Blog — Page 131 of 275

Propaganda Art in the 21st Century

MIT Press

Some people say that an accurate portrayal of what is actually happening behind the scenes is the best propaganda.

Fair enough.

However, we are in what is widely considerably to be the “post-truth” era, which significantly shifted the coordinates of how the outworn term is denoted and being used and how it can and what it should be perceived as.

Propaganda, especially of misleading information to push through agendas, and art have always had more than mere superficial overlappings as both ultimately aim at stirring up emotions and actions as well as delivering a message.

Apart from these main objectives, which are the same no matter what the political leaning might be, it also creates a reality onto itself, for which the emissions of regimes governed by specific politics interests are examples par excellence.

In this tome Jonas Staal explores how the focus of “propaganda” has shifted from a merely political narrative to ones that are rooted in whatever motives one’s interests and ideologies may be.

In essence, redefining “propaganda” as both the medium, vehicle, reflection of and reality.

Given this approach, Staal debunks the myth that propaganda is something that is only attached to totalitarian systems and frames it as something that is omnipresent in liberal societies.

What he manages to illustrate both literally and metaphorically is accomplished via comparisons of what once was and what is and it does not lack impact, specifically when he highlights propaganda that by traditional standards would not be perceived as such.

It is interesting to see that no matter if it is the Occupy movement, government initiatives as well as messaging from regimes in Africa and the Middle East ultimately all work in a similar manner and according to formulae

Staal’s elaborations culminate in this plaidoyer for the development of a model that not only acknowledges the interaction and resulting synergies between propaganda and art, but one that can be channelled to create a better world – an emancipatory act of fusing aestheticism and politics to not only reflect but create worlds and realities.

Haunted Bauhaus

MIT Press

What is often perceived to be informed by irrationality, i.e. the movement from 1919-1933 known as Bauhaus, has never ceased to give impulses on all facets of our society, be it lofty artistic ones, the very foundation of pursuits on architectural territory, and decorative design.

Fusing form with function and aestheticism, the mainstream interpretation of the movement has been documented in a myriad of forms.

However, what Elizabeth Otto has started to explore is the unearthing of a perception of which was mainly one-side and as a movement that has a longstanding and deeper going engagement with the concealed and mystic, gender fluidity and other seemingly paradoxical streams.

Needless to say that this results in a mind-altering tour de force that not only expands one’s horizon but also introduces characters from all walks of life – be it from the realms of art, architecture or design – that so far have been eclipsed by the socially accepted, acclaimed and at times self-professed specialists.

What is interesting is the takeaway that without those “marginalized” constituents, one cannot help but think that what has widely entered the canon would have never evolved to the mainstream phenomenon it has eventually become.

Be it visually in the most opulent manner as well as via essays and elaborations, Otto skilfully sheds light on the overall queerness of a stream that is certainly not devoid of less lighter sides and the tangible impact extremist politics have had – from communism to Nazism.

A book that I would highly recommend to anyone remotely interested in nineteenth century art as it takes you on a well-orchestrated wild ride that is informed by the art historian Elizabeth Otto’s background as an author, art curator and artist.

Thus Let Us Drink Beer – Willie the Boatman

As part of our beer-centric series we have covered specifically Australian breweries far and wide, however, sometimes there are ones in relatively proximity that are dangerously underrated.

Named as an homage to the convict William Kerr across what eventually became known as the Cooks River, Pat McInerney and Nick Newey started to channel their brewing alchemy in 2014 with enthusiasm and at least at the beginning, limited equipment and the omnipresence of Willie in terms of paraphernalia, which found its extension in the naming of their brews after other local heroes with their respective legends informing the design of the labels and cans.

Fast forward to 2019 and the operation has grown significantly and established itself firmly on the forefront of Australian craft beer distilleries. Visiting their distillery and the attached atmospheric pub area is proved to be an experience not only locals but specifically international brew aficionados would not want to miss.

My first exposure to Willie the Boatman’s liquid emissions came via Nectar of the Hops, which is fabled to be the first NEIPA on terra Australia.

