Opening Sequence of ‘Go Out and See’ 02 / Caving Into the Absolute Darkness
The Cave
Morril’s Cave (Worley’s Cave) is a class II natural-scientific state natural area located in Sullivan County Tennessee. It has more than 37,000 feet of mapped passages. Morril’s Cave is commonly called Worley’s Cave locally and is known for its voluminous size with rooms more than 75 feet wide and 250 feet long with high ceilings that often exceed 100 feet. It is known for its beautiful formations within its eight to ten miles of passages. The lower level of the cave contains a perennial creek filled complete with various fish, white crayfish, and salamanders.
Andy our guide gives instructions
Earth and River Adventures located in Boone, North Carolina provided us with an excellent guide named Andy. Here he is at the beginning of our journey giving instructions on safety and caving etiquette.
Contemplating the journey ahead
A moment of contemplation for me, as our group of six participants prepare for the journey into absolute darkness.
Up next in the following post the trek begins….
The Fun House @ Highwire Gallery: 1991 / Dreaming in Future Tense / a 2011 remix
“Sometimes we turn the pages in the Book of Memories and come to remember the children who dream in future tense”…..
The Highwire Gallery production of The Fun House
workshop began in March 1991 at the Sayre Morris Community Center in West
Philadelphia and concluded with a performance in May. Funded by the PA Council
on the Arts, the goal was to bring together a group of children and introduce
them to the arts. Our focus would be on dance, performance, music and the visual
arts. Another important part of the workshop was for it to be a community
service, which merged different ethnic backgrounds and communities. For the
eleven girls who participated in the workshop, the hope was to inspire personal
challenges and the pursuit of their dreams. Everyone involved, the artists of
Highwire Gallery, the kids, Empress our musical director, Sandra Lynn our choreographer,
and “DADA” (Dancers Against Drug Abuse) met the challenge and worked hard to
make the program a huge success.
How do we encourage our children to dream, a dream that
inspires, enriches and motivates them to reach for the sky, and to touch just one of the millions of snowflakes that
can be found in the realm of possibilities? How do we lead them by the hand,
through the garden of hopes and dreams?
The Kids at Sandy Beach 2011
I think we do it one child at a time, one school at a time, one
project at a time, and as one community. Children love to discover, and be creative.
I strongly believe that the arts will provide them with the tools they will need for exploring their
imagination and giving birth to their dreams.
What do you feel is our children’s greatest need? What resources in our society would you like to see be provided for the well being and growth of our children? Do you believe that the arts, especially at a young age, is a vital tool for encouraging creative thinking and problem solving?
What do you think?
Select the link below for a dream-like journey into a contemporary child’s lullaby.
Winter Poem by Nikki Giovanni
once a snowflake fell
on my brow and i loved
it so much and i kissed
it and it was happy and called its cousins
and brothers and a web
of snow engulfed me then
i reached to love them all
and i squeezed them and they became
a spring rain and i stood perfectly
still and was a flower
— Author and poet Nikki Giovanni
From “The Selected Poems of Nikki Giovanni”
And last but not least in this journey of dreams…a short animation.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Sky 2
Deep Blue Sky and Trees
A photograph taken from the ground of the deep blue sky and trees from the “Go Out and See” series.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Sky
Sky and mountain in dark contrast
From my “Go Out and See” series … “Sky and Mountain in Dark Contrast”
Out Tonight 1989 / 2009 remix
Out Tonight / video still / digital collage 2011
Bonus song: The Smiths – There is a light that never goes out
Out Tonight, the video, was first created in 1989 and mixed with the music of The Smiths and the song “There is a Light that Never Goes Out”. The video was originally conceived as a reflection of 80’s New Wave music, the club scene, and chillin out. But I wanted to add something more, and therefore centered its theme on the possible controversy, yet beauty of interracial dating. The texts used in the video, I thought I knew what would make you smile tonight ask the question of devotion, and statements after an arrest under the immorality act reveals the possible (most notably in the past) consequence. I was inspired to produce this video after seeing the play entitled “Statements after an Arrest under the Immorality Act” by South African playwright Athol Fugard. In the play, Fugard examined with a visceral intensity the consequences of interracial love during apartheid in South Africa. I believe that it is extremely important that we reach out and lead by example, demonstrating that love is universal and that we are all of one race i.e. the human race—diverse, complex, and beautiful.
