OBEY

Are you familiar with this image?



For those who are in-the-know, it may seem strange that I take the time to post about street artist Shepard Fairey's work. However, I like the thought behind his OBEY image. It is an image that has been posted at so many various venues and now it is showing its face on this blog.

In an interview with Format magazine in 2008, Fairey said: "The Andre The Giant sticker was just a spontaneous, happy accident. I was teaching a friend how to make stencils in the summer of 1989, and I looked for a picture to use in the newspaper, and there just happened to be an ad for wrestling with Andre The Giant and I told him that he should make a stencil of it. He said ‘Nah, I’m not making a stencil of that, that’s stupid!” but I thought it was funny so I made the stencil and I made a few stickers and the group of guys I was hanging out with always called each other The Posse, so it said Andre The Giant Has A Posse, and it was sort of appropriated from hip-hop slang – Public Enemy, NWA and Ice-T were all using the word."

According to fairey's website.

The OBEY sticker campaign can be explained as an experiment in Phenomenology. Heidegger describes Phenomenology as “the process of letting things manifest themselves.” Phenomenology attempts to enable people to see clearly something that is right before their eyes but obscured; things that are so taken for granted that they are muted by abstract observation.

The FIRST AIM OF PHENOMENOLOGY is to reawaken a sense of wonder about one’s environment. The OBEY sticker attempts to stimulate curiosity and bring people to question both the sticker and their relationship with their surroundings. Because people are not used to seeing advertisements or propaganda for which the product or motive is not obvious, frequent and novel encounters with the sticker provoke thought and possible frustration, nevertheless revitalizing the viewer’s perception and attention to detail. The sticker has no meaning but exists only to cause people to react, to contemplate and search for meaning in the sticker. Because OBEY has no actual meaning, the various reactions and interpretations of those who view it reflect their personality and the nature of their sensibilities.

Many people who are familiar with the sticker find the image itself amusing, recognizing it as nonsensical, and are able to derive straightforward visual pleasure without burdening themselves with an explanation. The PARANOID OR CONSERVATIVE VIEWER however may be confused by the sticker’s persistent presence and condemn it as an underground cult with subversive intentions. Many stickers have been peeled down by people who were annoyed by them, considering them an eye sore and an act of petty vandalism, which is ironic considering the number of commercial graphic images everyone in American society is assaulted with daily.

Another phenomenon the sticker has brought to light is the trendy and CONSPICUOUSLY CONSUMPTIVE nature of many members of society. For those who have been surrounded by the sticker, its familiarity and cultural resonance is comforting and owning a sticker provides a souvenir or keepsake, a memento. People have often demanded the sticker merely because they have seen it everywhere and possessing a sticker provides a sense of belonging. The Giant sticker seems mostly to be embraced by those who are (or at least want to seem to be) rebellious. Even though these people may not know the meaning of the sticker, they enjoy its slightly disruptive underground quality and wish to contribute to the furthering of its humorous and absurd presence which seems to somehow be antiestablishment/societal convention. Giant stickers are both embraced and rejected, the reason behind which, upon examination reflects the psyche of the viewer. Whether the reaction be positive or negative, the stickers existence is worthy as long as it causes people to consider the details and meanings of their surroundings. In the name of fun and observation.

Shepard Fairey, 1990

What's strange, curious and I'd say interesting about the OBEY image is that it continues to provoke thought within me even after having read Shepard Fairey's manifesto. The manifesto details the purpose of OBEY and demistifies the allure.

Although I am displaying my applause by presenting the image on this blog, I do not feel the need to purchase OBEY stickers or post them around my neighborhood. As I stare at the image I ask myself why I like it. Fairey's manifesto listed several reasons as to why fans seem to feel drawn to the image. So, I must question...why am I interested?

I think at times I am able to look at the image and enjoy it as an image with no explanation..just as Fairey mentions in his manifesto. However, this response is not always consistent. I also enjoy that it is not "typical" art.

