Conspiracy of the Gods!! Prometheus Tells All!! part one, Intro

 

 Conspiracy of the Gods!

 

RED HOT NEWS!  See it here, the exclusive Natural Inquirer  interview with Prometheus,  the Bringer of Fire.  The WakiLeaks whistle blower who is both criticized and worshipped, tells all to hot shot reporter, Cherry Belle, of the Natural Inquirer.

RED HOT NEWS!  Prometheus tells all!  Conspiracy of the Gods! 

EXCLUSIVE! HOT SHOT REPORTER, CHERRY BELL, INTERVIEWS PROMETHEUS!

 

I waited with pleasant anticipation in the fabulous Lizard Lounge of the Hotel California.  Looking around, I decided that the softly lit, art deco style lounge was my new favorite comfort zone. 

Prometheus, looking very hot indeed, in his young Sean Connery avatar incarnation, appeared in the lounge entryway.  Ah, yes, he IS a Greek God, I sighed, I almost swooned, as he sauntered through the door of the lounge.  Behind him was the sparkling hyperlight of the lobby. The bright back lighting silhouetted his wide shoulders and narrow hips, (OMG!).  He walked with a languid, powerful grace into the twilight of the lounge. 

I waved and he came and set opposite me in the booth. He was right on time for our appointment.

Our server, Swishy, struggled to maintain a professional demeanor, as he stared at Prometheus. He took our order and wiped the drool off of his chin with the back of his hand. I smiled in secret amusement at the server's loss of poise. I was feeling a bit shaky myself.  Of course it is stunning to see a real God, right there in front of your face.  We were both awestruck.

Swishy was cute and charming. He served our refreshments with a dramatic flourish and barely contained adoration.  I expected him to bow at any minute.  Prometheus had an Evian water, I had a Singapore Sling.  (Just shut up! I know what time it is.)

After the required few words of small talk, I cut right to the chase, "Tell me Prometheus, everyone wants to know, why did you leak that astounding information about The Conspiracy of the Gods?"

His voice was deep and melodious, it thrummed in my belly, "Well, Cherry Belle, I believe that the people should know about this huge conspiracy that effects every aspect of their lives.  Even though it happened over 100,000 years ago, the conspiracy has long ranging effects people.  The Gods endeavor to keep humanity unenlightened, you might say that they want people to be stupid.

You see, in Heavenly Olympus everything is perfect.  Perfectly boring. The Gods, Zeus, Hera and their friends need something entertaining for couch potato time.  After a hard days work creating planets and animals, naturally they want to veg out with a little mindless entertainment.  So they turn on the Omniscient Power and spy on humans.

Humans are constantly creating problems, issues, and drama.  If you were rational and disciplined then it would not be so much fun to spy on you.  Your madcap behavior entertains the Gods.  You are the TV of the Gods.  YOU are the ultimate reality show.

(Maybe you thought that you were having Truman Show delusions, but this is true.)

"Prometheus, what do you say to your critics?  They say that you are a traitor of the status quo.  You are a whistle blower, you gave all the secrets to WakiLeaks, some even say that you are a sacrilegious devil.  They say that you are a thief, that you stole from the Gods.  What do you say to them?"

"Thank you for asking, Cherry Belle, I am the liberator, I brought fire to earthlings, for this I was severely tortured. With fire, earthlings were able to crawl out of the mud and create civilization.  Fire gives people light, warmth and cooked foods.  Fire is a metaphor for intelligence.  It is true that humanity continues to be greatly flawed, but without the enlightenment of fire Earthlings would still be groveling in the dirt, literally and figuratively."

....to be continued....
To be continued, episodes will be published when I get them written.  I am working on pictures and writing the story.  Please follow the story and be patient.

Impertinent Asides

In Greek mythology the immortal Prometheus defied the gods and gave fire to humanity.  He was tortured with cruel and unusual punishment for this theft.  Almighty, King of the Gods, Zeus (played by Brad Pitt) had Prometheus chained to a rock in the Caucasus mountains.  Each day an eagle was sent to feed on his liver.  Each night his liver grew back to be eaten again the next day. 

