guy who collects bullet damage,” however, the downplaying ends there. “I’m trying to make a forensic quality record, [it] has to be as accurate as possible,” Secunda, said, talking of the bullet holes he has accumulated and is now exhibiting. His process involves making molds of bullet holes and then placing their negatives into historical friezes.’
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Jani Leinonen ASSASSINATION OF NESQUIK BUNNY WITH COLT M1911 & M4, 2011
‘After Andy Warhol was shot he got out of the hospital and went back to his studio to find that one of his prints had also been pierced by the bullet. That would be the Warhol artwork I would most like to own. The bullet went first through his body and then through his art. It’s such a dramatic event in his life – real life brutally piercing art. I could hardly think of a more cataclysmic event and it had a huge impact on my art. This is where these works stemmed from. There’s also this idea of what happens to designer perfection after a violent event – it leaves marks.’ — Jani Leinonen
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Aura Satz Between the Bullet and the Hole, 2015
‘Between the Bullet and the Hole (11 mins) centres on the elusive and complex effects of war on women’s role in ballistic research and early computing. The film features new and archival high-speed bullet photography, schlieren and electric spark imagery, bullet sound wave imagery, forensic ballistic photography, slide rulers, punch cards, computer diagrams, and a soundtrack by Scanner.’
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Stan Winston Terminator 2 Bullet Effects, 1991
‘Remember Terminator 2? Guns were nearly useless against the murderous T-1000, played by Robert Patrick. Bullets fired at the “liquid metal” robot resulted only in a chrome-looking bullet splash that momentarily staggered the killing machine. The effects were done by Stan Winston, who died in 2008.
‘First of all, Winston and his team researched the correct “look” for the splash impacts by firing projectiles into mud and painstakingly working to duplicate the resulting shapes. These realistic-looking crater sculpts were then cast in some mixture of foam rubber, and given a chromed look by way of vacuum metallizing (also known as vacuum deposition) which is a way of depositing a thin layer of metal onto a surface. Vacuum deposition is similar to electroplating, but the process does not require the object being coated to have a conductive surface.
‘These foam rubber splash patterns — which look like metal but aren’t — were deployed using a simple mechanical system. A variety of splashes in different sizes get individually compressed into receptacles in a fiberglass chest plate. Covering each is a kind of trapdoor, each held closed by a single pin on a cable.
‘To trigger a bullet impact effect, a wireless remote control pulls a cable, which pulls its attached pin, and the compressed splash pattern blossoms forth in an instant, bursting through pre-scored fabric in the process.’
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Adrienne Salinger Girl With Bullet Hole, 1995
Ektacolor supra II photograph
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Lauren Fox The Thirteenth Hole, 2022
poster
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Lisa Oppenheim Killed Negatives: After Walker Evans, 2007
‘In ‘Killed Negatives, After Walker Evans’ (2007), Oppenheim uses Walker Evans’ unpublished photographs from 1938 found in the National Library of Congress. Evans was commissioned by the Farm Security Administration to document depression era rural America. These negatives are ‘killed’ because they had holes punched through them to prevent publication. Oppenheim printed them and conceptualises the holes as a space of potential contemporary interpretation.’
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Nate Lowman Pink Escalade, 2005
‘Nate Lowman’s bullet holes have gained a certain iconic status, due in no small part to their unusual ability to at once evoke the macabre and the kitsch aspects of American society as we know them. Lowman dares to reveal in his own words, our total fascination with death, violence, and sexuality—however glib the conversation may be. His categorical style of a trompe l’oeil silkscreen on shaped canvases drains its viewers of delight while somehow managing to invigorate a dark embrace of death.’
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Viktor Mitic Bullet Hole Justin Bieber, 2011
‘This painting has an incredible provenance, once stolen from his exhibition at Toronto’s International Film Festival in 2017, it was returned unharmed. This kidnapping of the “Justin Bieber” painting made headlines before the perpetrators turned themselves in to the Chief of Police in an elaborate exchange with the artist present to verify its authenticity.’
