Sunday, October 17, 2010

Max Beckmann, painter of orbs

Beckmann showed only two orbs in this street-scene from Frankfurt but notice how they have brought all electrical activity to a standstill. The sky-trains are no longer running along their overhead wires while the nuclear-missile facility at the left is disabled with the missiles off-line and the blue canopy protecting the silo locked in its closed position. Also is that cat in the foreground sprouting wings??
Scientists do not fully understand the Electro-Magnetic Pulse weapon used by the orbs, but obviously it is some form of high-tech weaponised legume, possibly related to the Black-Eyed Beans from Venus (Van Vliet, 1972).

Beckmann was aware of the orbs right from the start of his artistic life, and they dominate this first self-portrait, painted in 1898 when he was only 15. Some people might see his wordless communion as a kind of acknowledgement of the orbs, as if Beckmann was somehow in their debt or had traded something with them in exchange for esoteric knowledge. I could not possibly comment.

11 comments:

Substance McGravitas said...

Some people might see his wordless communion as a kind of acknowledgement of the orbs, as if Beckmann was somehow in their debt or had traded something with them in exchange for esoteric knowledge.

I dunno, he's working about as hard as a disabled nuclear weapon right there...

mikey said...

Hmmm. I THINK the mysterious cat-wings are actually an artifact of perspective, and in fact are nothing more than an unrepaired pothole.

Of greater concern is it appears it was none other than Another Kiwi who was in charge of the team that installed the streetlights. You may expect some deduction from the final payment, sir!

But perhaps the whole thing can be easily explained. In the foreground on the right edge is what certainly appears to be Christine O'Donnell's hat. I would think that when she returns to reclaim it, all will go back to it's original orderly state.

Perhaps you might invite her to stay?

Smut Clyde said...

I think that's a vuvuzela.

Hamish Mack said...

Sir, as Team Leader of the "Lighting the Future" project, I must protest at the slurs, yes slurs, cast at the performance of the "Installing the Lighting of the Future" team. Have you no respect for fellow simians, sir? These were highly trained New Zealanders of chimpanzee decent!
The "Quality Assurance for the Installing of the Lighting of the Future" team were more than satisfied with the performance of the team and said so in their report "I Bet I Can Get 1,000 People to Say They Like the New Lights on Beckmann Street" on Facebook.
All fittings used were of highest quality pressed Tin from overseas, mainly.
Sir!

mikey said...

I think that's a vuvuzela.

Christine O'Donnell's vuvuzela?

Seems unlikely, as she's blissfully unaware of what, exactly she might have 'down there'.

I think she heard it was bacon and play-d'oh, but she's still a little afraid to check for herself.

Of course, I guess that means that if she could just leave it behind in her travels ("It's detachable, you know"), then that certainly COULD be none other than the candidate's vuvuzela. Left out in the street with all the other junk...

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Who needs street lights when you have helpful, friendly orbs around?
~

Substance McGravitas said...

How can we have an orb panic if Thundra's being all touchy-feely?

Speaking of touchy-feely, who thought "giant inflatable ball" would reveal this?

mikey said...

Ok, look, I GET that there are those who would dispute my qualifications for the role of "Arbiter of all that is Weird as Hell", but that?

That is fucking weird a hell.

And, as I understand it, the motivation is that it's supposed to give you a boner?

Hamish Mack said...

Who indeed? This is why Riddled gets such odd searchers brought here!!

Substance McGravitas said...

And, as I understand it, the motivation is that it's supposed to give you a boner?

It may be that it's supposed to take away boners. OR REFINE NUCLEAR MATERIAL.

Smut Clyde said...

it was none other than Another Kiwi who was in charge of the team that installed the streetlights.

I would like to remind readers that Another Kiwi is not at this time a subsidiary of the KBR group, nor has Another Kiwi ever been contracted under that name to repair infrastructure in Iraq.