the rich and wonderful fashion of the women of Herero

Namibia is located in the south- west corner of Africa. It has a rich history and heritage, but I will get into that another day. Fun fact of the day though, it is actually were Mad Max: fury road was filmed. Cool hey?

Today is about dress styles and fashion identity.  In particular, the ladies of Herero awesome fashion style. The women of Herero have drawn inspiration and influence of their style from the Victorian period, but with a twist. A twist of colour.  The wonderful style  is way to express their talents and showcase their impressive designs. Some women even craft and sell miniature dolls of themselves.

The style stems from a dark colonial history, but they have reclaimed it (with a vengeance)!

It is known as the ‘proper dress’ for traditional married women. The dress consists of enormous crinoline worn over layers of petticoats, a horn shaped hat to supposedly represent and are all made from the same material- all bright and colourful! Each outfit is different to show personal flair. The Herero women have become a symbol of Herero tradition.

When I was in Namibia a few years ago, I loved the Herero women. I even have one of their dolls sitting on my bookshelf to this day. I love the fact that they are drawing from the dark colonial past to reclaim and form new cultural traditions. They are claiming ownership back of their culture, history and identity through fashion!

Enjoy these images from Jim Naughten.

Herero Woman in Patchwork Dress (2012 ) 50″ × 41″; C type

Herero Woman in Yellow Dress (2012) 50″ × 41″; C type

Herero Woman in Blue Dress (2012) 50″ × 41″; C type

Herero Woman in Patchwork Dress, 2 (2012) 50″ × 41″; C type

Herero Woman in Pink and Pattern Dress (2012) 50″ × 41″; C type

Herero Woman in Pink Dress (2012) 50″ × 41″; C type

 

further readings:

http://www.jimnaughten.com/project/hereros/

http://www.messynessychic.com/2012/07/23/the-african-women-who-dress-like-victorians/

http://saharanvibe.blogspot.com/2011/09/herero-ladies-of-namibia-africas.html

 

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays.

❤

china over 100 years

Do you ever look around you and think how rapidly the world has changed? Well, Dheera Venkatraman thinks about it and decided to investigate it in his black- and – white photography series called Time Travelling in China.  They are amazing pictures and emphasises the changes China has undergone , but as well how much the world has changed over the past century.

He started this project by first gathering visually interesting pictures from a books and websites. He then went to recreate each image matching the angles and focal lengths as closely as possible to the originals. The series of images showcase the radical transformation, development and growth over the past century.

Pretty cool, hey?

 

further readings:

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/dheera-venkatraman-china-past-present

https://dheera.net/

embroidered photographs.

Now, I love old photographs. I collect them, be my own family photographs or random strangers. I just never know what to do with said photographs but after seeing Satoru Aoyama’s photos, I have a few ideas.

Aoyama transforms old black- and- white photographs by embroaiding them where the subjects are doing the same. She uses an old Singer sewing machine do the process. It is an intricate and time-consuming but Aoyama delivers flawless and beautiful results.

Do you have any ideas to transform old photographs?

 

further reading:

Artist Embroiders Black and White Photographs to Adorn the Past

http://www.satoruaoyama.com/

 

oh, photography!

This space is suppose to allow us to explore our ideas on museums and all the other stuff involved.  So, why can’t we make this space, a place for collecting and curating some awesome beautiful things we find? I know that is pretty much what most blog sites are already used for anyway.

But, as I was trawling the web, procrastinating from doing the inevitable university work , I stumbled across Adam Birkan. I have seen some of his stuff on Instagram but never found out who took these beautiful photos till recently.

So, here are some of his amazing photographs

 

further readings:

http://www.booooooom.com/2016/03/24/photographer-spotlight-adam-birkan/#more-78349

https://adambirkan.tumblr.com/

 

 

GLASS

So we haven’t made a post in a while and Saturday night at midnight seems the appropriate time to start up this blog of ideas again.  What a way to procrastinate from university?

So, the best way to start up this little project again is by posting a video I happened across this afternoon.

It was posted on my newsfeed and I have watched it three or four times already. (you probably won’t watch as much as me but I just find it so amazing!)

It is called Glass by Bert Haanstra. It was made in 1959 and is just a beautiful non-verbal film that contrasts the old with the new. It took the Oscar for Documentary Short Subject in 1959. Pretty cool hey?

