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curiosity-killed · 3 years

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Lang Qianqiu deserves more love goddammit: a post, unfortunately

This brought to you by the wonderful @veliseraptor & @/yuer on Twitter but also mostly out of spite and the fact that it’s preventing me from writing a very dumb poke-the-bear post abt the entire weird social media culture around The Minors

As always ✨SPOILERS!! SPOILERS EVERYWHERE✨

So first off: when I hit the scene where lqq confronts xl and screams “I will never be like you” I sat up in bed, did a little shimmy of delight, and hissed “fuck yes” at like 2 AM so. Now you have a preview of wtf this train wreck will be

1 ) lqq is a good character

We don’t get a ton of time with lqq because tgcf is 87 side characters running across stage with The Most Interesting Concept constantly one-upping each other before vanishing. But what we do get is, I think, enough to make a pretty compelling story: Lang Qianqiu is a kind and generous prince who is also the sole survivor of the bloody massacre of his entire family, committed by the people dearest to him (both in his belief that Gusohi Fangxin did it and in the reality of An Le’s involvement), who goes on to peacefully lead his fractious nation into a peaceful reign before he ascends as a powerful enough (aka beloved and worshipped enough) god to be ranked among the top heavenly generals. That’s like. Pretty fucking classic protagonist vibes right there.

And, as usual with mxtx’s characters, we get a lot more than this lovely little backstory. In his interactions in canon, lqq is capable of great grief and anger; he is willing to sacrifice himself if it means avenging his murdered family; and he simultaneously holds both great hatred and great respect for his old teacher. And, of course, he winds up raising and taking care of his enemy’s son which shows a remarkable depth of compassion and emotional messiness that I find terribly compelling. He struggles with a simplistic view of justice that is supported by lies told to “protect” him and that is uprooted by the truth and forces him to try to make sense of the world without the guardrails that others installed around him (looking at you mister fangxin sir).

Also I’m stealing my own tweets bc I’m Right but:

*pulls up single barstool to lqq is a good character table* I think it’s interesting & Says Things abt the continued relationship btwn lqq & xl that lqq *didn’t* recognize xl, implying that he left fangxin’s mask in place even when he went to kill him

Like here is the man who killed his family & best friend, who left him abandoned in bloodshed on his 17th bday—& here is also the man who saved his life, who taught him, who lqq looked up to & wanted to be like

Even when lqq *does* recognize xl, he still has so much respect for him paired with that hatred that it’s honestly rlly tragic? Like man. There’s so much grief in lqq’s repeated demands for a duel & insisting it’s fine if xl kills him as long as he doesn’t hold back

*pats lqq pompom* this bb is so sad. And so much more like his teacher than either of them seem to realize or necessarily want

Despite being a pretty minor character, lqq gets a lot of complexity and nuance! Look at this child trying to be grown up while desperately turning to his old master for guidance and “the truth”! Look at him! Be sad!!

2 ) lqq is an excellent parallel to xl

Okay stealing my own tweet again don’t look at me I yell the same shit everywhere

Xl didn’t want lqq to become like him (self-sacrificing, vengeful, alone) but lqq not only became alone, chasing vengeance, & willing to sacrifice himself for revenge—he also became kind, open-minded, & remorseful!! & he still clearly respects xl @ novel end 🙃🙃

We all know hc’s “they’re not very alike at all” and yeah sure baby go support your man but narratively, there’s a lot of importance given to cycles, parallels, and foils in mxtx’s writing and most explicitly (compared to mdzs, haven’t read svss) in tgcf. For example, *gestures at beefleaf, gestures at Xianle Trio vs Wuyogn Crew, gestures at Xie Lian & Jun Wu’s whole uh. Deal.* And while I’d argue xl and lqq are part of a triumvirate rather than a pair, we’re not including mister three-face in this conversation so just looking at xl and lqq:

Both adored and sheltered crown princes

Both taught by a guoshi who was seeking to prevent the repetition of their own tragedies and in their efforts, lied/omitted information and failed to protect their charge from tragedy

Both were betrayed* by their closest friends

Both are the last living members of their respective royal families

Both caught the interest of supernatural beings from a young age

Etc etc I’m getting v bored and distracted writing this so moving on

Most importantly to me, we have their betrayal by a very close and adored mentor and how they react. The confrontation I mention at the start of this shitshow is really imo one of the most important scenes in the novel because it a) illustrates the differences in xl and Jun Wu and b) sort of gives you a preview of how xl ultimately wins

So a) Jun Wu and Xie Lian both take a talented, marked-for ascension young prince under their wing. Jun Wu sees himself in the boy and obsesses over shaping him into Jun Wu’s own image in the belief that this will make him the perfect heir. Jun Wu pushes his chosen heir into situations where Xie Lian is repeatedly harmed in an effort to show that the common people are fickle and cruel and don’t deserve his compassion and care.

Meanwhile, Xie Lian is reluctantly roped into mentoring his prince due to his inability to stand aside when he feels he could do something to prevent hurt or injustice befalling another (simultaneously his great strength and great weakness! God I love him). Xie Lian tries to teach his student to believe in and care for the common people and not to sacrifice himself (see: flashback convo re:taking the force of the sword strike into his own body).

When Xie Lian refuses to bend in the shape Jun Wu demands, Jun Wu bashes his head into the wall. When Lang Qianqiu cries “I will never be like you!”, Xie Lian laughs and says “Good!”.

B) this of course feeds directly into foreshadowing! Like Lang Qianqiu’s bold words, xl ultimately refuses to become like his mentor and remains defiant even when it would stop him from being hurt. Xl beats lqq and says so what if I tricked you, so what if I lied, I still won. Naturally, xl beats Jun Wu not through standard swordplay but by using a trick he learned while forced to busk and wander the earth alone and unlucky for centuries.

…okay so I have fully forgotten what I was actually saying here! Anyway!

Like Xie Lian, Lang Qianqiu spends a time consumed with the need for vengeance, hunting his enemy and rejecting the heavens. And like Xie Lian, he winds up caring for his enemy’s “son” and trying to both comfort him and maintain what’s left of Qi Rong’s life force despite having previously been hellbent on destroying him—bc he sees the impact it has on another person. In the end, he even gives a gift to Xie Lian—his mentor, his role model, and the one who killed his father—that was once given to him as a symbol of unexpected kindness. Sound familiar?

But, importantly, and contradictory to what I have been yelling abt but whatever it’s 12:30 am, Lang Qianqiu is not a direct mirror of Xie Lian but a closing of a vital loop in the story. Lqq is very similar to xl (I will die on this hill!! Only I won’t bc I’m stronger than y’all and will keep swinging these pots and pans) but bc xl tries to do better and keep lqq from suffering the way xl has, lqq is able to have a gentler and more optimistic path forward. He’s proof that even a small act of kindness or even kindness to only one person still matters and has a ripple effect that can’t be seen when you’re in the middle of it—a thread started with xl giving the coral pearl to Lang Ying and closed with Lang Qianqiu returning the pearl to Xie Lian.

So I have no idea if any of this is coherent or compelling but I meant to be asleep two hours ago and the points are:

A) Lang Qianqiu is good actually

B) parallels!!!

C) look ive already started another wip about Lang Qianqiu and Xie Lian and I didn’t want this but no one else wrote it so now I have to so pls just accept this as a warning

*sort of air quotes around this for Xie Lian bc frankly Mu Qing was right & Xie Lian kicked feng xin out BUT on the other hand, it was experienced as a betrayal and we also again have all of Jun Wu’s shit so it evens out

#should I wait and proofread and edit this tomorrow? yes.#am I doing that? no <3 #idk what to tag this as #uhhh #tgcf spoilers #lang qianqiu #I don’t think this can reasonably be called meta #since I am unsure if it is even readable #tgcf #long post

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aspoonofsugar · 3 years

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Worthy, Not Worth It

The current episode has shown us how Cinder has developed this season and the final result is interesting because it is basically a parody of the protagonists’ team spirit:

Cinder: I suppose I have only you to thank for one last lesson... Sometimes, if you want to win...you simply can’t do it alone.

It is a development, but this development is very ambiguous.

Cinder is probably applying what Salem taught her back in volume 5:

Salem: Never underestimate the usefulness of others.

Moreover, this is her response to everything that has happened to her this season.

In particular, it is Cinder’s answer to her failure and to both Emerald and Mercury leaving her. It is also an answer born by her current colleagues’ calls out:

Watts: You think you're entitled to everything just because you've suffered, but suffering isn't enough! You can't just be strong, you have to be smart! You can't just be deserving, you have to be worthy! But all you have ever been, is a BLOODY MIGRAINE!

She has been mistreating others the whole time and finally Watts’s speech and Neo’s actions get through her and make her realize she must change approach.

The result is that we see her trying to be kinder to others, even if it is clear this kindness is not really genuine, as for now.

Still, what are the differences with how she treated Emerald and Mercury back at Beacon? What has changed and what has not?

The thing which has changed is that Neo and Watts are not really Cinder’s “disciples”. Watts answers directly to Salem like her and Neo is following her just because they made a pact between equals. Both Neo and Watts are able and willing to call Cinder out in a way neither Emerald nor Mercury could because their relationship with Cinder was one of dependence.

At the same time, Cinder’s new “trio” is ironically very similar to her old one.

Neo is specialized in illusions, just like Emerald. Moreover, she is motivated mostly by her loyalty for a single person.

