. : VisualGroove

Something a bit sad happened to me once in the streets of Vancouver. I was walking in the street, in a very vulnerable place, very sad and shaky. Accidentally I bumped into a homeless junky. The person flipped out and started yelling. I didn’t react at first, and just replied annoyed. The person continued and then, I got really mad – right then I waved my fist up in the air, looking for a fight.

Boom, I saw my self. I saw my self, with a fist up in the air, looking for a fight. I felt that this is the material that wars are made from. I fled the scene. I was so sad and started to cry, as to where I found my self. just from a silly, accidental bump. Also amazed and compassionate, that I felt what can happen, and how easily we can be turned on on any kind of feeling.

When I think about this project, it’s the meeting point that fascinates me as well. When we really meet the world and ourselves. So imagine, if we have this shot on camera, we can freeze frame, and walk around into the realm where we see the expression of this energy, letting the hero, see himself, coz for some reason, right there it was seen.

Imagine that there is a magical, invisible wall, where we can reach and see our selves. See our circumstances and play with them. Almost like a mirror that shows us ourselves, for real.

Ahh…. words, how do I wish, real will be put into them. I want freedom from bullshit. But it’s ok, Let’s not be so harsh. Bullshit can also be cool. Don’t listen to me ^_^

This is a little test, done with an idea I had in my head for a while, that just touches the idea of a wall we can reach and touch, but we don’t see where the surface will be. We need to move and move, Forward, forward, and a little bit more, until opa! We are there.

Enjoy sweeties!

Something interesting happened after meeting Talya Landa for the first time the other day, like I mentioned a playful blog a go. I found my self very startled by the massive thinking that this project takes of me, as well as, the abstract overall thoughts. So, together with the inspiration of wanting to work with Talya as a dancer, came the idea of making a test. Making something, that is more realistic for me to try and do – a little teaser. Something like a trailer for the idea and concept.

I met with Talya again, and it was a very exciting and inspiring exchange. The original intent, was to ask her to “dance” through the 5 elements, which Assaf constantly reminds me that they are movements, or phases. They never stop changing. During the conversation two main words really made it to my ideas depository in my funny brain were – Experiencing and Ecstasy.

Experiencing came up in the conversation, because of whatever we might try and do in our life in order to deal with them, we need to feel – we need to experience. If something comes up, anything, from good stuff to terrible dilemmas – we need to do something with them. Dancing with our life’s circumstances will help us deal with them. I say dancing because it is something very creative and abstract, that can be expressed in many ways. Like any solution to a problem. A personal example would be, that I found myself stuck with couple of issues that trouble me in my life. I found myself almost paralyzed – not finding any kind of solution to give my hungry mind. I felt bursting of stuck energy. ( 5 elements metaphor right here ) Luckily, after a few minutes, that looked like much longer then that, I took my guitar and sung a song very strongly and distracted my self to another place. Even more interesting is, that it felt amazing! Seeing an almost direct funnel, that took all that fuzzing mind tentacles, and diverted them to a powerful playing experience. I had to do something with that energy, I couldn’t ignore nor suppress it. Experience it.

In the Hebrew translation of the book of Tao,Tao Te Ching, there is a very interesting paragraph/poem that touches that:

“Living fearlessly
Feeling the world
Experiencing the obstacles
Kowing the world”

Ecstasy came up, when I shared with Talya what I learned about the origin of the word ecstasy. Which is funny enough, doesn’t mean being all high in a club dancing, but more from the Latin word Ex-Stasis. The general idea behind this word is the state of being outside-of-one-self. This idea is very interesting to me, that in a state of concentration, focus and fully experiencing, a different state of mind is experienced. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the psychologist is touching it, while talking http://www.visualgroove.org/blog/?p=214, about his idea of flow.

I want to remind you all that I am just talking, thinking, contemplating, wondering, conceiving and brain storming. Where the idea I want to convey, mr.Flow/Tao/Magic is not at all from this realm. It’s something which only – after the fact – reveals it’s magical sense. While in it, it’s just there.

