Mante Schneider 2084158 COAC4F Monique Ziip Roel Kox 26-03-2014
LONG DISTANCE LOVE BOMBS
Fascination of Melancholy
creativity& personality
contents
03
CONTENTS giving you an idecation what your up for.
04 06 08 INTRODUCTION
DEFINING
THE COLLECTION
MELANCHOLY
FEW WORD FROM EDITOR
10 16 18 20 22 24 IN OTHER CONTEXTS
Thank you so much for taking time to spread open these pages. I hope you will enjoy as much as maybe that you find your fascination. May you find positivity and courage to go after you dreams. The end is not the goal, the journey is the destination. Love and Light, Mante
CONCEPT
TRUISM & PERSONAL STATEMENT
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Melancholy Girl Besides my other numerous circle of acquaintances I have one more intimate confidant-my melancholy. In the midst of my joy, in the midst of my work, she waves to me, calls me to one side, even though physically I stay put. My melancholy is the most faithful mistress I have known, what wonder, then, that I love her in return. - Søren Kierkegaard
I had a rough time last December. It started with a horrible dream, followed by an extended amount of insomnia that left me in a fog of anxiety and discomfort. I was supposed to visit my family in the UK and celebrate Christmas time. However, my mounting insecurity took over and left me stranded in The Netherlands missing out on the cosy food and wine dining. While avoiding a social event seemed the most gentle choice for myself, I wondered why it was (and is) that i so often become obsessively ashamed of my body when I’m depressed. What had started out as feeling just a little off, quickly turned into a full-fledged case of self loathing. In this case though I hoped it would be for the better and I would grant my family some peace with me not sulking around for dinner. I could’t possibly be in the presence of normal, kind and polite people and pretend to be one of them. They might see
through me, or feel hurt that after so many years I could still make a deal of something yet so small. Being there for Christmas would be a form of torture in the highest order. A real unredeemable embarrassment. Although I knew, at least on some level, that these thoughts were ridiculous; self defeating and entirely unhelpful. But where does it come from? Where does this well worn brain path triggered by the slightest form of provocation come from? The ease with which I walk, has got this power over me for a long time. A coping mechanism is the reason I come up with, but just that - a coping mechanism. My theory goes that a long time ago, when I was a teenager with very little control over my life and a very high level of fear surrounding that. It felt so powerful to set goals (go to the gym five times) and achieve them. It worked meditative and calming to know that whatever else happened, I could succeed in controlling my
body and therefore in some way my life. Healthy until it wasn’t. Instead of feeling a sense of accomplishment as I achieved goals, I began seeing my unmet, unrealistic goals (be a thin as a model) as the source of all that was wrong with my life. I wanted to feel complete, and yet unseen for all the terrible failure I made. Shut myself down from dissatisfaction and uncertainty. To some degree I still do this. Unknowing, yes, but still whenever uncomfortable feelings overwhelm me, I tread back into a well worn path. If I could just fit back into my size 0 jeans, everything would be alright. Aside from being patently untrue, these thoughts lead to shame and despise, and not motivation for the real greater life. A sinking pit of despair. There is one thing though that often makes me snap out of this theme in different variations. I remember tha when the Buddha was asked to reveal the meaning of life, he replied, “life is pain.” A rather macabre statement, but one that I find oddly comforting. I looked it up; in fact, the inescapability of pain is the first of the Four Noble Truths. Remembering that life is pain frees me from reading too much into painful experiences. Pain does NOT mean that I’m un-
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worthy of happiness until I’m thinner or richer or admired or what-have-you. Pain does not mean God is punishing me, or testing me, or playing cruel games with me. Pain does not mean that I’m just pessimistic and could be blindingly happy if I would look on the birght side. Pain is just life, and remembering that saves me from wasting my time hopelessly trying to avoid it. My therapist once said that the degree to which we open ourselves to pain is the degree to which we open ourselves to joy. That we cannot experience one without the other, and that when we live in fear or pursuit of only one, we live a half life. And that is exactly where the silver lining of melancholy lies. My fascination of feeling but also enlightenment because by opening your soul, you can truly feel and see the beauty of the earth and living. Everyone in the world has suffered and yet done heroic, good things with their lives. No one has got true control over anything and in the end we are presented sacred presents when fear doesn’t rule the mind.
I would like to take you on a journey of imagination, dreams, loneliness and science. Welcome to my melancholy fascination.
