List of Monumental sculpture projects 2015

  • 1 http://swannbb.blogspot.fr/2015/02/sunday-robot-play.html
  • 2 http://shuengitswannjie.blogspot.fr/2015/02/interactive-reading-room-tea-house-2015.html
  • 3 http://swannbb.blogspot.fr/2014/06/neo-ming-bed-luxembourg.html
  • 4 http://swannbb.blogspot.fr/2013/02/yuzi-paradise-tell-moon.html
  • 5 http://swannbb.blogspot.com/2011/09/12th-changchun-international-sculpture.html
  • 6 http://www.saatchionline.com/Shuen-git

Tuesday 30 August 2016

List of Master Guqin Makers

http://tianrensg.weebly.com/master-maker-26027297482151723478

crystal glass from warring states






































http://www.chinawhisper.com/top-10-awesome-ancient-chinese-inventions/

 I really like the form, somehow its got a perfection in the shape and lines.
The person who made it had something v gentle.  
The lower part of the wall is has a very slight curve - 
unlike objects in the 90s in the style of "designer" glasses 
which is usually v hard edged. (often black and glossy) 
It reminds me that this is the kind of things I like. Glowing, opalescent, soft. 
Really, I like perfection. 
Arts and Crafts perfection. 
Well-madeness in things. Amongst other things.

A writer once told me, he makes a small alter at home, 
and put things that would remind himself of what his focus was -
 it is something to remind himself, a way to not get lost.

This glass has somehow this effect, 
it reminds me of a kind of perfection, 
glowing type of soft perfection.  

That is the qualities in things that I like.

Monday 29 August 2016

路边野餐(2016)Kaili Blues ***half, dir Bi Gan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPBqRl9yQfo&sns=fb

【一席】毕赣《路边野餐》

Interesting self presentation.  Very humorous subtle person.
His presentation enticed me to see his movie.
His movie is a lot more melancholic than his lovely story telling of the self laced with humor speech. Could have been stand up comic, lot more consistent than the usual standup comic routine.  Better, more relevant material.
Good poetic film.  I especially like his way of linking the beginning to how he made his movie.
I would think, if we followed his method.  Just imagine if you conducted all his moves, but plugging in your own data, what kind of movie would you get?

Are all stories more or less the same structure?  There is a limited story structure in the world, and you just plug in variables?

I was with a group of movie making people - most of them studied films.
So they wrote up a structure - synopsis of a film - however you ask me to fill in the data, it somehow just wont be the kind of film that I like to make.  I cannot write a script following their "story outline" method.  But here, I think his method, is interesting its a kind of Open Work.

Is it true?
Must test it to know.

Below is the actual movie, a prize winning film.  Golden Horse award.  I think.  Will update after checking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jasvC7Hxr3k

More info concerning independant film investor, producers, 40mn shot
http://www.zhihu.com/question/34627596

======================================================================

路边野餐(2016)


The story is a bitter sweet film recounting what happened to a man and his love the village stories of various people.  We see realistic set ups in the village, lighting soft, and the viewer pieces the stories together themselves.  It is not an explicit documentary.  But the feeling of the landscape, the way people talk, the setting, its very authentic.

Poetic.  In fact, there are free association, stream of consciousness type of metaphor in some of the captions/ subtitles.

Something slow and alive.  Soulful.
======================================================================

路边野餐(2016)Kaili Blues ***half, dir Bi Gan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPBqRl9yQfo&sns=fb 

【一席】毕赣《路边野餐》

Interesting self presentation.  Very humorous subtle person.
His presentation enticed me to see his movie.
His movie is a lot more melancholic than his lovely story telling of the self laced with humor speech. Could have been stand up comic, lot more consistent than the usual standup comic routine.  Better, more relevant material.
Good poetic film.  I especially like his way of linking the beginning to how he made his movie.
I would think, if we followed his method.  Just imagine if you conducted all his moves, but plugging in your own data, what kind of movie would you get?

Are all stories more or less the same structure?  There is a limited story structure in the world, and you just plug in variables?

