Category Archives: Art

Robert Stark talks to Francis Nally about “Queer Culture”

aesthetics, alienation, Alternative Right, American Culture, Aristocratic Individualism, Art, Basic Income, Beatniks, capitalism, Class, conformity, Culture, Donald Trump, Economics, Extroversion, Francis Nally, Introversion, Leftism, Liberalism, Literature, Matthew Pegas, Normies, Philosophy, Politics, Postmodernism, Sexuality, social status, Socialism

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark and Matthew Pegas talk to Francis Nally about his new book Queer Culture: A Transgressive Tradition. An Introduction for The Normie and The Misguided Artist.

Topics:

Culture outside the normative values of society
The “Queer Establishment” vs “Dissident Queer”
Issue of posers and pre-packaged “Queer Identities”
The “Queer Resume”
The need for an artistic elite or Aristocratic Radicalism
Why art is more important than politics
Literary and artistic figures including the Beatniks
New political movements forming on aesthetic impulses
Right-wing outsiders who defend the normative values
Capitalism co-opting “Queer Culture”
The benefits of a basic income
The Cult of the Extrovert
Francis’ Lexicon

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings, Stark Truth TV, and his novel Journey to Vapor Island




Robert Stark talks to Constantin von Hoffmeister about India

aesthetics, Africa, Archeofuturism, Architecture, Art, Asia, China, Cities, Class, colonialism, Constantin von Hoffmeister, Crime, Cuisine, Culture, demographics, Diversity, Economics, England, Globalization, Hinduism, History, Immigration, Imperialism, income inequality, India, Islam, journalism, Le Corbusier, Mass Transit, National Futurism, Nationalism, Politics, Race Relations, Religion, Skyscrapers, social trust, Travel, Urbanism, Wealth, Wilderness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Constantin von Hoffmeister is originally from Germany, lives in Moscow, blogs at Oge Noct, and published the National Futurist Manifesto.

Topics:

Working as a journalist for Blitz(newspaper) in Bombay and National Herald in New Delhi
Interviews with Sonia Gandhi and the Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama on migrants in Europe
Activists Launch ‘Gandhi Must Fall’ Against Statue of ‘Racist’
The cultural and ethnic diversity of India
The Ancient language of Sanskrit, linguistic division between Hindi and Tamil, and the role of English
The Parsis
The Indian diaspora
India’s geopolitics and rivalry with China and the Islamic World
Indian Cuisine and the regional differences
The poor quality of sanitation in India
Economic disparities among regional and demographic groups
Growing prosperity, investment in infrastructure, and skyscrapers
The Right’s irrational hatred of skyscrapers and the need for National Futurist architecture
Le Corbusier’s model of Urbanism and his Chandigarh project in New Delhi
Indo-Saracenic architecture from the British Colonial era
Indo-Islamic and Mughal architecture
The impact of British Colonialism
Political tension between secularist and Hindu Nationalist

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings, Stark Truth TV, and his novel Journey to Vapor Island




Robert Stark talks about Aesthetic Socialism

Aesthetic Socialism, aesthetics, Alt Center, American Culture, Architecture, Art, Art Deco, capitalism, Cities, conformity, Consumerism, Corporations, Culture, David Lynch, demographics, Disneyland, Economics, Eugenics, Europe, Film, Futurism, Giovanni Dannato, Globalization, History, Hollywood, Immigration, income inequality, John C. Portman Jr, Journey to Vapor Island, Las Vegas, Liberalism, Los Angeles, Marxism, materialism, Matthew Pegas, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, Retro Futurism, Sexuality, social status, social trust, Socialism, Urbanism, Wealth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark discusses his essay Aristocratic Aesthetic Socialism with Matthew Pegas and Giovanni Dannato.

