27 3 / 2012

He likes to party and he likes The Party. Even before taking into account the overall twinkly, Disney-chrome quality of the scene, just the man and his boom box are somehow almost achingly sweet. One wonders though, was he, moments after this photo was taken, jumping and twisting on the sidewalk in a fervent breakdance to the beats of a rousing Chairman Mao speech? Did he even have to unbutton one button to do it? Sheree Chen found this picture while digging through her grandparents’ stuff.

He likes to party and he likes The Party.

Even before taking into account the overall twinkly, Disney-chrome quality of the scene, just the man and his boom box are somehow almost achingly sweet. One wonders though, was he, moments after this photo was taken, jumping and twisting on the sidewalk in a fervent breakdance to the beats of a rousing Chairman Mao speech? Did he even have to unbutton one button to do it?

Sheree Chen found this picture while digging through her grandparents’ stuff.

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18 3 / 2012

To set a lone tenant of aesthetic appraisal to this man, I choose: Balance. Notice how the graceful curve and heft of his exposed belly is terminated in another bulge, the artfully hanging codpiece pack. A pale yin to a bulky yang. This is echoed in the delicate tuft of bleached yellow hair floating atop his formidable shaved dome. Art! Living, breathing art. Alison Jia saw him “directing parking in the bus lot near the city wall in Xi’an.”  Check out her sweet ceramics project Middle Kingdom Porcelain and you’ll find even more pleasing Chinese forms.

To set a lone tenant of aesthetic appraisal to this man, I choose: Balance. Notice how the graceful curve and heft of his exposed belly is terminated in another bulge, the artfully hanging codpiece pack. A pale yin to a bulky yang. This is echoed in the delicate tuft of bleached yellow hair floating atop his formidable shaved dome. Art! Living, breathing art.

Alison Jia saw him “directing parking in the bus lot near the city wall in Xi’an.”  Check out her sweet ceramics project Middle Kingdom Porcelain and you’ll find even more pleasing Chinese forms.

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13 3 / 2012

The submitter of this photo swears that the following story is 100% true. No posse was hidden in the car with their discreet video cameras and slow-smirks blazing, but maybe this was a masterpiece of NYC subway performance art all the same: “When I ride the R train I like to beatbox. If I hold my hand out sometimes people give me money, other times I get dap from the youngsters (it’s a sign of respect apparently), but most of the time people try to ignore me as I remind them that even after all these years It’s (still) All About The Benjamins.  This day was different. On this day my musical stylings were matched by this lyrical genius. He tilted his hat, folded his newspaper and proceeded to be the Fresh Prince to my Jazzy Jeff. We held the train under the spell of our call-and-response. We channeled the greats from an almost forgotten era…Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Premier & Guru (RIP), Eric B. & Rakim. For a brief moment, time stopped. We were a two-man revolution. There were no contenders. We never spoke again.” - Khris Pants

The submitter of this photo swears that the following story is 100% true. No posse was hidden in the car with their discreet video cameras and slow-smirks blazing, but maybe this was a masterpiece of NYC subway performance art all the same:

“When I ride the R train I like to beatbox. If I hold my hand out sometimes people give me money, other times I get dap from the youngsters (it’s a sign of respect apparently), but most of the time people try to ignore me as I remind them that even after all these years It’s (still) All About The Benjamins. 
This day was different. On this day my musical stylings were matched by this lyrical genius. He tilted his hat, folded his newspaper and proceeded to be the Fresh Prince to my Jazzy Jeff. We held the train under the spell of our call-and-response. We channeled the greats from an almost forgotten era…Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Premier & Guru (RIP), Eric B. & Rakim. For a brief moment, time stopped. We were a two-man revolution. There were no contenders. We never spoke again.”

- Khris Pants

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08 3 / 2012

Let’s do this. You are in a wheelchair now, but nothing can stop you from becoming the break dancing light of the world. Just ask that young man to hold your bag so that you can get to dazzling us. The mysterious Patronacles Marcoux took this photo at the Puerto Vallarta airport.

Let’s do this. You are in a wheelchair now, but nothing can stop you from becoming the break dancing light of the world. Just ask that young man to hold your bag so that you can get to dazzling us.

The mysterious Patronacles Marcoux took this photo at the Puerto Vallarta airport.

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29 2 / 2012

Sneers, raised eyebrows, confrontational poses, nonchalance, Mom’s sunglasses, advanced color coordination, killer hats: these Canadian siblings know what they’re doing. One’s even got a tiny messenger bag! This reminds me of how I sometimes also want to run up and pinch adult cool kids on the cheek for their (however solemn) cuteness. Pictured here are Derek (the submitter), Sandy and Peter in Hamilton, Ontario, sometime in the early ’90s. . Beverage pride is another sign of early hipster-like behavior.

