Die.

Death by AE.

We are all wrong; lulled by the promise of two dimensional dreams, we misunderstood 3d. Actually - what seems the easiest is always the most misleading.

Inspiration

I rarely share artists I like because I am selfish that way: I like to keep all the good things to myself. But its xmas and I am feeling a wee bit generous. So, I present (with a flourish and a bow), Yu Jingyoung:


plus her recent exhibition "Family in Disguise" is too good to let up.

Subby love

First batch of lomo. Reminds me of Parkway in the early 1990s (laugh).



One Velvia and an Ektachrome to go. Sponsor me some rolls of film please.

Taming of the Shrew

For Kenny, who is so adamant on match-making me: I have decided to write a personal ad! Just in case that you, despite all your best intentions, misconstrue all that I said - we don't want any misunderstandings and broken hearts, do we? At the same time, I hope I will save you some trouble because now, you can simply circulate the notice around! How convenient. (That's //ilng's number 1 virtue for you!)

So here goes nothing:

Seeking a life partner for //ilng

I am not a stickler for outer appearances. I know where I stand on the "good looking" spectrum. Though not necessarily a perfect 10 out of 10, it doesn't hurt either if my partner is tall-ER, well-built and good looking. Of course that said, s/he has to be oblivious to my physical imperfections, my complete disregard for personal hygiene, impervious to my grooming habits - I mean the lack of - and my penchant to cultivate phalloides, or simply mushrooms, in the most unlikely of places.

S/he has to be articulate, eloquent, expressive and intelligible. Linguists have an advantage, especially if they are trilingual. Japanese is a huge turn on in bed; French caresses my skin like silk; while husky whispers in Spanish push that oohm factor alot more than hot passionate kisses (well, I am not complaining about that, mind you).

Mathematicians are also welcomed, especially if they can recite the full value of pi in between kisses. The last time I checked, the value is computed to 10¹² digits, which makes it roughly.... more than a trillion? If that is ever too daunting, then I guess the truncated value works too. Though only up to a miserable 50th decimal place, s/he can always supplement it by explaining the limit of a function at infinity to placate and soothe away post-coital blues.

S/he has to be smart, intelligent, perceptive and quick witted - a most important trait to have so that I don't confuse s/he with my pet goldfish, something that I tend to do very often. The absence of a working brain will receive a quick boot out of the door; that said, a boring, uninspired and dispirited one will not keep me intrigued and curious for long either. A thirst for knowledge and a ravishing desire to learn is a must - I am not patient enough to stay around and wait for s/he to catch up. Academics are especially favoured in this department; my daily conversation pieces are not simply about television programmes, stock market, economic recessions and what not. I love (informed) discussions on philosophy, psychology, sociology, literature, politics, languages, history and.... rocket science too! (I am joking about the last one.)

S/he must possess depth, magnitude, sagacity and wisdom for matters that exist greater than her/himself. Possessing strong, opinionated and informed stances on social issues and demonstrating genuine concern for injustices and discrimination towards the marginalized, invisible and weak are important, crucial straits. While concerns about the next installment on the house, car or credit card are fair and valid, they are not going to make me think twice when I pack the suitcase and walk out of the door. I am no romantic renegade or rebel - I am too practical for my own good - and I don't expect a social activist for a partner either; I am only asking for an individual with a big heart; not a tiny spot that frets and complains when the forces of the universe does not conspire and align to please her/him.

Finally (can there be a finally?? I am not even half done!), s/he must possess strength of character. By that I mean, knowing when I am pms-ing and giving in to my inane whims of buying you tiao at Geylang at 3am. Seriously.

Supportive, encouraging, mature and ever patient, s/he will understand and be accepting when I need to go out in the world to explore, venture and experience. While acknowledging and respecting my space as an independent and strong willed individual, s/he knows when exactly I need an extra boost of confidence, a firm hug when the ego is bruised and to nurse me when I am feeling vulnerable and lonely. Of course, other character traits - worldliness, charisma, generosity, an even temperament - apply as well.

If you know someone, other than GOD, that fits the bill, do let me know. Otherwise, I am better off single.

P/S. If it is not GOD, an angel will be good too.

P/P/S. If you know someone that has a face that can stop traffic two blocks down, androgynous looking, has legs that stretch on for miles, has beautiful clear, fair skin, and soulful, puppy eyes, and owns a white unicorn horse with wings, please pass her/him my number.

P/P/P/S. If not, the filthy rich ones work too.

Hoping for good news from all of you soon!

XOXOXOXO
//ilng

Oh! Demons Loving

Because of Kishi Keisuke's "Ministry of Mystic Machines" (Check out Archangel, 1997 at the Japanese Media Art Festival)

Furin, 1998

I was promptly reminded of:


which I had wanted to catch looooong ago. Cel shaded animation - no shit.

I finally did this morning, and boy. What demonic fun. All the characters are lovely; the children:



Especially digging the demons:

Kimotori (肝取り, Kimotor) The liver taker

Chitori (血取り, Chitor) The blood taker

My favorite:


Aburatori (油取り) The oil taker.

Small packages do pack mean punches. , Abura)) thhe

<sup>I love how the characters are at the same time, distinctively Japanese (think Edo Ancient Japan) and yet, displaced and futuristic.(check out their names in Katakana - Japanese alphabet that is usually reserved for foreign names, which at once suggest the children's alien origins.) Very "Japanese ethos" if you will, given the unique and recurring combination of the old and traditional with the modern and scientific. A theme that is not just visited in Kakurenbo, but across all animation, like Howl's Moving Castle for e.g. Of course the modern and scientific is often the main staple in alot of Japanese animation: Chobits, Steam Boy, Ghost in the Shell, Gundam etc etc. Given the dominance of that particular running theme, it is no surprise that Kakurenbo takes on a similar track. Like all of its predecessors, the effect is all at once, schizophrenic, creepy and very entertaining.