Topics:

A political ideology based on aesthetic principles
The role that aesthetics plays in shaping social and economic hierarchies
The role that capitalism plays in aesthetic innovation
The problem of markets catering to the lowest common denominator
How poor urban planning models lead to a lack of social cohesion
How architectural innovation in theme parks and resorts create a sense of escapism
How Smart Socialism can address these issues
The need to subsidize artistic endeavors that are not profitable in the short term but pay off long term
The impact that making aesthetics more accessible would have on economics and class
Creating a new aesthetic elite
How these issues relate to demographic trends
Roger Blackstone: The Politics of Aesthetics
Neonationalism

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings, Stark Truth TV, and his novel Journey to Vapor Island




Robert Stark interviews SF based Artist Merkley???

aesthetics, Architecture, Art, California, Cities, conformity, Conservatives, Culture, Dain Fitzgerald, Donald Trump, Economics, Fashion, Gender, Historic Preservation, humor, Immigration, Leftism, Liberalism, Libertarianism, Merkley???, Morality, Mormonism, Music, Philosophy, Photography, Political Correctness, Politics, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Social Justice Warriors, Social Media, Urbanism, Utah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark and Dain Fitzgerald talk to SF based artist and photographer Merkley??? Check out Merkley??? on Twitter.

Topics:

Merkley’s ex Mormon background, and the role of art, creativity, and philosophy within religion
SJW culture as a religion with the state as the figure head
How traditional religion is now more tolerant in comparison
Being a political outsider in the SF Bay Area
The fusion of SJW culture and Neoliberalism
Conservatives adopting liberal ideas from the past that stand the test of time
Merkley’s view that multiple identities will lead to radical individualism
Merkley’s response to the argument that identities provide a sense of social cohesion
Left Wing Puritanism
Using nude photography to poke fun at photoshop, advertisement, and the fashion industry(objectifying the objects)
Bay Area Housing Crisis, Airbnb, supply and demand, and historic preservation concerns
The impracticality of open borders
Merkley’s Ska Band and friendship with Gwen Stefani
Singing the wisdom of the Luddites

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings, Stark Truth TV, and his novel Journey to Vapor Island

Return of the Republican Party Animal

1980's, 9/11, aesthetics, Alternative Right, Ann Coulter, Art, censorship, Conservatives, Culture, David Cole, demographics, Donald Trump, Economics, Elections, Freedom of Speech, George Bush, Hollywood, humor, Immigration, Los Angeles, Matthew Pegas, Neoconservatism, Political Correctness, Republican Party, Republican Party Animal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark and Matthew Pegas talk to David Cole about his recent Ann Coulter event, and the past, present, and future of the Republican Party. David Cole writes for Takimag and is the author of Republican Party Animal.

Topics:

Ann Coulter “Resistance Is Futile” Full LA Event
David’s friendship with Ann Coulter
David’s reception from former Friends of Abe members in regards to the past controversy
The Neocon domination of the old Friends of Abe
Political Correctness in Friends of Abe and how that mentality led to the collapse of Conservative Inc
How Trump expanding the overtone window made David’s return possible
Ann Coulter’s criticism of Trump and the GOP on immigration
David’s soft on immigration bias as an upper class home owner
The Mid Term Elections and future of the GOP
The Proud Boys
Extending the concept of free speech to the private sector and David’s point on identity over view point discrimination
The location at an 80’s mini mall

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings, Stark Truth TV, and his novel Journey to Vapor Island




Robert Stark talks to Joshua Zeidner about Bobos in Paradise

1960's, 1980's, 1990's, aesthetics, Alt Center, Alternative Right, American Culture, Art, Baby Boomers, capitalism, Cities, Class, Consumerism, Corporations, counterculture, Culture, David Brooks, Economics, Environment, Fashion, gentrification, Hipsters, History, Immigration, income inequality, Joshua Zeidner, Labor Movement, Leftism, Liberalism, materialism, Matthew Pegas, Middle Class, Millennials, Morality, Neoliberalism, New York, Religion, Silicon Valley, Urbanism, Wealth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark and Matthew Pegas talk to Joshua Zeider about the cultural phenomenon and book by David Brooks Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There.

