Sesshu Toyo

[landscape with broken ink: Sesshu]

This month's dead japanese artist is Sesshu Toyo.

Wikihivequeenpedia dictates that it literally means 'snow boat'. I do not care if it means a ... well I do not care. He was an ink painter and a zen priest. Or a zen priest who painted with ink. As is with all interesting personalities he also comes with his own quirky story:

'There is a well-known episode about young Sesshū: he did not study Zen and Buddhism very much but always painted, and so he was punished, and tied to a pillar in the hall of the temple. After a while, a priest came to see him and jumped up with surprise. There was a mouse very close to Sesshū's foot-- but it was actually a picture which Sesshū had painted with his tears.'

Okay, so the guy knew how to draw pretty pictures, but was that it? Yes. He did only start learning to paint when he was 32. The age when most of his contemporaries in Europe died of a plague or a revolution. Toyo died when he was 87 proving that Japanese lived long then too. His legacy seems to have continued by those who are influenced by his art, namely the Unkoku-rin School.

His paintings are considered national treasures in Japan. Follow the links to some great vintage art.

Autumn and Winter Landscapes.
Birds and flowers.
Haboku style landscape.
Landscape of four seasons.
View of Ama-no-hashidate.

Wonka's Chocolate Factory

Gobstopper Trailer - watch more funny videos

A contemporary horror genre approach to an all time classic. Too bad it is just an internet spoof. On a side note why Christopher Llyod doesn't act in more movies is just beyond me.

Music Update

To be honest I do not have the time nor the patience to listen in depth or assess the musical value of any of the random findings that I come across during my internautical excursions. Just like our explorer forefathers when encounter happens I know it happens for a reason: assume their lands, kill their tribes and post it online. Thus here it is, for your consuming pleasure.


au revoir simone
Similar to a few, has relaxing indie sound. Suprisingly to its indie roots, it certainly does not include constipated boyish whiny vocals. Certainly a plus.

connie converse
Connie is cool, you can hear it from her voice, soothing, folksy, simple and elegant. They do not make it like that anymore. Savor it.

absynthe minded
Made in Belgium. Not too bad.

late of the pier
Nothin original, bordering on lame candy for the masse, maybe even poppish, but here it is just because the blepbloppyness. If something is gonna pass around for popular music it might at least contain some bleep, and blop.

the whitest boy alive
A electronic dance music project in evolution, again nothing too gritty, or new, worth a listen nonetheless.

Insanity

tetris HD

Proof that games are art, now they too have a pungent kitsch branch.

Elder Sign

When our masters awaken nothing will save the humankind from the horror that rises within the very core of our world. Till then there is Elder Sign.

Elder Sign provides you with the casual relief that you need to go on with your daily life once again. Remember, you don't have to face alone the dread and hopelessness that arises from the futility of your efforts in the face of one which will rise from R'yleh. Ask your doctor about Elder Sign now!

Dark Horse Comics

Dark Horse Comics, the largest independent comics publisher, has a myspace page... I wonder why no one told me that before, maybe because I am too busy browsing the net instead of going out and getting social. Let it be clear however, that I also am an avid fan of illustrated stories. And of course by illustrated stories I do not mean any of adolescent super hero stuff. I mean adolescent cool stuff. Reading Dark Horse's select comics is like listening to Radiohead, whereas DC comics/Marvel are probably comparable to Britney Spears. Of course I can only hope that my remark sends throngs of comic fans in a mouth foaming, semi catatonic melancholy as their souls tremble in awe of independent boots.

The e-issues also feature enhanced episodes of accomplished webcomics among an abundant variety of indie gems. That in itself is a very progressive step and is in particular motivating for the talented comicians of the internet, and deserves praise. To be honest I wonder how XKCD would look if it had a Frank Miller's Sin City'esque tone.

Check the link to the Dark Horse myspace.

One of those days...

I have been there. It is hard to grow out of it. To all the computer abuse victims out there, you are not alone.

Kutiman Mixes YouTube, good music milked from the sweet teats of the masses ensues

With ThruYou, Kutiman does an awesome job mixing unrelated clips which he collected around YouTube. All aside, it is wonderful to see all those clips of amateur musicians, family trips and random creepy stuff which nobody ever watches put into use.

