finding cain

The band was called Sugar Hiccup and you probably never heard of them; not unless you were in or around Manila in the nineties. Five Years , a haunting three-minute track from their debut album Oracle , is filled with hums, moans, and shrieks. In fact the song has no decipherable lyrics except for one line towards the end (But he will never be back). I haven't listened to this record in maybe a decade, but I need to purge myself of bad thoughts, and songs like this has always done that for me.

The more I look at Jay Cabalu's collages, the more I find them fascinating. The Vancouver-based artist takes inspiration from various sources: Pop culture, capitalism, gender expression, and his Filipino roots. All these influences come together in the visually staggering art pieces he creates, products of what must be an extraordinary imagination or deep reflection. Or, most likely, both. Keep in mind, these portraits are created with magazines and comics he has collected from a very young age. Jay has a BFA from Kwantlen Polytechnic University and has exhibited in several galleries in Canada since graduating in 2013. Through collage, Jay reverse-appropriates to build his own universe and self-identity. From Justin Trudeau, to Audrey Hepburn, to vibrant self portraits, you'll surely find something that catches your eye when you check out his website and Instagram .

I love this gouache painting by New Delhi-based artist and fashion designer @visionsin.blue. Her art transmits the charm and energy of her subjects through their relaxing colors and signature brushstrokes.  Malamig sa mata kumbaga.  You can find more of her work on Etsy and Instagram .

So many lines. That's I can think of when I look at Marina Mika's art . Her ink illustrations are usually black and white, with minimalistic yet highly detailed imagery inspired by the secession movement as well as the Art Deco style, New Romantic era and Japanese graphics. Marina's drawings prove you don't need color to breathe life into art. She's beautiful, too, did I mention that?

Strange Days came out when I was in high school, and although it was considered a commercial failure, it made a huge impression on me. Kathryn Bigelow's uncanny tech noir was way ahead of its time. It was released in 1995; was set in 1999; but was really just about now. I have a history of sometimes liking films that critics despise — Capone would be a recent example — and not liking movies that critics applaud. No, I haven't seen Mortal Kombat yet. But one of these days when I have time, I will.