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William Christenberry Rusted Sign with Bullet Holes, Alabama, 1973
photograph
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Bill Caffrey Can a US combat helmet stop a bullet?, 1991
video
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Zhao Zhao Constellations, 2022
Embroidery on silk
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Corita Kent (Sister Mary Corita) you shoot at yourself, america, 1968
‘Printed text reads: You Shoot at Yourself, America: Freedom to Kill The color of the Statue of Liberty grows ever more deathly pale as, loving freedom with bullets you shoot at yourself, America. You can kill yourself this way! It is dangerous to go out into this hellish world, but it is still more dangerous to hide in the bushes. There is a smell on earth of a universal Dallas, it is frightful to live and this fright is shameful. Who is going to believe hippocritical fairy tales, when, behind a facade of noble ideas the price of revolver lubricant rises and the price of human life falls? Murderers attend funerals dressing in mourning, and later become stockholders, and once again, ears of grain filled with bullets wave in the fields of Texas. The eyes of murderers peer out alike from under hats and caps, the steps of murderers are heard at all doorways, and a second of the Kennedys falls… America, save your children! The children of other countries turn gray, and their huts bombed in the night, burn in your fire, just like your Bill of Rights. You promised to be the conscience of the world, but, at the brink of bottomless shame, you are shooting not at King, but at your own conscience. You are bombing Vietnam and with this your own honor. When a nation is going dangerously insane, it cannot be cured of its troubles by hastily prescribed calm. Perhaps the only help is shame. History cannot be cleansed in a laundry. There are no such washing machines blood can never be washed away! O where is it hiding, the shame of the nation, as if it were a runaway Negro? The slaves are within the slaves. There are many unfettered murderers. They carry out their mob justice, pogroms, and Raskolnikov wanders through America, insane, with a bloody ax. Hey, Old Abe what are people doing, understanding vilely only one truth: that the greatness of a tree can be assessed only after it is felled. Lincoln basks in his marble chair, wounded. They are shooting at him again! What beasts. The stars in your flag, America, are like bullet holes. Arise from the dead, bullet-pierced Statue of Liberty, murdered so many times and speak out like a woman and mother and curse the freedom to kill. But without wiping the splashes of blood from your forehead you, Statue of Liberty, have raised up your green, drowned woman’s face, appealing to the heavens against being trodden under foot.’
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Teresa Marolles Frontera, 2011
‘Teresa Marolles’ “Frontera” reflects on the dramatic scale of drug trafficking in Mexican society. The exhibition features walls where executions took place, that the artist took down in Mexico and rebuilt in Bolzano—Muro Baleado (Culiacán), 2009, and Muro Ciudad Juárez, 2010.’
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Banksy Bullet Hole Bust, 2006
Cast jesmonite with red paint, with accompanying plinth
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Andrew Douglas The Amityville Horror (2005)
movie
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Jasper Johns Flag (Moratorium), 1969
‘Jasper Johns’ 1969 “Flag (Moratorium)” is one of the most important symbols of the anti-Vietnam war movement. While the flag is the most important and recognizable emblem of America, Johns subverts the image’s inherent optimism through a series of unexpected details: the army green color of the stripe, the agent orange hue of the square, and the single white bullet hole in the center of the piece.’
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Lorna Simpson Polka Dot & Bullet Holes #2, 2016
India ink and screen print on Claybord
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Margaret Evangeline Sunday Morning II / White, 2015
Gunshot on stainless steel powder-coated
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Hindi News Firing After Clash Between Two Groups, 2023
video
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Jean-François Bouchard In Guns We Trust, 2019
‘The photographs of In Guns We Trust follow the artist’s pursuit into the Big Sandy Shooting Range, chronicling the material and physical activity of gun aficionados in a unique form of tourism.’
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Yoko Ono A Hole, 2010
‘It presents viewers with a pane of glass pierced by a bullet, with an instruction engraved on the glass, which reads: “GO TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GLASS AND SEE THROUGH THE HOLE”. Ono’s instruction encourages viewers to see from the perspective of both aggressor and victim, simultaneously engaging two opposing viewpoints.’
