newcleanblog: October 2010

art, philosophy, reality, etc.

Plato argued that there are levels of reality with corresponding levels of knowledge. Artists/poets (represesnted by Homer) are concerned with the lowest levels and philosophers (represented by Pythagoras) are concerned with the highest. So what did it mean when some critics and artists said (decades ago) that art was turning into philosophy? And wasn't Plato turning philosophy into art?

Plato - The Allegory of the Cave - (The Matrix) Animated

Some of those "studies" I mentioned.

deadline painter

The show opens Nov. 12, but I don't know when I have to get it to the
gallery. I am thinking of making a poem scroll on a ten foot piece of
canvas I found. Its 28 inches wide. It will probably be 3 or 4 word
squares. I've been doing studies. I write with masking tape.
I have spent much of my time reading Plato's Republic. In Plato's
opposing Homer to Pythagoras, Homer could be regarded as a
representational, "figurative" artist, and Pythagoras an abstract,
"conceptual" artist. More on this misreading of mine later.

Reality Show

this could be the start of something bigger

The show I'm in, and preparing for, opens November 14, at Outpost
http://www.outpostedit.org/
which is in Bushwick, near the Halsey stop on the L train.
Hyperallergic is moving their offices there for the duration of the
show (11/14 - 11/24) and one of the artists (Nate, whose last name I
don't know) will be living in the exhibition space in a packing crate,
supposedly dressed in a panda suit. Or is it "pander"? Or am I the one
pandering? Another artist (Man Bartlett) will be temporarily living in
Hyperallergic's normal office space. There will be video projections
and god knows what else. We finally had our meeting at Outpost
Wednesday. As I looked around at the high walls and heard about the
various activities I realized that the little pieces I'm making could
get lost, overlooked, or look out of place, so I am making sketches for
something bigger.

I admit I'm getting nervous about this Social Media Reality Show
project. I think in every project I do there is a chaotic stage, a
confused state, where I am not sure how to complete the project, and I
have doubts about the whole thing. Maybe I'll be less nervous after
tonight's meeting. I don't know who will be there, but I''ll get a look
at the space and learn some details, like when this show is taking
place.
Yesterday afternoon I emailed Hrag again to ask about those details of
time and space:

>
> Hey Lawrence,
> We're meeting at 6pm at Outpost: http://outpostedit.org/ The space is
> off the Halsey stop on the L train.
> My cell is xxx-xxx-xxxx. See you there.
> Hrag
>
> On Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 4:27 PM, Lawrence Swan <lwswan2@mac.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Begin forwarded message:
>>
>>> From: Lawrence Swan <lwswan2@mac.com>
>>> Date: October 26, 2010 4:26:01 PM EDT
>>> To: Hrag Vartanian >>> Subject: ??
>>>
>>>
>>> Where is Outpost and how do I get there?
>>> Do you have a date for The Social Network?
>>>
>>> Lawrence

Hrag's email arrived just before 5pm and I assumed he meant the meeting
would be in an hour, so I left around 5:30 and took the L way the hell
out to Halsey, which is like the eighth stop, maybe, in Brooklyn. When
I climbed out of the station I looked around. It was sprinkling a
little, not even a light rain. I called the cell phone number and told
Hrag I was there. He was surprised. "The meeting is tomorrow," he said.
OK. He gave me the address and directions to Outpost, so I walked
there. Its in a residential neighborhood. I passed some guys throwing
dice. It was getting dark. Outpost was closed, or looked closed (the
website says they're open 'til 6) and I didn't try the door. Anyway,
now I know where it is. Tonight I will see the space and know the time,
I hope, and this thing will be less indeterminate.
Maybe.

Masking a word square.

Am I Miles? Or Eric? Trong?

Of course.

On Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 3:03 PM, Lawrence Swan <lwswan2@mac.com> wrote:
OK. I am going to make some videos. I need to go to Outpost, maybe
tomorrow, and look at the space. If you have a date for the show, it
will help me. Is it OK if I post this conversation?

On Oct 21, 2010, at 2:57 PM, Hrag Vartanian wrote:

No, I'm just checking in. I think you should feel free to experiment.
The aim is social media-related art and art that explores the notion of
social media, etc. So, do what you need. Though if you need something
from me let me know. I also need to know how much space you will need.

On Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 2:55 PM, Lawrence Swan <lwswan2@mac.com> wrote:

On Oct 21, 2010, at 2:43 PM, Hrag Vartanian wrote:

Hey Lawrence,
I wanted to check with you about the show next month. What's going on
with your project?
Hrag