Melissa on the road

Journalist at RFI (ex-DW, BBC, CBC, F24...), writer (on art, music, culture...), I work in radio, podcasting, online, on films. As a writer, I also contributed to the New Arab, Art UK, Byline Times, the i Paper... Born in Paris, I was based in Prague, Miami, London, Nairobi (covering East Africa), Bangui, and in Bristol, UK. I also reported from Italy, Germany, Haiti, Tunisia, Liberia, Senegal, India, Mexico, Iraq, South Africa... This blog is to share my work, news and cultural discoveries.

21/08/2015

When Banksy deals with the migrant crisis in Europe

Well, I'm not there yet, as Bob Dylan would say, so I'm just trying to catch up on the mood...

One Banksy's pieces in Dismaland:

+20

A packet boat, created by Banksy, which seems to highlight the ongoing migrant crisis in Europe. The art is featured at Dismaland

Dismaland in Bansky's words

Bansky quoting Bertold Brecht :)

Here is the artist's statement explaining Dismaland.

Genius!

Banksy on my mind

Just one of my favourite pieces by Bansky:

Inside Banksy's Dismaland with Channel 4

Must see:

Banksy's Dismaland park: shocking, funny, extraordinary

Clandestine street artist Banksy opens a theme park like no other. Inside a derelict lido in Weston-super-Mare, Dismaland features migrant boats, a dead princess and Banksy's trademark dark humour.

The artist has described Dismaland as "a festival of art, amusements and entry level anarchism".

And the centrepiece of the Dismaland castle will not just outrage the nice people at Disney, but no doubt the legions of fans of Diana, the late Princess of Wales.

Banksy has taken two iconic pieces of imagery and turned them into something that is shocking, evocative and emotional.

And the centrepiece of the Dismaland castle will not just outrage the nice people at Disney, but no doubt the legions of fans of Diana, the late Princess of Wales.

Banksy has taken two iconic pieces of imagery and turned them into something that is shocking, evocative and emotional.

Banksy doesn't do interviews, so we asked him by email why he departed from street art?

He told Channel 4 News "for this show I didn't deliberately set out to snub street art. I just found other stuff a lot more interesting.

"I mean, we have a lady from a Lithuanian village who does traditional floral embroidery but with a power drill into the sides of cars.

"I seem to have reached the point where an art show is more interesting the less I'm in it."

20/08/2015

Media display first images of Dismaland

‏@WSMERCURY

Here is a first look inside #Dismaland 

‏@bbcpointswest

Some of the first images of #Dismaland the new #banksyweston exhibition at the Tropicana in Weston super Mare 

On Banksy and NYC

October 2013,

New York City

Better Out Than In - the movie

The truth about Banksy revealed in this film?
He was 38 in 2013 ;)

More on BANKSY'S DISMALAND BEMUSEMENT PARK

Here are details from Art Of The State website:

DISMALAND BEMUSEMENT PARK – opens this weekend featuring work by Banksy and a whole raft of other artists:

Visit the official site here for all the latest details: dismaland.co.uk – further information below.

This weekend sees the opening of the Dismaland Bemusement Park at the derelict Tropicana Lido site in Weston Super Mare, England. Closed since 2000 the North Somerset venue has been the subject of constant wrangling and plans over its future but it looks like, courtesy of Banksy’s latest project, it’s about to get a whole new lease of life – well for five weeks until the 27th September at least anyway.

Inspiring image from dismaland.co.uk

Promising a “festival of art, amusements and entry level anarchism” it costs just 3 quid to get in and is easily accessible by public transport from its location on the sea front. Tickets are available from the Dismaland site from Friday 21st August so get in early if you’re planning on going.

The international roster of nearly 50 artists is nothing short of amazing and includes Banksy, Damien Hirst, Block 9, Escif, Jimmy Cauty, Peter Kennard and Cat Phillips, Paul Insect and BAST to name but a few. Also appearing over the five weeks are live events on Friday nights. You can rest assured I’ll be trying to get tickets for both Sleaford Mods (18th Sept) and Pussy Riot (25th Sept). In fact maybe I should have kept that bit quiet in hindsight….

Good luck getting the tickets you want.

DISMALAND by BANKSY

It's been more than 15 years that I try to justify why I dread amusement park and their quantity of reality denial, commercial brainwashing and capacity of propaganda for a happy-go-lucky, let's-concentrate-on-buying-new-things atmosphere...

It seems someone found an antidote...

--

There we go to Dismaland:

Dismal Land – a festival of art, amusements and entry-level anarchism.

Are you looking for an alternative to the sugar-coated tedium of the average family day out? Or just somewhere a lot cheaper?
Then this is the place for you. Bring the whole family to come and enjoy the latest addition to our chronic leisure surplus…

Open everyday from 22nd August – 27th September 2015.
11am – 11pm. Admission £3, free for the under 5’s.
Capacity is limited, visit the ticket page and book a time slot for guaranteed entry.

FOR FIVE WEEKS ONLY

Contains uneven floor surfaces, extensive use of strobe lighting, imagery unsuitable for small children and swearing.
The following are strictly prohibited in the Park – spray paint, marker pens, knives and legal representatives of the Walt Disney Corporation.