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Unknown A Penny That Stopped a Bullet and Saved a Life, 1899
‘Of the three Trickett brothers who left their home in Lincolnshire, in eastern England, to fight for the United Kingdom in the First World War, only John would survive. Horace and Billy were among the more than eight million soldiers killed in the Great War, which saw casualties on an unprecedented scale due to the advent of new, more advanced weapons. John, however, was saved by the most ordinary and rudimentary equipment on the entire battlefield: a penny in his breast pocket that deflected a bullet intended for his heart.’
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Dana Chandler Fred Hampton’s Door 2, 1975
‘The piece is crafted using a found door that’s been painted green and red, the colors of the Pan-African flag. Genuine bullet holes litter the façade, and a blue-and-white star stamp in the upper right-hand corner reads “U.S. Approved.” The work represents the police barrage into Hampton’s apartment in a very tangible way.’
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Etienne Chambaud Personne, 2008
lenticular print
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Maurizio Cattelan Night, 2021)
Stainless steel, black paint, bullet holes
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‘The contemporary art world was taken by storm Wednesday after a two day auction of the late actor Dennis Hopper’s bullet-holed Andy Warhol Mao painting sold at $302,500. Warhol’s Mao print stood out because it included bullet holes fired after Hopper mistook the portrait of the Communist leader for Mao himself one wild night in the 1970s, according to Christie’s. The actor, who died of cancer last year aged 74, later showed Warhol the bullet holes. Instead of reacting angrily, Warhol called the star a collaborator and took the liberty to label each bullet on the painting.’
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‘A Russian artist commissioned some dudes really good at shooting guns to decorate a BMW 3-Series with some bullet hole flowers. The car was marked with where they were supposed to shoot it, and as you can see from the pictures, they missed a lot.’
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Jared Amlin Hit System with Interfaces in Unity, 2023
‘I have no idea how other studios do their complex hit systems. I wanted to challenge myself to see what I could come up with, while trying to keep it scalable, and reusable.’
*
p.s. Hey. ** Nicholas(Nick), Hey. Charming day you had. I’ll go peruse your MuseMenaceTV updates. Cool. Seriously doubt I can get Sweet Loren’s cookies over here, but I’ll check or else put them on my next LA to-do list. Me, up to? Mostly setting up plans for today: movie w/ friend, dinner with another friend, trying to decipher a contract in French that I’m supposed to sign. Not a ton. Well, your comments made it through security today, so hopefully it’s sated, and hopefully it’s a sign. ** Charalampos, Hi, Nice listening. Oh, I have too many favorites on that LP to pick one, I think. Another thing I think I’ve never seen in Paris is a butterfly. This place is weird. It’s hard for me to take apart the Cycle because I think of it as one work, but, if I had subdivide it, maybe I would say ‘Guide’ is my favorite. As of today. Love from never dull Paris. ** Даrву 🦔, Those are some irresistibly cute noises. Cheers for the cheer. Whoa, awesome about you as an official student! That’s big, great news! Associate art degree sounds good and right. Oh, at the city college I took two poetry workshops and a filmmaking class and a drawing class and a history class, but I barely attended that class, and I don’t remember what the history was. Hello back to Frankie with a scrunch if he likes such things. I’m okay, no big whoop, just okay. Hope you slept like a rock or whatever they weirdly but interestingly say, xo. ** Jack Skelley, Hi, Flip. I guess it’s too late to change your name on your book cover to Flip Skelley. More’s the pity. Sounds wild enough, that event, and I want deets, tomorrow via Zoom if not before. Hug: will do. Oh, let me see what ‘PotA’ is if I see it as planned today, but I suspect it won’t have enough meat on its bones to warrant a worthwhile confab. Chris Lemmerhirt worked at Flip on Melrose. How about that? Yours, Pancho’s Tacos. ** _Black_Acrylic, It’s not easy to come by anywhere, I fear, except, well, in France in French, I suspect. ** Dominik, Hi!!! If we managed to do that we would have Boulevards named after us at the very least. Um, the new producer is … we’re still figuring him out, but the problems continue to come largely from the original producer, who remains misery in human form. Ange had jet lag yesterday, so I think we’re going to see the Apes today. Ha ha, ‘go for a beer’: less magic words hath ne’er been spoke. Love recommending a good Japanese restaurant in the Marais that’s vegetarian-friendly, G. ** James Bennett, Hey. I personally think getting away from those ‘I speak for all’ oriented writers is a very healthy move. But the critical establishment would disagree. Yes, alert me when you’re coming or here, and let’s meet