The Arts in Waterford

There are too many people these days who fob off 'the awrts' as some sort of untouchable, ridiculously intellectual activity. Too many people think that if you walk into an exhibition and there's a lump of clay on display, you're meant to see your past life as a gold fish. People don't seem to grasp that no opinion, no interpretation is wrong: Art doesn't judge. If  a short film makes you shed a few tears, that's alright. But, if you find yourself sitting there thinking, 'what on earth did I just watch?' that's fine too. Art is nothing to be afraid of.

Although I'm not always someone to praise Waterford City, I'll have to admit that it's great for creativity and whatnot. We've got festivals upon festivals, museums upon museums, and for goodness' sake, Waterford made its name from the iconic works of crystal made in the city for centuries. It saddens me, however, that so many people are terrified of this - a lot of us (including myself, some of the time) immediately assume that appreciating something creative and different is not for us. I, myself have very fixed ideas about the art I like - I'm more of a neon-green-Virgin-Mary-statue kind of girl, I won't lie. I like disturbing stuff: Stuff that makes you think, so much so that you don't sleep for a week. For example, Gottfried Helnwein had an exhibition called 'The Last Child' all over Waterford in 2008 about children at war. The shot of a girl plastered in white face paint (pictured above) that was put slap bang on the Quay was, and still is, in my opinion, one of the best things to ever happen in Waterford. When I see pictures of it come up on Tumblr, I can't help but feel proud.

But that's not the point - the point is, everyone is allowed to appreciate art and it can be any form of art at all. There is no such thing as 'good' or 'bad' art, and equally so with the people who go and see it. There is no category they must fit or qualification they need to acquire, all they need is the willingness to try with art - to see it, to process it.

If I could change one thing about Waterford, or teach the people of Waterford (including myself) one thing, it would be that there are no boundaries with interests. Those who sneer at the multi-personality, internet oriented, 'Vogue is my vocation' girl who says she likes photography because of the colours (me, yes hello) are the ones who are missing something important with art - it's for anyone. The sooner people realise that, the better.

That's why I decided to try out for Waterford Young Arts Critics, a group that will critique and promote the creative side of owld Port Lairge. People need to know that it's fine to not understand a painting - hell, the Mona Lisa is centuries old but no one really ever understood it.. Or am I missing something?

Scenes

I've been going through a huge phase of watching lots of movies while being on holidays from school (YES!), so much so that I thought of making a post about of some scenes that have really stuck with me. Below is a playlist of the scenes, and below that is my own little running commentary. One major warning before continuing, though, is this: Spoiler Alert! Enjoy.

The first scene is from Wayne's World, which is quite a classic, in my books. I adore its complete idiotic cheesiness, and if you  haven't seen it, you really should. My favourite thing about this scene is the moment Bohemian Rhapsody reaches its heighest point, and they all just freak out with some headbanging! The synchronicity of it is brilliant, and I think it shows perfectly well how stupid and awesome the whole film is. Great opening sequence.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower has a really, reaaaally beautiful closing scene. I love the colours, the monologue spoken by Logan Lerman ('Charlie') in the background, everything. The single moment when David Bowie starts blaring is absolute perfection, and if you want to be really cheesy, you could say that it's infinite. Only people who have read the book or have seen the movie would get that. Pff.

The scene I have picked out from Moonrise Kingdom is both funny and adorable. It captures the innocence and curiosity that comes with being a 12 year old, and Jared Gilman (who plays Sam) really cracks me up with his ~major~ dance skills. The fact that this scene is quite understated is also what makes it great; I admire that the director didn't try to make it some sort of perfect, romantic kiss scene as many have done before. It wouldn't seem right, would it?

The next scene is practically iconic, and it comes from the 'fricken' brilliant Napoleon Dynamite. Napoleon, played by Jon Heder, busts a move in order to represent/promote his friend Pedro who is running for Class President. It's dead embarrassing and awkward, but you've got to give him credit: He's pretty good! But, what really makes this scene is Jon's indifferent, bored expression whilst doing this completely sassy, 70s disco routine.

SLC Punk!'s best scene, in my opinion, is the one in which Stevo (Matthew Lillard) walks in to find his best friend, Heroin Bob (Michael A. Goorjian) dead. I love how completely emotional he is, and you can see that by the spit and tears flying everywhere. This scene also contains the line, 'Only posers die', which has probably stuck with me since I first saw the movie. It shows just how fixated Stevo is about being a 'true' punk. But, aside from that, Bob's electric blue Docs are awesome.

The last scene I've got lined up, from Girl, Interrupted is rather messed up, and really intense. Susanna and Lisa have escaped from their mental institute, and are spending the night with a released patient, Daisy. Lisa, well, basically goes mad. It's quite a disturbing scene, but I guess that's why I like it. Plus, it contains Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, and Brittany Murphy. What's not to love?! Might I add, this scene completely shows off Jolie's acting skills. I also quite like her, blonde.

Playlist: Creeps

  

Songs as follows: 

Falling Away From Me - Korn

Tell Me What to Swallow - Crystal Castles 

The Wolf - Fever Ray

Gauze - Deftones

Cartographist - Purity Ring 

Well, I like really hauntingly beautiful things that are a little creepy - fashion-wise, photography-wise, art-wise, book-wise, and most definitely music-wise. Here are some songs I've really loved lately, and have been listening to religiously. They're really great, if you like something that'll put shivers down your spine or make you feel like you're descending into a black hole or something. Sounds delightful, doesn't it?

