Paul Cowdell

@paulcowdell

I research, write on, & talk about folklore. Happy to have been variously described as an 'expert in morbid eschatology' and a 'cannibalism celebrity'.

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Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· 4d

Visited Oxford, so paid our respects.

International Brigades monument: 'In memory of the 31 men and women of Oxfordshire who defended democracy and fought fascism in the Spanish Civil War of 1936 to 1939 and the people of the County who gave them support. Six were killed in action. "We came because our open eyes could see no other way" - C Day Lewis'

Other side of the monument. A three-pointed red star, and a bronze of a fist holding a scorpion. The names are inscribed: Anthony Carritt; Edward Cooper; Lewis Clive; Herbert Fisher; Ralph Fox; John Rickman

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· 9d

If you see this, quote the energy you bring to Bluesky

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· 10d

This headline's peak Isle of Wight

Headline: 'Funfair lorry hits Princess Anne-opened Isle of Wight railings'

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· 11d

Another delight of my trip to Southampton was discovering a café catering to the @hagenilda.bsky.social trade

Sign advertising 'Wonderful Welsh Cakes'

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· 13d

Got over to Southampton City Art Gallery again today - 3rd visit to Emma Richardson's wonderful Levitate Me show, which makes me rather swoony & delirious. For its last month you can see it in conjunction with British Surrealism & Beyond--one room, but some good stuff, including this wonderful Agar

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· 17d

Sitting at my desk, working. Turned to look over my shoulder and this was on the window ledge right outside. Its only response to me walking up to the window was some freakish neck-twisting. It's still there, just watching. Its shadow is falling on my desk. Weird outweighed by sinister.

A pigeon being unpleasantly mysterious on the window ledge outside my study.

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· 17d

Two images of a man on a bicycle cycling towards another man. In the second image he has struck him, leaping forward over the handlebars on top of him.

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· 18d

A great end to my @ventnorfringe.bsky.social, watching a superb #storytelling show by Holly Medland. Absolutely terrific.

Holly Medland storytelling in performance.

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· 21d

Absolutely terrific #storytelling show by @merlfluin.bsky.social at @ventnorfringe.bsky.social last night. 'Tarot Tales' deservedly sold out, and it was a real treat.

Merl Fluin storytelling. There appears to be a dramatic rising mist in the bottom left of the photo, but it is actually only the atmospheric hair of the woman in front of me.

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· 22d

Went to a nice storytelling gig tonight at @ventnorfringe.bsky.social. Always good to be back in the lovely Ventnor Library, with its exemplary model of book classification.

Library shelf card, reading:
Non-Fiction
Dementia Crime Railways Folklore

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· 29d

I suspect this isn't quite what they actually meant

Screenshot: 'Great news for pet owners & anyone with an aversion to them!'

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jul 13

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jul 10

In MoMA years ago I saw a kid walk past this and spin the wheel. Room guard leaped over immediately yelling 'Hey! That's not for playing with!' I couldn't stop laughing.

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jul 9

My piper brings all the rats to the yard...

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jul 7

Sometimes local charity shops turn up a raft of rather good CDs that are as refreshing as they were unexpected. (The Mickey MacConnell was a particularly nice surprise) Then I get all hopeful that they're only the tip of the iceberg, and they never are. But I keep hoping.

CDs, clockwise from top left: Mickey MacConnell, Joined Up Writing; Jez Lowe, The Ballad Beyond; John Kirkpatrick, Tunes from the Trenches; Fay Hield, Old Adam.

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jul 5

Satan (Silvia Pinal) in the form of a young girl tempts Simon (Claudio Brook) in Luis Buñuel's Simon of the Desert (1965)

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jul 3

How your email finds me

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jul 3

This, by the way, is the best reaction I've yet seen to the show.

10-year-old looking up into a glass display case. In the mirror of the case is reflected their expression of joy and delight.

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jun 30

Dear god this is lovely in every way

Martin Carthy, Along The Road Forever: Live at the BBC 1965-2022 boxset of 20 CDs and hardback book

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jun 29

What's it like inside your head?

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jun 24

Me visiting the reflecting pool.

The Lost Continent (1968): the crew walk across the wrack holding balloons for stabilisation

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jun 23

QED

Page announcing LSE event 'Extreme Heat: Improving governance and strengthening action around the world' has been cancelled due to red extreme heat warning from the Met Office

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jun 20

Updates from the show. Apparently this piece has attracted some adverse comments. I choose to believe it has nothing to do with nipples but reflects local hostility to asteroids. What I laughingly call the 'preparation' for my talk tomorrow turns out to be remembering the actual names of games,

'Asteroid Mother', collage by Paul Cowdell, combining a nipple and a space-scape.

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jun 3

Plus this arrived today

Latest issue of the Journal of American Folklore, with a piece co-authored by Matthew Cheeseman and me

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· Jun 3

Well, lookee here.

The Art of Play surrealist exhibition, The Art of Wonder, Ryde, Isle of Wight, 15 Jun-4 Jul, Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, with an artist talk (yes, that's me waffing on) Sun 21 Jun, 2pm. All free. The talk is free but booking required for numbers.

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· May 28

Old ham

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· May 25

Paul Cowdell@paulcowdell· May 18

And we'll have a session from Slush Machine Fire in a couple of weeks...