Friday 18 November 2011

MYSTERIOUS ORDINARY



The last months have been a whirlwind, an exciting blur that is as enchanting as it could have been destructive . . . depends on how you want to take it.

For me, finally, I have a moment, to breath after this full force collision.

What to do with these pieces/fragments of these collisions? That is the fun of it all, how to make it coherent, how to make them matter, not just to myself but beyond myself. This blog has enabled me to pull together my thoughts, what I see and express them. I wonder how many of these things matter to others. I hope they do, a little, there is so much beauty in the world and at the same time so many problems and issues that it enables us to ask questions, attempt to find answers/solutions and ask even more questions. Such is life. The question comes up after 2 1/2 years of Chomontherox as I ask myself what is next. Venice inspired this blog and in a way Venice has inspired me this year, to move on. It is funny how the same city of meandering canals and water can inspire such different things at different times. Recently I have started to contribute more and more to printed newspapers and magazines, these too take time, it even takes time to go out and buy a copy.

This is NOT a farewell but rather a beginning . . .of something new, called Mysterious Ordinary. Whilst I prepare to launch that to the world, you can find me on Tumblr at Mysterious Ordinary Journal which has been in the works . . .quietly, for a while, it is my moodboard.

Here are some flashbacks of the last few months . . .

Film on the Rocks Recce - to come in 2012, curated by Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Tilda Swinton produced by Nat Sarasas and Mysterious Ordinary (me!).
P'Joei and N'Teem in the jungle

my partner in crime, Nat Sarasas
the rocks

the village

A day and night with Rirkrit Tiravanija and Pette for 2 Mag . . . (Super limited 2 Mag x MYSTERIOUS ORDINARY Edition Art Issue and more widely available 2 Mag Art Issue at good newstands in Thailand, Singapore and HK)

Tangmo on the run
P Rirkrit
Dean, P'Ruay, Lynn, Me, P Rirkrit, Pette

please compare this to the published version

P Rirkrit and Lynn

the kitchen
Tangmo = watermelon
the cover shot

Paris SS '12

Betak magic continues with Viktor and Rolf and Galliano. . . .
The Brigettes at Viktor and Rolf
Galliano post-Galliano

Bill (not John)
a bit of nature

Chanel underwater
stripes while waiting at the Bar du Marche
Patsri et Moi
Valentino

See even in Paris, they get that Chanel in the day time and Valentino at night is ideal . . . it would be perfection. Well for me at least anyway, especially now with how very cool Valentino has become, defo not for big haired ladies, elegant, minimal but still totally glamourous. I loooooved it.

OLT
Cleo
me with Le Tans

Miu Miu was monumental
it was as if I had entered Metropolis
amazing.

and back to Bkk in time for more Frenchness . . . Apichatpong's speech upon receiving his Legion d'Honneur


then from Palais Royale via Tokyo, Corto came to visit me in Bkk. What a treat.


Pette with Corto and a bright red Susan
Lynn, Corto and Jane

Corto and Ti Foster at Mahanakhon for 2 Mag shoot

and more


Corto
T I F O S T E R (C) 2011

Not only Corto was in town but one of my favourite persons in the world, Stephanie Betant and her mum, who I will see in a few days in Beijing.

Then a few days after that was the 2 Mag Art Issue dinner . . .
hosted by Lynn (editor-in-chief of 2 Mag and my BFF), Pette, Ying (the publisher) and me. We decided not to call it off even though it was very much the height of flood hysteria that weekend. It did not flood . . .

Atmo . . .

chairs that walked home with us.

Dinner was to launch this . . . . this is the real version. There are 60 Fake Limited versions floating around the place too. With outtakes and posters.

2 Mag Art Issue Oct/Nov 2011

Finally. . . it is always kinda fun to visit a new place or to visit an old place in a different light. Bkk the last few months has been a very strange place indeed, human error that led to what should not have happened and created a crisis, flood hysteria, melancholia and actual severe damage. I decided to become a flood refugee for a week and it was amazing how light it felt, to not feel victimised or so helpless. Singapore, usually robotland was fun this time around, and a breath of fresh air. I also did a small detour to KL where I have never ever been. It was interesting. . . especially to see the possibilities of an empty lot, an old building recently demolished next to the Petronas Twin Towers to be the canvas of Buro Ole Scheeren's first building, Angkasa Raya.

the floating building will take the place of the empty lot on top

me

Skyscrapers, especially ones like Ole's make me think of The Fountainhead. It then makes me wonder how possible it is to actively create or at least attempt to create what you believe in or that you love and continue to do so when there are so many obstacles. I guess I've been kinda lucky in that those I encounter in their own mysterious ways, do this . . . constantly and yet make it look like it is the most ordinary thing.

This is not farewell, it is platform migration.- Doy Moreau

See you very soon.