View allAll Photos Tagged introspective
Sunbeam along the trail in the early evening. It's an introspective time where the forest is often quiet. It is an hour or two before sunset, but already conditions are getting dark. Hopefully you are not too far from your destination, or you'll be enjoying a splendid evening walk into the twilight..
Since I am not disciplined in getting to the trail destination, I always carry a few critical items for "unplanned" circumstances, including headlamp. I use this strategy so the journey is more pleasant, perhaps safer. On this trip it was also necessary to have plenty of strong bug repellent at hand.
It is much easier to see the trail on the left side if you view this large on black.
My Hidden Narrative
youtu.be/AOoILHzMTNE?si=FHeNenO0mXADDEpY
Description
Nu Pop Jazz by JJFBbennett
Dive into the haunting depths of "Will They Remember Me?", a song that explores the universal fear of insignificance and the yearning for a lasting legacy. With its fragmented lyrics, evocative imagery, and introspective melodies, this track invites you on a journey through the complexities of human ambition and the search for meaning in a vast, indifferent universe. The echoes of memory blend with elements of art pop, darkwave, and ambient electronica, creating an intimate and expansive soundscape, leaving a lasting impression long after the final notes fade.
Lyrics
(Verse 1)
This scratching. This clawing. At the surface of meaning.
Always searching. Always seeking.
A resonance. A connection.
Fading. Like whispers. In the wind.
(Chorus)
Will they remember?
The touch. The feel. The essence. Of me.
Or just the echoes.
Of what I built. What I made. What I said.
A monument. To dust.
(Verse 2)
The art. The teaching. The endless pursuit.
Of knowledge. Of understanding.
A desperate hope. To leave a mark.
Indelible. Permanent.
But the fear. Always there.
A shadow. Lingering.
(Chorus)
Will they remember?
The touch. The feel. The essence. Of me.
Or just the echoes.
Of what I built. What I made. What I said.
A monument. To dust.
(Bridge)
This hunger. This burning.
To be seen. To be known.
Beyond the achievements. Beyond the creations.
To touch a soul. To leave a trace.
Of who I am. At the core.
(Outro)
But the silence. The vast indifference.
Of the universe. Stares back.
And the question remains. Unanswered.
Will they remember me?
Keywords
Legacy, Insignificance, Remembered, Art Pop, Darkwave, Ambient, Electronica, Introspective, David Bowie, Nu Jazz
"The Cloak of Enlightenment - Forgive me" by Rob Olivera is an evocative and introspective piece that captures the raw vulnerability of a male figure. The subject kneels in a state of contemplative surrender, enveloped by a dark cloak that symbolizes both protection and concealment. The interplay of light and shadow, rendered through chiaroscuro techniques, emphasizes the muscular contours and the coarse texture of the chest hair, showcasing Olivera's mastery in depicting the male physique with authenticity and detail.
The subject's expression is one of deep introspection, with closed eyes and a slightly upward tilt of the head, suggesting a moment of personal reckoning or a plea for forgiveness. The face being illuminated amidst the surrounding darkness can symbolize a moment of enlightenment or clarity, signifying an inner revelation or the illumination of truth within the depths of self-reflection. This stark contrast of light and dark reinforces the theme of seeking forgiveness and understanding within oneself.
The dark, smoky background adds to the atmosphere of mystery and introspection, creating a stark contrast that highlights the figure's isolation and inner turmoil. This setting accentuates the intense personal journey the subject is undergoing, making the viewer feel the weight of his emotional and spiritual struggle.
Olivera's focus on the male form is evident in the meticulous detailing of the hair and musculature. The piece resonates with themes of masculinity, vulnerability, and self-reflection, inviting viewers to ponder the complexities of human emotion and the quest for enlightenment.
The title "The Cloak of Enlightenment - Forgive me" further deepens the narrative, suggesting that the journey towards self-awareness and forgiveness is often shrouded in darkness and uncertainty. The cloak serves as a metaphor for the protective barriers we build around ourselves, which can both shield and isolate us from the truth. The illuminated face implies that despite these barriers, moments of clarity and truth can still pierce through, leading to personal growth and understanding.
