Spoken like any first time pyschonaut. I really need to see this episode – I’ve seen animated gifs of it for years. Apparently the episode name is El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Homero.
Month: May 2012
Myths of Asia: Chinnamasta (the Goddess who cuts off her Own Head)One day Parvati went to bathe in the Mandakini River with her two attendants, Jaya and Vijaya. After bathing, the great goddess’s color became black because she was sexually aroused. After some time, her two attendants asked her, “Give us some food. We are hungry.” She replied, “I shall give you food but please wait.” After awhile, again they asked her. She replied, “Please wait, I am thinking about some matters.” Waiting awhile, they implored her, “You are the mother of the universe. A child asks everything from her mother. The mother gives her children not only food but also coverings for the body. So that is why we are praying to you for food. You are known for your mercy; please give us food.” Hearing this, the consort of Shiva told them that she would give anything when they reached home. But again her two attendants begged her, “We are overpowered with hunger, O Mother of the Universe. Give us food so we may be satisfied, O Merciful One, Bestower of Boons and Fulfiller of Desires.”
Hearing this true statement, the merciful goddess smiled and severed her own head. As soon as she severed her head, it fell on the palm of her left hand. Three bloodstreams emerged from her throat; the left and right fell respectively into the mouths of her flanking attendants and the center one fell into her mouth.
After performing this, all were satisfied and later returned home. (From this act) Parvati became known as Chinnamasta.
In visual imagery, Chinnamasta is shown standing on the copulating couple of Kamadeva and Rati, with Rati on the top. They are shown lying on a lotus.
There are two different interpretations of this aspect of Chinnamasta’s iconography. One understands it as a symbol of control of sexual desire, the other as a symbol of the goddess’s embodiment of sexual energy.
The most common interpretation is one where she is believed to be defeating what Kamadeva and Rati represent, namely sexual desire and energy. In this school of thought she signifies self-control, believed to be the hallmark of a successful yogi.
IS THERE A CLUB
YO I WANT IN ON THIS
they meet at my place, every fifth tuesday.
BREAKING: Obama embraces marriage equality
BREAKING: Obama embraces marriage equality
OBAMA: I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.
About fucking time. But he gets some credit. He will lose a lot of support because of this principled stand. I don’t say this very often, maybe once or twice a decade. I’m proud of my president today.
Brian Froud. Runes of Elfland.
CAN YOU SEE ME?
Jamila (age 15) sits at home in Gaza City. She lost both her legs, and her sister, Shaza, was killed during the December 2008-January 2009 Israeli military incursion. A missile hit their home as they played on the roof. The one-month conflict killed 1,300 Gazans, including 350 children.
Jamila’s photograph was taken by Rana, 18, during a UNICEF-organized children’s photography workshop.
Occupied Palestinian Territory, 2009 © UNICEF/Rana Matar
This is perhaps best exemplified by Christoph Büchel’s contribution to the Sculpture Park, several examples of his new series 1% which were placed, unmarked, around the fair’s grounds. Comprising six shopping carts, each filled with all of the belongings of a homeless New Yorker, purchased by Büchel for $300 to $500 apiece, the carts are being sold by Büchel’s gallery Hauser & Wirth, with prices ranging from $30,000 to $50,000; the “1%” in question refers to the fact that the amount Büchel paid for each cart represents 1% of its new value, once inscribed as a work of art. Though there is, I suppose, an argument to be made for the project as a critique of art-market capitalism, in which the authorial touch of the artist can transform objects that are otherwise considered not only worthless, but also downright squalid by most, into things of monetary and cultural value; it might function better if the artist himself—and his gallery—didn’t profit so heavily from it. Whatever Büchel’s aims for the project might have been, it struck me as exploitative
Rhizome. So we’ve gotten to this point, have we? Where poor people, when they make something, it’s just trash. But when fancy people touch that thing, their magic fancy transubstantiation touch makes it Art? How is this not the essence of class prejudice?
If I had my One Law About Art, it would be that something is what it is, trash or Art, irregardless of who made it, and how much money they spent on grad school. And that the person who made it (even if they’re the $10 an hour assistant) is the artist.