Love has no boundaries.
The video was created using an Amiga 1000 computer with a Digital Creations’ Super Gen video mixer. Way ahead of its time, the Amiga 1000, which was first introduced to the public in 1985, was an extraordinary machine equipped with music, video and graphic cards. The 2009 version of Out Tonight is remixed with music by Nine Inch Nails.
30-Day Song Challenge: Day 15
30-Day Song Challenge: Day 15 asks the question what is “a song that best describes you”?
http://youtu.be/Fh0AaTOfkIc Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto – Moon
A bonus song that reinforces the theme as well…
http://youtu.be/OJORJFSWE1I Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto – Berlin
I have been listening for some time to the musical duo of Alva Noto and Ryuichi
Sakamoto. This collaboration has produced many ingenious works. Here are two entitled
“Moon” and “Berlin”. I think these songs best describes me because of their contrast
between the beautiful, seductive, melodies produced by pianist Sakamoto and the
pulsating beats and glitch from sound designer Noto. The sounds they produce seem at odds with
each other, however they are not. They are distinctly different but combined in such a way that it is
pure pleasure. I would like to think that this contrast is symbolic of how I
create art i.e. I am always searching for various source materials to bring together in a compelling work of art.
Maybe Tomorrow a Better Possibility / Resolution and Redemption
Maybe Tomorrow a Better Possibility / Resolution and Redemption was first conceived as a collaborative project with video artist Walter Smith and fellow artist / singer / actor and friend, Ronald Freeman in 1994. The emotional impetus for the project was the ever increasing urban decay surrounding us in Philadelphia. Through substance abuse, drug warfare, and a rapid deterioration of its infrastructure, we came to see our beloved city in a struggle for survival. The original song, Hunger for Holiness, which accompanied the original video was written and sang by Ronald. The composition sought to give insight to the problems and plight of the urban construct and hope for a better tomorrow. In this remixed version, a dreamlike jazzy trance score replaces the composition to create an otherworldly sense of ambiguity, but again hope.
Maybe Tomorrow a Better Possibility / A Self Portrait of Resolution and Redemption
30-Day Song Challenge: Day 14
30-Day Song Challenge: Day 14 asks the question what is “a song that no one would expect you to love”?
The song that inspired this post. Read the summary first, then view the video.
http://youtu.be/P237zpWbPRM The Waterboys – Bang on the Ear 1988
Okay, you have to visualize this
true story to absorb the moment.
It is 1989 in the urban landscape
which is West Philadelphia. The streets are lined with row homes, some occupied,
others abandoned. The row homes cast deep, long, shadows onto the pavements
where the trees have long since been cut down. The shadows are created from the
orange florescent-crime prevention lights hanging ominously from above. I
remember distinctly when Philadelphia changed from ordinary street lamps to
these supposedly crime preventing monoliths. There is an eerie glow and a surreal feeling
as I drive my 1987 Toyota MR2 towards the corner of 52nd and
Catherine Street.
It is the middle of summer and the
temperatures are in the low 8o’s at 2:30 a.m. It is hot and humid. There are
some young kids out playing in the streets, and I wonder why they aren’t in
bed. But this is Philly, and there is a never sleep embodiment that pervades.
There is also a contrasting sense of culture that sometimes invades places
unknown….
I am listening to the cassette
tape of The Waterboys and the song “Bang on the Ear”. My windows are down and
the volume is up. I approach the intersection and on my left a teen, dressed in
true urban, black, hip-hop gear, is standing smoking a joint. Our eyes connect
for a moment. I am waiting for the traffic light to change. It’s taking its
time, when all of a sudden the youth in rebellion jumps into a country square
dance. “Whoa”, I say to myself, “he is so cool and down by law”, as his arms and
legs move in perfect rhythm to the beat of the Waterboys pumping from my car.
It is a surreal moment indeed as
time stands still. I watch him, watching me, as he performs specifically for
me. The light changes, I smile, give him a thumb up and slowly pull off.
I will never forget that
encounter. It reminds me of how art and music transcends, transforms and
connects our different cultural backgrounds. In a moments’ notice we can be
swept away by something new, different and exciting.
