Wednesday

nico ~ the ice queen

 

In 1969 ~ Nico had progressed in looks from
a princess to a peasant. It had been a sluggish journey,
starting with hair tinged a pale strawberry to
please Jim Morrison, to the boots of Spanish
leather she continually wore, then working in from either 
end to effect a seamless mood of rustic grace. 
(She'd smell like a pig farmer sometimes,
she washed so little, grumbled Viva).
Nice was still obsessive about the effect of
her appearance, and when she spoke to
an American magazine in March 1969
she advised others to follow a simple rule:
'Simple means elegant, black means
dramatic, simple and black means elegant
and dramatic - this is a good foundation.
I have even tried perverse combinations,
such as black with brown leather which
I created in my own look.
because it was simple it worked,
and you see it everywhere now.'


'My solution is to underline my Russian-ness. I think
it makes me look as though I am from another world
or another time, which is quite true.'



{about creating The Marble Index)
John Cale was amazed by her preparation: 'She'd written
all the words down. They were clear on paper,
in that spidery gothic script of hers. But
I never saw a manuscript with a lot of 
corrections on it. I only saw - like, if she 
would be sitting down and writing 
something, I'd sneak a look (I think she
would have hated that, had she caught me),
and there was no crossing out. A lot of
thought, and awful lot of thought, had been
given to it before it went down on paper.
That's remarkable, when you think of her
working in an alien language.
And once it was down there, 
it wasn't changed.
She was very confident in her style.

{excerpts from The Life and Lies of an Icon}

Monday

Whispering through the other end.. Edith Piaf

Edith Piaf is playing through the speakers in the living room..
and bringing some far away inspiration into this Monday morning.


 And even though it is a holiday for some {labor day}..
For me feels as though there is a bit of work to be done.
From my angle.. Surrounding me are stacks of boxes and books. 
Barware and brushes. Lamps and wires. Mounds of textiles and
old magazines waiting to be searched through and cut out.

Let me bring you up to date.
The month of July was spent packing up the two year gallery installation 
at the fish factory. Day after day was spent wearing old dirty work 
coveralls. Moving, packing, sorting, lifting, driving, unloading...  
Then coming home and finding new bruises on different 
parts of my body.  On the last day of that month.. 
The musee was completely disassembled, the walls were bare and 
the keys were left on the counter as 
we said adieu.





For the month of August.. There were three well needed 
road trips.. A bit of catching up and relaxing with good friends ..
out where there was no service. 
Only mountains, trees and fresh air.


 Up to date...
The house and recently completed studio under the pepper tree..
which are now filled to the roof with art, books, 
frames and old furniture from the gallery... 
Need to be sorted through.
 Edith is assisting me { in the background }
with going through everything and deciding
what is really important and what can be used in the next 
installment of installations. 
The interior goal should be reached in no time.. Having it look like
 a refined yet cluttered Argentine/Parisian cafe/studio 
photograph taken out of an old moldy
decor book.