Thursday, December 3, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Quentin Crisp... How to Have a Life-Style...
a few scans and excerpt from a favourite book and treasured memories...
° Quentin Crisp °
(25 December 1908 – 21 November 1999), born Denis Charles Pratt, was an English writer and raconteur
... I am not hiding in the shadow of Mr Socrates and merely reiterating that the purpose of education is self-knowledge. This is but 'O' level stuff; at 'A' level, the stylist's level, we must learn self-projection.
....
What we need is not massive grants for the visual arts but encouragement to learn singing, dancing and a whole syllabus of self-glorifying techniques. Painting is only a rebus of self-expression. Why not learn expression itself?
...
We do not need the perfectly designed chair; we want a capacity for relaxing even on a bed of nails. We ought not to waste time constructing a 'with-it' telephone kiosk; we should rather cultivate such perfect diction that we can communicate against all odds. We shall find we already have a golden city when we have all become divine beings.
...
All we need to do is to esteem the freedom to reject as highly as the licence to accept; to reform ourselves instead of other people; to be aware of the quality of our experience instead of its quantity; to live for living's sake - with style...
" I have always lived my life in the profession of being."
° Quentin Crisp °
(25 December 1908 – 21 November 1999), born Denis Charles Pratt, was an English writer and raconteur
... I am not hiding in the shadow of Mr Socrates and merely reiterating that the purpose of education is self-knowledge. This is but 'O' level stuff; at 'A' level, the stylist's level, we must learn self-projection.
....
What we need is not massive grants for the visual arts but encouragement to learn singing, dancing and a whole syllabus of self-glorifying techniques. Painting is only a rebus of self-expression. Why not learn expression itself?
...
We do not need the perfectly designed chair; we want a capacity for relaxing even on a bed of nails. We ought not to waste time constructing a 'with-it' telephone kiosk; we should rather cultivate such perfect diction that we can communicate against all odds. We shall find we already have a golden city when we have all become divine beings.
...
All we need to do is to esteem the freedom to reject as highly as the licence to accept; to reform ourselves instead of other people; to be aware of the quality of our experience instead of its quantity; to live for living's sake - with style...
" I have always lived my life in the profession of being."
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Austin Osman Spare... Self Portrait....
¥ Austin Osman Spare ¥
'Self as Hitler'
In 1936 an official at the German Embassy in London bought a self-portrait by Spare because it bore a striking resemblance to Adolf Hitler. The Fuhrer saw it and agreed and proceeded to invite Spare to Berlin to paint his portrait. Spare refused, replying
"Only from negations can I wholesomely conceive you. For I know of no courage sufficient to stomach your aspirations and ultimates. If you are superman, let me be for ever animal".
'Self as Hitler'
In 1936 an official at the German Embassy in London bought a self-portrait by Spare because it bore a striking resemblance to Adolf Hitler. The Fuhrer saw it and agreed and proceeded to invite Spare to Berlin to paint his portrait. Spare refused, replying
"Only from negations can I wholesomely conceive you. For I know of no courage sufficient to stomach your aspirations and ultimates. If you are superman, let me be for ever animal".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)