No. 36—curated by a guest visitor
No. 36—curated by a guest visitor
Period pieces, catastrophes, gear for ice fishing, Oblique Strategies, and domestic science.
Frequent Visitors is a weekly newsletter created to share a thoughtful selection of our favourite visits—both online and off—curated by friends, not algorithms.
For today’s issue we have a beloved guest sharing their finds!
Born and raised in the Police Village of Ancaster, Ontario, some might say Lisa Wayne is from Hamilton. Passing through a twenty-five-year career producing television commercials, Lisa now spends most of her time on bicycles, reading books, watching movies, with vegetables, and with cats, but not all at the same time. As a pre-teen her “grown-up” dream was to work at Vogue Magazine, and maybe it still secretly is, but you and I will never know.
This Week’s Visits
by Lisa Wayne
Dear Frequent Visitors,
Thanks for having me over. I’ve brought a few things to share. I hope you like them as much as I do.
xo
Lisa Wayne
Think Differently
I think Oblique Strategies is one of the single greatest things in the world. If you have ever suffered from a creative block, I have just the thing for you. Created by musician Brian Eno and artist Peter Schmidt in 1975, Oblique Strategies is a set of over one hundred cards, each containing a peculiar phrase for your consideration. They help drive inspiration and channel your flow dynamics. These cards have been used by everyone from musicians and artists, to brain surgeons and librarians.. The very first time I used Oblique Strategies, trying to get motivated for a project, the card I drew said “Take a break”.
So…I picked another card.
Period Pieces
Corsage
Marie Kreutzer, Austria, 2022
What was it like for a woman to turn 40 in the late 19th century? For Empress Elisabeth of Austria, it’s a catastrophe. Once revered for her exquisite beauty, Corsage presents a series of small actions Elizabeth takes over the course of a year in an attempt to break away from the constraints of societal norms. She pushes against the patriarchy, she gives zero fucks, and she tries to seduce a gay stable-boy. Plus, she tries heroin. Recommended to those who love rebel women, smoking, Mr. Pearl, Marie Antoinette, Marianne Faithful, and mood swings.
Der Fan
Eckhart Schmidt, West Germany, 1982
A teenage girl manifests “relations” with the pop star she is extra-obsessed with. Then, when he rejects her [of course he does] …well…let’s just say that she doesn’t take it lightly. The costumes in this movie are awesome. Kiki Moorse, the producer’s 15-year-old daughter was the costume designer, so you know these outfits are Legitim. Demna, are you reading this? Watch it if you like Yellowjackets, 99 Luftballons, feathered hair and headbands, synthesizers, and
eating outeating in.
Wanda
Barbara Loden, USA, 1970
Wanda is a woman living outside the margins. She walks out of her unhappy marriage and she abandons her children. She becomes a drifter. Wanda wanders. Then, she goes on the run with a bank robber. Inspired by a story Barbara Loden read about a woman who thanked a judge for her jail sentence so she could have some respite from her shitty daily life. Oof. This film is fantastic. See if you like Mabel Longhetti, Marguerite Duras, and Corsage. Ha!
Also see: Suite for Barbara Loden
Sustainability
Nicole McLaughlin. I mean, technically I guess Nicole is what one would call a “sustainable designer”. She repurposes discarded clothing, fabrics, sporting goods, food, and all kinds of bric-a-brac, and makes a whole new thing. But her designs are almost exclusively hilarious, which makes sense since her last name has the work “Laugh” in it. Bread vest? Check! Utility Crocs? Backpack slippers? You heard me. When the end of the world comes Nicole, I want to face it with you.
The New Normal
June by Destroyer
This music video was directed by my boyfriend, David Galloway. June was the third track to be released from Destroyer’s incredible 2022 album Labyrinthitis. The press-release said, “Is it spring where you are? I think June is technically summer, but that’s not the point I’m trying to make. The flowers are starting to come out now, and the birds sure as hell are. There it was; the future just flew by. What’s the quorum on something like that?”. I’m not totally sure what this all means. I thought it was a story about a burrito.
Domestic Science
Let’s face it, we live in a mixed up, messed up world. If you want to create a little order in your life, may I suggest trying to make your bed every morning. And if you want to take it up a notch, try hospital corners. Once reserved for military bunks, boarding school dormitories, and hospitals, these corners are “overlapping folds used to tuck sheets neatly and securely under the mattress at the corners”. It is something we can all deploy. Tuck that sheet in tight and don’t worry about a thing. And if you really want to treat yourself nice, I recommend these jammies from LA-based clothing company Lotte.99. Life’s good!
The very last thing.
Thank you so much for reading and we hope you enjoyed your visit!
Until next time,
LW + your pals at FP