*The Dehumanization of Art*

Kandinsky.
&Malevich.

&Mondrian.

*The Dream Team.........of..........................Abstract Art.*

WAIT! Keep reading...it's good : D

1st up. Wassily Kandinsky!

The truth behind abstract art is quite amazing. Kandinsky is credited for discovering abstract art, BUT, it's the way he discovered it which is most amazing...

It's a late night, in 1908.

Kandinsky opens the door to his studio...through the dark he sees an image of "indescribable and incandescent loveliness"...he couldn't identify it as an object...it was an image composed of only bright colour patches...He walks closer.........voila! it turns out the image was his own painting sitting sideways (A la Paul Wall : D)! The image was distorted simply because of the angle in which he viewed it!

And so goes the discovery of Abstract Art! I know...astounding.

At the time "true art" consisted of the environment, self-portraits, etc.... Art HAD to be a representation of the world through man's eyes, and there had to be an identifiable object. So a new concept is born! Art without an object! ....

Okay!....Here come the Haters...they're always around aren't they?...many critics first viewed abstract art as a means to be lazy, drawing anything on canvas and labeling it as art. They also feared it would invite un-talented artists to display work next to talented artists...(lol, sounds like the hip hop of today, no way I'm labeling Soulja Boy as abstract hip hop tho : D !)....However, the philosophy behind it silenced most critics...

Abstract art came in the same era as a deeper understanding of physics and the philosophy of nature. "The division of an atom" was crucial. Kandinsky realized that the images we see in everyday life are not accurate, rather they are a harmony, or arrangement of much smaller images(atoms) combined together. To draw these smaller shapes, and images, he felt, is too create a true reality. Kandinsky's images were broken into smaller shapes, without form! Example, a drawing of a bike... the bike can't be seen, only the shapes and colours that would represent a bike.

The next batter up....

2. Kasimir Malevich! (personal fav.)

Malevich is ill...the good kind of ill. Instead of breaking down objects to create reality, Malevich believed the only possible representation of reality was a "cosmic reality"...the merging of every single existing object together! Not just atoms...but merging people together, cities, countries, planets, galaxies. Malevich created the "non-objective world", or the world without individual separate objects. He believed that simply drawing one image, like a chair, or a person, was only tearing apart a fragment of a whole image(the universe). Everything must be together to be accurate!

His belief is that...."a real human life is one in which activity does not mean flight from cosmic reality, or separation from it, but that ones life is just part of the pulse of the universe"(the only true object).

What does this leave him with??? The ultimate drawing....a black square on a white background! Yup, you guessed it, the ultimate image. Malevich's drawing is an image of the universe seen from so far away, that it appears in zero form, or put simply, a black square. The black square represents all of the images in the entire universe, merged together into one shape!

3. Piet Mondrian! (last but certainly not least)

Mondrian's art was unlike both Kandinsky and Malevich. Kandinsky's art removed the original object and became formless, Malevich believed in a single form, totality, and that all objects were in rhythm with, and combined to create one single image...Mondrian's belief was in essential form. The breaking down of an object to it's simplest form, neoplastic rectangles, while retaining remnants of the original image. Mondrian painted the DNA of objects, evolution through simplification was his goal. He used only primary colours for his work, the basic of the basic! By breaking an image down to it's simplest form, only then can we truly see it...bringing about a harmony between our spirit and reality.

I found this to be art, or reality, based off of contraries? The complex becomes simple...and consequently the simple becomes complex. Deep!

Last Section...Trees....lets stay focused...these are not the ones you light! : D

One of my personal favs. from Mondrian is his set of paintings based on nature, specifically trees. To Mondrian they represented the ultimate contrary, the Yin and Yang. The roots of the tree represent the world and reality...the branches of the tree, which grow and reach to the heavens, represent spirituality. The tree chronicles a man's life journey, from the Earth, to reach to the skies and attain something greater! Our souls are celestial beings reaching to become reunited with the heavens, but rooted, and stuck on Earth. The roots=reality...The Branches=Spirituality...and the Stem=the man himself!...........