 

Happy Easter everyone.

Bibliography:

Glass: An Oscar-Winning Documentary Short on Dutch Glassblowing from 1958

https://aeon.co/videos

 

looking into film history part one

A new series of posts in relation to film history.

Why haven’t we started archiving and collecting important moments from the history of film? It also seems appropriate as the Academy Awards were this week so it fits in with the whole buzz that surrounds the award season. As well, the history of film is so fascinating.

So to start off. Here is the Lumiere Brother’s first film from 1895 entitled Leaving the Factory.

further readings:

http://whatculture.com/film/50-most-important-movies-ever-made

Vincent Van Gogh visits the museum.

Here is a fun post.

It is a scene from Doctor Who series 5.  Vincent Van Gogh goes and visits the Musee D’Orsay, seeing how popular his work has become.

It is very unrealistic but very very sweet. I hope you enjoy it.

love letters

Even if valentine’s day is a manufactured hallmark holiday this post is dedicated to love. Here are some beautiful love letters written by various great men and woman for valentine’s day.

 Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash

Transcript:

Happy Birthday Princess,

We get old and get use to each other. We think alike. We read each others minds. We know what the other wants without asking. Sometimes we irritate each other a little bit. Maybe sometimes take each other for granted.

But once in awhile, like today, I meditate on it and realise how lucky I am to share my life with the greatest woman I ever met. You still fascinate and inspire me. You influence me for the better. You’re the object of my desire, the #1 Earthly reason for my existence. I love you very much

 Winston Churchill and Clementine Churchill

Transcript:

My darling Clemmie,

… you wrote some words very dear to me, about my having enriched your life. I cannot tell you what pleasure this gave me, because I always feel so overwhelmingly in your debt, if there can be accounts in love… What it has been to me to live all these years in your heart and companionship no phrases can convey.

Time passes swiftly, but is it not joyous to see how great and growing is the treasure we have gathered together, amid the storms and stresses of so many eventful and, to millions, tragic and terrible years?…

With tender love from your devoted,

W.

John Keats and Fanny Brawne

  

Transcript:

My dearest Girl,

This moment I have set myself to copy some verses out fair.  I cannot proceed with any degree of content.  I must write you a line or two and see if that will assist in dismissing you from my Mind for ever so short a time.  Upon my Soul I can think of nothing else – The time is passed when I had power to advise and warn you again[s]t the unpromising morning of my Life – My love has made me selfish.  I cannot exist without you – I am forgetful of every thing but seeing you again – my Life seems to stop there – I see no further.  You have absorb’d me. I have a sensation at the present moment as though I was dissolving – I should be exquisitely miserable without the hope of soon seeing you.  I should be afraid to separate myself far from you.  My sweet Fanny, will your heart never change?  My love, will it?  I have no limit now to my love – You note came in just here – I cannot be happier away from you – ‘T is richer than an Argosy of Pearles.  Do not threat me even in jest. I have been astonished that Men could die Martyrs for religion – I have shudder’d at it – I shudder no more – I could be martyr’d for my Religion – Love is my religion – I could die for that – I could die for you.  My Creed is Love and you are its only tenet – You have ravish’d me away by a Power I cannot resist: and yet I could resist till I saw you; and even since I have seen you I have endeavoured often “to reason against the reasons of my Love.”  I can do that no more – the pain would be too great – My Love is selfish – I cannot breathe without you.

Yours for ever

Ernest Hemingway and Marlene Dietrich

 

A quote from one of the letters:

I can’t say how every time I ever put my arms around you I felt that I was home. Nor too many things. But we were always cheerful and jokers together.

Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine de Beauharnais 

A snippet from the numerous letters:

The charms of the incomparable Josephine kindle continually a burning and a glowing flame in my heart.

