Cosmos

In that “Instant Flower Meadow” I found the Cosmos !  

— You may wonder why it makes a news ?  = Cosmos is one of the most

common (wild)flower in Japan, especially in a late summer, even though

it came to Japan about 120 years ago.   (It was originated from the Mexico,  

and taken to the Spain about 230 years ago then spread to everywhere.)

But, in here I’ve  seen  the Cosmos only handful times, and this is the one !

(= It’s a good question why Cosmos got out of favour in England. )

Still, as it spread to the wild in Japan,  if you see a field or disused land, 

the chances are,  you will see either  Cosmos if not Susuki (You may not

think, Susuki is a Flower though)  otherwise a bush of  Yellow rod.    

(Strangely you may think,  that notorious Japanese Knotweed is not

spread in Japan. —– Obviously, they like the England more.   😀 )

When the Cosmos fills a field, they do literally end to end.  

And they are as toll as 1 m, 1.5 m or even taller.  

And this  kind of flower meadow was what I remembered as a child.

(So the photo above shows how the Cosmos field looks like in Japan

—– Photos from Maki Yamamoto’s site)

Their variation of color is from white to deep pink. — There is

also yellow one but, we don’t call it Cosmos.   🙂

On the end of the summer, under the dark blue sky and be in a 

Cosmos field, which seemed to stretch as far as I could see, and

the fragile Cosmos are trembling in the first wind of Autumn.

The field became an Universe. (= Cosmos !)

—– was one of my Proto-image with nostalgia.

(A burnt down city, thanks to American Bombing, Tokyo was

almost a wild field then. —– it’s mean, lots of flowers survived the fire, or

scorched land was quickly covered by the plants from surrounding area. )

 So, for me, the flower photo is not just for a  fun to the eyes, but

a clue to trace back mental landscape as well.

(That’s why they are fuzzy.  🙂 )

—– 

Photos here were taken by the Two Element Homemade Lens

(with or without Extension Ring) on Canon 5D Mk-III

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Art Studio Open Day

I was invited to see a “Studio Open day” —– Yeah, I can see the Studio definitely.

The trouble was that not much else other than the space to see.

Or, it could be a biggest ever “the Art Performance” they created = To contradict 

all the creche and the stereotypical expectation around the artists and the studio. 

I saw an artist who is showing almost the same, made 4~5 years ago.  

(There was a sort of a say what makes an artist “Genuine” =

stubbornly keep doing the same ! ) —- is this the case ?

Anyway, Open-day is not an exhibition = literally door was open to the

visitors, that’s all = don’t expect to find an eye-catching or mind boggling art

= this is the studio (space or container) —– the contents is a different matter.

Then I realized that this is their annual party to have their close friends 

come together and to have a chat and a fun !

So that there was a Bar, or some food stool, stool selling small crafts etc etc.

May be the so-called artists here might had a misconception or fallen into a trap

of  complacency = “I’m an artist having a studio hence not a nobody therefore

what I make is The Art” —– still, the kids was born and the life isn’t easy etc etc

“On top of rack of creativity”. 

So, a guy I met there and had a short chat told me a very creative crazy idea !

(He was an outsider without having a studio ! ! ! ) = It’s better to remain an

outsider than a full-time “professional artist” in fact a professional pretender.  😀

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How to teach No-Self and Void

No-self,  Mind of No-mind = Mushin,  Void etc etc —– in fact it’s all same state 

of the mind or brain though, a trouble is, it can not be explained —– because,

if it was explained, its action, and the words themselves destroy the notion of

No-self or Void and in effect, it is to prove that “You have your own Self”.    🙂

It is the same to a duty of silence, you can’t tell or declare that “I am in silence”

= if you tell that you are in a practice of silence = you fail the duty.

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In the Buddhist scripture it was “explained” in the relation to the 5 aggregates

= in fact the relation between the sense and the object =  “sensed” —–

such as a sense of vision and the object what you thought that you have seen,

and likewise sense of hearing etc etc = 5 senses and effectively all the existences.

===> Its core is,  you never be sure whether you actually seen it,  or what you

thought that you’ve seen, was true or not, that’s because the subject, you and the

object were existing in the relation to the others in moment to moment, hence

they couldn’t be defined as a reliable solid existence therefore nothing, include

yourself is real —– in another word, Void.    (It’s shame though,  to understand

what was written there doesn’t mean “able to get Selfless or see the Void” ! )

—– (The expression in a typical Mahayana scripture “Exists as Not-exists” was

an excuse of the autoer “I didn’t say neither exists or not exists” )   🙂

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Because of you, yourself is Void, you can’t explain it’s situation because the

situation in any moment is keep changing hence any static description could

be a false = in fact any such notion is nothing but a delusion.