You can download it directly or go ahead with the torrent. God I love internet.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Today's featured dead Japanese artist is: Utagawa Kuniyoshi!

A fine specimen of ukiyo-e artists, Utagawa's works can be found in the following link which looks depressingly dull but holds wonders.

The Unfinished Swan

The Unfinished Swan - Tech Demo 9/2008 from Ian Dallas on Vimeo.

"The Unfinished Swan is a first-person painting game set in an entirely white world.
Players can splatter paint to help them find their way through an unusual garden."

Quite an original idea indeed, and the story seems engaging as well. That "puck" effect however can be a new addition in my nightmare collection which is already enhanced with imagery from other games.

I was trapped in a maze and I tried to scream but all I could say was "puck"...

James Pond: code name robocod

Feeling nostalgic, I was looking around for vintage games and came across a personal favourite: James Pond. The robocop theme spoof song is just about enough to bring tears to my eyes in fond remembrance.

QPQQQPQ

anger

As the title implies, experimental music, performed by a person who is Japanese. If you like noise rock, electronic noise, and your eggs scrambled then you might like it too. Don't say I didn't warn you. For some odd reason it took me to the depths of the dungeons of the first Diablo game. Slightly disturbing yet intriguing and you just want to keep listening. Follow the link at your own risk.

Wondermark

More internet comics! Wondermark is a fine example which uses post industrial revolution era drawings to poke fun at general things, hypocrisy, 'absurde', and modern state of affairs in a very anachronistic manner. Enjoy the link.

Lucas Art Adventure Game Posters

Full sizes available to download? Enough Said. Follow the link down the memory lane.

Fucking Bitch

'Waiting for Steve' is a nice rock band from Dijon/Paris. You know, the mustard. Sounds similar to Yeah Yeah Yeahs and that is why I like it I suppose. Besides I have a soft spot for the french, and vocals of the female kind. It has a fresh sound and worth a listen, follow the link to their myspace.

Happy Up Here

Happy Up Here from Röyksopp on Vimeo.

When is Röyksopp not good? I do not want to know the answer. Though, it seems to be even better when infused with Space Invaders. Apparently the "official video for the first single from 'Junior'", it was posted a mere 12 days ago. It is effectively obsolete by internet standards of course, but hey, oldies but goldies right?

Definitely an aesthetic approach to pixelated good old times, it explores a new depth of video game melancholy. Or take away that accomplished criticism bullshit and call it simply awesome because it uses cult imagery. I cannot really decide. Neither should you. Enjoy.

(thanks Phil)

KOLLAPS:

More Russian animated goodness: I came across Moscow based artist Kol-Belov's animated series several years ago, and was impressed for the lack of a better word. My previous entry about Russian flash animation rekindled that impression and I plunged into the nets once more to see if I will be able to find it. Unfortunately I remembered neither the titles of his work nor his name.

"dark, industrial, creepy movies..."
I was lucky, after finding koms.ru ("namely Ideologically Distinctive Animation System, Koms is "a non-commercial community of artists, which presents the new wave of Russian flash-animation.") it was no trouble finding Kol-Belov since his work has very distinctive characteristics. In addition to these, the generic Orwellian feel, and almost abstract and somewhat Gigeresque design of his stories also add enough spice to complement the bitter sweet taste of mechanized desperation and modern futility.

Enjoy the links.

link to kollaps
link to Kol-Belov youtube channel.

Synthesizer Shaikh - SamIAm

[photo: from]

It is an interesting album, it grows onto you as you keep listening. Listen and decide for yourself is the general approach in these cases, but by default, you gotta hand it to the guy for free distribution of work which took two years to complete. I enjoyed it generally so here is the link.

Also, nice photo album.

Indescribable Horror

Cthulhu plush looks terrible but has high awesome value just for the concept, it is nothing new but in case you think it is a great gift for your 2 year old nephew go for it. Sooner they accept the truth about our true masters and the horror which will lead them to madness, the better it is.