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor

A snippet from the letters:

You don’t realise of course, E.B., how fascinatingly beautiful you have always been, and how strangely you have acquired an added and special and dangerous loveliness

Beethoven and his ‘Immortal Beloved’

Transcript:

Good morning, on July 7
Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, not and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us – I can only live wholly with you or not at all – Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the lands of spirits – Yes unhappily it must be so – You will be the more contained since you know my fidelity to you. No one else can ever possess my heart – never – never – Oh God, why must one be parted from one whom one so loves. And yet my life in V[ienna] is now a wretched life – Your love makes me at once the happiest and the unhappiest of men – at my age I need a steady, quiet life – can that be so in out connection? My angel, I have just been told that the mailcoach goes everyday – therefore I must close at once so that you may receive the l[etter] at once. – Be calm, only by a calm consideration of our existence can we achieve out purpose to live together – Be calm – love me – today – yesterday – what tearful longings for you – you – you – my life – my all – farewell. -Oh continue to love me – never misjudge the most faithful heart of you beloved.

ever thine
ever mine       
ever ours

Gerald Ford and Betty Ford

 

Transcript:

Dearest Mom
No written words can adequately express our deep, deep love. We know how great you are and we, the children and Dad, will try to be as strong as you.
Our Faith in you and God will sustain us. Our total love for you is everlasting.
We will be at your side with our love for a wonderful Mom.
xxxx
Jerry

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera

Transcript:

Diego, my love,
Remember that once you finish the fresco we will be together forever once and for all, without arguments or anything, only to love one another.
Behave yourself and do everything that Emmy Lou tells you.
I adore you more than ever. Your girl, Frida
(Write me)

Zelda Fitzgerald to F Scott Fitzgerald

Transcript:

Darling – I love these velvet nights. I’ve never been able to decide … whether I love you most in the eternal classic half-lights where it blends with day or in the full religious fan-fare of mid-night or perhaps in the lux of noon. Anyway, I love you most and you ’phoned me just because you phoned me tonight – I walked on those telephone wires for two hours after holding your love like a parasol to balance me.

Lastly, Jimi Hendrix and his “little girl”

Transcript:

little girl…..

happiness is within you….so unlock the chains from your heart and let yourself grow—
like the sweet flower you are…..
I know the answer—
Just spread your wings and set yourself
FREE

Love to you forever
Jimi Hendrix

Happy valentine’s day everyone.

❤

further reading:

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/these-are-the-10-greatest-love-letters-of-all-time–x1sKxgmB3g

http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2015/feb/11/straight-from-the-heart-the-best-love-letters-valentines-day

http://www.brainpickings.org/tag/love-letters

http://www.lettersofnote.com/

survivor stories.

Stories.

Museums create stories. Objects and spaces are significant because of the stories attached to them.

A priceless artwork in a museum collection is there because of the story and meaning attached to it.

An old roman coin is important because it tells the narration of the past.

An object from space is special because of the significance and story connected to it.

More than anything though stories are used as a way for people to be heard, particularly in relation to traumatic pasts.

For the most part, this storytelling is used for the purposes of telling the history of an event, but more often than not it gives the story a human face.

Hearing survivor’s stories has a profound effect on people’s emotions, both the listener and the teller.  It is a cathartic tool.

There are multiple online archives that deal with documenting and collecting survivors’ stories.

Here is a selection from some online sites who are collecting, documenting and telling survivor stories, that I think is worth looking at and gaining some perspective.

Yad Vashem’s youtube channel.

The South African Truth and Reconciliation Website:

You can access oral transcripts of the hearings here:

http://www.justice.gov.za/trc/special/index.htm#afh

A website documenting and archiving stories from the Cambodian Holocaust called Cyber Cambodia:

http://www.cybercambodia.com/dachs/stories.html

And lastly, I want to link to this great online archive called telling stories:

http://www.tellingstories.org/about/index.html

Please have a look and read or listen to some of the stories.

See the profound effect of a story.

further reading:

Click to access Telling-Tales.pdf

http://www.texashumanitiesproject.com/new-pagehow-grief-technology-storytelling-help-us-remember-tragedy-1/

https://books.google.com.au/books?id=iznNox7J6LsC&pg=PA153&lpg=PA153&dq=storytelling+in+trauma+museums&source=bl&ots=-H1s2-uJTr&sig=Qay67DD6sToGHY3HPQc6AFA8kvo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SzPXVMuoFITt8AWP14HYAg&ved=0CE8Q6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=storytelling%20in%20trauma%20museums&f=false

http://www.amazon.com/Truth-Lies-Stories-Reconciliation-Commission/dp/1565847415