...).
Translated back into physical forms as pinatas, these fruits are disembodied shells of their former selves reflecting 'the fruits of over-cultivated and over-domesticated produce' through traditional biotech farming practices (cross-breeding of related species) and more recent genetically engineered biotech practices (DNA cross-breeding of unrelated species), the latter of which threaten the diversity of life on our planet.
The backyard installation offers a playground to an audience for acting out frustrations over: a) nature's stubborn resistance to human intervention and/or b) the 'fruits' of genetic engineering practices... culminating in a full-blown pinata smashing frenzy.
In brief, a response to article 7 extracted from Tom's previous entry:
"7. Kristin will be the cult's principal missionary and spokesman. Tom, who likes performance art but is not himself a performance artist, will be the main tech guy in charge of surfing and printing. Tom will bring with him a box of paper from his surfing and printing activities in NY during the weeks prior to installation week and will print more paper when in Austin (see below). Kristin and Reid (sp?) will produce the Video and Kristin is in charge of fabricating the [power objects]. Both Tom and Kristin will blog."
Tom, I will not be performing as a cult missionary character. This is a performative installation. Depending on how the animation production progresses, there may be two animations. In this scenario, I would at most control a fade in from one video (a setting the tone video) into the second video (the frenzy trigger), afterward a fade back to the first video for the remainder of the evening.
For the other testsite dates, I suggest that the animation and a short edited documentation of the smashing frenzy leading to people taking the contents to the computer station remain. The backyard projection will probably only work for that one night since it requires darkness (beginning around 9PM). Regular testsite hours (after you leave) are Sunday's from 1-5PM, so a projection outdoors would not be visible. I will also consider saving a few pinatas or making some more just to hang in the tree out back for the remainder of our installation period.
So thus far I am not planning a performance for our testsite.
I'm working on the animation for the backyard with Reed Posey, an Austin area artist and musician.
Hey, Kristin,
I hear you about not planning a performance, but to me smashing the power objects sounds like performance, especially if it's going to filmed and shown later. I still have the following concern, from my earlier post:
a. A weak link in the above scenario, I think, is the video's "subliminal suggestion" to smash [power objects]. Realistically, how do we get people to smash [them]? Could you draft your former students as "rent a zombies" to get the smashing process started? In other words have shills in the audience playacting a hypnotized frenzy that might inspire others to join in?
That sounds cynical, but it's why I presumptuously designated you "cult leader." I was trying to think of a way to get from point A (people watching a video) to point B (people picking up sticks and smashing the art). Having a "cult leader" set an example was one way. Having the video issue a literal (rather than "subliminal") demand is another--as in written words on the screen saying SMASH POWER OBJECTS NOW.
Another thing I've been thinking about is, I'd like to gravitate away from using the word "piņata." In the text I may describe the power objects as "piņata-like" and the ritual smashing as "similar to smashing a piņata."
I grew up in Texas, and we used to smash piņatas at birthday parties, in school, etc. It's a Mexican folk tradition, of course, but it's also "Texas kitsch"--something absolutely ordinary if you're from these parts. I don't mind that the fruit-smashing resembles or resonates with piņata smashing, I just rather not describe it as literally breaking open piņatas.
Do you want to go with "power objects" to describe the fruits? Or do they need some arbitrary or cultlike name?
Finally, I guess I should say I had my feelings slightly hurt that you invited a sound artist to collaborate without first bringing it up by email or on this blog--especially since we were talking about sound or music as a matter of (initial) mutual interest. It's water under the bridge, since I'm working now on the visual, internet side of the project, but I felt like I needed to say something.
Addendum - an audience should not expect a performance from me by way of the press release - though it may happen and likely will. You can even be vague about this in the press release.
The seeds of exchange as an aspect of performance...
My past performance/intervention works have been left open-ended intentionally in order to germinate exchanges with an audience. I have also often collaborated with area artists and musicians (Residents of Moriya-machi "Town Band in a Day" project, The Electric Donut collaboration with Joe McKay where Austria's The Bernstein Bros. composed a café soundtrack, countless persons (artists, musicians, general public) involved in Simulcast, One Potato (a website founded on contributions by and collaborations with artists, musicians, general public), Celebrations for Breaking Routine in Liverpool (close to 50 musicians, choreographer, composer)... to name a few projects. In our recent phone conversation we abandonned most ideas that involved bringing in Austin artists to perform as well as the idea of the two of us performing together.