up. Excellent! Marinating is an important part of the process, right? God, I hope so. Care will be taken in return for your taking care. ** Brightpath, I am excited to watch that/those film(s). The charisma is starting to blast. I’m clearing the decks for it/them. If you get into watching Robebe-Grillet’s films, my favorites are ‘Successive Slidings of Pleasure’ and ‘Trans-Europ-Express’ for whatever that’s worth. Wow, it’s Friday already, have a great one! ** Misanthrope, I figured there must be some specific cause of your antipathy to ‘buddy’. Yeah, yeah, you’re right, there are large areas of agreement. I think I was just too long without a cigarette yesterday. But I just smoked a moment ago, and yes, you are entirely correct. ** Steve, Curious to see the new Cristal Moselle film, although the subject matter in ‘Wolfpack’ is so compelling it was hard to judge her directorial thing. I hope the neck manipulations are magical. I think they can be. ** Paul Rosheim, Hi, Paul. Welcome. I saw your comment a little earlier today and deleted that mis-captioned photo. Thanks a lot for the alert. I really appreciate it. ** Justin D, Hi. Tentatively July. It’s not cemented yet. Oh, god, scary about your early arriving heat. That gives me the shivers (we’re still chilly-ish here). I’m with you. Landscaping is an art, and if you can hire an artist, go for it. My friend Zac’s father is a gardener/landscaper, so I’ve learned about that profession/art. Unfortunately Zac’s dad is very expensive, so I won’t recommend him. How is the weekend looking from not so very afar? ** Harper, Yeah, I think up through ‘Muswell Hillbillies’ the Kinks are pretty impeccable, but then the drop off starts. When I was young I was super into Pink Floyd, but then ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ came out, which I thought was a total washout, and that was it for me. I too am wary of revisiting the post-Barrett, pre-DSOFM period. My vibe is that it won’t have staying power. ‘Face to Face’, too, yes. I think you’re right that The Jam is more Who-derived, but lyrically I think Davies was definitely on Weller’s mind too. Well, you probably know that here in France books are largely issued with plain white covers with nothing but the title and author. I really like that. I like that utter garbage and the highest of lit all look exactly the same from the outside. I can’t remember a US corporate publisher book cover that wasn’t just maybe graphically clever/ eye-catchy at best. And, yeah, I do prefer the kind of uglier, in many cases, arty cover from past decades. But now I’ve gotten sold on white, minimalist covers. ** Gumm, Hi. Tentatively July. It’s not totally locked down yet. I can’t really say anything about the book until the publisher announces it, but that should be soon. It’s a small book. If it was a record rather than a book, it would be an EP. Well, you have just clearly laid out why ‘dangerous’ is an appropriate term for this upcoming meeting/event, ha ha. I guess try to keep your head screwed on, as my mom used to say. The kind of thing you’re describing does tend to be more compelling in the imagination than it is once the obsessed over people are in-person, flesh and blood, but there’s no telling. Gosh, good luck. Excited and terrified is better than being bored, yes! Hang in there, pal. ** Jamie F, Hi. Gosh, thank you so much. Soon we’ll just be fellow writer chums, and that’ll be nice too. If your exes remind you of my narrators then you’ve been with some, ahem, interesting guys for sure. Glad you’re okay. Maybe the effect of my writing about gay sex and stuff is because I never think about the characters as being gay or that that means anything important. I never think about that about myself either. I don’t like generalisations. I’m suspicious of them. I’m just strange me. Yeah, when people are kind to me it just sort of confuses me and blows my mind in a nice way. I had a rough childhood, for sure. Awesome that you want to write novels. Speaking as someone who made that my life’s goal whence young. It’s cool you’re publishing on Medium, that’s a very read and popular site. That’s great, congrats to you and to them. I mean, you can send me that novella, of course. I’m curious, but it’s up to you. I know I’m really careful about what I share of my stuff, so I understand. You’re in Australia. I’ve only been to Melbourne and Tasmania. They seemed okay. If you do get over here, sure, let’s meet and hang. Just let me know what your plans are when you make them, and hopefully I’ll be here then. I’m really easy in person and not intimidating, I don’t think, so no worries, really. Thanks, Jamie. I’m happy you’re into being around here. Superb Friday to you if that’s possible on your end. ** Uday, Hi. Hm, interesting question. He’s a pretty good writer, though, so … but who knows? Long distance, yeah, that old problem. But he’s interested, so … Sadness is important. When you’re chipper again, hopefully by now, it’ll be a richer form of chipper, that’s my guess. Hope at least. I live about a ten minute walk from Stendhal’s former house. Now it’s a hotel. Hotel Stendhal. Two stars. ** Right. Here’s another post needing no introduction. See you tomorrow.
