Christmas is a magnificient season where magic's on the air.
I just love it.
Today, my mind was dwelling inside two of my favorites movies ever by American director David Lynch named "lost highway" from 1997 and "mulholland drive" from 2001.
Lynch uses different kinds of codes to write a narrative with actors, color, silence, noise, music, cities, pretty women and absolutely awesome landscapes in his movies.
Sometimes I think, other times I don't think while I'm trying to tell a story.
I know that I love soccer and that Portuguese coach José Mourinho left Manchester United this week.
I'm not connecting some dots between David Lynch's movies or TV series with soccer.
I really know that deep within my mind that life's a beautiful thing when Nature comunicates itself to all living beings in this planet in the exact same way in xmas time.
This will be a random short narrative with pics and printed papers with stills, posters of these two movies already mentioned above, Twin Peaks TV series, Italian director Federico Fellini masterpiece movie "La Dolce Vita" from 1960 (David Lynch always mentioned Fellini as one of his inspirations as an artist), David Bowie as a Twin Peaks actor named Philip Jeffries, as the chameleon, as the Thin White Duke, Alladinsane, Ziggy Stardust or blackstar (that's now cosmic dust in this planet), love stories, beautiful women, Masterpiece novel "Alice in wonderland" by British writer Lewis Carroll, a ghost within ourselves, an artwork based on me as a Twin Peaks character by Italian artist Marco Polenta, another artwork based on Neil Gaiman's Sandman character by Brazilian artist Douglas P. Lobo and my youngest niece Leticia.
I know that I was rewatching "Lost Highway" and a Mystery Man character scene with the main character of it in my mind.
Also rewatching "Mulholland Drive" and a scene between a cowboy, interpreted by one of my favourite musicians that's Michael Gira from the American band The Swans and one of the main characters of it was also in my mind.
I've quickly decided to use videos with these scenes and their written dialogue in order for this short narrative to make some sense in my mind.
I know that below is a pic of myself in old Europe while being in love.
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David Bowie was not only a singer, an actor or an awesome artist, Bowie had style, knew everything about arts or feelings and when he turned in January's 2016 into a blackstar, a part of my memories were suddenly cosmic dust because Bowie was a sort of father figure to myself and maybe to millions of his fans also.
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I really don't know who are my fans or even if they exist or are fictional but I'm pretty sure that my youngest niece Leticia is one of them, I know that she's only a child and part of my own blood that I try to raise as a strong woman.
I truly believe in everything that she says to me because everybody knows that children love fiction or faerie tales but they don't lie.
The same happens with my youngest niece, all my other nieces or nephews and cousins either male or female.
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I always was fond of love stories, because if you don't love a love story you're already dead inside yourself in my humble opinion.
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I love coffee and coffeeshops either with pretty ladies or with people communicating among themselves with the comunication code that we human beings use, that's really different from other living beings in this same planet and I'm pretty sure that they are smarter than us and that they even create its own love stories in their comunication.
In the pic below, I've put on it an artwork with coffee, Twin Peaks TV series, a musical element, a pretty lady in orange color that represents fire or desire in life.
There's also an artwork based on Twin Peaks TV series and a quote by special FBI AgentDale Cooperin it:
"I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange"
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In the picture below, I've put pics of myself in it in between pics of "Lost Highway" or "Mulholland Drive" movies trapped inside a blue color.
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In the picture below, I've put pics of myself as some sort of "ghost" and of my friend and excellent musician Mascara Girl in between pics of "Lost Highway" or "Mulholland Drive" movies trapped inside a blue color.
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Loving life's loving being among people while showing a fascinating still from Federico Fellini's masterpiece movie "La Dolce Vita".
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Maybe we simple human beings live inside a dream where we act as some sort of Gods among other living beings just like in the movies.
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Maybe I'm a simple "ghost" taking pictures to pretty women as can be seen below.
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Maybe I'm trapped in these two movies where everything's taped and recorded with pics of them and of Mascara Girl and a pretty lady.
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Maybe I'm still trying to decypher "Alice in Wonderland" masterpiece by British writer Lewis Carroll that's still quite popular in the XXIst Century.
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Maybe, I'm trapped not on the two movies above mentioned but on Twin Peaks prelude that was a movie named "Fire walk with me" directed by David Lynch while writing a love story live to a pretty lady in the city where I was born.
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Maybe I'm a "ghost" within myself trapped inside some mirror.
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Maybe, I'm writing an autobiography and a love story at the same time while thinking on British writer Neil Gaiman's Sandman character as shown below in an artwork by Brazilian artist Douglas P Lobo or in an artwork based on myself created by Italian artist Marco Polenta while being lost in Twin Peaks TV series "Red room".
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Maybe, I'm looking at a statue, smoking a cigarette without internet.
