Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Magritte revisitado (32)


"Cover" de Wanda, inspirado en la obra "La filosofía en la alcoba" del genial René Magritte

Thursday, December 25, 2008

La Torre de Babel (2)


Pero el SEÑOR bajó para observar la ciudad y la torre que los hombres estaban construyendo, y se dijo: “Todos forman un solo pueblo y hablan un solo idioma; esto es sólo el comienzo de sus obras, y todo lo que se propongan lo podrán lograr. Será mejor que bajemos a confundir su idioma, para que ya no se entiendan entre ellos mismos.” Génesis 11:5-7 (Biblia Nueva Versión Internacional)

En la imagen la obra "Tower of Babel" de Andreas Zielenkiewicz

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Ectosimbiosis (4)



En una relación ectosimbiótica de ectoparásito, el parásito vive en la superficie del organismo parasitado. En la imagen la obra "parasites" de AlMaNeGrA. Somos parásitos de la tierra y de nosotros mismos.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Rio de Janeiro - Cidade Maravilhosa

Samba do Avião - Tom Jobim

Minha alma canta
Vejo o Rio de Janeiro
Estou morrendo de saudades
Rio, seu mar
Praia sem fim
Rio, você foi feito pra mim
Cristo Redentor
Braços abertos sobre a Guanabara
Este samba é só porque
Rio, eu gosto de você
A morena vai sambar
Seu corpo todo balançar

Rio de sol, de céu, de mar...

My earliest memories are of Rio de Janeiro. Here is where I took my first steps, and saw my first beach... I grew up on the beaches of Copacabana, Barra da Tijuca & Ipanema; grew up seeing the Corcovado with 'Christo Redentor' at the top, the Pao de Acucar (Sugar Loaf), and samba. Later visits to Rio to visit my grandparents (when we moved to SP) reinforced my love for Rio, and they had a great view of the Carnaval from their apartment window.
Below is a photo shoot for Vogue Brasil (earlier this year) with my favourite Brazilian model Caroline Ribeiro in Rio de Janeiro:




MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!

Magritte revisitado (29)



El Museo Magritte en Bruselas surrealizado por Gaston Batistini

Monday, December 22, 2008

Paraty & Buzios


PARATY



Paraty is definitely my most favourite town in the world (officially founded in 1667). Located on the coast of Rio de Janeiro (the state, not the city), it boasts incredible colonial & colorful arquitecture, cobblestone-paved streets, amazing boat rides to surrounding islands, cute little street stalls selling inexpensive handmade jewellery, bars with bossa nova & jazz at night... Most of the architecture has not changed in the last 250 years, and is just so incredibly beautiful!


(www.flickr.com)


This is a gorgeous painting of Paraty (and yes, it does really look like that!) that I'm 'babysitting' for my parents. Oh dear, just realized my vase is off-centre, eeps! I hope to bring
one back for myself, and that Japanese Brazilian painter Murakami hasn't changed his style too much (my dad recently saw him, and the painter recognised him from almost 20 years back! Apparently he's changed his style of painting, but still produces some like this one, his original style...). The wooden candelabras & vase are mid-century Danish (gifts from my Uncle who is an amazing furniture designer), and the 'filing cabinet' is also mid-century Danish, a Christmas gift I gave hubby last year.

BUZIOS

I'm heading to a new place I haven't been before (isn't it funny when you see more of your country after you've left it?). Buzios, also located on the coast of Rio de Janeiro state it boasts 20 magnificent beaches and crystal-clear waters & rustic charm. I can't wait to discover it!
(www.flickr.com)

Cuatrilogía del oportunismo (Tercera parte)


La toxoplasmosis es una enfermedad infecciosa ocasionada por un parásito, el Toxoplasma gondii, que se transmite por vía transplacentaria o por vía oral, a través de la ingesta de carnes, verduras, aguas, huevos, leche, etc. contaminados por ooquistes o que contienen quistes tisulares.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Salsa de manzana


"Applesauce" (Salsa de manzana) de Izzy Ismael Medrano (ariokh), es una reinvención moderna de la leyenda de Guillermo Tell en la que, al estilo magrittiano, la manzana es la propia cabeza. El acierto en el disparo es la sentencia de muerte.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Cuatrilogía del oportunismo (Segunda parte)





Un endoparásito es un ser vivo que vive en el interior de otro nutriéndose a sus expensas (comensalismo) pudiendo, en determinadas ocasiones, producir al huesped daños o lesiones (parásitos oportunistas). Un endoparásito endofito, a diferencia del endozoo que parasita un animal, es aquel que parasita una planta, por ejemplo el clásico gusano en la manzana.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Monday, December 15, 2008

Volva esculentum


Solanácea imaginaria cuyo fruto es una baya comestible de color rojo con una vulva en el centro de la masa gelatinosa formada por el tejido parenquimático que llena sus cavidades. Por fuera se parece al tomate.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Arraial D'Ajuda in Bahia - Land of capoeira, capetas, caipirinhas & beach, beach, beach...

I won't be going to Salvador (pictured above), which was Brazil's first capital, and the largest city in Bahia. I will instead be in idyllic beaches & islands surrounding Arraial D'Ajuda instead.

Here are some pictures I took of Arraial D'Ajuda and surrounding beaches (eg. Trancoso) in Bahia that I took last time I was there.  I apologise for the poor quality, at the time I had a 2 megapixel camera with a 32MB card (so took photos in the lowest quality/resolution)! 

(click to enlarge)

For those who are wondering, the guy is making 'Caldo de Cana' with that contraption, which is Sugar Cane juice, delish with a dash of freshly squeezed lime & ice...mmmm...

So yes, a lot of sun, sea, coconuts (I love sipping the juice fresh from the green young coconuts), cocktails made with cachaca, bahaiana food (moqueca, biju), capoeira, night markets...ooh, am too excited!