Really great set of photos today, weird coincidence that I’m going shooting (or at least being taught to) with my partner later this afternoon.
I adore the way you talk about your books/characters being “gay” or not – it’s something I’ve always picked up on. Not the characters being gay (you’d have to be very dense to miss that), but the characters don’t seem to revolve fully around their sexuality – or if they do, they do so in far more unique ways than just attraction to men.
Re. Jamie. F. I actually got into your novels from a slightly unpleasant partner too, I think you’d be surprised by how common that experience is. I think I got your writing recommended to me by a Grindr hookup after I opened up to him, so thank you for that. I think you may not know exactly how much good you’ve done for guys like me (in terms of helping us get our thoughts in order about what sex means to us, etc) , but we all really appreciate it.
Hi Jay 🙂
To have received such a top-tier recommendation from a Grindr hookup is glorious, haha… what a great way to get introduced to the material. (I wish I had a story like that, I’m sorry if it was traumatic though.) Whereabouts was this encounter if you don’t mind me asking??
You’re so right about ‘unpleasant partners’ and ‘helping us get our thoughts in order’, like the books gave me the time and insight to reflect and process what happened because I was so unable to cope at the time. Almost like exposure therapy.
Have fun shooting, the only thing I ever shot was a paper target (with a bow and arrow), and it was pretty fun if I remember, haha!
One more pricey bullet hole: in May 2022, Christie’s held an auction of Warhol’s 1964 Shot Sage Blue Marilyn silkscreen. This sold for $195 million, making it the most expensive 20th century painting to ever sell at auction. Crazy money, but I think those shot silkscreens are my favourites of his paintings.
Speaking of exes, last night I was contacted by a former girlfriend who is now living in London and will shortly be moving back up to Scotland. Last week she was strangled in the street by a complete stranger and has spent the last few days in tears because of this. Horrible news but I am glad that we are now reconciled.
Poncho Honcho dEnnis: Last nite’s gig w ASL aide was a hit. I also recruited the band percussionist onstage to support me, background-like. (Yes, there was also psychedelic electric sitar trio on the bill.) I await yr PotA assessment. (I just binged the most recent 2 of this series. Compelling, in a popcorny way.) LOL love that Chris L worked at Flip. Did you meet him while buying a vintage shirt, or via other avenues? OH! Got my print proofs of Myth Lab yesterday!! This Far West Press doesn’t fuck around. I’ll hold one up Saturday. And thou needs must fill-in new deets re: Flunker. Yours, Flippers Roller Boogie Palace (where we one saw Prince perform! Remember that?)
Hi!!
Bullet holes in glass are so beautiful. And Zhao Zhao’s “Constellations” is just breathtaking.
“Misery in human form” – I guess that says everything. I really fucking hope the new producer doesn’t turn out to be just another version of him.
So, again then, and hopefully, you really could go this time: how was the new “Planet of the Apes”? And did love recommend, or at least help you find, a good vegetarian-friendly Japanese restaurant?
Right? “Go for a beer…” Please just don’t.
Love cosplaying Mr. Orange’s gut shot, Od.