I was with a group of movie making people - most of them studied films.
So they wrote up a structure - synopsis of a film - however you ask me to fill in the data, it somehow just wont be the kind of film that I like to make.  I cannot write a script following their "story outline" method.  But here, I think his method, is interesting its a kind of Open Work.

Is it true?
Must test it to know.

Below is the actual movie, a prize winning film.  Golden Horse award.  I think.  Will update after checking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jasvC7Hxr3k

路边野餐(2016)


The story is a bitter sweet film recounting what happened to a man and his love the village stories of various people.  We see realistic set ups in the village, lighting soft, and the viewer pieces the stories together themselves.  It is not an explicit documentary.  But the feeling of the landscape, the way poeple talk, the setting, its very authentic.

Poetic.  In fact, there are free association, stream of consciousness type of metaphor in some of the captions/ subtitles.

Something slow and alive.  Soulful.


Shanghai Belleville 2015, dir Show Chun Lee ***half

"Shanghai Belleville", ***half //Director: Show Chun Lee 2015
"Shanghai Belleville", ***half

Very interesting film, solid story, interesting contemporary beat - with some punky alternative marginal comic book characters, very smartly packaged into a realistic enough outline.

The opera singing mom, sewing factory, room of the prostitutes, marriage w old men - not an especially nasty old man, but we see what limitations the super momma Anna also has to face. Anna, is a pretty enough woman. Very nicely believable. She was well cast, doesnt have the harsh face of someone who has no dreams. We see her deal with negotiation of price of a pass through a glass telephone booth while talking to her son long distance in China on the pay phone - being soft mamma and doing business at the same time; being human with fellow people in distress and need; being genteel and self help by getting online for marriage dating using a dictionary to get all the words down all by herself- self help; negotiation with a man who hold the financial source (but she could also go out if he refused... all made-up too, suggested if you dont give me the money, I go out myself and get it); this is what is in Chinese - living ordinary life from day to day - the new husband is a v gd actor. He shows just the right amount of human doubt and kindness. He celebrates Christmas with her, like a family.  Anna is being treated right.  Finally later, he asked when is her son coming?  He accepts her, with her son.  Its family.  Though she replied, no need.  China is more energetic than France.  Her reason to be in France is economic, and now the situation has changed.  Also amusing she checks his id card to make sure she didnt make a mistake – its a marriage for practical reasons, and then also some love.  Gentle companionship, love.

The young croate boy with super kungfu moves and croatie rap song bringing into the story a dimension of a larger than France/Belleville angle it spks of a generation of new Chinese immigrants - finally goes to Shanghai by self induced expulsion - the beautiful colorful place, where noodle makers smiles even if their job are sweaty - the new China speaks of a dream coming true. That opportunities are ripe, better days are here.

In parallel, we see the Anna character from sidewalk prostitute to marriage with an older gentleman to staying in France to become the partner of a future import export business with her son being the other partner in China.

The young girl with her puppy love over, marries a local small sewing business boss and we could see her becoming the boss herself. She married into a family of kindness with immigrant experience.

The movie has enough color, story and reality to make it much more than a "discover the dirt" type of stereotypical story of recent immigrants. The director Show is an anthropologist and maybe because of this, the story has much deeper threads and understanding than your usual exotic-immigrant-hardship-stereotype in 13th arrondissement Chinese in France movie.

I slightly compared it to the movie by Zhia ZhangKe - movie set in Venise of another immigrant running a cafe. The Belleville movie is very colorful with much research - the other the Venise one is also sober w a profound poetic feeling. Also comes to mind the movie Gomorroh - that scene of factory workers, eating and drinking w plastic cups; how the factory workers treat the teacher. These are all realistic each with its own stylistic invention and mood.

