Magic and mediums

Another topic I really like is the one concerned with the world of illusions , that is magic. The professionals who have devoted their lives to make us believe what the eye cannot see deserve a special mention.  They have always existed, but a very popular time was the XIX and XX century. Alexander Hermann, Carrere, John Henry Anderson, Robert Heller, Thurston, Harry Kellar and John Nevil Maskelyne, among others, were outstanding references of their time. The last one, Maskelyne, also dedicated part of his life to discover the fraud of mediums in victorian times and showed people how they did their tricks. Here you can see some illustrations where they appear. 

Here a little collection of pictures from the past on mediums and their sessions:

                                   John Nevil Maskelyne ( 22 December 1839- 18 May 1917) 

Source: http://blogs.elcorreo.com/magonia/2013/05/16/john-nevil-maskelyne-el-mago-de-la-era-victoriana-que-desenmascaraba-mediums/    

http://www.taschen.com/pages/es/catalogue/popculture/all/00378/facts.magic_1400s1950s.htm ) 

Singtank- The Party

SINGTANK - The party from AB/CD/CD on Vimeo.

Small Feet - Rivers

SMALL FEET – Rivers [official video] from Oskar Wrango on Vimeo.

The Postal Service - A tattered line of string

THE POSTAL SERVICE - A Tattered Line of String from AB/CD/CD on Vimeo.

Summer solstice celebration

Today in many parts of the world the summer solstice is celebrated. Coming from ancient  times honoring the figure of Saint John Baptist, it also has pagan features. Bonfires are usual on the night of the 23rd of June, giving thanks for the harvest and also to keep away the bad spirits, as well as a symbol to throw the old and let the new come in. In any sense , it is a special night , let's say sort of magical,  in which wishes and purifying rites take place, including fire and water as central elements of the celebration. It marks the beginning of a new season bringing light. 

                                                       Saint John Festival - Jules Breton

                                Saint John's Eve Bonfire Skagens Beach - Peder Severin Kroyer

                                                       Mid-summer's Eve - Edward Hughes

                   
                                                  Twilight Fantasies - Edward Hughes

Happy Music Day !

Today is a special day . Although music is important all days of the year,  on 21st of June music is a special protagonist. The celebration of this day was born in 1982 in Paris when Maurice Fleuret  became director of Music and Dance at the Minister of Culture of France. Later it spread to many countries and cities as well.
 During this day there are a lot of free preformances in the street by all kind of musicians with the aim of promoting music. So check out if in the city you live there are any events because probably there will... Enjoy!

God only knows

What a day today it was in 1942! Brian Wilson was born in Inglewood , California. Polinstrumentist and main composer , he has given us great songs with or without the Beach Boys. Here, my little homage to one of the best musicians in history. Happy birthday!

Gothic day to remember

Today in 1816, some important figures for literature gathered around the candles in Villa Diodati ( Geneva) to start what would be a challenge and become masterpieces. Lord Byron read his story Fantasmagoria to his friends Percy Shelley, Mary Shelley, Claire Clermont and John Polidori. The challenge was to write a ghost story  and the result was Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Polidori's Vampyre and Byron's poem Darkness.  Great day to remember. 

                                                 
                                                                      Mary  Shelley

                                                                Percy B.Shelley

                                                              Lord Byron

Under water

Here a little selection of some videos I like that have most or partly been shot under water. Dive and enjoy.

Varðeldur - Sigur Rós from Justin Kielbasa on Vimeo.

SWIM DEEP | SHE CHANGES THE WEATHER from Georgia Hudson on Vimeo.

Virgilio Villoresi's Submarine Test January 1967 Clip

JOHN MAYER - SUBMARINE TEST JANUARY 1967, VIDEOCLIP by VIRGILIO VILLORESI from Virgilio Villoresi on Vimeo.

Other uses of books

Showing you a bit of what I found  on Ekaterina Panikanova's pieces of art. ( source: doddlers anonymous)

Doble Pletina- Cruzo los dedos

Nice group from Barcelona

Doble Pletina - Cruzo los dedos from Doble Pletina on Vimeo.

Old books

Sharing my love for old books and curiosities.

PJ Harvey . From the basement

For those who enjoy listening to PJ Harvey like me, here a gift for this June Sunday morning. Enjoy.
From The Basement. PJ Harvey from olleg on Vimeo.

Paper City

Paper City from Maciek Janicki on Vimeo.

John Everett Millais

Today 8th June but some years ago, especifically in 1829, John E.Millais was born. I have to confess that I am an admirer of prerraphaelites even if there are some who insist on saying that their work was not worth paying so much attention to.

Here  I  leave some of his works celebrating what would have been his 184th birth anniversary. Happy  birthday Mr Millais! 

A Huguenot on St Bartholomew's Day (1852)

                                                     The Return of the Dove to the Ark (1851)

The Blind Girl (1856)

The Order of Release ( 1853)

                                                          The Martyr of Solway (c.1871)

                                                                Leisure Hours ( 1864) 

                                     The Two Princes Edward and Richard in the Tower (1878)

                                                                    Ophelia (1852)

                                                                                             Selfportrait