Side Real Press (blog)

2012-02-21T15:25:00.000-08:00

The 'Little Italy' Garden/Folly
of Corris, Wales

     When planning a trip to a new area, beside looking up, as much as one is able, where the second-hand bookshops might be, I consult that bible of all things 'folly' Headley & Muelenkamps 'Follies, Grottoes and Garden Buildings' (Aurum 1999). This wonderful book lists virtually every strange and weird quirk of architecture covered by these terms which, as you can see by the title alone, can stretch to cover many things.

    Last year holiday took us to the Gower peninsular of Wales and as part of that trip we decided to visit its best known Italianate architectural fantasy, Portmerion, and its more secret twin lying thirty or so miles further south on the edge of Corris.

    Of Sir Clough William Ellis' Portmeirion we have nothing historical to add that has not been said here. On the day we visited it was particularly warm and the place was packed with visitors. Too many. Despite the quieter area of the dogs graveyard (in fact this aspect of the 'village' had been begun before Ellis took over) we were glad to leave it and point the car down the coast again.

Dogs Graveyard Port Merion

The beauty of follies is that one can never be certain as to whether they are known, or if known cared about, by the locals. It would seem as if this one both known and loved, as we given precise directions by a woman working at one of Corris other attractions and actually escorted part of the way there by an Irish visitor to the youth hostel about 1/4 from it. It was lucky we were, as it lies (un-signposted) up a track just outside the village. It is a nice walk, further than you might imagine even if you know where you are going, but persevere, it is worth it.

The Garden is tiered back from the path overlooking the valley, and walled in part by a large collection of brick laid side on to show the differing manufacturers names. After (ahem) 'negotiating' the locked gate (the house appeared to be undergoing renovations and no-one was around) we wandered at will down tiny paths that twisted up and down and round about.

Construction of the thirty or so buildings that are spread over the large site was begun in the late '70s by Mark Bourne, a retired chicken farmer and caravan park owner, and based upon photos taken while on holiday in Italy.

Each project (which appeared to be built of concrete over a steel structure) took from four to six weeks depending on the size which ranged large (2.5m +) Pisa Tower and Siennas Bell Tower to a more modest scale perhaps 1-1.5m .

This is in addition to many metres of pathways, crenellated walls, the sheds of Welsh railway ephemera and the horticultural aspects of the garden itself. Any size discrepancies were absorbed by the rakes in perspective created by the landscaping, and everything formed a crazy homogeneous whole. It is a wonderful place and obviously a labour of love.

Sadly Mr. Bourne died in 2009 and local rumour told us that the current owners are hoping to open a b & b with the garden as a bonus. I have to say that in my opinion this not bode well for Little Italy. Many of the pathways are a single paving slab wide and the walls are often only one brick wide.

Maintaining these, let alone the buildings, some of which look quite delicate and already flaking paint, would seem to be a full time job that only the truly committed (i.e. a Mr. Bourne) could sustain. Thus with the best will in the world a large increase in visitor 'traffic' could well cause irreparable damage. That said, it takes some commitment to visit until this place; so before arrives on the tourist map, if it ever does, visit it soon. I fear that in a decade it will be a shadow of its glorious self.

2012-02-11T14:39:00.000-08:00

The Stereoscopic 'Diableries'
of 19th Century France

     Some of you may be aware of my love of things stereoscopic and in particular the set(s) of images that are known as 'Diableries' (the Diabolical).

     These amusing cards which feature Satan and his skeletal cohorts riding bikes, at the concert hall, in the library and performing many other jolly japes were created over a forty year period in France and were mainly published by Adolph Block. The exact number of images is unknown but it is thought to be around 140. The cards also have a strong satirical edge, primarily at the expense of the Napoleonic excesses of the day, though some images still elude attempts to decipher them.

     The scenes themselves were made from clay and plaster, the stereoscopic photos of which became the cards. The French had developed a technique now generally known as 'tissue view' in which each card was printed on thin paper and backed with tissue and coloured varnishes. Sometimes images where also pierced to allow white light through. Viewed from the front the image was in b/w but when backlit it changed to colour. This was a delicate and expensive process and sets of images were thus luxury items.

     To date, only one (now rare) book exists on them; Jac Remises 'Diableries: La vie Quotidienne Chez Satan', Balland, 1978). However, the London Stereoscopic Company   has announced that they are to issue a new book on the subject at some point this year which will include the fruits of the considerable research that has taken place over the last twenty five years.

