The Letter in the Pond

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I RECENTLY SPOTTED A BLOG CALLED “THAT CANADIAN GIRL.” It’s written by a French-Canadian gal named Vero, who is living in the UK. Such it is that I love “found objects” this posting by Vero caught my eye. It’s weird, odd and a perfect thing to share with readers of Accidental Mysteries.

You can check out her blog here.

And here’s the odd story, as written by Vero:

“Recently, a friend of ours, Simon, moved to Over, just North of Cambridge, UK. He was moving to a lovely property, with a nice garden and a pond.

Simon wasn’t so keen on the pond though. It’s not very child friendly, and with two young ones running around the garden, he thought it would be safer to get rid of it.

A few buckets and hours of sweating later, Simon lifted the pond lining to discover a laminated piece of paper sitting at the bottom of the gaping hole that once was the previous owner’s pond.”

It’s more fun to read the actual letter, but in case it is too difficult, here is the transcription.

---------------------

“10th July 2003

To whom it may concern:

If you are reading this then I can only assume that you have removed the pond under which this note was buried.

Of course, as I am not around at the moment, I am not in a position to comment on why you may have chosen to remove the pond and, it is fair to say, that there could be any number of reasons for doing so. I will not try to list those potential reasons right now but there could be quite a lot of them. One of the more bizarre reasons could be that the removal of the pond was the direct result of a bite on the ankle from a Wildebeest, but I shall not speculate.

Anyways, I would like you to be aware that the digging of this pond and it’s subsequent filling with water and stocking with fish and aquatic plants took a considerable amount of personal effort. It’s not just the digging of the hole you know (although clearly that is a major part), but also the consideration that had to be given to the sitting of the pond, its shape and size, its location close to a convenient electrical supply, etc etc etc.

I have to admit that I am a bit miffed about all this. You have just destroyed (yes, I know its a strong word to use but there are principles involved here) something that took me a long time to do. If I came along and destroyed something that it had taken a long time for you to do then I think you would be a bit miffed as well, so just think on that.

Enough of this. Just get on with what it is you think you are doing, you snivelling pond destroyer.

Oh, and by the way, I hope your head falls off.”

How Much Is That Doggie?

Click on any image for an outstanding, larger view.



Click on any image for an outstanding, larger view.



Click on any image for an outstanding, larger view.







IF YOU HAVE EVER TRIED TO TAKE A GOOD PHOTOGRAPH of a pet, you know that it is not an easy thing to do. Sit still. Whoa. Look this way.... and without a trained animal and a handler the process can be much more difficult. Luck plays a big part for some animal photography, but you wouldn’t believe that to look at the photographs of Tim Flach. Flack maybe be one of the best animal shooters in the world, and based on these images from his website, you might believe it as well.

Flach and his assistants make sure all elements in the photo shoot are perfect for the animals, even down to having the temperature just right for the particular animal being photographed. Carefully orchestrated, every animal picture Flach takes is, as you can see, a work of art. What Flach wants is what Flach gets.

Via here.

Dreaming the Industrial Body

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Click any image for larger view.

IN THE EARLY 20th CENTURY, FRITZ KAHN produced a succession of books on the inner workings of the human body, using visual metaphors drawn from industrial society—assembly lines, internal combustion engines, refineries, dynamos, telephones, etc. The body, in Kahn’s work, was “modern” and productive, a theme visually emphasized through modernist artwork. Though his books sold well, his Jewishness, and public advocacy of progressive reform, made him a target for Nazi attacks. Rescued by American agent Varian Fry, along with other prominent Jewish scientists and intellectuals, he was brought to America in 1940.

Via here.

Twisted Tales, Hidden Stories

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Click any image for larger view.





I FIRST SAW CHRIS ANTEMANN’S INCREDIBLE WORK AT ART CHICAGO this year. I was smitten with her work from the moment I saw it. Her one-of-a-kind, ornate ceramics remind me of 18th century French porcelain figurines gone mad. Chris’ world is strange and fun, and as she puts it: “my work is about the twisted tales of master and servant, where the innocence of the floral-clad maid frolics with the dominance of patriarchal desire.”

Secret lives exposed... hidden stories, and a disregard for tradition is what makes Chris Antemann’s work my “pick of the month” for great contemporary art.

Chris is represented by Ferrin Gallery.

Weekend Random Images

(Above) Hand-carved of hardwood; these chairs were apparently modeled after a rare 18th-century chair which sold for over $100,000 at a New York auction. By oral tradition, they were part of a set custom-ordered by actor Vincent Price. However, Price died before they were delivered. Via here.


