Παρασκευή 9 Απριλίου 2010

Pictures and thoughts



In a world where crows rule the rooftops of the skyline,

what could one hope to find, other than dirt, garbage and carcasses?

It’s a relief to witness that the smiles of the poor,


the laughter of the hungry and the persistence of a struggling community,

keep these bloodthirsty vultures at bay.



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When the old and the new are walking side by side..

It’s a flow of motion without obstacles,

despite the different speeds and shapes that time created.

Only the wheel retains his own geometry and function.

everything is going..

everything slides..

In the chaos of diversity

rules a functional order,

an anarchy with discipline.





photo and text by la mannetta.

Και ποιός να σου πει;

Και ποιός να σου χε πει, ότι θα ζούσες έτσι;

και ποιός να σου πει πως τα χρόνια θα περνούσαν

τόσο αργά μα στο τέλος τόσο γρήγορα.

Ποιός να σου το χε πει πως θα αγαπούσες κούφιες καρδιές

και θα γυρνούσες με ένα άδειο μπουκάλι αγκαλιά, τα ξημερώματα.

Ποιός να σου το χε πει πως τα σύννεφα δεν θα έφευγαν, μονάχα θα παιζαν

μαζί σου όπως ο λύκος με το αρνί.

Ποιός να σου το χε πει πως όσα ξέχασες θα θυμηθείς

και θα τα θέλεις πίσω.

Όλα όσα κάποτε έβρισκες ανεπαρκή, απόψε θα γεμίζουν τις

παραπονεμένες σκέψεις σου.

Και θα πιάνεις τον εαυτό σου κοιμησμένο πάνω σ΄ ένα μαγικό χαλί

να προσπαθεί με το μυαλό του να τ' οδηγήσει πίσω.

Ποιός να σου το λεγε πως εσύ δεν θα έβρισκες πατρίδα για τα πόδια σου

στέγη για το κορμί σου

και καρδιά για το προσκεφάλι σου.

Πολλοί σε είπανε χαζό και παιδικό.

μερικοί επικίνδυνα ρομαντικό.

Κάποιοι άλλοι σε είπανε αφελή, μαλάκα και αδύναμο.

Και ένας σε είπε μάγκα.

Μα και τι ξέρουν όλοι αυτοί;


αφού, όλοι είμαστε ένα μάτσο τούβλα.

Τρίτη 6 Απριλίου 2010

Αντίο Αθήνα - Piacere Roma - Hola Barcelona!

Today i found this really cool song from Natalie Merchant called : Kind and generous. It has this amazing video clip with acrobats and jugglers, its really amazing. I didn't have time to check out the lyrics yet so i can't really vow for it but the melody is really cool. Especially in a day like this. A day of goodbyes. I hate goodbyes. All the time meeting people, friends, family, for so little, and  then just moving along. In times like these, cities seem cold and empty, people seem so away so null, and you, you feel like a rolling stone. Sometimes life gives you signs that speak up and shout "HEy! get a hold of yourself, look how everything can seem bright in just a few seconds!" And sometimes life just sleeps.. Cause its late, and probably i should also go and sleep. Weeeeeell......

My new found art, photography will accompany us tonight, along with some thoughts. So picture 1:


Thats my foot. My left foot by the looks of it. Very tired, very dirty and very very weathered from capoeira. I am not wearing any shoes cause i was in a beautiful island where the weather was so nice that you could almost go swimming. It was there were i realized why Greeks, Italians and Spanish people have so much trouble in the E.U. Its because of the weather. People don't want to work with nice weather. And in Greece we have sun nine months a year so.... we are doomed! But then again we have nine months of sun. Who cares if we are doomed? We are doomed in paradise.


I love my camera cause she has a better sense of art than me. She actually takes better photos than i want her! Vivid colors. And she has better eyes -one eye to be exact- than me. I spend a lot of time with her and i realized the obvious, that we have the same passion for observing people. Many times in my life , people thought i was bored or sad or whatever, because i wasn't speaking just sitting there listening to everyone else. That's not true, i just love to observe people. The things they choose to say in a given conversation, the expressions on their face, and the reactions of their audiences. How they try to defend their opinions, hide their feelings, present a more vivid image of themselves by exaggerating in stories, numbers, feelings and most of all, facts. Some people try to be authentic, and state their opinions, and you can see it in their eyes that they know, no other way, than the direct. Others they are more diplomatic, and its very interesting to observe how they choose their answers, how they react around specific people and situations that cause them certain feelings. Good or bad. I have to admit that i don't think very highly of people that try to boost their image, i prefer people that are like open books. Genuine. I mean, they are difficult people, but positive for a person to be unafraid to express him or her self, in the most simple way.

