manifesto / questionnaire / interrogation / definition / formula / policy / mission / voices by Gregory Maass & Nayoungim
"He
was no longer privy to her innermost thoughts."
Creativity:
I wouldn't label myself as an expert in
art history, psychology or anything so if my thoughts seem a bit off base at
times it should be excusable since I'm not an academic by any means.
Many people mix up intelligence and
creativity. In reality mental illness tends to be a stronger indicator of
creativity than intelligence is believed to be. Mental illness seems to herald
creativity rather than intelligence.
Creative individuals face fear,
punishment, and social exclusion due to their ability to instigate change which
is not always welcomed.
People generally prefer stability over
change and are wary of anything that disrupts the norm. In order to avoid
facing repercussions some individuals are willing to portray themselves in a
comical or harmless manner, like for example Slavoj Žižek, Alfred Hitchcock or
of course Nam June Paik (yawn!) who want to be seen as jesters in order to
appear non-threatening.
The second approach involves simplifying
your demeanor, to play dumb, to fit in. This tactic serves to protect oneself
from hostility. There is a shared origin between illness and creativity; they
are both perceived and felt in a similar manner by those who experience them
first hand. There is a tendency to exhibit higher levels of depression and
anxiety, including of course paranoia.
Psychoticism is when creativity affects
how the world is perceived in a way that may not align with reality as somebody
else perceives it.
A person should find an outlet for their
creativity. It’s often seen that many individuals with creative potential end
up unnoticed and facing challenges like homelessness or even imprisonment.
The initial phase of creating involves a
surge of observations, information, thoughts, ideas and even emotions emerging
from this chaos from which order eventually arises. These individuals have the
skill of focusing on various tasks simultaneously to uncover unexpected
insights and connections between seemingly unrelated elements to develop
innovative ideas and approaches. Isolation may sometimes be misconstrued as
disdain.
Creative individuals often exhibit
volatility and a lack of regulation as a natural tendency to changes. But at
the same time change serves as an element in the life of creative individuals.
Creative individuals are twice as likely
to face psychiatric challenges compared to less creative individuals.
Depression is frequently encountered among personalities along with issues like
alcoholism, substance abuse in general, and sadly suicidal tendencies.
Why anatomy/organs and texture, inside
and outside?
Anatomy focuses primarily on the
structures of humans and animals through methods, like dissection and the
examination of body parts arrangement. In plants anatomical elements encompass
roots, stems, and leaves. Texture pertains to the surface look and feel of
materials such as glass.
Just an example: in today’s society
where social media is a common part of our everyday routines, people, across
various age groups are mentally impacted by the societal standards of
appearance and body-image ideals that prevail in their surroundings. Many
experience dissatisfaction with their bodies due to factors like obesity or
anorexia. Certain common concerns include breasts, hair, facial structure, skin
tone, muscles and so on. This trend emerged quite recently in the twentieth
century and has since become more widespread. In the past individuals regarded
their bodies rather as given and unchangeable without questioning it.
This shift is part of a pattern, in
which our bodies are no longer essential to us. We have reached a point where
we no longer rely on our bodies as much as before. Many physical tasks that
were once vital such, as producing food, engaging in relationships, and giving
birth have been outsourced.
Our artworks are so much better than we
both are.
Intention/Meaning/What do you want to
say?/What
does it mean?/What is your message?:
What do you mean and what’s your
intention are scary questions! I am not a motivation coach at all. I just have
crumbs from the fast-food philosophy kitchen for you.
The result of decisions shapes the
meaning we perceive, which is influenced by the situation at hand. Decisions do
and do not derive from meaning. There is an infinite feedback loop.
Some activities can be considered
meaningful, like burning incense, drinking coffee without cream or without milk
or getting a haircut, even if they are harmful to others, like smoking or
building narco-subs, inventing dynamite, or being in a tight spot for a long
time, on death row for example. The concept of meaning is intricate and
multifaceted; it is deeply intertwined with the notion of time and encompasses
qualities such, as coherence and insightfulness while being both explanatory
and predictive in nature. What do you mean to the artwork, the world?
Is there significance beyond death. Can
we find purpose in its wake? Living humans possess the ability to self-reflect.
Have an awareness of their own existence along with insights, into their inner
thoughts and emotions, and mental bowls.