In summary, this artwork by Rob Olivera stands as a powerful testament to his ability to blend technical skill with profound emotional depth, creating pieces that not only captivate the eye but also stir the soul. The illumination of the face amidst the darkness adds a layer of hope and revelation to the narrative of seeking forgiveness and self-awareness.
Over the past two days, I was extremely fortunate to have been able to attend the B.C. Advanced Education System Leadership Forum, in downtown Vancouver. It was a fantastic, energetic event, bringing together students from every institute (public and private) in the province, all the college and university presidents and board chairs, the Minister of Education, and a large portion of the Ministry for Advanced Education.
I arrived downtown quite early on Tuesday morning, and as a result I was able to spend some time wandering away from my hotel, camera in hand.
For someone who lives the Okanagan, Vancovuer is sensory overload. There is just so much there! I decided I wanted to contradict that with my images. And so, I ventured forth and set out to complete a (very brief) minimalistic photologue of Downtown Vancouver. And here is is:
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I like the distance and isolation implied in this shot, even though it is of the densest neighborhood in canada, the West End.
An introspective study of negative spaces in the urban domicile. Or an accidental press of the shutter button?
Sustainability in Ironmaking and Steelmaking – An Introspective Approach – Glenn Hoffman, Cardero Iron Ltd.
Advanced Sustainable Iron & Steel Making Center with Komar Kawatra
Annual Meeting, Michigan Tech
More Information and pictures
I was feeling very introspective lately, and as I walked down to work, across these train tracks that I've passed hundreds of times before, I saw them in a new light.
They bent around the corner, disappearing from view. I felt as though I was reaching for something that was just around a corner like that. I'm waiting for it, afraid that it may have already passed by, and I'll have missed an opportunity.
A picture I took at the Vilas Zoo. It's a tricky shooting situation. You're not allowed to use a flash (not that I ever do anyway), the light is low and strangely colored, and of course you have to shoot through dirty scratched reflective plexiglass, which doesn't improve matters at all. I'm ashamed to say, however, that I'm not quite sure what kind of primate this is. I guess I should have photographed the sign.
Tom Rooney is a former professional headline performer, author, and the Founder/CEO of Muscle Trading Ltd, a stock trading and financial market education business.
After losing a successful online marketing business, and with no options left on the table Tom was forced to make a decision for himself and his disabled mother and sister. That decision would ultimately force him into an introspective odyssey to which he would never look at life, relationships, or himself the same way ever again.
Between 2007 and 2017, Rooney had a distinguished career as a professional stage performer. He was a headline male revue performer with the highly popular Canadian Storm Male Revue, where he not only performed but also played roles in artistic and creative direction, choreography, talent scouting, and management.
Rooney's solo performances, as well as his involvement with the troupe; had him performing at large venues and participating in touring shows, which were often held in major Canadian cities. The group's performances typically combined dance routines with audience interaction, designed to entertain and captivate female fans.
His accolades in this field include:
• 6-time Mr. Entertain-Her Canada
• 6-time Mr. Male-Revue Toronto
• 4-time King of the "Strip" Montreal
• 3-time Canadian Hunk O'Mania Top Male Model
His headlining roles, frequent appearances at major venues, and multiple awards - including being dubbed as “Canada’s Number 1 Male Revue Performer”, demonstrate that he was a highly sought-after performer and widely recognized within the industry.
Literary Work:
Rooney is the author of Confessions of a Male Exotic Dancer: A 21st Century Truth About Life and Love, a memoir that offers an inside look into the world of male revue entertainment. In this candid and sometimes provocative book, Rooney shares his experiences as a male exotic dancer, providing readers with personal stories and insights into the challenges and rewards of working in this industry.
Confessions of a Male Exotic Dancer is about more than just dancing—it's about the journey of self-discovery, the pursuit of authenticity, and the internal conflict that arises when one is constantly forced to wear a mask. Through his vulnerability and honesty, Rooney not only gives an insider's view of a world many may never see, but also offers valuable insights into what it means to be human in a society that often reduces people to mere images or roles.
