the future of art
Here’s how this whole thing began.
r had to prepare a presentation for art school, so she tricked me into thinking I was having fun and engaging in stimulating arty chit-chat when I was actually helping her do homework. Sneaky.
In the course of this she introduced me to a nifty concept called semiotics, which blew my mind. If you are unfamiliar with semiotics go google it. Semiotics is terrific breakdown of how to read the tarot, though I don’t necessarily think that’s what Saussure had in mind. Could be though.
I mentioned this to r and her jaw hit the floor as we both realized at the same time what the tarot is actually getting at, and that any artwork could be read the same way. "Holy Fuck!!!" we said.
We decided to test this theory. She showed me the material she was using for her presentation, which was a 5-day performance art piece she and a partner had done several years before, titled reductio ad absurdum.
She said, "Do a reading for the future of art using these 5 pieces like tarot cards."
The future of art? That’s big stuff. I was up for it.
We went to a divey pub for beer and I sat looking at the pictures and descriptions of her performance. I read each scene separately, then altogether, just as I would a tarot reading. It was eerie what came out of it.
All scenes were staged in a large room in ACAD, one wall of which was a pane of glass. The performance was purely frivolous, with no deep meaning intended by either artist
Day 1, titled: sullied
r and partner Ben brought in 500 white shoes and sat all day industriously applying black shoe polish to each of them, which really did not work. When each one was covered, they tossed it out the door into the hallway, where they made a big smelly pile.
Day 2: do not remove label until delivered to customer
Sewing machine in the center of the room at which Ben is seated. Pile of fabric and stuffing at one end of the room. Pile of labels that say Do Not Remove Label Until Delivered To Customer. r told me she chose the word customer specifically instead of consumer, which is what is usually seen on such labels.
r, with mechanical, measured movements fetches fabric and brings it to Ben. Wow, there was some fun alliteration in that sentence, did everyone see it? That was unintentional. How nurealizt of me!
Ben sews the fabric into a pillow shape while r goes to get stuffing. R stuffs the pillow and hands it back to Ben, who stitches it shut and sews on the label while r goes to get more fabric. She hands him the fabric and he sews the pillow while she goes and tosses the new pillow out the door.
Day 3: the fantastic machines
They created machines that did nothing. They were just wheels that turned other wheels, rolling on wheels. They pushed these around the room in a specific, unchanging pattern, each at intervals coming to the center. When they got to the center they would whang on their machine as hard and as loud as they could, disrupting classes all over. Again they did this all day long.
Day 4: die eier von satan
Baked the shortbread cookies described in Die Eier Von Satan, by Tool, again using mechanical precision of movement, while the song played on repeat all day. Each batch of cookies was packaged in boxes of 8 bearing the reductio logo, then tossed out the door.
Day 5: pupae
They had a bunch of inflatable plastic shapes that they had intended to spend the day inflating with their own breath. Unfortunately they were so worn out from the previous 4 days effort that they couldn’t be bothered, and used a vacuum cleaner on reverse to do it, then wandered off and left the big inflated things sitting there.
It has occurred to me that I may be doing a disservice to the movement if I post my interpretation of this right away. It is not the only interpretation; it is merely the first.
I am only the first speaker for the revolution. It is my hope that there will be many.
So, help us out with this everyone. Without knowing what it was I saw, tell us what you see. What does this say to you about the future of art? Don’t worry if it’s "right". This is not a test; it’s an experiment in free associative interpretation. Those of you who are tarot-trained may have a lot of fun with this, as I have, but you do not need that background to play this game.
So I’m going to give you all a few days to post your various thoughts and insights, and then I’ll tell you what I said about it.
And THEN I want everybody to do this with the next piece of artwork they see that attracts their attention. Allow your mind to go where it will within the images. Take note of all thoughts that arise, whether in words or pictures, even physical sensations. I was looking at another of r’s pieces, an unfinished (actually barely begun) work created from an old door over which layers of white cotton material were irregularly laid and somehow glued on. She plans to paint on it. It is wrinkled here and there and very oddly shaped and contoured. As I gazed at I began to feel, subtle but quite distinct, the sensation of material caressing and conforming to my chest and belly. It was invasive and confining, but oddly pleasant. I mentioned that to her and she told me that the fabric covering the door was an old t-shirt of hers. Creepy huh? Wyrd huh? You never know when you are going to stumble over a key to an Idea!
