Is technology the new “institution”? Is a facility with technology now assumed as a basic prerequisite for “legitimacy?“ Do we now consider the aesthetics and functionality of an artist's (or any body's) website to be an indication of their validity/viability? Do these elements factor into our assessment/reception of a persons work? Is any attempt to proceed with out , or stumble around, technology perceived as (assumed to be) either an intentional statement, or indication of a more fundamental and general ineptitude? Do we exist now in a "culture" that assumes technology to be an "unspoken", or implicit partner in our dialogs? Is this a new ethos?
nothing more to read right now, check back later
Thursday, October 25, 2007
An open question
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Rug Project
This project is just getting started, like the Sweat Shop project (which has undergone serious revisions and shall be called "the more than fair trade" project going forward) This is a long term endevour requiring a lot of research.
In part the inspiration for this project was a very small part of an exhibition of rugs (and other things) I saw in Glasgow in 1989. The Afghan rugs were really beautiful, and on first glance appeared to be made in traditional patterns with no obvious reference to anything I would understand. Looking closer I realized that the motifs were abstractions of tanks and bombs. The explanations on the walls explained (at least as I remember) that "traditional motifs" were in fact always changing, the way I understood it was that the grammar or the syntax of things would stay constant, but the nouns, or the subject matter would vary according to what was happening in the immediate environment. The other part of my impulse for this project is my concern about child labor, and slavery, also the basic topic of attitudes/perceptions of labor and its value, both external and internal.
The basic outline as it exists right now is to work with children from primary to high school age in the production of at least one rug. Encompassed in the process is all of us learning together about the history of tribal rug making, and the development of motifs (as mentioned above), the skills involved, and about child labor practices.
My rough idea right now is that we learn together what we can about these topics, design a pattern based on our own experience, and tie or weave a rug together. It is my intention that we will also in the process figure out where we would like to give this rug.
My "gold standard" goal for this project is that it could serve as a template to be modified and employed by others going forward.
If you are interested in learning about where I am in this process so far, please click the "read more" button. Also if anyone has any thoughts,(including criticism or challenges to this idea) links to information, or wants to be involved..please do chime in with a comment!
I see already that the research I need to do for this project is vast. Even as I want us all to learn together I feel I need to bring a lot of knowledge to the table before we embark. So this is where I'm at so far: I have found the name of the man that organized the exhibition I saw in Glasgow and have sent out a web of emails to locate him. He apparently has a deep and passionate interest in rugs, and the rugs I was so taken by in particular. I am learning about the rug making traditions in the middle east, and Asia. I am also gathering resources to talk to here in the states about this particular form of rug making.
I am meeting with Michael Simmons at Buckman elementary this week to see if he is interested in participating with some of his students, and have an invitation to talk to da Vinci middle school when I am ready. I am particularly interested in a possible collaboration on this project with high schoolers connected to the Native American Youth and Family Center.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Another bus story
I couldn't quite understand this fellows name, but he took my book on the bus last week (he literally took it away from me as I was reading.) He did to give it back to me after he ascertained that the only picture was on the cover. I think he may have wanted to point to the irony of me reading a book on "relational aesthetics" when I was on a bus full of people I could have been relating to. I was social practiced by a two year old! Thank you little man.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
what I leaned today!
I picked Allan McCollum up at the airport this afternoon. He is delightful. In the short time we had together, bringing him to town, making a rather round about way to the safeway, through my neighborhood, and via powells to his hotel, I learned two things. One, never use your nick name on a resume, I should always say "Sandra" rather than Sandy, I suppose Sanone is completley out of bounds. And the second was an implicit and more profound lesson. We were at the safeway looking for tiny toothpaste and shaving creams. Necessitated of course by the new airline laws. I said that a good project would be to set up an exchange at the air port where people could leave their liquids before going through security and people coming off flights could pick them up. He didn't say, oh good idea, or how would that work, he said: "Apply for a Grant". And I oddly said, ok I will! I think this is perhaps one of the differences between artist who "make it" and those who don't. An assumption that they deserve funding for their pursuits. So I will be applying for a grant for this air port exchange project. Thank you Allan!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Free Tulip Bulbs
Look for this sign in the lobby of the art building and get your self some tulip bulbs to plant (They'll be right there by the sign)!
Dear Troops
DAY OF THE HEROIC GUERRILLA
Che Ernesto Guevara - a man who wrote about sowing the seeds of revolution but was not a particularly enthusiastic gardener - but he is someone from whom we borrow a bit of spirit. He was executed forty years ago and in Cuba October 8th, the day before his death, is called Day of the Heroic Guerrilla. Love him or loathe him, I encourage you to mark this occasion and make it your reason to get out there gardening, perhaps even with something appropriately red and revolutionary, all be it green as well. In London on Monday we will be digging in more scarlet tulip bulbs that did so well last year.
