We’re not going to beat around the bush, there’s a lot of crap out there these days. For all its revolutionary feats, the internet has given us a whole lot of quantity over quality, and amongst all the advertisements, breaking news, and holiday snaps it is sometimes hard to feel inspired.
We would like, if you so wish, for The Dilettante to become your go-to place to exercise your curiosity and reinvigorate your creative juices. Each month in Inspiration Station we will be sharing a selection of art, internet hotspots, movies, books, music and social pages which have inspired us in the past. We hope you find as much delight in the following works as we have, and please, don’t forget to let us know what has inspired you this month in the comments below!
WEBSITE: The Public Domain Review
"Founded in 2011, The Public Domain Review is an online journal and not-for-profit project dedicated to the exploration of curious and compelling works from the history of art, literature, and ideas."
We can easily spend hours browsing this excellent compendium of imagery, books, film and audio - all out-of-copyright and available to download and use in your own projects. From vintage Halloween images and recordings of female impersonators in 30s Manhattan to avant-garde film such as The Private Life of a Cat (1945), there's a fantastic mishmash of historical content to delve into. Perfect for some high caliber procrastination when social media is starting to feel like utter drivel.
Go to thepublicdomainreview.org or follow on Facebook or Twitter for regular fix.
FILM: Life in a Day (2011)
Back in 2010 a call was sent out around the world asking people to film their life on one specific day - 24 July 2010. The response was a gargantuan 80,000 clips comprising of 4500 hours of footage. Director Kevin Macdonald, in collaboration with You Tube and producer Ridley Scott, then began the mammoth task of editing the clips down into a 95 minute documentary.
The largest ever crowdsourced film in history, it has been noted that at no other time would a project so vivid and varied been possible to achieve. The result is utterly captivating and full of energy. Spanning from people that could be your neighbours, your family, or even yourself, to distant cultures with customs and lifestyles very different (but so vaguely familiar) to our own. This is a raw, bittersweet time capsule that truly kicks the truth home about how small we all are in this big old world.
Best of all its completely free to stream on You Tube!
BOOK: What A Life! (1911)
First published in 1911, this excellently eccentric little tome comes from travel writer and essayist Edward Verrall Lucas and Punch illustrator George Morrow. An unconventional and hilarious tale of one man's struggles in life and love, the book is concocted from illustrations cut from Whiteley's General Catalogue. While this technique was later popularised by many artists, it is worth pointing out that the book appeared before Dadaism or Surrealism had been truly established, while sharing the bizarre and humorous qualities of both movements.
The book is available in reproduction on the web here, but as staunch advocates of the printed word we suggest getting yourself a nice paper copy which can be purchased here.
SOCIAL: Kasbah Salome
Social media can be an utter pain in the behind, but it is one we grudgingly bear for its few benefits. We are strong advocates of filling your follow list with as many light-hearted and interesting pages in an attempt to drown out the more monotonous drivel that is inevitably published. Kasbah Salome is a treat for the eyes for anyone who enjoys vintage glamour, exoticism, nostalgia, and the golden age of cinema. Posting original artwork, gorgeous photography and classic movie stills, you won't be perturbed to see this page popping up in your newsfeed.
Follow Kasbah Salome on Facebook to get a regular fix!
Don't forget to follow The Dilettante around the internet! You can find us on Facebook and Instagram or use #TheDilettanteSociety!
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