     Their website has a section devoted to the Diableries including this link to an amazing page showing 73 of the Diableries in which the viewer can observe (at high resolution) the image in its front and backlit states.

     To get you in the mood here are a few single frames in b/w but do visit that link above to see them in their full colour glory.

2012-01-17T16:38:00.000-08:00

Thomas Ingoldsby

'The Witches Frolic'
(with illustrations by Ernest M. Jessop)

     'The Ingoldsby Legends' where written by the Clergyman Thomas Barham (1788-1845) under the pseudonym 'Thomas Ingoldsby', and originally published piecemeal in Bentleys Miscellany before being collected in book form in the early 1840s.

    The tales were written as poems, and are both humorous and macabre. Though the book is largely out of fashion nowadays, it was immensely popular in its time and many handsome editions were printed, often with illustrations by the great artists of the day such as Cruikshank, Tenniel and Rackham.

     The images here are from a large format edition, one of a series of such, illustrated by Ernset Jessop (1792–1870). Its interesting to compare the more humorous sections of images with the Occult calander previously published here.

Sadly my copy is somewhat water-damaged, hence the wrinkles in the images, but I hope the large scans will compensate for that.

2012-01-05T16:01:00.000-08:00

An Occult Calendar Of 1896
illustrated by Manuel Orazi

    Here is a item from the extensive collection of fantastic artworks available online from the archives of the Cornell University.

    It seems to have a semi-spoof written by author Austin De Croze (1866-1937), a writer better known for his cookery books, but its main interest lie in the lithographs by Manuel Orazi (1860-1934).

    Orazi made his name in Paris in the early 1890s having moved there from Rome. His work is primarily Art Nouveau in style, and although he moved in interesting circles (for example with decadent author Jean Lorrain, Wilde and Proust) most of his illustrated work (which includes a version of 'Salome' as well as works by Poe and Baudelaire) is a bit tame for my taste. despite his personal interest in the occult. However there are some interesting items, for example this humorous depiction of a black mass featuring Maeterlinck, Proust, Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas.

'Black Mass - Deception', cover for L'Assiette au beurre's
special issue on Black Magic, 13 December 1903

In 1920 he was responsible for the set designs and costumes for the film adaptation by Jasques Feyder of a novel by Pierre Benoit, ' L’Atlantide'. The film is a mixture of the Atlantis myth with a dash of Rider Haggards' 'She'. Here are a few film stills.

Stacia Napierkowska as Queen Antinéa in Orazi designed costume

But to the Calendar itself. It was printed in Paris in 1896, supposedly printed in an edition of 777 copies (though this may well be part of a cabbalistic joke) with each double page spread mimicking the Christian calendar in some respect. It reminds me somewhat of a more macabre version of Ernest Jessops illustrations to Thomas Ingoldbys 'Witches Frolic' of 1888 which I will post next time.

'The Witches Frolic' Illustration by Ernest Jessop 1888

Manuel Orazis' illustrations for
An Occult Calendar Of 1896

2012-01-05T01:01:00.000-08:00

Egaeus Press

    This new press has as its remit the publication of "morbid, decadent and baroque fiction in limited editions".

       The first book is to be by Reggie Oliver and is a mixture of tales from his first two hard to obtain volumes together with some previously unpublished material including a play featuring, among others, M.R. James. I am told that their follow up title will also be of interest. The website is 'here'.

2012-01-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

Algernon Blackwood

'The Birth Of An Idea'
(with illustrations by Austin Osman Spare)

This article was first published in 'The London Mystery Magazine' Vol. 1 No. 6 (October 1950). As far as I am aware it, and the illustrations by Austin Osman Spare, have not been reprinted.

I have reversed the text for this posting.

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Page 5

Page 6

2011-12-19T17:42:00.000-08:00

Vania Zouravliov

This artists work is now showcased as part of our 'Some Decadent Illustrators' series. Find it here.

2011-12-16T07:46:00.000-08:00

Peter Bell
'Strange Epiphanies'

     Swan River Press, has just announced that it is accepting pre-orders for its forthcoming (March 2012) collection of stories by Peter Bell 'Strange Epiphanies', in an edition of just 200 copies.

   The contents are: 'Resurrection', 'M. E. F.', 'The Light of the World,' 'An American Writer's Cottage', 'Inheritance', 'A Midsummer Ramble in the Carpathians', 'Nostalgia' and 'Death and Melancholy'.

