Augustus Egg, Travelling Companions, 1862 François-Emile Barraud (1899-1934) Philipp Ferdinand de Hamilton (1667 - 1750) - "Weiße gefleckte Rehe und ein Stachelschwein" Anna Zinkeisen - "Portrait of Julia Heseltine" "Rolla si Portia" by Jacques-Laurent Agasse (1767-1849) Doris Zinkeisen - "Peggy Woffington" Tetsuya Ishida--''collection ''
Tetsuya Ishida (1973-2005)-a man cant fly anymore- 1996 "Kabuki Actor - The Actor Ichikawa Danjuro" by Katsukawa Shunso (1726-1792) "Meeting in a café" by Constant Désiré Clety (1899-1955) "Portrait of Madamoiselle Neviadomskaya" 1935 Joan Eardley- brass hair and wool Joan Eardley (1921-1963) two children the letter
Tracey Long
Ménilmontant is in many ways a striking film, and has been described as "a nearly perfect work" (Georges Sadoul, Le Cinéma Français, 1962). Its story is told entirely in images, without the use of explanatory intertitles; Kirsanoff was among the very rare filmmakers of the silent era to attempt this. The film makes use of techniques such as montage, hand-held camera, ultra-rapid montage, and superposition to achieve the elusive, transcendent quality of "photogénie" so sought after by the French impressionist film directors of the era. Ménilmontant, thus, comes closer to poetry than to narrative prose.
I'm from the West Coast, so when I moved to New York many years ago ( I've since moved to central Texas) the snow became an important role in my christmas experience. Yes, I'd seen snow ... I'd played in it, sled down hills in Sierra Nevada as a kid, but snow in New York is different.
For one, in New York there's always people out in it... lots of people who have to be somewhere, fast. There is an energy . It's grey and smells smokey-sweet ( at times ;) from vendors roasting chestnuts on the corner. The snowy season there is somehow masculine, not like grandma's soft white powder in quaint old western towns like say, Virginia City.
So, when I was new to the city I walked around a lot by myself. I'd just gotten a job at a bar on 9th and C, and although I'd quickly met many new and interesting characters, I found myself alone on the street, christmas eve.. in the snow.. only this particular night ( probably due to the christmas eve thing :) it was quiet. I relished the loneliness, or rather, the aloneness- There was the melancholy city glam of fat colored lights in tiny windows, black fire escapes, pizza places.... and an occasional dog walker in pajama bottoms and a heavy coat.
Finally, I made it back to St. Marks on the way home at about 1:00 am, when I heard a juke box.
It was my favorite holiday song sung by Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes which always reminded me of my mother with a " bubble" hair do and pink plastic x-mas trees all within the context of some Martin Scorsese film.
Perfect.
I slowed and looked in. Only, it wasn't a juke box, It was freaking Ronnie Spector on a tiny stage wearing a santa hat. The club was dark but for the red light shining down on her small frame and a handful of girls ( probably less) I recognized from the bar ( all wearing santa hats). I walked in until I was fully witnessing my own mini christmas freak out moment. I moved toward the stage and was greeted with warm smiles from everyone. They didn't say "join us" but they didn't have to.
I took off my winter hat and listened to the music feeling so grateful and strange. Shortly after beginning to sing Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" ( made famous by Brenda Lee) Ronnie took off her hat and plopped it on my head down over my eyes. I still have my Spector santa hat, and I still miss being near snow and the city during this time of year.
They are the symbol of vulnerability and childhood. We like to see them vicious because, thats funny. We like to see them alert, because we hope to see things coming just as readily. We wear their likeness over our own faces because we want to dominate with sweetness. We like to see them skinned, because, thats life on the farm, ultimate reality. We like to see them fly, change color, be sexy ( ultimate fertile myrtle.....resurrection and renewal ) , do the 1000 yard stare, drip with creepiness, smoke pipes, show us the way, because they have an innate transparency that allows magic in all directions.
