David in the Liminal Web

@david.davidbilla.net.ap.brid.gy

Japan, Art, Islands, Music, the Internet and the rest... 🌉 bridged from ⁂ https://davidbilla.net/, follow @ap.brid.gy to interact

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Longform Stories

Avignon - Panoramic view, taken from the Brèche de la Comtadine in Villeneuve.

The rest of the article is members-only, but it's free to subscribe. I just want to limit the number of unwanted visitors, especially those of the AI kind!

3d ago·1 min read·87 words

Byōdō-in: Goshuin and Phoenix

In Japanese Buddhist temples and some Shinto shrines, there’s an awesome tradition of receiving a goshuin in exchange for a small donation. A goshuin is a piece of calligraphy, usually featuring the …

5d ago·2 min read·389 words

No Doubt - Just a Girl

When I compare Japanese music, such as J-Pop and its variants, with Western music, especially the kind I like, listen to, and talk about here, I notice that popular Japanese music is usually very "hap…

6d ago·3 min read·417 words

"The Time of the Beginning" by Shiko Miyake

Today's artwork has been on Shodoshima for all to see since 2022. However, it's probably one of the least visited Art Setouchi artworks because it's almost in the middle of nowhere. Okay, not totally.…

Jun 2·2 min read·348 words

Bône - Panoramic View of the Municipal Stadium

This is one of the few cards I have from Algeria back when it was a French colony. As the title says, this one represents Bône's municipal stadium. The city is now called Annaba, and I have no idea if…

May 31·2 min read·243 words

Palais Bourbon - home of the National Assembly (aka the lower legislative chamber of the French Parliament)

From the archives: a private visit of the Palais Bourbon, circa 2010.

May 30·2 min read·260 words

The Rolling Stones - Miss You

When I started this "Music for the Next Generation" series, I don't think I originally planned to include the Rolling Stones. Everyone knows the Rolling Stones, right? Well, a few days ago, I realiz…

May 27·4 min read·737 words

Albi - General View and St. Cecilia Cathedral

I've already shown you pictures of Albi taken in the 21st century. I'll show you more soon, but here is one taken more than a century ago. Jean Sazy sent it to his wife Jeanne while he was stationed …

May 27·3 min read·446 words

Whale in a Cave on Awashima

When people think of the 'Japan Art Islands', Naoshima is usually the first name that comes to mind, followed by Teshima and Inujima — and if they have attended the Setouchi Triennale before, they may…

May 25·2 min read·216 words

Brown Bear in Gramat

Located in the south-west of France, not too far from my hometown but not quite next door, Gramat's animal park is one of my favorite zoos in the world. Like many European zoos, its mission is more o…

May 16·3 min read·575 words

Massive Attack - Teardrop

Massive Attack are a band from Bristol, England, who debuted in 1988 and are still active today. They are more than just a band; they are a "collective" and are the main representatives of the trip ho…

May 15·2 min read·384 words

Lot River

Just a picture of the Lot river in the South West of France. It was taken in the small village of Vers. I love living in Japan, but I'm not going to lie, France beats it as far as the beauty of the c…

May 12·1 min read·149 words

"Weaving Time" by Motoi Yamamoto (Utazu, Setouchi Triennale 2025)

Today, I want to introduce a stunning artwork that sadly no longer exists. I hope you had the opportunity to experience it if you attended the Setouchi Triennale 2025 during the autumn session last ye…

May 10·5 min read·973 words

Pause

Yes, this picture is an invitation to pause and take a breath for a minute. However, that's not the kind of pause I'm talking about in the title. This short post is to tell you that the blog/newslet…

Apr 23·2 min read·209 words

Nine Inch Noize - Heresy (Coachella 2026)

I already told you about Nine Inch Nails and I already told you how they're probably my favorite band in the world. You can find all of my posts about them via the link below: Nine Inch Nails - Limin…

Apr 15·4 min read·757 words

First Battle of the Marne – Vassincourt

Of all the postcards I inherited from my grandfather, I find the ones depicting locations from the First World War the most fascinating. We are so used to being surrounded by images nowadays that we f…

Apr 14·2 min read·371 words

Cherry Blossoms (2026 edition)

One might argue that this post is off-topic, but I respectfully disagree. 1. This takes place in Japan. 2. Although the definition of art has been and will continue to be the subject of lengthy dis…

Apr 12·3 min read·429 words

Cherry Blossoms (2026 edition)

One might argue that this post is off-topic, but I respectfully disagree. 1. This takes place in Japan. 2. Although the definition of art has been and will continue to be the subject of lengthy dis…

Apr 12·3 min read·429 words

Rosalía & Björk (feat. Yves Tumor) - Berghain

These days, music I'm not familiar with rarely hits me like a ton of bricks. Rarely, but not never.

Apr 7·3 min read·580 words

Nick Cave - O Children

In this series of posts, when I introduce a singer or band for the first time, I try to do so with the first song of theirs that I remember, or at least one of the earliest that made an impression on …

Apr 5·5 min read·884 words

Photos of the day (April 3rd, 2026)

A few random pictures I took today.