Well...with that said I'm already starting my collection of abstract art(reproductions, all I can afford!). I've got a new found appreciation and my pad could use some art...and Hey....if anything...the girls will like it! : D (damn, I can be deep and shallow in the same article, what a contradiction, ey Mondrian?).

But seriously, I recommend reading up on all three artist, as I'm barely scratching the surface here...it may change your perception of reality...Also, I recommend reading about..."The Civilization of Pure Relations"

*Any phrases in quotations are from the Book Mondrian, by Victor Ieronim Stoichita*

Learn More. Let your tree grow to the Heavens!!!!

"Abstract art is an attempt to not only create a representation of reality, but to investigate its true status..."

Death. Fame.........and Sheep.

Death......Fame......and Sheep.

Why is it that one's life achievements are magnified upon an untimely death? Jay Dee, Baatin...While I'm glad that their work is being recognized, and glorified, why is it that we only appreciate their art upon their passing? Why couldn't they have been the recipient of fame while they were still with us?

"No one gets the roses while they can still smell'em..."

Honestly, look deep inside of yourself and ask this question...When did you discover J Dilla? His popularity is at an all-time high today, and I've never seen so many J Dilla t-shirts in my life! He was always magnificient, but I saw very few, if any t-shirts when he was alive. Who was a fan back when JD was part of The Ummah? The who? exactly...1st down? J-88? The Fantastic volumes?.... I remember bumping Get Dis Money off of vol. 2 every Friday when I got spare change for my allowance. Who shares these memories? Back in the day if you brought up Dilla's name a lot of people were like...hmmm? oh yeah JD? the guy from SoSoDef? Nope! Why is his afterlife success dwarfing the recognition he received when he walked amongst us. Wait, hear that coming?....it's the sheep. These are the mindless drones that bought up all his records, wikipedi-uhd his career : D, and celebrate him as the greatest producer ever, but never knew he existed before his death. The sheep move when society moves...you market to them, they buy it.

The sheep love trends.

Sometimes, I don't even know if they genuinely like Dilla, or, if it's just culturally cool to like him...? Or maybe, out of a sense of guilt, it's human nature to feel an obligation to research his work.... simply because we didn't appreciate, or celebrate it sufficiently while he was still here? Either way, Dilla is well-deserving of praise...I'm just saying, we coulda delivered the roses a little sooner...

Not even Michael Jackson could escape the allure Death and Fame provides the sheep. I was shopping in Amoeba the other day and two girls next to me came across an old Michael Jackson record..."We have got to buy this!" one of'em yelled....Why? Why have you got to buy this? This Michael Jackson record...Two months ago I doubt they would have looked at it twice! But ya know...so goes the story of death and fame. A week before his death, roughly 48,000 Michael Jackson songs were downloaded....One week after his death...an estimated 2.6 million Michael Jackson songs were downloaded....Damn, did I miss something? Did his music get THAT GOOD upon his passing into the eternal? No, it didn't. But now, the sheep seem to love him. I can't walk down the street without hearing someone bumping thriller now.... : D I can't help but laugh at the thought of it! As far as album sales, Michael Jackson had a reported increase of almost 3,500(wait I have to spell that out) Three Thousand, Five hundred percent! ....after his death. Shame on you, Sheep.

Ahem. Can we deliver the roses sooner please? There's so many other artists, humanitarians, musicians I could mention....but you get the point. Let's cherish the talents, individuality, that each person brings to this planet, both during, and after life...I agree, we should do things in remembrance of these people when they're gone, but lets celebrate them equally while they are here.............Well, that's a nice thought, but as for now...

I'll just kick back and wait for the numerous Baatin t-shirts every streetwear brand is gonna be producing out the ass pretty soon.

Wake up, People.

The Secondhand Sureshots!

dublab presents...SECONDHAND SURESHOTS (preview) from dublab on Vimeo.

Recycling at it's best! The Secondhand Sureshots!

Check it out...if you missed this event...I'm gonna get my CL Smooth on and reminisce for a moment!...All the while giving you a clue as to how you can own a slice of hip hop, no forget that, music history....Producers, step your game up! Pen and Pad, Take Notes! This is one of the most creative projects ever, featuring the creme de la creme of producing, a Pokemon-esque adventure for viewers, and a live performance I was honored to be in attendance of...Without further ado...The Secondhand Sureshots are..