Regarding collaboration on a project within a collaboration project...
From the beginning of this collaboration process I have tried to find ways to collaboration with/program in area artists and musicians for our testsite in addition to what we might do together (many discardable ideas among stonger ones were discussed in person, over email, and through this weblog as a part of the process of coming up with a structure for our collaboration and for tying in site-specificity). I once suggested that you do studio visits with area artists and musicians thinking as a way to connect this community to your existing weblog audience since the Austin art scene is so different than New York's. I recognize though that you are here briefly and that there are other aspects of the project you will need to concentrate on. Much of my work of recent focuses on building connections with the community I am in and so I've been thinking of exchange as opportunity and I am already in Austin. I see connections between my approach to community and yours. In a weblog there is virtual exchange, it's built-in by design. My works are tactile for the moment - involving a physical sense of exchange and collaboration, but grounded in community too, however more locally.
Let's talk more about music perhaps over the phone this week or weekend. I know that you have a writing deadline but there may be a way to leave room in the press release for more events. Working with a local artist-musician on the animation makes sense to me for many reasons. The potential to bring in a new audience for testsite which is very much underattended. Having a relatively short time to produce this animation, I would be able to work more closely with an Austin-based musician. While in New York, my communications with colleagues are more net-based. Here they are more pedestrian - riding my bicycle here and there and talking to people as I encounter them on the street.
In general there has not been a lot of communication going on between the two of us as this collaboration has evolved. I needed a lot more feedback from you early on, and then when you were in need of feedback school took precedence on my end. To me this communication breakdown has not been a total failure. I still like that we have a couple of ideas that converge and that there is room for more intervention and collaboration once you arrive in Austin.
About the smashing of power objects... (yes 'power objects' over piņatas works for me. I don't mind moving away from 'piņatas'.)
I choose not to iron out all of these details of this transition from video watching to smashing power objects - much can be learned through the experience of finding oneself in that kind of environment. As a performer or an artist there are always conditions beyond one's control... I've learned to embrace these unknowns in my practice. If on opening day it is required that I step in and begin smashing these paper machet objects the night of the screening, then I'll take this on as a performance challenge for the night. If no other audience members participate, that's the way things go. There are many unknowns and well, that's the most interesting aspect of performance to me. I am providing ground for possible intervention by an audience. This is a testsite.
I'm not trying to re-introduce the idea of me doing music at this late date. I just want to say, since you've questioned a couple of times the degree of participation or feedback you've been getting from me, that I haven't been idle or unengaged from this process.
In mid-February, after our emails, I started thinking about the logistics of how to do a "lounge" with an internet focus. I had been doing mixes, recording, uploading mp3s to the site, and scouting for new stuff that could be played when I got to Austin. When we met in NY that's what we were talking about--music/internet/video, with you doing video and both of us doing internet.
At the end of March you introduced a new proposal with a lot of new performance and installation ideas that didn't include me dj'ing or doing music. Later, I found out you were working with an area person to do the music for the video. You didn't get much feedback at that point from me because I didn't know what to say, except "back to the drawing board" or "where do I fit into this"?
It wasn't clear to me in February that your focus on the Austin community would include bringing in additional collaborators. I knew you had been doing that in other cities but assumed that this project was a bit different, because it's billed as an "artist-writer collaboration." In fact, the testsite banner describes me as "writer Tom Moody." I said (and still say) I would enjoy doing studio visits while in Austin. I have to be honest and say I don't know how to handle the issue of extra collaborators--as a collaborator, blogger, or press release writer.
I like that you interpreted the produce pinatas I am working on as power objects. I'll try to address this and respond to more of your notes this week.