I would say, Bravo! To director Show Chun Lee. Some parts could be played up a bit more, why does the seamstress seem so in love w the Croate boy? Its a way out of the sewing sweat shop? As a character she is rather stoic and kind of silent without revealing her inner person. She could have been played up just a little bit more to show her feelings, whether its simple, or more complex. What attracts her to the "thuggish" non-Chinese spking boy? There is something to be developed here. After all she has a more than passing role in the film. Could reveal a little bit more about the girl if possible (here I think, you have a chance to get a youthful sexy cute girl, eye candy, puppy love humour, sexy opportunities – wasted wasted.  To give an example, we see Zhou Xun in all these urban lost youth movies, why Zhou Xun?  Because she is cute and gd looking and great actress!  No opportunities wasted! ), then we see in interaction, is the Croate boy really a thug? Could he have been non-thug, what options are open to him in his situation? The rap is fun, and smartly tells the Croate boy story.

Now, what does this movie bring us to?

At a deeper level, this is what life is.
Each person comes into a situation, and catch as catch can, make something or nothing of it, and there is a time limit, the show will be over.

Like the human trafficking boss and his mother - there was no wife in the film - the mom sings SuSan Qi Jie. A very famous piece of Beijing Opera, its fast symbol flashing old culture china, pop culture and high culture at the same time. The story of SuSan Qi Jie is about wrong doing - SuSan is on the way to prison due to some wrong doing of bad guys. Here the man is looking for his wife, wrongly pushed to death in some intrique - and the mom talks about being no-spking evil, no-seeing evil, no-hearing evil. Good good. Efficient.

The man is sitting drinking tea with his Croate friend, his eyes shifted left, right, left, right... danger coming. (I find his eye shifting too much.) Hes the right physique for the role and is believable to be sentimental.

In all this, why is it a good movie? I like it, though I had worried that it would turn out to be another exotic cheap talk about Chineseness - immigrants and all/any related thing from China.

I found this nice mix of current urban/comic culture and reality is quite successful. Its got flesh, blood and much real data behind.

We are happiest when we could live in a society and do things properly in a group - whether you are noodle maker, sand shifter - you are in your own rightful place. As immigrant, there is always the push of the exterior person coming in trying to merge. How could they know that they are doing well, or the-right-thing? By what ropes do they go? If the outsider did not bother to merge, then the outsider is probably an invader. Like the stronger types who descend on the locals and do not bother to even learn the local language, that is also a finger wagging no no. 

Secondly, in life, this "joining", "merging" phase happens at all levels, at a job, at home in your village, growing up. In the end, when the road is smooth, each person finds their way.

The movie is positive, everybody has a brighter future and calmer settled life ahead in spite of the hardship of the beginning.

Showing so much at so many levels. Acting, smoothness of story line all these other things are overpowered by the real research where the story is grounded. Amateur acting, too quick romance telling, not enough details in certain parts... all this is just that.

Isnt this already a beautiful work?




Thursday 25 August 2016

Cutting of a pine tree - experimental garden #2

http://www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/cultivation/from-cuttings

Cutting of a pine tree - experimental garden #2
Day 1:  I followed instructions on this web page
Taking a branch from my pine tree - not too large and planted it following the earth layering etc

It will take 15 yrs for it to grow into any tree - for now, a bonsai tree is gd, easier to control water, heat etc.

Now, can we put a pine tree indoor or it should stay outdoor?
More research.

Tuesday 23 August 2016

Anti-slip guqin pegs data - ongoing update

22Aug2016:: data from around the world, diff climate, diff temp, diff humidity all mixed

Test: Is "slipping" a common problem? and if using old pegs, how much slipping happens in a 2 to 3 hrs or more period?  
What might be the condition that makes "slipping" happen?

I noticed under very hot stage lights, the silk strings are often affected by the heat, and i see master players adjust their strings every now and then before playing a piece.

If under normal conditions, there is no slipping, but under performance conditions, due to heat from the lights, this happens, would "anti-slip" pegs be of great help?

Here, under high heat, the strings themselves stretches more, so, the problem of slipping notes is not in the pegs but more in the adjustment of strings

Therefore, the anti slip pegs are useful for ... regular conditions.  Its always helpful to have a locking device to minimise slipping of tuning.  Always gd to have more control.

===
More discoveries thanks to input of all feedbacks
Conclusion 24aug2016:
I have thought about this question for the last few days. In fact, the traditional pegs work fine.
Its just that to fine tune, if you use a screw mechanism its v smooth turning.
And thats about it. Still smooth turning is better than non-smooth turning.
All pegs should be anti-slip either by friction or by mechanical device (screw).
Thanks for your feedback.