So, this is the fundamental trouble to teach, let alone to explain the Selfless or Void.

Lord Buddha had this trouble too, of cause.   And his answer was “Not answer” —–

because, there is no problem to continue the life without having the SELF, far from

it, we were born and naturally living in Selfless, in other words, having and clinging 

to the Self, or believing that the world, or all the existences are really existing, is

nothing but the delusion.    So, what

Lord Buddha did was just show the practice he does in Selfless state (Mushin) = 

and he instructed to do the the same, exactly like him. = and everybody followed =

automatically following him exactly the same manner IS nothing but the practice 

of the Selflessness.    (Please read [Test of Selflessness])

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It is impossible to explain what the Selflessness or Void is, still in practice 

anything can be done in completely Selfless manner and it is in deed a

demonstration and the proof of the Void.

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And this was the reason why the scriptures are in haywire still the teachings of

Buddhism and it’s tradition has been maintained in the Zen practice.

—– if you can do the same, again and again without conceive a question, you are

in the Selfless state.    And you can extend this state to do any other work, even a

thinking process.   (It may sound funny as it is the same brain though, the thinking

part of the brain is not necessary involving the emotional region where the feeling

of Me = Self was created.  —– So, the mental practice of Detachment will work.)

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釈尊の教え — その原形

釈尊の教えの原形を考える上で最も決定的な鍵となるのはその僧伽（サンガ）にカーストは

存在しなかったという事実です。何故カーストという概念が生れたのか？－－－実は

それこそがヒンズー教の根底である輪廻再生の観念で，カーストはその個人の前生の反映，

その結果に外ならないという理屈であったのです。

釈尊の時代はちょうどこのヒンズー思想の勃興期で，儀式的なバラモン教から陰惨な宿命論ヘの

移行期であった訳です。  これはかつて日本にあった『天中殺』の流行のようなもので，

それを真に受けて信じ込んだ人間は恐怖のパニックに陥った。

当時の新興宗教のグルが説く輪廻再生，カーストのくびき説におびえる人々に

“心配するには及ばない，そもそもベーダやヒンズー教で言うような不滅の魂（アートマン）など

と言うものは無い。人の肉体が死ねばそこに宿っていた魂，我と言うものも消滅する。これが

涅槃であり，そもそも我（セルフ）などと言うものは当人の思い込み，妄想以外の何物でもない”

と説かれたのです。つまりこの教えは『輪廻再生を繰返す永遠の苦（娑婆，サムサラ）からの解放』

ではなく『“輪廻再生を繰返す永遠の苦”という誤ったヒンズー説からの解放を説いた訳だったのです。

古典的べーダ以来一般的に信じられていた不滅の魂（アートマン）を否定し，それが輪廻再生して

カーストが現れるとしたヒンズー教の流行思想を否定した

釈尊の説は実に革命的な教えであったと言えるでしょう。(この教えの根底に縁起，

因縁説（肉体と精神，我の相互依存）がありそもそも我などというものは存在し得ないという

考えが包括的空観に発展していった訳です。）  と言う史実を一見するだけで，仏教というものが

いかにヒンズーやタントラと混合され換骨奪胎されて来ていたかを窺い知る事ができます。

つまり人類は実に２０００年以上に渉って釈尊を冒涜し続けていたのです。

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Fleet Street — Bicycle (?)

There isn’t much story to wright about in this post, but just a test of

that  2 elements homemade lens to take photos of general subjects.

Being as two plastic lens, there is not much quality to ask but the image with

full of hallation. = It’s mean, if any bright object was there, the image would

be completely eroded. —– But that is what this lens was.

The Bicycles were just happen to be there.

Some are quite fancy !    Though, I’m not fancy to ride this kind of purely

experimental model.   —– ( I would say, utterly impractical. 😀 )

= May be as useless as “My very homemade Lens” here.   😀 

Still, I like those nostalgic, old pinhole screen like image.

And I found that this lens can produce quite usable image

if the contrast wasn’t too high.  

So, it suits for the flowers in dull light.

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Meadow Flower – (2)

Yet another photos from the same flower patch as before.  

And this time, I used the same homemade lens and the Zeiss 85 mm F1.4 lens.

On the photo, if the back ground image was not completely out of focus in a Bokhe,  

such as this one and the top photo, they were taken by 2 element homemade lens.