Rooney doesn't just recount the highs and lows of his career, but also explores how this experience shaped his views of masculinity, self-worth, relationships, marriage, dating, and his outlook on life and the journey of success. His writing is candid and sometimes raw, offering unique perspectives from a man, who for nearly a decade, was at the top of a profession that is often glamorized or stigmatized.
Lasting Impact:
Tom Rooney's legacy is defined by his successful performing and entertainment career, his authorship, and his entrepreneurial achievements in financial education through his company Muscle Trading Ltd, His ability to persevere and overcome loss and adversity, and transition between such different fields, demonstrates his resilience, intelligence, and adaptability - leaving a lasting and inspirational impact on anyone who comes across his story.
www.lulu.com/spotlight/tomrooney
www.instagram.com/muscletrading/profilecard/?igsh=eTM5c3h...
This was with more fiddling around with the lighting. It would have been quite handy to have had a digital SLR. Quite.
There are many people in the world, but there are still more faces, for each one has several. #rilke
These 2 brothers were engaged in some sort of deep discussion. Or should I say interrogation? The older brother on the right was deeply annoyed by something that his younger brother did. The younger brother looked guilty and became introspective. His pet dog just looked on. I sneaked in very close between them with my 50mm at my waist level and started shooting, and they did not seem to take any notice of me at all !
Qualeasha Wood: code_anima
May 24, 2024 - September 22, 2024
Qualeasha Wood: code_anima explores identity, physical and digital boundaries, and the process of individuation through analysis of complex and socially accepted paradoxes. Defined as "an individual's true inner self," anima serves as a leitmotif in Wood’s introspective work, which examines the archetypes found within physical and digital societies. As the artist states, "This body of work draws inspiration from the concept of *deus ex machina* — a narrative device that introduces an unexpected, external force to resolve a complex situation. This device allows us to highlight the paradoxical position of Black women in society — cast simultaneously as both saviors and scapegoats within a white supremacist framework."
Wood's technical skills are evident in the digital collages of her tapestries as well as the colorful scenes of her hand-made tuftings. The materiality of these textiles (the warp and weft) are embedded with a "code," serving as a symbol for the inner workings of the dual experiences felt by Black people, particularly Black women, as well as the multifaceted online identities that mirror or oppose our physical existence.
For Wood, "code_anima delves into the complexities of identity, expectation, and erasure through the prisms of race, gender, and sexuality. This exhibition is a critical examination of the roles historically ascribed to Black women, which demand both a resolution to systemic issues and the simultaneous stripping of personal autonomy and agency."
Qualeasha Wood (b. 1996 Long Branch, New Jersey) is a textile artist whose work contemplates realities around black female embodiment that do and might exist. Inspired by a familial relationship to textiles, queer craft, Microsoft Paint, and internet avatars, Wood's tufted and tapestry pieces mesh traditional craft and contemporary technological materials. She navigates both an Internet environment saturated in Black Femme figures and culture and a political and economic environment holding that embodiment at the margins. Like the vast majority of her age-peers, Wood has operated one mortal and multiple digital avatars since pre-adolescence. For her, intuitive combinations of analog and cybernetic compositional processes make for a contemporary exploration of Black American Femme ontology.
While Wood’s tapestries blend images from social media with religious, specifically Catholic, iconography, her ‘tuftings’ represent cartoon-like figures that recall the racist caricatures widespread in popular family programs of the early-mid-20th century and beyond. The tuftings have a distinctly different visual style from the artist’s tapestry pieces. In them, Wood adopts a naïve aesthetic that calls on the nostalgia of cartoon animations and their association with racial stereotyping to unpack notions of Black girlhood. Despite their formal simplicity, the tuftings reveal a lurking tension drawn from the artist’s own experiences of consuming media rife with anti-Black prejudice throughout her life. Where the tapestries are absorbed in consumption and cyberculture, the tuftings speak to inherited trauma and necessarily implicate accountability in the viewer.