Enjoy the song. It has the beat of life 🙂
p.s. “down by law” means “one who has authority” in urban slang.
Bonus Song
Billy Bragg – You Woke Up My Neighborhood 1991
You Woke Up my Neighborhood
30-Day Song Challenge: Day 06
The river Seine and the streets of Paris, France 1990
Day 6 of the 30-Day Song Challenge asks the question what is “a song that reminds you of somewhere”?
http://youtu.be/_a3g8AMKXw4 Isabelle Aubret – La Fanette
While in Europe in 1990, I had the pleasure of traveling from
The Netherlands to Paris, France. I fell
in love with the city. My girlfriend at the time was from Iran, but studied at
the University of Paris before moving to the United States. It was her
influence that led me to make the trip alone while my fellow artists (we were
exhibiting in Deventer, Holland) travelled to Germany. I felt courageous doing this alone, and
enjoyed seeing the city and its rich artistic and cultural heritage. Ever since
that visit, I have fell in love with most things French (food, art, soccer,
film, music). That fact brings me to Isabelle Aubret and French music in
general. She is incredible. I love her
voice, and the language itself. I particularly like French music from the
sixties (classic and new-retro as well) and contemporary French Pop. Singers
such as Francoise Hardy, France Gall, April March, Etienne Daho, and Charlotte Gainsbourg to
name a few, are at the top of my list. I think that is one of the reasons I
love this music, because it always takes me back to the streets of Paris.
day 01 – your favorite song – Stars of the Lid’s “Don’t Bother They’re Here”
day 02 – your least favorite song – Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven”
day 03 – a song that makes you happy – Ivy’s – Edge of the Ocean
day 04 – a song that makes you sad – Trespassers Williams – Love You More
day 05 – a song that reminds you of someone – Trespassers Williams – Lie in the Sound
day 06 – a song that reminds you of somewhere
Post Canvas and Paint 03: The Whipping Machine Acid Flex Dance Remix
The Whipping Machine Acid Flex Dance Remix 1989 / 2010
http://youtu.be/rvSKJjCkVx0 Youtube video
In continuing the Post Canvas and Paint series, I am presenting a video piece entitled The Whipping Machine Acid Flex Dance Remix 1989 / 2010. It is a video art abstraction created as a video segment of The Whipping Machine, a multi-media performance of modern dance theatre performed at The Painted Bride Art Center in June of 1989 in Philadelphia. Utilizing the Amiga 1000 computer and multi-layering soft and hardware effects, I explore the pulsating ambient rhythm of marbled abstraction. In this segment the video represents the mesmerizing intoxication and manipulation by the industrial complex on the masses. Today I am posting this piece as a reflection of our current political and economic struggles.
Stay informed and stand up to tyranny and deception.
A Day Like No Other to Find New Memories
Morning in Charleston SC
My first visit to Charleston was in 2005 during my two-person
exhibit at the North Charleston City Gallery. It was my first time visiting the
city, and my first major exhibit in the state of South Carolina. The previous
year I had been awarded a week long artist residency at Barnwell State Park via
the South Carolina State Parks’ Artists Fellowship Program. This series created in the year
2010 is a reflection of the timeless and imaginary moments, found in the beauty of
morning, afternoon, and evening. As in my
previous posts, I am attempting to examine the relationship we have with memory
and place. I loved my visit to Charleston. I found it to be a beautiful, warm city
with great food, ambience and culture.
Afternoon in Charleston SC
A beautiful day in a new place is always an exciting moment of
exploration and renewal, and of recollection in an artist’s mind. Here as the
bright sun of the afternoon beckoned, there were shops, galleries, music halls, and
restaurants to meander lazily through. The South I found, can joyously bring out the
leisurely feeling in one’s step. But the highlight of
Charleston is the bay. Most of the area is filled with historic monuments. The
bay is expansive and walking next to the waves crashing on the sea wall was
exhilarating. It can be a beautiful afternoon of discovery indeed.
Evening in Charleston SC
As the afternoon turned to dusk, evening slowly approached. And in
that serene backdrop of the setting sun, there were floating memories of
friends, family and beautiful times gone by. The memories moved through the
color of evening and I found the night full of waking dreams.