Cuatrilogía del oportunismo (Primera parte)


Un oportunista es aquel a quien no le importa perjudicar a alguien si puede sacar partido de ello. En la endosimbiosis endosomática con relación de parasitismo, la asociación es desventajosa o destructiva para el organismo en cuyo interior vive el otro. Un ejemplo de ello es el gusano que fulmina elefantes.

Friday, December 12, 2008

La Torre de Babel (1)


En ese entonces se hablaba un solo idioma en toda la tierra. Al emigrar al oriente, la gente encontró una llanura en la región de Sinar, y allí se asentaron. Un día se dijeron unos a otros: “Vamos a hacer ladrillos, y a cocerlos al fuego.” Fue así como usaron ladrillos en vez de piedras, y asfalto en vez de mezcla. Luego dijeron: “Construyamos una ciudad con una torre que llegue hasta el cielo. De ese modo nos haremos famosos y evitaremos ser dispersados por toda la tierra.”
Génesis 11:1-4 (Biblia Nueva Versión Internacional)

En la imagen la obra "Babel Tower" de Aquarius

Plantimales(3)



"Les compagnons de la peur" y "L'ile au tresor" de René Magritte representan colecciones muy personales de transgénicos híbridos planta-ave

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Estigma


Estigma es una palabra con varios significados. Un estigma es una marca o señal en el cuerpo. También es una herida que aparece en una posición coincidente con la de las heridas infringidas a Cristo durante su martirio. El filósofo Andrés Ortiz-Osés en su libro "Amor y sentido: Una hermenéutica simbólica" explica la representación frecuente del estigma en el costado de Cristo mediante una especie de comisura, labio o vulva, que expresa la otredad antiheróica y femenina del mundo heróico masculino. La imagen representa una variación sobre este pensamiento, una mano que se apoya en una mampara de vidrio mostrando en su palma su propio estigma vulvar.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Brasil! Estou morrendo de saudades!


AQUARELA DO BRASIL

Brasil
terra boa e gostosa
Da morena sestrosa
De olhar indiscreto
Ô Brasil, verde que dá
Para o mundo se admirá
Ô Brasil do meu amor
Terra de Nosso Senhor
Brasil! Brasil!
Prá mim... prá mim...

Ô, esse coqueiro que dá côco
Oi, onde amarro a minha rêde
E as noites claras de luar
Brasil! Brasil!
Ah, ouve essas fontes murmurantes
Aonde eu mato a minha sede
E onde a lua vem brincá
Ah, este Brasil lindo e trigueiro
É o meu Brasil brasileiro
Terra de samba e pandeiro
Brasil! Brasil!
Prá mim... prá mim...

This afternoon I leave Buenos Aires to go 'home' to Brazil. Oh, how I miss it! I have not seen my dad in 2 years, and home-country in almost five! Brazil...how many countries have a 'love song' written about them? Brazilians truly love their country, and although I'm not technically Brazilian (I was born in London, UK), I consider myself Brazilian, as I was raised here from the age of 1. What do I miss most about Brazil? Ooh, where do I start?

  1. The food: pao de queijo (little cheese breads made with tapioca flour, giving them an incredible gummy texture), brigadeiro (chocolate 'truffles' made with condensed milk), pasteis de palmito (palm heart 'pastries'), feijoada & arroz brasileiro (the national dish made of black turtle beans & pork, and even the rice is more delicious here, fried with onions & garlic before cooking), fresh young coconut juice, churrasco (chagrilled cuts of meat & fish), I could go on & on & on...
  2. The people: Brazilians are generally warm & easy-going people, who work hard but are always up for a party.
  3. The drinks: my favourite soft drink in the whole wide world is Guarana Antartica (light), great beers, cachaca and most importantly: the caipirinha cocktail (made with cachaca).
  4. The beaches! Coconut-tree-lined beaches, soft sand & clear waters.
  5. The music: I love Bossa Nova, Tom Jobim, Joao Gilberto, Miucha, Astrud Gilberto (I've always liked 'older' music more), and MPB (musica popular brasileira): Milton Nacimento, Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso...
  6. The lush green that is everywhere...you appreciate it even more when you move to the driest state in Australia.
  7. The weather: warm & humid...perfect for relaxing in a coconut-tree-lined beach.

Brasil has also made several contributions to fashion: such as the Havaiana sandal (I have this in countless colours to my mother's amazement, as when I was growing up, the humble Havaiana was deemed too daggy to even wear at home). Brasil is also the home of the 'dental floss biquini', not as popular now as it was a few years ago, now replaced with gorgeous offerings from Rosa Cha, Poko Pano, Salinas, & so many others. And it's not just swimwear, Brasilian designers have also been garnering international appreciation: including designers Alexandre Herchcovitch, Carlos Miele, and my favourite Brasilian designer: Francisco Costa, who, in my humble opinion has been doing amazing things as creative director for Calvin Klein . During a trip to Portugal this year I also discovered a Brazilian label called Osklen, and I loved everything instore, which has reignited my love for Brazilian fashion. And of course, Brazil has certainly also made its mark with our beautiful Brazilian models, my favourite being Caroline Ribeiro (pics of her to come in the next week or so), and pictured below on Alexandre Herchkovitch & Carlos Miele is Bruna Tenorio (google tells me she is part Japanese part Chinese part Brazilian). (*n.b. - I have been corrected, she is of Brazilian indigenous origin, hence her exotic looks, NOT Asian)

(www.style.com) - Rosa Cha, Carlos Miele & Alexandre Herchcovitch


(Osklen www.firstview.com)


(www.vogue.co.uk)

This is one of my favourite dresses by Francisco Costa, from his debut collection for Calvin Klein SS2004.
 
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