Defining melancholy From my fascination three words have arisen; timeless, moved and mesmerizing. In my opinion these words connect the different aspects of melancholy. In this chapter I will first focus on my feeling towards these words and then focus on how several cultures perceive and define melancholy Melancholy associations
Timeless associations
Purity, esthetic, fine, timeless, driven, di-
Timeless to me means love for family, nature
vine, thoughtful, loneliness, paintings, art,
and earth. A floating feeling that takes over
alone, frontier, creativity, lines, blurred,
when you’re either sad or very happy. You
tragic, detailed,
wish time to fly by but its stopped or you
avoidance, loss, blessed, penetrated, child
want to to stand still so you can be in the
stars, girls, scale, dwell, secret, grand, belief,
moment forever. Photo’s can capture these
turning point, muse, fight, light, dark, vague,
notions but the timelessness is like a silhou-
clear, purity.
ette draped around it. Vagueness, soft and bringing depth. Timeless for me brings life to melancholy because its just on the verge of sublime and torment. Moved associations
Mesmerizing associations
Being moved is motion in emotion, on phys-
Mesmerizing is to be in complete awe and
ical levels, technical growth and mental
fascination of something or someone. It has
growth. The triggers to be moved come from
a powerful attractiveness and draws atten-
many tangible and non tangible things such
tion to it either by esthetic or intellectual
as the movement of the sea to the move-
features. For me this can be found mostly in
ment of flower scents. I believe that this
nature and powerful people. Creativity is a
movement can trigger the melancholy in
strong for in the mesmerizing aspect such as
combination with another (non)tangible es-
pixar movies and nature is to be found in ev-
sence.
erything around us but especially in animals because you can’t ‘read’ them. Melancholy needs this aspect due to its dreamy features.
the collection During one week a big shopper was filled with items found around the house. Not just any item, but items that brought life to the fascination. By doing this the fascination became more clear and it taught me to read myself even better due to all the perceiving of other students. However, my mind is like one big brainstorm and such a muddle that it was difficult to find melancholy in these items. Only if you knew me you would know what it would mean. I have picked several objects from the load that I
when they go through pain. The suffering brought to
think illustrate the melancholy fascination best after
ease by Maria and by faith.
peer comments.
Family photo (moved):
The girl painting (melancholy art): it embodies the melancholy feeling; overall light coloured resemblance,
All the other items together resemble the melancholy
but she has a closed body language which maybe in-
but when looking at it would more seem to be a vin-
dicate insecureness or secrets. The illustration style is
tage fascination. My reason for them was the structure
old, as we can see from the fashion she is wearing and
of the wood works, the realness and not artificially cre-
therefore triggers memories.
ated plastics. The songs of golden musicians that em-
The black sculpture (melancholy, mesmerizing): When
body the melancholic state, the candle cup for light,
you stand right infront of her she looks away. She has
bracelets and leather used bag to go with the family
a perfect symmetrical face, one that I would have
photo are family belongings which embody my warm
wanted back in the days. She is slightly tormented and
memories. In addition I would’ve liked to add a train
bits have fallen off, resembling a darker era of slavery.
whistle which would represent the melancholy feeling
This however goes further than melancholy and there-
of traveling.
fore I’d like to focus on her female features and positioning.
Among the words my peers chose for the collection
The Maria cards (mesmerizing): a higher divine seen
were among other: old fashioned, flea markets, unique
in the cards, whom people turn to in dark times and
lifestyle, fashion diversion, hipster pocahontas, old
stuff, jewerly, heaven, art and design, vintage swag
De tas zie ik als een vintage item dat past bij jouw sti-
and go your own way. In some way these words make
jl. Jaren 50 look is jouw ding: natural beauty. De familie
sense with my fascination but overall it was more seen
foto’s doet me denken aan een warme fijne tijd waa-
as a fashion vintage fascination than the my meaning
rin je je geborgen voelde. De foto’s van je exvriend-
for them.
je dierbare herinneringen die je vandaag de dag nog steeds in een licht melancholische stemming brengen.
My buddy Shari wrote a small note to go along with my
De foto’s op de postkaarten doen me denken aan gel-
collection. This is what she wrote:
oof. Geloven in jezelf is iets wat je nog meer mag doen want je bent een toppertje! Liefs Shari.’
‘Ik zie in jouw collectie veel terug uit jouw fascinatie, maar het doet me tegerlijkertijd ook aan jou den-
After having thought and written about my collection
ken. Het beeld van de vrouw straalt melancholie uit,
her writings make a lot of sense. And it is exactly how
een onvervuld verlangen dat ik soms ook bij jou kan
I intended it. It also points out to me that the melan-
zien. In de liefde, familie of je werk. Je bent ambitieus.
choly is mostly to be found in photos and paintings.
In other contexts After having chosen the keywords, it was time to define their meaning. In order to do so, the keywords were put in different contexts. What does history say, popular culture, science and high culture have to say about my fascination. In doing so, I got a little carried away by all the literature. It might be a bit of a read, which is already been narrowed done, but definitely worthwhile. It gave so many insights which make me understand even more where melancholy comes from and why it fascinates me so much.
ry René Descartes made the modern distinction between mental and physical illnesses. He emphasized
melancholia one of the most distinctive and distin-
on the different natures of the “mechanical” body and
guished topics of the early modern era. The pathology
the psychic soul. However this was not fully realized
of melancholia was renewed as a subject of profound
until late nineteenth century. Before this, the psychi-
interest among the academic community. Hereby dis-
cal complaints such as indigestion and heart problems
mantling the black bile and being able diagnose speci-
were thought to be caused by melancholia. Or at least
fy gestures, facial expressions, health, intellect, piety,
be caused by certain psychological symptoms —ex-
and social status.
haustion, depression, and mood swings —which fit the modern definition of the term.