Watts lacks a semblance just like Mercury, but has other useful abilities because of his background.

Finally, Watts and Neo, just like Emerald and Mercury, symbolize different parts of Cinder.

Watts is her entitlement to power, while Neo is her desire of revenge against the kids and Ruby in particular.

The fact that Cinder is currently working with them can be seen as a mirror of her indulging in superficial coping mechanisms to avoid facing her trauma. The problem is not that she was abused and is currently stuck in a cycle (like Mercury) or that she deep down craves love (like Emerald). The problem is that she has not enough power and that a bunch of kids keeps getting in her way.

Emerald and Mercury are linked to Cinder’s child self... they are who she truly is deep down.

This is also why she shows complex emotions (some of which not yet unpacked) to losing them both:

Watts and Neo are instead two superficial symptoms of her deep issues. They are two ways her trauma manifests in the present and symbolize Cinder’s adolescent strong facade. Still, that projection of strength is nothing, but a shallow mask.

In conclusion, Cinder’s development is important and will probably lead to her win this season. Still, it is not pivotal nor definitive as for now.

It might lead to her developing more genuine relationships in the long run (even if I doubt it, as for now). Still, it is also her going back to the same coping mechanism she had at the beginning of the series.

All in all, Cinder’s coping mechanism is to become like Salem wants her aka a carbon copy of Salem herself:

Salem: And I’ve realized, it’s all my fault. You’ve fought your whole life unwaveringly for what you want and here I am holding you back instead of lifting you up.

Cinder: No, she is right to be angry. I know I haven’t upheld my hand of the bargain. I’m sorry.

After all, it is not by chance that Cinder’s “recovery” starts with Salem throwing her a bone:

And once she cools off she immediately applies to others the same manipulation techniques Salem uses on her.

Still, what is happening to Cinder’s child parts is indicative that Cinder’s struggle is far from over.

Mercury is lashing out at her and is currently with a stand-in of his abusive father. He is still trapped, just like Cinder is trapped by Salem.

Emerald has left Cinder. Not only that, but she has left her just after Salem has shown her “comprehension” and “kindness”.

This is not something that happens by chance. After Salem throws Cinder a bone, Cinder is shown to copy Salem’s behaviour to make full use of her colleagues.

Still, the one person who was truly loyal to Cinder leaves her after seeing that same mechanism play out and (probably) she recognizes it as something Cinder does to her. The one person who wanted a genuine relationship with Cinder leaves her the moment Cinder claims she has learnt team spirit.

In short, Cinder has done nothing, but hanging there as for now, but she is just postponing the moment she will have to face her child parts (Emerald and Mercury) again and with them herself.

After all, Cinder is not really becoming herself, but she is becoming just like Salem... she is becoming worthy, but she should aim to be whole.

#cinder fall #rwby #rwby vol8 #rwby spoilers #rwby meta #arthur watts #neopolitan #emerald sustrai #mercury black #my meta

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alloftheblackwidowfeelings · 3 years

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Almost every reviewer on YouTube wasn’t satisfied with this movie IMO they said it was just Marvel combined some elements from other marvel movies so they could throw fans a BW movie so we could stfu, it didn’t do justice to the the character ,what do you think, is it really that bad.

To be honest, I've been working on this one for a while but I keep writing and deleting my response. Because all the things I want to say sound gatekeeper-y, in one of several ways.

I think you can be a Nat fan and not read the comics. I think you can be a Nat fan and never talk about her. I don't think you need to know everything about canon and be an "expert" to be a fan. I'm not interested in a locked-gate version of fandom. I don't think this movie should just be for die-hard Nat fans. And I don't think that all Nat fans will like this movie, for a variety of reasons.

Despite all of that, a lot of the comic book/movie expert reviews I've seen feel, to me, like they were evaluating a movie that isn't the one this movie was ever trying to be, and missing some of what the movie explicitly says it is because that doesn't fit what they want from it.

A bit more spoilery and a lot longer under the cut. I am so sorry I'm like this.

This movie felt tailor-made for me. Not because I loved every answer they gave, but because the questions they asked are ones I've been waiting to hear since 2012, when I first saw Avengers and then immediately went back to see the rest of phase 1. I think people disliking the answers is a legitimate opinion, and I'm looking forward to detangling that with people. What surprised me in reviews was not reviewers disliking the answers, which is legit, but not even seeming to realize the questions had been asked.

Most prominently, what felt like the huge thematic arc of the movie to me has been nonexistent in so many reviews that I've started to feel like I made it up, even though I took notes of exact quotes so I could reference them. The movie isn't a Nat origin story, and it's not about her as a cool edgy villain, so not seeing either of those didn't bother me. It's a movie about Natasha's trauma and how that manifests, and how her attempts to break free of it have harmed others in the past, and how she can move forward from that. We never get the key that unlocks the history of Natasha's past, so if you approach this as a puzzle box, it's going to fail.

THIS INDENTED PARAGRAPH IS THE CLOSEST I GET TO DIRECT PLOT POINTS, FEEL FREE TO SKIP

Specifically most of the reviews seem to view Nat's motivating guilt as over how she escaped the Red Room, particularly one casualty she deemed an acceptable sacrifice. But as I interpreted it, Nat's guilt in this movie came from a much closer place: the other Widows were all she'd had, and Nat being able to escape the Red Room made the Red Room hold on to the other Widows that much tighter. She thought she'd taken it down, but she was wrong. So her freedom, essentially, came at their expense. Natasha working to take down the Red Room this time is personal both to avenge her own trauma and to make up for her guilt in the Red Room still existing and creating more trauma for her peers. Without this context (and to be clear, I have gone back over the quotes several times to see if I'm misinterpreting and I really don't think I am), the idea that all of her guilt is over what she did to a single person makes more sense, but it also makes the movie a lot less interesting. If Natasha is justified in blaming Alexei and Melina for condemning her back to the Red Room, how could the other Widows not blame Nat? To me the entire story swings from that, and by not acknowledging Nat's (inadvertent but still very real) responsibility for continuing the cycle, the movie would feel hollow.

PLOT POINTS OVER.

Many critics they seem to feel like the potential this movie introduced was wasted because Nat's dead, so what's the point. First of all, the point is she's Nat and we care. It's not like we went in to Iron Man expecting that we'd have a decade of a franchise; we cared in the moment, and this movie is asking for the same thing. It delivers for over two hours of NOT murdering Natasha, which is more than I can say for Endgame.

To be clear, BW does set up other things for the MCU, and it's but if you're only watching it for what it's going to tell you about the future of the MCU (and I get it, because that's how I'm watching Loki, and it's a very different type of watching than I did for FATWS), this probably IS going to be a disappointment, because this isn't a big crossover event movie; I mean, none of Sam's "Big Three" show up at all. But again, that's about the movie someone wanted it to be, not the movie this was aiming to be.

Is this like a lot of other Marvel movies? Kinda. It's definitely taking a lot from Civil War for its set-up. Its arc felt like a close mirror of to Winter Soldier to me, to the extent that I'm planning to rewatch that on Thursday so I can see how much that's just me projecting my fave onto it. The third act is very Marvel-third-act-y, as adapted to Nat's character; the adapting to Nat's character are the parts I like and the rest is kind of what I consider the MCU price of admission.

I also kind of hate that it feels like the last few movies- Black Panther, Captain Marvel, now this and some rumblings about Shang-Chi- have all been kind of dismissed with "it's just the Marvel formula." It is, but that doesn't change the fact that different protagonists make it different. Dr Strange is pretty much just "Iron Man 1 with cool magic" and people didn't mind, but "how does this formula change when the protagonist is fundamentally different than the archetype to this point?" is apparently not different enough. I get Marvel fatigue, I really do, but for me it's tempered by how, in this case, Nat doesn't have the moral clarity Steve or Thor or even Tony or Scott has. No one in this movie lets her forget that she's a trained killer who little kids look up to.

Again: there are parts of this movie that don't work. I also don't ever ever EVER want to seem like I'm saying that if someone didn't like this movie they're not a real Nat fan or they're wrong. I know there are reasons to not love this movie, and I'm sure I'll figure out more the more I watch- it may not make me not love it, but it will at least complicate it for me, and i think we all know I live for that shit. Moreover, I intimately know how much it sucks when something you've been enthusiastic about and anticipating for ages doesn't pay off and everyone else seems to like it- it's isolating and upsetting and you just sit there wondering why no one else understands, and that's bullshit and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. People who don't like this movie are valid!

But if someone has a history of seeing Nat as just background, or considering her as a T&A deliver system more than as a character, or caring about hot women with guns but not care about the trauma that turned them into that, or saying they like movies about women but just not THIS woman for every comic book movie about a woman not there for them to ogle, or claiming to be experts in all things comics while doubling down on their theory that Yelena wouldn't appear because she was in Agent Carter (YES THAT HAPPENED, MORE THAN ONCE, THE NORTH. FUCKING. REMEMBERS. AND WISHES THEY KNEW WHERE THEY SAVED THOSE SCREENSHOTS), I don't need to weight their reviews heavier than the adrenaline rush I felt watching this movie.

So in answer to your question, I don't think the movie was really "that bad." I think this movie delivers in very specific ways, which definitely are not the flashy ones or the "every Marvel movie builds to the next great EVENT" ones or the male power fantasy ones, and if those ways aren't the ways you care about, it's going to be a disappointment. Even if those AREN'T the ones you care about, it could be a disappointment for any number of reasons, some of which I noticed during the movie and some of which I'm sure I'll be surprised to read about Friday morning.

