Ambiguity of words VS. ambiguity in images.
I make images to make the ambiguity "crystal clear" (or as Dalí called it "concrete irrationality").
So the ambiguity created is exactly what I'm trying to say (without me knowing what exactly it is). There is no need for words as they would muddle the "message". (It's why I mostly don't title pictures either.)
Words can be ambiguous for many reasons - you misunderstand me, I misunderstand you, I don't speak the language, you lie, I lie, I'm jibber-jabbering, double entendres, and so forth. We're trying to communicate but the 'ether' is filled with random noise and obstructions - things come out as glitches.
(I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE digital glitching, btw.)
With collage, whatever it is I'm trying to say is nailed the fuck down (or glued) and presented to you in its FINAL form. There is nothing left to add or say or take or interpret or anything.
Sure it's ambiguous, but it is so on purpose. It was made that way. It's not trickery or cop-out - the image IS what it IS.
Crystal-clear ambiguity.
Howdy! My name is XTIAN, I am a surrealistical artist guy from Melbournia. This be a blog of my arts, a sort of "what's new?" with regards to everything from collages to music to film. I make a lot of stuff (mostly collages though. Do you? Get in touch.) WARNING: some of this gear may be NSFW. For more of my stuff see www.gadzooxtian.com .
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Monday, July 7, 2014
Why I'm anti-social a lot lately...
... coz I hate youse ALL!
:-)
No really, coz I'm busy as Hell working on the Micturating Angel.
Behold the evidence:
Conclusion
KIDS!
Collaging is anti-social, don't do it, stick with alcoholism it's more people friendly.
:-)
No really, coz I'm busy as Hell working on the Micturating Angel.
Behold the evidence:
The mess, oh the flammable mess...
As above - so below.
Above:
I didn't end up using this page, but I'll use the idea again later...
(It took ages with a damn scalpel - ended up as a toy for the kitten...)
See, I waste my life cutting tiny, tiny bits of paper out...
... then glue them to pix of old ladies.
KIDS!
Collaging is anti-social, don't do it, stick with alcoholism it's more people friendly.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Infinite Collage Movie
Hey,
Made an hour long film of the "infinite collage". Basically animated a whole lot of characters and scenarios. It's great.
Likey the soundtrack? Hear it in full or buy it [HERE].
Made an hour long film of the "infinite collage". Basically animated a whole lot of characters and scenarios. It's great.
Likey the soundtrack? Hear it in full or buy it [HERE].
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Music by Maniacs
My good buddy Mat Blackwell has written a rather interesting (philosophical) article about art and murder.
As in art by murderers.
Is it OK to like it? Why or why not?
The article is actually very good, and yours truly has been quoted in it as we sort of discussed this issue back n' forth via email.
Whilst it mostly deals with metal muzax, it's not written just for metalheads - like I say, it's an article about art "in extremis".
Read it here:
Music by Maniacs: Navigating the Tricky Ethics of Enjoying Art Made by Bad People
http://heathenharvest.org/2014/05/30/music-by-maniacs-navigating-the-tricky-ethics-of-enjoying-art-made-by-bad-people/#f3
(link will open in a new page/ tab)
As in art by murderers.
Is it OK to like it? Why or why not?
The article is actually very good, and yours truly has been quoted in it as we sort of discussed this issue back n' forth via email.
Whilst it mostly deals with metal muzax, it's not written just for metalheads - like I say, it's an article about art "in extremis".
Read it here:
Music by Maniacs: Navigating the Tricky Ethics of Enjoying Art Made by Bad People
http://heathenharvest.org/2014/05/30/music-by-maniacs-navigating-the-tricky-ethics-of-enjoying-art-made-by-bad-people/#f3
(link will open in a new page/ tab)
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Micturating Angel update, or "The sloooooooooooooowness of collage-making"
A few days ago I realised I've been working on the Angel for almost two years.
TWO!
YEARS!
And it's nowhere close to being finished, but it's very close to being launched upon the world.
Anyhoo, the purpose of this post - to show you why it takes so long to make this beast of a comic book.
The image below shall explain all. Namely it took me half an hour to cut out a little bush or flower the size of a guitar pick - which is then just one of many things within a panel, which is but one panel on a page.
