#ajathings

[loveshard]

closed starter for @ajathings

"I could spend hours describing how good you look right now... or I could skip the words and make you feel it instead."

[kizhavvorsa]

Closed starter for @ajathings​

Dany couldn’t help but look at Aja and Gabriel with a slight bitterness. Aja lest her in the dust years ago just to find out that she was her best friends boyfriend, Aja and Dany shared many moments together and she threw that all away without so much as an explanation, one that she still hadn’t gotten, even when she made her promise to never tell Gabriel that they were ex’s. 

It was Gabriel’s birthday and she was more than happy to celebrate it... With Aja present. It was just a small party with all of his friends and she wanted to make sure that she got him the best gift out of all of them, mostly Aja. Dany brought a guitar from his favourite artist of all time, signed and decorated for him along with a photo of the him and the artist from when they first met, signed and framed. “I know he’s your favourite so I pulled some strings.” Dany smiled at him as he opened his presents. “You have to go all out for people who actually stick around long enough. I owe you that much.” It was a shot at Aja that only the two of them knew about.

[recklxssabandon]

Image of Tomorrow//Minami & Aja

@ajathings

Minami was dressed for murder, glamour and all the sin in between. When Aja stepped out of her rideshare, Minami had earned the stare Aja gave. “Well, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you had someone to impress.”

It was a feeling that Aja was well accustomed to, stemming all the way back to college freshman years. But here, far from home, being led by the hand into the unknown, the feeling was turned on its side. At home, she knew the hidden gems of Manhattan, and she was the one who led the uninitiated by the hand to discovery.

And a gem it was. Nothing she had seen in all of her years of touring New York nightlife could have prepared her for the space inside. Dark with the sparing lights of a starry night, populated by a sparing few who were lucky to know the secret.

Aja was one of six to experience this. Minami had taken the curator and made her a rarity of Shinjuku nightlife’s patrons. The mystery poured into her eyes and ears and curiosity bubbled within her, thudding against her chest like and expectant heartbeat. She wore her smile with ease.

“Well, I am the uninitiated party here,” Aja replied, impressed with her surroundings. “So, surprise me.”

Aja began to count the drinks. One and counting.

Minami flagged down one of the wandering black clad staff and ordered an old fashioned. Something sweet to sip on, she decided tonight was not a night for drinking; it was for savouring.  

She took the glass and leaned close to Aja, smelling the scent on her neck whether she wanted to or not. A tremor went through her chest, blooming across her back, a shimmer of nerves. 

“We’re about to see Wave perform. She is really extraordinary, a musician primarily. But also the originator of a vast, fictional universe. She refers to herself as a war poet, her compositions are homages to epic battles of her own creation.”

Minami’s eyes gleamed in the low light and it was an effort not to place her cheek on Aja’s bare shoulder.

“She has never done an interview that I know of, and is almost impossible to locate outside of her work. Some say she is quite mad.” A one shouldered shrug. “But there is no one who plays quite like her.”

As if the cue had been given the sonourous thump echoed through the empty space. It was the sound of the end pin of a cello being set down forcibly in the middle of the shallow pool stage.

The person holding the neck of the instrument was a tall woman with short black hair and eyes. She was perhaps fifty years old, and what would first have passed for a pair of elbow length black opera gloves revealed themselves to be tattoos. The cellist’s arms had the appearance of being dipped in a dark maroon ink. 

She gestured out and around to the few gathered patrons with an open gesture, holding the cello bow in her other hand.

“What is it that scares you?” She uttered starkly into the gloom, and Minami leant close to Aja’s ear to translate the words;

“I used to be so very fearful. Until I found out how large this world truly is...”A wicked smile, the eyes glittering. “...And not just this world. There are many. But tonight I am here to tell you about only one, at only one time...”

The bow became part of the theatrical shrug. 

“We are but human, we must do one thing at a time. Tonight, we hear of the first great battle of the war. On one side is a slate grey city of fumes and machinery, and on the other side a swathe of red soil and rock. the tectonic movements of war machines is unstoppable. The air is thick with steel and missile. The ground a murmuration of blade on blade.”

Wave swung the bow horizontal to the string.

“Ladies and gentlement, The Battle of East Drey.”

And Wave began to play. The water stage in which her feet were submerged expressing every single vibration by an unseen mechanism.

It was incredible, but Minami’s gaze barely departed from the side of Aja’s face. 

When the composition came to an abrupt stop there was a long silence before the surrounding patrons broke out in a polite applause. Wave retreated from the stage and the house lights glowed a little brighter once again. 