But it wasn't one to me. For whatever it's worth, despite the movie's flaws, I loved it, I haven't stopped thinking about it in five days, I can't wait to see it again, and I hope that whether other people do or don't like it, they want to roll around in it as much as I do to pick out every single shred of canon worth overanalyzing.

If this is all we ever get for Natasha- and it is a CRIME if this is all we ever get for Natasha but that doesn't mean it's not so- I am grateful that this is what we got.

#allofthereplies #Anonymous #Black Widow movie spoilers #BW spoilers #I mean I tried to make this not that spoilery but I'm sure I didn't completely succeed #also warning for long post #extremely long post #again: I am so sorry I'm like this

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pumpkaaboo · 3 years

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Madoka Magica rewatch: episode 1

Hey guys! I’ve decided to rewatch Puella Magi Madoka Magica (considering that the last time I watched it, I was 12, up past my bedtime, and at a sleepover with my friends. we watched the whole thing in one night. needless to say, a lot of things flew over my head). I want to pay attention to two things in particular: symbolism, and parallels to Revolutionary Girl Utena (specifically, eggs. that will make sense if you’ve seen utena). Most of what I’m going to talk about is probably a reach and/or not intended by the creators, but hey, overanalyzing every minute detail of things to the death is fun. (Note: these posts will contain spoilers for the entirety of madoka magica, and probably bits of utena as well) If you don’t want to see these posts, you can blacklist the tags “#pmmm” or “#pmmm rewatch”. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

So right off the bat, we have a parallel to utena. The very first shot in both...

...is a curtain being raised. This is very interesting to me; it gives the idea that what we’re about to see is a performance of some kind. Whether it means that the whole thing is a performance, or just the dream/flashback we’re about to see, is something I’ll have to look out for. Regardless, just as in utena, I’m going to take this as an indication that what I’m about to watch should not be taken at face value.

Also worthy of note that this is the first time we get to see the beautiful paper cutout style in the witch labyrinths. It’s one of the defining artistic features of this anime, and I can’t wait to see it again.

Then there’s a shot of what appears to be a grief seed with some text in a conlang I can’t read and then... this.

...yeah, I’m at a loss. Is this Madoka’s witch? I think it might be. The background kind of looks like a record from this angle, but broken by that black... slice? bar? witch? Also, there’s the sound of what I think is a tape running through a film projector-yet another indication that what’s to come is a story a performance, not necessarily reflective of reality. However, in contrast to Utena, which uses theater/live performances and plays, Madoka seems to be using film. Film is static, unchanging-you can watch a movie as many times as you want, but aside from file corruption or physical damage to your equipment, it will play out exactly the same way. Theater, meanwhile, is much more dynamic-the actors and the audience have a tremendous amount of influence on the way things go, even if specific plot points must remain the same. I like that, as a difference between the two, because while in Utena, the duelists are always different and the circumstances of the cycle are always changing (even if the end result is always the same), while in Madoka, Homura is repeating the exact same month, and everyone else stays exactly the same except for her (the audience? much to think about).

We have several shots of Madoka running through this stark black and white landscape. She’s the only spot of color in it, and each shot is more impossible and dreamlike than the last.

Finally, she comes to this bright green exit sign-a complementary color to her hair. It’s surrounded by darkness and metal fencing (only visible in the previous shot)-perhaps meaning that, for Madoka to be able to move forward, she will have to travel into darkness, towards something the opposite of herself? I also find the framing of the shot to be very reminiscent of this:

Madoka must ascend the stairs before opening the door, however, not after. I’ll talk a bit more about this parallel later, though, because Madoka opens the door and sees...

...that. Walpurgisnacht has the same pattern behind her that the weird shot of the record did earlier, so maybe I was misreading that and it’s supposed to represent her, not Madoka’s witch whose name escapes me. Also worthy of note that Madoka is moving from an unreal space of equal parts light and dark (where the two were distinctly separated) to a more “real” world of black and gray-and where darkness and the few patches of light often blend together smoothly. I think this is supposed to represent her idealistic worldview clashing against the world where Magical Girls must constantly risk their lives, make morally gray decisions, and fight witches for survival.

I’m not really sure of what to think of the parallel between Madoka entering the battle with Walpurgisnacht and Utena entering the dueling arena, but if we take it as her going from a place inside of her own mind, where her assumptions about the world are unchallenged, into a place where a battle of ideology where no one is truly, 100% noble (even though some may hold the definite moral high ground) might work, but Utena’s dueling arena is also a place of trying to obtain that true nobility. Then again, that could be a parallel to Madoka’s wish in the end, couldn’t it? But I don‘t think it’s a 1-1 parallel, nor do I think it should be expected to be. I’m happy to think of it as a (possibly unintentional) nod to one of the show’s major influences.

Also I just noticed that Walpurgisnacht’s design sort of mirrors itself and works just as well upside down as right side up-hold on let me just-

yeah.

Here we have a shot of Madoka standing on a maze of scaffolding-the path ahead of her will be treacherous, full of dead ends and places to plummet to the ground. But we don’t have time to talk about that because HOMURA

So our first shot of this character-arguably tied for “most important in the show” with Madoka herself-is from a distance, standing on a pillar of darkness, surrounded by flashing red lights. The camera constantly focuses in and out-she’s distant, and it’s hard to figure out what she’s doing or thinking. But then we cut closer to her-

-and we see her face right before she gets hit by a skyscraper-

-and it becomes clear that whoever this is, she’s someone to pay attention to, someone whose inner mind and motivations the series will be exploring. Also I love how she’s not scared of the skyscraper at all, seeming to view it as more of a minor inconvenience more than anything. Because to her, it is!

Also, here we have the first actual bright colors in the show besides the green exit sign. I note that Homura is raising her shield here, not firing one of her (many) guns/explosives-our first impression of her is a mysterious one, but also of protection, though who or what she’s trying to protect remains to be seen.

...and here we have the first voice line of the series. Seems appropriate, given the general tone, but I also think it’s important to note that our first impression of Homura is protectiveness, and our first impression of Madoka is compassion and sympathy...

...while our first impression of Kyubey is fatalism and discouragement. Not exactly a good look for a character who’s supposed to be guiding and supporting the heroes, huh. Kyubey knows exactly what he’s after, and he knows exactly how to get it.

And here we have the entire thesis of Madoka’s character in one line.

Seriously, all of it’s right there! Compassion for those suffering, an acknowledgement that the current circumstances are unjust, are wrong. This isn’t how magical girl shows are supposed to go, this isn’t how heroes are supposed to have to fight, and Madoka is unwilling to accept a world where this level of injustice is the norm. God, what a great way to introduce the entire main conflict of both the protagonist and the show!

Here’s our first clear shot of Kyubey, and he looks even more blank and eerie than usual-I think it’s the fact that he has no visible pupils. Also a great bit of foreshadowing; you don’t typically introduce a character that’s going to be helpful like this.

Kyubey tells Madoka that she has the power to change this fate-to alter the horrible destiny in front of her. “Can I really?” asks Madoka.

That’s why Madoka wants power-she wants to be able to help. And she can, but she’ll have to be very careful about how she words her wish, because otherwise, she might just end up making things worse. It’s worth noting that she wants to change the ending-perhaps foreshadowing her eventual wish to stop magical girls from becoming witches (any girl who cannot become a princess..), changing the inevitable end of their lives.

I love how the branches of the tree(?) are breaking up the frame, making it look fractured or like slash marks, showing how the characters are broken and disoriented, and visually representing the separation between Madoka, Homura, and Walpurgisnacht. It’s a neat trick that was used to great effect in Adolescence of Utena (though usually it was associated specifically with blades or impalement in that case).

Kyubey offers his contract to Madoka, and she looks at the camera, determined, crowned and wreathed by the rubble around her...

...and then wakes up, in her bed, surrounded by warmth and pink and soft things and hearts. Also, I think the aspect ratio changed at this part? I’m not really sure why that is-maybe to convey that they’re going from the cinematic final conflict to Madoka’s everyday life?

Silhouetted by the warm window behind her almost like a halo, watched by her stuffed animals and embracing another, Madoka asks if it was all a dream. She noticeably sits up so her entire head is in the light, and then leans down so only half of it is-she hasn’t fully committed to the heroism she’ll come to embody yet.

Okay, that’s enough for now, it’s been like two hours and I’ve only gotten through one scene. I was hoping to be able to get through this quickly, but I should have known better. Part 2 of this episode coming... at some point, hopefully.

#pmmm #pmmm rewatch #puella magi madoka magica #pmmm 1

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crystalelemental · 2 years

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The dev letter told us of the next villain arc coming in May, and with that, I'm going to take my big, wild, fuckoff swing at what region it will be, what Zone, and who it will be. I am 95% confident on this prediction, which means I will be wrong about everything except which Zone it is, just like with the last two. I got Flying Zone and Bug Zone right, I am 2-0 on that prediction, but literally everything else I anticipated was wrong. So...get ready for that.

Let's start with the big guess: I'm saying it's Galar. No Leon rerun after a year is insane. I'm trying to think of a gacha that hasn't done a rerun for a character in over a whole calendar year, and can't. It's just such an absurd length of time. And I feel confident saying that the anniversary units will rerun once a year, so where the hell is Leon?