Looking Beyond Your Skater Skirt

Pieces are from the following shops - Clockwise, from top right: Topshop/Monki/Topshop/River Island/Topshop/New Look/Forever 21/Topshop/Boohoo.com

    Now, I have nothing against a good skater skirt. They're damn versatile, and these days, you'll find them in every colour of the rainbow. But, nothing exasperates me more than girls taking the skater skirt and sleeveless cropped turtle neck as a formula for complete and utter success.  It sort of drains me, to see 5/6 girls wearing the same outfit in different colours. Don't get me wrong - of course, you all look stunning, but doesn't anyone find it a bit boring? I'm not one to dress up and go out places (computer lyf), but just say I decided to, one day, I would probably go mad. Isn't dressing up beforehand 80% of the fun? I would certainly think so. 

   

Of course I understand the concept of time moving in trends; Last year we were all adorned in bandage skirts and baggy vest tops (including myself - cringe). But, hey, there's no harm in looking around and appreciating some other options! In a nutshell: Have fun with your clothes. I've come up with a few of my favourites, at the moment:

  

 If I were going out somewhere, I'm 90% sure I would be dressed in some way vampy. Sheer fabrics, velvet and lace trimmings scream luxury, and give an otherwise plain, black outfit new life. Think sheer maxi skirts (they were everywhere a while ago, I still love them), and dresses that either cling or flow; it works both ways.  

   

Disco pants are always another good option, and are a piece I have yet to invest in. It seems that they have run their course, but why not make a comeback?! They'll go with just about any top: a bralet with a baggy jacket over, or an old, ratty band shirt. 

Summer is coming, and with summer comes the pretty, fitted summer dresses. Many may consider the summer dress to be rather girl-ish, but they can really be changed in an instant by the choice of shoes, accessories, etc. If you take your prim little dress and pair it with the badass Chelsea boots pictured above, it'll have a completely new lease on life. Guaranteed. 

  

..Which leads my on to my next point: Shoes are everything. Life as we know it. It doesn't matter what the hell kind of outfit you have on if your shoes are awesome - That completely contradicts what I have said in this entire post, but I am a believer in shoes. Especially big, black clunky type.

The last thing you need for your outfit? Well, any species crop top will work: Button-up. Baggy. Bralet. Long sleeved. I even have a Nike one. I find them to be quite flattering, and they're great for layering, too. The great news is, if you're really skint, you can make one yourself from an old t-shirt. It'll look rad.

The Rise of Alt Female Rappers?

Clockwise, from left: Kreayshawn, Yo-Landi Vi$$er, Iggy Azealia, Brooke Candy, Azealia Banks

It only seemed to occur to me today that there has been somewhat of a powerful, unstoppable surge of female rappers in the past year or so. Y'know what the best part of it is, though? They're doing whatever they want. They're wearing whatever they want. They're absolutely fabulous. About two years ago, I would have scoffed at rapping. 'It's totally not my thing,' I would have said snootily. But, if these women are what you call rappers, I love rap.. y'all. (Just so you know, I've linked my favourite song by the rapper in their names, which are in bold. Yeah.)

If  you've had 'One big room, full of bad *beeeeep*s' floating around your head, then  no doubt you have witnessed the (wonderful) wrath of Kreayshawn. Kreayshawn raps in a sort of effortless, half-bothered voice that, I think, is rather favourable. I'm not going to try to develop on that, because the one sentence I have strung together on it so far sounds very silly. Instead I'll move onto something I'm a little more familiar with: Her dress sense - very casual, rapper-esque, but jumbled. And man, does it work! There's lots of 90s, cartoon characters, and hoop earrings in there.

I've talked about Yo-Landi Vi$$er before (here), and to put it in its simplest terms, I love her. Yo-Landi is part of Die Antwoord, and I'm not gonna lie, she's a bit chipmunk-sounding. But it's totally awesome, I mean it! It's what makes the group work, she's got a sort of aggression to her voice too, so it's suuuper unique. Her style is completely out-there awesome, too, which you can see just by looking at her hair, really.. Her all-pale white look is really breathtaking, especially when combined with gritty facial expressions, and crude, cheeky slogan shirts. Brilliant. 

Iggy Azalea is stunning, so it's no surprise that this Aussie doubles as a model. Her general style is very classy, mixed with the typical attire of some big names in the music business. Think skimpy, skin-tight  Versace and Dolce and Gabbana - wowza! Iggy's got a really sassy, snappy voice that has the perfect balance of grit and glamour (you're jealous of my descriptions, I can tell...). 

The most 'alternative' of the rappers I have named is Brooke Candy - Hell, my first Brooke encounter was on a Grimes music video, and she was featured on the Dazed and Confused Facebook page when I realised she actually rapped. I'm still, err, adjusting to her, as she's very different. Her floor-length weave and buffalo shoes are fantabulous, but frankly her music videos scare me. Expect a lot of.. skin? I won't discuss this anymore. Brooke's backing tracks are beautifully quirky, and her voice is full of intimidation and sass. Watch this space, I say!

Last but certainly not least is Azealia Banks, and I'm sorry, but if you haven't heard one of the incessant replays of 212 on the radio, you have been living under a rock. Azealia raps so fast, it's increible! She sings a little in her songs too, and that is also incredible. Coincidence: So is her dress sense! Banks will wear anything, but my personal favourite look of hers is the cyber-goth, with demonia platforms and a big furry coat on.

Are there any rappers out there that you really love at the moment?