Apr 3·2 min read·211 words

Machiya in Takamatsu

Today, a very brief post about a "machiya" I encountered this morning. Machiya are traditional Japanese townhouses. They used to be found all over Japan and were nothing exceptional. However, they ha…

Apr 2·4 min read·781 words

Lavender

I'm trying to remember when and where I took this picture, but I can't seem to recall. This never usually happens. Maybe my parents took it and I liked it so much that I decided to put it in my archi…

Mar 30·1 min read·136 words

Bush - Glycerine

Today's song is another one from the 1990s (as I may have mentioned, it's the most important decade for me in terms of my personal history with music). It's from a band that never became huge, but was…

Mar 29·2 min read·387 words

"House of Shadows" by Ekaterina Muromtseva (Setouchi Triennale 2025)

Dear members, I'd like to start this post with a quick message. Yes, I know I haven't posted many updates about the Japan Art Islands lately. I'll try to post more in the near future. Howev…

Mar 26·4 min read·662 words

How to deal with Meta?

I hope I'm not telling you anything you don't already know when I say that Meta is one of the most evil tech companies on Earth (although the competition for that title is getting fiercer and fiercer)…

Mar 22·8 min read·1560 words

Palais Bourbon

Just an old picture from my archive, and from my time in Paris, of the Palais Bourbon, home to the French National Assembly (i.e. the lower house of parliament). I can’t remember why it was all so pa…

Mar 21·1 min read·142 words

What kind of music do the Pogues play?

What country are they from again?

Mar 19·2 min read·229 words

Childish Gambino - This is America

The day was May 6th, 2018 (although, since I was in Japan, it might have been May 7th for me). Out of nowhere, singer Childish Gambino released a new song on YouTube that took the United States and a …

Mar 17·3 min read·589 words

Cauterets – Grand England Hotel and the Boulevard

I wouldn't be surprised if you're not familiar with Cauterets. It’s a small town in the French department of Hautes-Pyrénées that is most famous for its ski resort. I used to go from time to time as a…

Mar 13·3 min read·453 words

Smashing Pumpkins - Disarm

I already told you about the Smashing Pumpkins and how, for a long time, they used to be my favorite band. You can read it here: Smashing Pumpkins - 1979Today’s song is 1979 by the Smashing Pumpkins.…

Mar 11·2 min read·305 words

Art Setouchi 2026

If you visited Kagawa Prefecture or the Setouchi Islands between 2011 and 2018 outside of the Setouchi Triennale, you might recall that much of the permanent or long-term indoor art was accessible to …

Mar 10·2 min read·270 words

Agen – The Garonne River and its Aqueduct

This postcard may or may not have belonged to my grandpa. I didn’t scan the text on the back, which suggests that it’s not one of his. It's likely just a card that I bought somewhere because it depict…

Mar 4·2 min read·332 words

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Season One)

A spoiler-free review of the new Games of Thrones spin-off that you shouldn't overlook, even if you think you're done with Games of Thrones.

Mar 3·3 min read·575 words

A Day on Naoshima

Today, I want to share with you a few pictures from a day spent on Naoshima a little while ago. Nothing too special, just enough to bring back some memories if you've been there. Or to make you want …

Feb 24·4 min read·779 words

Albi's Streets

I've already shown you some parts of Albi before (click below): Albi - Liminal WebJapan, art, islands, France, the internet, and the rest…Liminal WebDavid Billa Here are a few more. This time pictur…

Feb 23·1 min read·187 words

Beastie Boys - Sabotage

Hip-hop isn't a genre I listen to much, but I was quite fond of it in the late '80s and early '90s. I fell out of love with it later when gangsta rap took over. Among my favorite hip-hop bands are th…

Feb 22·2 min read·372 words

Amiens – Front View of the Cathedral

Today's postcard from Memories from a New Century is interesting because the caption is bilingual, which was quite unusual for that time. I assume it was published during or right after the war when t…

Feb 21·2 min read·241 words

Mazzy Star - Fade Into You

Mazzy Star is a band that was active from 1988 to 1997 — apparently, they reformed in 2012 — but I only discovered them in the early 2000s, during what I refer to as my "second formative years" in ter…

Feb 19·2 min read·298 words

Art in Tonosho, Shodoshima (Setouchi Triennale 2025)

Introducing the art pieces that were in Tonosho, Shodoshima during the Setouchi Triennale 2025.

Feb 17·9 min read·1609 words

Bastille – July Column – circa 1916

This is the Place de la Bastille in Paris, about 100 years ago. And this is what it looked like 90 years later: The postcard shows the building that stood before the Opera Bastille was constructed. …

Feb 13·5 min read·828 words

Garbage - Vow

The year is 1995. This year is one of the best years for whoever calls themselves a fan of "indie rock" music. It was also a time when TV was a place where you could actually listen to good, non-mains…

Feb 10·3 min read·552 words

Get Off Substack!

The best time to leave Substack was yesterday. The second best time is right now. Here is why.

Feb 8·10 min read·1875 words

Sunset in the Arc de Triomphe

It’s a bit early, but it's better to have this kind of information early on rather than too late. If you’re in Paris on May 10th (or around that date), don’t forget to watch the sunset right on the a…

Feb 7·2 min read·211 words

Wonder Man

Marvel finally understands that it needs to break its storytelling mold.

Feb 6·3 min read·534 words

Curb Your Digital Addiction (The Butlerian Handbook, part one)

For this first part of the Neo-Luddite Handbook to Surviving the Digital World in the Age of Tech Billionaires, we're going to do something extremely easy, even for the less tech-savvy people, but tha…

Jan 18·5 min read·986 words