Each night you go out for instance, there are certain energies in the space, energies that are transmitted by the people are are flowing around, in a certain way that corresponds with stories. Stories that i don't necceseraly know, sometimes i can imagine, or feel, and sometimes i know not of. So when you go out for a drink you can observe which people talk with which, and for how long. How much interested is one person for the storie of another, how attractions and flirts work, how girls state their presence and how guys follow trying to prove their manhood. In this way you can understand a lot about people. A lot more than you might think. But in the end, just say cheers and pick up a nowhere-going conversation and just try to have some fun! Cause you need vivid colors.


We call this type of flower in Greece, "Kleftes" which means thiefs, and traditonally the people put these flowers in their gardens to attract small faeries. It is said that if you blow the leaves and then catch one of them you will be granted a wish. For me, this reminds me of Dylan's song "Blowing in the wind". What means blowing in the wind for you? Blowing in the wind. It seems hopeless no? I guess it depends if you blow against the wind, or in the same direction. Cause if you blow against then probably it is quite hopeless, but if you blow with, you are in a way contributing. Allegorically speaking this sentence gives you a taste of freedom. Probably because of the word "wind". How did Dylan meant this, when he was saying "The answer my friend is blowing in the wind"? I don't know and probably i will never know, and it doesn't really matter, cause the good thing about art is how you interpret it. I have a picture in my mind when i think of this sentence. A person on a cliff in a windy day, being carried away by the incredible force with which the wind intrudes the hair, the body, almost lifting you up, that inspires him or her to blow, with the wind, like a kind of salvation of energy. All the four elements have incredible powers, and with these powers we come in contact with the deepness of ourselves, sometimes accomplishing some kind of phycological cleaning. Thats why i liked playing with fire so much i guess. But fire, burns. Earth burries. Water wets, and Wind. Wind blows.


I love this picture. Is the view from a friends house in Aigina island in Greece. I don't have to say about it, only that a lot of people will call me romantic but its true, this picture, this scene moves me, i think in pictures like these you can really see that the life of humans is being diverted towards a totally wrong place. In closed walls. Behind office separators. In the shadow. We should all be in the sun.


Athens. Amazingly chaotic. A city that you can easily fall in love, and despite at the same time. I always liked walking around in Athens, trying to uncover all these nice spots that give this city its beauty. Architecturally its a mess, politically also a mess, but in this mess there is something that you can love, and i know that i am not saying this cause i am from there. I never really lived this city, and probably i will not for quite some time more. But Athens reminds me of an old and dusty book-store. Where the owner never really paid attention into organizing anything. And in this old and dusty book-store is where you can find some of the most amazing books, if you have the patience to look. Goodbye Athens, see you in the summer again.

Σάββατο 3 Απριλίου 2010

Omnes viæ Romam ducunt

Two and a half days a certainly not enough to see a city that has a history around 2500 years. Especially when sometimes time seems to pass by so quickly. Well, since i don't really fancy talking about it, i will let the photos do the talking for me. In case i feel hitting you with a remark, i will not hesitate. The only thing that i will say is that it was an incredible trip, in an incredible city, with amazing atmosphere and energy, with people so close to our country, that felt almost like home. Its a pitty that i didn't have more time to spend there. Thanks to all that made me feel this city the way it should be felt.


Campo De' Fiori


View of the Colosseo from Via del Fori imperiali


View of the Fori Imperiali


Fori Imperiali


7 slots left in the Basilica di San Paolo fuori le mura, until the world ends...


me and my friend Jules


Angels and Demons


Thank god there are still some romantic people


The Pantheon.


Fontana di Trevi. Legend has it that if you turn your back to the water and throw a coin while making a wish, the next time you return your wish will be granted. So the legend says.


Castel di San Angelo by night


Tevere


Roma by night from piazza del Popolo - magic

Many thanks to my guide that told me all the interesting stories about Roma, and its history and legends, and with her enthusiasm made me feel connected with them.

Thanks la Mannetta!

I hope all of you go to this beautiful city and get a part of its magic, character and craziness! As for me, i will wait for the next time i go to Roma, to see if me wish will come true.