It’s all on the way.

^_^

Observing. That is something I took from meeting with Avidan Ingber. He is a good friend of mine, that also deals with the Chinese medicine. His vibe is very calm, very grounding and supporting. ( anyone who would like to contact him : 052 – 547 7463 )

I was sharing, on a sunny day at the beach, my project idea with him, again. He was taking with me a lot about the meaning of the elements and their physical and mental representation of them. During the conversation with him I asked him to describe what he sees, in me.

He was saying that I have a lot of “Tree” in me. He named a few characteristics, and creativity was one of them. Even I always thought I am kind of fire, from my jittery personality, he was saying “Tree”. He was saying that maybe my feet are on the ground, but my head is in the sky, moving around with the wind. ( the motion of his hands, straight up, moving around like a tree to the wind was so cute! ^_^ )
He was also saying I have “Metal” in me. By that time, I gathered a bit of information that gave me the idea, that “Metal” represent focus and stream. Sharp mind. bottom line kind of notion. I was saying back “Me? Metal? I can’t focus so easy and I am a pretty scattered dude, no?”, he smiled and said “But when you want something, how focused can you get?”. He was right. When something excited me, hence this website, I go full power.

A visual fragment struck me right there.

Imagine a person, sitting in his home, being all creative – and for the example – writing something. Let’s try to use the “Tree” metaphor and the “Metal” metaphor here, together with the idea behind them, Visually. So, in the “Element” world, where our circumstances are represented visually, we’ll see the person writing, and visual elements will grow from him. A reference can be seen, so we’ll be on the same page more or less, in the post “Some Visual reference and ideas”. While the person is being all creative, with a symbolic “tree” like element growing from him, the idea of focus and sharpness comes in. Together with that, think about the classic “artistic” like gestures like : Hand rubbng the face thinking – strong “ahha!” hand throw – big “no!” and “yes!” movements. They will represent the “Metal” phase of things, and sharp sword like elements will shape the tree! Making the tree pretty and productive.

This idea can symbolize scenarios like, overgrowing tree that is too wild or too much criticism that will cut the tree completely, destroying it and making it not so fruitful.

It’s nice for me, to be able and explain an abstract idea so clearly – which is the fruit of a little bit of talking, thinking and explaining the idea of the elements over and over to various people, getting critic and support.

Thank you people.

Avidan also continued and said “Look around, what element do you see in people?”

I met an old friend I haven’t seen for a long time. Tal Ben-Ari a.k.a Tribal Tul. He is a trance DJ and Producer with his own label called, Tribal Records. He is a very playful dude, very humorous. ( you’re cool, Tul ^_^ )

I’ve worked with him on his new album’s artwork, which was as well, a very interesting creative journey.

Two very interesting things came up from meeting him.

One, was that I met with a good friend of him Talya Landa. She is a very creative person and talented dancer. It was very exciting and inspiring meeting her for the first time and she was very willing to hear about my project. I was thinking, I really want to do something with her. Because of that meeting, I started to aim myself to something smaller. A test for myself and the visual ideas I want to convey. Amazing inspirations, derived from that, are more to follow in this blog.

Second thing that came up by meeting with Tul himself, over a clip he wants to make for a video game he is working on, is the playfulness of things. During the conversation with him he was sharing, that he loves to put surprising and stinging comments into conversations and scenarios. We where then talking about what does it brings then? Playing with a happening scene like that? Spicing things up?
In my mind I was trying to fit the thoughts, to the world of the project I am doing, and came to a interesting idea that led to many other ideas.

This world is not boring. Stuff are happening constantly. Tul is very aware of the dynamic and turbulent energies that passes through the scene in all kind of scenarios. Parties, conversations, relationships and more. We where thinking, by taking part, and in his case using humor and comments, you can create a substance for yourself to shape the scene like! Without the friction, that makes this world amazing and sad at the same time, it would be boring and dead. You have to participate to experience. And then, when you are dancing with the circumstances you are in, you can shape it, dwell in it, and make this world work with you and for you.

