The Cabal That Is Unable to Process Your Request

Archive for January, 2010

Set A Spell

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

The cabin hid behind its sagging wooden porch. Only gradually did one realize the frayed clothing in the battered folding chair held a man. The jeans were patched and re-patched, the shirt might have been yellow once, the hair and beard were white, the face was lined and dark. Behind the cabin the land fell away. The front of the structure already shadowed, the valley behind was drowned in light. The old man might’ve been staring at a young visitor standing in front of his home.

The Colonel cleared his throat, unused for so long. “Johnny? Is that you? City treating you well?”

Silence.

There might’ve been a time … but no, there was no one. The fading sound of a car going down the little-used dirt road, a brief pause to the bird song and rustling in the dry leaves. The house was empty as it had ever been; on the porch a gray rag and a couple of broken sticks were heavily carpeted with dust.

New Vienna – A photographic history of the Western Riots

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

AUTHOR’S NOTE: The following consists of image descriptors copied from the Wembausch photographic archive in New Vienna

1. Mayor Smyther entering Halifax hall the morning before the Western riots (Mellart, 1997)
2. Graffiti slogans by street artist Elscape (Various, 1987 – 1997)
   1. Riese & Resist (sic. 1997)
   2. Ride or die (subway roof) (1995)
   3. You’re mom (sic.) (early work) (c. 1987)
   4. Remember the Shadows (1997)
3. Street shiner with “See the light” sandwich board (Mellart, 1995)
4. Mixeffellion theatre, northern facade (Shiner, 1963)
5. Man fighting his own shadow (Anon., c. 1984-6)
6. Man blinded through repeated shining of flashlight into own eyes (Dr. Oscar Lucrus, 1995)
7. Tavern in the Hole (Anon., Date unkown)
   • CURATORIAL NOTE: Double check authenticity. Reflections are off.  Windows should reflect Straussberg plaza but  neoclassical architecture clearly apparent.  Possible misfiling?  Cross check with photomontage.  Possibly an early Mellart?
8. “Street tomb” for Elscape 1979 – 1997 (Mellart 1998)
9. Woman fighting her brother’s shadow (Anon., 1996)
10. Straussberg plaza burning, Western Riot series (T. Lindeman, 1997)
11. Mixeffellion theatre burning, Western Riot series (T. Lindeman, 1997)
12. “Flashlights Sold Out,” Pennysaver (Aldark, 1997)
13. Elscape wall mural, The Tear and the Shadows Beyond (Anon., 1996)
14. Elscape, in full Street Shiner regalia, appearing in court accused of the murder of Mayor Smyther (Samuel Kennedy, 1998)
15. Two men fighting shadow (Mellart. 1997)
    • CURATORIAL NOTE: Really a Mellart?  Misfiled?  Cross check with photo-manipulation.
16. Grave of Mayor Smyther after vandalism attack (Thomas Veer, 1999)
17. “Batteries for flashlights sold here” Pennysaver (Aldark, 1997)
18. Graffiti erroneously credited to Elscape (Various 1998 – 2000)
    1. “Shine on” – Rubberchin (Rubberchin, 1998)
    2. “Burning in the light” – Devi8 (T. Lindeman, 1999)
    3. “Never dark. Always aflame.” – Squealpiggy (Underwell, 1998)
    4. “Solar powered savior” – Animan (Oscard, 1999)
    5. “My light still shines” – Rubberchin (J. Hutch, 2000)
19. State troopers defending power switching stations (Mellart, 1997)
20. “Shadows burn away” graffiti, Western Riot series (T. Lindeman, 1997)
21. Mayor Smyther re-election campain (Thomas Veer, 1994)
    • CURATORIAL NOTE: Misfiled? Shadows are all over the place. Check photo-manipulation.
22. “Was it good for you?” – Group of Street Shiners skateboarding in the ashes of Mixeffellion theatre, police officers gagged, bound and surrounded by celebrants in background, Western Riot series (T. Lindeman, 1997)

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