Nine Inch Nails - Closer

Music Appreciation

WARNING: Graphic and Inappropriate Language

Twenty years ago, Closer was released. It was the second single from Nine Inch Nails' album The Downward Spiral.

The song came out the summer I graduated from high school, and I remember driving in my blue Pontiac Sunbird, with my girlfriend Cathy and her friend Wendy singing "You let me violate you..." then the chorus "I want to fuck you like an animal."

This was a big deal, because the lyrics were dark but sexual. Mark Romanek, the director for the music video, brought life to Trent Reznor's volatile lyrics with dark images of sex, animal cruelty, and religion.

Source: http://www.oddee.com/item_96813.aspx, Wikipedia

Cathrine Langwagen

Art Appreciation

I came across a series of digital art by Cathrine Langwagen titled "Elements" from a blog I follow, Calvin's Canadian Cave of Cool. The Elements series depicts five--although, Calvin's blog only showed four--elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, and Fire. I'm showing three of of the Elements I like the most below.

These are only just a few of the many wonderful digital art Langwagen does. The Swedish artist is also known for her sci-fi and fairy-tale background environments. Many of which have been used for gaming.

Check out her website, http://www.cassiopeiaart.com.

Fire via rosesrocksandredfoxes

Earth via calvinscanadiancaveofcool

Metal via neonhero

Sources:

http://www.cassiopeiaart.com/
http://cassiopeiaart.deviantart.com/
http://www.jasonzapata.com/77/reviews/elements-fire-by-cathrine-langwagen/
http://www.etsy.com/people/CassiopeiaArtShop#
http://wiccanmoonsong.blogspot.com/2013/02/daily-message-february-24-2013.html

Jim Salvati

Art Appreciation

Jim Salvati is a contemporary figurative artist best known for his oil paintings and designs for major entertainment studios such as Disney, Warner Bros., and Sony Pictures.

You can see more of the Southern Californian's artwork HERE.

via americangallery

via artodyssey1

via americangallery

Sources:

http://www.salvatidesign.com/
http://www.jimsalvati.com/
http://www.disneyfineart.com/artists.php?aID=518salvati
http://www.workbook.com/portfolios/salvati
http://www.world-wide-art.com/bio/Jim_Salvati.html
http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2011/03/jim-salvati.html
http://americangallery.wordpress.com/2013/05/21/jim-salvati-1957/
http://recogedor.blogspot.com/2008/05/jim-salvati-arte.html
http://kultstudio.com/artists/jim-salvati
http://www.lindgrensmith.com/artist.php?id=40&porder=1

Alyssa Monks

Art Appreciation

If you follow my blog, you'd know that I have an interest in hyper-realistic paintings. For me, there is an appreciation for artists who are able to put on canvas an image that is photo-like.

Alyssa Monks is an artist known for her photo-realistic oil paintings of her subjects showering.

You can see more of her wonderful work HERE.

Wake (2009) via mikaila1989

Pause (2009) via tbpdesign

Welcome To (2005) via landesauvage

Sources:

http://alyssamonks.com
http://tbpdesign.blogspot.com/2010/04/alyssa-monks.html
http://mikaila1989.wordpress.com/tag/alyssa-monks/
http://paintingsandartists.blogspot.com/2013/05/alyssa-monks.html
http://underpaintings.blogspot.com/2011/05/alyssa-monks-art-book-from-blurb.html
http://fromheretofar.blogspot.com/2012/02/alyssa-monks.html
http://cactuslands.tumblr.com/post/79205375812/alyssa-monks
http://lipstickking.tumblr.com/post/28701914846/alyssa-monks
http://justmeandyouandadognamedboo.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/hyper-realism-3/
http://sukusin.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/photorealistic-paintings-of-alyssa-monks/

Yuri Kaluta

Art Appreciation

I came across a beautiful painting of a nude woman standing in front of her vanity. In the reflection, you can see a man standing at the doorway looking at her. Is it the painter, or does the artist want to tell a story?

The painting is titled "The Mirror" and it is by Russian contemporary artist Yuri Kaluta.

You can find more of his art HERE.

The Mirror (2004) via originalface

Sources:

http://www.solartgallery.com/artist/kaluta/biography.htm
http://english.cctv.com/program/cultureexpress/20091112/101583.shtml
http://www.rusmuseum.ru/eng/exhib/lenta/exhibitions_2012/yuri_kaluta_red_and_black/
http://originalface.tumblr.com/post/49249959021/art-mirrors-art-yuri-kaluta-the-mirror-2004
http://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Yuri--Kaluta/2F33EBCD6E10EF97
http://sptimes.ru/story/16615?page=2