The Object by Chipka
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Description
For those who care to listen, click HERE.
Sometimes, I think that life should come with a built-in soundtrack: that musical cues should play whenever we meet anyone, or simply deal with any situation that might require a particular accompaniment. This is an idea that I’ve had for quite some time: perhaps as an offshoot of my own habit of collecting movie soundtracks. Or maybe I’ve just seen Kill Bill too many times, and have only to listen for the theme from Ironside to know if Uma Thurmon’s character is about to kill someone as she makes her way through her “roaring rampage of revenge.”
I thought of this—as I often do—while meandering through the infamous truck-yard near the end of a surreal and frustrating day. The local economy has given rise to an intriguing new species of monetary dysfunction in the dental-equipment-moving business, and as I tried—so assiduously—to not think of that, I came across driftwood furniture I’d moved from a basement last year. Unclaimed—or half-claimed—it sat in a storage trailer, and found its way, eventually into open air exposure on the flat-bed of a fancy, heavy-duty tow-truck. It looked…different. It looked intriguing. It stimulated my photographer’s instinct, while simultaneously cueing up the haunting, “acoustically perfect” Lux Aeterna made famous in the Arthur C. Clarke/Stanley Kubrick collaboration commonly recognized as 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s one of those films you either love or you hate. I suspect that people love it and hate it for exactly the same reasons; in fact, I love it and hate it for precisely the same reasons: my problem with that movie (and admittedly a lot of science fiction, truth be told) is that the dull and lifeless characters get in the way of all of the great scenery. Anyway, as I framed a piece of weather-corrupted furniture, I longed for the ghostly harmonics of Gyögy Legeti’s iconic sci-fi enhancing composition; if it would have come wafting from the clouds, I would have been immensely happy, and probably very interested in finding out if anything interesting was about to happen, and if really dull characters were standing around and being immensely boring amid great high-tech scenery. More realistically, the only characters were a dog named Rover and a skinny guy with a camera.
As it stands, abstract choral music didn’t waft from the clouds. I thought of such music, however, as the weather-worn furniture framed in my viewfinder took on the qualities of a cryptic, ancient monument…or perhaps an unfathomable and rather immobile alien life form. I rather like what I heard in my mind’s ear as I captured this image and so the link above is something of yet another glimpse into the workings of my restless, music-obsessed brain. As I look at this image and contemplate what I’ve just written, I wonder if this—in some way—is the visual shape of what I heard with my mind’s ear. Probably so, as I’m indelibly marked by 2001: A Space Odyssey and think of tall, slender things whenever I hear or imagine the sound Lux Aeterna.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and at some point, I hope to catch up on commenting myself.
Comments (22)
NefariousDrO
Wow, that's a really strange and fascinating piece there. Like you, I do love "2001: A Space Odyssey" but I'm actually kind of fascinated at how little is revealed of the characters in that movie. They're shadows that pass through leaving more questions than answers, like the rest of the story. As for the music, I love the sound track, but am disappointed that they used compositions by the great composer Ligeti without crediting or paying him any kind of royalty. As an artist, I dislike that kind of thing. Anyway, the think cracking varnish on this makes some really interesting lines and contrasts, doesn't it?
MrsRatbag
Lots of macro opportunities in objects like this; and yes, it does hearken back to "A Space Oddyssey"...catch it at sunrise?
auntietk
I see faces ... And I can see why that music came to mind! I'd be so tempted to do a bit of layer work and get a brilliant light behind that ... :D Thanks for the flight of fancy!
minos_6
Great pov on this picture, and the colour / texture contrasts are really effective - I can very much see why it sparked your photographer's interest! I'm fascinated that you thought of "2001: A Space Odyssey" - maybe this is reflected in your choice of pov. I like "2001" too, but I tend to think of it as a work of art more than a movie, if that makes sense. When you're looking at a piece of art, everything is left to the viewer to interpret for themselves. We attribute personalities and character traits to the subjects of portraits etc, but no two people will come up with exactly the same interpretation. I think that Messrs Kubrick and Clarke deliberately included enough ambiguity to give the viewer that very experience, since there are no real known answers to the questions the movie raises. Bit or a rant there, sorry! Love the photograph!