Fire symbolizes en-LIGHT-enment, intelligence. With fire humanity progressed and created civilizations.  We crawled out of the mud and created cities, cars, computers, Square Pants Sponge Bob, and cat memes. 

In other words, according to the ancient Greek myth there was a conspiracy of the gods to keep humans ignorant!  Prometheus wanted to empower people but the gods, with Zeus as leader, tried to prevent our rise. 

I knew it!  I knew there was some weird deep shit happening that makes people so irrational and counterproductive.  We can blame it on the gods. A conspiracy of the gods.

It is convenient to have someone or something to blame for the chaos of life. We certainly do not want to take personal responsibility for the exciting and interesting mess where we find ourselves.

 

Conspiracy theories proliferate and breed like frogs.  Mysteries surround the Kennedy assassination, the death of Marilyn Monroe, and even New York 9/11. "The government" has covered up the truth, at least that is what many people think.  Me, I am maintaining an open mind.  I am entertaining all options, you know, I am confused.

Scholars note that conspiracy theories, once limited to the lunatic fringe have become commonplace in mass media.  Conspiracism has emerged as a cultural phenomenon.  (Wikipedia)

As we humans search for meaning in this time when the economy is a roller coaster, when "the news" is a celebrity flaunting her bikini body. In this time when we have sent people, people in the flower of youth, to war for what ten, twelve, forever years now, but really do not see much about the war on "the news".  Where are the pictures of the coffins?  At a time when even "the news" is subject of conspiracy theories, we search for meaning and understanding.

Wikipedia info:

Conspiracy theories:

As a predominating cultural phenomenon replacing democracy as the dominant political paradigm[edit source | editbeta]

Some scholars argue that conspiracy theories once limited to fringe audiences have become commonplace in mass media, contributing to conspiracism emerging as a cultural phenomenon in the United States of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and the possible replacement of democracy by conspiracy as the dominant paradigm of political action in the public mind.^{[8][10][11][12]} According to anthropologists Todd Sanders and Harry G. West, evidence suggests that a broad cross-section of Americans today gives credence to at least some conspiracy theories.^[1

Prometheus:

In Greek mythology, Prometheus (Greek: Προμηθεύς, pronounced [promɛːtʰeús]) is a Titan, culture hero, and trickster figure who is credited with the creation of man from clay, and who defies the gods and gives fire to humanity (theft of fire), an act that enabled progress and civilization. He is known for his intelligence and as a champion of mankind.^[1

The punishment of Prometheus as a consequence of the theft is a major theme of his mythology, and is a popular subject of both ancient and modern art. Zeus, king of the Olympian gods, sentenced the Titan to eternal torment for his transgression. The immortal Prometheus was bound to a rock, where each day an eagle, the emblem of Zeus, was sent to feed on his liver, which would then grow back to be eaten again the next day

How Have I Offended Thee? Let me count the ways?

Poppies

Inkjet print, 2011

 

 

 



 

Three Eyes

Inkjet print, 2011

 

 

How have I Offended Thee?

Let Me Count the Ways

 

OMG!  My art is offensive!  OMG!  Offensive, tacky, scary and embarrassing.  Incomprehensive, seemingly pointless.  It goes beyond the boundaries of good taste.  People are frightened.  My family is embarrassed. They are afraid that their friends will find out about me.  I have heard thinly veiled suggestions regarding medication.  There are some twists in my artistic path that are shocking.  Frightening!  It seems that I have not only offended the Christians;  New Agers and atheist also beg to differ. Dog lovers, dog haters and compulsive shoppers are avoiding me.

 Everyone else is just laughing.  Laughing at me or with me?

I am so sorry.  I apologize if I have offended you.  No offense was intended.  May I offer an explanation?  I have art brain.  This is a poorly documented anomaly of human neuroanatomy.  It is a disease, recognized by very few doctors.  Symptoms include lack of boundaries and an ineffective inner brain editor which leads to inappropriate behavior.  Please pardon me, the devil made me do it.