Corporations like Monsato (who today shelved their plans to launch genetically engineered wheat in the US and Canada - a small victory for GE activists) are pushing power plays with a transparent adgenda on the world market.
excerpt from Inter Press Service News Agency:
Activists Wary as Monsato Withdrawls GE Wheat
"Despite this week's announcement, the biotech juggernaut continues to roll, according to BIO, the industry association. Eighteen countries are now growing 67 million hectares (165 million acres) of GM crops, chiefly cotton, maize and soya. The area planted with GM strains rose 15 percent in 2003, it adds."
The produce pinatas are derivative of icons found in games like Ms. Pacman and video poker (strawberries, cherries, oranges, lemons...).
Translated back into physical forms as pinatas, these fruits are disembodied shells of their former selves reflecting 'the fruits of over-cultivated and over-domesticated produce' through traditional biotech farming practices (cross-breeding of related species) and more recent genetically engineered biotech practices (DNA cross-breeding of unrelated species), the latter of which threaten the diversity of life on our planet.
The backyard installation offers a playground to an audience for acting out frustrations over: a) nature's stubborn resistance to human intervention and/or b) the 'fruits' of genetic engineering practices... culminating in a full-blown pinata smashing frenzy.
In brief, a response to article 7 extracted from Tom's previous entry:
"7. Kristin will be the cult's principal missionary and spokesman. Tom, who likes performance art but is not himself a performance artist, will be the main tech guy in charge of surfing and printing. Tom will bring with him a box of paper from his surfing and printing activities in NY during the weeks prior to installation week and will print more paper when in Austin (see below). Kristin and Reid (sp?) will produce the Video and Kristin is in charge of fabricating the [power objects]. Both Tom and Kristin will blog."
Tom, I will not be performing as a cult missionary character. This is a performative installation. Depending on how the animation production progresses, there may be two animations. In this scenario, I would at most control a fade in from one video (a setting the tone video) into the second video (the frenzy trigger), afterward a fade back to the first video for the remainder of the evening.
For the other testsite dates, I suggest that the animation and a short edited documentation of the smashing frenzy leading to people taking the contents to the computer station remain. The backyard projection will probably only work for that one night since it requires darkness (beginning around 9PM). Regular testsite hours (after you leave) are Sunday's from 1-5PM, so a projection outdoors would not be visible. I will also consider saving a few pinatas or making some more just to hang in the tree out back for the remainder of our installation period.
So thus far I am not planning a performance for our testsite.
I'm working on the animation for the backyard with Reed Posey, an Austin area artist and musician.
- Kristin 5-12-2004 5:53 am
Hey, Kristin,
That sounds cynical, but it's why I presumptuously designated you "cult leader." I was trying to think of a way to get from point A (people watching a video) to point B (people picking up sticks and smashing the art). Having a "cult leader" set an example was one way.I hear you about not planning a performance, but to me smashing the power objects sounds like performance, especially if it's going to filmed and shown later. I still have the following concern, from my earlier post:
Having the video issue a literal (rather than "subliminal") demand is another--as in written words on the screen saying SMASH POWER OBJECTS NOW.
- tom moody 5-13-2004 5:22 am
Another thing I've been thinking about is, I'd like to gravitate away from using the word "piņata." In the text I may describe the power objects as "piņata-like" and the ritual smashing as "similar to smashing a piņata."
I grew up in Texas, and we used to smash piņatas at birthday parties, in school, etc. It's a Mexican folk tradition, of course, but it's also "Texas kitsch"--something absolutely ordinary if you're from these parts. I don't mind that the fruit-smashing resembles or resonates with piņata smashing, I just rather not describe it as literally breaking open piņatas.
Do you want to go with "power objects" to describe the fruits? Or do they need some arbitrary or cultlike name?
- tom moody 5-13-2004 5:51 am
Finally, I guess I should say I had my feelings slightly hurt that you invited a sound artist to collaborate without first bringing it up by email or on this blog--especially since we were talking about sound or music as a matter of (initial) mutual interest. It's water under the bridge, since I'm working now on the visual, internet side of the project, but I felt like I needed to say something.
- tom moody 5-13-2004 6:18 am
Addendum - an audience should not expect a performance from me by way of the press release - though it may happen and likely will. You can even be vague about this in the press release.
The seeds of exchange as an aspect of performance...