Other photos, which got strong Bokhe in the back ground, like this one,

it was taken by the Zeiss 85 mm lens with  F1.4  aperture setting.

Not only it is a short telephoto  85 mm,  its extremely bright  1.4 F-aperture gives

very shallow depth of field —– yet still, the image in focus has pretty good details.

(That what this lens was famous for)

The photo Right is in fact the part enlargement of the Left photo.

Likewise, Right photo was a pert enlargement of the photo Left.

When this 85 mm lens was used on the close-up distance, it shows very

soft Bokhe due to the increased Coma aberration, which I like very much. 

Stopped down to a smaller F-aperture, hence increase the depth of field,

photo became like ordinary photo.  🙂

Still, which way to chose is depend on the purpose and the taste.

My original image of the wild flower meadow was in my vague child’s memory,

when the flowers were taller than me, and it was far more than 60 years ago.

There shouldn’t be the same clear images, therefore,  I don’t need to see

the images from a catalog  of a garden-center kind.

(And, I do no longer dealing with the reference book publisher.)

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Graffiti in Hackney Wick

—–    (Photo above : Very impressive image though,  isn’t this huge print-out of

——- digitally processed image ? —– I’m not against the process,

——- because the final product is only the matter.)

May be because the most of building has been empty and so much wall space

was available, not only  nobody seemed to concerned about and policing,

the graffiti in this aria is really rampant.  Still, something peculiar about the

Graffiti in this area was that the most of them has been done as one-off work.  

Rarely see the repeated pattern by the semi-professional graffiti artist who

is doing the same tagging everywhere.  But here done by the guest member ! 

This one seems to be one of the largest, and obviously taken so much effort to make.  

In that extent I appreciate the enthusiasm and the effort (and the amount of paint)

the author has put in — but not necessary feel it’s appeal.

(What this one want to say ? —– Cosmic particle ? —– why it’s here  ??? )

Naturally, some are good others are rubbish still, it was certainly a try

and the expression of the person.

Some are common design of tagging.

But some are showing quite artistic 3D approach. —– I don’t know whether this 

mirror was originally broken or somebody did it after, anyhow, showing broken 

mirror as a “shocking image” would only appeal to the westerner.  

We Japanese doesn’t see it in any bad omen.  Broken mirror is not special to us.

Still, the position of each sticks with mirror matched the Rules of Ikebana.  I like it.

I praise the attempt to express in 3D —– at least it made me smile.  Ha ha ha.

Some are quite commercial !   Still, I like a cool figure in the right Photo !

And some are showing — incomprehensible noise. 

Try to paint something without knowing what to do.  (still just DO something)

Young people often mistaken that the attention some of the marginal subject

draw  (such as violence, sex, death etc = emotionally alarming subjects) AS

” artistic appeal”. — it called  Scandalism or  Cheap Sensationalism.

Same to that  ” Bad DJ thinks, the loud music is the impressive music”.  😀

It seems that the Graffiti is a passing phase of growing up.  = before establishing

one’s own “Reward system”  in the brain  ie;  before knowing what to do and what

would be fruitful (successful) —– Just try to DO SOMETHING (easy). 

It is the reflection of their irritation and the urge, try to show “Look, I can DO”  !

And it was the reason why here only few of them are showing the artistic sparkle.

(Anyone can have an irritation but only the one who born to be an artist can draw.)

Art is not an idea but the intuitive resonance which hit other’s subconscious.

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White building — Hackney Wick

To go to Olympic park, we arranged to meet at “White building” in Hackney Wick.

It sound rather arbitrary instruction though, when I got there I realized that,

it was a very well known place to the locals and the people coming to the aria.

= In fact, a person I asked the direction replied “We are going there” so, I followed.

But, in reality, there is nothing in Hackney Wick — no shops around the station.

= we may call  “Ghost Town”  though, may be a bit more moderate expression

of  “Derelict  place” would be appropriate. 

In the East-end of London,  this area used to be a part of River Lee’s flood-plane.  

And the time when the industry relied on the shipping to move their material or

products, those area must be the bustling busy place.  (70, 90 years ago ? )

Alongside the river and the canal, the building used be a wharf, warehouse, factory

— are all empty, and now, may be accommodating  a lots of squatting  inhabitants.   

Likewise on the water,  lots of house-boat accommodating the people who is

keep drifting on. (not to became a moored residents to avoid the tax.)

So that, for the people who loves to live in freedom and the people share the same

spirit,  the artists,  loves to come to this place called Crate (or Space Studio) in the

White building.  = one of the converted wharf = caffe or bar what so ever called.