Behold:
(clicka to see it bigga, sucka!)
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
USCDs Complete Discography [32] - Fat Little Bastard - R666CK! Vol V. (2014-ish)
An Ep of 7 songs from the R666CK! series. (More to come, oh yes.)
These were all done with an acoustic bass and all date to a few years back ( I been busy).
One for those preferring more trad sounds. FLB can't deliver trad sounds, but this is in the neighbourhood thereof. Some "garage"/ "bedroom genius" music, with an acoustic bass as primary weapon of choice. Catchy, short and rather weird ditties about potato vampires, broken hearts, britches, Sir David Bowie, etc. It's hilarity y'all! And it stars Indigo Loki Aurora of "Stinky Picnic" on vox and toy piano on "Lemonade".
ALBUM STREAM / BUY HERE: http://uscds.bandcamp.com/album/r666ck-vol-v
Video for "David Bowie (is still alive)"
Video for "Holes"
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
The Return of +3 Broadsword: "thee Monstrous Compendium"
It's been 7 years since I first released +3 Broadsword's "666 Sided Dice" (title suggested by A Demon Sheen of "The Horn" ), a rough-as-guts black metal album with a purely Dungeons&Dragons theme. The idea was obvious: without D&D where would black metal be? So why not have a purely D&D themed black metal band? (Coz BM is about Satan , you tool!)
Anyhoo, as the entries below illustrate, people dug it, which is kinda neat.
Fast forward 7 years, and I've finally finished the follow-up:
thee Monstrous Compendium.
An improved, more epic sound, maybe better song-writing too, seven brutal and epic tales from the realms of fantasy.
Click HERE to stream it while you read the track-by-track breakdown.
1. At the gates of The Temple of Elemental Evil
An atmospheric instrumental opening track that sets the mood of epicness and darkness. It is also a nod to old man Burzum, who used the AD&D image on his debut album cover, thus establishing a clear connection.
BEFORE
AFTER
2. thee Monstrous Compendium
A fast and brutal track about the Bestiary/ Tome which contains the descriptions of so many of the monsters, freaks and beasts of the realms of D&D fantasy. A friend of mine had one years ago, we used to love flicking through it. The Beholder Beast was by far my favourite - a floating, snarling eyeball beast!
The song also contains two amazing one-take improv (!) guitar solos by A Demon Sheen, layered on top of each other.
Here's the book:
Here's the video for the song:
4. (Eye of ) The Beholder
And we're back to the Beholder Beast. The one on the cover of the Compendium. Look at that fucker! All eye and all teeth! Motherfucker!
I love the lack of drums on this song, the almost droning melody, the gritty vocals, and then boom-boom-boom "Look into my eeeeeeye!"
5. Majesty
Another instrumental and it almost doesn't belong here. I mean who thinks of Kings and Queens in the lands of D&D? Its monsters, wizards and warriors, no? Well, yeah, but who runs these giant kingdoms you giant nerd? And how epic ARE these giant kingdoms? Dassright! So here's an instrumental celebration of the majesty of Majesty.
Truth be told the song just did not turn out as epic as I would've liked, but its still a doozy.
6. Roll the Dice
I want this motherfucker of a song to be nailed to the forehead of every motherfucker who buys a D&D manual of any kind. Anyone who ever plays this stupid game should have a copy of this song.
Its fast, its furious, its catchy, its an instruction and a celebration, a battlecry, its a total WIN!
7. thee Monstrous Compendium (instrumental version)
A Demon Sheen's amazing guitar solos get an airing here as we revisit the song without me screaming all over it. They were just too good not to be heard good and proper.
8. (hidden track: Thornspawn Chalice by Isengard)
This is an incomplete song, which is why its a hidden track. Its one of my all time fave BM songs by that ultra-genius Cap'n Fenriz.
The original song is just magnificently epic and brutal, and the vocals - fuck me, nothing like it before or since. I donno how drunk Fenriz was when he put those screams down, but they're unprecedented and unsurpassed. Chills!
Well, I wanted to cover it, but realised I had nothing to add and didn't wanna change it in any way, which begs the question - then why bother? BM Karaoke? We already get retards doing that on those TV karaoke shows.
