Agenda 2024
Grand Tour made history this year, as it became the recipient for the highest accolade for a Portuguese film at Cannes by winning Best Director for Miguel Gomes. Showing at Teatro Municipal do Porto, from 19 September.
After a very successful show in NY, Portuguese visual artist João Maria Gusmão's 'Animal Farm' exhibition opens at Zé dos Bois. Animal Farm, Lisbon - 20 May to 25 October.
Electronic music and digital art festival Semibreve will return for its 14th edition between 24th and 27th of October. Pretty unmissable. Semibreve, Braga - 24 to 27 October.
One of Europe’s finest underground music, art and culture festivals celebrates its 10th anniversary. Amplifest, Porto - 9 & 10 November.
Peter Broderick plays Arthur Russell. Must-see concert for all fans of the enigmatic Arthur Russell, to take place at the Serralve's beautiful Museum Auditorium on 30 November. Serralves, Porto - 30 November.
Fujifilm XT4 with a Helios 44-2 58mm f2 lens shooting on Old Ektachrome simulation. No post-production.
The Young God’s L’Eau Rouge’ turns 35 – 15.09.24
The Young Gods 'L'Eau Rouge' turns 35 this September. Their 2nd studio album, it is usually referred to as their masterpiece and was included in “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die” in 2005, the 1st edition of the book edited by English writer Robert Dimery, who had previously worked for magazines such as Time Out and Vogue. The book is still being updated today and the album still features. Incidentally, been wanting to write about this album's milestone, which is sometime in September (a specific day for the release of the album has never been confirmed), and just heard the news of Roli Mosimann passing aged 68. The Swiss-American producer behind this album's unique sound was a respected drummer, musician and producer who worked with The The, Celtic Frost, New Order, Faith No More, Skinny Puppy, Marilyn Manson, and more.
"History for the music industry repeats itself first as arrogant tragedy, second as arrogant farce. Investment banking and financial services group Goldman Sachs recently published its latest Music In The Air report on the economic health and future of the music business. It is precisely the kind of thing one might expect from an investment banking and financial services group: it goes heavy on praising the plump numbers while roaring that there is plenty more money coming. It’s like a TED Talk from Gordon Gekko in a biker jacket."
in 'How the Music Industry is in a New Age of Arrogance' - 16.05.24
in ↗ the Quietus
Mario Cesariny exhibition at the Fundação Cupertino de Miranda – 04.05.24
Rainy Saturday afternoon took me to the Fundação Cupertino de Miranda in Famalicão, for a much overdue visit to Mario Cesariny exhibition. There's an ongoing number of activities commemorating the centenary of Mário Cesariny's birth (1923-2023), that takes the visitors on a journey through his artistic career, demonstrating the richness and complexity of the Surrealist movement in Portugal. All of Cesariny documentary and artistic collection is held by the Cupertino de Miranda Foundation permanently.
While you're there don't miss a tour of the beautiful building, it smells of 20th century cinemas (there's a cinema room inside) and visit the 'Torre Literária" which extends over 4 floors and 14 rooms. Throughout you will get to know a permanent exhibition titled “Praise and Simplification of Portuguese Literature” which is a reflection of the title of a poem by Mário Cesariny. The poem is titled “Praise and Simplification of Álvaro de Campos” in which Mário Cesariny theorizes his relationship with Fernando Pessoa.
Jung, Rothko, Tanning, Duchamp: Inside the mind of Nadav Kander, one of my favourite photographers. Known for his portrait and landscape work, Kander has a meditative approach in his London studio – and a profoundly subjective take on making images.
Re-watching Brit flicks when I miss London too much. Them with a banal urbanity. This is peak Tom Hardy before all of the Hollywood fuss. It's violent to the core, often crass but it's genuine. That scene where a large group of psychiatric inmates starts dancing to the Pet Shop Boys song 'It's A Sin', is alone worth the price of the ticket. If you like Nicolas Winding Refn movies and aesthetic, make sure to check his free curated website of films, essays and more art byNWR.
Fujifilm XT4 with a Asahi Takumar 35mm lens. No post-production.
07.04.24
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1/ Found this stunning Braun Dieter Rams Hi-Fi CE500 & CSV250 on sale here.
2/ Portrait of the great Alfred Schnittke by Reginald Gray. His Requiem composition (1975) is used in my mixes quite often, ranging from the ambient to the ominous ones. One of Schnittke’s most conceptual statements, it boldly combines styles (from the Baroque to avant-garde), composition techniques, and lineups. It is also one of the highest expressions of Schnittke’s Polystylistics and the so-called "new simplicity".
3/ Artwork by the great William Schaff , well known primarily for his mastery at designing the album artworks for Okkervil River, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Songs: Ohia, and this Gravenhurst record. This albuim is a collection of unreleased and intriguing early treasures from the Gravenhurst archives, discovered whilst researching material for the tenth anniversary reissue of Flashlight Seasons and Black Holes in the Sand. It was released by Warp.
4/ A penchant for the dramatic. The vinyl for Prurient 'Oxidation', released 2012 on Hospital Productions.
21.03.24
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1/ Nearly 1 year after illustrious and versatile composer Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away, the Museu do Oriente welcomes Rodrigo Leão, pianist João Vasco and Surma for a concert celebrating his music.
2/ Ryuichi Sakamoto and model Rena Anju in a 1983 promo shot for the film YMO Propaganda (Dir. Makoto Satō, 1984). Rena has been spotted lately as the muse for the illusive musician Tomo Akiakawabaya's musical projects.
3/ Wolves Evolve. The story of the mighty Ulver, the shapeshifting Norwegian band celebrated 30 years.
4/ Wes Anderson list of favourite films. I watched 'Vagabond' (original name 'Sans Toit ni Loi', meaning 'without shelter or law') again a few days ago, starring Sandrine Bonnaire, a very dark example of cinéma vérité by the great Agnès Varda.