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I'm sure that I'm not a superman, so I can't fly as high as an airplane, but people sometimes tell that when we dream, we do indeed fly.
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Below are the two scenes that were stuck in my mind for two days of the above mentioned movies that I'm using for a chapter of my own autobiography with help by more than 60 of the best international contemporary artists that created artworks based on myself. You're the best. Merry Christmas to everyone. Manuel
Mystery Man: We've met before, haven't we?
Fred: I don't think so. Where was it you think we met?
Mystery Man: At your house. Don't you remember?
Fred: No. No, I don't. Are you sure?
Mystery Man: Of course. As a matter of fact, I'm there right now.
Fred: What do you mean? You're where right now?
Mystery Man: At your house.
Fred: [pause] That's fucking crazy, man.
Mystery Man: Call Me. Dial your number. Go ahead.
[Fred dials the number and the Mystery Man answers]
Mystery Man: [over the phone] I told you I was here.
Fred: [alarmed] How'd you do that?
Mystery Man: Ask me.
Fred: [angrily into the phone] How did you get inside my house?
Mystery Man: You invited me. It is not my custom to go where I am not wanted.
Fred: [into the phone] Who are you?
[Both Mystery Men laugh]
Mystery Man: [over the phone] Give me back my phone.
[Fred gives the phone back]
Mystery Man: It's been a pleasure talking to you.
Cowboy: Howdy.
Adam Kesher: Howdy to you.
Cowboy: Beautiful evening.
Adam Kesher: Yeah.
Cowboy: Sure wanna thank you for coming all the way up here to see me from that... nice little hotel downtown.
Adam Kesher:No problem. What's on your mind?
Cowboy:Well, now. Here's a man who wants to get right down to it.
Kinda anxious to get down to it, are you?
Adam Kesher: whatever..
Cowboy:A man's attitude... a man's attitude goes some ways toward how a man's life will be. Is that somethin' you agree with?
Adam Kesher:
Sure.
Cowboy:Now... did you answer cause you thought that's what I wanted to hear or did you think about what I said and answer cause you truly believe that to be right?
Adam Kesher: I agree with what you say, truly.
Cowboy: What I say?
Adam Kesher: that a man's attitude determines to a large extent what his life will be.
Cowboy: So since you agree, you must be a person who does not care about the good life.
Adam Kesher: How's that?
Cowboy:Well, just stop for a little second and think about it. Will ya do that for me?
Adam Kesher:Okay, I'm thinking.
Cowboy:No, you're not thinkin'. You're too busy being a smart aleck to be thinkin'. Now I want ya to *think* and stop bein' a smart aleck. Can ya try that for me?
Adam Kesher: Look, where's this going?
What you want me to do?
Cowboy:There's sometimes a buggy. How many drivers does a buggy have?
Adam Kesher:One.
Cowboy:So, let's just say I'm driving this buggy. And, if you fix your attitude, you can ride along with me.
Adam Kesher: ok
Cowboy: I want you to go back to work tomorrow. You were recasting the lead actress anyway, auditioning many girls for the part.
When you see the girl that was shown to you earlier today, you'll say: this is the girl.
The rest of the crew can stay, that's up to you, but that lead girl is not up to you.
Writing a love story isn't an easy task, but for you and out of the blue, I'll write one because our hearts bliss when our feelings aren't static trees.
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There're tinder bells when I'm observing your inner spells towards me in our joyride for free.
You whisper this to me into my ears and heart:
- You caress my body, heart and soul even in the cold.
I simply don't have words for you and I kiss your hair while gazing your insight into my heart for a start.
Deep down in our cave, you continue whispering words to me for free by posing me random questions:
- Will you borrow me your leather jacket in the snow without a single blow?
- Will you be by my side, until I'm old always with a young soul?
My shadow stalks you in the streets where we're meant to be.
Your blonde hair covers my face inside a lace.
My heart trembles when you're holding a vintage magazine, knowing myself that you're inside me and I'm inside you while visioning our hearts trembling together forever and ever.
You took me a picture in some magical garden while I'm holding your hand in a curious landscape where December suddenly turns itself into September.
I answer some of your questions while taking pictures of you where light is our sight:
- My jacket is yours because in the freezing snow, we are a single bow.
- I'll be by your side until our bodies and souls disappear in the cosmic dust of fear.
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I'm observing your eyes and I don't see in them any lies.
You question me about what's free with a smile for a while:
- Will you hug me?
- Will you kiss me?
- Will you compose words for me when I'm playing an individual musical performance for your leisure and pleasure?
- Will you play hide and seek with me in our room where we don't find a tea spoon?
- Will you travel with me, when my heart is rushing and blushing while touching your hair, trying to see the best version of yourself inside myself?