Ideas:
It’s a pretty tall order. …
At the occasion let me please quote
Roger Meyers Jr., cartoon-in-cartoon animator of the hit show The Simpsons who
said: “You take away our right to steal ideas, where are they going to come
from?”.
We are not born anew in a void each time
we make a show or pick up the chisel (the what?) in the studio, move the
cursor, hold the paint brush. We are not the permanent amateur. We are under
many influences, it’s a wonderful deluge we embrace.
I have to elucidate this a bit further
down the road.
Pyramids/mortuary cult/death:
The ancient Egyptians were known for
their death rituals that have been passed down through generations.
The great pyramid of Giza is world
famous, while the title of the greatest pyramid globally belongs to the
pyramid of Cholula, in Puebla, Mexico with an estimated volume of 4.45 million
cubic meters. It fell from the ugly tree, if you ask me.
The majestic Giza pyramid, once adorned
with a white limestone casing, is believed to be built to entomb the late
pharaoh Khufu for his journey, to the afterlife as the king of the dead. It was
crucial to handle the remains with care to ensure a transition for the former
Pharaoh in his new role. Scholars suggest that apart from being a place for the
pharaoh the pyramid also served as a repository for objects, for essentials
required by him in his afterlife. There are esoteric theories surrounding
pyramids such, as numerology and the concept of "pyramid power" along
with anti-gravity technology in the field of pyramidology that suggest they may
have been constructed by entities other than the known historical civilizations
like the early Hebrew and Aryan people or even beings, from Atlantis or
extraterrestrial beings.
Our society prioritizes material
possessions such as property and wealth over the value of life, this can be
compared to a culture fixated with death rituals and practices. We evolved to
revolve around the concept of death; viewing items like just as an example a
McLaren W1 or a vacuum cleaner as symbols of this obsession with death. We seem
to idolize the idea of death by burying ourselves in dead objects and
constantly engaging in destructive behaviors while rarely focusing on creating.
Creating something is the exception. We live in a world of destruction
external, like war, like the destruction of the environment, and internal like
cancer, and for example mental illness.
Methods:
However, there's another thing, methods
also often wrongly called techniques that I'm keen on exploring.
Moving smoothly from one element, from
one object to another is crucial; this requires an approach in place to guide
the process effectively towards a specific goal, let’s say an exhibition, as
intended by a planned and organized method.
For instance, using statistics helps
analyze data effectively, dog sledge is an effective form of transportation,
sautéing is a wonderful cooking technique and project-based learning is the
educational strategy. Approaches often consist of a defined sequence of choices
and steps to be applied in specific situations; typically described as a series
of actions that can be repeated consistently.
By addressing both theoretical, see
knowledge, and practical challenges, see money and time.
Techniques are more open-ended.
But I am talking too much, you start
looking at me worried.
Frankensteining:
One method we develop and employ on a
regular basis is Frankensteining, which
means collecting objects and ideas from
various sources, dismantle them, and reassemble them to create outright
bizarre, singular, unexpected results.
Utter boredom:
We are not humorists. But we do like
funny methods of production. Funny meaning here difficult to explain or
understand; strange or odd in nature or maybe witty on the fringes. That’s what
keeps us alive.
Fun fact: life presents us with a
barrage of information every day that we tend to filter out, about 95% (don’t
quote me). We tend to focus on about 5% of that information which may not
always reflect reality; instead we spin it into a sort of narrative akin to a
fairy tale. When one confronts life as is without any embellishment it can lead
to desensitization. Utter boredom often acts as a defense mechanism in
situations signaling our intimate connection to the unrefined essence of life
itself. In this context boredom shouldn't be confused with depression. You may
feel the urge to engage in activities when you are bored, during a depression
you don’t feel the urge to act. Taking action and indulging in imaginative
scenarios can serve as effective distractions from feeling bored and restless;
seeking entertainment as a remedy for boredom might not yield lasting results
People often express their
dissatisfaction with feeling bored and generally try to avoid it as they
perceive it negatively; counterintuitively we view boredom as a profound aspect
of life itself – a state that arises when our minds are inundated with excessive
stimulation, such as encountering a multitude of thrilling works of art one,
after another without pause until the excitement wanes and monotony sets
in.
We should embrace boredom as a profound
aspect of life.
Love vs. collaboration:
Collaboration sounds suspiciously like
war. An ebb and flow of ideas and perspectives clashing together in pursuit of
shared goals and outcomes.
Let’s talk about something else.
