My sentiments about the Arts and Bodies events seem to parallel Ian's, especially those ideas focused on pointing out the inefficiency of language. Professor Moss revealed to me after the even that there are over 7000 THOUSAND languages being used in the world right now. The slideshow that was running throughout the event attempted to list all of them, but at the end the list had only gotten through the K's, not even halfway through all languages. This led me to think why is there such a plethora of languages, and if some are so well defined (for example english), how come communication barriers within a language continue to exist? If language is intended to promote the exchange of ideas, how come people with the same ideas have difficulty facilitating this exchange when they speak different languages? I don't know where I am getting at with this thought, but it leads me to believe, like Ian, that comfortability and efficiency can be established with a limited use of CONFORMED sound and an increase in physical action.
This process was clearly exemplified through the Jazz concert aspect of Arts and Bodies, which was an exchange of sound and physical action from musicians dancers. At points, it seemed as if the sound that each musician emitted elicited a certain type of physical response from the dancers, and at other times it seemed as if the dancing was what was influencing the choice of sounds by musicians. Though no words (which are conformed particles of sound) were transferred, the ideas were handed off almost seamlessly. Maybe this is why music tends to be known as the "universal language."
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Response to Arts and Bodies
I have been thinking about the Arts and Bodies event on Friday and I think I am now able to formulate a response to it. Obviously this event speaks to the importance of language in society- it was called "The Space of Language." Yet I think that this event highlighted languages weaknesses as much as its strengths. To be quite honest, I felt more comfortable and more connected with my fellow participants when language ceased to be used in any recognizable forms. I felt better able to "communicate" or at least "commune" when parading around the pink square blowing on the didgeridoo than when the participants first arrived and I had to pass out lab coats and the pink key chain mouths. Ultimately, this seems for me to highlight an underlying connection in all people, in that even without language we are still in some ways able to congregate and even exchange ideas. Commands were rarely given to speak or articulate noises, yet people's examples were followed and an understanding was still reached. For me this seems to speak to a sort of Limited Fork theory that is based less on an exchange of intellectual thought and more on a philosophy of life: that everyone makes "ripples" or "waves" and sends out "vibrations" and that everyone is affected by everyone else's actions and even speech or noises.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Space of Language facebook event
Invite yer friends, family, acquaintances, strangers, pets, robots, et cetera.
The space of language accommodates all.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
'Zines and the wisdom of emptiness...
I will loosely sketch out a Buddhist principle, which I found on the Limited Fork Theory website, that resonates with the ethic of zine-making.
According to the Buddhist teacher Robina Courtin, human beings apprehend their surroundings and fellow humans with two very different attitudes. The first mode of thought that she mentions is the "conventional" --- we tend to either treat people and things that are not ourselves as basically utilitarian and "real" and unchanging in their nature and meaning to us. She refers to the "cup-ness" of a cup, the "carpet-ness" of a carpet, and so on. This in contrast to an "ultimate" mode of existence, or point of view, which says that ultimately there is nothing inherently meaningful or permanent about the physical nature of the things that we use, the relationships that we value, or the symbols that are important to us. Mostly, she says, human perspective is confined to the conventional position toward things because this is a framework based on the functionality of things in relation to the "I" to which each person belongs. The "I" finds Facebook instantly and briefly gratifying. The "I" occasionally puts up a front in situations where emotional openness is paramount. The "I" reads the newspaper passively without ever making or writing "its" own newspaper or 'zine to share with others. The "I" relies on comfort food like mac and cheese and holing up in her room when the idea of possessing something gains primacy over the experience of a thing, the active participation and reconciliation with the impermanence and emptiness of a thing or person or relationship. Courtin calls the trinity of conventional assumptions of ownership, permanence and intrinsic nature the "mother of all lies," that actually prevents a person from appreciating the transient, perpetually changing non-meaning of reality. The more one is aware of the impermanence and eventual "breaking down" of all things, the more thoroughly and fully one can appreciate the smaller functionality and usefulness of material things. One can appreciate the necessity of the small items without relying on their thing-ness. One becomes aware of a more general current to whichall things are inescapably drawn.
To be continued --- I will relate zines and the materiality of zines to this principle.
According to the Buddhist teacher Robina Courtin, human beings apprehend their surroundings and fellow humans with two very different attitudes. The first mode of thought that she mentions is the "conventional" --- we tend to either treat people and things that are not ourselves as basically utilitarian and "real" and unchanging in their nature and meaning to us. She refers to the "cup-ness" of a cup, the "carpet-ness" of a carpet, and so on. This in contrast to an "ultimate" mode of existence, or point of view, which says that ultimately there is nothing inherently meaningful or permanent about the physical nature of the things that we use, the relationships that we value, or the symbols that are important to us. Mostly, she says, human perspective is confined to the conventional position toward things because this is a framework based on the functionality of things in relation to the "I" to which each person belongs. The "I" finds Facebook instantly and briefly gratifying. The "I" occasionally puts up a front in situations where emotional openness is paramount. The "I" reads the newspaper passively without ever making or writing "its" own newspaper or 'zine to share with others. The "I" relies on comfort food like mac and cheese and holing up in her room when the idea of possessing something gains primacy over the experience of a thing, the active participation and reconciliation with the impermanence and emptiness of a thing or person or relationship. Courtin calls the trinity of conventional assumptions of ownership, permanence and intrinsic nature the "mother of all lies," that actually prevents a person from appreciating the transient, perpetually changing non-meaning of reality. The more one is aware of the impermanence and eventual "breaking down" of all things, the more thoroughly and fully one can appreciate the smaller functionality and usefulness of material things. One can appreciate the necessity of the small items without relying on their thing-ness. One becomes aware of a more general current to whichall things are inescapably drawn.
To be continued --- I will relate zines and the materiality of zines to this principle.
Shifting Ideas
I have found my work with audio recordings to be superficial. What I created was a succession of judgmental quotes by various peers. I wish my message to be a different one. Though their speech patterns no doubt create vibrations, the repetition of this in the creation of my piece has negatively influenced me.
I have this idea to create a guerrilla theatre troop as part of the student organization, PCAP. I will document my baby steps as this process progresses.
We have a club-wide meeting tomorrow night where I will present my idea to the group.
I believe this is an effort worth perusing. The work I do with PCAP is meaningful and inspirational, I hope this will influence my project in this class.
I have this idea to create a guerrilla theatre troop as part of the student organization, PCAP. I will document my baby steps as this process progresses.
We have a club-wide meeting tomorrow night where I will present my idea to the group.
I believe this is an effort worth perusing. The work I do with PCAP is meaningful and inspirational, I hope this will influence my project in this class.
Chain Reaction
To me, vibrations are almost synonymous with chain reactions. From thought to action to reaction. From sneezing to passing a pathogen and transferring an infection. Or from domino to domino.
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