So here's a rough, shitty instrumental take, badly played and unfinished, a doff of the hat, a bow to the Master, nothing more.
Okay, if you didn't click the link before, here it is again, stream or better yet BUY this bad boy.
ALBUM
Check out the video for the title track HERE.
Buy the official T-shirt HERE.
The Monstrous Compendiuuuuuummmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyhoo, as the entries below illustrate, people dug it, which is kinda neat.
Fast forward 7 years, and I've finally finished the follow-up:
thee Monstrous Compendium.
U R scared now
An improved, more epic sound, maybe better song-writing too, seven brutal and epic tales from the realms of fantasy.
Click HERE to stream it while you read the track-by-track breakdown.
1. At the gates of The Temple of Elemental Evil
An atmospheric instrumental opening track that sets the mood of epicness and darkness. It is also a nod to old man Burzum, who used the AD&D image on his debut album cover, thus establishing a clear connection.
BEFORE
AFTER
Heil Dungeon Master Varg Vikernes!
2. thee Monstrous Compendium
A fast and brutal track about the Bestiary/ Tome which contains the descriptions of so many of the monsters, freaks and beasts of the realms of D&D fantasy. A friend of mine had one years ago, we used to love flicking through it. The Beholder Beast was by far my favourite - a floating, snarling eyeball beast!
The song also contains two amazing one-take improv (!) guitar solos by A Demon Sheen, layered on top of each other.
Here's the book:
Pink eye!
Here's the video for the song:
- for some reason I can't embed it... :-(
3. Conjuring
THIS is what I believe black metal should sound like. I mean hats off to the founding fathers for creating an amazing musical genre (and quite a philosophy with it, but I'm talking more about the music here), but I always thought Abruptum's idea of dark musical chaos was more on the money. Bordering on the edge of music and things just falling apart. Bands like Gnaw Their Tongues, Furze, The Axis of Perdition (though not strictly a BM band) and some other bands I can't think of off the top of my head get it right. So here's a painting in sound of mad chaos magicians dancing around a fire in the middle of the night.
Run away traveller!
4. (Eye of ) The Beholder
And we're back to the Beholder Beast. The one on the cover of the Compendium. Look at that fucker! All eye and all teeth! Motherfucker!
I love the lack of drums on this song, the almost droning melody, the gritty vocals, and then boom-boom-boom "Look into my eeeeeeye!"
5. Majesty
Another instrumental and it almost doesn't belong here. I mean who thinks of Kings and Queens in the lands of D&D? Its monsters, wizards and warriors, no? Well, yeah, but who runs these giant kingdoms you giant nerd? And how epic ARE these giant kingdoms? Dassright! So here's an instrumental celebration of the majesty of Majesty.
Truth be told the song just did not turn out as epic as I would've liked, but its still a doozy.
6. Roll the Dice
I want this motherfucker of a song to be nailed to the forehead of every motherfucker who buys a D&D manual of any kind. Anyone who ever plays this stupid game should have a copy of this song.
Its fast, its furious, its catchy, its an instruction and a celebration, a battlecry, its a total WIN!
7. thee Monstrous Compendium (instrumental version)
A Demon Sheen's amazing guitar solos get an airing here as we revisit the song without me screaming all over it. They were just too good not to be heard good and proper.
8. (hidden track: Thornspawn Chalice by Isengard)
This is an incomplete song, which is why its a hidden track. Its one of my all time fave BM songs by that ultra-genius Cap'n Fenriz.
Worship Him
The original song is just magnificently epic and brutal, and the vocals - fuck me, nothing like it before or since. I donno how drunk Fenriz was when he put those screams down, but they're unprecedented and unsurpassed. Chills!
Well, I wanted to cover it, but realised I had nothing to add and didn't wanna change it in any way, which begs the question - then why bother? BM Karaoke? We already get retards doing that on those TV karaoke shows.
So here's a rough, shitty instrumental take, badly played and unfinished, a doff of the hat, a bow to the Master, nothing more.
Okay, if you didn't click the link before, here it is again, stream or better yet BUY this bad boy.
ALBUM
Check out the video for the title track HERE.
Buy the official T-shirt HERE.
The Monstrous Compendiuuuuuummmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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