Today, the melancholic persona persists as an embodiment of withdrawn, alienated genius, crafted in re-
The concept of “personality” was tied to a visual and
sponse to the violent and depersonalizing forces of
descriptive way of thinking that was associated with
the modern world. Despite advances in art and sci-
ones inner soul with an outward appearance of the
ence, the topos of the dispirited intellectual contin-
body. Melancholia, in its physical and psychological as-
ues to function metaphorically as a locus for society’s
pect was a condition we thought to define as what to-
fears and tensions, as it has for more than two millen-
day we might refer to as the “creative personality”.
nia. (Dixon, 2013)
This term is associated with a range of genius think-
Melancholy in history and science
ers has made the link with the melancholic qualities
The famous philosopher Emanuel Kant describes the
of piety, intellect, nobility, and creation over time. In
sublime as a complex feeling that combines both dis-
the seventeenth century melancholia had become a
pleasure and pleasure. The sublime feeling is pleasur-
The word “melancholia” describes a psychological con-
and creative men of genius. Thus references to melan-
means of self—value. And through hard work this term
able, for although it does not involve the immediate
dition akin to depression or bipolar disorder. But mel-
cholia in art throughout history communicate a curi-
got given form in all branches of creative arts interna-
delight of the beautiful, its pleasure lies in a feeling of
ancholia was once defined as a corporeal illness, as
ous combination of dread and fear. Although the phil-
tionally.
being exhilarated and uplifted.
widely feared as cancer and heart disease are today.
osophical support touch old art engravings are no
Pre-Enlightenment authorities blamed it for a host of
longer relevant, melancholia’s early modern associa-
Early modern ideas about melancholia, whether ex-
With melancholy, the displeasurable or negative as-
distasteful things, including mental depression, chol-
tions remain in our modern consciousness.
pressed in the arts, religion, philosophy, or medicine
pects lie in feelings of loneliness, emptiness, sadness
era, syphilis, witchcraft, and even murder. Criminals
People still describe feeling negative with “feeling
were strongly influenced by ancient and medieval el-
from loss, and the fear or dread that sometimes ac-
and sociopaths commonly had an overpowering de-
blue”, “down”, or even “madly in love”. The origins of
ements. Because melancholia goes way back in time
companies longing. The pleasurable aspect comes pri-
sire, owed to the influence of the planet Saturn, mel-
these metaphors, and others, are lost to contempo-
it was believed by the pre—Enlightenment theorists
marily through reflection, when we dwell on happy
ancholia’s controlling entity.
rary wisdom, but all stem from an acute observation
that the term stood very close next to the actual truth.
memories or fashion elaborate fantasies. Here melan-
of physical and mental symptoms that marked the be-
Therefore they didn’t bolster their theories.
choly is intentionally sought out by finding solitude in
Despite its negative connotations, melancholia was
ginning of clinical medicine, and they continue to live
also valued for its beneficial qualities. Since the time
in the modern field of cognitive science.
of Aristotle, the ‘condition’, thought to be caused by
order to deepen the reflection and in turn prolong the A big contributor was Robert Burton who gathered two thousand years of authoritative information about
an collection of black bile in the body, was also be-
Before the scientific revolution mind and body were
melancholia into a single source. It provided a gap be-
lieved to pain aristocrats, intellectuals, hermit-saints,
considered inseparable. In the seventeenth centu-
tween the material ad the spiritual realms, making
pleasure.
Melancholy in HIGH culture
in contrast. This contrast in dark and light suggest
pleasant feelings occur. Then in between the harmony
both loneliness and hope. To dash it of its accompa-
the minor notes are found to create the overall sound.
nied with a small subtle longing for the stillness in the
These mid tones make a sound right or wrong, inter-
scene.
esting and sometimes minor. Thus a stand alone note cannot evoke any feeling, it just is. The note needs an-
Melancholy is an emotion that we also experience in
life. In real life too there are instances of sentimental-
Friedrich worked a lot with solitary humans overshad-
other note to give it personality. To make a melan-
art. Its an emotion we experience in a variety of ar-
ity but in the case of sentimentality its shade of inau-
owed by nature and dramatic use of light. This evokes
choly sound a sound has to be created that does the
tistic contexts, from the scenes of a Scorcese film to
thenticity comes from it not being true to ones feel-
something uplifting and something that is close to mel-
unexpected. Diffusing it a note from the expected and
Friedrich’s landscapes, or to Wordsworth’s romantic
ings.
ancholy or close to sublime. This middle point brings a
thereby taking advantage of the mind, which tend to
images and Chopin’s melodies.