Probably waiting for the villain arc where he'll be important. Yes, I anticipate that Leon will be a Master Fair rerun with the Galar villain arc. With any luck, he'll get upgraded to have Max moves, but I'm not holding my breath. Two months later than expected isn't that long, and would be perfectly understandable if they were simply holding him until a logical time to rerun the event. So I'm predicting Galar.

From there, we need to determine who's going to be involved. Rose is a guarantee. It's the villain arc for god's sake, they can't not have the villain around. So he's 100% guaranteed. We're also 2-0 on the main protagonist getting an alt in these events, so 100% guaranteed we're getting Sygna Suit Gloria. "Who with?" No idea, but probably Shadow Rider Calyrex, or just Spectrier. Very confident. My wife, however, predicts Urshifu.

But that's only two. And every villain arc thus far has had four. It's possible Galar gets more attention, just based on how many of their cast are still missing. I could see four limited pairs and two general pool additions, but we're going to operate on the assumption of just four. In which case, I think the obvious options are Hop or Bede. While Marnie or Leon alts are possible, I'd say Leon is unlikely to get a new alt with his rerun...but then, Dawn got that. I'd also say Marnie's been WAY too soon, and even the fastest cycle hasn't gotten two alts in three goddamn months, so that's unlikely. But while Leon is possible, I feel like there's not much else he can do. Sygna Suit or his base form seems far, far more likely to be central to the narrative than anything a new alt could bring, so this just doesn't feel like a good time for him. Hop or Bede have a lot more direct, narrative involvement. Hop because Leon's brother and is a big focus in the main games, and Bede because of his associations with Rose. We could get both, but I'm guessing we won't, mostly because I am Convinced of the fourth option.

Victor. It's just like Lucas, we're getting a villain arc with a missing protagonist. He'll show up, be semi-important to the story, and he'll be a PokeFair with a big legendary that he probably doesn't deserve. And while Lucas got Dialga, Victor's going to get Urshifu. With Fighting Zone. Which Urshifu is up for debate, but I'm going to just guess Rapid Strike. I don't know why, it just feels right. Mustard feels more like Knockout for some reason, and I still have hope he'd be added. My wife predicted Rillaboom to mirror SS Hop and Cinderace. Which isn’t impossible, but canonically, Leon took the third starter. So they may save Rillaboom for a Leon alt. But they also may not. She pointed out that it would be Grassy Terrain here, but joke’s on her because if he’s Rillaboom and SS Gloria gets Urshifu, that’s still Fighting Zone showing up. But it may change the order. Victor likely goes first, before Gloria shows in the second half. Which, on that note, I’ll explain my reasoning for Shadow Rider Calyrex.

The villain arcs have focused on legends so far, with a big focus being on furthering their specific ambition. In Giovanni’s case, it’s just power. In Cyrus’, it’s his ideal world devoid of emotion. For Rose, his ambition is preserving Galar. Eternatus is accounted for via SS Leon, so it’s already been removed from the equation, barring maybe the opening bit. Rose needs a backup plan, and the most logical association would be Calyrex, this ancient king of Galar. More than likely, a huge component of this will involve the setup to getting Calyrex its steed like in the DLC. Your goal is getting Calyrex its power back, and Spectrier is the horse not in use. While it conflicts thematically with Winter Leon, I don’t think it’s entirely impossible. We’ll see what happens, though. I just feel weirdly confident about it. Even though this would mean a third Ghost-type Master Fair.

It’s worth noting that while Oleana is possible, she has all the importance of the Galactic Admins, but actually less. And they didn’t get in. Hell, Courney didn’t get in, and she’s stupid popular on design alone as well. If they keep strictly to the four characters per villain arc thing, I don’t see Oleana standing a chance. Which I’m so excited for. Reddit’s going to be so pissed and I’m living for it.

So here's my overall predictions:

Rose and Copperajah: Steel-type, probably striker, ideally general pool but probably PokeFair.

SS Gloria and Shadow Rider Calyrex: It's a shame it's not Grass/Ghost, but regardless I'm kinda hoping Ghost over Psychic. Master Fair for sure.

Bede and Hatterene: It depends on if he's original Bede, or Gym Leader Bede, between Psychic or Fairy. I kinda hope Psychic, but if he's Fairy, please be general pool we are hurting so bad.

Victor and Urshifu: PokeFair with Fighting Zone. Will be insanely good for borderline no reason, just like Lucas.

Fighting Zone is our next Zone. If Bede shows up in the second half, it’ll be with Fairy Zone. If it’s not him...I’ll re-assess based on what the first half shows us.

Cast your bets.

#pokemon masters #zone predictions

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artificialqueens · 7 years

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Primary Care (a.k.a the Poundcake ficlet collection) 11/13 [Katya/Alaska] - Spoky

A/N: Promises kept? Check! This chapter is consisted of small snippets of the relationship and can be a little confusing. So, please relate to every section as new glance into the relationship and how it is progressing (pay extra attention to the subtitles/lyrics, because they do matter!), the snippets do not strictly speaking link, but they do create a full picture. The two following paragraphs you can skip if you whish, as they are just me addressing the feedback of PC. Thank you! xx (( + I want to thank you guys for every note, feedback, request and private message. Because every single one of them mean the world to me. They are my little treasures and I cherish them all, dearly. I never expected PC to became so popular or to establish such a steady fanbase (I think there’s 36 of you, because that is the ‘standard’ amount of notes PC usually hits). I am grateful and want you to know that without the feedback, without the requests and without people leaving notes I wouldn’t have pushed Primary Care to become what it has become (which atm is over 50 000 words of katlaska fantasy.) You pushed me to make it better. So thank you, yes YOU, right there, for reading. <3

++ I got feedback on the present/past tense change between scenes on chapter 9, and I’ve taken that into consideration. I asked feedback from multiple people, and most did not find the tense change bothersome in Ch9. I also piloted a section of this chapter with two other authors, and they did not find the tense change odd or too bothersome as the scenes are not linked. So I just wanted to apologise if this makes reading difficult for some people. I think it works well for this chapter. xx ))

Primary care (a.k.a. the Poundcake ficlet collection)

Chapter 11/13 - ‘Slaytina’

Brian slammed the door shut behind him, stopped and took a deep breath. Where was he going? Home? He stretched the collar of his t-shirt as it felt too tight and then glanced back at the door. It stayed shut. No one was coming after him. He threw the bag he was holding onto his shoulder and looked around in the hallway. What the fuck had just happened? He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to remember where they’d gone wrong…

Loading Alaska is laying on the bed after filming The After Show. She’s exhausted and wants to sleep. Nowadays, she dislikes the hotels and traveling. She loves the shows, the fans, but she hates being away from Brian. Not that Brian is home. Brian is in England with Raven and Jujubee. She glances at the phone again and wonders whether Brian has noticed the time. They had agreed on a specific timing because of the time difference. She worries her lip and sighs. She wants to sleep but also knows that she has to take off her makeup, the wig, the corset. At least the nails already lay on the dresser. The phone rings and a smile rises to her lips. ‘Hi,’ she answers the phone. ‘Hi honey,’ comes the bright reply. It’s the voice Alaska has been missing for the past 16 hours. ‘Say that again?’ she requests. Brian chuckles, but obliges: ‘Hi. Hello. Hiya. Hello, mate.’

Alaska chuckles and they’re silent for a while, just smiling. ‘I miss you so bad,’ Alaska whispers. She’s so upset that he’s not here, with her. ‘You haven’t slept again,’ Brian accuses, as he recognises the tone of her voice. ‘I can’t, you’re not here,’ she says and they both know it’s not true. It’s just the exhaustion talking and her being her whiny self. ‘I’ll make you a deal, alright?’ Brian asks and Alaska nods. Brian can’t see it, but he has gotten used to Alaska’s silences. ‘If you take your stuff off right now, and if you’re out of drag when I Facetime you in 5 minutes, I’ll make you come?’ Alaska suspects she has never gotten so quickly out of drag.

Commencing Dragulation

‘It looks good,’ Justin drawled and added some more blush. Katya frowned at her reflection and then glanced to Trixie. ‘It looks weird, doesn’t it?’ she asked her best friend. Trixie eyed Katya up and down and shrugged. ‘Define weird.’

‘Three pomeranians licking your balls while you’re getting fucked on a single bed by a guy half your age,’ Katya challenged. ‘No, it’s not that weird. There’s only one puppy,’ Trixie snorted, unamused. Justin laughed and dropped the makeup brush on the table. ‘Fine, that’s it! Do your own fucking alternative makeup!’ he exclaimed and stood up. Katya grabbed Justin by the waist before he had the chance to leave. ‘No! Don’t leave me! You can’t! Not tonight!’ Katya wrapped her legs around Justin’s knees and mumbled something incomprehensible. ‘What did you say?’ Justin asked. ‘I’ll blow you after the filming. On the set. Pleeease finish it?’ Katya whined. Justin pondered the offer for a couple of seconds and then sat back down. ‘In full drag,’ he insisted and Katya nodded enthusiastically.

‘You’re both freaks,’ Trixie commented and rolled her eyes.