Love is an emotion that eludes precise
definition; no verse can capture its essence completely. Never mind Shakespeare’s
sonnets, which are concentrating on human nature. It's a force that breathes
vitality into our existence; a sensation that makes us feel truly alive when
embraced. It's a personal journey, for each individual; a language spoken only
by those immersed in its profound depths. A unique emotional landscape that
colors our lives with its nuanced hues. It can be quite challenging to
distinguish between love and limerence or attraction since there is also an
element of biochemistry at play in relationships. Love is not simply self-love
or being in love for the sake of it; it goes beyond merging with or becoming
dependent on your partner. True love is not about losing yourself in someone
that would be considered selfishness rather than genuine affection. When you
love someone it's not about what they can offer you. It's about embracing.
Readymade or found object:
For Marcel Duchamp the readymade held a
lifelong fascination due to the fact I quote: "The curious thing about the
readymade is that I've never been able to arrive at a definition or explanation
that fully satisfies me." He advised to produce not more than one
readymade per season, if not that would inevitably lead to inflation.
During a span of 30 years Duchamp
created only 13 readymades in total. We seldom put this method of assisted,
rectified, corrected, or reciprocal readymade to pure use. Let’s say one
readymade every second season is more than enough, which is already 40 effing
readymades in 20 years, which is quite presumptuous.
More death:
Things/ dead objects:
“Hello Kitty” is not really a cat
nor a human. It is not a cat in the same way Minnie Mouse is not a mouse.
Frustration!
Animals may be considered things and
rightly so. We love animals, whales, because of their sheer size already,
squids, because they think with their tentacles, elephants, because they never
divorce‚ and also cats.
A cat is basically a velociraptor with a
fur coat. Cute alert! We actually have 3 furry friends at home, which we saved
from dire circumstances. Cats and dogs and things are considered dead objects.
We tend to see our own characteristics reflected in animals – how they behave
and what they need or feel mentally alike us humans. Which makes us grow fond
of our pets and feel compelled to nurture and treasure them for their
resemblance to ourselves.
But back to other things in general,
they are bought or found, or handmade, custom made, borrowed and so on. They
tie us to the past, we think that they make us what we are, we imagine that
they represent us in a way. What really defines us are experience,
relationships and it seems loss.
Relationships:
What do Pablo Picasso, David
Hasselhoff, Kasimir Malevich, Henry Moore, and Spongebob
Squarepants have in common?
We don't just reveal qualities, in
objects that the onlooker tends to overlook; we also establish connections that
go hopefully beyond a viewer’s assumptions or expectations – we create
relationships. Relationships exist as the means by which different things,
concepts or individuals are linked together and influence one another. It’s the
space in between the objects that we thrive on.
Avocations/outsider Art/books etc. :
We have avocations. In our case one of
them is outsider art.
The genuine essence of the artwork is
captivating. The artists focus isn't self-promotion driven by ego or amour
propre but stems from a wellspring of creativity that compels them to work
authentically and profoundly from within themselves. There's often an influx of
mysticism or spirituality that resonates with them at some level of their
existence. You can see this clearly demonstrated in the work of outsider
artists like Malcom McKesson’s secret BDSM life and art, or Jon
Sarkin an artist by accident, and his “Batman” paintings on LP covers
series, or Forest Bess’s visionary paintings and radical theories.
Another avocation is movies. Let’s look
at a film like “Vampiros Lesbos” by Jesús Franco for example, I
watched it like 6 times or so. The beautiful Soledad Miranda plays a
cool, seductive and convincing lesbian vampire. Her performance is the center
of the movie’s hallucinatory imagery. It’s a sexual and abstract nightmare that
feels like some strange erotic symphony of psychedelic poetry, going above and
beyond itself to onslaught our senses with style, beauty, and hypnotism.
And of course books, we still read, and
gather around us the actual thing itself.
We would shrivel and die without them.
Instantly.
One of the individuals known for
experiencing paranoia was Philip K. Dick.
One of the great intellects that emerged
in the twentieth century prompts the question; why does this writer’s work hold
special significance for us today? It's not his intense focus on religion or
his deep exploration of morality and philosophy that sets him apart but rather
his profound impact, on our understanding of sanity and spacetime. PKD shared a
historical context and source material with fellow science fiction writers of
his era; however, his focus was on the mind rather than technological progress
or space exploration like others at the time did. His narratives take on a
surreal quality that he presents in a seemingly logical manner. There is an
unpredictability about him; he was dynamic and prolific but perhaps not always
well composed, an amphetamine addict. He could be considered an outsider or
perhaps not quite an insider, in the group.