Sneers, raised eyebrows, confrontational poses, nonchalance, Mom’s sunglasses, advanced color coordination, killer hats: these Canadian siblings know what they’re doing. One’s even got a tiny messenger bag! This reminds me of how I sometimes also want to run up and pinch adult cool kids on the cheek for their (however solemn) cuteness.

Pictured here are Derek (the submitter), Sandy and Peter in Hamilton, Ontario, sometime in the early ’90s.

.

Beverage pride is another sign of early hipster-like behavior.

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27 2 / 2012

A simplified overview of “CHINA.”

(found via reddit)

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24 2 / 2012

“I think he just came in from shoveling snow… I told my dad, “DON’T MOVE” and went to grab the camera.”  -Sonia in NYC This is an almost wax museum perfect replica of a scene from my own Williamsburg kitchen. It’s as if I took a picture of my super-hip, bike-riding, art copy-editing, kale-eating, Asian American roommate, mailed it to Sonia, and had her re-stage the whole thing with her dad. Eerie, and yet cool.

“I think he just came in from shoveling snow… I told my dad, “DON’T MOVE” and went to grab the camera.”

 -Sonia in NYC

This is an almost wax museum perfect replica of a scene from my own Williamsburg kitchen. It’s as if I took a picture of my super-hip, bike-riding, art copy-editing, kale-eating, Asian American roommate, mailed it to Sonia, and had her re-stage the whole thing with her dad. Eerie, and yet cool.

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22 2 / 2012

Remember the Magic Eye Puzzle Granny? This is her American counterpart, Color Blindness Test Granny. If you can’t read the backwards number seven in the above photo, then you have to go to the doctor. Here again is abundant proof that older Chinese folks can be our fashion mentors. Hughster got this photo in NYC’s Chinatown and noted that while it’s hard to see, she is in fact wearing a “Football Is Life” hat.

Remember the Magic Eye Puzzle Granny? This is her American counterpart, Color Blindness Test Granny. If you can’t read the backwards number seven in the above photo, then you have to go to the doctor. Here again is abundant proof that older Chinese folks can be our fashion mentors.

Hughster got this photo in NYC’s Chinatown and noted that while it’s hard to see, she is in fact wearing a “Football Is Life” hat.

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15 2 / 2012

Let’s start from the right and work our way over: 1. Tropical Buddha with bread-offering necklace. Respect. 2. Military toilet cleaner (way too happy). 3. Wh… WHAT?! Androgenous topless nun without nipples? 4. It’s the Flying Pig from Kids in the Hall! Only he’s also a toilet cleaner. 5. Product mascot or super hero maybe. Clearly too invested in being the most attractive guy in the group to have a good costume. ———- André from Germany met these guys on the way to his hotel room in Shenzhen in 2007: “Fun at a company party, as far as I recall it.”

Let’s start from the right and work our way over:

1. Tropical Buddha with bread-offering necklace. Respect.

2. Military toilet cleaner (way too happy).

3. Wh… WHAT?! Androgenous topless nun without nipples?

4. It’s the Flying Pig from Kids in the Hall! Only he’s also a toilet cleaner.

5. Product mascot or super hero maybe. Clearly too invested in being the most attractive guy in the group to have a good costume.

———-

André from Germany met these guys on the way to his hotel room in Shenzhen in 2007: “Fun at a company party, as far as I recall it.”

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10 2 / 2012

This week I was interviewed for an article on public pajama wearing in the Global Times. I can’t say that I understood the subject fully before I read the completed piece (which is very enlightening), but it definitely comes with the territory of writing this blog. I mean, there are people out there, tattooed people, who are squatting on the sides of busy streets, smoking and broadcasting a steely death stare to the passersby, all while sporting their favorite patterned silk pajamas. These people often fall under the jurisdiction of Accidental Chinese Hipsters. Stephanie Krings photographed our man in Shanghai, on the Puxi side of town.

This week I was interviewed for an article on public pajama wearing in the Global Times. I can’t say that I understood the subject fully before I read the completed piece (which is very enlightening), but it definitely comes with the territory of writing this blog. I mean, there are people out there, tattooed people, who are squatting on the sides of busy streets, smoking and broadcasting a steely death stare to the passersby, all while sporting their favorite patterned silk pajamas. These people often fall under the jurisdiction of Accidental Chinese Hipsters.

Stephanie Krings photographed our man in Shanghai, on the Puxi side of town.

Permalink 65 notes