Melancholy on the other hand doesn’t allow senti-
peaceful mixture of fear or from longing or loss.
blur or combine events in its ever present attempt to
mentality. Melancholy in itself is such a complex and
Another depiction of melancholy is I believe one of the
analyse and detect unforeseen dangers. This means
In Martin Scorcese’s film The Age of Innocence the
refined emotion that it excludes any superficiality.
most famous in history “Mona Lisa” made by Da Vinci.
playing in different
source of melancholy is the love affair between New-
Therefore Scorcese’s movie is presents a higher level
The same setting can be seen but comes in a smaller
minor modality settings such as:
land Archer and Countess Ellen Olenska. The story told
which creates complexity and thus keeps it from it be-
frame and much more natural depth. The Mona Lisa is
b minor mazurka, Chopin. op. 33 no. 4
contains the bittersweet aspects referred to the joy
ing a naive and shallow love story.
famous for several reasons such as her smile and the
bb minor nocturne, Chopin. op. 9 no. 1
fact she was a woman in a painting instead of the usu-
e minor prelude, Chopin. op. 28 no. 4
al mighty man. The fact that the painting doesn’t give
a minor waltz, Chopin. op. 34 no. 2
a sterile depiction is because Leonardo hired jesters to
c# minor waltz, Chopin. op. 64 no. 2
of two people being in love and the disappointment and sadness of the impossibility of their lives together. Viewers can enjoy the development of their rela-
Melancholy in art
tionship, the different aspects of it, and feel at least in
keep her merry, and hereby removing that melancholy
Furthermore like I mentioned before playing the musi-
a vicarious sense some of the emotions the characters
Looking at art we can see the first depiction clearly
which the paintings usually had. However current ex-
cal articulation, change tempo’s, but make it dragging
of the film are experiencing (Elliott. 1972) The over-
represent melancholy as a clinical disease as it was de-
aminations of the painting say she wasn’t smiling but
all emotion, after the basic constituents have been re-
scribed in the first paragraphs. A good example of this
it was the loss of the front teeth that dent in the lips,
vealed, is melancholy. There is no despair, no depres-
was Albrecht
thus creating a minor smile.
sion, only the kind of refined or sublimated mellow
Dürer’s “Melencolia I” (engraving, 1514). However
sorrow, which through reflection has brighter aspects
there are artworks that also express melancholy emo-
woven into it, that we have called melancholy. It would
tion. After this era many works depicted this, or were
not be an overstatement say that the beauty of the
named with the term. On artist contributed whole col-
film is to a great extent due to its melancholy nature.
lections to the term, Edvard Munch, made paintings
Moreover in art we have music. I think music comes
lights the uncomfortable relationship between depres-
Melancholy in music
Melancholy in popular culture “Melancholia”, Lars von Trier, movie (2012). Although it addresses the two sisters Justine and Claire as the planet Melancholia speeds at earth. It also high-
and woodcut, all entitled “Melancholy.”. For one of his
the closest to set a melancholic mood. In music there
sion and melancholia as two (or several) disease con-
In the movie melancholy takes a form rather than a
painting the theme of solitude is carried through the
is no propositional content. Chopin, who I practiced a
cepts with different histories, but which we often want
mood, thus being a particular specific of mood. The
painting. A woman sitting alone in a room, dressed in
lot on piano, has composed many pieces that express
to see as synonymous.
combination of the tragic affair situation and the hap-
dark shades of blue, green and black, in contrast to
sadness, the “Death March” being the prime example.
piness and pleasure between the two character give
brightly colored walls around her.
But in his compositions melancholy is also to be found.
rise to melancholy. With a film like The Age of Inno-
His mazurkas (compositions based on Polish dance)
cence the question concerning the borderline between
Going through all these melancholic artworks I noticed
give melancholy a sound (f.e. op. 67 no. 4), with sub-
melancholy and sentimentality arises. You would have
that melancholy is often depicted in the context of qui-
tle changes in tempo the lingering mood is formed.
to adopt only a slightly more cynical attitude to con-
et reflection. This is comes back in a range of work that
You can especially hear this when comparing it to oth-
demn Scorcese’s film as sentimental entertainment.
feature solitary persons set along the grandeur of na-
er mazurka songs. The indecisive structure of tem-
But why is The Age of Innocence a melancholy rather
ture. A theme which I remember comes back in the
po, dark and bright notes together create the mood.
than sentimental movie?