[recklxssabandon]

Image of Tomorrow//Minami & Aja

@ajathings

“A night venture, then.” Aja proudly wore curiosity on her face. “Be sure to make an impression. I’d hate to give up a good night’s sleep for nothing. I do have a flight tomorrow, you know.”

Aja turned the knob and stepped into the doorway before spinning on her heel  and greeting Minami with a smile. “See you in awhile. And congratulations again. It’s well deserved.” With that, she was gone. She wore her smile all the way to her rideshare, and to her hotel room.

There were many reasons to smile. Minami was good. Very good. Beginning with her and her work cast the curation in a good light. And also...there was just...her. Mischief clung to the very edge of her aura, waiting for just the right bad influence.

Aja volunteered.

A glass of wine followed a hot shower, waiting on the table nearby as Aja brought the last of her work to a close. There was only one last thing for her to do. Her watch read 8 PM.

As Aja took a breath, she dialed a number and reached for New York. It rang this time, rather than simply defaulting to the voice mail box...although she ended up there all the same.

Beep.

“Hey girlie!” Aja put on bright and sunny tone. “Just wanted to call and wish you good morning. I hope you’re doing well, and that the writing is going smoothly. I hope to hear what you have by the time I get back!”

For a moment, there was a pause that Aja couldn’t fill. Her smile dropped slightly. “And again...I’m sorry for...me. If you ever wanna talk about it just let me know, ok? Just don’t give up, ok? Not everyone’s a hot mess. Just do me a favor; keep your mind on what you love to do. Leave the bottle alone.”

The hypocrisy from Aja’s lips struck her ears like a bat, and her smile faded entirely. “And don’t forget: I’m only a phone call away, ok? Love you...”

The line went dead, and for a moment, Aja did nothing. She stared through the hotel window, counting her sins, measuring the worthlessness that was her friendship.

Perhaps if we just stayed friends, none of this would have happened.

Aja found solace at the bottom of the glass, and the buzz propelled her to get dressed. Gone was the pantsuit of the professional, traded for the maroon dress with silky sheen. She freed her curls from the hair tie and let them fall around her shoulders.

Aja was gone from the room by nine, looking for a distraction in the form of a neon sign.

“You have gone off the rails!” 

Ru laughed at Minami as she paced back and forth in her living room, recounting the entire interview with manic, frantic detail. The excitement of the whole thing sparking off of her. She bundled her hands into fists and she gave a yelp of joy.

“The Met Ru! The Met!” She slumped down on the sofa next to her friend making the whole thing jolt slightly.

Ru laughed and pulled a dorayaki out of its plastic packaging, shoving it playfully in Minami’s mouth before getting one for herself.

“Honestly? I never doubted your work, but...” Ru narrowed her eyes, and Minami could feel the familar sensation of her friend’s x-ray vision. She gave a sigh of exasperation.

“Oh, don’t!

Ru shrugged, “you get like this...I’ve seen it before.”

“Like what?” If someone could eat a pancake recalcitrantly, Minami was doing it.

“You get way too involved, way too quickly! This woman is going to be in a cab to the airport come tomorrow and I can already see it on your face’- She raised an admonishing finger “-dont you lie to me, what do you feel about that?”

A far away look which coiled into a smile of aboslute mischief went across Minami’s face.

“I think she could reverse that cab over me and I’d like it...”

Ru rolled her eyes. “You’re hopeless. Totally hopeless. Where are you taking her then?”

“Violet.”

Ru looked surprised. “Oh, fancy...Is Wave performing tonight?”

Minami nodded, springing to her feet. The excitement was like a field that sprung outward from her body.

“She is.” Minami glanced down at the red gown, twirling a little. “I think I’m going to need something a little more...fitting.”

-

Night rolled in over Shinjuku, and Minami strolled down a particlar side street next to some industrial looking buildings. She was early, so as not to leave her guest alone in this quiet, strange part of town. Violet was a deliberately obcure place; you’d only know it’s existence by the neon of the door - and even that only appeared after dark.

Her faux black fur coat was bundled over a dress which was considerably more sleek than her afternoon attire. When the Curator appeared she beamed at the other woman; a streak of maroon silk shimmering in the night light.

“Aja.” She uttered. “I know it doesnt look like much, but that’s the idea...”

She reached up and gave a particular coded knock on the illuminated door. It opened, and a young man dressed in black gave them both a nod and stepped aside to allow them entry to a long corridor bathed in purple light.

The entryway extended at least thirty metres before opening into a renovated warehouse space. The edges of the room were shrouded in gloom, the tiny pale lamps which illuminated the half dozen tables dotted the space like stars.

In the centre of them was a circular stage that at first glance might have appeared to be made of black marble, but was in fact a shallow pool of dark water. The four other guests glanced up momentarily as the two other women entered.

