Sunday, 26 May 2013

Sneak Sentence


This is from October 2011. Nothing has changed since then. :(

I am sick of trying to sneak up on a good sentence. Its like an escaped canary and I’m standing there for hours quivering with a soft tea towel wanting so badly to hold the little thing that I end up sending angry hate vibes that make it move further away. I don’t understand it. Writing. I don’t know how to do it so it doesn’t hurt. I don’t understand how to get that wiley canary back. I follow it so far away from my home I’m not even sure how to get myself back.

Judge judy, toasted cheese sandwich, help me please write a decent sentence.

Wednesday, 1 May 2013

Preliminary notes on the Philosopher's Stone

So I been thinking about what it might mean to have a PhD. PhD stands for Philosophy Doctor. At first, in 2011, I thought I'd buy a stethoscope. I searched the medical websites. Eventually I bought a skeleton model instead. PhD. Doctor. Dr. Yeah, ok, I'll fulfil your prescription: do one Ursonate and see me in the morning. Is it not weird that it's not "DrPh" instead of "PhD"? I have a general idea about what philosophy might be but it seems harder to comprehend what it would mean to have a PhD than it does to imagine oneself the "Master" of something. That was easy. I could do that when I was small.

Today I decided to do something about this mysterious non-problem/iSSue. I pulled out the one and only Harry Potter dvd we have. I worked out why the playstation wasnt turning on, plugged in the power and spent an uncomfortable time searching the channels to find the movie. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone actually doesn't dwell too long on the Stone or on philosophy. While waiting for these portions, I stopped the dvd each time Snape graced the screen. When the movie was over I posted the 8 best Snapes on Tumblr. Daniel liked it.


Starting with an Ikea pencil, I wrote down things that seemed interesting - that it might be magically different to become a Philosophy Doctor. The proof of being a Wizard is interesting. "did you ever make anything happen, anything you couldn't explain?" Artists make art they can't explain ALL THE TIME. At least initially? There is something about wizards about having some supernatural authority over matter that they may have in common with artists. Something about making base things divine, or infusing base things with divinity of some kind. Or having superior skills in moving things around.



The film is nearly over when the topic of the Philosopher's Stone comes up. Hermione gives something like the wikipedia (or wikipedia uses Rowling's description) of Nicolas Flamel who allegedly made or created Philosopher's Stone in France ages ago. Astonishing powers! I wonder if they are akin to 'fabulous secret powers'? Anyhoo, all the rest of my wikipedia-esque research turned up little more 'astonishing powers' than the two primary properties mentioned in the movie: turns base metal to gold, elixir of life. In the movie Harry is able to take possession of the Stone by not wanting it. The stories of Flamel in which the writers insist he may still be alive are quick to note he does not use the stone selfishly. Theres something about desire and morality that comes out of nowhere to the front here. Perhaps to save the Stone itself from appearing as a shortcut. Devilry. Vanity. 

In various parts of both Rowling's writings and stories of Flamel, dreams were mentioned. That writers receive information about the Stone or their writing about the Stone in their dreams. I started to read about the alchemy, the antiquated discipline from which the Philosopher's Stone springs. The idea is so seductive- of a mega-discipline in which religious, mythical, scientific and spiritual study are one and the same. The mere idea of these now disparate and waring factions uniting could metaphorically stand for the Stone itself: the "secret laws of the universe" themselves would surely facilitate the transformations promised by the Stone?

Eh. Its tiring though. 

I watched the Mabo episode of the First Australians and the whole thing seems REALLY stupid and inconsequential. There are awesome people with answers and were all just too stupid to ask. 



To own
To use
To practice
To practise
To own
To take
To give

Pay rent
Pay rent
Pay rent
Pay rent
Pay rent











Tuesday, 26 February 2013

An exhibition made from stealing with no new ideas

This exhibition never existed. I made it for something else other than exhibiting. So it doesn't require a rationale, theme or title. I stole or borrowed or appropriated nearly everything in it. Except battlecat, I have a receipt for battlecat. And I did not steal the hair, I grew it myself. I took care of it for many years then cut it off after I woke up one morning and it was choking me.



Miscellaneous Contemporary Light Work
2013
Haircut 2006, BattleCat, Lykta Table Lamp: White


Two Skulls shaped "For the Love of God" after Cartrain
2012
Plywood, primer, Flat Black, Super Chrome




RIGHT:
Drop MDF (with Reasons)
2012
Wood glue, primer, Hardcore Black Night 50mm waterbased pigment ink// waterproof, Super Chrome, MDF




LEFT:
After Hennessy Youngman’s “ART THOUGHTZ: How to Make an Art. Addendum (Part 2ish)” 2011. Buddy Cop TM. Literally.
2012
Miniatures of David, Youtube

RIGHT:
A painting kept on the parcel shelf of my car for an indeterminate amount of time
- 2013 -
Found painting on ply, driving around, time






Stencil Skeleton Somewhat Troubled by Various Inconsequential Things
2012
Plywood, primer, Flat Black 


I have a title for this anyway. Maybe I will use it on a future exhibition: "DONT WORRY IM NOT RICH AND NO ONE GAVE ME MONEY FOR THIS AND NOTHING IS FOR SALE" or something like that