Romantic tradition in art and literature. A much dis-
(Levinson, 1990)
Simple: sentimentality is not an emotion or mood in it-
cussed work is that of Caspar David Friedrich. In his
Another way to explain melancholy in music is to look
self, it is rather the way in which emotions and moods
painting a man sits on the ledge of a big gothic win-
at the notes and their harmony. Harmony simply stat-
are sometimes presented.They often come across in-
dow of a ruined castle or monastery. The ruin is com-
ed is the different lengths and different heights in-
authentic and shallow. There can be sentimentality
posed of dark reds, but is shaded with bright golden
tersecting and overlapping with each other in a way
in sorrow and joy, and when these emotions are por-
light which pours through the centre of the picture, fill-
that provides tone collusions. Harmonic tones cre-
trayed in a sentimental way it means that they do not
ing the ‘emptiness‘ of the ruin. The man sitting on the
ate peace, rest and a warm sound. When total dishar-
appear to be justifiable in view of comparisons to real
ledge however presents a calm reflection and comes
mony is made chaos, anger, pain and other rather un-
Eefje de Visser ‘Trein’.
Melancholy in a digital age The digital society is often viewed through the lens of hyperreality, the theory that argues that symbolic meaning is excessively detached from reality. Which is an obvious, but also a superficial analysis of the com-
Why Melancholic?
plex contemporary digital lives. Meaning that the me-
This leaves me with the question why does this melan-
diums in this age are focussing on the detachment
choly feeling fascinate me so much?
from reality. “The hyperreality and the permanent
The initial fascination of Melancholic Girls in art are
present of the digital age create a kind of warm, and
clear to me. Girls and women, almost perfect in all the
strangely connected solitude in the onslaught of infor-
depictions fascinate me because most likely I want to
mation and the flattening of history. It is in this ambig-
be them. They’re vulnerable thus strong, delicate and
uous solitude that the space for emotional response
mesmerizing, yet give a subtle grief. In which I find
fits, namely melancholy”, (Schwartz, T. 2011, Loss,
my own memories of grief and joy. The imagery I have
Meaning and Melancholy). The digital age is rich and
gathered on Pinterest captures complicated emotions.
connected in information, and though the same medi-
The art eases the melancholic soul because somehow
um also disconnecting. Psychoanalytic theory can pro-
a connection is made to the characters and the hard-
vide some insight into culturally
ships they may face. The use of patterns or illustra-
contradictory responses from the loss that is generat-
tional forms serve to convey the duality of the complex
ed by digital reproduction. In Mourning and Melancho-
emotions. The images resolve itself from emotive ten-
lia, Freud (1917) examined the melancholic response
sion.
to loss. The key distinction between melancholy and
This feeling awakens during travels (national & interna-
mourning, is that object is lost in the former. Addition-
tional), in a state where I’m dreamy, sad and happy.
ally, the experience of melancholy, is that of ambivalence between hate and love for the lost object. This suggests that there could be a rich way to understand how art engages with the emotional response to loss generated by the switch to digital.
‘Once calm, fearful, despairing, brooding, restless, hollow, and longing for something inexpressible.’
truism
The journey is the destination.
embrace the pain, for a positive outcome
personal statement
quick sketch Inspiration: Traveling souls Buddhism Open mind David Sedaris
Partners:
Traveling souls Travelers Lonely Planet Web Community App builder
To do list:
Write content for the book and app Find partners Dig into traveller souls Find truisms Create a community Find an app sponsor
What does it give?
An inspired soul (away from home) An emptied swollen heart Positivity Community Fun Advice
Segment
Youngsters from the age of 18 till 30, those who are about to travel the world and open their eyes. But the booklet can also be given as a little gift
What does it give?
Youngsters from the age of 18 till 30, those who are about to fun inspiration Heart ease Travel first aid fullfillment Advice
Statement
Optimism is a worthy investment Inspiring Relieving Fun Advising Educating Positive
Proposition:
First Aid Kit - fuck it Bucket philosophy for travellers Tips for a swollen heart, an open mind and an inspired soul away from home. App with truisms and lonely planet feature. Booklet Tips Facts and do stuff True stories
Process of Concept I really enjoyed working on creativity and personality. The skills we were taught and the way the process worked weren’t unfamiliar grounds and easy to adapt. However, it took me some time to grasp the eventual concept. My concepts were too vague, too arty. The were me alright but not something that would be easily marketable. So when I talked to Shari about her concept, I told her to keep it close to herself as a person. What do you like? What do you do in daily life? What do you want to teach other people and what would you
Relationship target group Warm relationship Someone to rely on Instant interaction
like to learn? Did I want to come across arty or did I want to make something more approachable? So when I had to deliver my C&P the first time I flunked. I didn’t believe in my concept. So I started to ask myself the same questions I advised Shari. And by doing so my
Communication distribution Online media App store Travel magazines Travel platforms Pers release
fascination became more and more something I could grasp. Something that I wanted to share and enjoy with other people. I like making magazines, I like small pocket books, I enjoy reading quotes and short stories because of all the traveling I do... So why not make a pocket book for travelers which help people overcome their melancholy and make them embrace pain for a positive later on. It also fits right into the subdomains,
concept We all want to lose ourselves sometimes, we want see to the world, we want to explore distant lands and see how the light arises at the end of another horizon. The envy we feel for people who just grab their bags and take off because it feels so adventurous and free. For those people I could not be happier because it means you’re doing the right thing, following your heart.