Wood has exhibited at The Art Institute of Chicago, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Hauser and Wirth (New York, Los Angeles, and Somerset, UK), Kendra Jayne Patrick (New York), Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, (London), Cooper Cole (Toronto), New Image Art (Los Angeles), and more. Her work is held in institutional collections, such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as international private collections. Wood lives and works in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, and is represented by Gallery Kendra Jayne Patrick and Pippy Houldsworth Gallery.
_____________________________________________
Located in the heart of Uptown Charlotte at Levine Center for the Arts, the Gantt is the epicenter for the best in visual, performing and literary arts reflecting the African diaspora.
www.ganttcenter.org/visit-the-gantt/
Sometimes standing up for what’s right means having the courage to blaze your own trail.
Harvey Bernard Gantt grew up in the 1940s and 50s in then-segregated Charleston, South Carolina. As the oldest child of Wilhelmina and Christopher Gantt, he often attended NAACP meetings with his father. It was there, and at the family dinner table with his four sisters, that he began to appreciate the importance of advocacy and the injustice of racial discrimination.
After graduating second in his class from Burke High School in 1960, Gantt left home to study architecture at Iowa State University. In January 1963, after a legal battle that escalated to the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, Gantt became the first African-American student accepted at Clemson University. In September 1963, Lucinda Brawley became the first African-American woman to be admitted to Clemson and in October 1964 married Harvey. Harvey Gantt graduated with honors from Clemson in 1965, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and later a Master of City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
He moved to Charlotte after graduating from MIT, and, in 1971, co-founded Gantt Huberman Architects. A pioneer in blending urban planning with the practice of architecture, Gantt Huberman employed a diverse group of professionals who were charged with designing buildings that encourage community. As a result, the firm has developed some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including the Charlotte Transportation Center, TransAmerica Square, ImaginOn, Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, and the Johnson C. Smith University Science Center.
While significant, Gantt’s impact on the city extends beyond improving the built environment. He joined Charlotte City Council in 1974 and again broke barriers when he was elected Charlotte’s first African-American mayor in 1983. Remaining in office for two terms, Gantt stood shoulder-to-shoulder with other Charlotte leaders committed to establishing a New South City.
SouthBound Extra: A Preview Of Harvey Gantt Interview
Gantt continues to advocate for equity and equal rights and is often tapped to serve on civic, cultural, and business boards, and to lead philanthropic efforts and community initiatives. In 2009, the former Afro-American Cultural Center opened its doors to a new, award-winning facility and was renamed the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture in honor of Harvey B. Gantt, an American trailblazer.
Naming The Center
When it was first proposed that this building be named after me, I hesitated. Being a man of tradition, I always felt it was more appropriate to name a building or street for someone after their passing, as a way to honor their work. Admittedly, it took some convincing by Board Chair Earl Leake and others. After much processing and discussion with my wife, Cindy, the prevailing factor that led me to say "yes" was that it was for the sake of posterity. I envisioned walking into the building with my grandchildren and had thoughts of others doing the same with future generations. I saw them talking about the sacrifices of many who made Charlotte great, and the enormous history and accomplishments of the African American community. And I remembered my parents and others who served as inspirations to me. I am forever grateful to them for being the driving force and motivation in my life.
I thought about the enormous history of the residents of the historic Second Ward community of "Brooklyn," where the Gantt Center now stands. I hope that those who have already "crossed over" can smile and feel proud knowing that we have not forgotten their sacrifices; how they nurtured, pushed and prodded young minds to strive for excellence. We are forever grateful to them. Brooklyn residents often referred to the old Myers School as the "Jacob's Ladder School." Its skyward stairway was a visible reminder of the importance of aspiring to greater things and a good education. Not just teachers, but an entire community rallied behind the youth, molding bright minds.
That's why I agreed to the naming of the building, and that's why I want you to join me in celebrating our history and the dawning of a new day for all of us. Charlotte is a great community and the Carolinas are a great region. I call this home because the city and community represent all that is symbolic to steadfastness and a "can do" attitude. While our nation and world still struggle with acknowledging and appreciating our differences, the Gantt Center can serve as a vehicle for people to come celebrate African American art, history and culture. Residents and visiting friends alike will have numerous opportunities to enjoy all aspects of Levine Center for the Arts. The Gantt Center will serve as one of the entry points to experience the arts, sporting events and many other amenities that Charlotte has to offer. Thank you for your interest in and support of the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture. May this edifice always stand as a symbol that this community and nation are places where we all "belong".
