These pictures comes from the roof of the Catedral de la Almudena. The figures look out over the city, and I managed to catch the sun behind some of them.
-P
Reflection and Response
the LIFESTYLE
Reflection and Response
Tag Archives: Madrid
Patchwork: The City Swells
Patchwork: The City Swells
In this European capital invaded by lights/ Travelers who have taken flights to come and see the sights/ The crowd swells to dangerous heights/ In the distance street performer yells “That’s all for tonight.”/ Santa’s sleigh on display various nights/ Parents brave the cold with jackets and tights/ Earmuffed Munchkin children hold on tight/ This city’s alight
I walk gingerly/ On this history/ These streets a mystery/ What happened here and when?/ Centuries of women and men/ Holidays spent in different fashion Ramadan back then/ Then the Christian kings established the crown/ And the lights went up and never came down/ Today’s the same way a slightly changed town/ These streets fit for horses not porches you find now
So I live in this city that slowly becomes mine/ Discovering places I’m still waiting to find/ No distractions of home memory clouds the mind/ Watch friend’s successes look how far they climb!/ And in such a short time/ Congrats on the victories/ I know we’d rise to infamy/ In our prime/ And while I keep busy I find I miss you/ i hope you’re missing me/ Sometimes
P hit us with The City Swells back on December 5, 2011 in Callao, Madrid – an original, perceptive, and deep track, to say the least!! When I sat down to create my Patchwork piece, I aimed to capture and interpret what The City Swells really meant. I went through a process of deconstructing P’s written lyrics, his a Capella recording, and finally the full track that I re-posted at the top of this post. For a couple hours deep into the night, before I even got to working on my final piece, I listened and analyzed this track over and over, trying to re-create “the city,” thoughts, and feelings P expressed through his work. Through 3 initial studies on 18″x24″ newsprint where I just put down images, words, and gestures that I felt were central to P’s track, I gradually built up developed my ideas, and using india ink, oil pastel, and white watercolor paint, I created Patchwork: The City Swells.
Reflection and Response.
V.
PETER MULLER LIVE LRR
Friday January 27th 2012 is the date of my first show here in Madrid. I will be performing originals tracks featured on the LIFESTYLE, such as Jade Eyes, in addition to covers with some talented vocalists. We are also supplying the PA for the show as well as the microphones and cables. We’re turning a room of the Anglet Cafe in Madrid into our own performance space in Reflection and Response fashion. Anglet Cafe gigs hopefully will be a regular occurrence and feature performances from other local artists and new LRR #Collective members.
Peep the Facebook event page for more info:
http://www.facebook.com/events/283765688343885/
The above flier was finished by V late Monday night. Using only 2 permanent markers, he was able to include a whole array of brushstrokes, from the razor thin border to the block letters of my name, to the central piece of the name of the cafe complete with shadowing and subtle textures. When I ask V to help out with publicity for shows It’s always dope to see what he comes up with. He included both Spanish and English and threw up the LIFESTYLE along with the info for the gig.
LRR LIVE @the Anglet Cafe in Madrid.
-Reflection and Response
The City Swells
Madrid, December 5th.
The city has turned into a universe of holiday. I live in Callao, which is the central shopping district and there are thousands of people that crowd the square outside my flat. There are lights strung up and various ice skating rinks in different plazas around town. That’s the environment that gave birth to this song
I wrote the instrumental for The City Swells yesterday on December 4th. I then wrote the lyrics today.
A Capella
Full Track
In this European capital invaded by lights/ Travelers who have taken flights to come and see the sights/ The crowd swells to dangerous heights/ In the distance street performer yells “That’s all for tonight.”/ Santa’s sleigh on display various nights/ Parents brave the cold with jackets and tights/ Earmuffed Munckin children hold on tight/ This city’s alight
I walk gingerly/ On this history/ These streets a mystery/ What happened here and when?/ Centuries of women and men/ Holidays spent in different fashion Ramadan back then/ Then the Christian kings established the crown/ And the lights went up and never came down/ Today’s the same way a slightly changed town/ These streets fit for horses not porches you find now
So I live in this city that slowly becomes mine/ Discovering places I’m still waiting to find/ No distractions of home memory clouds the mind/ Watch friend’s successes look how far they climb!/ And in such a short time/ Congrats on the victories/ I know we’d rise to infamy/ In our prime/ And while I keep busy I find I miss you/ i hope you’re missing me/ Sometimes
Holiday Reflection and Response
-P
Feature: Danny Kaufman
Here at the LIFESTYLE we aim to serve a community whose common creed is Reflection and Response. Throughout our previous 3 features we have seen various interpretations of this mantra and how artists incorporate R&R into their aesthetic works. Today we are proud to feature friend, mentor, and collective member Danny Kaufman. Danny’s experiences abroad sparked an interest in social justice that has led to a career in the non-profit sector that has taken him to positions in the United States, Latin America, and Europe. Check the dialogue and join the conversation in the comment box!