App This book will be supported by an app with ab-
great cacophony of life and vast expanses of ocean
stract stories from the books. The app will allow you
and coral reefs…. Discovering the world for the first
to have instant gratification in the form of online in-
time you will sometimes feel the explicitly melanchol-
teraction. Furthermore the app has features such as
ic. This book will rescue you moments but also trea-
the Fuck it Bucket which will give you a comforting
sure them with you. You need this pain, because after
new philosophy. The details are explained later on.
you will see even more..
The book on the other hand is there when no internet We all want to lose ourselves sometimes, we want see to the world, we want to explore distant lands and see how the light arises at the end of another horizon. The envy we feel for people who just grab their bags and take off because it feels so adventurous and free. For those people I could not be happier because it means you’re doing the right thing, following your heart. I’ve seen many places, I have even lived in many places and from this I know the broad spectrum of feelings that may occur when you’re on the road. With the sunsetting and molding the sky in warm and blushful colours in your view, while your dumpster train is passing its way through the dusty landscapes there could be nothing more beautiful in that moment. But inevitably the heart longs for company, someone for sharing, someone to hold on to. For those moments we seek someone that can give comfort, an indulgent advice. That’s how I came to this concept. A book of tips for the lighthearted travelers; Travel truisms for a swollen heart, an open mind & an inspired soul away from home. Called by the name of Long Distance Love Bombs. This book is initially meant for first time travelers, but anyone really can enjoy this little pocket book.
A book of tips for the lighthearted travelers; Travel truisms for a swollen heart, an open mind & an inspired soul away from home.
is around during the traveling but can also be use as a pocket present for peers. The tips and stories come from travelers who have been far or closeby. Who have seen the up and the down side. People who know that the darkest night is no match for the dimmest light. The book is made out of recycled paper and it has a plastic cover where notes can be stored away and it can be kept safe from raindrops. To go with it is a small pencil so that whenever you want to throw something in the fuck it bucket or need to write down your own truisms, there’s an opportunity. Backflap We’re a curious bunch, us humans, and we often become complacent in our admiration of home soil. We grow restless to seek new and exotic landscapes to rekindle our connection with the earth, discover the beauty of the planet and forge our own maiden voyages. We recognise the shared sense of awe and appreciation in discovering unusual lands and their accompanying cultures. We live on a huge, beautiful, wild, planet – to think we might only see a small fraction of it in our lifetime seems unimaginable. 6 Continents, 7 billion people, 2 hemispheres, various time zones, tropical rainforests, arid deserts, snow capped mountains, iceridden landscapes, ancient tribes and modern mega cities, jungles, great expansive plains containing a
LONG DISTANCE LOVE BOMBS
The first big trip out of the bubble is one that you will never forget and one that I long to experience again. Alas, like so many things in life, there can be only one first. Keep that in mind, and do not forget:You only get one. Hold this thought in the palm of your hand and squeeze it with all of your might –- you only get one first trip overseas just as you only get one bright and shining moment at a time. Truism #1: There is only one first. Why? Because you must learn on this journey that deep down you already have all of the answers. And the only way to do that is to live the questions. That’s my best guess at least. I don’t know for sure, but I’m okay with that. I’m okay with not knowing. I’m alright with chasing mysteries. For instance, I’ll walk around a rundown village in Africa and I’ll see little kids with big hearts walking around with no shoes, dirty clothes and a runny nose, begging me for money in the only English they know. And I’ll talk to great men about their dreams, men with
travel truism
kind hearts and soft eyes who live amidst filth and
Crowds can make you feel alone, just as full rooms
Go make memories. Go create stories. Go collect expe-
can make you feel empty inside. Fortunately, you are
riences.
blessed with family and friends that love you. They will
squalor and poverty, and we’ll discuss their lives and their hopes, and I’ll hear about how the government
struck and amazed as to how it all works.
be thinking about you each and every day. They will
wastes money, about how public officials are corrupt,
Why those with the least to show have the most to
miss you and even though you cannot feel it, you will
about how selfishness and greed destroys entire cul-
give, why the richest hearts seem to lead the poor-
carry your loved ones with you in every decision you
tures, about how society is starving, not because of a
est lives, and I’ll read Albert Camus’ observation that
make. Make them proud. Leave a noble legacy.
lack of food, but a lack of will, a need for courage, and
“There is solitude in poverty, but a solitude that gives
I am sad to see you go, I will miss you every day, and
a desire for kindness to prevail.
everything back its value” and I am humbled, and curi-
I will appreciate you even more the next time our
ous, and intrigued about life and everything in it. And
eyes meet. But that’s a tale for another day. For now,
I’ll see these homes, these people, these lives, which
for a long time to come, each and every day, I can hon-
it’s time for you to go and have the trip you’ve been
seemingly have nothing to fill them, and yet I’ll witness
estly say that I’m working on it, that I’m trying to un-
dreaming about.
such pure, unadulterated joy oozing from the very es-
derstand, that I’m challenging myself to do more, to do
sence of their souls in such a completely overpower-
good, to do better.
ing and forceful display that I am taken aback, dumb-
Are you?