    This has been keenly anticipted for some time and will be a handsome book judging from Swan Rivers previous volumes. Given the quality of Peters writing it may well be o.o.p. on publication.

    Another of Peters tales, 'The Rites Of Pentecost' appears in the Side Reals Press anthology 'Delicate Toxins'.

2011-12-15T02:33:00.000-08:00

An Afternoon With Mel Gordon
(San Francisco 2nd Dec. 2011)

Mel Gordon in Professorial mode

While in San Francisco it was my pleasure to meet Professor Mel Gordon. He is perhaps best known to the world at large via his numerous books, among them 'Voluptuous Panic: The Erotic World of Weimar Berlin', 'Erik Jan Hanussen: Hitler's Jewish Clairvoyant' and 'The Seven Addictions and Five Professions of

Three titles by Mel Gordon

Anita Berber: Weimar Berlin's Priestess of Depravity'. All are wonderfully, and extensively, illustrated from the authors own archives.

I had become aware of Berber after obtaining the wonderful 'Gesamtskunstwerk Expressionismus' (I reviewed it 'here') and through that, the extraordinary book jointly penned with her husband Sebastian Droste 'Die Tänze des Lasters, Des Grauens Und Die Ekstase' (1923) which translates as 'Dances of Horror, Vice and Ecstasy'*. It is only a short internet jump to Profesor Gordons biography of Berber, the only one in

Tiburon Main St

English, and a very friendly correspondence ensued, resulting in a meeting for lunch in Tiburon. Tiburon has a touch of architectural fantasy about it - a fantasy in which an architect around 1980 decided to design a shopping mall in the styling of the 'ye old west'. Whist the results of this whim are somewhat odd, both the Mexican food and the views over the bay to downtown San Francisco are excellent, especially so on a warm and sunny day in late November.

While we ate, Mel told us many anecdotes concerning his Berber interests, including an account of his staging of his Berber homage, based on his book and starring Nina Hagen in San Francisco in 1994. Against all his expectations it was a great success; so much so that some burly visitors who were arranging 'security' for the numerous vehicles outside ("cars get damaged Mr Gordon") asked for tickets as part of their payment, as they were impossible to obtain. Quite what they made of the unsimulated sex and drug taking that was part of the show is unknown.

Dining done, we followed Mels car over the Richmond Bridge to his house in El Sobrante for tea cakes and of course...archive. After chosing cakes, I was handed a folio of erotic etchings of Berber made in 1919 by Charlotte Berend. The copy I held was one of just 40 copies hand coloured and signed by the artist. As the entire run (80 copies) was suppressed as pornography and destroyed when found, it is an item of the utmost rarity.

Side Real Press with the Berand folio.

From then on there was a veritable blizzard of files, photos taken by visitors to the fleshpots of Berlin, guides to nude revues from the 1930s, the self-produced publications of various fascist love cults, Grand Guinol publicity material- the flow seemed endless. This was underpinned by Mels anecdotes on further diverse subjects; his conversations with people who had met Berber, the exact year Jewish humour began, the wonders of ebay, the latter years of Sebastian Droste as a self invented eccentric nobleman in New York and the theory (to which I wholly subscribe) that the ephemera of society is an often overlooked but integral part of its history. It was hard to pay attention to such with my eyes wandering over the papers arrayed in front of me, and of course I forgot entirely to ask about Ewers, Alraune, and the actress Briget Helm all of which he had mentioned in passing at lunch.

Mel Gordon

    Suddenly it was after five o'clock and time for us to depart, but as a finale Mel fired up a laptop and showed me two twenty second clips of Anita Berber dancing. As no footage is known to exist of her outside her film works I was quite astonished by this, and viewed the clips a few more times as Berber dipped and drifted in grainy silence across the screen. These simple loops were quite magical to behold, and there is the tantalizing prospect that perhaps more footage might exist. A great end to a great afternoon.

    *'Dances of Horror, Vice and Ecstasy', translated by Merril Cole and containing an essay on the book by Mel Gordon, is due to be published by Side Real Press in early 2012. Details will be posted here.

2011-12-10T17:09:00.000-08:00

Warm Digits

Some will know of my love for things German, outside some of its literature, and this includes much of the music (lazily) categorized as 'Krautrock'; bands such as Neu!, Faust, Can and the mighty Kraftwerk.

If this is also your 'thing' then you may find the band 'Warm Digits' of interest. The influence of the genre (especially Neu!) is apparent; they meld the rhythm and experimentation of that group with an injection of what has been termed 'disco-gleam'. They have a LP - 'Keep Warm' recently released as a double 12" and digital download.