In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Justin was practicing Alaska’s new coreo in front of a mirror and trying to get the steps right. Brian was eyeing him from the sofa and kept bursting into laughter at most of the steps Justin took. Not to be mean, but because Justin looked funny getting frustrated and swearing at himself. ‘You try it then!’ Justin snapped and Brian stood up on the sofa, wiggling his ass. ‘Alright, Barbra,’ he exclaimed, took a step, slipped and crashed back to the sofa. Justin’s wheezing laughter filled the room.

Introducing a new model

‘It’s going to be awful. The entire idea is stupid.’ ‘It is not going to be awful. And your attitude is stupid.’ ‘You obviously have never been on a double date. They’re designed for torture and humiliation.’ ‘No, I have not. But it’s Sharon and Chad, and it’ll be fine! And it’s not a double date! It’s just us going to a see a movie with them. A movie you’ve wanted to see forever!’ ‘Fine? If by fine you mean that Satan’s lawyer is suing us for the misconduct of praying on Easter-fine then yes.’ ‘What?’ ‘You know. Easter, Satan, praying, not cool honey, nuh-uh?!’ ‘I don’t get it.’ ‘No? … Want me to give it to you?’ ‘What? No! BriAN! NO! LET ME DOWN!’

Comprised of the best elements

Of Dragoons the world over

Brian is sipping his morning coffee and watching Justin pack. Justin’s long limbs look even skinnier when he’s only wearing a t-shirt that’s at least three sizes too big for him and pair of briefs. He keeps pushing his glasses up on his nose, but they keep sliding back down. His hair is sticking out in multiple different directions and Brian laughs. To him Justin looks absolutely adorable. Justin scratches the back of his head and Brian chuckles. He knows what Justin is looking for, the wig is on the kitchen counter, but apparently the tall queen has forgotten that. The only thing Brian loves more about Justin than being an unorganised mess, is when he tries to get organised, forgets he put in the effort and gets confused by his own organising. To Brian, Justin is a puzzle. They’ve been dating for months and Brian still hasn’t figured out the Queen of Snakes. He can be laughing and then next moment cry over a cute cat he saw a picture of online. He can get frustrated and whiny, only to come to Brian two seconds later for some cuddles with a cheeky grin. He’s a lot more introverted and quiet than what Brian had assumed. Though sometimes he cannot shut up, but keeps rambling for hours on a topic Brian is not even remotely interested in. Justin can create a storm in a nanosecond, but at the same time just a firm hug and a couple of reassuring words easily calm him down, bring out the smile and sunshine. Justin is little like a filmstrip. You can watch the film, or you can examine the stills; the details in them. You can rewind and pause. There is an entire cast within Justin. He’s the male and the female protagonist, he’s the comedic relief, he’s the slimy villain and the damsel-in-distress. Sometimes Justin is difficult. He easily forgets that in a relationship you have to take your partner into consideration in most things you do, you have to involve them into the decision making process. But Brian knows he’s doing his best, because he can see it. He can see how hard Justin is trying to be – well, perfect. But Brian is not interested in The 7 billion dollar woman, that’s not what Brian is asking, he doesn’t really care for perfection, he just wants Justin.

Better, faster, stronger

Justin counted to four while breathing in through his left nostril. He then pinched his nose close while holding his breath and counting to eight before finally releasing his right nostril to breathe out, counting to eight again. He repeated the cycle the other way around, paying attention to his posture; straight back, relaxed shoulder, grounded to the floor. He strived to concentrate only to his breathing, not to fall too deep into any of the thoughts circling in his head. He tried to keep his mind clear and feel the energies shifting in his body. When he finished the practice he slowly opened his eyes and saw Brian on the other side of the yoga studio. Brian looked completely relaxed in his sirsasana – or a headstand, as most people would call it. His top had fallen to his chest to reveal his six pack and Justin noticed he was not the only high-strung femme in the room admiring Brian’s body. The thought made him smile. He had yet to master the more difficult poses himself, but was really enjoying yoga. More than he had thought he would. It helped him to relax, to feel more energised, it felt somehow empowering to be completely in control of your every movement, your every breath. He watched through the mirror as Brian slowly, with absolute control, came down to his knees from the asana and rolled his shoulders. Justin caught a handsome brunette winking at Brian and it was hilarious how Brian did not know what to do with the situation. Brian glanced at Justin and their eyes met through the mirror. Justin smirked. There were many positives to yoga.

Legs 5 inches longer than Naomi Smalls

‘I would kill for legs like hers.’ ‘You really don’t need extra inches anywhere. Except maybe on your dick.’ ‘Excuse you! You couldn’t take me even now.’ ‘Bitch please, I’ve had bigger.’ Justin smirks and Brian quickly realises his mistake. ‘I’m not clean. Like, at all.’ ‘Fortunately we do have a bathroom. Or what, you scared?’ It’s a good two hours later that Brian gathers the completely spent pile of skinny limbs into a tight hug. Justin protests first at being moved but ultimately relaxes against Brian’s chest. He wraps his arm around Brian’s waist and groans in annoyance. ‘I’m aching, like everywhere,’ Justin whines and Brian chuckles. ‘So it’s safe to assume that you’re not going to start topping from now on?’ ‘I think I’m good for this year.’ It’s rare, very rare, but from then on onwards Justin does top on an occasion.

With the modelling capabilities of Raja the Gemini

Justin pranced into the living room with a pizza box. Brian was sitting on a sofa and reading song lyrics out loud to memorise them. ‘I thought we’re eating out today?’

Justin rolled his eyes and made a turn. He striked a pose worthy of Raja Gemini and looked at Brian, expecting a comment. ‘What?’ Brian asked, confused. ‘No comments about my aesthetic?’ Justin asked, grinning. He wiggled a little with the pizza box and took another turn. This time he made sure his cock and balls bounced. ‘Pizza delivery porn realness?’ Brian asked, raising his eyebrow.

‘I was going more for the ‘Take Out and Eat Me Out, in the order of your choice’-look,’ Justin drawled. ‘Well, the pizza will get cold, but I doubt your ass is not going anywhere… So I’ll do the pizza first,’ Brian reasoned as Justin approached him. The queen was wearing absolutely nothing else except black high heels, a long light pink wig and the pizza box he was carrying. He straddled onto Brian’s lap, placed the box next to them at the sofa and proceeded to kiss him as Brian grabbed his ass firmly. ‘I like your rationale.’

A waist 3 inches smaller than Violet Chachki

They’re lying on the bed and Brian is stroking Justin’s naked bum. They’ve already made up, and even exchanged blow jobs after the fight. If one could call it that? Brian prefers the term ‘disagreement’, but Justin keeps referring to it as ‘the argument’. Whatever the term is, the incident has left Brian feeling slightly insecure about their relationship, about where they stand. He knows he’s thinking too much, over analysing things, but it was the first real disagreement they had ever had and Brian feels that they haven’t really arrived to a conclusion. He wants a confirmation that they will be alright; a compliment, a reassurance of any kind. The question is stupid, it’s suicidal and Brian knows it, but he also has blurted it out before he can stop himself. ‘Which RuGirl would you marry if you absolutely had to?’

‘Sharon,’ Justin answers without thinking. Brian halts. It hurts, but he only has himself to blame. Justin turns on the bed and pulls Brian against his chest. He wraps him into tight hug and kisses his hair. ‘You know that I don’t think of you as a RuGirl, right?’ Justin asks quietly. Because he doesn’t. Brian is more than that. He’s in a different category entirely. In the category of people Justin might consider marrying for free will, not only if he absolutely had to. ‘Yeah, I know,’ Brian says but Justin can tell he’s hurt. ‘I guess that’s fair, I guess I would marry Violet,’ Brian continues. ‘Mm,’ Justin hums sadly before continuing: ‘Are you just saying that because you know it will hurt me more than saying Trixie?’ Brian knows he’s being a dick. He buries his face against Justin’s chest and squeezes the younger man closer. Why does he play these games? ‘I’m sorry,’ he whispers: ‘That was exceptionally stupid of me.’ ‘It’s ok. I fucked up first,’ Justin admits. Because he did.

Possessing the lace front capabilities of Wigs by Vanity

Alaska stared at the wig in shock. Throughout her career she had never experienced a situation quite like this. The hair was burned, melted and had brown and red patches of fabric stuck to it. Detox’s personal assistant was crying and Alaska was certain the smell of burned hair would never come out of the wallpapers of the dressing room.

‘So, what exactly was it again that you were doing?’ Alaska asked again and examined the wig. It could work, if she could get over the smell. Did she have perfume with her? She wondered whether the fabric attached to the hair could be restyled into some type of a head piece. A bow, perhaps? Or maybe she could cover it with a plastic bag? Or why not just wear the wig as it was? Now that she thought about it… She looked inside and realised that not only the hair, but the lace was also burned. It still felt warm to touch. Ok, so maybe she couldn’t wear this piece to the stage today. What could she wear?