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1  CE(uk)/ 22aug2016
old traditional qin pegs, str#1, no change after 2.75hr  //  

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2 JYST (Canada)/ 22aug 2016
old system once tuned, stays at least one wk no need to retune. // 
maybe due to qin and not only the pegs


Of course not, too poor

Also, as someone who uses original parts from shop, and able to fix own stringing, why would I?
But I can tell you my pegs don't slip
Provided they are not moved and laid flat on a table, I find that I can leave a qin alone for a week and it's the same after

Not every qin can do this, of course

But mine is OK indefinitely, I haven't tried leaving one on a table long enough to be untouched
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3  YH (NY) /22aug2016  Adjustment every day. Dryness due to heating in winter also affects.
Only very occasionally, I don't need any adjustment.
It's because of silk strings and not because of pegs, I suppose.
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4  JB (Portland) / 23aug2016

I always adjust the tuning before I play anything in a session and will check it into a session after a bit.
If the weather is not stable strings may stretch or tighten. I'm not sure what anti-slip means.
anti-slip technology so called means the peg pool is sanded roughly and should not be smooth.
The top of the pegs are concave (this is traditional and is mentioned in the yuguzhai).
one can always roughly sand the top of the peg as well.
Simpler first things to try are to apply something abrasive to the peg pool like chalk dust or the like.
Or candle wax if the peg is too tight.
New strings always stretch and it isn't unusual to have to put silk strings on/off in toto 3 times if they are new.
n-m don't usually need a restringing but they still stretch when new.
Sometimes slippage may be due to the rongkou themselves and the usual fault is that the last twist
over the top either wasn't done or needs to be done one more time.


Why or why not? Do you think w screws is better?


Irrelevant for n-m strings. Useful for silk strings since you need to detune 6-7 or 5-7 every time you stop playing and restringing gets old fast and the strings being organic tend to move more. Also that was a joke. But the cost needs to come down.


Its just screws you can make your own w any wood outer casing;
I see a lot of v pretty purple hardwood

Gold silk thread hard wood etc also drift wood w many holes; new transparent wood; so beautiful

And exactly how many people would do that? Less than the number of silk string users. Also I might point out that the variety of different kinds of machines used with guitars is astonishing of course. In essence the guqin has TWO kinds at this point. And the guitar has about a million. If you get Qinfu and look at the section of pictures of Qin from the 70s - there are a number of them with guitar tuners actually. I've thought about this but the real problem I think that is much more important is restringing one string at a time as opposed to 3 or 4. Keep in mind that silk strings are probably at about 100 to 1 or greater in terms of per qin user and string 7 is usually the string that breaks anyway. Still it is very handy to be able to change 1 string (say string 1 ...). Also I'm not opposed to mechanical tuners. Cheap guitar tuners are a pain in the backside (guess what - they slip)


I made an individual str tuner but its a bit heavy so i just keep it as a symbol of what to do;

this is for getting rid of hassle of having to remove all the strings in order to re-string one string
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5  HY (hk) / 22aug2016
The simple is the best
For new silk string, re-stringing twice it becomes stable. It usually lasts for over a month.
Slipping of silk is due to incorrect fixing the silk on the leg
Traditional one is good enough
Tiny adjustment is required due to variation of humidity
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6  SD (nyc) 26aug2016
  • you are right, after I got several answers, that old exstg system of pegs are all more
  • or less non-slip anyway, then, the change of pitch is due to the string change.
  • Even though I have made some anti-slip pegs - the old system works just as well too.
  • Thanks for your feedback!
  • Do you use silk strings? So if you did measure your readings, w your extg pegs,

    The question is now, how often do you have to adjust your pegs?
  • In performance situations  did it change?
  • it depends on how new the strings are, of course.
  • But even with silk strings several years old, 
  • sometimes a string will go flat after an aggressive bit of playing, 
  • and i often have to tune during performance. Not noticeable to the audience, I hope!
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