Fairey mentions that some who enjoy OBEY, do so because they want to be a part of something. They want to feel a part of the underground because they believe being a part of it would grant them instant cool factor.

I question whether Fairey views these individuals as poseurs and feels disappointed or simply recognizes these reactions to be a part of the art. We may never know.



For those of you who have never heard of Shepard Fairey, perhaps you'll find this image to be familiar. Yes, Fairey created the HOPE poster for Obama's election campaign.

For more information about Frank Shepard Fairey go to http://obeygiant.com.

Hello Kitty Braces

From Hello Kitty Hell.

The Pumpple!

(source)

I just learned of the Pumpple Cake! The cake consists of apple and pumpkin pies baked inside vanilla and chocolate cakes covered, no, obliterated, with vanilla buttercream. The Pumpple weighs 15 pounds and measures more than a foot tall. Each slice is 1,800 calories!

This creation comes from the talents of Elizabeth Halen from Philadelphia bakery Flying Monkey.

The Stay at Home Daughters Movement: The Frightening Enslavement of Women to their Fathers and Husbands

I am a Christian woman. Often I am exposed to a story or occurrence in the media that goes against what I believe Christian ethics encompass. The below is a prime example.



Sisters Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin The Stay At Home Daughters movement. The sisters are the authors of the Visionary Daughters blog and the book So Much More: The Remarkable Influence of Visionary Daughters on the Kingdom of God. From the book stemmed a documentary entitled Return of the Daughters (click the link to see the trailer).

“Daughters aren’t to be independent. They’re not to act outside the scope 
of their father. As long as they’re under the authority of their fathers, fathers have the ability to nullify or not the oaths and the vows. Daughters can’t just go out 
independently and say, ‘I’m going to marry whoever I want.’ No. The father has 
the ability to say, ‘No, I’m sorry, that has to be approved by me.’”
-----Article from Bitch Magazine quotes Doug Phillips, the San Antonio minister who's the founder of Christian Patriarchy org Vision Forum

The Stay at Home Daughters Movement encourages women to forgo college and employment in favor of more domestic activities. Women are not to pursue outside goals as it is viewed as selfish. Within this movement women learn to cook, sew and learn to make candles and soap. A father is considered his daughter’s authority until she marries. Once a woman marries her husband is in control.

The Botkin sisters, mentioned earlier have been quoted as saying, “College campuses have become dangerous places of anxiety, wasted years, mental defilement and moral derangement." Neither sister has actually attended college. According to Alternet.com, the sisters quote a document from the pro-patriarchy website Fathers for Life , “prime purposes of feminism are to establish a lesbian-socialist republic and to dismantle the family unit.”

The movement encourages women to abandon any sense of self. Apparently an a sense of identity is reserved for men only. This movement promotes the idea that women are to live in response to their fathers and husbands. It is within this practice that patriarchal dominance is disguised in the wrappings and bow of Christian compassion and morale.

"Furthermore, the stay-at-home-daughter movement holds that girls are only ready to marry when they’ve completely tamed individualistic traits -- when, as the Botkins put it, they’ve learned to “submit to an imperfect man’s ‘whims’ as well as his heavy requirements. To order our lives around another person. To esteem and reverence [sic] and adore a man whose faults we can see clearly every day.” Fathers are never to be criticized or even teased: “When you speak of him to others, you shouldn’t talk about his mistakes, but of the good things he’s done. When you speak of him,
 instead of criticizing and nagging him for his faults, you should tell him how much you admire his strengths,” say the Botkins. Stay-at-home daughter Ruth says she honors her father by finding out his favorite colors and wearing them; Kelly says she finds that her father’s convictions “are becoming my convictions, his passions my passions.” Although it’s likely that many women would find such an existence frustrating and unhappy, if not completely infantilizing, within the context of the Christian Patriarchy Movement it’s not difficult to see the appeal. After all, women raised in the CPM are brought up to believe that the world outside their community is sin-filled, godless, and dangerous; opting for stay-at-home daughterhood represents a lifetime of safety."
---------------Article from Alternet.org

According to the movement the daughters are at fault if the fathers and husbands fail in reaching goals such as successful marriage, employment and so on. If the men fail it means that the women have not assisted them enough through their submissive roles. Women are to speak to others about their successes and are not allowed to mention their shortcomings.

