Skip to content

Tag: thoughts

Summertime Reading: Mount Analogue by Rene Daumal

Published July 30, 2008

This summer while I was in Greece I re-read one of my favorite books, Mount Analogue by Rene Daumal. Mount Analogue is an unfinished novel of 4 and one half chapters, that details a group of people who are on a journey to visit a mountain that connects earth to heaven. Lets not dwell to much on the idea of connecting heaven (whatever that might be) because there is no religion (dogmatic religion) in the book to speak of, there is however the idea of some kind of spirituality that is connected to the present.

The image of the mountain is cast in numerous cultures and Duamal uses this to a great advantage, gently coaxing different approaches of the symbolic significance of the mountain, while expanding the culture and classism of the mountain and the villages that surround the mountain.

One of the great themes of the book is the idea that to move forward, you must also have moved back. This idea of give and take is handled quietly and graciously, it is to me the idea that allows the book to reach its loftier approach.

As for it’s relationship to art? I think the book could also resonate as an allegory of studio practice, not so much as a guidebook per se, but as a meditation on process and artists working.

Leave a Comment

Some photographic craziness

Published July 19, 2007

New York Times reports: City May Seek Permit and Insurance for Many Kinds of Public Photography.

“Some tourists, amateur photographers, even would-be filmmakers hoping to make it big on YouTube could soon be forced to obtain a city permit and $1 million in liability insurance before taking pictures or filming on city property, including sidewalks.

New rules being considered by the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting would require any group of two or more people who want to use a camera in a single public location for more than a half hour to get a city permit and insurance. The same requirements would apply to any group of five or more people who plan to use a tripod in a public location for more than 10 minutes, including the time it takes to set up the equipment.”

(The city recently extended the comment period until August 3rd)

For some reason I don’t see this as a good sign – usually when things like this become laws in NY or CA the rest of the country tends to follow suit. In this climate, could Garry Winogrand or a new version thereof exist?

If not, that’s a real shame.

Leave a Comment

An Artomatic check in

Published May 7, 2007

I’ve had quite an exciting month with Artomatic. I initially entered into AOM with the thought that it would be nice to hang a few pieces together and enjoy the experience of hanging a small show inside a show and maybe meet some like minded souls.

First a word about AOM – it has been great, yes I know I don’t like all the work there (and neither do you – that’s ok) but, I’ve been happy with a few artists I’ve not seen before. Organization wise AOM is near perfect. When I graduated from the Corcoran, there were 28 of us and we couldn’t do something in unison if we had to, with +/- 300 artists AOM is like a well oiled machine. So kudo’s to the management.

With a simple email and some cards at the space I’m in, I’ve been able to reconnect with a few friends I have not talked to in years – one from over 20 years ago, and if that wasn’t enough I’ve sold 2 of the 3 paintings. Yes, I’ve met a few people that seem pretty cool as well. I have one last AOM post coming – a simple slideshow of some things I liked. Expect that some time week after next.

New Subject
I found a box of records this week I didn’t know I still had – “new music” for me. If your interested here’s some of what I’ve been listening to this weekend;
Tom Verlaine – Self Titled
Tom Verlaine – Flash Light
Alan Vega – Just A million Dreams
Suicide – Dream Baby Dream
Urban Verbs – Self Tiled
Robyn Hichcock – Groovy Decay
Eno Moebius Roedlius – After The Heat

Leave a Comment

Why do I call things "Fontana Mix"

Published February 15, 2007

In the composition of Fontana Mix, John Cage utilized chance operations to suspend the flow of time. The sounds for Fontana Mix were determined by the chance intersections of lines and dots on a series of transparencies. Transparencies with dots and curved lines were superimposed with a 100 x 20 matrix, also on transparency. A transparency with a single straight line was then laid down in a way that 1) two dots were connected and 2) the line intersected both of the long sides of the matrix. The intersections of the straight line and the curved lines determined the taped sound sample to be used for a given sound event. The absolute horizontal distance between the points of intersection of the graph and the straight line determined the duration of a single sound event.

The “Fontana Mix” that is delivered from this blog (on a random basis, I might add) is named in homage to Mr. Cage. My “Fontana Mix” is simply random events under a single headline or posting.

Leave a Comment

About my lack of a "top ten" list…

Published January 3, 2007

I had written two of them (new artists and favorite shows). I was initially drawn to top ten lists by Greil Marcus, who for years did a monthly column – Artforum still runs to this day (only now with different writers every month).

Every blog and magazine in the known universe right now is running lists like there is no tomorrow, and frankly they have all become white noise – that even when well written, are frankly just not terribly insightful.

So I’m going to sit this one out.

Leave a Comment