If you have remotely followed this series you would be aware of the fact that specifically breweries are fantastic at nailing more exotic expressions, however, I found that when it usually comes to Bavarian emissions, it lacks severely.

Enter Willie the Boatman’s Bavarian style lager, which is an exercise par excellence of combining the DNA of what makes Oktoberfestbiers the brews that you can drink by the Stein and infusing it with an idiosyncratic Willie the Boatman edge, i.e. calibrating it at a sweet spot between sweet, earthy and spicy. Beer aficionados from the South of the Fatherland would be delighted.

Unfortunately, I have only had the chance to scratch the mere surface of the large range of portfolio Willie the Boatman has to offer but my favourite so far is the Double Nectar of the Hops, a telling name for the Double NEIPA that it signifies.

The Double Nectar of the Hops is the liquid equivalent of Spinal Tap turning their amps on 11 – big, bold and huuuge on the hops without sacrificing room for nuances.

Apart from the palatable foundation that the melange of Mosaic, Amarillo, Citra and Sabro hops provide, there are highlights citrus, mango and other tropical flavours that make this one as dangerously delicious and enjoyable as some of my beloved Belgian trappist beers.

Willie the Boatman is bound to become a quality mainstay in not merely the Australian but international world of beer and you’d want to get your paws on both their regular line-up as well as the special edition batches that run the gamut in terms of flavour nuances.

Have you been to the Willie The Boatman tap room? How does it compare to the old space? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

There are few bands that are as hard to categorize as The Locust, so I won’t even try. About the closest approximation I can give, is it’s like taking Ritalin before an important calculus exam and getting beaten with a sock full of quarters on the way to class. But in a good way.

At first, you might only hear dissonant noise. But like anything in this life, to truly understand it, you have to experience it, like Saturday Night at Denver’s Moonroom. 

Seeing them live is a revelation. The noise becomes harmonic and the deftness and precision in which the music is played is almost overwhelming. Surgical Hardcore at its finest.

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Yes, The Locust are back with a vengeance after a 5 year hiatus and they haven’t missed a beat. Be sure to catch them when they come to your town, village or unincorporated county.

Archie Rose x Sydney Opera House: Outside and Inside Gins

We have recently covered Archie Roses’ foray into whisky territory and as I mentioned as part of the article, their bread and butter is the clear spirit distilled from grain or malt that derives its DNA from  juniper berry infusions – a realm they have established themselves firmly in not just on terra australis but internationally as well.

Never one to shy away from a great collaboration, a recent project saw Archie Rose team up with the Sydney Opera house to celebrate and pay homage to the arty and creatively diverse offerings of one of Australia’s leading cultural icons.

With the creation of a two-act gin release, i.e. Outside Gin and Inside Gin, it pays homage to the immense cultural heritage that is usually housed underneath those white concrete shells, set against the iconic backdrop of Sydney Harbour.

To claim that the Outside Gin is “juniper forward”, would be an understatement par excellence yet it is nuancefully embedded in a melange Australian locally sourced ingredients, which are something to savour specifically if your palate is not familiar with what grows in this part of world.

The Inside Gin complements the emission with its fruitier character that is enhanced by botanical highlights and a cast of botanical that aim at portraying the equivalent to the aesthetic appeal the Opera House signifies to the world. 

The merits of both gins are manifold and manifest themselves in that they do not only make a great foundation for curated cocktails, e.g. one incorporating seaweed and an invigourating little number with  sparkling pear juice, which were proffered at the launch night, but with their flavourful distinctions they can be sipped neat without eliciting what I refer to as my “juniper face”, which delights a whisk(e)y aficionado like your humble narrator.

Going forward, the collaboration between Sydney’s Opera House and Archie Rose Distillery will see the incarnation of curated art, food and beverage pairings apart from their gins becoming a mainstay at the SOH’s fantastic bars, which warrant a visit just for having a drink in their idiosyncratic ambience.

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photo from company website