(Above) Appalachian snake handler; via here.


(Above) Six foot circular painting of an eyeball, by Marc Quinn. Via here.


(Above) Tashrih-i badan-i insane; Persian manuscript, ca. 1400-1500. National Library of Medicine.


(Above) The first X-ray image, 1895; The announcement of Roentgen’s discovery, illustrated with an X-ray photograph of his wife’s hand, was hailed as one of mankind’s greatest technological accomplishments, an invention that would revolutionize every aspect of human existence. Via here.


(Above) Big-ass tree: via here.


HERE’S YOUR WEEKEND DOSE of images. Take with full glass of water and I’ll see you Monday.

Graphic Design and Abstraction for WWI British Ships

(Above) The Father of Razzle Dazzle camouflage Norman Wilkinson. Click any image for larger view.


(Above) Early graphic design for painting ships. Click any image for larger view.


(Above) Graphic design for ship and photo of actual ship below. Click any image for larger view.




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(Above) This ship is pretty wack! Click any image for larger view.

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THE SITUATION: You’re the Fleet Admiral of the Navy in World War I. Your ships are being sunk at an alarming rate by the devastatingly effective German U-Boat. The traditional camouflage isn’t working because your environment (sea and sky) changes with the weather. What do you do?

THE INSIGHT

It’s not where you are—it’s where you’re going.

World War I occurred from 1914–1918; back then sinking an enemy battleship was a three-step process:

Step 1: Locate your target’s position and plot its course.
Step 2: Determine the ship’s speed and confirm the direction it is heading.
Step 3: Launch torpedo not directly at the ship, but where you think it’s going to be by the time the torpedo reaches the ship.

*Remember this is early 20th century warfare, weapons don’t travel at the speed they do today.

THE SOLUTION:
HIT THEM WITH THE RAZZLE DAZZLE

Forget about not being seen, that only solves their first problem. Focus on confusing them so they don’t know where you’re going. Then their torpedoes will be shot in vain because they thought you zigged when you really zagged.

British Artist and naval officer Norman Wilkinson had this very insight and pioneered the Dazzle Camouflage movement (known as Razzle Dazzle in the United States). Norman used bright, loud colors and contrasting diagonal stripes to make it incredibly difficult to gauge a ship’s size and direction.

It was cheap, effective, and widely-adopted during the War. Check out the incredible photographs above.

Via here.

My Brush With Fame

(Above) Gregory Peck and Mary Badham, on the set of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Click image for much larger view.


(Above) Gregory Peck, Click image for much larger view.


(Above) Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner, Click image for much larger view.


(Above) Gregory Peck, Click image for much larger view.

(Above) Gregory Peck, Click image for much larger view.

(Above) Gregory Peck and Polly Bergen, Click image for much larger view.

(Above) Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren, Click image for much larger view.


(Above) Natalie Wood, Click image for much larger view.

(Above) Marlon Brando, Click image for much larger view.

(Above) Grace Kelly, Click image for much larger view.

(Above) Audrey Hepburn, Click image for much larger view.

(Above) Katherine Hepburn, Click image for much larger view.

(Above) Brigitte Bardot, Click image for much larger view.

(Above) The immortal Jimmy Stewart, Click image for much larger view.

(Above) Katherine Hepburn, Click image for much larger view.


(Above) Nancy Sinatra, her father Frank and Yul Brenner next to unidentified man with high pants. Click image for much larger view.



ABOUT 20 SOME YEARS AGO, I WAS at the beautifully restored Saint Louis Union Station, a marvelous hotel and shopping area in our city. I was just standing there, looking at the craftsmanship and art of the architecture, when I happened to looked up. Walking directly towards me was... could it be?... yes?... wow!... was Gregory Peck.

I had no idea he was even in St. Louis but there he was—all 6’ 3” of this amazing man. I was standing near the stairs, leading to the taxicab station outside. He was just a few feet in front of me when our eyes met, and I smiled and said “Hello Mr. Peck.” In his charming voice and with that amazing sparkle in his eyes, he answered simply “hel-loo.” It was my brush with fame—a memory that was etched that day in my memory.

All of this spurred from these pictures I found of the Golden Age of Hollywood, which began in the 1920s and lasted until the early 1960s. Here are some candid B&W images from Hollywood, caught by photographers when Hollywood was golden and Lindsay Lohan free.

Via here.