If I can sum it all up in one little sentence, let it be this: Live a life that would make you jealous.
Fill it with regret, guilt, pride, ego, negativity, pain,
Step One: Acquire a bucket. Options include purchase or theft. Step Two: Write “Fuck It” on the side of the bucket. Options include paint or markers. Step Three: Stand back and admire your new lifechanging possession. Step Four: Use it.
heartache, depression and all of the other dark and negative crap that we have to deal with throughout our life. We choose to put it all in the bucket. All of it. We choose to put it all in the bucket and then we choose to shout, “Fuck it” as loud as possible. Forget about taking candy out. Put bullshit in. Figuratively, yes, but also literally, if you need to. Write down your problems on scraps of paper, roll them into a ball, and toss them into the bucket. Throw in your disappointment, your expectations, and your heartache. Throw in your shame, your worry and your anxiety. Dump in all of the negative thoughts that enter your brain each day. Even one negative thought is too many — add it to the bucket. Next, realize what’s done is done. The past has passed. It’s over, and you cannot change what happened, only
Where did the idea for the Fuck It Bucket phi-
how you respond. The Fuck It Bucket philosophy re-
losophy come from?
quires your response to include four key steps: put
As much as I love the Fuck It Bucket, the phrase is not
your worries in the bucket, shout “Fuck It Bucket” out
mine. It’s adapted from a story by David Sedaris in
loud, smile and then go kick some ass at life.
which his crazy brother owns a bucket filled with candy because, “When shit brings you down, just say ‘fuck
You can also use it to give ourselves permission to fol-
it!’ and eat yourself some motherfucking candy!”
low our dreams, live bolder lives and take more chanc-
Fair enough.
es. The bucket is thus our excuse for extraordinary,
That’s a tremendously admirable idea, but it’s also a
our crutch for greatness, and our support system for
narrow solution to a general problem. Consequently,
adventure.
improvements are possible. Adapting the bucket to this concept, personalised in the approach. The magical bucket evolved into a marketplace of emotional trading in which burdens went bankrupt, positivity paid dividends, and the worry to joy exchange rate skyrocketed.
taneous stress reliever (the reactive bucket) as well as an amorphous excuse for saying yes (the proactive
How do I use the Fuck It Bucket?
bucket).
Originally intended as a literal bucket filled with hard
Thus, we took the mysterious and infinite magic of the
candies and bite-sized chocolates to console the
bucket and gave it a makeover. Instead of just simply
stressed and the broken, our version transformed it-
eating yourself some candy, we proposed that you live
self into two complementary components: an instan-
yourself some life. It’s hard and it’s scary, but fear not — the Fuck It Bucket is your ticket to ride.
Fuck it bucket
in the past was usually presented a solo figure in a big space. The art gives of a sublime and sad feeling. The figure could be in a state of happiness of sadness and through color and setting this is emphasized. In the current digital era art has gotten more collaged in the use of different art forms; drawings, painting, photography, digital art etc. The chosen photo’s represent a melancholic feeling and leave space for interpretation, however in someway the artist has already interpreted a feeling from the original girl photography and has molded this into a collage extension. In all the pictures there is a serenity and wilderness, a sublime and bittersweet expression and that is why I’ve chosen for these.
Art that represents melancholy
Fascination for lines; beauty, depth, width, vague, horizon, shape and body shape. Most lines are accentuated with photography but some characteristics already have great lines in it self. Nature does a wonderful job presenting us with even more beauty than created art will ever do. However the first photo presents us with a beautiful symmetric book depiction.
Melancholy in travel. The journey towards and from. The endless road ahead, or the reflection of living the moment. The vague to clear, the unseen horizon, the adventure, the unknown but also the knowing. The first photo is a self made photo, the fast pace of the traveling spree but also seeing what you are leav-
Photo’s from the Tilburg scavenger hunt and class shopper assignment.
From top down / left to right: Line 1: La Poubelle, made vagueness of the library’s straight lines. representation of fascination. Stone resemblance of a black girl. • Distorted Kate Moss from a book. Mannequins in the Zara, beautiful body lines and the overal stillness intrigues me. Line 2: Old mattresses, give a warm but yet lonely feeling. Art book of a melancholic women with already
collaged
style. fascination of lines. Line 3: Fascination Big shopper, first style my own, second style made by buddy. Travel inspiration, travelling brings melancholy.
collection 2
ing behind.
summary Stephen Fry has been an inspiration of mine after having read his second biography. He seems to dwell in the boundaries of a striving for work perfection and then having all these things to which he is addicted to. Addiction usually plays a role in unsettled emotional matters. The fact that he has been so successful in his all round creative ambitions, make him, for me, a melancholic genius which make him relevant to subject of matter. I have summarized the book and given some foreground to my opinion on his statements.
