these could almost be scenes from the life, times and work of marcel broodthærs. mainly because they're in black and white, then my dress and appearance. this 1 especially thanks to the word "museum" on the window.
the link explains what happened. however, my hi-jinx antics did not include: reciting la fontaine's 'le corbeau et le renard' (apres Æsop) chalking up and erasure of references to historical and cultural figures on a blackboard, donning a fantomas / de sadean / magritte / old-time thief's mask, get up to anything else like that. nota bene: nothing got labeled "fig 1" etc either.
All images ©, Copyright, Cel Crabeels and Rik Desaver, 2007
Untitled public intervention (with Cel Crabeels and Rik Desayer), 'Paulo Post Futurum', group exhibition reception event, Stadt Museum, Breda, 2007
Serialised text, ‘Locked-up metric tide (stuck on hold) / Free land wave outflow set loose’, untitled double-sided postcard suite (photographic images by Nico Dockx and design etc by Jean-Michel Meyers), Curious, Antwerp / Lokaal 01, Antwerp, Breda / Stadt Museum, Breda, 2007
Design: Copyright, Jean-Michel Meyers
http://slashseconds.org/issues/003/002/articles/dpark/index.php
In 2001, I began
regularly visiting, staying and working in Belgium and working with Belgian
artists and organisations, which still continues now. Whenever I went to
Antwerp, I always saw the same green cobweb bus-stop pissoire looking thing. I
was told this was Belgian Funhouse, yet or just another pavilion by the
veteran U.S conceptual and architectural artist and social-critic, Dan Graham.
Also, explained to me was the story that came with it.
In keeping with Dan
Graham's practice and output throughout his career (from his earliest
interventions using adverts and contributions published in periodicals, then
more performance and event based work and now these better known architectural
environments), the hope and claim was that Belgian Funhouse would encourage
social and human interaction and engagement. Never clear to me (and perhaps
others) was in what ways Belgian Funhouse was supposed to at least
attempt relating to the immediate surrounding neighbourhood and context
-presuming it was planned site and community specific, not just
"more-of-the-same" and "here's-one-we-made-earlier"
disposal and offloading. Obviously, I have no idea if any of that was
deliberate or self-conscious on Dan Graham's part.
Unexpectedly (although
hardly surprisingly), after ordinary citizens heard simply how much Dan Graham
was paid (as well as production costs -and maybe fact he was an outsider
-instead of a fellow mainland European, co-patriot Belgian or even local),
immediately, Belgian Funhouse became a target for resentment and
vandalism.
So (as others stated
-including Dan Graham himself -who claimed if he was young and disillusioned
he'd have done similar or identical!), Belgian Funhouse certainly did
attract and achieve social and human interaction and engagement -although not
quite of the same kind originally expected.
Eventually, the
message somehow got through, Belgian Funhouse was retired out to graze
at the out-of-town Middelheim museum (mausoleum?). Maybe becoming overlooked
and forgotten might beckon next -or has already taken hold. Now that it arises,
Dan Graham's title (Belgian Funhouse) sounds somewhat Breughel's Children's
Games and Flemish Proverbs meets Iggy Pop and the Stooges, both with
a touch of Anal Staircase by the sadly now defunct U.K industrial / apocalyptic
/ avant / dark / neo folksters, Coil thrown and rammed in there for good or bad
measure.
Since then, Belgian
Funhouse has been replaced by a statue (or dept-store display mannequin
dummy?) of a birdman by the once-great Panamarenko (who is actually European,
Belgian and Antwerpian). This successor to Belgian Funhouse seemingly
goes largely ignored, unless and until some accidental or malicious damage
strikes (or has done). The only potential risk or threat (or real danger) posed
could actually be from this unscathed Panamarenko orniphopter itself, because
in the event of ever getting noticed, such a set example might give
impressionable people the misguided delusion that they can and should follow
suite. Fortunately, to the best of my knowledge, nothing like that has happened
yet -and hopefully never shall.
Sometime around all
this, Cel Crabeels obtained as much media coverage and other documentary
material generated by and following the whole Belgian Funhouse debacle
as he could get his hands on. Unless I'm mistaken, as I understand it, there
was little or no attention paid by the artworld and international media and
press; only around Antwerp region and the rest of Belgium.
I think I 1st
knowingly saw Cel's ensuing work when we were both in the survey show, MONOPOLIS
/ Antwerpen at Witte de With, Rotterdam, in 2005. I noticed it came across
very like period conceptual-era work and Soviet "factography".