And I heard, this place would be clouded by hundreds of people in the evening !

The conversion project started a year before the 2012 London Olympic,  partnered  

with the London Legacy Development Cooperation.   And the Space Studio project  

was sponsored by Bloomberg.   This is a success story in  the Area Re-generation.

To go to Olympic park, the reason why we’ve chose Hackney Wick instead 

of usual Stratford to start, was to visit this White building.

All the staffs were very friendly and kind.  Though, they looks much more like

an artist than a waiter.  ( And, they got in house brewery = for own Crate Beer.)

I can see a lots of their hand work every where.  

Very resourceful improvisation and the craftsmanship. 

The customer will be well catered with their  Pizza  and house brewed beer.

(I had apple juice though.) 

The building having many studios and artist in residents and in deed,

this is one of the largest studio complex in London .

May be I should come again to see those studio and meet the artists.

 The drawback to become artist in residence here was that the place and their

beer was too nice — so that, just spent and live the time in feast.  Not much Art.   

And that was the main reason why the residents Artists move out of the place.    

I think, to lead those artists, the road-sign alone is not enough to

direct their life —– or YES ??? —– Then how ???  

Info’ of their activities =  < http://www.r-urban-wick.net/ > 

< http://www.publicworksgroup.net >  (but not much about Whitebuilding)

The Whitebuilding,   Queen’s Yard,  Hackney Wick,  London   E9  5EN

 

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Olympic Park (London) — Shooting Party (2)

Instead of weekly meeting in the Greenwich, we decided to go to

the Olympic Park for a photo session.

 As usual with my good luck, the weather turned out to be very fine and not too

hot, considering the day before and the day after were both dull cloudy.  

Still, the way to Olympic park from Hackney Wick Station was a long walk.

Then the hint of Olympic things appeared on the horizon ! —  A ha !  

You see, it’s a middle of nowhere, still this is a part of London !

 Coming closer, it looks not too bad.

(You believe or not, this is my first ever visit to the Olympic park.

— in fact, I didn’t even watch any event as I don’t have TV.   

Except the Opening of which I saw it in a pub.    🙂  )

On the approach, how on earth, why excise machine was here —– ! ?  😀

And the sticking logs — ?   It seems the organizer had a headache to fill the space.  

And end up like a jumble-sale, put any idea, any installation available.   😀 

So, I have no idea, why this slide got anything to do with Olympic.

The visitor, who is the most enjoying this park must be those young Muslim

girls playing with their Skate-board —– going between the jetting water while  

avoiding getting wet = was a skill ! 

I’m not a fan of Anish Capor who designed this tower — my thought only

went to pity the constructor that they must had a nightmare to keep

each rod in position.   (I guess, all of them got different length.)

Round dish near the top is the viewing plat-home —– though,

going up there will cost  whopping  £15 !   So I said “It’s a rip-off”  😀

Still,  I learned that this was called  “Orbit” — So, it’s round and round !

Therefore, I had my exercise which cost nothing.

While walking back, suddenly this Citadel appeared.  

Blimey  it’s a scene from a Surrealist’s cinema.

Though, it was pretty easy to climb as it was intended so.

= a lots of holds and stances, no chimney or overhang.

Reflection on the mirror panel under a bridge.  

(It seems, she was doing a kind of religious practice.

—– while others were chanting. )

One thing was certain, not much content though, at least  the area is burst !  

= Good for a walk and may be good to take picture of the sky.  😀

PS : Lens used was = Pentax 15 mm F3.5 /  

Canon EF zoom 24~70 F2.8  on Canon 5D Mk-III

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Scissors’ Sorcery

Yet more puzzle on the previous post was that joke

” Scissors working on to cut a hole by itself”    🙂  

Nobody would believe it though, it looks, the scissors are flying in the air.

Has Scissors image been added onto a photo of the Tape using  PS ?

And has shadow been created to make looks, the scissors in the air ?

—– Yes, some of the people are pretty good at PS and may be manage

to do this kind of sticking job in 10 min.

 

 But I’m also a sculptor —–

 I rather like to spend the same

 10 min to twist a wire instead of

 sitting on front of a PC.  

Actuary, the scissors has been glued to the wire and held on to the position.   

Same idea to suspend a  “Levitating Guru”  in the air,  and quite common trick

among the photographers. =  So, this is yet another reason why you should

see the photo with a pinch of salt. —– Photo lies.  😀

Still, to make a photo to trick, is nothing but a pleasure of the photographer.  

= It’s really a fun.

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