Is it important for you that your art is understood? What value holds an artwork of cryptic aspects with their meaning missed by most of its audience, which only perceive the Peshat and do not seek the Remez, the Derash, and the Sod? Steganography is the practice of hiding messages in the form of a manipulation of open media. On the steganographic spectrum, an artwork can have accessible aesthetic value together with a hidden message its existence known only to the creator, or it can constitute an encrypted message in its whole lacking immediate value to the spectator, but a hint to the existence of the encryption itself. If you plan to be in the vicinity of Tel-Aviv in February-March, I hear that encrypted deep within the new-media opportunities newsletter HaShot! is a residency open call on this theme. One source of inspiration is the bio-terror-level plague-doctor-chic YOUAREALREADYDEAD KILLTHEPRESIDENT conspiracy theory viral video 11B-X-1371:
We experience life and evolve through digital spaces that hold less and less meaning to us every day. As we are acting everyday more like them, our quest to understand the machines who encrypt our data has become closer to an identity crisis.
If there can be only one video I could to share with you, it would be Jean-Jacques Lebel’s 1967 30-minute “Sun Love”. A crazy voodoo-level pagan surrealistic experience. Unfortunately, I was never able to find a digital copy. I was exposed to artist-activist Lebel in Centre Pompidou’s retrospective a couple of years back. And as you might have guessed, I became somewhat obsessive about it. When I shall get my hands on the footage, I will generatively machine learn the hell out of it! PM IF YOU HAVE A COPY. In the meantime please enjoy this rare footage of Soft Machine performing naked at the 1967 Sun Love happening in Cogolin, near st. Tropez, on the French Riviera.
“The Picasso part lasted an hour, that depended on the Soft Machine, and afterwards there were happenings, concerts… An American actor told us ‘come back to my place, I’ve got a swimming pool’, so we went and we created a happening which took the piss out of the faux-mystics, and we made a pseudo ritual to the rising sun, we took the piss out those people who were taking the piss out of the hippies, it was Sun Love…” (Lebel)
Another year of psychedelic videos comes to an end, closing a decade of impressive creativity and beauty created by psychedelic filmmakers around the globe. Here’s our selection of the best psychedelic videos of 2019.
We recommend watching these videos on big, high-res screens, with good speakers, in a high volume, and in a receptive, psychedelic state of mind. Enjoy!
Macro Block – 360 Slow Motion
Impeccable beauty by Macro Room.
Björk – Tabula Rasa
In 2019 Björk stunned us once again with this mesmerizing video by Tobbias Gremmler.
London animator Moran Beringer released a number of jaw-dropping psychedelic videos this year. Take a look at this one, which takes you on a passionate voyage through impressionist terrains soundscapes by Kisnou. (Original Post).
Zen Footjuggling 2019 – Pipsa Ilpala
This beautiful foot-juggling video, set in nature and showing a high level of concentration and ability retained in a world growing increasingly distracted and frenzied, might make your somewhat more hopeful about it all. (Original Post).
The Claypool Lennon Delirium – Blood And Rockets: Movement I, Saga Of Jack Parsons
Awesome magick infused video featuring an array of occult symbols and one ominous Aleister Crowley. Directed by Rich Ragsdale.(Original Post).
Jake Fried – Brain Wave
Jake Fried is responsible for some of the most impressive handdrawn animations made in the 2010s. His unique style features layers upon layers of subconscious materials getting written and rewritten. In 2019 he stunned us once again with this video titled Brain Wave.
Some groovy psychedelic rhythms in this music clip by the Chemical Brothers. (Original Post).
Zer0 1ne: 2x Astral Move
Israeli Hip Hop artist rejoice (Yuval Havkin, Buttering Trio) bands with animator and surrealist virtuoso Jengo (Guy Glikstein) in a particularly smokey and fluid session of beats and visual delirium. (Original Post).
A dreamy world of perfectly shaped ovals gliding on the clouds of yesteryear make for the perfect psychedelic trip. (Original Post).
Oto No Kuni – Kyary Pamyu Pamyu
J-pop singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu in a wonderfully disorienting kaleidoscopic and highly kawaii video.
(Original Post).
Vipassana
Brilliant music clip by an Israeli supergroup of musicians and actors (Yermi Kaplan, Gabi Amrani, Meter Seventy, Ido Katzir and Yaheli Sharon) pokes fun at the Vipassana meditation movement.
An incredible iridescent underwater journey with phosphorescent fish, frogs and mushrooms. Directed by Theo W. Scott, featuring animations Paul Trickett and Nick Waterton, all processed by Tipper visuals superstar Datagrama.
And finally, one of our very own. Please enjoy these deliciously hypnotic Mandelbrot fractals in a video released earlier this year by DPV blogger Matthew Shelton.
The Daily Psychedelic Video 