“I thought it best to show you something unique.” Minami’s voice dropped low, her dark eyes glittering in the low light. “Could I get you something to drink?” 

[recklxssabandon]

Image of Tomorrow//Minami & Aja

@ajathings

Minami’s glee could have been a drug.

It was only the beginning of Aja’s long journey across the globe and already, she had a glimpse of what it would be; a collection of moments where an outpouring of joy came from artists who most deserved it. The little guys. The people full of inspiration but who lack the platform.

Aja couldn’t wait to see it again, and again.

At that moment, her job was done. There was only a single artist that she considered for this region of Japan. The rest were miles away, most were oceans away. But before she could say goodbye, call an Uber  and dress down at her hotel room, a proposition floated across the room and tapped her on the shoulder. She already had an eye on the nightlife, the pulse of the city when the sun went down.  An active participant of the Manhattan night circuit, she was curious to see how the experiences differed.

Minami couldn’t have known she had offered herself to act as a guide for Aja’s already laid plans. However innocent an offer it was...Aja wasn’t.

Aja smiled, and defiantly stole a step in Minami’s direction. “I have a flight out tomorrow afternoon,” she replied. “So I’m free for the evening to see it. But before that...”

She stole another step forward. “A bit of advice: Don’t worry about ‘perfect.’ Disregard ‘perfect.’ Be authentic, be true to you. Show the complexity alongside the beauty, don’t shy away from the nuisance. Your foot is already in the door-- what you do with the stage is up to you now. You’re arguably the most important part of this whole thing: I don’t want just your artworks, I want you.”

She stole another. “Keep that in mind.”

By then, her steps carried her past Minami and toward the door. “Show me a good time?”

As Aja started speaking the plan began to unfold In Minami’s head; there was a beautiful, classy wine bar just a short cab ride away. Perfect for a business dinner but just cozy enough to allow a decent conversation.

But then Aja finished, and Minami’s mind went perilously blank. It probably showed on her face for a moment or two. And in those moments there was very little occupying her but the way the other woman’s lips made the shape of certain words, certain phrases.

Get it together, she heard Ru’s voice in her head like a guardian angel and her gaze swivelled up to meet Aja’s. Now it was full of a sort of delighted mischief. She bit her bottom lip.

“Well, if what you want is authentic, I have something in mind. I wouldn’t normally choose it for a...meeting, but it’s certainly nuanced...” There were a lot of other words that could be used but that one was certainly true.

It was a risk, but Minami and risk had had a long, fruitful relationship.

She picked up her bag, located her phone and began emailing the address to the curator.

“It doesn’t open till ten, but I’ll meet you outisde.” That look of fiendish joy was on the artist’s face again, illuminating her otherwise angelic features.

“It’s well hidden but you’ll recognise it by the door - a single panel of violet neon.”

[recklxssabandon]

Image of Tomorrow//Minami & Aja

@ajathings

There was a certain brightness that Minami radiated when she spoke of her work. Her methods, her reasoning, her inspirations all shone from within her as if her heart shared her ribcage with a lightbulb. Regardless of how good or not the many artists she met in her line of work actually were, Aja always delighted in seeing them glow with passion. But only rarely did such phenomena accompany an artist of considerable talent.

“It’s ok,” Aja declared. She pulled a sealed envelope from her bag and sat it down on the closest table she could find. “You have about three months to perfect your artist statement as you see fit. As long as you have one prepared.” The rest of what she had to say came from a script, but she meant every word. “It’s is my privilege to welcome you to Image of Tomorrow, hosted by the Metropolitan Museum of New York. You are hereby invited to join your peers from around the globe to show the world not only what art means to you, but what it stands to mean to all of us in the future.” Aja began to casually paraphrase. “In the envelope I’ve provided, you’ll find contracts that state that we have the right to display your work at the Met for the two month duration of this exhibition. Should you feel the need to list your work for sale, you must name your own price-- the Met will retain twenty percent of all sales. Also, if you do not wish to sell, please indicate that where required. You or a designated handler must hand in this contract and your artworks, in person, by the date specified for next month. And finally....the open house...”

By this point, Aja abandoned the script entirely. “The first day of the exhibition will see all the artists meet with the general public. This is where your artist statement has to shine. Industry professionals, journalists, will be there as well as the impressionable public: the young people on the fence of becoming an artist, the curious minds wondering what the fuss is about. This is your chance to not only make your mark, but to inspire. The Met will provide travel and lodging for you upon request.”

Aja clasped her hands together. “If you have any questions, now is the time.”

