Confession: I am the author of Couldn't Wouldn't. WC
--- On Sat, 9/6/08, William Conger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > From: William Conger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: Inspirations and intentions > To: [email protected] > Date: Saturday, September 6, 2008, 9:38 AM > Quivers notwithstanding, there is always something > enlightening about good art. It can put you in an > unexpected state of mind, either surprising you with > experiences you didn't expect or thought you would have > dismissed as trivial. The best conceptual art does this > with our opinions. I mean it evokes paradox, enabling you to > value a statement or image-thought in at least two ways, > each one negating the other. It's like Gombrich's > famous use of the rabbit-duck image. Here's a recent > example. At an exhibition one was confronted by a large > book and a feather-pen. The directions were to list the > person you'd like to kill. Rather horrifying, but the > pages were filled by visitors' choices, the usual > political and criminal suspects mostly. One stood out: > "Couldn't Wouldn't". Now does this mean > that the author wouldn't and couldn't kill anyone or > does it mean he or she would kill the person who hesitates > to kill, that is, Mr or Ms. Couldn't Wouldn't? In > this entry you recognize yourself holding the first view > and then the other, more shocking view. Art has a way of > putting you in unexpected frames of mind, or experiencing > unexpected feelings. The delight-awakening is recognizing > your capacity to do that. > WC > > > --- On Fri, 9/5/08, armando baeza > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > From: armando baeza <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Re: Inspirations and intentions > > To: [email protected] > > Cc: "armando baeza" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Date: Friday, September 5, 2008, 10:30 PM > > I think a work of art is judge by the parts that > shine/that > > stand > > out, the parts that say design, > > but justify the parts that don't, that distinctive > > taste, when the > > Melody lingers on, when one feels that quiver between > the > > eyebrows. > > And so on............ > > mando > > > > On Sep 5, 2008, at 9:38 AM, Chris Miller wrote: > > > > > Cheerskep wrote: > > > > > > "So the response to the quote from Chris > above is > > this: In general, > > > writers > > > will "please themselves" the most when > a bit > > works for BOTH > > > themselves and the > > > audience." > > > > > > > > > ... and I'm wondering if we can't just > replace > > the word "writers" > > > with the > > > phrase "professionals of any kind" --- > to > > include not just painters > > > and > > > musicians -- but anyone who is responsible to a > client > > - whether > > > that client > > > is an investor or a consumer. > > > > > > Responsibility is testable --- it's either > there > > -- or it isn't -- > > > the client > > > is either pleased or he's not --- which is > more > > than could be said > > > about > > > inspirations and intentions which seem to flicker > on > > and off with > > > personal > > > whimsy. > > > > > > And then Cheerskep wrote: > > > > > > But Chris appears not to appreciate that both > clarity > > and ambiguity > > > are a > > > matter of degree. Every work of art is a > composite of > > many bits > > > ("No work is > > > ever just a single work.") > > > > > > There are bits that are themselves composites of > bits > > -- and it > > > appears to me > > > that only the smallest bits can be understood > with > > clarity. > > > Did the Richard Gere character learn some > fighting > > techniques on > > > the streets > > > of Manilla ? Yes -- he did -- that much is clear. > But > > what that > > > says about > > > his relationship with a martial arts tradition -- > and > > his character > > > -- that > > > can only be ambiguous -- as well as the big > question > > of why we > > > should care > > > about his story at all. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________ > > > Click for free info on online masters degrees and > make > > up to $150K/ > > > year > > > http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2231/fc/ > > > Ioyw6ijmifsIxd2TwHlxVMkgN2bdP5 > > > scD44eY9cHJFPg1lQOK4o2U0/
