How They Know You're A Lady

Just in case the Forehead Tittaes are drawing a little too much attention to your face... Behold: Camel Shows.

Kelly Brook's Cameltoe Shows from Kelly Brook

Lobster Claw, anyone?

[Via Street Anatomy]

Grotesque Chess

[Nick Gabrichidze, "Chess revolution"]

With all the focus on the 'grotesque' body in art and literature it can be easy to forget that the term isn't always used in relation to living anatomies, human or otherwise.

In chess, for instance, a Grotesque is a fantastical arrangement of pieces designed for entertainment and amusement. Grotesques are endgame studies: arrangements of pieces designed as puzzles which other players attempt to solve and win. Unlike other endgames, though, Grotesques are intended to provoke laughter.

Tigran Gorgiev, a designer of Grotesques, explains in Endgame magazine (pdf here) that "good grotesques are composed with great difficulty." Not only must they be challenging, but they must also include "superfluous" and "comic" elements.

Hungarian Ottó Bláthy is well known for creating Grotesques. Here is one of his inventions:

[Via]

The white pieces in this scenario are outnumbered to a ridiculous degree. There are a sequence of moves which will ensure a white victory, but to most this would seem an impossible situation.

The chances of this exact pattern occurring during a normal game are very low. It has been deliberately constructed for effect and amusement (although I suspect the level of hilarity depends upon your knowledge of/interest in chess as a game).

Here is a study by Gorgiev. Looks fairly silly, to my untrained eye anyway.

[Via]

I'm having real trouble finding examples online. Perhaps this is because they are not being called 'Grotesques' anymore?

In any case it is interesting to consider how the term has been used to denote those problems that are simultaneously difficult and amusing. Seems appropriate somehow.

New Year

I'm resolving to eat more green food.

Within reason, obviously.

[A man in bed with vegetables sprouting from all parts of his body; as a result of taking J. Morison's vegetable pills. Coloured lithograph by C.J. Grant (1831) Via]

Wishing everyone an excellent 2011. Starting today.

Hybrid Vigour

The work of Dutch artist Arent van Bolten (~1573-1624) is worth checking out if you have an interest in early grotesque art, or hybrid and fantastic creatures more generally. His drawings are a classic example of the traditional grotesque as they depict bodies composed from various human and nonhuman elements, including plants, animals and objects.

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam describes his work in this way:

"Van Bolten was known for his work as a silversmith and sculptor, but especially for his drawings. Besides his designs for work in precious metals he drew numerous drawings of grotesque figures and monsters, biblical and mythological scenes as well as pictures of peasant life. Several of his grotesques and ornaments appeared in print and were widely distributed."

The Museum has a collection of engravings based in his sketches in their online database. They are magnificent. If you ever wondered who came before Dr Seuss and Tim Burton, Van Bolten is definitely an artist to consider.






















I find the intricate details and expressive poses quite brilliant.

It is also amusing to observe the random photobombing cat and scatological humour in the above. We think we are so original in the 21st century...

Speaking of time. See you next year!

(Alter)Nativity

I hope everyone has a safe and relaxing weekend... even if you don't celebrate Christmas yourself. In case you're feeling Grinchy, might I suggest some music?




Please feel free to rock on.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays from Groteskology.

New Blog, Old Blog

[Via]

So. I decided to change the blog template. Partly because I was getting bored with the old look. Partly because it didn't allow for any adjustments or customisation at all.

Of course, within 24 hours I have become nostalgic for the old blog and want to change it back. I miss the good old days. As it turns out, changing back isn't possible. The other design was so old that they don't offer it as an option anymore. Can't go back. Ain't that just like life.

Probably for the best.

In any case, I am still undecided about the current template/background. I appreciated the last design because it was somewhat homey and had a reassuring old bookshop wallpaper feel. Not keen on white backgrounds, to be honest. I know they are seen as 'cleaner' (and, I dare say, more professional and academic) but after spending my whole day reading and writing black text on white backgrounds it is all too much. A blog is not a thesis, an essay, a book or a journal article. And I like to be reminded of that fact.

It also feels a bit like false advertising. I don't consider this to be an academic blog. It's more of a series of enjoyable mind splurges. Messy and multifarious. I would feel awkward and inhibited if it was all crisp and official looking on here. Odd? Perhaps. But there it is.

[Via]

Long story short: I might keep this background, I might play around a bit more, but the content will stay the same. All grotesque. All the time.

One last thing... if anyone has ideas for potential 'grotesque' backgrounds please let me know. Within reason. (Eg, I do not want nipple wallpaper or blood smeared corpses. Awesome, but too distracting in the long run.)

Santa: Slay and Vengeance Edition

Last Christmas I gave a couple of handy suggestions regarding entertainment over the festive period. This year I've been amused to discover how many homicidal Santas* have appeared in horror films. Forget Halloween, Christmas is the new fear.

*Can I say Santas? What is the plural of Santa? Santi? And what is a group of Santas called? A coop? A duffel? A mucous? So many questions.

Anyway, here are a few examples:

Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984).



The Sequel, Silent Night, Deadly Night: Part 2.



It goes on in this vein until the fifth film, in which robot Santa tries to become a real boy while designing kill toys. Or something.



A little review of Evil Christmas.



Then we have Santa's Slay (2005). Sort of a horror/comedy.



OK, this isn't technically a Santa movie. But a genetically engineered snow man with a thirst for blood is worth mentioning.



What about the Gingerdead Man? Not very Christmassy. But the horrid special effects and enthusiastic voice-over are worth some bonus points. "A new kind of cookie."



Sorry, I'm getting distracted. Back to Father Christmas.

It isn't always about killer Santas... sometimes it's Santa killers!



If, for whatever reason, you don't feel like watching horror films on Christmas, Santa with Muscles (1996) is a good alternative.



David Hasselhoff needs to do one of these.