Then and now I trust in the mystery of the day.
Where are the places that you visited for the first time
that has left lasting memories? What do you love about exploring new places? Do
you associate certain moments in your life, or loved ones with those places? If
so, please do share.
Into the Timeless Blue Memory
What do we see when we face ourselves
Standing in the
timeless blue memory
What
do we discover?
Childhood Dreams / A Better Tomorrow / The
Memories Behind You…
Magic and Lost
She is only relevant
to a moment
in time…
The past…and
the memories behind you…
thinking back
softly infused…with
the starlight in her eyes….
He is only relevant
to his story
in time…
To the thought of himself
narcissistic and unending
with the memories behind him…
painfully infused…with
the starlight in her eyes….
The journey has its moments, but it is the end that
is the important thing.
This post is dedicated to the men and women who
endure the timeless blue memory found in love.
Into the Blue Imagination
Into the blue imagination / A Self Portrait
After working for a few hours on the digital collage for this post
entitled “Into the Blue Imagination”, I finally embraced its finality. It took some
patience, experimentation and moments of trial and error so to speak, to feel
totally satisfied. Immediately after the completion of the piece, and while meditating
on its content, I found myself asking the question, what exactly in the name of art have I produced?
Sometimes you find the meaning to a work of art that
you created only after it is completed. During the process of creating there is
a desire to control its outcome. We as artists, at times want to have it all so
neatly packaged. We like to think that our pre-determined concepts and their
fulfillment in the piece is what make it successful. However, we also realize
there can be beauty in the unknown and an exhilarating joy in discovering it.
In reference to the joy of discovering the unknown, and simultaneously feeling complete, let me make
this observation….
The last element incorporated into the piece is the
portrait of me. It is a photograph taken over a decade ago when I had
dreadlocks. I am also facing the portrait as the shadowy figure in black. I am observing myself. This
prompted the question, what do we discover when we face ourselves? What do we see?
I did not attempt to instill any answers to this
question in this particular piece. How could I? The piece as I stated was
complete. The question, “what do we discover when we face ourselves” and the
possible answer or answers will have to wait until another time.
In conclusion….
Sometimes that is all that art is; a question that begs an answer, or our imagination seeking clarity.
Like a work of art, are you sometimes complete, even though there are questions to be answered?
Post Canvas and Paint 02: in the lightness of being blue
As an artist, I am sometimes feeling a little blue and uncertain about to which idea I need to explore. It is then that I find the process of creating which I use in my ongoing Post Canvas and Paint series liberating. That ambiguity found “in the lightness of being blue” is washed away amid the beauty of finding an intuitive way of moving from one image to another.
In this particular Post Canvas and Paint series, I start with numerous paused video images of works from my past installations and performances. They are photographed or captured digitally and remixed for this series.
The color blue dominates the vision and feeling of the series. It is the starting element that embodies each image. While the color blue sets the mood for this particular Post Canvas and Paint series, what is consistent throughout all of them is the organic and the patterned designs. As I have stated in previous writings (artist summary @ website: newdigitalscapes.com) on the methodology of the series, it is my intent to remain true to the digital process i.e. recognizing and imploring the intricate, microtonal possibilities inherent to the computer. I take this approach by allowing the computer to contribute its infinite source of geometric abstractions, digital glitches, visual drones, disintegrating loops of color and focus, underlying beats and rhythms, and tonal variations.
The most important thing I would like to achieve in this process is establishing a rhythm in my own inner intuition—feeling the next step and incorporating it into the another image. This is the objective of the series i.e. for each image to move effortlessly to the next….
It is adding while becoming, and finally, being no different from the previous as a whole.
The Pier and the Flower in Meditation
Above the shifting tides we stand upon the pier
This past week I have been seeing an image in my mind’s eye.
It is a beautiful, contemplative piece by artist and fellow blogger Leslee
Hare. The title of the work is Inner and Outer Tornadoes. I do recommend you
check out her blog and all of her posts. Needless to say, the atmospheric feeling
in the digital filtering of blue layers, along with her prose, were so
inspiring that it led me to this piece….
