This one's for you Mom!

Friday in lecture we learned about a band called The Plastic People of the Universe. The Plastic People were an underground rock band during the Soviet regime. The band played music based on American bands like The Doors and The Mother of Invention. The basis of their music was more of a visual and sensual experience. The music was at best chaotic, and did not follow any sort of melody or beat.

Analysts have said that the Plastic People were key to the underground revolution building in the end of the 1960's. The musicians argue that any progress toward revolution was an extrenality of their original intent, which was to play the music that they liked without outside (Soviet) influence. In 1976 the Plastic People were arrested and convicted of "organized disturbance of the peace" and sentenced to terms in prison ranging from 8 to 18 months.

Czechs along with countries working toward revolution were outraged. The Plastic People had done nothing but have long hair and play rock music. The Soviets made a spectacle, or show trial out of the Plastic People. This along with other (more complicated) factors lead to the creation of Charter 77 and the rise of post Soviet president Václav Havel.

Sooo, what does this have to do with me?? One of my Czech buddies is in a "band." He invited me and some friends to come to one of their performances. He described their music as "Musicians playing instruments they can't really play. The music is very chaotic and we sometimes must drink in order to make the show interesting." He said that the experience is not about how the music sounds, but how it makes you feel. I thought about the lecture we had earlier, and asked him about the Plastic People. He said that his music was very similar, but they don't draw from the same influences.

I was thrilled with the fact that I was going to get to experience a part of Czech history!! When we arrived, we realized that this was not a concert. It was an art gallery opening. Everyone there was very artsy (for lack of a better word). We felt cultured.

The actual artwork was supposed to showcase clues to discovering mysteries. The artist states that at some point, everyone is a detective. He states that most of the mysteries in life have only clues. I think the skull is a clue to the mystery of this lady's face. I'm oversimplifying. . but oh well!

Hands rotating position. No idea. .

Framed dirty socks. Probably our favorite piece.

The video was showing some interviews and then an autopsy. The film was in Czech, so we couldn't deduce most of what it was about.

Some of the spectators.

For those of you at Carlson, do you remember the picture of sandwiches I had on my desktop?? I had one of the sandwiches! It was great - but we were also starving!