Actually, my Muse made me do it.  If I don't follow her she pouts and goes away.  She requires free range.  Without her, I get artist block.  Without her, yes, I could paint and write, but it would be boring.
 

Oh, Yea!  Take a look.  Beware, art may scramble your brain.  And you may not like that, because it makes you think.  It is a challenge.  It may shock you out of the doldrums. Shake up complacency.



************************************************************************************
 

 Office of Reason and Good Sense
333 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC

                                                                                                                                        

Dear Janet, 

There are some things that we need to discuss.  I am trying to help you to be successful, I am taking my valuable time to speak to you for your own good. 
 

First of all, a little alliteration is nice, but too much repetition is just annoying.  Hyperbole has its place, but please, do tone the exaggeration down.  And irony?  Irony is tricky,  some people don't get it when you write the opposite of you intend to communicate.   So, please refrain from irony.  Are you actually aiming to convince people that you are crazy? Or, is that just an accidental effect?

 

Throw "cute" in the trash.  How do you expect people to take you seriously when your so called "work" is just too cute?

 

Most Important!  For Gods sake, stay away from religion and spirituality.  No one really cares and you don't know what you are talking about. 
 

 Don't you remember?  Two gallery curators, the people that can help you exhibit your work, have rejected your pictures because of the twisted religious aspects.  Are you listening?   If you want to be recognized as an artist, then you need to have broad appeal.  They told you, two influential taste makers told you,  "We like the pop art, but not the religious pictures."

You are doing it all wrong!

 

Stick to light and fluffy.  You can make "nice pictures",  people want to be reassured.

You must be consistent, find a pretty style and stick to it. No one knows what to expect from you.  Changing styles every few years doesn't work.

 

I know, you are confused.  Is that your tag line now?  Listen up.   Being confused is not a good way to brand yourself.   Don't embarrass your self.

 

I don't want to tell you these things again.  You are bright.  Listen up.  The annual evaluation is coming up.  So study the guidelines, and follow the rules.

 

Sincerely yours,

The Voice of Reason

 

 

 ***********************************************************************************
 

Lets Paint

Conspiracy of the Gods

 

I am working on a picture and story of Prometheus, Bringer of Fire. Prometheus is an ancient Greek Celebrity.   The working title is,  Conspiracy of the Gods, "Prometheus Tells All". 

 

Red Hot News!  See the exclusive Natural Inquirer interview with Prometheus,  The Bringer of Light.  The WakiLeaks whistle blower will explain the devious behavior of the Gods.  He exposes the ancient conspiracy to keep fire from humankind.
 

 

         

How Have I Offended Thee

part two

 

 

That writing that I did, the "Lets Gossip Barbie", was over the top.  It offended Christians, New Agers, and the complacent majority with it's subversive insinuations.  There was a lot of silly sex.  But I think that the most material that caused the most offense, had to do with compulsive shopping, which, along with dissing dogs, maybe a TABOO subject. 
  

ART is a vast planet, with rivers and mountains and forests, there are mysterious, unexplored regions.

 

I invite you to journey with me off of the map.  I want to help you open your mind, help you be the driver of your own life.  I want to scramble your preconceived notions.  Question the architecture of your belief system.  Don't forget to pack your sense of humor.

My work uses surrealistic art references to access the unconscious.  The unconscious parts of our brain have a huge influence on our behavior.  Perhaps, by making the irrational visible, we may come to know ourselves better.  If your brain is scrambled, maybe you will put it back together, maybe, you will reevaluate your thought processes, and be better than ever.  

Oh, yea!  I hope that it upsets your programing.  Believe it or not, you have been programmed.  All that stuff that school taught you?  Much of it is just crap, wrong.  Did you go to church?  You are really programmed.

 You have watched a hundred jillion advertisements, all intended to make you feel inadequate, an inadequacy that only expensive products can allegedly soothe.  All intending to program you into being a good little consumer. 

You have been molded into a cog for the consumer culture, a huge machine that makes stockholders rich.  And, puts you in debt so that you are slaved to a shit job.  Think about it, darling.