The Pier and the Flower in Meditation
I wanted to convey something that was similar to Leslee’s
piece. I wanted soft layering and an organic feeling, if not totally atmospheric.
But more importantly I wanted to reflect on the “cleansing” process that she
spoke of in reference to tornadoes. In my work, I see the pier as an opportunity
to step out into the unknown—above the waters of our fears and shifting emotional
tides.
What elemental forces or structural constructs give you
pause? What questions arise, what “pier” do you stand upon in meditation as you
face the reflection of your thoughts and emotions?
The Right Wing, its Proxy Media and the Rewriting of History
The Stars and Stripes
With the killing of Osama bin Laden, one would think there
would be a coming together in recognition of President Obama’s phenomenal and
precise political strategy. President Obama demonstrated a cool demeanor when
faced with a difficult decision. His intellectual prowess, his ability to
gather information and collaborate with his team of advisors in which to make
an informed decision is unmatched by any other president in recent history.
In contrast, George W. Bush and his lack of decisive
decision making in the capturing of Osama bin Laden is being rewritten for his
benefit by the Conservative Right Wing and its proxy media in the form of the
FOX news network.
Let us look at a few facts….
President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and their security team of advisors were informed up
to almost a year prior to 911 of an impending attack by Al Qaida by the CIA.
This information was ignored. After 911, when it was reported in December 2001,
that Osama bin Laden was possibly in Tora Bora, his commanders in the field in
Afghanistan requested more troops for a surge into Tora Bora. That request was
denied, and his special forces dismantled for a new mission, namely the
invasion of Iraq.
George W. Bush dropped the ball.
Without sounding the alarm of conspiracy theories involving
the Bush Administration, one does have to ask why Osama bin Laden was allowed
to remain free. In theory, Bush needed Bin Laden. He needed him as an
enemy. He needed a reason to justify the invasion of Iraq. If Bin Laden
had been captured, we would no longer have a reason to be in Iraq. It can be
verified that Bush and Cheney wanted to invade Iraq prior to 911. All they
needed was a reason to make it happen. We now know that the reason for going to war in Iraq was a lie. At the
time of Tora Bora it was assumed by the Bush adminstration that 911 and the world’s number 1 terrorist, if still free, could facilitate a legitimate reason to invade Iraq.
Now with the recent killing of Osama bin Laden,
Conservatives, led by Peter King are trying to take credit. They are proposing
that extreme interrogation methods i.e. torture in the form of water boarding
provided vital information. Hmmm, funny how this form of torture was ended
nearly 5 years ago, yet the information that led to the targeting of Osama bin
Laden was just hanging around until now. But I digress. Truth is vital in the
writing of history. And it does a great disservice to all the men and women of
our armed forces and intelligent services that worked with integrity, utilizing
appropriate measures to gather information for the capturing and subsequent
killing of Osama bin Laden.
Shame on all, who dishonor what America stands for and who
would attempt to rewrite history to benefit those who got it wrong.
Let us be aware, of the truth.
The Conscious Light that Illuminates the Darkness of the Mind
Sunrise and the pier 2009
Waking up early during the summer of 2009, there was a
pervading need to see the sunrise. It was still dark, as the consciousness in
waking slowly came into being. In anticipation of a beautiful moment in time, I
found myself rushing to meet the light. Standing upon the pier, I witnessed the
beginning of a new day.
The mind has an opportunity to wake to a new consciousness
as well. Every day the mind finds itself surrounded in thinking and perpetual
thought. As I stood on the edge of the pier, watching the darkness fade away, I
was reminded of the beauty that is the Light that takes away all darkness. In
that moment, my mind felt the Light of Awareness as it responded to the ever
approaching rays of sunshine.
I stood quietly in a meditative state.
Sunrise and meditation 2009
Ever increasing awareness is obtained as the illumination in
the power of light over shadows the darkness of the mind.
Do you find moments in nature that like a sunrise brings a
greater sense of awareness? Does it provide a greater feeling of peace with
oneself and of knowing who you really are? Many of the great gurus of our time
have taught how important it is to find the path to greater self awareness and
knowing….
“Through the mind and intellect, consciousness is divided
into I and other. I am on one side, and
the world is on the other. Light is on this side and the other side is dark”.
