Lewis Carroll, Dr Who, Dream, & Fortean inpired tunes. Multi-lingual (English, German, Russian, Lithuanian) tunes. Silent film inspired dances. Trock. Member of Chicago Surrealist Group, Lewis Carroll Society of North America. Lietuvaite soka kaip Chaplin. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Steampunk Invasion @ Bristol RenFair
Portage Theater (built 1920). For screening of "The Artist" I came as a Flapper & danced w/ the ever-stylish Jacob on stage as theme song of film played 20 min loop!
With "Time Crash" doctor Who tribute band Dave Kitsberg & his "GuiTardis." The scarf I knit myself.
Madame de Pompadour for Halloween 2008
Looking like a granny from the 50s. The hat, coat, bracelet, and earrings are vintage from that era.
Look inspired by Edith Head designs in classic films of the 50s. Hat, umbrella, coat, & shoes are vintage from that era.
Hypnagogic state: The border state between drowsiness and sleep. In this phase, one is likely to experience visual/audio hallucinations, dream-like images, closed-eye visualizations (CEV), and other anomalous phenomena.
Hypnagogic Telegram is Chicago-based electronica band inspired by Dreams and other Fortean Phenomena. DainaSurrealism has been a lucid dreamer since childhood, thus enabling her to convert the visuals of dreams into atmospheric brouillardesque lyrics. Sung in an assortment of languages (English, German, French, Lithuanian) these singular tunes span both culture and time. She draws inspiration from her days as a New York Underground Club-Kid from the Michael Alig scene, merging eclectic themes with imaginative wardrobe, props, and diverse dance styles. If Doctor Who would have a band, it might sound like this.
<---- View YOUTUBE VIDEO here.
On FACEBOOK @ HYPNAGOGIC TELEGRAM
Capturing the spirit of Kate Bush (Brit Fortean), X-Mal Deutschland (German Goth), Cocteau Twins (atmospheric), Zazie (French socially conscious Rock), and the performance art of Mathieu Chedid, aka M (French Funk guitarist extraordinaire), and Linda (Russian experimental performance artist), Hypnagogic Telegram ventures into a kaleidoscope of dance beats and surrealism. The historical spectrum of music from by-gone eras (classic jazz, chansons, Neue Deutsche Welle, et al) and current sounds (club mixes, effects, etc) entwin.
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~~Dance 2:44 inspired by Charlie Chaplin
~~Performance art inspired by Mathieu Chedid, aka M
~~Fashion inspired by Albert Robida, "Le Vingtième Siècle" 1890 (SciFi author)
~~Shoes inspired by "Series of Unfortunate Events" film (2004) Colleen Atwood (designer), worn by Emily Browning
~~Backdrop film by George Melies, "Trip to the Moon" (1902)
~~Time travel inspired by Doctor Who
Dame Diana Rigg, known as Emma Peel to "The Avengers" (60s) fans, is to appear on an episode of "Doctor Who" alongside her daughter, Rachael Stirling. According to BBC news, this is the first time mother and daughter have worked with each other in a production. The episode is due to air sometime in 2013. Rachael Stirling played Caroline Crale in an episode of the impeccably brilliant series "Poirot" ("Five Little Pigs"). She also starred as Nan Astley in "Tipping the Velvet." As a "Dr Who" & "Avengers" fan, I can't contain my joy! Diana Rigg is one of my all time favourite actresses, so I can't wait to witness the "madness" (as Diana Rigg called it).
"Dame Diana Rigg, Rachael Stirling and a Mark Gatiss script - a combination of
talents you could only get in Doctor Who! Frankly, I'm terrified already!" ~Steven Moffat http://www.bbc.co.uk/news
Rachael Stirling
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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!
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).
"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.
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 GOINGVIRAL 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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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!
I've studied Fashion Design in New York, Berlin, and Chicago. I specialize in period wardrobe for men & women. I've created everything from Ancient Egyptian, through Medieval, Victorian, 1920s Flapper, to 1980s New Wave. Men's & Women's wear. As a veteren NYC Underground Club-kid (a la Michael Alig /Tunnel scene). I indulge in eccentric unique,one-of-a-kind designs which capture both the Surrealist spirit and by-gone Zeitgeists.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Steampunk Invasion @ Bristol RenFair
Madame de Pompadour for Halloween 2008
In turn-of-the-century store. Reminded me of silent films w/ Buster Keaton & Fatty Arbuckle.
This scarf is my design. I constructed it from various silk, satin, and velvet ribbons in a diagonal weave design.