Daedalus. J Rocc. DJ Nobody. & Ras G

FOUR of the most notable producers walking God's green Earth (whom I'm a fan of each one : D) received specific orders for this documentary. Objective One, infiltrate record thrift stores in Los Angeles(all four producers go to different stores). Objective Two, Dig! It's what vinyl heads do! Each producer must find, and buy FIVE obscure, forgotten by time, overlooked records...with a budget of only FIVE bucks! Okay, straight to the 1 dollar bin! After the records are randomly selected, the creative process begins...We get to watch the minds of Daedalus, J Rocc, DJ Nobody, and Ras G, flip into action as they each transform their five dusty records, into classic hip hop beats. Sampling at it's best! And the documentary captures it all on film for our viewing pleasure!

Now....The Hunt! After they finish creating their delightful masterpieces, each producer goes to an undisclosed record store, and hides the record!..Yeah, that's right, all four records are hidden in local thrift stores in LA for anyone to purchase! Each one features an unreleased beat from Daedulus...J Rocc...DJ Nobody...and Ras G! The catch...no one, besides the producers, has any clue where they're hidden! To my knowledge, none of the records have been discovered as of today! What's even cooler, is that each record features different cover art, if all four records are found, they come together (Voltron Style) to form a new picture! Citizens..I think it's time to dig...dig through each record store in LA...dig until we unearth these records and savor the musical goodness...And if y'all don't wanna look for'em, well...I guess I have a better chance of finding one!

The Silent Movie Theatre! The Last Part!

I was fortunate enough to attend one of the few showings of this documentary at the Silent Movie Theatre off of Fairfax and Melrose. Incredible! After watching the film, we got to witness Ras G and Dj Nobody make beats on the spot with records provided by the audience. Daedulus later gave a breathtaking performance that words fail to describe...Making beats in seemingly mere seconds with various, random samples, live, as we watched in amazement. Hit+Run also made custom shirts for attendees featuring the Secondhand Sureshots logo (mine is pictured above : D).

Peep the preview of this documentary Above.

And Oh yeah....

Secondhand Sureshots come First in my book!

Dreams pt 2 ...The World Moves Around You!

You're an artist... The World is your canvas... What will you paint today?

"I've never heard of a canvas that created an artist..."

The secret to life is that the world doesn't shape you, rather, you shape It. Every decision you make....wait, run it back. EVERY decision you make, changes your life, and the lives around you significantly....a ripple, the Butterfly Effect...watch this.

"The Big Mac Story"

Ring Ring! My homie Gabe hits me up... "Yo! the McDonalds on Parthenia's selling Big Macs today, 2 for a dollar! I'm here eating mine right now!" he said. Me..."Word! two for a buck? I'll be there in a sec!" (That good ol' college budget : D). Hanging up the phone I thought...since Gabe is already there, maybe I shoulda' just asked him to get me 2, and I'll pay him when he gets back...ahh well, eff it, I'm going!

Hop in the car, pushing down Balboa, slow down, ease into the turning lane...annnd...Bow! somebody rear ends me(no homo). My cars messed up, the trunk's jammed shut and won't open. Worst of all, my necks in pain. Damn.

Two months later, Christmas...still haven't gotten my trunk fixed. Driving on the freeway...whew! trunk flies open...70mph traffic! Zoom! weaving in and out of traffic, can't see anything behind me...errr, pull to the side, damn, roughed up the ol' Alero. Fix the trunk, check....but..............the car won't start! You serious? Christmas 06', spent on the side of the Freeway.

Few months later... my necks getting worse. Good thing I got connects! ....well, I know a few people... Anyways, I link up with a chiropractor. Long story short, he's a crook. I keep my distance......One year later, hes trying to sue me! Sweet. See everything that just happened? Ripple Effect...I went through it.....

All over two Big Macs! ... fin.

Okay, it's simple, I shaped issues in my life for over 2 years, based on one small decision. I could have had Gabe buy the Big Macs, paid him back, relaxed and had gourmet Mickie D's on the futon...and who knows how life woulda turned out? but nahh, I had to drive.