Friday 21st August – Locals only

Book tickets for the next 10 days from Friday 21st.

Dismaland is situated on the seafront in legendary Weston-super-Mare
and is easily accessible by train, bus and road. Marine Parade BS23 1BE

ARTISTS/

Amir Schiby (Israel)

Axel Void (USA)

Banksy (UK)

Barry Reigate (UK)

Ben Long (Sweden)

Bill Barminski (USA)

Block 9 (UK)

Brock Davis (USA)

Caitlin Cherry (USA)

Caroline McCarthy (UK)

Damien Hirst (UK)

David Shrigley (UK)

Dorcas Casey (UK)

Dietrich Wegner (USA)

Ed Hall (UK)

Escif (Spain)

Espo (USA)

Fares Cachoux (Syria)

Greg Haberny (USA)

James Joyce (UK)

Jani Leinonen (Finland)

Jeff Gillette (USA)

Jenny Holzer (USA)

Jessica Harrison (UK)

Jimmy Cauty (UK)

Josh Keyes (USA)

Julie Burchill (UK)

Kate MacDowell (USA)

Laura Lancaster (UK)

Leigh Mulley (UK)

Lush (Australia)

Mana Neyestani (Iran)

Maskull Laserre (Canada)

Michael Beitz (USA)

Mike Ross (USA)

Nettie Wakefield (UK)

Paco Pomet (Spain)

Paul Insect & BAST (UK/USA)

Peter Kennard & Cat Phillips(UK)

Polly Morgan (UK)

Ronit Baranga (Israel)

Scott Hove (USA)

Severija Inčirauskaitė-Kriaunevičienė (Lithuania)

Shadi Al Zaqzouq (Libya)

Suliman Mansour (Palestine)

Tinsel Edwards (UK)

http://dismaland.co.uk/

Not lost...

I'm not 'Lost in translation'...

I just watched the film again tonight - it was on our only good television channel, ARTE.

Who hasn't felt this emotion of being lost while all was supposed to fall into place?

No need to be in Tokyo to get through that emotional maze. But sometimes it happens in Tokyo, as sings Lianne La Havas in one of her new songs.

I, am not lost in translation. Physically I am home. Mentally, I'm time-travelling for my writing.

I am, technically, trying to translate the feeling of loss - listening to elegiac music.

19/08/2015

Electronic music on my radio

My favourite French radio is dedicating a programme to the history of electronic music this summer.
Today's episode goes from the 1960s to the 90s.

Here is the link:

http://www.franceculture.fr/emission-continent-musiques-d-ete-une-histoire-de-la-musique-electronique-35-deux-platines-et-un-mic

Continent musiques d'été

par Victor Macé de Lepinay, Anna Sigalevitch, Julie Gacon, Amaury Chardeau, Florent Mazzoleni, Simon Rico, Sophian Fanen, Véronique Mortaigne

59 minutes

Une histoire de la musique électronique (3/5) : Deux platines et un microphone

19.08.2015 - 15:00

A la fin des années 1960, la Jamaïque aussi découvre la puissance du studio moderne, où l'on peut désormais manipuler le son avec une nouvelle liberté. En sortiront le dub et la culture du soundsystem, qui essaimeront jusqu'à New York. C'est là que cette nouvelle science de l'échantillonnage et de la transformation du son finira par absorber le funk de James Brown pour donner naissance au hip-hop, tandis qu'en Europe la graine dub créera une lignée qui va de la jungle au dubstep.

Massive Attack, au début des années 90

Playlist du jour :

- Lee Perry & the Soulettes, Rub and Squeeze, compilation Dance Crasher: From Ska To Rock Steady (Trojan, 1988)
- King Tubby, Dub from the Roots, Dub from the Roots (Total Sounds, 1974)
- Michigan And Smiley, Rub A Dub Style (12" Mix), compilation The Legendary Studio One Records Original Classic Recordings 1963-80 (Soul Jazz, 2011)
- Solo Sound, Get the Party Jumpin', Compilation Big Apple Rappin' (Soul Jazz, 2006)
- James Brown, Give it Up or Turn It a Loose, It's A New Day - Let A Man Come In (King Records, 1970)
- Xanadu, Sure Shot, Compilation Big Apple Rappin' (Soul Jazz, 2006)
- The Sugarhill Gang, Rapper's Delight, Sugarhill Gang (Sugarhill Records, 1979)
- Eric B. & Rakim, Eric B. is President (4th & Broadway, 1987)
- Beastie Boys, Hey Ladies, Paul's Boutique (Capitol, 1989)
- DJ Shadow, Building Steam With a Grain of Salt, Endtroducing (Mo Wax, 1996)
- Massive Attack, Five Man Army, Blue Lines (Virgin, 1991)
- Portishead, All Mine, Portishead (Go! Discs, 1997)
Metal Heads, Terminator (single) (Synthetic, 1992)
- Roni Size, Brown Paper Bag, New Forms (Talkin' Loud, 1997)
- David Bowie, Little Wonder, Earthling (Arista, 1997)
- Skream, Midnight Request Line, Skream! (Tempa, 2006)
- James Blake, Footnotes, CMYK EP (R&S, 2010)
- Skrillex, Try it Out, Recess, (OWSLA, 2014)

Eric B. & Rakim