Regresiones (work in process)

Apparently these are not so new, but I just saw them for the first time yesterday.

A lot of composite work is generally passable, but this work in progress by  Alejandro “Alex” Castro has a really interesting, sensitive and expressive quality to it.



In some ways it is sad and frustrating, a reminder of the destruction we have wrought on our planet.







You can find more of his work here: Behance (he needs to move to Dripbook.) and his blog here: Formamag

Amos Two Bulls, Lakota Sioux, by Gertrude Käsebier, ca. 1900

I found these amazing portraits and images of Native Americans at the turn of the 19th century on Flickr from random Library of Congress streams.

This is probably not universal, but all I feel when I see these is extreme sadness, and frustration that to this day, native cultures of the world are constantly under assault, by “civilization”…  What a different world it would be if humanity was not such a destructive force, and considered its actions. 


Bone Necklace, Oglala Sioux council chief, by Heyn Photo, 1899


Three Horses by Edward S. Curtis, ca. 1905 


Mosa, Mohave girl, by Edward S. Curtis, 1903

Thomas American Horse, Oglala Sioux, by Heyn Photo, 1899 

 
Joseph Two Bulls, Lakota Sioux, by Heyn & Matzen Photo, 1900


Sego, Shoshone, by Rose & Hopkins, ca. 1899


Edward S. Curtis: Navajo chief, ca. 1904


Sunflower, Dakota Sioux, by Heyn Photo, ca. 1899


Stella Yellow Shirt, Dakota Sioux, with baby, by Heyn Photo, 1899


Goose Face, Dakota Sioux, by Heyn Photo, ca. 1900

This seems appropriate to post on this here State of the Union day. 
These represent all those who have lost everything due to the policies of the Union… 

These are from Flickr streams referring to specific Library of Congress Collections:
Library of Congress Edward S. Curtis Collection 
Library of Congress Frank Rinehart Collection
Library of Congress Heyn & Matzen Collection
Library of Congress Rose & Hopkins Collection 

I randomly found a great blog with a really wonderful expose on Jack Johnson.

America’s 1st Black heavy weight champion & celebrity. Taken down for being a bad example to good black folks for marrying multiple white women.

Check out the site here: The Selvedgeyard

Also watch “Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson” a documentary by Ken Burns. While it follows all the tropes of a KB documentary, the story was still insanely sad and well told. (I did cry in shame and anger at humanity.) Its also on Netflix.

I LOVE this Bionic concept… (I know its not Bionic itself, but you know what I mean!)
Prototype Bennie RailTrain, ran on a track near Glasgow in Scotland C1930 

This thing is so awesome!