‘I don’t even know! I just turned for one second! I promise!’ the young woman sobbed. Detox stepped next to them with a bright yellow wig in hand. ‘It’s the closest to blonde I’ve got on me,’ she explained apologetically. Alaska eyed the yellow hair and pursed her lips. It wasn’t nearly big enough, but maybe with the damaged one… Then an idea struck to her. Trixie lived just a couple of blocks away. Alaska opened her phone, chose the Barbie from her the list and called. ‘How the fuck did you know he’s here?’ Trixie answered and Alaska frowned. ‘Sorry what?’ she asked. ‘Brian, how did you know he’s here?’ Trixie repeated. ‘I… I didn’t. I was calling you,’ Alaska laughed and heard a very familiar ‘Hi Honey!’ from the background. ‘Oh, you were?’ Trixie sounded surprised. ‘I thought he just forgot his phone on silent and you’re calling me to reach him.’ ‘No, I’m actually calling you,’ Alaska laughed and then moved the camera to show the destroyed wig. Trixie made a hissing sound. ‘Wow, what happened?’ the Barbie asked. ‘A lot of things, I would think,’ Alaska sighed. ‘I was wondering, the club is just couple of blocks away from yours and…’ ‘Yes?’ Trixie pressed, but could already guess the request. ‘Yeah, um, maybe if I could… Like I have Detox’s wig as well, so it’s no problem, I just…’ Suddenly Alaska wasn’t sure whether she’d made the right decision. She wasn’t sure whether the request was too much. She wasn’t sure whether they were so good friends. Damn, had she totally fucked up? ‘Lasky, of course I can bring you something,’ Trixie chuckled: ‘Your probationary period ended months ago.’ ‘Oh! Oh? What? What period?’ Alaska was confused. ‘NOTHING!’ Alaska could hear Brian’s voice from the background. ‘Yes, exactly. Nothing,’ Trixie laughed. ‘We’ll be there in 15 minutes, is that fine?’ ‘Oh, yes, more than fine,’ Alaska sighed in relief. ‘Thank you SO much. I owe you.’ ‘Please, you took Brian off my hands, I owe you!’ Trixie smirked before ending the call. Alaska glanced at Detox: ‘What do you think she means by probationary period?’ Detox shrugged. ‘Fuck if I know.’

Makeup precision extracted from the Kim Chi

‘How did you realise you were in love with Alaska?’

Katya choked on her Red Bull. Jesus fuck, it burned. Who the fuck asked questions like that out of the blue? Well, except for Kim of course. It took her a couple of seconds to calm down her coughing while Kim Chi was just staring at her, expecting an answer. What the fuck was wrong with this guy? Were all Koreans equally straightforward?

‘What?’ Katya asked and took a deep breath. That’s it, she wasn’t going to die today. Or she might, just not by Red Bull. She hoped it would be a stabbing rather than a car crash, stabbing felt somehow more personal. ‘You know, how did you know it was her you wanted?’ Kim Chi asked again and glanced to Trixie on the other side of the dressing room. Katya followed the gaze and swore silently. That was not an image she wanted in her brain. She was also pretty certain Kim and Trixie would not work in the bedroom. But she was not going to say that out loud. Not to Kim anyway, to Trixie she might. She might drop not so subtle hints about Orient Express, about Noodle Doodle and the difficulty of handling two chopsticks at the same time. Was that racist? ‘Um, it kinda sneaked up on me,’ she told Kim, who nodded as if Katya was the most intelligent person after Noam Chomsky, when actually Katya had just revealed how she had not had a clue about anything for the longest of time when it came to Alaska. She looked at Kim, who again was eyeing Trixie, and felt bad for the man. She knew what it was like to want something you thought you couldn’t have.

Eyebrows fleeked from Mathu Anderson’s personal Instagram

'It’s ugly.’

'Wow. Don’t bother tiptoeing around my feelings. Jesus.’

'You asked. You look like E.T.’

‘I’m trying out the alien stuff, not your prerogative.’

'Well, you’re doing it worse than Roxxxy Andrews.’

'Now that’s just plain insulting. I’ve had it!’

'Officially?’

'OFFICIALLY!’

‘… I do still love you. With or without eyebrows.’

‘Lies! Pretence! Charade! I know your educational background, you cannot fool me!’

‘Yeah, I’m just here, casually waiting for the call for my Oscar nomination. And it’s not lies. It’s acting. It’s art.’

‘I’ll show you art.’

Hair more voluminous than Lady Bunny

They’re up after Bunny, who is currently slaying it. Alaska is slightly nervous to go on after such a talent, but figures that at least she’s not alone, she’s part of a group number and there are multiple extremely famous queens on the same line up – all being compared to Bunny. She has fifteen more minutes before the start and wonders whether she should snapchat something to Brian when she notices Violet just a couple of steps away.

Alaska glances at the tightly corseted queen who has been avoiding her for months, and probably would’ve continued to do so to the unforeseeable future had they not been signed up for the same performance. They’re up in - Alaska glances at the time - fifteen minutes, so now is not the time to speak to Violet, tonight is not the night. Alaska wants to talk, she knows they need to talk, but- ‘Say it or fuck off,’ Violet says coldly without turning to Alaska: ‘You just standing there is creeping me out.’

Alaska is little taken aback by Violet’s hostile tone. Brian had given her the impression that they had talked, that they were on the same page now – that Brian had actually apologised. Violet’s reaction, however, speaks another language.

Alaska doesn’t know what to say. It is not her fault entirely that Violet is hurting, but she figures she does have part to play in it and she feels slightly sorry for the younger queen. ‘I’m sorry,’ Alaska drawls. She’s serious, she’s sincere, but at the same time she refuses to be walked over by the younger queen. She’s done nothing wrong. Her tone makes Violet turn to face her and never has Alaska ever seen the other queen as vulnerable. She regrets the choice of not to show weakness, because it is obvious that Violet is barely keeping it together. ‘You’re sorry?’ Violet asks and her voice trembles.

Alaska panics. Now is not the time for Violet to get emotional. They have a number to perform in twelve minutes. But there’s nothing she can do as the first tear drops to Violet’s cheek. Shit. They’re totally fucked. Alaska looks around in the dressing room and while Jinkx and Sharon are present, they’re completely focused on their argument on the dynamics of their number that will follow Alaska, Violet, Detox and Pearl. Alaska might not always have been the best person at handling emotions, but the past months with Brian have taught her a trick or two. She is also a professional Drag Queen, the winner of All Stars 2 and one emotional queen is not going to ruin the show, or her makeup, not under Alaska’s watch. Especially not a queen as specific about their look as Violet-fucking-Chachki. Alaska grabs the loose powder she sees on Sharon’s dresser, walks determinedly to Violet and pushes the younger queen to sit on a chair behind her. Violet does not protest as Alaska grabs her chin and pushes her head up to prevent more tears escaping. Violet is blinking rapidly as Alaska presses thick layers of loose powder underneath her eyes. She then snatches couple of cotton buds and proceeds to carefully press them into the inner corners of Violet’s eyes.

‘Deep breaths,’ Alaska says and gently replaces the soaked cotton buds while Violet composes herself. Violet’s eyeliner is slightly smudged, but the damage is minor. Alaska sighs in relief as she notices Violet getting hold of her emotions. ‘This was my trademark in dressing rooms in 2013; loose powder and cotton buds,’ Alaska explains. She needs to talk about something. Anything to take Violet’s thoughts away from Brian McCook. ‘I actually think Sharon might go bankrupt were I to bill her for the cost,’ she continues and doesn’t know why she’s sharing this with Violet. Maybe she wants her to know that while it might not be the same, she knows what it feels like to be hurt. Violet is eyeing her but doesn’t say anything. ‘You can do better than a retired math teacher, dying of cancer,’ Alaska says and wonders whether Violet will get the reference. She does, chuckles and smiles up to Alaska. ‘I know,’ she says finally, clearly searching for her confident tone. ‘It’s just a pain to find another back up plan.’ Alaska knows Violet doesn’t mean it, but also does not challenge the statement. If that is what Violet needs to tell herself to get over Brian, she has the right. Alaska nods in agreement: ‘Tell me about it, never thought I’d have to use mine,’ she drawls and Violet chuckles.

‘Alaska, Pearl, Violet, Detox – five minutes!’ someone yells.

‘You ready?’ Alaska asks as Violet snatches a makeup brush from the dresser and starts to carefully, skillfully clean her face from the extra powder that has trapped some of the tears.

‘Bitch, I was born ready,’ she snorts and grins. Alaska takes a step to leave but is stopped by Violet’s quiet voice. ‘I might send you a snake or two,’ she says and Alaska catches her grin through the mirror. ‘But we’re alright.’

‘Goom,’ Alaska smirks and walks to wait with Pearl and Detox.

When Brian later asks why Alaska’s twitter and instagram are flooded with snake emojis by Chachki, Justin laughs.

‘Because what goes around, comes around,’ he tells Brian before kissing him deeply.

Featuring fish resin extracted from the DNA of Courtney Act and Vivienne Pinet

Comedic skills receiving 5 more laughs per minute than Bianca Del Rio and Bob the Drag Queen combined

I’ve been on this path for a long time. Walking. Looking for experiences and keeping my eyes open for the possibility. The possibility of you. I’ve been to different cities, different countries, different continents. I’ve even created the possibility for myself to visit different galaxies.

I’ve slept with people with painted lips, reconstructed egos and plastic cheekbones. I’ve woken up next to people with curly hair, smoker breath and eyes so breathtakingly beautiful that I wanted to take them with me as I went. But I have always left alone, when the time was right. Sometimes it was weeks later. Sometimes it was months later. Sometimes it was the following morning, before they had woken up.

I’ve tried different things to identify who you are, where you are. I’ve drank all the cheap and free shots – even some stolen ones. I’ve tried the high and the low. I’ve tried sex and art. I’ve tried meditation and literature; reality TV and social media; Grindr and Craigslist. I’ve bought love from strangers and warmth from acquaintances, often without stopping to consider the price. I’ve loved, hated, been jealous and happy. I’ve lived – and I refuse to regret any of it. Because I’m a person and that’s what I was designed to do; to live my life. Exactly like you.

