Ballardian

Introducing the incredible short films of Paul Williams, who, stationed in Abu Dhabi, mines a unique nexus of Ballard, Islam, rampant development, industrial isolation and subsonic hums.

Man survives for three months in airport terminal; doesn’t know why he’s there…

This post is given over to recent links readers have sent me. ‘Ballardian’ or not? You decide.

‘You call this a nation?’ Approaching Sealand (photo: Simon Sellars). While we’re on the subject of interstitial architecture, the concept of micronations could be said to be an example, especially when old, forgotten and disused structures slip through the cracks of nationalism. Sealand, a WWII gun platform in the North Sea, is perhaps the most [...]

‘Tourism is the great soporific. It’s a huge confidence trick, and gives people the dangerous idea that there’s something interesting in their lives. It’s musical chairs in reverse. Every time the muzak stops people stand up and dance around the world, and more chairs are added to the circle, more marinas and Marriott hotels, so [...]

Damien Love interviewed J.G. Ballard in September 1996. At the time Ballard was one of only a very few people in the UK to have seen David Cronenberg’s adaptation of Crash, which was wrapped in a controversy that was baffling then and seems truly mystifying now.

Dom has passed on a new Ballard interview, published in the French fashion mag, Crash (although not online). The interviewer, Yann Perreau clearly has a lot in store for Ballard, but the response he gets is one-liners. I think this was conducted by post or fax, which must explain the odd, stilted quality. Here’s a [...]

Above: the Ballard family’s former house, now lit up in the colours of capitalism. Photo: Rick McGrath. “Do you believe in synchronicity?” Andy asked. “That’s the 10 o’clock signal for today’s national anniversary. Sirens are blowing all over the country right now.” He leaned in, conspiratorially. “It was precisely 70 years ago today the Japanese [...]