Character design is dope lar. So is the very complicated technique of cel shading. Ya la, you just got to give it to the 3DCG artists.

Watch it already!

Next on the must do list - oh the deadlines the deadlines - Tekkon Kinreet and Mind Game. Watch Tekkon if you haven't. It re-defines the meaning of "visual porn". Paprika doesn't even quite cut it. -smirk-</sup>

Two dimensional dreams

NUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

I.so.don't.want.to.touch.3d.

Polaroid Polaroid! - Post Halloween -

Shoot was cancelled 'cause I am down with the flu bug - all the weeks of planning *sigh*
Accidentally deleted my gallery modelling files - so long hard work *double sigh*
Pending deadlines and my Jlang exam - ......... (this is beyond words)

To cheer myself up:










The revival of old school Polaroid charm with this niffy application: Polaroid Image Maker
(sorry, Mac users only)

FUN!

Busy

Have been horribly busy - it's a good thing I guess - so have not been updating as much. Photography is always in the process and I am in the midst of trying to roll out a project amidst all the other ones that I have to do.

(Side note: It sucks when I have to prioritize in face of so! many! interests! It really sucks when I cannot give each and every thing my 100%. That really really gets me irritated.ARGH.)

Just would like to share this:

"Do I point my camera outwards to the existing world or turn it inward towards my soul. Am I taking photographs of existing reality, or creating my own world, so real but non existent. Results from this two opposite approaches are notably different and, in my opinion, conceptual photography is a higher form of artistic expression that places photography on the level of painting, poetry, music and sculpture. It employs the special talent of intuitive vision.
By translating the personal concepts into the language of photography, it reflects the possible answers to major questions of being: birth, death and life.

Creating an idea and transforming it into reality is an essential process of conceptual photography."

Misha Gordin

Do check her out if you have time. Her images are really striking and provoking...reminds me of Dali-esque landscapes and dreamworlds. See "Shout" , "Doubt", "Shadows". Enjoy.

One picture a day

A slight deviation from Korea>>

Because I did not want the rented lens go to waste, I went out anyway to take photos, hoping to get lucky with some portrait shots. Luckily a colleague suggested Little India (thank goodness for Deepavali!).

With the 85mm f1.4

For the rest of the photos, click here

Shooting myself

Because sch is turning out to be this seriously pmsing bitch, I wanted to get it off my head and out of my hair by doing some random photography therapy.

So I rented the fabulous Nikkor 85mm f1.4 lens.
Its insanely lovely with the bokeh, very sharp, nice colours, great depth of field and obviously very good for portraits! But the only set back -

I have no fucking models. And it is raining outside.

Fuck me hard.

Korea in series: Scenery/Highlight

Some things just stand out among the rest. This was one of those moments/highlights:

The Munkyong Rail Bike:


They were original spur lines that used to run to Mungyeong-eup and Kaeul. However they have been discontinued and part of them have become bike paths, with rental rail-running bikes running on the original tracks - an obvious attraction that no die hard tourist and back packer included can resist.


My mum and I pedalled like mad - no thanks to the lack of exercise. But of course, the scenery, fantastic (sweat glands? what, sweat glands?) weather and company more than made up for it.




Photo taking was particulary trying though: Pedal, balance my cam bag, change lens, pedal somemore, balance again, take pictures, pedal somemore. You get the picture.




Next - Korea in series: Wine tunnel

Korea in series: Memorable shot 1

I froze my ass off to take this:

7 degrees at the Dragon Peak Valley, Yong Pyong. (For other butterfly photo, click here.)


But I was a happy tropper at the end of it all:

Korea in series: Skies

It is easy to take beautiful pictures when the said country is already so arresting in all its natural splendid glory.

Korea is a country that rightly belongs to the women; the skies are a clear testament.

Flight over Seoul:



The weary travellers' morning blues at Seoul-Incheon:
(Shin chun, near Ewha Womans University)


Sunset at Jeju Island:



slowly drowned in magenta:



Flight to Pusan/Daegu:


Sometimes it is cotton candy:
(right outside the Persimmon Wine Tunnel)



Other times it looks like sweets:
(at Dongwahsa Temple)


that threatens to turn angry right away:


It rages and the hills burn:
(evening at Daegu)


with unabashed magnificence:
(on the road to Yong Pyong)


that always leaves it a little lonely right after:



More of Korea in series: Scenery

End of term

I can't friggin wait to proclaim, "ORD LORRRR!" But that will have to be in another year's time. Damn.

Till then, couple of class photos:


M_K will be leaving Singapore for good and soon! I guess I will miss him and his lessons. I really did learn stuff from him unlike T_M. (Aiyo, that one.) I guess the inspiration and motivation did come from him and I am glad I made the switch to multimedia. I am looking forward to motion graphics next term - Hopefully I can make my own MTV video, woot!

Brokeback 3: check out Beng's expression!

Presentation night: All of us (ok, sans S_M) were all sian. I started off being pretty enthusiastic about the module until I got so sick of my subject!

S_t_ng at the back, Jack and Beng in front - YUM.

S_t_ng was really nice as a lecturer but even better as a bitching partner! LOL! The long running joke between him, Jack and Beng definitely was THE gossip fodder for all our post class supper nights. Hilarious.

Two more weeks to go before another school term; I wish Sem will be good for animation and Raymond to be lenient for motion graphics!