The visual trigger was – to think about the elements, that builds our life, as a substance that we can work with, that we can play with. We need to move and act in order to create. To shape. To manifest our life. Once we created movement, it will automatically be guided using our will and desires to the right places.

Abstract ideas right? Well, once seen in your own world. They are unavoidable – whatever shape they take.

Something I was dwelling in, when I was exploring the course of creativity and inspiration, in Think Tank Training Center. After talking to the guys, right after the first class, I realized there is something very esoteric I wanted to deliver. On and on in my mind, I was wondering what it was and how to really talk about it.

Then a simple observation of myself made me think a funny thought, about what I wanted to deliver.

I was sitting at work, next to the reception girl, chatting. At the time, I was so thrilled about this class and opportunity to teach it, that all I was talking about. In the amidst of the conversation, something found the corner of my eye. The sun coming into the room from the window, broke on the table through the glasses of the girl, and made a beautiful refracted rainbow on the table. I was in owe going “Wow, that is so beautiful !” and started to play with the glasses.

I stopped.

Right then, I saw myself, reacting and interacting with the glasses. I thought, that’s what I want to deliver, this open eyes that enables you to see wonders in this world, or maybe the opposite, see the world in wonder. It makes me think that this is one of the most powerful earthly notions of mr.Flow, it’s childish, it’s playful, it’s surprising and it’s so god dam simple. This playful notion comes in life as well, it feels like it brings a smile, joy, loveliness and a sense of simplicity, that makes even the hardest things melt.

I finished reading Alice’s adventures in Wonderland. So playful. Makes you think about that mr.Flow and how it will appear. Slowly, slowly I realize, mr.Flow is us. In Flow. hihihi play with our selves – See the world. I love how Alice takes notice of whatever her mind fancy, whatever she finds right to react with. It doesn’t matter if a 8 cm caterpillar with a hookah on a mushroom is facing her. She will still react to his funny size or manners, and what does he thinks to himself, doing this on a mushroom. Not caring it’s a blue caterpillar as big as her! So much playfulness.

When it comes to this project, it makes me immediately think, how does our heroes/hero of this clip will find themselves playful, enchanted and even playing with their own circumstances. Even the most disturbing ones. Finding the magic of connecting and engaging with this life.

Funny how this blog things work. This is just to say that all of you who uses Internet Explorer to view this page, might see it better now! ^_^

With videos working and the Sidebar to the right is not at the buttom.
joy!

As part of thinking about this clip, I need to think on the bottom line, as far as visual media goes to.

What is the happening here? what’s going on? These are a few ideas that come together with this point.

*
I was talking with a Liran, a friend which lives in Amikam, a little village north from Tel-Aviv. We where talking about the idea, and Waking life came up. It’s a very interesting animation/live-action movie. Liran was asking me if this project is going to be interviews. To be honest, like I told him, this didn’t came across my mind, but made me think in other directions. Why not have people talk about times and happenings in their life, where they feel they’ve been inspired and maybe met mr.Flow, and then, visualize these happenings!

*
The other thought, is more abstract, but also touches the happening. This visual thing I am doing here is a creation. So, what about a creation that talks about itself. The stories or scenarios described, will touch creation in some sort, and even on the creation it self.

*
The Chinese chart of the five elements is a cycle. Where all the elements feed and compliment each other in a way. Many ideas comes with that. Maybe it will be an endless thing, where you can start watching at any point in the movie, and it will come back to the same point. Maybe also hints that will connect the clips together, like this chart itself. Another interesting point, is that these elements are usually meant to be in motion. They are often talked about as the five movement or five phases.

It’s also a beautiful idea to me, that the Tao, this abstract, snicky concept, cannot be directly talked about or pointed at. Maybe from many direction, we won’t let ourselves to lock it. Maybe we’ll leave space for the mystical to appear.

Just a thought.