You know what I mean. You’ve lived. You’ve done most of the same things I have. Some of them more, some of them less and some of them from a different perspective. But you get it. You understand. To me, you are as precious as your weight in saffron. You might be a queen of a different country, different ideology, different past – but I trust you like the IMF trusts free market capitalism. Everything can crumble, but the institution will stand. You’re one of the most gorgeous beings I’ve ever fucked. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: some of the most beautiful women in the world have gigantic penises. The Meatiest Tuck -award was certainly given based on merit.

I realise I’m rambling, but I just want you to know that while others might consider you fishy (meaning fishier than Trixie Mattel) or disregard you as one of the comedy queens (meaning slightly funnier than the Miss Fame and Violet -duo), to me you will always be slightly more. You are my greatest competition, my intellectual role model, the muse for my comedy and the foundation for my makeup.

To me you are absolutely perfect, because you are flawed.

Lips molded from a composite of Detox and Raven

Brian pressed another light kiss on Justin’s lips and then looked at him questioningly. ‘For the final fucking time. YES! I can feel EVERYTHING!’ Brian needed feathers. He was certain there was a spot on Justin’s upper lip that could not feel touch. Let’s call it an inkling. He was positive of it. He just had to find it and prove it.

Breast constructed using the actual tissue of Michelle Visage!

‘I hear you’re serious about Katya?’ Alaska was used to Michelle’s mothering. ‘Remember to take care of yourself as well,’ Michelle continued. ‘You have a tendency to put people on a pedestal and you know how that affects your career – and your relationship.’ Alaska chuckled. It was almost like Michelle had never met Katya. ‘I think I’m the one on the pedestal,’ she said to Michelle, who smiled kindly. ‘Brat. You know what I mean.’ Alaska nodded. She knew. But Katya would never reach the levels of ego and confidence of Sharon Needles. There was space for Alaska in this relationship, because Katya didn’t seem to take space at all. It was something Alaska would have to keep in mind, to make sure she wouldn’t walk over the other queen, because Katya deserved better.

Thicker and juicier than Roxxxy Andrews

Justin considered her one of his closest friends. He would call her whenever he felt like he needed to detach from reality. She could make him laugh, make him relax, make him realise that life was not actually that serious.

Mostly Justin would meet her in private, so that they could spend time together, but sometimes it was quick dates in dressing rooms, quick catch ups through Facetime, sometimes it was just snapchats – but he really appreciated the effort she was putting into staying close and was always willing to make time for her if she was asking for it. To Justin, she was beautiful. Truly. She was talented in her own ways and tended to surprise him a lot with her creativity. She had overflowing charisma and while her best acts were not that long lived or necessarily consistent, Justin loved her nonetheless. He was willing to put up with her whimsicality, because sometimes life was like that. Sometimes you got stressed about everything and wanted absolutely nothing to do with anything. Justin got that. It happened. On those times he concentrated on other things. He talked to her gently, making sure she got the attention and care she deserved. If she was awake, even in the middle of the night, and wanted to be with Justin, he would make sure he had the time. Even if he would be half-asleep and his presence was perfunctory. Because sometimes life was like that, you showed up and it was enough.

Sometimes Justin would grab her tightly, without asking. He didn’t need to be afraid that she would push him away, how ever demanding he might get. He knew she would be there for him. It was how their relationship worked, through mutual care and admiration. She was Justin’s miracle worker, the head nurse for his fantasies. He could feel she was close, it was the way Brian grabbed his hair that was the first telling sign. He swallowed her whole and prepared for her to shoot strips of cum into his mouth. Brian groaned and Justin swallowed, caressing her, making sure not to scratch her with his teeth. Brian stroked his hair and Justin smiled, releasing her from his mouth, giving a final kiss at the base. ‘Night, Olga,’ Justin grinned.

‘I really don’t think Olga is a long enough name for the grace and size that is my genitalia,’ Brian disapproved Justin’s choice of pet names. ‘We’re not asking you though. Are we, Olga?’

Porcelain veneers handcrafted using the blueprints of Phi Phi O'Hara and Tyra Sanchez

Installed by Jiggly Caliente’s personal Oral Surgeon

‘I want your teeth.’ Brian bit Justin’s shoulder. ‘That’s not what I meant.’

With cooter-slam enabled hip joints stolen from the living body of Katya Zamolodchikova

Brian grinned as he pushed the key into the lock of Justin’s apartment. He had been able to catch an earlier flight and had arrived back to the US almost a day early. He opened the door and could immediately smell the marijuana. He smirked and silently prayed Justin would have some left to share. He walked to the living room and found Justin alone on the sofa, watching Season 4 of Drag Race. Then he noticed the three wine glasses on the living room table and two glasses for whisky, or so he assumed based on the bottles on the table. ‘Oh, you’re back!’ Justin exclaimed and Brian could tell he was drunk. ‘Yeah, I caught an earlier flight,’ he said but didn’t move towards Justin to give him the traditional I’m back -kiss. ‘What’s going on in here?’ he asked instead and nodded towards the coffee table. ‘Oh! OH!’ Justin slurred and stood up. His balance was slightly off and Brian frowned. ‘Aaron and Chad are getting married!’ Justin said happily and smiled, but Brian could see that the happiness didn’t quite reach Justin’s eyes. ‘They came over and we celebrated,’ Justin explained and indicated towards the glasses and bottles. ‘And why are you watching season four?’ Brian asked, getting annoyed. He wasn’t entirely sure what it was that annoyed him in the scenario. Needles, the alcohol, Justin being drunk or that fucking show on the background. ‘Sharon wanted to show something to Chad and then it was just left rolling,’ Justin smiled and started to walk towards Brian, but halted as Brian took a step back. ‘What’s wrong?’ Justin asked quietly. ‘You’re drunk,’ Brian said, as if it explained everything.

‘Yeah, I know… So?’ Justin asked and frowned, confused. ‘I didn’t know you still drank to this level,’ Brian said little more harshly than he had originally intended. He couldn’t figure out what it was that bothered him. He knew that Justin still had a drink or two in social occasions when he felt like it. But this was different. Justin was home, he was drunk and Coady had been over without Brian knowing about it. The scenario bothered him. ‘I’m not on the program,’ Justin thought out loud. He was too drunk to think clearly. What was Brian’s problem? ‘That’s just it,’ Brian sighed. ‘You’re not on the program, you don’t get it.’ Justin raised his eyebrows. Where was this coming from? ‘It’s difficult when you don’t get it, that some of this might be an issue for me,’ Brian said and he wasn’t entirely sure what he was referring to; to the alcohol, to Justin’s drinking or to Aaron-fucking-Coady visiting without his knowledge? ‘It’s difficult to be around you, when you’re like this,’ Brian continued and immediately regretted the words. Yes, sometimes it was difficult to be around Justin, but it was more of Brian’s own insecurity talking than anything that Justin had done. Why was he so worked up? Was this what jealousy felt like? Brian was about to apologise, to take the last statement back, but Justin was faster: ‘If I’m so fucking difficult to be around, why don’t you go and fuck Violet instead, I bet she’s all stretched and ready for you.’

Something snapped inside Brian. Justin was bringing Violet into this? When Justin himself had just spent an entire evening getting drunk with fucking Needles? Hell to the no. ‘Maybe I will. At least with Violet you know you’re dealing with a self-absorbed, spoiled brat - because unlike you, she has the decency to be honest about it.’ ‘Fuck you,’ Justin raised his voice ‘Why? Can’t take criticism? Or because you want me to go fuck Chachki so you don’t have to feel guilty about want to go running to Texas – no, wait, it’s Florida, isn’t it? Because what the fucking fuck, rhymes with Florida,’ Brian said icily. He could read hurt and anger in Justin’s eyes, but at this very moment he didn’t give a flying fuck. ‘Call me after you sober up,’ he said coldly but then he changed his mind: ‘Actually, don’t call me. I’ll call you, if I ever decide you’re worth it.’ He grabbed the bag he had dropped onto the floor just couple of minutes ago, turned and walked out of the apartment. Brian slammed the door shut behind him, stopped and took a deep breath. Where was he going? Home? He stretched the collar of his T-shirt as it felt too tight and then glanced back at the door. It stayed shut. No one was coming after him. He threw the bag he was holding onto his shoulder and looked around in the hallway. What the fuck had just happened? He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to remember where they’d gone wrong…

——— A/N2: I’m sorry.

#alaska thunderfuck #katya zamolodchikova #katlaska #fluff #smut #romance #hurt/comfort #spoky #primary care #rpdr fanfiction #submission #canon compliant #poundcake ficlet collection

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nofomoartworld · 7 years

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How To Live Together. Part 1: the bad news

How To Live Together, an exhibition currently on view at Kunsthalle Wien, aims to looks that the conditions and prospects of living together in terms of individual and social dimensions.

Installation view: How To Live Together, Kunsthalle Wien 2017, Photo: Stephan Wyckoff: Goshka Macuga, To the Son of Man Who Ate the Scroll, 2016

Paul Graham, Beyond Caring, 1984/8

This is a brave, laudable and rather ambitious objective at a time characterized by tightening borders, stigmatizing discourses, political debates inside filter bubbles, and other suggestions that the world is not only melting under our feet but also intent on cultivating divisions.

