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Liminal Space-Surreality

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Liminal Space

An image of an empty hotel hallway, an example of a liminal space. In Internet aesthetics, liminal spaces are empty or abandoned places that appear eerie, forlorn, and often surreal. Liminal spaces are commonly places of transition, pertaining to the concept of liminality. Broadly, the term liminal space is used to describe a place or state of change or transition; this may be physical (e.g. a doorway) or psychological (e.g. the period of adolescence). Liminal space imagery often depicts this sense of "in-between", capturing transitional places (such as stairwells, roads, corridors, or hotels) unsettlingly devoid of people. The aesthetic may convey moods of eeriness, surrealness, nostalgia, or sadness, and elicit responses of both comfort and unease.

Surreality Poetry Contest

Sponsored byTom Woody

too late!

4.28.24

Classical infusion Beethoven’s “ode to joy” Playing on blaring audiophile speakers annoy Purposely looped to destroy vagrants with electronic music Blends of subversive elements and anxious acoustic Solution to loitering the bodega doo dropping Spicy Shiitake broth smelling pissy store front, Jaded daily stunt, at midnight wino corks popping Abruptly segwaying into a film from one music scene to a melting hallway, a lipstick alley with animate occupants Disconnected unmoored, appearing eerie and dormant Fluorescent lights unleashing a hum buzz in duress Hissing sizzling hornets’ nest of unsettling unrest Levels of unease, an iniquitous den Such madcap absurdity is beyond my ken Not a shack, mall, nor a Holiday Inn A queasy Quasi-Moto mood which lies within Backrooms filled in with discarded filets of fishy maceral that have no place, Frolicking pixella’s in a glossy abyss of liminal space Plump puce brushed lips affixed Swollen browns and purple mixed Deep maroon and dusky rose, make-up art is what they pose I wish I may I wish away what is unreal with blinky eyes I pray not to awaken one more inky surreal surprise Crescent shaped moon portions mounted in pseudo walls Mounted upon the glare in unpleasing patterned halls Side by side quagmired half discs dawning a contorted face In a half dazed-half-moon crest loon’s invisible phase Not unconscious but in some in-between state Bored while in transition and abandoned as they await Whimsical moldings who see me try NOT to take a peek An exit to this madness is what I and they seek Maybe re-evaluate my sleep number, for gravity defying rest What insight imports this encounter and what test? What it means for a doomed generation Xer or a baby boomer, tacked in stucco, Silly Putty it seems, in a warped sense of humor I wish I may I wish away what is unreal with blinky eyes I pray not to awaken one more inky surreal surprise

Copyright © | Year Posted 2024




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Date: 5/9/2024 1:50:00 PM
Anaya, try searching for a YouTube video by Ricky Page and include the search words Norman Doors. It's one of my favorites. In the video, Don Norman provides some insights on design. In the case of the spaces you describe, the architects usually just get one go and they don't anticipate that well. I hope you can find it. Don Norman is an older person and his picture could be featured.
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I Am Anaya
Date: 5/10/2024 3:46:00 PM
doors that are extremely heavy in public bathrooms, knobs that don't hold your towel up in gyms, sliding doors in bathtubs that annoy, cold & hot switched around to confuse, let's not stop there, we are trapped in mazes, fences, gates, islands, slow down bumps and humps. Annoying! What has happened is easy & cheap fixes are mandatory for these engineers. Thank you, Duke!
Date: 5/6/2024 6:18:00 AM
Anaya, I think I get what you're saying. The design of all these spaces doesn't actually work out the way designers intended, and this can create some pretty annoying spaces. You might get a kick out of this short YouTube video I recommend on design...it's a bit insightful: https://youtu.be/qtCEoGyfsxk?si=iclDVVuDHdBcyClt
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I Am Anaya
Date: 5/9/2024 11:44:00 AM
Duke, the URL pulled up so many videos, I'll need the title.
Date: 4/29/2024 2:12:00 PM
well i thoroughly enjoyed this piece, it's like a trippy meander through a funhouse mirror maze or something lol what a pity it was too late for the contest, would've been a brilliant entry
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I Am Anaya
Date: 4/29/2024 2:57:00 PM
The admired and respected poet that you are, I receive your accolades with pride! ;)
Date: 4/29/2024 6:27:00 AM
Dear Anaya, You have plunged me into the depths of surrealism, a journey through a landscape of dissonance and distortion. What a cacophony of sensory overload, blending together disparate elements into a scene of bewildering imagery. Yet, I feel that amidst the chaos, there's a longing for clarity, for escape from the unreal and the surreal. I loved this enigmatic voyage into the recesses of the mind. - Blessings, Daniel
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I Am Anaya
Date: 4/29/2024 10:45:00 AM
Abstract as it may be, the first part is absolutely true! There is a 711 on Wilshire, Santa Monica and a few others that play music over the PA system music blasting classical that loiterers cannot tolerate, this their solution to disperse the vagrants who drink and well urinate and pan handle. It actually started in Kalamazoo 10 yrs ago with great effect. Liminal spaces concept I thought was fascinating and wanted to write on it. Dead malls, halls, anywhere can be a liminal space. Thank you, Daniel! Hugs
Date: 4/28/2024 4:14:00 PM
Awww you wrote this too late for contest, it filled up in less than a week. It would have made an excellent contribution, warped humor notwithstanding ;)
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I Am Anaya
Date: 4/29/2024 10:25:00 AM
Less than a week, a record! I loved using humor, absolutely fabulous! lol. I love it anyway I can get it. Thank you

Book: Reflection on the Important Things