(I do recognize some boundaries, for instance I will not urinate on religious icons, like the most successful living artist of the day did. Damien Hirst used shock tactics to jump start his career.  I may be irreverent, but I do not want to be seriously inconsiderate to the people who have found some comfort in religion.)

12/9/13  
I was reading over this blog today and recognized a mistake.  Damien Hirst did not make the "Piss Jesus" art work, Andres Serrano made it in 1987.  Damien Hirst floated a dissected baby calf and a zebra in formaldehyde.  The similar offenses here are the source of my mistake.
 

 

In these words and pictures, that I post online, I most sincerely hope to communicate from my consciousness to your consciousness. Bypass the rational and communicate directly brain to brain. I color out of the lines of social constrictions to irreverently and subversively, challenge you to think for yourself.

 

OK, well, that is an overly ambitious goal.  Maybe, this is just a bunch of bull shit that I have made up to entertain myself. Whatever!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Gidget, Gadget and Gizmo

 

Gidget, Gadget and Gizmo

digital painting, print, 8/2013

 

 

 

Gidget, Gadget and Gizmo, these words kept chanting in my mind, replacing the CEO approved mantra that I intended to chant.  So, I made a picture of this silly trio.

 

POP Religion

The POP Religion show that was scheduled for 9/14/13, has been postponed.  We are working on a new date and venue.  I am disappointed to postpone the show, but good things are in the works.

 

Gulf Shores, Alabama

Last week we had a wonderful family beach vacation at Gulf Shores.  Much of the peninsula is protected park reserve, so we saw a lot of wild life.

 

Here is the wildlife sighting list:

 

Eagle! Perched high in a pine tree, then it flew away on mighty wings.

pelicans, blue herons, comic sand pipers, humming birds, gulls

dolphins

shark

one sting ray and two manta rays with six foot span

jelly fish

etc. , so forth and so on

rich nature

 

 

 

I have been so lucky to vacation at Gulf Shores since I was a kid and my uncle had a cabin there. 

 

Returning there at intervals has been a high light of my life.  I still play in the surf. 

 

 

A memory cherished.  I, the child, immersed in the boundless water, rocked by the surf.  Joy, nerve tingling joy, leaping in the ocean,  playing with my sisters and cousins. Sun so bright, bathed in light.  Enlightenment.

 

Also, I distinctly remember, the seventh and most powerful waves.  I, the child me, tumbled tail over head, in the turbulence.  Legs scraped by the sand.  Beach pizza legs.

 

Sleeping, big family snoring, windows open, in the surf song night.  The child tossing, sleep disturbed by sunburn lacerated with sand.  Misery.

 

Next morning, return to the rocking waters, joy, ecstasy, outweighing misery.

 

 

 

This last week they, the family, told me not to swim in the Gulf.  "Beware of sharks, stingrays and jellyfish!"  Sandy sunburn did not stop me then, these sea dwelling creatures will not keep me away now.

 

My mature adult sensitivities are different than childish nirvana.  But, floating and swimming in the waves,  I get a small taste, a faded reminder, of how it felt to be young and holistically immersed in a peak experience. 

 

 

The last day Dave and I walked the western tip of the Gulf Shores peninsula. Where the Mobile Bay and the Gulf meet. Waters there form a rich ecological zone, where currents collide and churn the water.  We dodged blobs of stranded jelly fish on the shore. 

 

That west tip must be the best shore fishing spot around, because fisher people were there with colorful day camp carts, coolers, striped umbrellas, cell phones, lines and bait.  We chatted with the fishers,  "You catch anything?" they were delighted to show the creatures that they caught.  A twenty five pound black drum;  a shark, small, about a three footer;  and a stingray, beached by a line, the fisher extracting the hook from it's strange mouth with plyers. 

 

Hmmm, all those nasty creatures are there at the western point.  In a short walk we saw all the biting, stinging life that THEY warned me about.  I will not swim there, but a bit east on the Gulf where it should be OK??