The exhibition is located over two floors. It is huge and it can feel as overwhelming as the theme it purports to explore: Tina Barney’s photos of the European one per cent are hung in uncomfortable proximity of the ones Mohamed Bourouissa made of the deserted youth in the Paris suburbs; Jeroen de Rijke and Willem de Rooij‘s videos of drug addicts trying to stare at the camera in exchange for a beer make for an almost unbearable watch and Paul Graham‘s photos of everyday life at the (un)employment offices in the 1980s are too close to home 30 years later.

Fortunately, the curators of How To Live Together didn’t just summon grim visions, they also searched for glimpses of hope, signs of change, and lessons from other cultures. Wolfgang Tillmans’ poignant Anti-Brexit campaign reminds us why artists need to take an active role in civil society; Ayzit Bostan‘s Imagine Peace written in arabic on t-shirts challenges society’s prejudices; Johan Grimonprez‘s Kiss-o-drome illustrates how humour and love can challenge censorship. Speaking of humour… the main poster of the exhibition with its Merkel diamond gesture is an amusing echo to Herlinde Koelbl‘s portraits of Angela Merkel over decades. Those portraits were probably the most scrutinised works in the whole Kunsthalle, by the way.

Herlinde Koelbl, Angela Merkel, 1991–2006, from the cycle: Spuren der Macht (Traces of Power) at Kunsthalle Wien

Because it’s almost 40 degrees this week in Turin and i’m in a murderous mood, i’m going to split my review of the show into two parts. Today, you get the depressing bits and as soon as temperatures have cooled off a little, i’ll be back with the works that speak of solidarity, optimism and compassion.

It’s not all bad though because 1. i loved that show so much i visited it twice and 2. i’m going to open the quick gallery tour with one of my favourite artists:

Mohamed Bourouissa, Carré rouge (from the series Périphérique), 2005

Mohamed Bourouissa, La République (from the series Périphérique), 2005

Mohamed Bourouissa, Le miroir (from the series Périphérique), 2005

Installation view: How To Live Together, Kunsthalle Wien 2017, Photo: Jorit Aust

“I wanted to represent the guys from the banlieues, who are generally only portrayed by news reporters, and to lift this type of imagery into the field of aesthetics,” explained Mohamed Bourouissa in an interview with Elephant.

Made in 2005, in the context of the riots in the French banlieues, the series has as its main protagonists the young Africans and Arabs living in the suburbs of Paris.

Because we are used to seeing them portrayed by news reporters, most of us would probably take our cue from their outfits and surrounding and automatically assume that we are looking at scenes of trouble. But Bourouissa’s photos are carefully staged and lit as if they were tableaux vivants. The subtle aesthetics strategy challenges our own prejudices as well as the over-simplification of photojournalism that often fails to convey more complex socio-political contexts. His photos also seems to invite us to face uncomfortable issues head on.

Mohamed Bourouissa, L’Utopie d’August Sander, 2012–2013

Installation view: How To Live Together, Kunsthalle Wien 2017, Photo: Jorit Aust. Mohamed Bourouissa, L’Utopie d’August Sander, 2012–2013

L’Utopie d’August Sander, another Bourouissa work in the show, refers to August Sander‘s magnum opus Menschen des 20. Jahrhunderts (People of the 20th Century, also on view at Kunsthalle Wien.) This photographic atlas was intended to be a “contemporary portrait of the German man”.

August Sander, Jobless, 1928/1993

Sander’s portraits were grouped into seven portfolios, each dedicated to a specific social and occupational group. He portrayed craftsmen, industrialists, farmers but also elements of German society that were regarded as less ‘respectable’: traveling people, beggars, the disabled, the unemployed. Their inclusion in the work is probably what raised the ire of the Nazi who, in 1936, confiscated the first published version of the project and destroyed all the printing plates.

Bourouissa’s work limits his portrayal of society to the unemployed but he anchors it into the 21st century by using 3D printing. His studio was located inside a “fab-lab mobile”. He parked his truck outside a Pôle emploi (French national unemployment agency) in Marseille and asked people in search of work if he could 3D scan them and turn them into figurines, which some likened to the santon tradition in the South East of France.

By being at the crossroads of integration and social exclusion, unemployment offices remind us how much we are defined by our social status. The polyester resin statuettes are anti-monuments to this uneasy position. The figurines respect the anonymity of the job-seeker but because they are different from each other, they also mirror the singular identities of the people who aspire to play the role that modern society expects from them.

Mohamed Bourouissa, L’Utopie d’August Sander, 2012. Image via exponaute

As a nod to the economy of precariousness and resourcefulness that surrounds unemployment, Bourouissa sold the statuettes on the street for 1 Euro.

For the artist, the work process was far more important than the statuettes. His documentation of the work includes a ‘livre des refus’ (book of refusals) in which he chronicles the reactions of people who said ‘no’ to his requests and accused him of using his artistic privileges to exploit people.

Paul Graham, Beyond Caring, 1984/8

Paul Graham, Beyond Caring (Waiting room, Highgate DHSS, North London), 1984/8

Installation view: How To Live Together, Kunsthalle Wien 2017, Photo: Jorit Aust. Paul Graham, Beyond Caring, 1984/8

In 1984, Paul Graham was commissioned to present his view of “Britain in 1984”. He chose to document the inside of English unemployment offices which, at the time, struggled to accommodate 10 million people out of work. Graham wasn’t allowed to take these images, meaning that he had to hide his camera under his coat or put it on the chair beside him. He thus had to shoot instinctively, often unable to look through the viewfinder. Yet, the images seem imbued with empathy.

The images of people sitting dejectedly in run-down waiting rooms under hostile neon lights attest to the breakdown of the welfare benefits system across the country. The series also holds a bitter mirror to contemporary economic systems that cultivate social inequality and political discourses that blame the poor for their own circumstances.

Over time the work acquired “this strange double life: as both a political work of social reportage handed out at lefty political conferences, and as a fine art photography book”.

Aslan Gaisumov, stills from the video People of No Consequence, Chechnya, 2016

Aslan Gaisumov, Production photo for People of No Consequence, 2016

From 23 February to 9 March 1944 the entire Chechen and Ingush nations, about half a million people, were deported to Central Asia by the Soviet authorities. They had been declared guilty of cooperation with Nazi occupants. Almost half of all Chechens died or were killed during the round-ups and transportation, and during their early years in exile.

The expulsion was part of a forced settlement program and population transfer that affected several million members of non-Russian Soviet ethnic minorities between the 1930s and the 1950s.

Survivors were allowed to return to their native land only in 1957. Many in Chechnya and Ingushetia classify it as an act of genocide, as did the European Parliament in 2004.

Aslan Gaisumov traveled across Chechnya searching for survivors of the deportation. He managed to gather 119 of them in Grozny. 60 years after they had lost their home. People of No Consequence is a quiet, hypnotizing single shot of these people entering an official looking room and sitting down facing the camera. First, the men. Then the women who go and sit at the back. On the wall at the back of the room, a poster depicts Grozny as a city that has erased all traces of recent wars in favour of pompous, alienating architecture. People of No Consequence is an incredibly moving work. The frail people in the film are the last witnesses of an injustice that hasn’t been given a place in official historical accounts.

Aslan Gaisumov had two video pieces in the shows. Both amazing in strength and simplicity. He approaches the darkest and understudied pages in the history of his country without sensationalism, bitterness nor unnecessary pathos.

Installation view: How To Live Together, Kunsthalle Wien 2017, Photo: Jorit Aust. Sven Augustijnen, Le Réduit, 2016

Sven Augustijnen, Le Réduit, 2016

Sven Augustijnen, Le Réduit (Aerial views of Kamina Base), 2016

Sven Augustijnen, Le Réduit, 2016

Now for a bit of that famous Belgian surrealism:

While doing some research about Belgium’s colonial history in the Congo (now DRC), Sven Augustijnen found out that, during the 1950s, his country had planned to build a huge refuge for the Belgian elite in Kamina, located in the rich mining region of Katanga in what was then the Belgian Congo.

Augustijnen analysed the thousands of photos, negatives, carbon copies, maps and architectural plans he had discovered at Belgium’s Centre de Documentation historique des Forces armées. They had never been studied before.

The documents show that the Belgian government had planned to create a huge military base and a haven for the royal family and their entourage. The exclusive hideaway would have served as a second Belgian capital and refuge in case of a communist invasion in Europe.

Using the archival materials as well as a short trip he made to Kamina last year, the artist wrote a story that balances historical facts and fiction to explain the Belgian government’s absurd and ambitious secret plan.

Installation view: How To Live Together, Kunsthalle Wien 2017, Photo: Jorit Aust. Jeremy Shaw, Quickeners, 2014

That’s it for today! I’ll see you at the other end of the heat wave!

Installation view: How To Live Together, Kunsthalle Wien 2017, Photo: Jorit Aust

If you want to know more about the show, have a look at HTLT’s playlist or download the PDF of the exhibition booklet.

How To Live Together is at Kunsthalle Wien until 15 October 2017. The show was curated by Nicolaus Schafhausen, with curatorial assistant Juliane Bischoff

Also on view at Kunsthalle Wien (Karlsplatz location): Work it, Feel it! New mechanisms of body discipline.

from We Make Money Not Art http://ift.tt/2warmc7 via IFTTT

#IFTTT #We Make Money Not Art

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