helanker
I cant even imagine what you have been capturing here. Though I find it exiting and beautiful. I think the music you thought about fits perfectly to this THING ! :)
beachzz
The moment I saw this foto, I thought of 2001. I saw it when it first came out, and I saw it so many times, I lost count. And then, not too long ago, I watched it yet again. It still does something to me, and the music, well, it takes me to places I've yet to define. Yet again, Chip, you trigger something with your foto and your words--wow!!
kgb224
Stunning capture my friend and i am enjoying the music here at home.
lucindawind
fascinating tree ! lovely music
Mondwin
Amazing capture...bravissimo!V:DDD.Hugsxx
flavia49
gorgeous!
lick.a.witch
It moves and grows. At least it does to me. It has a heart too, within that shell which looks like varnished topaz. As for Arthur C. Clarke and his 2001 Space Odyssey - I thought at the time, as I do now, it was a piece of self indulgence fed by his innate confidence in all things Arthur C. Clarke! Brilliant he was - but a good writer he wasn't. IMO you understand. I liked the chimps though! ^=^
jac204
Nice shot, thanks for sharing. 2001 is one of my all-time favorite movies, and I saw it in an old Cinerama movie theater. It was at times a slow moving movie and I know one person who stopped watching it during the early scene with the apes. The music was a great factor in my interest in the movie.
redchilicat
Really cool patterns going on in the wood!
durleybeachbum
Being a practical person..I should like this in my garden!
sandra46
actually, er.... it looks Kubrick's monolyth after a bit of ape-beating. Those apes were a bit pissed off so they cudgelled it with abandon and relish... intriguing shot as a final product of its long-suffering existence.
jmb007
drole d'objet!!
gonedigital
What a wonderful image. I love a "monolith" of almost any sort. There is always such a feeling of mystery and wonder. I especially like your story about the music. My brain seems to be having an overactive music day today. The music seems to be qued by every word that I read or hear...strange. Lovey image! Have a wonderful rest of your day.
CoreyBlack
Hmmmmmmmmm. Looks kind of like The Blob with hardening of the arteries. when I saw this in thumbnail I had no idea what it was. I not sure how long it would have taken me to figure what it was if you hadn't told me, or if i even would have. Very cool shot which is strangly disturbing and oddly fascinating at the same time. As for 2001... I'd call it a flawed masterpiece. Every time I watch it I find myself wanting to reach into the screen with a pair of scissors and cut out all the boring parts-which is, unfortunately, about half the movie. I'll actually start making that 'hurry-up' hand jesture you make at slow people/cars ETC as I'm watching it. Of course the good parts are brilliant and have become iconic bits of movie/pop cultural history. The ape stick turning into a space ship in one long shot comes to mind and all of HALs dialogue, especially, 'I'm sorry,Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.' Durring periods of extreme frustration I frequently find myself mumbling, 'Good afternoon, gentleman, I am a HAL9000 computer. I became opperational at the HAL Labs in Urbanna, Illinios on January 11, 1992. My instructor was Mr. Langely....' But enough of my rambling. This is a very cool shot!
praep
Very nice object.
aksirp
wonderful wood, and picture of this sculpture. Must be from a very old tree- the music is very spheric, this brings me down.. and i am a person impatient- so i only listening for short time:) sorry but i am a observer ..
danapommet
Cool capture and after 29 years working on/with computers, I often used HAL's voice to talk to them. Only when nobody else was around of course! Love this hunk of wood and how it has aged. Looks like it might have taken a lightning hit. :>) Dana
KatesFriend
Curiously, when I first glimpsed this photo I though of another sci-fi classic, 'The Day Of The Triffids'. It is a strangely alien looking piece of organic matter after all. It's colour seemingly unreal and out of place with its environment. And something tells you to keep a discrete distance. As for 2001, perhaps the finest movie ever made. No one has ever produced a better depiction of space travel or a more plausible vision of the future. Though one should let its atmosphere, music and colours engulf you. As for the characters, well, these people did not get to travel to the furthest reaches of human technological capacity by allowing too many irrational thoughts to cloud their judgment. Most sci-fi movies are packed with characters who fly off the handle bars at the first sign of trouble. I find that very irritating. Though, Bowman blasting his unprotected self across a lethal vacuum in the hope of getting back on board the Discovery might have been regarded as a desperate but courageous action.