This is SO MUCH FUN you guys! Try it right now!
P.S.
When I hit save I could not help but notice that my computer said, "Word is saving the future of art." Wowie. This is me trying just as hard as I can to help.
This has been another example of completely unintentional, deep, relevant meaning coming across to an open-eyed mind, brought to you by your friends at the nu-clear realizm institute for free thinkronicity.
posted by idnami @ 10:12 PM
10 Comments:
I found this site surfing, and will bookmark it.
I'm not worried about the future of the art. Art to me is a human activity, which differentiates humanity from other species. Porno can be art, the Grand Canyon is not art.
We need shelter, so architechture is the most important art. We move, so we can dance.
Word is the past, present and future, of art.
Considering the improbable number of five card layouts that could be used and combine that with the high amount of subjectivity / bias that has been presented through your short and somewhat excited presentation of the material... and still, you would have a combination of universally astounding probability against reproducing your very results.
To follow up on your procedure would require a whole lot of questions, chiefly, “What layout did you use?” ie. Did you use the Eliphas Levi Wheel Spread (more likely if you were raised on the Rider-Waite deck), the Spread of the Elements or The Line Spread (This would be my preference in this situation)?
Are you including reversals in your readings? if so, how are you accounting for reversals? (Blocks, negative interpretations, blind sided luck or misfortune?)
How are you attuning your “cards”? and did you properly keep them in silk and cleanse them in the light of a new moon? Were they properly smudged before you dealt the cards?
Are you talking about ritual or simply throwing out cards and peeking at what might be?
You're conclusion may well be interesting and I can not wait to read about it. But your report of methodology is astoundingly poor.
Shall I plunge on using my methodology?
The only thing I can consider as being or having an relevence is to take this project as it was intended – a five day “ritual” and attempt to draw the cards in the order of events, or in the order that they were presented in their originality.
I will apply the Line Spread – dealing from right to left.
I will only use direct quotes, or quips, from your very words.
1.the past is, has been or was “Sullied” by the very existence of the thing which is in question. In this case, Art.
2.As the intent was sullied, it was sold. There is no reason to assume, by the presentation that the sullying had anything to do with the sale. It was sold as is - and to paraphrase other people now, “without warranty or guarantee”. It was broke when they sold it and before they sold it. And I'm willing to bet they damn well knew.
3.The reference to “machines” and obnoxious noises can only be read as a rancorous cacophony raised over the fact that people or “customers” (Not consumers, for art is not a consumer commodity) discovered their displeasure at being ripped off. here is where I am interested for this card is the “present” more than any other. And here is the very topic I believe you have been writing about for some days now. To make the point - “disrupting classes” (quoting you now). A veiled and I believe unintentional slant against the class struggle in the artistic community. (Ifit was intentional, it wouldn't surprise me. You are as brilliant as you are beautiful).
4.Die Eier Von Satan, by Tool – The meaning escapes me as I loathe Tool; what they could have been compared to what they have been – has beens – before their time.
5.“pupae” and what would no doubt otherwise be the death card. Rebirth through death – blessed be the phoenix, though damned be the flames.
So there is my reinterpretation of your question, regardless of methodology.
Your humble servent
wheeeeee! strixy! how delightful to hear you derisive voice. welcome! i was just thinking about you. thinkronicity!
i dont give a hoot about methodology. imposing methodology on this process would make it inaccessible to those with no previous tarot knowledge. plus i didnt think of that when i read it myself. i am pleased that this was all you could find to take issue with. oh, and my excited presentation of the piece. i presented it more or less as it was presented to me. she showed me a few polaroids too, but i like the idea of recreating the performance directly into your mind.
you never like it when i get excited.
excellent reading! no, the class struggle thing was not intentional. thats really good though. good free asociation!
yaaaaay! the revolution thanks you for playing.
and if a few more people dont participate you can just all keep wondering what i saw for the future of art. come on people!
"imposing methodology on this process would make it inaccessible to those with no previous tarot knowledge."
That's fair. It's also fair to say that providing no method can simply be part of the method itself.
No intention to be derisive, only participating in what I hope will be an interesting debate. Something I've been craving of late.