By Harvey B. Gantt
Qualeasha Wood: code_anima
May 24, 2024 - September 22, 2024
Qualeasha Wood: code_anima explores identity, physical and digital boundaries, and the process of individuation through analysis of complex and socially accepted paradoxes. Defined as "an individual's true inner self," anima serves as a leitmotif in Wood’s introspective work, which examines the archetypes found within physical and digital societies. As the artist states, "This body of work draws inspiration from the concept of *deus ex machina* — a narrative device that introduces an unexpected, external force to resolve a complex situation. This device allows us to highlight the paradoxical position of Black women in society — cast simultaneously as both saviors and scapegoats within a white supremacist framework."
Wood's technical skills are evident in the digital collages of her tapestries as well as the colorful scenes of her hand-made tuftings. The materiality of these textiles (the warp and weft) are embedded with a "code," serving as a symbol for the inner workings of the dual experiences felt by Black people, particularly Black women, as well as the multifaceted online identities that mirror or oppose our physical existence.
For Wood, "code_anima delves into the complexities of identity, expectation, and erasure through the prisms of race, gender, and sexuality. This exhibition is a critical examination of the roles historically ascribed to Black women, which demand both a resolution to systemic issues and the simultaneous stripping of personal autonomy and agency."
Qualeasha Wood (b. 1996 Long Branch, New Jersey) is a textile artist whose work contemplates realities around black female embodiment that do and might exist. Inspired by a familial relationship to textiles, queer craft, Microsoft Paint, and internet avatars, Wood's tufted and tapestry pieces mesh traditional craft and contemporary technological materials. She navigates both an Internet environment saturated in Black Femme figures and culture and a political and economic environment holding that embodiment at the margins. Like the vast majority of her age-peers, Wood has operated one mortal and multiple digital avatars since pre-adolescence. For her, intuitive combinations of analog and cybernetic compositional processes make for a contemporary exploration of Black American Femme ontology.
While Wood’s tapestries blend images from social media with religious, specifically Catholic, iconography, her ‘tuftings’ represent cartoon-like figures that recall the racist caricatures widespread in popular family programs of the early-mid-20th century and beyond. The tuftings have a distinctly different visual style from the artist’s tapestry pieces. In them, Wood adopts a naïve aesthetic that calls on the nostalgia of cartoon animations and their association with racial stereotyping to unpack notions of Black girlhood. Despite their formal simplicity, the tuftings reveal a lurking tension drawn from the artist’s own experiences of consuming media rife with anti-Black prejudice throughout her life. Where the tapestries are absorbed in consumption and cyberculture, the tuftings speak to inherited trauma and necessarily implicate accountability in the viewer.
Wood has exhibited at The Art Institute of Chicago, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Hauser and Wirth (New York, Los Angeles, and Somerset, UK), Kendra Jayne Patrick (New York), Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, (London), Cooper Cole (Toronto), New Image Art (Los Angeles), and more. Her work is held in institutional collections, such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as international private collections. Wood lives and works in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, and is represented by Gallery Kendra Jayne Patrick and Pippy Houldsworth Gallery.
_____________________________________________
Located in the heart of Uptown Charlotte at Levine Center for the Arts, the Gantt is the epicenter for the best in visual, performing and literary arts reflecting the African diaspora.
www.ganttcenter.org/visit-the-gantt/
Sometimes standing up for what’s right means having the courage to blaze your own trail.
Harvey Bernard Gantt grew up in the 1940s and 50s in then-segregated Charleston, South Carolina. As the oldest child of Wilhelmina and Christopher Gantt, he often attended NAACP meetings with his father. It was there, and at the family dinner table with his four sisters, that he began to appreciate the importance of advocacy and the injustice of racial discrimination.