Look how much the world changed based on that one decision! One decision! (Hold onto that thought!)

We shape this world everyday! Apply it to your dreams...Even the small decisions you make today, dictate your future. Wake up! Stop letting the world conform you! There are no restraints! Only limitless opportunities. The world is yours...everything you do, the world reacts to it. Paint your canvas.

Create a ripple effect that concerns your career, your dreams, your life...You wanna be an MC? CEO? President? Than start making a move towards it, it's no secret that doors will open for you... that's just the world reacting to your decision. You ARE the difference, you just don't know it yet. Shape your life! You can have anything...and never say the words...I can't! No one owns you, or controls you, You Can!... just remember to drink a cup of responsibility here and there! Go and Get it! Every time you take a step, the world moves around you!

And don't just ripple....Make Waves.

DWB...

"Get out the Car! NOW!"

Ahh DWB, a friend of mine was pulled over for this violation last night...What is it you ask? It's a gateway violation...Police! (not speaking for all of them, many of them are truly guardians of PEACE, Good job fellas!) But ahem! back to my point...If you qualify for DWB :D (not a good thing).... there isn't a seat belt in the world that can save you! Still, although you can be pulled over for DWB, you can't be given a ticket for it. No, no, no DWB is just the intro!

Once pulled over, the real battle begins...yup. It's a gateway tactic...profiling, harassment...shall I go further? Okay. Lets talk about the Cop that pulls you over for DWB. He's often overweight, and amidst the donut crumbs adorning his uniform, he often has a chip on his shoulder (Do not look for chip, you can't actually see it : D). Okay, you fell into his trap, now what?

Be ready for some pressure tactics, this bad boy cop now has to justify this inconvenience, usually by running your plates in hopes that you've done something, anything in the past he can make you pay retribution for... Oh and don't be surprised if they wanna look around your car, word to the wise, politely decline this request.

If he doesn't succeed in finding a reason to administer you the golden ticket(not the good kind), you'll be offered a BS reason as to why he pulled you over, such as the following....(True Story)

Police Officer: "I was in a high speed chase, the guy was going like 95 mph, I was chasin'em and you got in the way... I couldn't go around you and you were driving so slow I couldn't catch"em. That's why I pulled you over" ???????? haha, yeah okay.... Right about now's the moment when your thinking about peeling off, pumping some old school N.W.A., track 2 on that sucker all the way home, trust me, I've been there!

I'm saying...You coulda been anywhere in the world...but instead, you got stuck with this product of discrimination......All over DWB.

Driving.While.Black!

Buckle Up Fam.

The following is a list of popular DWB phrases cops use to rile you up(some of which I've heard personally):

"Ever been to jail before?"

"If I search this car, am I gonna find anything?"

"Your getting excited!"

And last but not least "You look like you know the Miranda Rights!"

Dreams... and The Alchemist

Dreams....Chase them? Erase them? Or Embrace them? This book couldn't have appeared at a more pivotal moment in my life. Excuse me, but...Did you write this book for me Mr. Coelho? For everyone? Attention! Read up! I'm gonna say this at the expense of sounding like a paid advertisement, but I'm that passionate about this book...

If you're at that pivotal moment in life, where you can choose between life as a paid slave, orrr... life full of liberation, freedom of spirit, and the self-realization that you can both see the world and conquer your dreams (I'm pretty biased about one of these options, aren't I?) Then this book is for you!

It couldn't have appeared on the bookshelf at my friends apartment at a more perfect time. Paulo Coehlo tells an enchanting, captivating story laced with wisdom, and knowledge that often eludes us for the greater part of life. Mr. Coehlo guides us on the adventure of a young shepherd boy, each page latent with wisdom, waiting for the reader to discover, and parallel to their(our) own lives. I don't know what to say, but after reading what I've read thus far (80 pages deep, about halfway) the complexities of life, seem quite simple. I'm gonna go ahead and recommend...reading each page in this book twice, there's a lot to learn, and repetition is the key to retention, right?

I'll update the status of The Alchemist after I finish, but for now, this may be the best book since the Bible...okay...maybe that's a bit much, but cheers to you Mr. Coehlo!

Cheers to you.

And oh yeah...Go Dreams!