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simulacra of a simulacra?

cliffs :: wildwest

i'm going to go all over the place with this post....

ONE :: i really enjoyed all the responses to "collection". dawn shared some of her collections which was great. camilla has an art project that has to do with collections. it seems like many of us here in blogland have a penchant for them. i have a feeling this subject shall pop up again [aren't i supposed to show you all my rings?]

TWO :: above is one the last of my albuquerque pictures. [wow that seems like eons ago now]. the last day we were there we went to cliff's amusement park .

i have to say.... it kind of seemed like a west coast version of coney island . except for that it's the simulacra of it. [ok - if you haven't been subjected to baudrillard's simulacra theory - this will make no sense - but if you have....] does this make cliff's a double simulacra? of course you must first believe the suggestion that disneyland [all amusement parks] are simulacras - but i do subscribe to that notion. so then is cliff's a simulacra of a simulacra [can you say that 10 times fast?] is that like a DOUBLE NEGATIVE? i can't quite wrap my head around what that might mean, but it sounds all heady and philosophical no? for more coney island goodness you can see my photos from my visit there here . and you can see the lovely abee's drool worthy coney island materpieces here . then compare them to cliff's and see what you think.

THREE :: theoretical mishaps and meanderings seem to be all the rage with me the last few day. this is what happens to me when i don't get enough studio time. my mind goes on overdrive - i can't MAKE stuff so i THINK stuff. the entire gruelling commute this morning i was trying to be zen - to not get angry with the endless line of autos and the idiots that cut everyone off - and thus my mind started to race... i look for similarities in things - how things might relate to one another [oh that song has the word that shari and i are documenting this week!]. i make stupid geeky puns to myself that no one else would even smirk at. i wonder about the the farm bill and how we as a nation can continue to subgigate the poor to the worst possible food choices .

ok - enough talk? more pictures? i'm happy to oblidge.

cliffs :: yellowtable

cliffs :: gal[axy]

cliffs_ferris

cliffs :: clown

cliffs :: eat

i think this one is one of my favorites from the trip.

ok. i gotta get back to work.... have a good thursday!
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Anonymous said…
I don't quite get what a simulcara is but I love the photos of the amusement park in Albq....especially the one of the clown! THAT could make for a great painting or something, don't you think?!?
Thu Apr 26, 04:11:00 AM PDT
jen said…
oh, i love these polaroids, lisa! they seem much more cheery and colorful to me than coney island. something about that place is very dark.
Thu Apr 26, 06:56:00 AM PDT
Anonymous said…
I love how polaroids seem to take us into another world and these amazing ones of the amusement park are even more so 'another world' - really beautiful lisa..

I have a dislike for clowns and this photo is fantastic - emphasising the 'freakyness' - it reminds me a little of a photo i took once (i will show it to you) xxx
Thu Apr 26, 07:24:00 AM PDT
Erin Lang Norris said…
lisa! that photo of the games and the yellow table/chairs is SOOO so good. i sat here and stared at it for awhile. and then i scrolled down and saw the rest...i love those too!
Thu Apr 26, 07:29:00 AM PDT
bugheart said…
yes,
we do seem
to have
a penchant
for collections...
i love the polaroids...
i could use
a trip
to
an amusement park!
hope you are getting
some things
off your desk!
xoxo
Thu Apr 26, 07:34:00 AM PDT
Anonymous said…
it's funny - i hate carnivals and amusment parks - they overwhelm me and make me sad. but i love pictures of them - those are great. and yes, it seems like cliff's is a copy of a copy. i buy that!

and i've been thinking a lot about collections since your post. i may have to take some pictures of mine soon.

great post!
have a great day!
Thu Apr 26, 07:54:00 AM PDT
Anonymous said…
i love that cafeteria shot too. i googled baudrillard and was drawn into making sense of all of his theories. but the thing is, i was never great with theory. if cliff's is a double simulacra that might mean it doesn't really exist at all? hmmm...i do love coney issland though. i have great old photos of my grandparents hanging out there and i love that my currently extremely frail granny loooooooooooved riding the cyclone. and i went through a period where i was obsessed with the wonder wheel. love that big scary rickety thing.
Thu Apr 26, 08:27:00 AM PDT
wendy said…
oh lisa I love these photos!!
the color in your polaroids adds a lot to the depth and forgotten-ness of the place.
beautiful captures...
Thu Apr 26, 08:55:00 AM PDT
Anonymous said…
I love how polaroids give everything a nostalgic feel (its hazy dreamy quality), they are perfect for the retro look of this amusement park. Great angles on all of them especially the last picture which is an abstract art piece in itself.
Thu Apr 26, 12:54:00 PM PDT
Tiffany said…
You really do need some zen-time!

Go create something! Make time for your studio! In sharing your theoretical meanderings, I was transported back to University and midnight discussions steeped in Nietzsche and Descartes, about existence and perception. Now my head is spinning!