Bulbs are a great way to guerrilla garden. Take a tulip for example. Dig a hole about 15cm deep and drop a couple or so bulbs in with the pointy bit up. Then cover it firmly with soil. That's really all you need to do before it flowers in spring. Take a photo of the patch and then you will remember where you have dug in your colourful land mine. Please do share what you have done on the Community pages of the website.
Go here to learn more!
In Portland we are troop #990, please include our troop number when you post!
You may also send documentation to parallelu@gmail.com
and we will post it for you!
Thanks, and Love, Parallel University
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Seattle Snaps
I haven't quite got the slide show thing worked out yet (but I will with Shelby's help) in the mean time here are some snaps. and a wee video. I loved the sound and atmosphere in the Vivarium!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Bus meeting
Today when I got onto the bus my favorite seat was available, the one just up to the top of the steps right behind the back door. Sitting there is like being on a ride, I don't like rides, but I like sitting there and feeling "like I'm on a ride". Michael and Uma clocked me coming up the isle (I don't mean hit me, I man saw me in a meaningful way) I "clocked them clocking me" and I wondered what was up.... soon after I sat down Michael leaned over and said "excuse me, what do you do?" I told him that up until yesterday I worked in the stacks at the library. He leaned over to Uma, and said, I was pretty close. I asked him what he had guessed I did. And he said school teacher. I told him that he was really good because I had just started school to be able to teach. I asked him what he did, and he said he was a seasonal construction worker, but mostly in summer. He told me he had a deconstruction job last week, which was really fun. And next week he has a landscaping gig, he hopes that the weather is like today, but he doesn't really care, he loves working outside. He then explained that what he is really good at is relaxing, being lazy. He told me the trick to that is to balance inactivity with moving around pretending like you are actually going to get something done. Uma was pretty shy and mostly hid behind Michael. They got off soon, we shook hands and expressed our mutual pleasure about the meeting. I was particularly taken by this experience, as Michael performed, with me as a recipient, exactly the kind of social practice work that I might do. (I am a little obsessed with the relationships that happen on buses) I loved this experience, and I feel like this is a great demonstration of the synchronicity/coincidence/connection that I am interested in, and I got to be on the receiving, responsive (rather than generative) end of it!
Points of departure
I am not quite sure how to use this space yet, I mean in terms of what is worth posting.
Here is a list of some of the things I am thinking about.
coincidence
connections
physical trails of experience
elevators
memory/rethinking-redefining memory
collaboration
work/play
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Public Sweat Shop, and an introduction
Hi all, I first want to "introduce" you to Ralph Pugay. He and I will be collaborating a lot together this year. The idea for this project initiated with Ralph. He is from the Philippines and .... worked a couple of days in an outdoor, casual labor, sweat shop, producing dolls for carnival prizes in the US.
The idea is to have an out door sweatshop, producing sewn dolls for one day in a public space (I'm thinking pioneer courthouse square) There will be stations for pattern cutting, sewing, stuffing and finishing work. We project this to go for a minumum of 7 hours (at this early planning stage- although to go for 24 hours with shifts could be much better.)
We were thinking of presenting a 7 course meal, prepared by Ralph and I, as payment to the workers.
At the end of production, all the dolls will be shipped to the Philippines.
This is a brand new idea, we are just germinating, so if anyone has any ideas, wants to work with us, any thoughts at all please do stick your oar in.
first project
Ok, well the first project i am going to be working on came because of the day I took this picture. I had been called back in for a second mammogram.... really scary and lonely feeling. For any of you who have never had a mammogram, you have to go into these tiny 4x4 rooms with a curtain on one side and change into a hospital gown, and then just sit there in this little room with the curtain closed, and people moving around out side of it until they come to get you. They put some stuff on the wall and some magazines in there, but it is really surreal, your are already stressed, and you feel like a lab rat-like your own reality is suspended in this place. On this day when I went into the sadly familiar little room, I found this (in the photo). It was made on the glass of some inane framed print there. It was all made out of weird medical stuff (obviously all the components had some adhesive quality). I felt so great, so connected. I didn't feel so alone. I understood that it was other real people who just like me had been in this room, feeling much the way I did. This little work was like a message through time from some "her" to me.
I got the idea from this is; to go to places where one might be nervous to make, and leave little works, made from materials available there. My idea is that maybe just once someone else will be heartened and feel less alone like I did when I found this.
So far I am thinking about the grey hound station, especially in the bathroom. The court house, and the police station. I will also just do it where ever I happen to be if I feel nervous.
Does anyone have any suggestions, or stories about places that make them nervous-stressed?
Also, if anyone else would like to do this too, that would be great! and if you would or could send me documentation-photo or written, I would love it!
Friday, September 21, 2007
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