Minami stood motionless with her jaw hanging open. She was confident; she thought there was definitely a chance, but watching the envelope go down on the table between them was a totally different reality. She gazed at it wide eyed.

Get it together…Minami shook herself and a sound somewhere between a squeak and a laugh came out of her and she clasped her hands over her mouth, joy beamed from her. She stepped forward and caught herself before she could hug Aja, which was her first instinct. But she quickly redirected the impulse into a slight bow, hands clasped at her chest.

The Met wanted her paintings. It was the most incredible display of validation that she could scarcely believe it.

“Thank you so much!” She breathed. “I can’t tell you what it means to me. Everything will be perfect for the opening, cross my heart.” Her hands drifted down, fingers still laced together. She teetered for a moment between two possibilities; one was safer, more professional, more predictable. The other was what she actually wanted.

She fell definitively down on one side.

“Really? I just want to say thank you. If you’d like, I could show you some of the world that informs my work. Are you staying here long? Id love to show you around Shinjuku.”

The moment she uttered it the nerves ramped up, and strangely it felt like the beginning of the interview all over again.

[kizhavvorsa]

Starter for @ajathings​ (finally)

It had been just over a year since she had been in the US, after the blow out with Aja Dany moved back to london promptly and did what she said. She went back and contacted her brother and decided it was time for her to go through the process of getting him behind bars, a long process but one that was on the verge of being successful.

But all in all she missed her little New York squad and took a quick trip there and met up with everyone to explain everything that had been going on since the last time they all met up and during that week. Gabriel was the one to suggest going to Aja’s first exhibition, it caused her to hesitate actually but it was time to try and put all of that behind her with Aja, again. Hopefully that it would end on a better note this time so they did.  It was something she always wanted to do, it was nice that they could all plan to be in one place at one time without anyone saying they got caught up with something. 

“Congratulations on your first exhibition.” Dany didn't want to wait when it came to breaking the ice, she’d hope that all the time apart again they could both do more growing. “You did an amazing job”

[recklxssabandon]

Image of Tomorrow//Minami & Aja

@ajathings

“Hmm.”

Aja jotted down more notes. She would never admit aloud that she was leaning in favor of admitting Minami into the exhibition. Better to let her sweat a little, After all, favoritism was unprofessional.

She reached the end again, turned around and began to pace the paintings a third time. “A sharp observation, followed almost immediately by a very dangerous question,” Aja smirked. “I’m afraid my life has seen me act mostly as an observer of art, not as a collaborator of its creation. Though not for a lack of trying, at least on the part of creators....”

Aja stopped at the Primavera, resting her tablet on her hip. “I attended Brown in Rhode Island. The school has art programs as well as art history programs, so we were often encouraged to reach across and work together for one reason or another. I was no stranger to painters, photographers, sketch artists, asking me for help with research, and then asking me to work with them when their research was done. But it never led to any actual work being done. By the time I stopped telling myself I couldn’t possibly be a decent model, I had grown a little older and the artists--and their intentions--grew a little transparent. My interests turned to studies of the past, and I fell in love with history. After that, there was just no room for anything else.

Aja glanced at Minami for the first time since her study of the paintings began. “But, for better or for worse, it is as intimate as you say. But I only know by history. I’ve never actually experienced it myself.”

It was only half a lie. Aja briefly recalled Adam, a photographer from her hometown in New Jersey. He had a gaze that picked her apart and celebrated her in new ways. It was fun to watch him stare.

But they never created anything together.

“But you see that’s exactly it.” Minami replied, animated, looking at Ru in the centre of the tableaux. 

      “People don’t know how...How to look.”

She frowned, trying to formulate the right words. She chewed her lip a moment. “It takes no effort at all to press a shutter button, and the replication of someone’s likeness is a skill but a hollow one when replication is all you’re going for.”

She sighed and reached up to tug away the hairband that held her messy bun in place, rolling it onto her wrist and tousling her hair. 

      “Think about Sally Mann, or Nan Goldin. They didn’t just take pictures of people. The act of taking the picture is a thing of understanding - empathy, a deep interest. This kind of art is meant to dissolve interpersonal boundaries, not reinforce them in flat planes of canvas or print. And to tell you a secret, it’s partly why I only use a first name. Even for business purposes, I want people to know who I am.”

She paused and laughed at herself. “Now I think about it, maybe I should have put that in my statement. I’ve never really wanted models, what I want is collaborators.” She rolled her eyes. “Maybe that’s a little pretentious, but I stand by it.”

Even as she said all of this she was aware of her eyes absorbing Aja; her hair, her eyes, the curve of her top lip. The business like posture and manner in which she spoke. She was beyond fascinated, an impulse that was both artistic and entirely something else.