Speaking of book covers and publishers, I’m a huge fan of Fitzcarraldo Press, based in the U.K. Their fiction books have a deep blue cover, and their nonfiction books (memoirs, etc.) have a white cover. I like them so much that I prefer their edition over the U.S. edition, which is usually published by FSG or New Directions (both great presses, of course).
Bullet holes are not my thing. On the other hand, on your blog, you introduced me (us) to videos of popping pimples and blackheads. That was hypnotic and addictive! Recently, on YouTube, I watched one such operation, where a face full of blackheads was popped or squeezed out of its pores. But since I saw that one, my YouTube feed is full of the same thing, and now I can’t avoid such an image. But watching pus or brown material eliminating from a hole in the skin is really something. Why?
This compilation is one of my favorites so far. It seems that bullet holes add a lot of intensity to artworks… it’s kind of scarily cool…
And I’m back with another song! Shady Lane by Pavement’s been stuck in my head all month. The music video for it popped up on my Youtube feed again, so that’s probably why. I really like it when music videos are made up of mostly unrelated clips. I think it’s especially fitting for Pavement since their lyrics give off that sort of vibe sometimes.
Hey. I really like the French book cover thing. Mr. Tosh Berman agrees with me about Fitzcarraldo. It’s like when every now and again I see a movie adaptation of a book I like and the style is so generic and boring, but a blank book cover can validate whatever is in my head. I love those pulpy covers from the 70s. If the book was good but had a challenging style or subject matter there were these crazy covers that made them look like porn because the publishers figured that was how they sold best.
Unfortunately I’ve not had a good day. I’ve been stressed about everything. This dog walking thing is not going to pan out I fear, I have this app but it’s not going to work out. I don’t have any offers. I think I’m unemployable. Look, I’m a lot like you in the sense that my queerness doesn’t primarily define me, but at the very least I look too strange to be employed. I get militantly trans in these situations though. I was walking down my street today and some guy in a van shouted ‘hello darling, you have a dick?’. I laughed after it happened but later it kind of occurred to me that employers want people who wouldn’t be shouted at by van drivers in the street. I’m starting to think that non legal opportunities are the only ones. I’m not going to become a drug dealer but God, I’m really desperate.
This was all a rant, I don’t know how it will pan out but I’ll get it sorted. I’m just going through a weird period right now. Perhaps if I detach myself from everything I won’t care anymore?
Hey, Dennis! Long time no see. How are you? What were you up to these days? As you know, I was in Rio for the Madonna concert. It was amazing, 1,5 bi people were there and I had quite a nice view. Now I can’t listen to anything else but her. I know you are not too fond of her, but it was really something. I was also a little focused on the drawing stuff, and now I finally have a worth-seeing portfolio, if you want to check it out: [https://www.instagram.com/peturpitus?igsh=MTF2cjJzZ2hzcjkweQ==]. Please, tell me what you think, and which one is your favourite. The shirt thing didn’t worked out, unfortunately, but I haven’t gave up yet. I haven’t paid too much attention to movies recently, but I liked that Netflix series ‘Baby Reindeer’. I normally don’t like their stuff but this one is pretty good. Something Breillat-like in a way. I heard this new film ‘Challengers’ is nice too, have you watched it? Anyways, I missed our talk, but nothing happened to me those last days, so there was nothing to talk about.
Great news on the book!
From Paris, can you predict how much of an impact do you think the proposed strike will have on Cannes?
Any plans for the weekend? Did you see the new PLANET OF THE APES movie today? I have to stay in and work on writing tonight, but Prismatic Ground will be taking up most of my free time over the weekend.
Hey, Dennis. Nice post today. I’m really into finding beauty in damage. I relayed your very correct assessment that landscaping is art to my boyfriend, which was received with an eye-roll. Looks like I’ll need an alternative approach. No concrete plans for the weekend yet. Any idea what you’ll get up to?
in case the last link doesn’t work; https://www.behance.net/pedrolacerda10 See ya!
