K.A. Laity's Blog, page 30

A Fire Ritual for the Heart @ Library

The Claverack Library here in the Hudson Valley (NY) is hosting an exhibition Creativity Amid Chaos. My video ‘A Fire Ritual for the Heart’ will be featured in the Marilyn and Bob Laurie Gallery. There is an opening today from 5-7pm — and it’s Food Truck Day, too! Stop by the library to see all... Read More

Neo-Noir: Julia (2008)

JULIA (2008) dir Erick Zonca An A-list star takes a role in a crime film that offers a chance to slum it as a low-life in a downward, drunken spiral amongst the neon flicker of dive bars and low-rent flop houses. A recipe for Oscar-bait — well, if you’re male. If you’re Tilda Swinton, not... Read More

Listen Now: Surreal Noir 25 Aug 21

After a brief delay the August program has been archived: Surreal portraiture—Muse or artist? Can you fall in love with a picture? Can you fall in love with someone from a picture? What about sel-portrait? How do you conjure the image of yourself? How much do you reveal? How much do you hide? The image... Read More

Highsmith @ 100: The Course

The fall semester begins today. My courses are still all online. I have changed the Crime Fiction course to be all Highsmith, because obviously being busy already means nothing. I’m resisting overloading them with biographical information at the start, instead planning to parcel it out as they make their own discoveries, though I gave them... Read More

Surreal Noir: Wed 25 Aug 21

EPISODE TWO 25 AUG 2030-2130 BDT/1530-1630 EDT Surreal portraiture—Muse or artist? Can you fall in love with a picture? Can you fall in love with someone from a picture? What about self-portrait? How do you conjure the image of yourself? How much do you reveal? How much do you hide? The image of women in... Read More

Ritual & Fashion

Some people are surprised to find that I love fashion, but who doesn’t love wearable art? I’m pretty sure it must have been the poet/translator Alessandra Bava who pointed me toward ‘Embodying Pasolini’ a performance co-created by Olivier Saillard and Tilda Swinton. To honour Pasolini and his long film career, Saillard and Swinton evoke the... Read More

Classic Crime: The Dream Walker – Charlotte Armstrong

Of course I have an interest in noir that overlaps with the supernatural–even if it’s just an element that the protagonists are at pains to discredit as quickly as possible. Probably best known for her novel Mischief, which became the film Don’t Bother to Knock, Charlotte Armstrong has unconventional approaches to crime fiction that make... Read More

Enchanted: Fantasy Illustration

I ran up into the Berkshires to join the QoE Stephanie at the Norman Rockwell Museum, the unlikely setting for Enchanted: A History of Fantasy Illustration. It ended up being a lot more rainy then we expected, in fact bucketing down while we enjoyed a leisurely lunch until it stopped long enough for us to... Read More

Listen Any Time: Surreal Noir

Thanks to all the folks who listened live! I was very gratified 🙂 but I know that’s not possible for everyone, so use the link above to listen to the archived show. Here’s a little more about what awaits you in this premiere episode: Audio: Clips from In A Lonely Place (1950) Pauline Oliveros: The... Read More

Surreal Noir debuts Monday!

MONDAY! MONDAY! YES, THIS MONDAY! My new radio show debuts Monday! I’m so excited. WHEN: 1800 BST/1300 EDT (also archived after if you can’t slope off work) WHERE: No Bounds Radio WHAT: A program that mixes surreal art, noir fiction and experimental music AKA what’s playing inside my head. Very much a work in progress!... Read More