Under these guidelines it seems that men can do no wrong. I also believe that women are allowing themselves to be quite vulnerable in these situations. If a man were to become violent a Stay at Home Daughter may feel that it is her fault that she is abused. If she were only to submit as she has been trained then she will be able to show her husband she is worthy of his love.

This movement is harmful and those who participate believe they are serving God. If I were to follow this doctrine I would have a very different life. As a single 30 year old woman I would not have the bachelors and masters degree I have now. I would not live in my own home, I would forever be dependent on men. I would not be my own person. I would be a prisoner.

I thank the Lord that he has blessed me and I thank him for his encouragement along my on going path of self discovery and self love.

The $450 Cupcake Ukelele!

A Cupcake ukelele is being sold on Etsy by Celentano Woodworks for $450.



How awesome is this? This is a man after my own heart. Music and cupcakes!

Childfree Goes Mainstream?

As I was perusing the internet I came across an article called "2010: The Year Childfree Went Mainstream (Thanks Oprah!)" The article was posted by Grist, a site I'm unfamiliar with.

The article mentions a recent 2010 Barbara Walters interview with Oprah Winfrey in which Oprah mentions that she does not regret not having children. In the interview Oprah states, "I have not one regret about not having children." She further explained, "I could not have had this life and lived it with the level of intensity that is required to do this show the way it's done. I'd be one of those people that their kid's coming and saying, 'Mom, you've neglected me.'"

I am a woman who chooses to be "Childfree", however I am not sure what to make of this article, nor am I completely comfortable with the title of the article.



Does a Childfree philosophy really need to go mainstream? That seems to imply that it needs to be a movement of sorts and I'm not sure I agree. The article goes on to mention an increasing number of celebrities who have declared that they are Childfree. I'm not sure why we as an audience need to know that there are celebrities who are choosing to live their lives without children. Is that supposed to show us that being Childfree is cool? This seems to be the implication. I never once thought my desire to maintain a Childfree existence was cool or uncool, it's just the way I choose to live.

I understand that most likely it is the majority of the population who are in the "I want children" camp. I also know from personal experience that when I mention that I do not want children to the company I keep, they often think it strange of me. This does not mean that I feel oppressed by those who want children. I do think it is beneficial for those who want children to understand the reasons why some of us may not want children, however I do not think that there needs to be some kind of Childfree rebellion or Childfree revolution.

If a Childfree attitude really is to hit the mainstream, I do not feel encouraged by this occurance in any way. I do not feel the need to shout from the rooftops that I'm Childfree and proud of it. In fact it's not something I'm proud of nor am I ashamed of it.

I've read Childfree blogs and articles and the majority of them push the idea that having Children is a bad thing and that children are bad in general. Many of these articles also seem to imply, if you are Childfree you should make it your duty to share the news with everyone around you. I believe this gives Childfree philosophy a bad rap. I am in no way a baby-hater but I believe there are many Childfree individuals who are.

What I do find positive within some of the more healthy articles that I've read, is the encouragement to really think about why having children is desired. Sometimes I get the feeling that people don't always take the time to think WHY they want children. Is it just that biological pull? What else?

If Childfree philosophy becomes mainstream in anyway I would like it to promote thought and discussion rather than a foisted stance. One can only hope.

Flower Food

I've never seen anything like this. I live in San Pedro, CA and I follow a blog called San Pedro Daily Photo. Apparently the author of the blog entered a cooking contest called Project Food Blog. One of her entries is a dish she calls Quesadillas Florales.







For the recipe and more amazing photos of this dish go to San Pedro Daily Photo. You'll be impressed!