My past performance/intervention works have been left open-ended intentionally in order to germinate exchanges with an audience. I have also often collaborated with area artists and musicians (Residents of Moriya-machi "Town Band in a Day" project, The Electric Donut collaboration with Joe McKay where Austria's The Bernstein Bros. composed a café soundtrack, countless persons (artists, musicians, general public) involved in Simulcast, One Potato (a website founded on contributions by and collaborations with artists, musicians, general public), Celebrations for Breaking Routine in Liverpool (close to 50 musicians, choreographer, composer)... to name a few projects. In our recent phone conversation we abandonned most ideas that involved bringing in Austin artists to perform as well as the idea of the two of us performing together.
Regarding collaboration on a project within a collaboration project...
From the beginning of this collaboration process I have tried to find ways to collaboration with/program in area artists and musicians for our testsite in addition to what we might do together (many discardable ideas among stonger ones were discussed in person, over email, and through this weblog as a part of the process of coming up with a structure for our collaboration and for tying in site-specificity). I once suggested that you do studio visits with area artists and musicians thinking as a way to connect this community to your existing weblog audience since the Austin art scene is so different than New York's. I recognize though that you are here briefly and that there are other aspects of the project you will need to concentrate on. Much of my work of recent focuses on building connections with the community I am in and so I've been thinking of exchange as opportunity and I am already in Austin. I see connections between my approach to community and yours. In a weblog there is virtual exchange, it's built-in by design. My works are tactile for the moment - involving a physical sense of exchange and collaboration, but grounded in community too, however more locally.
Let's talk more about music perhaps over the phone this week or weekend. I know that you have a writing deadline but there may be a way to leave room in the press release for more events. Working with a local artist-musician on the animation makes sense to me for many reasons. The potential to bring in a new audience for testsite which is very much underattended. Having a relatively short time to produce this animation, I would be able to work more closely with an Austin-based musician. While in New York, my communications with colleagues are more net-based. Here they are more pedestrian - riding my bicycle here and there and talking to people as I encounter them on the street. In general there has not been a lot of communication going on between the two of us as this collaboration has evolved. I needed a lot more feedback from you early on, and then when you were in need of feedback school took precedence on my end. To me this communication breakdown has not been a total failure. I still like that we have a couple of ideas that converge and that there is room for more intervention and collaboration once you arrive in Austin.
About the smashing of power objects... (yes 'power objects' over piņatas works for me. I don't mind moving away from 'piņatas'.) I choose not to iron out all of these details of this transition from video watching to smashing power objects - much can be learned through the experience of finding oneself in that kind of environment. As a performer or an artist there are always conditions beyond one's control... I've learned to embrace these unknowns in my practice. If on opening day it is required that I step in and begin smashing these paper machet objects the night of the screening, then I'll take this on as a performance challenge for the night. If no other audience members participate, that's the way things go. There are many unknowns and well, that's the most interesting aspect of performance to me. I am providing ground for possible intervention by an audience. This is a testsite.
- Kristin 5-14-2004 12:35 am
I'm not trying to re-introduce the idea of me doing music at this late date. I just want to say, since you've questioned a couple of times the degree of participation or feedback you've been getting from me, that I haven't been idle or unengaged from this process.
In mid-February, after our emails, I started thinking about the logistics of how to do a "lounge" with an internet focus. I had been doing mixes, recording, uploading mp3s to the site, and scouting for new stuff that could be played when I got to Austin. When we met in NY that's what we were talking about--music/internet/video, with you doing video and both of us doing internet.
At the end of March you introduced a new proposal with a lot of new performance and installation ideas that didn't include me dj'ing or doing music. Later, I found out you were working with an area person to do the music for the video. You didn't get much feedback at that point from me because I didn't know what to say, except "back to the drawing board" or "where do I fit into this"?
It wasn't clear to me in February that your focus on the Austin community would include bringing in additional collaborators. I knew you had been doing that in other cities but assumed that this project was a bit different, because it's billed as an "artist-writer collaboration." In fact, the testsite banner describes me as "writer Tom Moody." I said (and still say) I would enjoy doing studio visits while in Austin. I have to be honest and say I don't know how to handle the issue of extra collaborators--as a collaborator, blogger, or press release writer.
- tom moody 5-14-2004 5:54 pm