Of Bohos and Bobos

I found out today that Bohemia is actually a place...
It's part of the Czech Republic (look to the right for the coat of arms).

So my question is:
What are we all doing here? Bohemians return to the land that gives you your name!

In fact, the assumption that gypsies and other wandering artists mostly came from here, was what led to the coining of the word 'bohemian' and all that it implies today.

Then the authors took it up, and it began to imply a sort of anti-conventionality, beginning with the gypsies and their lifestyle, one that soon began to be coveted by artists, painters and writers at the end of the 19th century.

Of course, amongst the Bohos themselves, are the Bobos, or bourgeiose bohemians, but we should devote another post to that word...

Today Venice Beach, Greenwich Village, Kathmandu, Ithaca (NY) are some of the places where modern Bohemian Communities live. What about where you live? And what about Bohemia itself?

Might have beens

paris j'taime...

...On July 30th 2007, both Michaelangelo Antonioni and Ingmar Bergman died...

Now, it might seem shallow to talk only about these two men, when I am sure many others also died on that very same day, but I am going to muse aloud anyway. Why should these two artists of film be deemed worthy of more attention that the subjects who inspired them?

Perhaps because of the coincidence in their dying on the same day? They really might have had a prior rendezvous with each other, who knows . I guess the reason they were floating around in my head, is that though they both made films, and were considered to be part of the avante garde in the 50's and 60's, they both were just so different.

One was prolific, but dysfunctional. The other sparse, selective but happier. One could not bear to watch his own films, the other felt them to be like his children...

However, both of them found inspiration in life, in Bergman's case this was a very personal inspiration, and some of his films seem to be vocalisation of conversations he might have had with himself. I read that in his life, moments would present themselves to him, that would take flight in his mind. Any work of mine, that I feel even remotely happy about, begun like that. I am surprised that he didn't lose himself, pouring his soul out into the very many films that he did.

In that respect, I identify with Antonioni more, and the fact that he really didn't make so many films in his life, and after an initial traumatic try, did not attempt one for ten years. He was okay with his films not being understood, in fact he intended it that way. As a film-maker, when showing a film like that to an audience needs a strong stomach to say the least...(check out the links below)

As film-makers and perhaps artists, do we all not feel an ambiguity towards our work at one point of time or the other? Only now, after a year can I see my last film with some semblance of acceptance. But I have also now, only after almost a year(again), started making films once more. For a long time, I could not even watch them. I am not even really sure why. As for my drawing and writing, well thats been on an ebb for these past two months. I seem to be waging a battle to be and to do everything, but ending up doing very little at all. Very far from the bright flame that was Picasso, burning, burning all his life.

So which are you? An Antonioni or a Bergman? Or perhaps someone else...Check out the links below and decide.


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/movies/30cnd-bergman.html?ex=1186977600&en=aced39c053c830d9&ei=5070

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/31/movies/31cnd-antonio.html?ex=1186977600&en=577cc8bb2f268b9f&ei=5070