(laughter). Though searching for
something authentically reminiscent of PKD’s style, in our work would be quite
futile.
Sexuality vs. sexiness vs. sex and art:
Often art has some form of sexual
attraction or sexiness, meaning anything which has the ability to attract the
sexual or erotic interest of a person. I am not just talking about erotic art,
more like something akin to let’s say George Maciunas “Excreta
Fluxorum”, which is a compendium of the fecal samples of living beings - from
spiders to elephants, neatly labeled according to the species. He called it the
“shit box“. This doesn’t mean that it has to be pleasing to the eyes. It
doesn’t even have to be pleasing to the mind.
Gender and sex are separate concepts.
“Oh yeah?” “Yeah!”
Sexuality in people encompasses how
individuals showcase their identity and desires through a mix of biological and
psychological aspects. Along with physical intimacy and emotional connections
within various social and spiritual settings, which have a life of their own.
It has no clear-cut definition due to its wide scope. A short phrase thus easy
to memorize.
There is a great deal of confusion
surrounding the topic of sex assignment. Usually the doctor or midwife make a
decision based on their genitalia. On the contrary gender is not something you
are born with but something you learn through interactions. This learning
process involves how you act and behave according to expectations and that’s
why it’s called a gender role. Human beings can choose to associate themselves
with a gender that may not align with their physical traits or reproductive
organs. Highlighting the difference between gender and sex as distinct notions
is important.
What I always wanted to say:
Sexual activity itself is a microcosm I
can’t elucidate on here, due to lack of having anything interesting to say
about it.
Motivation vs. Ambition:
When you feel motivated it brings
happiness to you from within because of your sense of accomplishment and self
assessment rather than relying on external factors like others opinions or
material possessions, for validation or joy.
Contrary to this ambition deals with
hypotheticals. Ambition revolves around thoughts like "what if I
were" "what if I achieved" which are scenarios that currently
have no basis in reality and are most of the time plain wrong.
Success:
Imagine a movie that flops at the box
office but gaining a fan base over time, it's like the underdog story that adds
an element of coolness to its legacy despite its initial failure to attract
audiences commercially. Achieving success can sometimes feel like striking
gold, luck definitely plays a part in the journey to success. While fame and
fortune are often seen as goals, by most individuals it's surprising how some
successful individuals find themselves discontent despite their achievements.
Success is often associated with factors like sex, money and power among
others; however, it's important to note that there seems to be a connection
between success and unhappiness. Celebrities, in particular encounter
situations that make them appear unhappy despite their achievements.
Fantasy/Phantuhsee:
Ambition shares a resemblance to fantasy
and fantasy serves as a shield in some way according to the context to what I
said earlier. Daydreaming and fantasy are set in a positive light as essential
elements in our lives that help us plan and execute projects effectively while
coping with reality by offering an escape, into an alternate world where things
may seem more idealistic and less challenging to handle. It offers a haven. A
cozy retreat. A dreamy realm where one can exist without the constraints of reality;
a space, for engaging in a life shaped by imagination and introspection.
Forgetting artworks and memory and body:
This is a question concerning memory
functions. We consider it a very healthy disposition; however we do not mean
that we cannot recall at all what we did, but our memory is selective and
recalling comes often with surprise. It’s not an amnesia regarding the past or
lack of cognitive faculties. We just do not work in order to remember or be
remembered. The original oeuvre vanishes from my mind and I am preoccupied with
my next brain, my next target, and thus with new predilections, interests, and
methods for example.
However, basically what defines a person
and makes them who they are is their memories which encompass everything from
personality traits to skills and habits that have been developed over time like
an imprint, on a canvas of life experiences and behaviors stored in the mind.
We remember to remember.
Why organs/ Anatomy?:
Body/Anatomy/Frankensteining:
Health is so important to us.
Let’s not forget the body plays its part
too as the vessel that carries the brain around. It plays a role in how we
perceive ourselves. Shaping our self-image and self worth in the context of our
existence in spacetime within the world. One can easily envision a brain
outside the body still retaining its identity as when it was, inside a vessel.
It's hard to picture a body without its brain, or with somebody else’s‚
maintaining the same essence it had before the brain was taken out or switched
with another. This is very placative, and let’s not forget that the gut of a
body contains, over 100 million nerve cells, almost functioning like a brain of
its own.