Topics:

Bobos as Bourgeois Bohemians or Capitalist Hippies
Concepts that emerged after the French Revolution
How all three of us overlap with this group(interconnected yet outside)
Those who know the inner workings of the privileged class yet not quite in it
David Brooks, his political ideology, and Mid Atlantic old wealth culture
The Boomers’ transition in values
How the elites reinvented their cultural image
The blurring of cultural class as a mask for growing economic inequality
How Bobo culture coincided with the Neoliberal restructuring of our economy
Silicon Valley’s “socially conscious” cutthroat capitalism
Fake social climbing, virtual signaling, and self appointed moral leadership
Historic parallels to using Christianity to justify slavery and imperialism
Paying high prices for cheap looking merchandise
Hipsters as the Millennial offshoot of the Bobos
Political dissidents and cultural outsiders’ fascination with the culture of past elites
Alt-Subcultures and Alt-Urbanism as positive alternatives to Bobo culture

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings, Stark Truth TV, and his novel Journey to Vapor Island




Robert Stark interviews Sven Kirsten about Tiki Culture

1950's, 1960's, 1970's, aesthetics, American Culture, Architecture, Art, Art Deco, California, Culture, Disneyland, Film, Historic Preservation, History, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Mid-Century Modern, Neon, Photography, San Francisco, Sven Kirsten, Tiki, Travel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark talks to Sven Kirsten about Tiki Culture. Sven Kirsten is a Director of Photography, urban archaeologist and self-admitted “visual junkie.” Sven has spent over 20 years researching and documenting the world of  Tiki and Polynesian Pop. Sven’s four books on Tiki include The Book of Tiki, Tiki Pop, Tiki Modern and The Art of Tiki.

Topics:

Sven’s background as a cinematographer and his work on music videos for Madonna, Bill Joel, and The Cramps(IMDB Filmography)
The West’s fascination with Tiki, originating in Polynesia, from the explorer James Cook to the artist Paul Gauguin
Tiki’s popularity in Southern California in the Film Industry and in 50’s design
The Current Tiki revival
Sven’s favorite bar Tiki Ti
History of Trader Vic’s, the venue at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich, and Sven’s upcoming book
The handcrafted wood carvings of Tiki venues
Tiki Neon and the building as a sign
The difference between Tiki and Hawaiiana
Devolution of Tiki style to the “Fantasy Island”/Fern bar style in the 70’s
Historic preservation losses and victories
The Tonga Room in San Francisco, it’s preservation, and the Tiki lounge as an urban oasis
The Tiki Room and defunct Tahitian Terrace at Disneyland
Exhibition at the Musee de Quai Branley in Paris
Sven’s upcoming book “Aztec Hotel” about Art Deco Mayan and Aztec revival

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings, Stark Truth TV, and his novel Journey to Vapor Island




Alt-Center Solutions to LA’s Urban and Social Dynamics

1960's, 1970's, 1980's, aesthetics, Alt Center, Alternative Right, American Culture, Architecture, Art, Art Deco, Baby Boomers, Beverly Hills, Blade Runner, California, Cities, Class, Conservatives, Crime, Culture, demographics, Diversity, Economics, education, gentrification, Hipsters, Historic Preservation, History, Immigration, income inequality, John C. Portman Jr, Liberalism, Los Angeles, Mass Transit, Matthew Pegas, Mid-Century Modern, Middle Class, Millennials, Neoliberalism, Neon, Politics, Prison, Prison Rape, Retro Futurism, Skyscrapers, social capital, social trust, Suburbia, Urbanism, US Prison System, Utopia, Wealth, Zoning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark and  Matthew Pegas discuss their recent trip to Downtown LA, Matthew’s experience as a newcomer to the city, observations on the regions cultural dynamics, and solutions to social and urban problems.

Topics:

Skid Row, “ruin porn” and the Creepy History of the Cecil Hotel
Gentrification of the Historic Core
Broadway, neon signs and historic theatre marquees, and plans to revitalize and light up Broadway’s signs
Historic landmarks including the European style Spring Arcade and Art Deco Eastern Columbia Building
The Arts District, art bros, and the chadification of the hipster scene
The South Park highrise boom and new tallest skyscraper the Wilshire Grand
80’s Art Deco revival and new highrises influenced by Mid-Century aesthetics
John C. Portman’s Retro Futuristic Westin Bonaventure Hotel, Interior Urbanism, and Fredric Jameson’s Postmodernist review
The pros and cons of diversity and issues of social cohesion
The appeal of enjoying diversity from exclusive enclaves
The LA County Jail, Donny the Punk, and Jail as a metaphor for the problems of American society
The extreme social, economic, and aesthetic inequality in LA
Social problems caused by mass immigration, Neoliberal economics, and sprawl oriented development
Robert’s article Building a Based Urban Middle Class SWPL Utopia
Sane urbanist solutions to right wing grievances such as White flight
The political ironies of gentrification as re-colonization of urban areas
Family formation and reasons for declining demographics such as housing and education
How these social problems are now impacting the upper middle class demographically
An Alt-Center must offer solutions that cater to urban needs
Building a political movement based on aesthetics with visions for new urban communities
The hypocrisy of pro-immigration liberal elite NIMBY’s
How combining YIMBY policies with immigration restriction will gradually rebuild the urban middle class

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings, Stark Truth TV, and his novel Journey to Vapor Island




Robert Stark interviews Alina Gorina about Soviet Futurism, Technocracy & Transhumanism

aesthetics, Alina Gorina, Architecture, Art, Art Deco, automation, capitalism, Cities, Communism, Culture, Cyberpunk, democracy, Donald Trump, Economics, education, Futurism, Healthcare, History, income inequality, Literature, Mass Transit, Mid-Century Modern, Moscow, Politics, Retro Futurism, Russia, Science, Science Fiction, Skyscrapers, Soviet Union, Space Travel, technology, The Cold War, Transhumanism, Urbanism, Utopia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Topics:

Alina’s background as a Russian from Kazakhstan living in Crimea
The referendum in Crimea and how the Russian controlled region is much more prosperous
Soviet science fiction novel The Ugly Swans
Soviet science fiction novel Andromeda: A Space-Age Tale published in 1957 which predicts future trends
Science fiction novel Childhood’s End
Mid-Century Space Futurism vs. 80’s and 90’s Cyberpunk
How both the United States and Soviet Union had a fascination with Space Futurism during the Cold War
Soviet architecture, Stalinist Neoclassical skyscrapers, and Soviet Retro-futuristic illustrations
Decopunk
The Soviet film Aelita: Queen of Mars
Techno Corporatism, Techno-Syndicalism, and Technocracy
The automation of government
How a Technocracy can provide free healthcare and education
How Technocracy can solve problems with democracy, corruption, monopolies, and income inequality
Trump, his space proposals, and how he was relatively popular in Russia until the Syrian attacks
Transhumanism, Biotech, CRISPR gene editing, and radical life extension

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings, Stark Truth TV, and his novel Journey to Vapor Island




Aristocratic Aesthetic Socialism

Aesthetic Socialism, aesthetics, Aleister Crowley, Alt Center, American Culture, Archeofuturism, Architecture, Aristocratic Individualism, Art, Art Deco, California, capitalism, Cinema, Cities, Class, Communism, conformity, Consumerism, Corporations, Culture, David Lynch, demographics, Disneyland, Eugenics, Europe, Film, Germany, Giovanni Dannato, History, Immigration, income inequality, John C. Portman Jr, Journey to Vapor Island, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Malls, Marxism, materialism, Matthew Pegas, Michel Houellebecq, Mid-Century Modern, Neoliberalism, Nudism, Philosophy, Psychology, Ray Sawhill, Religion, Retro Futurism, Roman Empire, San Francisco, Sexuality, Skyscrapers, social status, social trust, Socialism, Urbanism, Utopia, Wealth

By Robert Stark: Originally Published on Alt of Center

The concept of beauty throughout history has been a force for creation, inspiring mankind to reach the pinnacle of civilization. From men accomplishing great things to win over a lover, the beautiful female as a muse for the artist, religions building great temples and cathedrals to attract worshipers, kings and emperors building monuments to demonstrate their greatness, and businesses using aesthetics in architecture and advertisements to attract more consumers.

In today’s society aesthetics serves primarily as a force to manipulate people to keep them striving and conforming to the liberal capitalist system. Advertisements use aesthetics to create a vision of a product to consume; not just the product itself but an overall aesthetically pleasing scene involving beautiful women, luxurious furnishings, great architecture, natural scenery, and music to create the mood.

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