^_^

If you read the Introduction page, you have ( like me hihihihi ) a general idea, what I am talking about and what I want to do. As I go about, thinking, imagining, talking and sharing this project, a lot of ideas comes along the way that inspires me, and make me think about the look of this project.

These reference, comes together with the way that the “middle” level might be expressed visually. The Level of the “want”, which bridges or blocks, while touching and interacting with “mr.Flow”. The level which we emotionally and physically work from, an abstract expression of the “I”. The whole system that might reflect the way we carry ourselves.

To make the next reference and ideas a little relevant, let me tell you a little story.

I was walking into a piano shop in Tel-Aviv. It was raining, my shoes where completely wet, and I was in a bit of an amused and scattered mood. I walked up to the entrance and asked the guy in the other side of the room :”Hello, I know it might be out of place, but, do you know where I can fix a trumpet?”. The guy answered, but I couldn’t get it. I said again, sorry, and if he can say it again. He repeated himself. I reacted with a little bit of a smile and awkwardness, as I didn’t get it even this time. I did a funny gesture, almost shy like, cleaned my shoes and walked to the counter. I apologized and asked again, where. The guy was already a little bit annoyed with me and said :”What don’t you get? Alenbi, 48, The name of the place is Gruzenberg!”. Now is the point where I like. I didn’t react to the anger! I didn’t get upset or offended. It was actually funny! So, I smiled and answered back honestly :”Thank you very much”. ^_^ Surprisingly, the guy picked up the whole vibe and smiled with me! Maybe there, I saw a little bit of mr.Flow. I think both of us where charmed. These kind of friction points makes me go at this project.

Easily it could have been a different scenario if we where to escalate with the negative vibe. It might be a silly example, but it’s that beautiful moment where we seem to maybe smile at a situation, and not feed it with it’s own energy.

Now to the visuals. hihihii

This video is a cool example, maybe not the whole of the content, but the more the way stuff works together with the body of the actors. It was done really well. This, to be referenced to the visual addition to the characters, that might show these abstract 5 elements I am referencing to, from the Chinese medicine world.

Think color and shape !

Another thing I was inspired by couple of days ago, is a graffiti art I saw in the ally next to my house. It’s an image of a violinist. The thing that makes it a violinist is not the general shape, which is a big black mash, but more the little white details. The face and the violin it self. I was inspired to think that the shape of the person can be very diffused, very messy. But still look clear, as long as a real detail is added. Check it out, it’s to the right hand side of the picture. Click to enlarge too.

I had a very cool conversation with a friend of mine, Yaron. He was talking about a book he is writing, and about the plot of the book. He was mentioning that the hero of his book, at a certain point, comes across a little notepad. This notepad inspires him, and he decides to start writing. The notebook made him to get into writing and eventually makes him write a whole book.

Together with that, he was talking about an artistic idea called found objects. I was really inspired by this idea, as it comes together for me with the idea of us being inspired! The beauty of which we, as creators, give significance to an object. It’s very interesting to think, that these “objects”, whatever they might be and wherever we found them, made us put life into them.

This concept comes together with a beautiful text I was reading about Attitude, that I got from Talya Fewks. Attitude to life. ( it’s in hebrew, click if you curious ) Which was talking about the simple idea, that a healthy, positive attitude to life, will open life to you. Where you can be successful and be well, by choosing a good attitude to your life. The words where very inspiring, and touched the idea that in our life, there might be no coincidence, or maybe more the idea that “luck” is when readiness meets opportunity, and the world is a reflection of our selves. So, like the “found object”, we meet something there, that we like. These objects seem to come in the right time and in the right place, and become much more then what they are.

The much more, is the magic point to me. We see something, and it charms us. It becomes greater then itself, by the simple fact, that it “talked” to us! ^_^ It so cool, that we can get distracted by the most simple things, and give them the greatest gift we got. life.

This is a drawing I did with Or. He is the sun of Hila and Shimon from Ein Gedi. I started the little fire creature and then continued to the other five. The first thing I drew for this project.

For fun ^_^