I can't wait to see who comes up with what and what you yourself came up with. (This is me getting excited).
I would be interested in the methods other people use to come to their conclusions and any assumptions they may make before beginning their readings.
CDXVII - In light of this, can you expand? (please)
Day 1: Sullied
This would be the artists depiction of self...and what has become of their art.
Day 2: Do Not Remove Label Until Delivered to Customer...
This embodies the prepackaging of ideas...
The fact that art has become commercialist, and the soft cushioning of material wealth and lesiure, allowing one to forget the sensations of being 'sullied' or 'stained' as they packaged the show
Day 3: The Fantastic Machines
It is said that life is a series of circles, walking circles within circles, and it is at the center of this all answers lie.
It seems to me this piece of art would be interpretting that pattern to a degree...bells going off at central locations.
Coincedentally
My card for the Wheel of Life pictures Wheels, all over the place going no where....
To me this is the generation process of their ideas, and when they first seriously begin to coincide their creation with their realities, this is the dawning realization that the artist, can co-create their reality, and the space where they begin to utilize their creation
Day 4: Die Eir Von Satan
I would call that a missed opportunity...Turkish hash is good
and great for artistic thinking, unless everybody managed to eat a few cookies in the making
In which case I would say it is an offering or temptation to enter into the nu realizt line of thinking, by letting go of the box nd plunging in
Day 5: Pupae
Creative energy spent, the makers carry on about their business, where once there was great enthusiasm, now they have found tools left to replace themselfs with.
It shows me that when it comes down to the movement, it is really just something to play with and have a lot of fun for a while
A bright shiny to obssess over and push around for a bit...
The original starters of the movement will only last so long with in it, but they will leave their mark for future generations to see.
In the context of art?
Well...it is reminding certain artists to place a little fun and color into their reality
Art IS,
and always has been.
IT will continue to flow, and inspire, interpret and contort, long after we are no longer here.
Even better yet it will continue to teach...lessons of immense value to each of us, if we can latch on to it and take it home.
Art is the expression of imagination, without wich we would have no subjective reality at all.
And art does inspire us to THINK.
In this way the future of art is not a very difficult thing to read, for it will be, but art can be what will inspire us to create future events for ourselves...
I think if you examine art carefully you will see it as a viable tool to allow souls to speak through, and it is only a matter of interpreting which souls are speaking and the message is understood
Will Art revolutionize? Of course it will....
This too is what art does...it is how it keeps current, ever moving and changing with the times
Art is simply a tool with which psychics and mystics open their minds, and the minds of others also
The very idea of giving a reading on the future of art is like giving a reading on your bowl of water...
It opens you to focus on whatever future you wish
And will write the passage ways to get there...
But only if you allow it.
Your own future through the art for example
The white shoes, we will look at as M standing naked, bare from charms and glamours, and volnurable
The black shoe polish, the glamours she puts over herself.
Note how she points out it really did not work?
Perhaps she feels the old glamours are no longer protecting her as they once were....
It interests me to see the references to sewing up the pillows, as the pillows could be seen as comfort zones and sowing those up as well
Then the machines that create Nothing.
I am lead to remember M patching up the nothing and binding it when she grew angry,
and then releasing the nothing to roam freely
In this reading it would appear she has found a place for it in Nurealizt thinking
Card four would be her joyously revealing in the feast time after the ritual, celebrating her great works
and Card five would then be her walking away from this into the practicle application in her life
nephilim, your words "bells going off at central locations". have changed my perspective on the reality that I once knew. Thank you. I shall find a way to delete my earlier post so it shall not appear dullard in comparison. Well, that would be entirely too difficult I am sure - so instead I will only offer some congratulatory hand shakes and back slapping.
no deletions! the movement values immediate impressions as well as carefully thought out responses. thank you ALL for playing! thank you all for participating in yet another successful nurealizt Happening!
i am making this up as i go and so should you be. that is life, and what i am most trying to advocate here is a meditatively aware approach to life. we will change and improve, but we must honor each step of the journey. should i delete the posers? we cannot allow ourselves to be shamed by the past. else i would not dare raise my head.
And your results ? Art is?
Alright, If I am going to give Tool another shot, which album would be the best for me to start with?
aenema is the one with die eier on it, it is an awesome album all around. the title track is one of my faves.
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