Long distance is encumbered by the age old problem of space, yeah. I quote Thomas Mann: “Space, like time, engenders forgetfulness; but it does so by setting us bodily free from our surroundings and giving us back our primitive, unattached state … Time, we say, is Lethe; but change of air is a similar draught, and, if it works less thoroughly, does so more quickly.”
I am indeed chipper again! I made a vow back in 10th grade not to get too sad about boys and it’s mostly held me in good stead. The Hotel Stendhal thing is hilarious. Everybody always harps on about his novels but in my opinion De l’Amour is the superior work. I wish we could get intensity back in love. What happened to wasting away etc. I suppose this is hypocritical of me to say.
Hey Dennis 🙂
You’re making me blush ☺️ I think I should add ‘fellow writer and chum of Dennis Cooper’ to my bio, haha.
My exes… yeah I can laugh about it now, almost. They can’t have been as bad as your narrators, I mean, I’m still alive, haha.
Suspicion of generalisations is a good point of view, I think, a healthy way to look at the world for sure. I’m going to try not to generalise if and when I catch myself doing it. I guess then I’ll be strange too.
I’m so grateful you’re curious about my story!! I should just be confident and send it to you. I once read this book ‘Boy Parts’ by Eliza Clarke, and her narrator would say ‘shy bairns get nowt’ meaning ‘shy kids get nothing’, and that probably applies here and I should stop being so timid and just send it, haha. But, I’m going to get some more opinions first, if that’s okay? I can be such an unreliable judge of my own work sometimes, and I don’t want to send you anything that gives the wrong impression I suppose. It means a lot to me that you would even give me the time of day.
It’s cool you visited Australia, I would never have guessed. Australian cities are known for each having a unique vibe, they’re so very different from each other that they’re almost like different countries. Melbourne culture and climate feels very European. I’ve been to Melbourne before and I liked it. Whereas I’d say Sydney is the most ‘Australian’ city, if that even means anything, it gets very hot and humid in the summer. I suppose the Sydney vibe, with the beaches, could loosely be compared to the U.S. west coast — but nowhere near as fun, haha. I’ve been to San Francisco and Seattle and I had a great time visiting both. I think the U.S. is kinda scary but in a good way, like there’s always wild stuff happening it seems, never a dull moment. And I like Americans, they’re so fun and open and welcoming which I admire, though sometimes they come across like they have something to prove!? Which is so funny to me, because, why do they feel they have anything to prove to little ol’ me!?! (well, not all Americans obviously, I shouldn’t generalise! I met this American woman who was literally a millionaire and owned a townhouse in SF, and I was at her place and yet she seemed so threatened by me, and got caught up with everything I said and did, like she cared so much about my opinion and I’m not even particularly well-educated or impressive, so it really didn’t make sense to me, haha.) When I was younger I always, always wanted to visit L.A. for some reason, like in my head it was so glamorous with the palm-lined streets and movie stars and whatnot — people have told me it isn’t glamorous, haha, but I still wanna go someday.
But honestly… I’d much rather hang out with you in Paris! That would be so great! I’ll let you know when my plans emerge. Might be a while yet though.
Bullet hole art doesn’t trigger my trypophobia for some reason. I’m going to take that as a sign that bullet hole art is awesome. The Mao one, what a fun story!
When you said ’Superb Friday’ to me, technically it was still Friday when I read it, so that works! Have a great weekend Dennis! 😊 And all the commenters should have great weekends too — that’s my instruction, haha.
Thanks, I’ll add those to my to-watch list! No Burroughs works for today’s post?
Hey!
Juuuuuust missed the ps. yesterday I think — so I’m here a wee bit earlier! Hope you’re having a good morning so far 🙂
Loved this post. On first read, ‘In Guns We Trust’ was the biggest standout, but after reading it properly, man, ‘Constellations’ being embroidery on silk is nuts.
Did you get any of the whole northern lights thing over in Paris last night? Saw some here, although only kinda vaguely because of light pollution and all that — not quite visible enough to tick ‘see the northern lights’ off my bucket list or anything. But still super cool!
Sending you fun and sunny vibes, perhaps an iced coffee as a little treat, and a good time at the cinema if you haven’t been already! :3