Leading off with some basics, where are you from? And where are you at?
DK: I was born and raised in Seattle and currently reside in Madrid, Spain.
What does Reflection and Response mean to you?
DK: For me, reflection and response is the conscious interplay between us and our environments; in so many ways, who we are is a reflection of where we are from, where we are at and where we want to be, so taking the time to reflect on that interplay allows me to be intentional in how I choose to interact with my surroundings.
How do you locate that definition of Reflection and Response in the work you do?
DK: Reflection and response is an integral component of the work I do and also has played an important role in helping me to define my professional and personal interests. The opportunity to study abroad in Havana, Cuba during undergrad, and later work with recent immigrants in the US gave me a first-hand perspective into the systemic inequalities that many underprivileged individuals and groups face, and also forced me to reflect upon my own privilege as a white, upper-middle class male. These experiences solidified my commitment to a career of public service working to address such inequalities in the U.S. and Latin America and inspired me to return to school to pursue a master’s degree in public administration. Since then I have had the opportunity to work for various non-profits in Seattle, Peru, Guatemala and most recently Spain, where I work for Women’s Link Worldwide, a non-profit working to advance gender justice and equality through strategic work with national, regional and international courts. In each of these experiences, taking time to reflect on my surroundings has allowed me to become more aware of the cultural biases I bring with me, helping me to avoid embarrassing cultural faux pas and learn about other cultures and people.
What else have you been working on recently? What are you looking to work on next?
DK: My most current project is building a touring bike to explore Madrid and — hopefully — go on longer trips around Spain and Europe. Growing up, I was fortunate enough to go on month-long bike trips with my dad, and continue to find cycling to be one of the best ways to travel. I am also trying to step up my skills as a photographer, and would love to publish a photo essay book exploring social justice issues in Latin America. As for future aspirations, my long-term goal is to start my own organization working to address social justice issues in Latin America.
Who or what inspires you?
DK: A true inspiration in my life was Roberto Maestas, Founder and Executive Director of El Centro de la Raza, a community and social service center in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood. Maestas’ dedication and passion to address social inequalities, as well as his genuine care for people made him an incredibly charismatic, inspiring and bold leader, and one whose life work continues to make a positive impact on his community. More generally speaking, I am inspired by artists, artisans and activists, vibrant cities, nature, traveling, community, random acts of kindness, whale sharks and pho.
Is there anything else you would like the Collective to know?
DK: If you are interested in learning more about some quality organizations doing important work here are a few worth checking out:
– WINGS
Shout out to…?
DK: Definitely have to give a shout out to my mom and dad, for all of their support and love over the years. To my brother, David, for being a good listener, a wise man and an all around great guy. To my partner, Katie, for taking a leap of faith with me and for always landing on her feet. And of course, to big P and V for inviting me to get up on The LIFESTYLE. It’s truly an honor and I’m looking forward to seeing y’all do your thing!
Saludos,
Danny
Reflection and Response.
Lonesome Road Goodnight
I started this track in Argentina. A choir at the school I was studying abroad at sang this haunting tune about a lonesome road and I immediately thought it needed to be sampled. I found the original James Taylor version. Then I forgot about the idea for two years. Last week here in Madrid I found the half finished beat and remembered how fun it was to make. I feel like the song is about redemption and has a sense of teaching, so I wrote lyrics based on those ideas.
Full Track
Instrumental
Acapella
Lonesome Road Goodnight.
Please jettison stress/ this is what is waiting up ahead/ And just reflect / And work even harder on success/The fuck I used to give I now use to live/ Walking that lonesome road a little kid hope andsin / stoked on the stoogie that we smoked with a fifth in that glass bottle outside the doors we slipped/ Andthese roll models dip and throw strikes/ Before those open mics/ way before we know whats tight/ The brain evolves slowly right/
Yea fuck it/ You know what you need to do/ I believe in me so you should believe in you/ Believe in peace/ please believe that it’s true/ And stay in your feet and never use those knees to stoop/ Take that grease from your grandparents stereotyped/ He’s Italian which means their not marrying right/ Mediterranean not enough white but they prefer a lovely life/ Say goodbye to the lonesome road with a daily kiss goodnight/
Reflection and Response
-P
the LIFESTYLE 