Off-hand, It brings to mind Cel Crabeel's fellow countryman (though
Francophonic and Wallonian), Jacques Charlier, who amongst other oneliners made
satirical, parodic and derisive critiques and attacks on the realities and
pitfalls to his contemporaries in the international avant garde of the
conceptual-era. Additionally, there's the near genre and almost idiom category
fallen into by other artist's who've done works charting the progress and fate
of things they've done themselves. Then, archiving, publication, display and
exhibition of both sought-after and surprise feedback and backlash has
sometimes become part of certain works.
There has since been a
collaboration with Cel Crabeels, still without exposure or outlet. Later, I was
invited to contribute to a suite of 3 double-faced picture-postcards relating
to this project. My prose text appears over Nico Dockx's photos showing Belgian
Funhousebeing dismantled, all with design and other visuals by
Jean-Michel Meyers. As often, my input was what came to me from considering the
brief given and insight obtained -while (without being dismissive) reusing
extant ideas and intentions (whether they ever appear elsewhere or not). The
end-result experience (the scenes and imagery conveyed, phrasing used and
overall presence) became my almost customary act or formul¾ of enforcing an
inevitable reality that just happens, ambiguous as to whether familiar or
strange, morally good or bad, natural or synthetic.
It goes a little
something like:
Locked-up metric tide
(stuck on hold) / Free land wave outflow set loose
Secretly buried deep
inside hidden underground burial-chamber, dormant flames and ice sleep, stir,
awaken, resurrect, rise upward, nearly reaching upper surface.
Fast-growing ice
razor-blade shields push hard enough that sheer effort cuts terrain, blasted
sparks sent scattering; advent and arrival amidst flames, which bring fountain
jettisons.
Despite both factors
being vested with many other considerable powers, liquid-based and cold ice
never extinguishes any flames at all, while flames melt no ice whatsoever;
fire-resistant ice covered by insurance-policy and immunity-strain against
flames causing harm, advance-prepared weatherproof flames afforded and enjoying
ice damage exemption.
While ice keeps
guarantee not to thaw or evaporate, durable flames defy and refuse heat-loss
and burnout.
Special-formulae
extra-strength ice is fuel flames feed, run on and live off, whereas flames
preserve ice to standard expected and become accustomed to.
Self-sustaining and
interdependent joint-forces of ice and flames drive and guide each other ever
onwards and ahead.
Light, flames and ice
shine and glow conducts through every solid doorway and opaque window; thermal
current and freezing chill from ice and flames fills open-plan walls, filtered
ceiling and floors, gaseous arches and columns; drive persists until nothings
left empty or hollow anymore.
Floral cave and
jewellery garden flames and ice gave birth to both become moth-eaten
pock-marked armour-plated blockage entangled netting.
Whatever might have
been, state-of-affairs ended up in provokes custodial and protection agency to
banish and transfer combined efforts of ice and flames elsewhere; much of
flames and ice stays behind, just as the rest travels onwards to new
destination.
Copyright, Douglas
Park, 2007
So far, their main or
only outlet has been the "premiere" during the reception for Post
Paolo Futurumat Breda's Stadt Museum in 2007. Cel Crabeels and Rik Desayer
filmed me (miked up by them -like a hybrid between a human-timebomb and a
vintage automaton doll) handing some cards out, placing others here and there,
reciting my text, explaining and discussing it all, while committing other
acts.
Interestingly enough,
during working on that text and when it was finished, I found myself aware of
having remembered and referenced certain concerns, content and style of several
particular existing works of mine that came to mind. One is undoubtedly the
purest and most brief thing I've ever done (a long title, followed by a
sequence of statements, describing a made-up process), another is (according to
some) the ultimate (and favourite) landscape or phenomenology by me. Both these
figured strongly, alongside a companion-piece I wrote for a serial
collaborator's public-art commission in some social-housing, about which I
addressed the clichÂŽ, notion, potential and reality of "community"
spirit and force, united and battling against challenges and adversity. Unlike
Dan Graham's Belgian Funhouse, there actually was much consultation and
rapport, with production and eventual end-result enjoying considerable
popularity, support, interest and approval from the residents -sadly, all too
soon enough, the work proved problematic unto itself and the human-element,
thanks to sudden adverse weather and the otherwise protective glazing!
Copyright, Douglas
Park, 2008
Especially
commissioned to accompany Onthaasting: About Spare Time and Slower Worlds,
Belgian contemporary video art, curated by Harald Thys and Jos De Gruyter,
Katzen Arts Center at American University, Washington D.C, from November 11th
until December 21st, 2008
Photographic credits:
Copyright, Nico Dockx
at Art:Gwangju:11 광주
김대중 컨벤션 KDJ Convention Centre, Booth No.:57
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