Tuesday 30 November 2010

[ Happy Birthday Edit Mag ]

I've talked about Edit Mag before. They throw the original Edit Hours events every now and then (by the way, the next one will be on December 2nd), an opportunity for the fans and staff to get together in a relaxed environment, talk for a bit, and above all, have great fun!

This post is actually way overdue, considering they celebrated their first birthday on September 30th! Well, I'm tired of saying how crazy these past few months have been, so I wont say it again, and I guess it's better late than never...

So, about the party: like the magazine itself it was superbly organized and original. Francisco really took advantage of the venue, placing the fashion show in the overhead windows...




... and of course, the beautiful people having a great time...



... the Hotel da Estrela at it's best, with the lighting fixtures giving it a cool abstract look...



... and above all, a huge funny night to remember.

Happy Birthday Edit Mag!

Thursday 18 November 2010

[ Pipe ]

 

Can you believe the craftsmanship that went into this stencil? I really can't stop looking at it and enjoying all the small details, the depth, the texture, and amazing work of art.

Yes, graffiti can be an art form, I won't get tired of trying to demonstrate it!

Wednesday 17 November 2010

[ Broken ]

 

Amazingly, this was taken in the very heart of Porto. A gutted broken down old house.

Wind blows through it, shakes it, puts it to the test, and yet, it still stands. Rain pours down, soaking the plaster fitted walls, and yet, it still stands. The scorching noon sun burns through it, and yet, it still stands. People walk by, move to the opposite sidewalk, and say "this should be brought down", and yet, it still stands. Sometimes is looses pieces, it gives in just enough to become stable again, and keeps on standing...

Why? For what reason? Why doesn't it just give in to the overwhelming gravity that pulls it relentlessly to it's demise? Maybe because some things, just like some people don't know how to give up. It's not in their nature. It doesn't make a difference if it's a hard day or an easy one, if we're happy or if we're sad, if we feel like the sun is going to shine again, or if we feel like it's going to slip away in an never ending eclipse, it's just up to you and your strength.

Even in the darkest hour, you know that light will shine again. And the people that walk by and say it should be brought down, may they life long and strong, to witness your glorious victory in helpless despair.

Sunday 14 November 2010

[ Just breathe ]

 

"Yes I understand that every life must end, aw huh,..
As we sit alone, I know someday we must go, aw huh,..
I’m a lucky man to count on both hands
The ones I love,..

Some folks just have one,
Others they got none, aw huh,..

Stay with me,..
Let’s just breathe.


Practiced are my sins,
Never gonna let me win, aw huh,..
Under everything, just another human being, aw huh,..
Yeh, I don’t wanna hurt, there’s so much in this world
To make me bleed.

Stay with me,..
You’re all I see.


Did I say that I need you?
Did I say that I want you?
Oh, if I didn’t now I’m a fool you see,..
No one knows this more than me.
As I come clean.

I wonder everyday
as I look upon your face, aw huh,..
Everything you gave
And nothing you would take, aw huh,..
Nothing you would take,..
Everything you gave.


Did I say that I need you?
Oh, Did I say that I want you?
Oh, if I didn’t now I’m a fool you see,..
No one know this more than me.
As I come clean.

Nothing you would take,..
everything you gave.
Hold me till I die,..
Meet you on the other side."

Video and lyrics by Pearl Jam

Wednesday 10 November 2010

[ Three chairs ]

 

"Please leave your message after the bip"

Yeap, that's it, this a pre-recording. By the time you read this, three chairs will be taken, and important decisions will be made. I suppose they wont be comfortable or classy like these ones (taken in the last OPorto Show), but hey, that's life.

It's a strangely calm felling this one... "today is that scary tomorrow that we were afraid of yesterday", someone once said, and I guess, that's the bottom line: life goes on. Like I said last friday, green light, white light, red light, I don't even care, I just care about the future - and that can be proven in so many different ways, for example, I distinctly remember a photo my parents took of me looking back over my shoulder with a funny face, when I wasn't even one year old. On the back of that photo it reads "so young, and you can already see he doesn't like looking back".

Bring it on.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

[ Batman ]

 

Back to the urban art, to take a look at some other pieces found in the Miguel Bombarda area.

This one, the funniest interpretation ever of a aging Batman with a "walker cane". Maybe that's it, maybe maybe our heroes are getting old, and no one cares, and no one steps up to take their place.

Maybe this general lack of believe is what caused the golden stencil in the bottom that bravely states "fuck it" - a state of mind that I deeply share in this last few days. A state of mind that is simply natural in me, considering that I've always believed that it's much better to make a bad decision than not to decide at all. If that is one of the features of a leader or of a martyr, I guess I'll only know it in the after life, but I do know that's who I am, so... "fuck it", and bring it on.

Monday 8 November 2010

[ Vintage ]

 

We can finally appreciate some gorgeous vintage details in otherwise clean looks. For some reason, I'm always in the lookout for contrasts, seeking something that is subtly out of place, even though it looks like it was made to be there.

This is the case, in the Quarto de Cima store in Porto. Gorgeous vintage lamp, used as a lighting fixture, on top of a dry wall. Beautiful.

Saturday 6 November 2010

[ Zurich ]

 



This time our trip to Cannes took us through Switzerland, in an eye catching airport. Maybe not as cool as [ Barajas ], but still, quite a masterpiece, running smooth as a clock.

Wednesday, with a few hours to spare, I got to enjoy the architecture of the terminal, the details, and also get some quiet work done on the vast and comfortable waiting rooms.

Zurich already had a funny story with me, being stopped in the x-ray control about two year ago, on my way to Ljubljana, because of a metal pen clip, used to secure a pen to the back of a Moleskine notebook, but more like a life threatening object on the x-ray machine... It made such a success with the airport security, I almost lost my flight, passing from hand to hand with a smile and a "this is really very clever!". Another one of those traveller stories...

Friday 5 November 2010

[ Green light ]

 

Over a month since I've published something here. I confess it's been one of the craziest months ever, with a big decision postponed to November 10th, lots of small battles along the way, lots of unanswered questions, and lots of answered ones too...

Maybe everything will change in five days. Maybe everything will be the same. Maybe there's a green light ahead, maybe there's a red one, or a white one. Maybe, if you look carefully enough, what you think is just a misguided traffic light, can be something a lot more challenging and interesting.

Life really has it's twists and turns, but as someone once told me: "everything happens for a reason". Sometimes the reason takes a long time to show it's face, but it always happens, sooner or later... After a one year long question mark, I can't say I'm not eager to turn it into a period, but I can say that no matter what the outcome is, the day will still dawn afterwards, bread will be baked, newspapers will be printed, and life will go on.

Whether it's green, red or white, at least there will be light, and where there's light, no darkness can prevail.

Welcome back to Light Persists.