They are also extremely good live, using live video feeds overlaid with the type of images seen on the album cover as part of their stage show. Not they need them; to watch Andrew Hodson, the drumer, is entertainment enough.

Here is a video for one of the tracks from the LP, 'Weapons Destruction'. In this case it is not made with their own visuals, but by the equally clever film makers Deborah Bower, Mat Fleming and Annette Knol using hand assembled pieces of 16mm film.

2011-12-07T16:54:00.000-08:00

The Hieroglyphic Press

"We do not want the dregs of the 21st century, the 21st century is Nothing’s Empire. We want the High and the Holy, the Sacred, the Rare."

    It is always a pleasure to promote interesting projects and this new press is certainly that.

       Run jointly by author Mark Samuals and a man well versed in the byways of European literature Daniel Corrick, it aims to produce a biannual journal Sacrum Regnum, "an experimental journal, a sort of contemporary Symbolist review" and publish hitherto untranslated books by authors such as Guido Gozzano, Alexandra Macedonski and Stefan Grabinski

I must confess that the first two names mean nothing to me, but with Grabinski and others on the list of "authors we hold in high esteem" (including Ernst Jünger, Stefan George, Charles Baudelaire, Bruno Schulz, Leon Bloy, Gustav Meyrink, and Gabriele d’Annunzio) they nail their colours to the mast.

    Their schedule of releases is set to begin in Spring 2012.

The website is here.

2011-12-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

Ajna, Anger and Techicolour Skull
(Los Angeles 19th Nov. 2011)

Kenneth Anger / Technicolor Skull

On our recent family visit to California we were able to spend a few days in L.A.

The big event that weekend was the official opening of Kenneth Angers show 'Icons' at MOCA with a rare live performance by Brian Butlers band Techicolor Skull; a duo in which Butler pays guitar and Anger theremin.

L-R: Myself, Tyler and Chelsea Davis

My pleasure was considerably enhanced by meeting Tyler Davis and his wife Chelsea of The Ajna Offensive prior to, and at, the event. Tyler contributed an essay on the mandrake to the Side Real Press edition of Alraune and Ajna have just released the debut Technicolor Skull album - they are busy folk. As you might imagine, we had plenty in common and chatted over tea in a cafe opposite the juggernaut of indie music retail Amoeba. They normally reside in the rural hinterland of Oregon so it was very nice to be able to meet them in the flesh; they are a charming couple and good fun.

Due to the kindness of Brian (we had previously met in Newcastle as part of the AV festival) I had been placed on the guest list and was also able to have a wander around the exhibition which is divided into two parts.

Brian Butler / Technicolor Skull

The first is a large room filled with memorabilia from the Anger archive. As one might imagine, there is a considerable amount from the golden age of Hollywood; Valentino publicity photos, posters, newspaper clippings etc, but Anger has also assiduously collected ephemera from the more forgotten stars plus oddities such as a 'signed' Rin Tin Tin photo. This is the type of collecting (and collector) I admire the most - a jackdaws eye for things that others may pass up as too trivial but as a collection finds its worthy place. I was keeping an eye open for Crowley material, but this aspect of Angers interests was sadly not very evident.

Room two (which was painted and carpeted in red) had a five screen installation showing films from The Magick Lantern Cycle. The relatively small size of the screens (perhaps 3m wide) allowed the audience to wander at will within the installation and at various points in time four of the five screens would freeze frame and the fifth would continue to run whatever film it was showing for a while. This method worked really well as the element of chance determined what you saw at any particular time. The visuals and sound quality were, as one might expect for MOCA, excellent.

Kenneth Anger / Technicolor Skull

Brian Butler / Technicolor Skull

The performance itself took place outside on a semi-piazza. It was packed with (one assumed to be) many of the great and the weird of the L.A. scene. To a backdrop compiled from various of Angers films, Butler created a wall of guitar treatments. This was deliberately restrained to allow the squawks and pitches of the theramin to both be heard and to play against them, the overall effect having a crackly feel to it that juxtaposed nicely with the film clips. It was short, perhaps fifteen minutes long. I think had it been much longer the energy generated would have been dissipated as the sound was quite intense.

Kenneth Anger / Technicolor Skull

Both artists were available to chat and sign autographs after the show, but as I already had another commitment that evening I only managed to thank Brian and say my farewells to Tyler and Chelsea before sliding off into what is something of a rarity in L.A., a rainy night.