The Direct Experience of Truth
From the Discourses of Swami Parmanandji Maharaj
Final meditation 2009
In the Reflective Mirror / Various Artistic Influences 02: Music Playlist
10. 13. 2010 6:49 a.m. Post Canvas and Paint series
In continuing the theme of various artistic influences, I
need to first address the musical aspect of the reflective mirror of my
creative journey past and present. These
posts are simple playlists of music from the past and present that have had
significant influence on my art. In doing these musical playlists and
reviews (some of the reviews are by music critics and fans of the artists), I
hope to introduce my readers to new and exciting music.
- CD: Xerrox Vol. 2 – Alva Noto (Carsten Nicolai):
released Dec 01 2008, Genre Electronic
Reproduction, alteration and decay are the main focuses of
Alva Noto’s Xerrox series: the music consists of samples altered by inserting
noise through several rounds of copying. The resulting tracks seem to atomizing be
before your ears, with an occasional effort to coalesce. Where Vol. 1 offered a
sequence of alternating short raw pieces and mid-length ambient tracks, Vol. 2
presents itself as a more even and almost continuous suite of pieces. Vol. 1
was subtitled “Old World”, this one is “To the New World”, but the meaning of
those subtitles remain obscure and might very well be restricted to the
geographical origins of the samples (provided this time around by Stephen O”Malley,
Michael Nyman and Ryuichi Sakamoto). You can either study the copying/decaying
processes used by Carsten Nicolai, or simply dive into this soundworld of
gritty textures, glitch pulses, and skeletal pieces whiteout melodies.
~ Francois Couture, Rovi
I find Alva Noto solo works, and his collaborations with
Ryuichi Sakamoto to be quite beautiful. The technical production quality is
incredibly intricate and well mastered. The music transports you to a world of
micro-tonal sound that envelops and loops itself almost to noise, while
sustaining the mood of silence and space.
Each post under this musical series is accompanied by an image
from my Post Canvas and Paint series. I feel that this particular style of
Electronic music, both the earlier analog space music and the present digital
IDM lends itself quite well to the style of work in the Post Canvas and Paint series.
In the Reflective Mirror / Various Artistic Influences 01: The Park
The Park 1997
Lately, I have been feeling rather nostalgic and reflective.
The essence of being an artist, or just human, I presume. Because of this there
certainly has been a sense of longing for things past, their presence
resounding in the influence of various people, periods in time, and artistic
disciplines.
Presently, while writing this post, I am listening to a 10
hour playlist I created of four unique ambient sound artists: Chihei
Hatakeyama, Alva Noto, Sawako, and Ryuichi Sakamoto, all of whom weave found
organic sound samples and electronics to produce dreamlike soundscapes. I
mention these artists because they are currently what I find compelling in new music.
I will share excerpts from reviews about
their music in future posts. This brings to mind that half a lifetime ago in
the year 1977, while driving from NYC to Philadelphia at 4am, I came across the
WXPN’s (University of PA) Starsend electronic music program. Listening to the
surreal sounds of Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schultz was the start of many
journeys into experimental music and avant-garde arts in general.
All of this became a reflective thought and ideas for
posting this past week when I saw the film “Smithereens” by Susan Seidelman. I
have not seen this film in years. I remember first seeing it in the early 80’s
when it was first released in NYC. I was excited about coming across the film, and the opportunity of stepping back in time.
But I have been thinking about other influences of the past
as well. How perhaps music, film, festivals, theatre, family, friends travel, exhibits
and art etc., have conceptually developed the artistic vision I have. I hope to explore this phenomenon in future
posts as well. For this posting, I am including a work of art from 1997. It is
one of my all time favorite collages. It is a large 42 x 48 inch composition
depicting the remaining memories of family reunions, during Fourth of July
picnics at the park and in Glenside, PA in the 1960’s. The title of the piece
is “The Park” and my first major showing of the work was in NYC at Agora Gallery
in Soho in 1997.
So I would like to introduce you, my blog buddies and
readers to “In the Reflective Mirror / Various Artistic Influences.
Let me know what you think of the various postings, and
include your creative influences that stand out and reflect your life’s
history.
And up next a musical playlist….
n e w d i g i t a l s c a p e s 