Usually I begin with a problem that contains or promises enough vitality to probe through levels, or a fascinating turn of
theoretic investigation or, just as likely, a complex question in a historic, film, or literary thread born of ideas leading into other ideas, with force. Sometimes
it's simply a need to make ever-deepening thought into a visual tableau; this
happens in "Transition: Big Fish" from the film Big Fish showing a character partially made up (that is divided) as clown. Shown, left, is "21st Birthday," with more commentary on identities. The Symphonic Instruments series began from
anti-war posters made for the Zagreb Philharmonic illustrated by Boris Bućan
showing musicians fighting against one another: probably our last thought when
thinking of an orchestra's generally modulated lyric qualities. The sound
capacity shows throughout the series by examining each instrument's autonomy,
particularization entering into musical invention or convention as 'goal,' encouraging further
penetration into networks and complexes. (These issues will provoke questions
that will bear on any composer's [or auteur's] work and a fascination-satisfaction-longevity formula that can be pondered.)
Interrogation is a
tool for art that plucks at surfaces, the whys-wherefores of war or political painting
(historic), those concerning death (Rembrandt and others), interiors (Vermeer
and others), the many different modes that tackle subject matter and render those
by some mode-of-working; by expressive qualities, by conferring with an era or
time or thematic necessity-development.
The New Alice
extends from Alice as the
7-year old untrammeled (uncontested in her dream-world), in her insouciant intellect, and into her new realm, a growth of connections
outside or beyond the querulous animal-poker-chess and nonsense-poetry range, in the quaint promises of
linguistics, logic, mathematics. New Alice,
after she's had a 10 to 12 year hiatus, is the contemporary child-woman re-presented, and as contemporary to our time, creates odd lacunas for most viewers. On the other hand, as the Cantos delves into darkened dichotomies
of political Turkey,
then the Middle East, Macedonia,
Burma, Indonesia, the viewer seems able to move in closer, is more amenable to difficult subjects if they do not upset a legendary myth (like our Alice). Interesting.
Some of the grids
deal with great shifts of mind from one century or mode (style) to another, from forensics to
fantasy to Nordic images, then to animal justices who incorporate minor
or Supreme Court judgments into their own vernacular.
The final episode, in process now, to extend through 2011-2012, is The Lorenzetti Project, with its own introduction, following. Click categories top of this page.
If this rather mellow introduction leaves you with
questions, please get in touch.