Tommy Robson, 2010. Currently untitled.  

Another work that has come out of all the previous ideas, ill see how i feel about it at a later date. 

The problem with a Cliche.

I don't actually believe there is any problems with Cliché's. Cliché's are things that have been elevated to the status of being almost recognizably universal. They are accepted as almost true, in the same way a aphorism is. So this is where i get to the problem. It is people that see them as being completely true, making due with lackluster portrayal, missing the ironic punch line that could be reached and instead, they just waste a good trick. 

The Matrix.

Picked this image due to it being out of focus, something i am infamous for. 

The matrix is a movie that my mother took me to see when i was 11 (twice). The first time i couldn't grip the ideas, or even the story. The second time with a little help from my mum i begun to understand it, it was quite an epiphany for me. The creators clearly had a thing for Jean Baudrillard. Baudrillard seemed to detest the film and distance himself from it. But i believe he misses the point and can not see outside of himself http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/24/opinion/editorial-observer-a-french-philosopher-talks-back-to-hollywood-and-the-matrix.html?pagewanted=1. The point; although at my current age of 22 the ideas does appear over simplistic, at 11 it was a dramatic exposure to complex concepts, lateral thinking and speculative thought.
I think People miss the real power of Christianity. Its power comes its teachings in the bible, not because they are true but because of their ability subvert general thinking, exposing the masses to modes of lateral thinking and speculative thought. Neo's path has some uncanny similarities to that of Jesus, I am not suggesting that this a major influence of just the matrix but that of all out ideas.    


       

Marilyn Monroe

I needed something to write a post about and I just couldn't get past the images of Marilyn Monroe. She seemed to know that, in order to achieve a compelling photograph, you need to be able to dramatize aspects of facial expressions, like a caricature. The minuteness of a regular expression doesn't translate to photographs, there isn't enough distance between many. Perhaps this is why there doesn't seem to be a bad photo of her in existence. Unlike models of today, who clearly have no idea of their faces or the performative aspect. She new that the camera can not distinguish when someone is faking it. There isn't a present day model that can stand next to her.        I hear Angelina Jolie may be playing her haha, I really hope not.               

Imperial Bedrooms, Bret Easton Ellis

This post is to forewarn those who might be interested, that i will be posting a book review(of sorts) here in the near future on Bret Easton Ellis's latest book Imperial Bedrooms, author of American Psycho.
So if your interested in what i think keep an eye out, as i haven't read its prequel less than zero and am tossing up whether to read it first, give it a couple months. also Slavoj Žižek has a new book out, maybe i could make this a thing

    

http://www.randomhouse.com/kvpa/eastonellis/#/about-the-book

more about Running Wilde & Will Arnett

http://iheartcolapinto.com/?p=9289

I came across this funny spread of Arnett in GQ Magazine, publicizing his due to come out TV series. I think the world is ripe for likes of me.   

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