Friday 1 August 2014

Gothic Art in Spotlight: Dreamlike Photography and the Cards Against Humanity

Last week I shortly visited Tampere because me and my literature student friends had decided to play Cards Against Humanity. It was hilarious and since it was a gorgeous sunny day, we played in a park. Oh, all that sinister laugh when somebody had a really cruel and witty answer card to the question!

Alas, I did not take any photos of the best answers, but here are some we made. The idea is either to fill up the blank parts or to answer a question.

Q: "What is that sound?"

A: "The violation of our most basic human rights."


Q: "___________ + ___________ = profit"

A: "Lady Gaga + Tentacle porn = profit" (I could so see this happening in a few years.)


Q: I think it's sad how the kids these days are all getting involved with ___________"

A: "Hope."


And so on, I'm sure you all get the point! The more awful or absurd the answer, the bigger the probability you win a point. I must admit, some people in the park gave us rather disapproving glances when we played, yelled and laughed.

"Milavida # 19" 2013

Besides this cool game I also visited a really good art exhibition in TR1, in the heart of Tampere. The exhibition was "Marja Pirilä: Carried by Light". Pirilä is a photographer who has concentrated on light and shadow. She uses a camera obscura technique on a whole new level. Camera obscura means "dark room" and that is the technique all cameras work and that is the word combination the camera has got its name. When you have a dark room (or a small box like the camera) and then you have a teeny tiny whole in one of the walls, the light from the other side comes through and makes a projection of the outside on the wall opposite. If I remember correctly, the camera obscura was invented during the Renaissance in Italy.

How does Pirilä take the camera obscura to the next level? By turning the space she is photographing into a camera obscura too. This way the outside of a grand room gets to creep inside the room and the result is breathtakingly beautiful. All these photographs are pigment ink prints.

"Milavida # 14" 2013

The series "Milavida" was my favorite. There were also photos of humans with their rooms. Even though they too were interesting and beautiful, I did not find the pretty in a gothic way.

"Milavida # 1" 2012

All pictures in this post are from this webpage. I also fell in love with Milavida # 2, 3 and 7. If you have the possibility, go see the exhibition in TR1 or google some more pictures of Marja Pirilä!


6 comments:

  1. Oh dear, Lady Gaga and tentacle porn. How long til that happens! Probably not long!

    I adore those artworks! So perfect! I have been intending for some time to paint trees on the walls of my future house, but I am still renting and can't do it. I was thinking I could try and superimpose them on the wall and paint in the silhouettes.

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    1. After seeing these photos, I too want the forest to creep on my walls. :D

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  2. I never played Cards againt Humanity, but it sounds incredibly funny! The camera obscura pictures are really interesting, I love the shadows of trees moving in the wind and those remind me of it!

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    1. I totally recommend Cards Against Humanity, it is so much fun! The other really nice card game for goths is Gloom. I probably must make a post about it some day. ^_^

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  3. Wow, those are some beautiful photos!
    And that game sounds great and cynical as hell :)

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    1. The game is as cynical as the players are. :D I guess one has to have like minded people to really enjoy the game.

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