Actor, writer and British icon Stephen Fry takes you
Fry also states in the next chapter “the ability to resist
through his life journey in The Fry Chronicles. He can’t
temptation or to defer pleasure for a single second” to-
stand the sight of his naked body, he can’t dance, he is a
wards his criminal past. He just simply lacks this quali-
spaz on the athletic field and like he says himself ‘not too
ty. He even spends some time in prison when he should
confident in the sack’ either.
have been preparing for his university exams. Instead,
It is clear that Fry shows his imperfections and that is the
he chose to use someone else’s credit cards to finance
paradox which make his story a delight. Fry looks back at
a decadent spree at the American Bar at the Ritz Hotel.
his college years at Cambridge University and his rise as
This emphasizes the fact that even being a teen he has al-
a British TV comedy star. The book is organized around
ways felt the urge to live large. Next to being a thief, Fry
the letter “c,” starting with C12 H22 O11, the chemical
also has a severe cigarette addiction that he replaces by
formula for sugar, one of his early addictions. He also
Sugar Puffs and Bazooka bubblegum. This does not nec-
names other more risky vices for his health starting with
essarily mean that he maintained these replacements.
a “c”, but they are relatively innocent. They do however give a clear introduction to how insatiable he is towards
This experience of captivity, which Fry describes as “a
the public outcomes. Fry believes that even though the
the low point of a rather disruptive and sometimes even
crowd can be tough, he finds it yet another addiction.
suicidal adolescence”, had a way of concentrating his
Fascination for WOW. the mes-
mind. He returned to school with a renewed purpose,
merzing dreamy stuff.
Fry states that he is “Regularly canned, always in trouble,
achieved excellent grades and won a scholarship to read
Looking it at will make you in com-
never stable, never settled in or secure. I left prep school
English at Queen’s College, Cambridge. You could say that
plete awe of our earth and make
a sugar addict, thief, fantasist and liar,”. I find it inspiring
fear of imprisonment and isolation was a pushing factor
you want to get out there!
to see how such a person can make it such a long way.
in his success coming after. Maybe this would mean that
Perhaps that is his power, the unsparing self-assessment,
you need to see hit rock bottom to be able to achieve for
is perhaps the price he feels obliged to pay for his main-
the better.
taining addictions and compulsiveness. His passion for literature did not give him the faith he
assumed to gain, because soon he fell in with the per-
that something is not sentimental, it is melancholy. It
forming lot and made his mark in sketch comedy. This
contains a lot of courage, as he knows he has always
new aspect in his life, put yet again studying in the back
been regarded, by friends and enemies alike, as confi-
seat. The allure of the stage shared with people whom
dent, quint essentially English, with a languorous life-
he thought deserved Oscars and people who had been
style, at ease in any surrounding. Inside, he says, there’s
in hit TV series took his devoted attention from the liter-
an often terrified half-Jew poof, horrified by the unat-
ature to the spotlights. Point was set when Simon Rus-
tractiveness of his body, unable to smile sweetly without
sell Beale offered an early master class in scene-stealing
looking smug, knowing he’s been given a second chance
comic mischief.
and filled with terror at the thought of blowing it. It’s such a paradox to tell all his angsts, which he still has,
“A real education,” Fry writes, “takes place, not in the lecture hall or library, but in the rooms of friends, with earnest frolic and happy disputation.” But on the other hand, Fry has also claimed that his ‘carefreeness’ was crushed when he didn’t earn a first class honors degree. Nonetheless, it is funny to see that Fry’s native insecurity, worsened by a form of bipolar disorder, has created quite a bit of mayhem in his life. He admits to being a workaholic, fills us in on the content of his compulsive spending (computer gadgetry is a particular weakness) and concludes this memoir just as he is starting a love affair with cocaine. It’s fair to say that Stephen has great success, impossible to deny. “I seemed to be in almost limitless demand,” he writes of his opportunities as a freelance magazine scribe. He could easily be talking about his television career or his work as a play doctor. Good fortune to his hard work can’t only be put on good luck. Along with his many talents he has a rare genius for friendship. The warmth with which he speaks of Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson gives a sense of why audiences across the board have found him so companionable. He does chat on about himself in a nonchalant way, but more genial company would be hard to find. This book, Fry’s story, was in a way very recognizable in regards to my own life. Not saying that I am as successful as him. His tone perfect anecdotes, and genuine excitement for life are easily seized. Though we know finds himself becoming genuinely popular, and genuinely good at some things he has to rehabilitate. The addictions replace a loneliness and in between his lines we feel melancholy. Because we want him to succeed and we want him to be more than ‘just clever’. Through all of it he tells us, with exemplary and often excruciating honesty, of his crippling self-doubts, his neediness, the greed of his addictions, his drive were shallowed by the urge for fame. What Fry does, essentially, is tell us who he really is and
and then ultimately be a person of success.