November 17, 2010

The Pope in Barcelona

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17 de noviembre, 2010

El Papa en Barcelona

El domingo 07 de noviembre 2010 estuvimos en la plaza Jaume frente a la Catedral de Barcelona y la residencia del Papa BCN. séquito del Papa estaban haciendo su camino desde su reunión mañana por la mañana para almorzar en exclusivo Hotel Colón.

El Papa ha visitado a consagrar la iglesia de La Sagrada Familia, diseñada por el arquitecto Antoni Gaudí.

Styrous tiene algunas fotos de Lluis Martínez Sistach, Cardenal Arzobispo de Barcelona (que es el pez gordo de la iglesia en Cataluña). No había protección policial muy fuerte. Las caras de los policías están a oscuras para proteger su identidad, la policía es muy sensible acerca de las fotos de sí mismos - Lo sé porque Styrous se detuvo, y educadamente no.

No vimos El Papa pero se las arregló para conseguir algunas fotos de los arzobispos de Papa, Cardenales, pederastas, lesbianas, gays, víctimas, fiel y vigilante de seguridad del catolicismo, emociones diversas gobernó el día. Espero que estas fotos transmiten los sucesos del día y contribuyen a los cambios en la Regla ricos del Vaticano de un pasado no muy lejano.

~ Texto de bUtom.

English translation below photographs.

photo by Styrous®

Lluis Martinez Sistach, and one of his supporters
photos by Styrous®

photos by Styrous®

photos by Styrous®

photos by Styrous®

photos by Styrous®

photo by Styrous®

photos by Styrous®

photo by Styrous®


photo by Styrous®


photos by Styrous®


photo by Styrous®



On Sunday 7 Nov. 2010 we were in Place Jaume in front of the Cathedral of Barcelona and the Pope's BCN residence. The Pope's entourage were making their way from their morning meeting to lunch at high-end Hotel Colon.

The Pope was here to consecrate the Sagrada Familia church designed by architect, Antoni Gaudí.

Styrous got a few shots of Lluis Martinez Sistach, Cardenal arzobispo de Barcelona (he is the big cheese of the church in Cataluña). There was very heavy police protection. The faces on the policemen are blacked out to protect their identity; the police are very sensitive about photos of themselves-- I know because Styrous was stopped, and not politely.

We didn't see El Papa but managed to get a few shots of the Papa's Archbishops, Cardinals, Pederasts, Lesbians, Queers, victims, faithful and security guard of Catholicism, Diverse emotions ruled the day. I hope these fotos convey the happenings of the day and contribute to changes in the Rich Vatican Rule of the not-so-distant past.

~ Text by bUtom ~ November 17, 2010
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August 8, 2010

El Raval, Barcelona

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Well, España has been quite an experience. It is now two months since we’ve been here. We have a great apartment in El Raval, one of three barrios in an area called, Ciutat Vella, in the heart of old Barcelona.


This is the view from our window looking 
down the street in both directions.
photos by Styrous®




Though our street may look narrow, 
there are narrower ones.
 photo by Styrous®



It is right across the street from El Indio,
a famous dry goods store from the late 1800’s
(yep, it was raining in June) . . .
 photo by Styrous®



. . . . just a couple of blocks from Plaça Catalunya . . .
 photo by Styrous®



. . . and one block behind the fantastic Boqueria . . .
 photo by Styrous®



. . . which looks entirely different at night . . . .
 photos by Styrous®



The streets are busy by day . . .
 photos by Styrous®



. . . and mysterious by night.
 photos by Styrous®



And there is La Rambla del Raval!
 photo by Styrous®

To be continued . . . . . .


~ Styrous - Aug. 8, 2010
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February 25, 2010

Illuminating Shadows @ Frisbie


Last month it was my pleasure to have been part of a wonderful experiment in a new way of viewing art. In darkness.


Only flashlights, provided by the organizers of the exhibition (Lanell Dike, Becky Jaffe and Carrie-Andrea Kaye), given to the attending public to view the art, lighted the artwork. It was a three-day event and the exhibition gallery was one of many venues of the Oakland Art Murmur event.

It sounds a bit wacky, or at least it did to me when I was first invited to participate; but it was that element of wackiness that intrigued me and tempted me to join in the experiment. I have absolutely no regrets.



Barcelona, 2 am, photo by Styrous®

The amazing thing is that my work took on a dimension it had never had nor had it ever occurred to me to try viewing it in that manner. I had four pieces in the show, street scenes at night. The strangest thing happened when my work was viewed with a flashlight. The image took on an eerie, other-world quality as shown in the photograph (above right) taken by Debra Jan Bibel by flashlight. They came alive, as I have never seen them do before.


There were 15 artists who participated in the show (that's me on the left.) The work ranged from sculpture, 2-D & 3-D art, photography and video.

The artists were:
C. BrooksText Color
Mercy Calman
Kamran Golriz
Eli Jenkins
Elisa Salasin



photo by Styrous®
Across from me, Becky Jaffe showed her ethereal transparencies.



photo by Styrous®
JJ Fryzal was a big hit with her florescent, 3-D artwork.



photo by Styrous®
Lanell Dike showed her amazing filmstrip-body light sculpture.



photo by Styrous®
Kristen Hoard had her jelly fish/metal sculpture
on display in the middle of the room. It was remarkable.

In the backroom, Carrie-Andrea Kaye created an installation piece featuring video by Gustavo Porras.



photo by Eli Jenkins
My favorite work in the show was a photo by Eli Jenkins;
a delightfully playful optical illusion image that I found charming and engaging.

I wasn't able to attend the opening night on Friday due to my photo shoot of the BAMscape I had scheduled but I was there on Saturday evening to enjoy the great music of Cara Wick, on guitar, and Kim Lembo, playing violin.

On Sunday, it was beautiful and sunny and in the back of the building an outdoor living room was set up with drawing materials for people and children to create work that could then be brought into the darkened gallery to view under the black lights.

What a great experience it was. Good job Frisbie.

February 21, 2010

BAMscape at the Berkeley Art Museum



photo by Styrous®

On Friday, January 29th, during the ongoing L@TE series, the
Berkeley Art Museum unveiled BAMscape, an amazing
architectural sculpture designed by architect Thom Faulders, that was commissioned by the Museum.

photo by Styrous®

Designed to be people friendly, it was built to be interactive for people to climb, walk, sit & lay on.

photo by Styrous®

The children especially enjoyed romping around on it.

photo by Styrous®

Constructed of wood over foam, it is painted a wonderful, warm orange. Delightful to the eye and easy on the body when laying on it, it is a beautiful, colorful & huge construction that says, “Come, enjoy me.” It is a visual blend reminiscent of a stage set, waves, architectural plans, mountains or a children’s slide. Faulders says it creates, “dynamic relationships between users and environments.”


photo by Styrous®


photo by Styrous®



photo by Styrous®

photo by Styrous®

photo by Styrous®

Anne McGuire performing atop the sculpture and accompanied by sound designer, Wobbly, provided the entertainment for the event.

photo by Styrous®

What a wonderful and fun experience it was.


Styrous© ~ February 21, 2010