- Will you protect me in the dark, where our bodies merge in some park?
I stare at you...
I gaze at you...
I see your flower near the rushing hour.
I light a cigarette and my eyes are suddenly crying because of the smoke that comes from it while observing your true beauty in your purity.
I answer your questions while whispering this to your pretty ears:
- I've hugged and kissed thee under our magical tree.
- My words are our swords in our slice of life where love isn't a mere dove.
- Our magic never was a tragic lost moment inside our own present.
- I'll travel with you until the world suddenly spins itself while staring at our feeling without at the sun screaming.
- I'll protect you in the dark, in the park where our moments of joy and fun are bodies in action inside a time fraction.
We're in a balcony and you ask coffee for me while I'm asking you to observe the sea.
You ask me this inside your smoke with a single poke:
- I'll roam city streets with thee.
- I want you to be part of me.
- Can we hide our love inside a drawer in a tiny little box that's strong as an ox and smart as a fox?
- Will you watch football games with me with our hearts beating as one when we both shout "goal" in all of memories of new, old with or without cold?
- Will we watch Cristiano Ronaldo's games live wearing in his body, the symbol of the country where you were born in some storm?
- Will you share my bed even if it serves only to cover our head?
I mix the coffee and its sugar with a tiny spoon that was made by you, for me and from my mouth these words pop out:
- I'm already part of thee, can't you see?
- Our life will never be hidden inside a box, because our bodies and souls merge wherever people want to see.
- We'll shout together at Cristiano Ronaldo's goals with the Portuguese flag and kiss each other after them, because our love story is a morning glory.
- I'll share your bed and I'll caress your hair, eyes and lips with the scent of tulips.
We're in a boat that float and your gentle body trembles a bit while being scared of river water and I say this to you while holding your hand and golden hair:
- I'm always with you, don't despair.
You continue taking some pics of me while I do the same to you in a love that's free.
We're at a football Stadium and Mourinho's waving at us.
You're observing my glasses, actually seeing the smile in my passes.
I'm holding a book inside your look.
I catch your body and carry you in my back as we run and climb city statues for fun.
Deep inside me, you do know that you're my "sweetest perfection" and a song starts to sing words for us, when we're inside a city bus.
We stare at each other, holding our hands together and inside our kiss, there's only bliss.
To my soulmate with love with a magical video clip of our song that remains forever young.
Numa conversa entre cigarros e alguns cafés, eu e o artista da Invicta, Paulo Pinto fomos trocando algumas perguntas com respostas meio ao desbarato entre memórias nunca esquecidas.
Algures na conversa apareceu na minha mente e na do Paulo, a fabulosa série de TV Twin Peaks criada pelos artistas norte-americanos Mark Frost e David Lynch entre 1990 e 1991, o prelúdio da mesma que é o filme "Fire walk with me" do realizador norte-americano David Lynch de 1992, assim como o regresso desta fabulosa série pelos já citados criadores intitulada Twin Peaks: The Return, estreada em 21 de Maio de 2017 para concluir a narrativa desta série, onde o actor principal da mesma Kyle Machlalan no papel de agente da FBI Dale Cooper diz o seguinte na mesma "vivemos num sonho".
Decidi criar um quadro com imagens da série e um dos temas da sua banda sonora "shadow" da banda musical norte-americana The Chromatics que pode ser visto abaixo.
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A noite estava gélida e entre café e café, o Paulo ia-me falando dos seus livros que foram distribuidos e divulgados em jornais em Portugal com prefácios da minha autoria e que estão esgotados, questionando-me acerca do trabalho que desenvolvi e desenvolvo com mais de cem artistas internacionais em livros e exposições artísticas com sucesso em todo o mundo, assim como na distribuição/lançamento a nivel internacional duma autobiografia da minha pessoa e as minhas memórias desde a minha infância, com amor pelos membros mais novos da minha familia, dos meus animais de estimação, uma palavra chamada identidade, um sentimento chamado "Amor" entre outras coisas que vagueiam na minha mente e que estão na já citada autobiografia com ajuda de mais de 60 dos melhores artistas internacionais contemporâneos de mais de 25 países diferentes, enquanto o meu corpo ia fugindo do frio através do fabuloso café que tomavamos.
Abaixo coloco fotos onde se podem ver os livros do Paulo Pinto e outras fotos e trabalhos artisticos do Paulo que ilustram a entrevista/mini-conversa que tivemos num qualquer dia onde a humidade se entranhava nos nossos ossos.
Obrigado ao artista nascido na Invicta,Paulo Pinto pela amabilidade e cordialidade nesta entrevista/conversa com cigarros e um fabuloso café de gente nascida na mais bela cidade do mundo.
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Podes nos contar um pouco de como começou o teu gosto pela arte?