The picts rock!

:^)

Tiffany
Thu Apr 26, 01:03:00 PM PDT
Jan Halvarson said…
oh baudrillard - hyper-reality - that's all i can remember.....

simulacra theory - i'm going to have to read up - sounds intriquing though

but i do have to say - simply love your polaroids - great faded colors going on!
Thu Apr 26, 01:35:00 PM PDT
christine ann haynes said…
I also love all of your beautiful incredible polaroids (except the one of the evil brain-licking murderous peddler of pent-up anger disguised as mirth).

Can you say (ir)rational fear? *smile*

Hugs lovely lovely girl!!
Thu Apr 26, 03:58:00 PM PDT
Anonymous said…
love that special amusement park vibe in your gorgeous polas!!!
really want to go to cliff´s too :)
Fri Apr 27, 12:41:00 AM PDT
Anonymous said…
ur blog is fabulous....
those polaroids are just so amazingly special and unique...a hint of dreamy days as a child i feel from them...
so glad i came across ur site...

wonderful inspirations...thank u,

i will be back,

x x kazzy x x
Fri Apr 27, 02:35:00 AM PDT
Anonymous said…
Such colours... eek! How wondrous!
A world that is more-real-than-real, bravo!
take care, g xo
Fri Apr 27, 06:11:00 AM PDT
Janet said…
Love love love these polaroids. The top one is my absolute favourite, made me gasp!! xx
Fri Apr 27, 08:24:00 AM PDT
Anonymous said…
There's too much to discuss in a comment, and I'm not the best writer. Too bad we can't sip some simulacra tea and talk more. So many ideas! I love your photos.
Fri Apr 27, 04:43:00 PM PDT
Anonymous said…
I have not a clue if I told you this before, because my mind is in one of those over drive things too. But, if you had shown these and told me it was the 70's I so would have believed it. I love the polaroid quality! I think I am going to enjoy this theory. But, first, I should go get informed. Thanks Lisa!!! V
Fri Apr 27, 06:15:00 PM PDT
Anonymous said…
Hi dear. My mind is in overdrive at the moment too. I think its a combination of Spring, having just enough time to do a little, but want to make so much more. (I tend to blame so much on Spring, I'm sorry S!) Your links are so great, I love the NY times piece. I read things like that and find myself sitting, like Andy McDowell in Sex, Lies, and Videotape, mumbling "But, where does all that trash go...where does it go?....." (I'm completely serious here.) Your shots as usual are fantastic, I really like the yellow chair shot. Combined with that green grass in the shot, and the blue-ish wastecan, its hit a nerve with me. xo
Sat Apr 28, 06:58:00 PM PDT
Anonymous said…
Psst. You are a Winner!!
Sun Apr 29, 10:53:00 PM PDT
lisa solomon said…
hi pat... if i still painted maybe i'd do it :)

jen... yes coney is dark, but there's something real about the seedy side of amusement parks, no?

julie... i LOVED your photo. thank you for sharing it...

hi erin... thank you!

bug - i hope you get to go to a park... take some time off..

meg... i know what you mean about hating them. i actually kind of love to hate them. looking forward to your collections

risa... i dunno what a double simulacra is - that's part of what i'm trying to figure out... baudrillard is a bit on the complex side, but as i read and re-read him he makes more sense to me... i LOVE that your frail granny liked the cyclone

thanks wenders....

bablefish... i know - polaroids - magic, right?

tiff... zen time. yes. i wish i could just make some time!!!

jan... hee hee. thank's for liking the pics

hi vv - so - something against clowns, hun? *smile* back

hi maditi! the yellow table reminded me of your beach table shots...

hi kazzy... thanks for stopping by and such the kind words!

gracia... XOXO thinking of you and installing!

hi janet... thanks....

alyssa.... i'd love to have some simulacra tea with you!

vanessa... overdrive is the way to be man ! :D

hi blair. i love the image of you as andie mcdowell.... XOXO
Mon Apr 30, 11:58:00 AM PDT
amisha said…
i've been thinking of these images for days now... layers of simulacra one on top of the other. so much of our drive to athens was like that. it's always in my head too when we go to south florida, through all the disney/theme park stuff (there is a theme park called the holy land in orlando... i really want to go!). i am no expert on baudrillard at all but i think it's interesting that it presupposes that at some point (when??) there was a real. and now it is all layers of simulacara, though i don't think that a simulation of a simulacra cancel each other out, they just become more and more removed from the real. but then there is the question, i think, of whether or not the "real" ever was... how would you know it if you saw it?
have you read about the disney town in florida, celebration? it is all planned/owned by disney but it is a real actual town. e's sister lives there... simulacra heaven!
xo!
Thu May 03, 08:27:00 AM PDT
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