Experimental Surrealist Self-Portraits: Reflections and Memories

Original turn-of-the-century wall & ceiling from old vaudeville theatre in Racine, Wisconsin.

Reflections, both visual and philosophical, make their appearences in peculiar locations, before odd backdrops, and with Fortean uncanniness. Zeitgeists of by-gone eras are channelled in my work, as if through a seance. Statues speak, movie palaces flicker, vaudeville audiences echo in my ears, and memories come alive again. Antiquated buildings around me represent my unusual relationship with time (after all, I am the Mad Hattress!). Dissheveled hair, which has a personality all its own, decides for itself whether it wants cutting...or not. Round windsor frames evoke the whimsical spirit of Groucho Marx, as well as the classic era of those who wore them (c 1880 - 1930s).

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"I think you might do something better with the time than wasting it in asking riddles that have no answers," said Alice.

"If you knew Time as well as I do, you wouldn't talk about wasting it. It's him," said the

Mad Hatter. "I dare say you never even spoke to Time! If you only kept on good terms with him, he'd do anything you liked with the clock. For instance, suppose it were nine o'clock in the morning, just time to begin lessons: you'd only have to whisper a hint to Time, and round goes the clock in a twinkling! Half-past one, time for dinner!"

~"Alice in Wonderland," Lewis Carroll, 1865

That was, of course, before the Mad Hatter had a falling-out with Time. Which is another story the Mad Hatter discusses during the Tea Party.

Spiegel im Spiegel (Mirror in Mirror), named after
the exquisite corpse book by Michael Ende
 illustrated by his surrealist father, Edgar Ende. M. Ende wrote
"Never-ending Story," and "Momo." You can read my
review of "Momo"(both the book & the film) in my blog.

Original floor tiles inside Portage Theater in Chicago, IL. Built in

1920, it is now in threat of being bought & converted to a church.

Help save the Portage http://www.portagetheater.org/

Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" premiered here in 1940. The film

was considered too controversial for wide release. The Music Box

was the only other Chicago theater to premiere it.

Johnny Depp came here to film the scene of Dillinger at the flickers

for "Public Enemies," in 2009.

Reflections

Reflections

Reflections in drag

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Strange Interlude: SURREALIST NEWS: HYPNAGOGIC TELEGRAM (my band) is GOING VIRAL w/ Chaplin dance. New album out soon. New videos, incl How to Remember Dreams (surrealist tips) & songs soon on YOUTUBE. Johnny Depp inspired Character Morphing w/ every song! Here is us doing CHAPLIN DANCE to backdrop of George Melies 1902 film Trip to the Moon (as seen in Hugo film). "Like" us on FACEBOOK


Lewis Carroll, Dr Who, Dream, & Fortean inpired tunes. Multi-lingual tunes (English, German, French, Lithuanian, Russian). Silent film inspired dances. Johnny Depp inspired Character Morphing. Trock. Lietuvaite soka kaip Chaplin.
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Curl of Light

Day of research at the Kinsey Institute, Indiana University

Research at Indiana University, Kinsey Institute

I wish you were there to hear what this statue had to say!

Reflections

More jellyfish than in SpongeBob's closet!

Which way is up?

Pretty colours over Montreal

95 floors over Chicago and a frozen Lake Michigan (Hancock Center)

Louise Brooks (1908 - 1985), famous flapper actress

Two girls on a skateboard

103 floors over Chicago (Sear's Tower)

Gardens near Art Institute, Chicago

Art Institute, Chicago



University of Chicago campus

University of Chicago campus

Spiral objet d'art reflection, NYC

Chicken pot pie, yum!

A somber moment in front of Liberty Studios, NYC

I used to work at Liberty Studios, NYC. I was saddened to see a "for sale" sign in front.

24th St, NYC

23rd St station, NYC

Random wandering, NYC

Odd objet d'art in window, NYC

23rd St station, middle tracks for express trains, NYC

Relection from random wandering, NYC

Silhouette looking out over Paris courtyard, 16th arrondissement

Mirrow on ceiling, 2008 (this was way before I knew of Claude Cahun's photograph). Cahun (1894 -1954) pioneered surrealist self-portraits. Her photo was taken in 1915. I find these two photographs to be quite uncanny.



"If Walls Could Talk" Old vaudeville theatre in Racine, Wisconson

Portage Theater, Chicago. Save the Portage theater from being converted
to a church. http://www.portagetheater.org/ I witnessed too many movie
 palaces close or turn into churches on Flatbush Ave
 in Brooklyn. I want to see this one saved.

Marche Restaurant, Chicago (alas, it is no more)

A Lithuanian during mushroom season.

"Iki Dugno!" Lithuanian for "bottoms up!"

Interior shot of Poratge Theater. Save the Portage, join the noble cause.
http://www.portagetheater.org/

Portage Theater, Chicago

My Suzuki Savage 650

Old street car from the 1933 World's Fair

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STRANGE INTERLUDE: My Dream, Time-Travel inspired band, "Hypnagogic Telegram" is going VIRAL on Youtube. Timelord Rock. Trock. I play a timeghost (zeitgeist) that inhabits the wardrobe closet in the TARDIS. I come out in costumes from various eras to dance & sing. If Doctor Who would have a band, it might sound like this.

<---- View YOUTUBE VIDEO here.
On FACEBOOK @ HYPNAGOGIC TELEGRAM

Check out my Time Travel, Dream, surreal artwork, performance art, costuming & photography on the other blog pages!