Tenho memórias de quando tinha 4 ou 5 anos os meus pais compravam cadernos que eu rapidamente preenchia com desenhos, depois comecei a ter curiosidade de ver o que os artistas faziam e como faziam e, infelizmente, nunca mais me livrei deste vício.
Quais são as tuas influências artísticas?
É uma boa pergunta mas provavelmente não tem resposta ou tem várias respostas. A influência virá do cubismo, de Pratt, de Jorge Amado, do Punk Rock, dos filmes de gangsters, das dezenas de westerns, das noitadas de S. João nas Fontaínhas e sei lá que mais.
Noite de São João do Porto
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Qual a tua cidade de eleição Invicta ou Ang kor?
O facto de poder viajar tem-me permitido conhecer lugar fantásticos, entre os quais Angkor, mas isso apenas serve para reforçar a imensa paixão pela minha cidade, que não me canso de desenhar.
Templo de Angkor no Cambodja
A invicta
De que vão falando as tuas histórias?
As minhas histórias falam de duas coisas simples: aquilo que me encanta e o que me aborrece. Para isso invento personagens e dou-lhes vida, nesse sentido sinto-me um pequeno deus capaz de fazer uns felizes e matar outros. Por vezes acontecem coisas maravilhosas e que saem fora do meu controlo, há personagens que dizem algumas merdas que eu jamais direi, ou seja, enquanto criador mando-os dizer umas quantas barbaridades.
Uma prancha sobre a cidade do Porto por Paulo Pinto
O que escolhes como arte narrativa, Bauhaus, o movimento artístico ou a banda?
O movimento artístico sem dúvida, a ideia de unir artes, de tirar partido das especificidades de cada uma delas para criar algo de novo parece-me bem mais interessante que qualquer criador de canções que soam muito idênticas entre si. Ter uma linha de acção ou de criação não pode significar estar sempre no mesmo registo.
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Quais são os teus filmes favoritos?
“Voando sobre um ninho de cucos” do realizador checo Milos Forman por retratar aquela luta interior que todos sentimos, acho eu, de mandar à merda o sistema que a sociedade nos impõe, mais vale morrer, neste caso matar, que viver formatado.”Laranja mecânica” do realizador norte-americano Stanley Kubrick voltamos ao tema da normalização das nossas acções, do que está errado e o que está certo segundo o ponto de vista da sociedade. Quem pensam os políticos que são para dizer os que está certo e o que está errado? Acham que criando bairros repetitivos plantados em cidades monótonas e formas organizadas de vida pode conduzir as pessoas à felicidade? Mais rapidamente nos levam à loucura.
“Cinema Paraíso” do realizador italiano Giuseppe Tornatore numa ode de amor ao cinema.
Jack Nicholson - actor do filme "voando sobre um ninho de cucos" por Paulo Pinto
Que livro te deu mais prazer a ler?
“Coca-cola Killer” do António Vitorino d’Almeida, um livro imparável e impagável e agora que penso nele, acho que o livro é completamente desvairado e raios me partam se não adoro merdas desvairadas e, porque sou grande apreciador de banda desenhada tenho que referir “Silêncio” de Comés, uma obra sublime.
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Diz-nos uma banda que ainda coloca o teu corpo e esqueleto a vibrar?
Há duas bandas às quais volto de forma recorrente, The Clash e The Pogues porque fizeram música intemporal.
Se falamos de bandas modernas, nenhuma me interessa. Infelizmente são todas um monte de bosta, continuo a pensar na música como uma arte superior e a inspiração algo de divino, o que muito raramente se encontra num qualquer ficheiro informático, é por isso que me aborrece aquilo a que chamo música “excel”. Devo acrescentar que abomino aquela coisa a que chamam música mas que não passa de gente a falar sobre uma batida computorizada qualquer.
Joe Strummer - Líder dos The Clash por Paulo Pinto
Shane Mcgowan - Líder dos The Pogues por Paulo Pinto
É mito ou verdade que as mulheres mais belas do mundo vivem em Ermesinde?
É um mito verdadeiro.
Autocarro de sonhos
Num braço de ferro entre ti e o Wolverine, quem achas que vencia?
Nunca me meteria nesse tipo de coisa com gente dessa estirpe, para dizer a verdade gostava de ser amigo do gajo e adorava que ele fosse visita lá de casa, sempre podia ajudar a descascar as batatas e as cebolas para o jantar.
Wolverine por Paulo Pinto
Abaixo segue um tributo em video genial á fabulosa série de TV Peaky Blinders com o tema "soldier" da banda norte-americana Fleurie do álbum "love and war" lançado em Setembro de 2016 com a letra do tema numa tradução livre da minha parte do idioma inglês para o português.