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June 6, 2008

Art - Any Medium August 2009 Challenge - Ophelia (Everyone is invited to participate)

August 20, 2009 12:42 PM EDT (Updated: August 20, 2009 12:46 PM EDT)

views: 225 | comments: 16

I thought since I (or Liz) am once again moderating the Art - Any Medium group people might be up for a challenge. The challenge is based on Natalie Merchant's song Ophelia. I find Merchant's song very thought provoking, I think it speaks to the condition of women in society. The lyrics and videos of this song can be found below.

The object of the challenge is to take the words, music and the videos (Both portray the images in different ways in my opinion.) and them interpret them. Your interpretation of it can be in just about any form you like including poetry, short story, photography, painting (or other visual medium), essay (somehow art related based on this song) etc. Your interpretation does not have to be something new written etc. just for this challenge, if you have something that fits it you can submit it for the challenge.

Interpretations of this song will be featured in the group Art - Any Medium. (Except visual interpretations which cannot be featured, sorry. Depending on how many I get I may publish something with links to them.) I hope many of you will try this, I would like to thank those that do in advance.

Please make sure you add to your title August Art - Any Medium Challenge and submit it to this group. If you are not a member already please join, all are welcome whether you are an artist or an art lover. The deadline is 31 August 2009.

If you have any questions about this challenge please ping or e-mail me. I look forward to your interpretations.

Ophelia
Natalie Merchant

Ophelia was a bride of G-D
A novice Carmelite
In sister cells the cloister bells
Tolled on her wedding night

Ophelia was the rebel girl
A blue stocking suffragette
Who remedied society
Between her cigarettes

And Ophelia was a sweetheart
To the nation over night
Curvaceous thighs
Vivacious eyes
Love was at first sight...
Love was at first sight...

Ophelia was a demigoddess
In pre-war Babylon
So statuesque a silhouette
In black satin evening gowns

Ophelia was the mistress to a
Vegas gambling man
Signora Ophelia Maraschina
Mafia courtesan

Ophelia was a circus queen
The female cannonball
Projected through five flaming hoops
To wild and shocked applause...
To wild and shocked applause...

Ophelia was a tempest cyclone,
A G-D damned hurricane
Your common sense
Your best defense
Lay wasted and in vain

Ophelia'd know your every woe
And pain you'd ever had
She'd sympathize
And dry your eyes
And help you to forget...
And help you to forget...
And help you to forget...

Ophelia's mind went wandering
You'd wonder where she'd gone
Through secret doors
Down corridors
She'd wander them alone
All alone...

NOTE: I am submitting this to writing groups. If you feel this article does not belong in your group please feel free to delete or not accept it.

Tags: art any medium, challenge, writing, poetry, short story, photography, painting, natalie merchant, ophelia

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Comments: 16

Purrrrrrrrrrr~Genki dashite~Nantoka naru-yo! S. Aug 20, 2009, 12:50pm EDT

Both Natalie and Ophelia are women I embrace~

Chana M. Aug 20, 2009, 12:56pm EDT

I was just going to ping you. I hope you do the challenge, I think you could do something amazing with it! You are actually one of the people I had in mind when I picked this song.

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Purrrrrrrrrrr~Genki dashite~Nantoka naru-yo! S. Aug 20, 2009, 12:50pm EDT

Thanks for posting the challenge to GutterGirls~

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Sharon P. Aug 20, 2009, 3:22pm EDT

Ophelia was strong. Natalie has a lovely voice.

Chana M. Aug 20, 2009, 5:52pm EDT

Sharon, I hope you participate. I would love to read your interpretation of this song.

Chana M. Aug 20, 2009, 8:03pm EDT

Ooops, I just saw that you did. I think its great. Sorry I did not comment yet, I am having one of my bad days and need a nap. I will comment though. Thank you Sharon!

Sharon P. Aug 21, 2009, 12:00pm EDT

Hope you feel better.

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Melissa Underhill Aug 20, 2009, 9:05pm EDT

I will think upon this and see what I can come up with! :)

Chana M. Aug 20, 2009, 9:28pm EDT

So far everything I have read of yours I have liked very much. I look forward to any contribution to this challenge you chose to do!

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Karen E. Aug 20, 2009, 10:07pm EDT

Wonderfully complex theme. It leaves me saying ok that, certainly that, beautiful that... I have been craving the creative process and though I am up to eyebrows with too many "this-that-and the other", I want to make space for this work. I think it opens so many layers and each one of them is right and brilliant and painful and each layer as a teacher should be noted.

Chana M. Aug 20, 2009, 10:15pm EDT

I guess you saw my ping to you. I hope as many people as possible try it, I feel it has a universal theme. I did think of three people in particular when I chose this song and you were one of them. I am really looking forward to see what you come up with!

Karen E. Aug 20, 2009, 10:24pm EDT

Thank you for bringing this work to us Chana. I will look forward to the posts as well. I have changed focus a bit with Gather and am enjoying the enjoying of other's works and bringing a bit of mine as I am able.

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