Nip Tuck. vanity, we make it look good.

Deeply Superficial, haha yeah thats it. 

The show Nip/Tuck, A show i felt i should write a little about. 


Every episode starts with the line "so, tell us what you don't like about yourself." (perhaps this is what we should start ask people who we just met, instead of the usual, so what do you do?) It is a question that could be associated with a therapist, which they are clearly not. This imposing question is the reverse of the genuine display of compassion, It isolates away the concept of humanity and instead reduces someone to the comical value of their most distressing traits.
The question itself is at a ironic distance from social normality. This is much like how Woody Allen is always revealing what he doesn't like about himself, showing a formal acceptance. But with the patients of nip/tuck, they have not. This to is ironic and further removes them from the realm of humanness. But despite the bleakness of this position, i believe there is something inherently beautiful about western vanity.


Beauty like money is a fetishistic item, its hard to understand how it works. We know that for a lot of people it is quite consuming. None of us are sure if we have enough so the easiest solution is just to accumulate more. We shape ourselves around those we consider to possess it. Nip/Tuck tries to reveal the desperation and ugliness that can be observed with this almost normal cultural obsession. The show makes use of the myths and stories seem to never tier of being told among us. This is sort a synopsis of our postmodernist times, where the most interesting elements survive and eventually all else loses it time share. Leaving us with a surplus of bizarre happenings. Although most of us possibly only experience a couple of these in our lives, by proxy we all hold onto many more and in a way are more and more likely to repeat them in slight variations. But the point I'm trying to make is that this exaggerated vanity is a shared desperation, the fact that appears ironic proves that we have admitted this and hear in lies the beauty, Western vanity is met with indifference and indifference is always ironic. Ironic in that the position held is one maintaining a distance from pathological vanity, while acknowledging it as a valuable part of our culture, a part all of us contribute to.  


Tommy.              

astronaut.

Tommy Robson, (2010). Spaceman (#2). photographic image. 

Something from my cardboard series. The reason i used cardboard is, I saw it as a way of communicated an idea, while not having to become a astronaut. Which seemed to be a universal fantasy during the space era an era that held a mass optimism. 
The outfit is just edifice, the less i have to do to achieve a sufficient outcome is what I desired. kind of like scoring less inhibited girls is for blokes. 
Tommy.    

Self Portrait(s) as thief.

Tommy Robson. (2010). self-portrait (as thief) disguise no.1. Photographic image.

I love Will Arnett

Will Arnett, a very nice photo 

http://www.tv.com/the-rundown-on-running-wilde/story/23615.html

Will Arnett, currently has to be one of my favorite people. The perfect idiot, he truly is brilliant. He played one of key characters or Arrested Development, Perhaps the single best loose sitcom since Seinfeld.
A show that has become a thing in itself and could taint the reception of his show, Running Wilde. 
The name I am not so convinced of. But I'm personally glad a man as inherently funny as Will Arnett has been provided with a platform, affording him to stay present within the industry, in a big way. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYfRSHilLcs The trailer, I especially like his line near the end "not if i can make you a worse woman first."    


Tommy of Sufficing Tommy
P.s if you haven't scene Arrested Development, i highly suggest you give it a chance some time.    

Me and John Banks shaking hands.

Me with Auckland's mayor John banks  

Not a very good photo of me. Look how well John Banks performs the hand shake.   

Goodshirt and an epiphany about being a New Zealander.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLZenBtiBAU


I'm not pronouncing Goodshirt to be a ground breaking band. But they are a band by listening to have caused an epiphany, about some of the positive characteristics of creative kiwi's.
We operate within a space that is contradictory, we are unsophisticatedly sophisticated with our approach towards humor and idea's. Within the song Fall (i think) they make use of a standard keyboard organ effect, which to me is something i remember about New Zealand churches, most not containing a real organ, instead making use of casio keyboards. I found it to be incredibly amusing, due to its subtly irony and light desperation. It can be claim as a sort of kiwi tradition. 
Unlike america with their slapstick humor or the british with their dry wit, New Zealanders seem to make some unconvincingly witty, almost slapstick joke's while at the same time proclaim a degree of innocence (appearing like simple minded folk) but this is a structural component of the joke itself. we are perhaps described as being a touch more subversive. 
A friend Jed once tried to explain why it is that out a small number of people know to us, most are incredibly peculiar. What Jed believed is that we all grew up so so board, as a way of coping with the extent of our unified boredom, we developed a perverse style of humor, new zealand humor. 
I do believe it to be a positive thing, it gives us something unique to offer. 
A country thats a total non event, i think that is just brilliant.  


Tommy

Whitecliffe Graduate show 2010

2010 Whitecliffe College graduate show.

Date: Friday, 26th November, 2010, 5.30pm. Venue: St Georges Bay Road Studios and Pearce Gallery 

The current graduating year is perhaps one of the more distinctive groups to arise out of Whitecliffe in a while. A year possessing a unique blend of fruits, by fruits I mean points of difference. The diversity of attitudes has resulted in a fresh year and there should be something accessible for almost every taste and orientation.    

While some posse the attributes of being moody and disconcerting. Others indulge in humor and produce work with a youthful element, allowing for presuppositions to remain light. There will be connections observe between some, while others will leave you guessing and maybe intrigued.

There is bound to be plenty of drink and perhaps appetizers. It will be without a doubt, a night of excesses for all who partake. This is a year never to repeat; all you will need to do is show up and let us take care of the rest. 

Please feel free to contact me for more information:

Trob01@whitecliffe.ac.nz

0273042290 

Otherwise Whitecliffe at:  

Phone +64 9 309 5970

Facsimile +64 9 302 2957

Email info@whitecliffe.ac.nz

             

Mid Yr Series, Handshakes.

Tommy Robson, (2010). all images. 36 x 30cm photographic pigment print on cotton rag 

Accompanying Statement,

The handshake is a universal gesture that is instinctively recognised. We understand what it means but its recognition is so intuitive that we do not stop to consider it. If we did, we may observe this distinct gap between the inferred content and the superficial representation of the gesture itself. 

It is one of the most powerful political tools, yet it means almost nothing. 

Hitler In Disguise

hitler in disguise

Currently i am working with the concept of the disguise, another form of Resignification or of formally altering something. So this is one of the things i have came across. i think it was a CIA thing.    

My very 1st bog post, feeling in touch

Fullcream image 10  2010

Thought i would post a image from my now old series "FullCream".  The series is bout taking something else and appropriating it with a marginal degree of difference e.g black people and hip hop ( or simply known as resignification).