Hello -- and goodbye -- Cute Formalism!

[imomus]

Today I offer you

The sound of Japanese TV adverts (4 MB mono mp3 file, 8 mins. 56 secs.)

What emerges from this little collage of recordings I made yesterday afternoon is the image of a manically happy children's marching band, an insanely upbeat collective dedicated to toy robots, Disneyland and the future. (Oh, and private loans.) I would call the results "cute formalist", but unfortunately Wikipedia yesterday deleted their Cute Formalism entry. The deletion log explains their thinking:

"Lacks primary sources. I don't think it's so much crufty as it is non-notable... Upon searching google, the term "Cute formalism" gets aprox. 111 hits, which many of the links are from free dictionaries, livejournal/blogs, and wikipedia itself. Right in the article it states that one guy came up with the term 5 years ago. For a term that is 5 years old, you'd think if it were gonna catch on, it would've by now!... Delete as ill-fated neologism."

So farewell, then, Cute Formalism (2001-2006). We loved thee, but never really knew thee!

Comments

[stanleylieber.livejournal.com]

I think if you want to get wikipedia entries to stick you need to insert whatever it is the article is about into a video game -- or perhaps SecondLife (http://www.secondlife.com).

[scola.livejournal.com]

Or relate it somehow to Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

[anglerfish96.livejournal.com]

Oh, funny! I was just about to mention that stanleylieber had a similar run-in with wikipedia, himself, although not-so medium-profile as yourself. Personally, I think cute-formalism should definitely be included.

[anglerfish96.livejournal.com]

Oh and isn't Audrey Hepburn lovely? She and Merle Oberon and Myrna Loy are the trifecta of western femininity.

[anglerfish96.livejournal.com]

And Barbara Stanwyck. Quadfecta. :P

[imomus.livejournal.com]

Oh, mine isn't a run-in with the Wiki kids. I'm still delighted to have my own Momus artist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momus_(artist)) entry. And five years isn't a bad run for a concept that just popped into my head one day on Omote-Sando.

[imomus.livejournal.com]

I should add that I didn't start either the Wikipedia Cute Formalism entry or the Momus (artist) entry.

[anglerfish96.livejournal.com]

I know. In a way, it is comforting that wikipedia is so particular. But you should get your fanbase behind you! I would not hesitate in saying that cute formalism is an important term!

[butterflyrobert.livejournal.com]

I agree!

[dzima.livejournal.com]

Last time I checked it, the entry about you said something along the lines of "Momus is fascinated by identity, Japan, the avant-garde, time travel, sex and Rhodri Marsden".

Someone must have 'corrected' it!

[cheapsurrealist.livejournal.com]

Ah Cute Formalism, we hardly knew ye. I guess there is no hope for Erotic Fomalism (http://www.cheapsurrealism.com/history/eroticformalism2.jpg)

[cityramica.livejournal.com]

oh sigh i guess that means i'm dead too. :(
better throw away my marimekko placemats, robotic rabbits, and japanese schoolboy backpack.
i'll miss you, my gorgeous primary colored playground world....

even errant entries deserve to die with dignity

[ex-mimic736.livejournal.com]

Because I love ill-fated entries (and Borges), I once created Wekilledya: A Wikipedia Encyclobituary (http://myemobook.com/worldbook/wekilledya.html). As with most things it is no longer maintained.

Re: even errant entries deserve to die with dignity

[imomus.livejournal.com]

Encyclobituary is my "ill-fated neologism" of the month... especially apt that you've buried it with your neglect!

[cap-scaleman.livejournal.com]

This would be fun to base a song made out of these samples as beats or accompying!
But, why do I get up things like pizzicato five, pink floormats and cute multi-colored japanese text on a screen in my head when I listen to this? Sure feels weird...

lily

[petit-paradis.livejournal.com]

dutch artist lily van der stokker still going cute

Re: lily

[imomus.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, I was looking at her work at Air de Paris in December. Took lots of surreptitious pictures...

[hitori-photo.livejournal.com]

THanks. lol.

[jammypack.livejournal.com]

That's sad, but also kind of interesting at the same time. I always wondered how and if Wikipedia was regulated. Interesting there's a human face on the deletion process, not just a quiet, unexplained disappearance.

[nato-dakke.livejournal.com]

momus is the eternal tourist, isn't he? It must be nice to still be surprised by bright and happy commercials, or even find them noteworthy. To me, it's almost like pointing out how often guitars appear in rock music.

It's just the paradigm of the genre. When I was watching Japanese commercials back in 97, the only difference was production values. I'm sure we could drop back another 9 years in time to the nyanko club era, and get commercials that sounded essentially the same.

Shame about cute formalism. Even without having been around in Japan though, momus seems to have moved forward a bit from that view particular take on things, no?