bookofjoe

'Flowers On The Wall' — Statler Brothers

This classic 1965 song, along with its earworm-generating music, has wonderful lyrics (below).

How great to be able to sing along.

I keep hearing you're concerned about my happiness
But all that thought you're giving me is conscience, I guess
If I were walking in your shoes I wouldn't worry none
While you and your friends are worrying 'bout me, I'm having lots of fun

Counting flowers on the wall
That don't bother me at all
Playing solitaire till dawn with a deck of fifty-one
Smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me I've nothing to do

Last night I dressed in tails pretended I was on the town
As long as I can dream it's hard to slow this swinger down
So please don't give a thought to me I'm really doing fine
You can always find me here and having quite a time

Counting flowers on the wall
That don't bother me at all
Playing solitaire till dawn with a deck of fifty-one
Smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me I've nothing to do

It's good to see you, I must go, I know I look a fright
Anyway my eyes are not accustomed to this light
And my shoes are not accustomed to this hard concrete
So I must go back to my room and make my day complete

Counting flowers on the wall
That don't bother me at all
Playing solitaire till dawn with a deck of fifty-one
Smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me I've nothing to do

Salvador Dali's Surreal Cutlery

[The collection consists of six pieces: two forks, two knives, and two spoons.]

From MyModernMet:

Iconic artist Salvador Dalí is undoubtedly a Surrealist superstar. Beyond the signature mustache, his art and philosophy have heavily influenced the way that artists express their innermost thoughts. In his prime, constructs of time, memory, dreams, and the unpredictability of the imagination interested Dalí and his Surrealist contemporaries.

These concepts are well-known today to have been explored in their paintings, but Dalí also applied them to his lesser-known works, including a six-piece tableware set.

Comprised of an elephant fork, snail knife, leaf knife, two artichoke spoons, and a fish fork, Dalí brings to life these biomorphic forms in a unique way, tapping into the bounty of our imagination.

Purchased in 2012 for $28,125, this fanciful cutlery set is a thought-provoking collection inspired by nature. Dalí's elephant fork is constructed of three sharp-ended prongs that lay on a bed of two leaf-shaped pieces. The elephant head sits just below the prongs with two red eyes and wing-shaped ears.

Biomorphic curves that comprise the snail knife emit the paradoxical state in which these invertebrates live. The soft inner bodies and hard outer shells of snails are a paradox that enchanted Dalí and inspired him to explore this in visual art. This tableware series clearly takes inspiration from the shape and textures of leaves, transforming foliage into something nearly unrecognizable.

Take a closer look at the two artichoke spoons. Slightly different in size, the oval-shaped head of the spoons have jagged edges that emit the organic leaves of an artichoke. Deep purple with stripes of light blue, yellow, and green add depth.

Finally, the fish fork. Four prongs twisted like vines protrude from the end of this object. The body is covered in scales, fins, eyes, and a tail, almost as if this fish could swim away, right before your eyes.

At the heart of it, Surrealist works are concerned with the psychological, biomorphic forms, and the fragments of dreams. The ambiguity of dreams prompts artists like Dalí to explore the power of curiosity. The Spanish artist embraces the foundational components of Surrealism and activates different sensations in the process.

Dalí used a variety of materials to create these pieces. At first glance one might draw the conclusion that they are made of gold; however, Dalí utilized the process of silver-gilt instead — is silver covered in gold. 

The artist also used a variety of supplementary substances and textures to emphasize the creativity of his design. For example, the sapphire eyes of the fish, ruby eyes of the elephant, and the snail knife adorned with rock crystals seem to be animated. In using these materials together, Dalí juxtaposes the experience of fine dining and the commonplace of nature.

On a similar note, the artist explored the relationship between Surrealism and cuisine in his cookbook Les Dîners De Gala, published in 1973. In this literary work, Dalí uses the written word as a way to convey the subconscious.

Containing 136 recipes for out-of-this-world ingredients like "thousand-year-old eggs," quail, and toffee paired with something you would find in a your backyard —pine cones — Dalí takes readers on a journey to the most unrealistic places, yet there is something intriguing about the nonsensical characteristic of this artistic style. The imagination manifests visually in his works, but especially in the cutlery set of 1957. The multi-hyphenate innovator rebels and pushes against the boundaries of art that have been defined by creative styles throughout history.

Dalí has curated a visual narrative that is multi-sensory, activating touch and sight, and even inspiring viewers to imagine what it would be like to actually use these pieces of silverware. Taking inspiration from the natural world, the artist challenges the way that we use these everyday objects. Stepping outside of his well-known works, The Persistence of Memory and The Elephants, this silverware brings to life Surrealist practices in an inventive way. Dalí runs with his imagination, letting it flow freely, embracing the whimsical nature of Surrealism and nonsensical representations of everyday life.

Got nerd cred?

The fastest way to get it is to sport one of these pocket clip rulers alongside the myriad pens in your pocket protector.

Features and Details:

• Convenient fraction and decimal equivalents on reverse side

• Etched gradations in 16th, 32nds, and 64ths

• Pocket clip doubles as depth gauge

• 6"L x 0.5"W

$6.97.