After graduating second in his class from Burke High School in 1960, Gantt left home to study architecture at Iowa State University. In January 1963, after a legal battle that escalated to the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, Gantt became the first African-American student accepted at Clemson University. In September 1963, Lucinda Brawley became the first African-American woman to be admitted to Clemson and in October 1964 married Harvey. Harvey Gantt graduated with honors from Clemson in 1965, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and later a Master of City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
He moved to Charlotte after graduating from MIT, and, in 1971, co-founded Gantt Huberman Architects. A pioneer in blending urban planning with the practice of architecture, Gantt Huberman employed a diverse group of professionals who were charged with designing buildings that encourage community. As a result, the firm has developed some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including the Charlotte Transportation Center, TransAmerica Square, ImaginOn, Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, and the Johnson C. Smith University Science Center.
While significant, Gantt’s impact on the city extends beyond improving the built environment. He joined Charlotte City Council in 1974 and again broke barriers when he was elected Charlotte’s first African-American mayor in 1983. Remaining in office for two terms, Gantt stood shoulder-to-shoulder with other Charlotte leaders committed to establishing a New South City.
SouthBound Extra: A Preview Of Harvey Gantt Interview
Gantt continues to advocate for equity and equal rights and is often tapped to serve on civic, cultural, and business boards, and to lead philanthropic efforts and community initiatives. In 2009, the former Afro-American Cultural Center opened its doors to a new, award-winning facility and was renamed the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture in honor of Harvey B. Gantt, an American trailblazer.
Naming The Center
When it was first proposed that this building be named after me, I hesitated. Being a man of tradition, I always felt it was more appropriate to name a building or street for someone after their passing, as a way to honor their work. Admittedly, it took some convincing by Board Chair Earl Leake and others. After much processing and discussion with my wife, Cindy, the prevailing factor that led me to say "yes" was that it was for the sake of posterity. I envisioned walking into the building with my grandchildren and had thoughts of others doing the same with future generations. I saw them talking about the sacrifices of many who made Charlotte great, and the enormous history and accomplishments of the African American community. And I remembered my parents and others who served as inspirations to me. I am forever grateful to them for being the driving force and motivation in my life.
I thought about the enormous history of the residents of the historic Second Ward community of "Brooklyn," where the Gantt Center now stands. I hope that those who have already "crossed over" can smile and feel proud knowing that we have not forgotten their sacrifices; how they nurtured, pushed and prodded young minds to strive for excellence. We are forever grateful to them. Brooklyn residents often referred to the old Myers School as the "Jacob's Ladder School." Its skyward stairway was a visible reminder of the importance of aspiring to greater things and a good education. Not just teachers, but an entire community rallied behind the youth, molding bright minds.
That's why I agreed to the naming of the building, and that's why I want you to join me in celebrating our history and the dawning of a new day for all of us. Charlotte is a great community and the Carolinas are a great region. I call this home because the city and community represent all that is symbolic to steadfastness and a "can do" attitude. While our nation and world still struggle with acknowledging and appreciating our differences, the Gantt Center can serve as a vehicle for people to come celebrate African American art, history and culture. Residents and visiting friends alike will have numerous opportunities to enjoy all aspects of Levine Center for the Arts. The Gantt Center will serve as one of the entry points to experience the arts, sporting events and many other amenities that Charlotte has to offer. Thank you for your interest in and support of the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture. May this edifice always stand as a symbol that this community and nation are places where we all "belong".
By Harvey B. Gantt
You might be thinking that this is the Lunar eclipse. You would be right.
But this could be a picture of me taking a picture of the lunar eclipse and a bit of what I see.
A bit like the sky is falling? Bien Sur!
My company? They are late getting my Rx plan numbers. My heavy hitting somewhat mood altering medication which is, I might at, not at the lowest dosage? Tomorrow we hit 4 days cold turkey without it. My boss' answer? Pay for it myself and submit the bills. The problem is, one has to budget for that $250 bill, and I assumed I would be on my drug plan as I crossed the drug plan threshold on MONDAY! And Insurance companies are notoriously slow.
So the moon is falling. I'm winding down like a cheap 1950's watch. I am developing permamigraine.
Withdrawal.
Like a half apricot wobbly moon falling out of the heavens.