A propos Frankensteining is a
method we like to employ, didn’t I mention that.
Understanding:
Knowledge of something in context is
understanding, so we have to compare in order to grasp something. TBEOL (to be
elucidated on later)
Why vegetables?:
Roots are important. We have 30 to 50 %
of DNA in common with vegetables, they are our close relatives.
Why the title “paranoia paradise” for
example?:
Our titles are dependent works of art,
you do not necessarily have to know them or understand them fully, but the more
you know the better.
For example, the title “the early worm
catches the bird” is a readymade. Or the upcoming “rough days at the orifice”.
“use your noodle” is an outdated expression for “use your head” in American
English. “Paranoia paradise” is a metaphor, the words are no dualism or just
contrary. Metaphors use one thing to describe another thing in a way that
reveals connections, between two distinct concepts. It’s a type of comparison.
Metaphors are everywhere in our lives. Not only in language but also, in how we
think and act. Time is money.
We in the western world, live under a
method called late-capitalism, that’s our paradise, it’s a dystopian
world. All customs and identities are scrambled, deterritorialized, and
undermined through a schizophrenic process, one of the possible responses to
this universal undoing is paranoia.
The paranoid's paradise is hostile,
arbitrary, malicious, and unpredictable. The paranoid strongly believe that
others are seeking to take advantage of them or cause them harm without any
reason or explanation behind it at all. Sometimes simply for amusement purposes
alone. In this paradise evil doesn't require a justification or background.
Individuals with these thought processes often harbor suspicions and anxieties
towards anyone they perceive as having the ability to withhold something they
desire and rely upon. There is also the potential to strip it away, from them
altogether.
We adore and use puns extensively, but I
am personally not always very good at inventing them, it sno’t (sic) good, and
I don’t know why. We must refer to confidences, good friends with more literary
talent, art historical knowledge, more wit or the internet, or AI engines, and
of course my brother in order to get fresh supplies.
Why ceramics/craft/skill?:
Did I mention that our ceramic works
come with a 10000 year return-guarantee, excluding in the fine print the
inherent vice of course. It’s a very old fashioned, an obsolete technique.
Obsolescence, becoming outdated and no longer necessary is what obsolescence
refers to, essentially becoming antiquated.
Computers and cell phones are infamous
for their rapid obsolescence. Obsolescence is already built in when you buy it.
Quoting Anthony Stafford Beer freely “if it works it’s out of date”. We
are interested in antiquate and not so antiquated skills, but don’t apply them
for their own sake. It’s a means to an end.
We have neither nostalgia for the
machine made nor for the handmade, or the ready-made. We have a dim view on the
romanticized artisanal and craft as art boom.
We rather prefer to advance generally
with Robert Filliou’s premise that there is a kind of equivalence
amongst “the well done”, “the badly done”, and “the not done”.
Why psychology?:
Philosophy is effectually used for quite
some time in writing on art, and the pseudo-science of the mind is wonderfully,
surprisingly similar to a literary art. TBEOL
Why noses?
Everyone is familiar with the Proustian
passage, with the moment when the taste of a particular cookie dipped in a
specific tea brought back memories from childhood in a vivid manner. The scent
initiates a response that leads to an effort to reconstruct a memory that
includes both time and place. Autobiographical memories are often triggered by
our senses like smell and taste. This phenomenon is known as the Proust effect.
Smells have connections to the amygdala in our brain. An area associated with
emotions and memory formation. Odors are intensively hedonic and thus noses are
important.
If shown in today’s Tijuana the
connotation, meaning, significance for the onlooker would be quite different.
Tijuana, a city we visited and enjoyed.
Most dangerous city in Mexico with over
2000 deaths related to the cocaine trade per year.
Drug traffickers stop at nothing and use
every means available. But let’s just for a moment forget the perversity of the
drug business in general or at least push it in the background. Criminal
networks are highly resilient and capable of rapidly adapting to changing
circumstances. The result is a series of risky, insane, and downright odd
transportation methods. For example narco-submarines, artificial buts, frozen
sharks, bodies dead, and alive, narco-tunnels undermining frontiers. One
tunnel, which ran from Tijuana to San Diego had rail and ventilation systems,
electricity and reinforced walls and so on. These methods are interesting,
innovative and downright mind boggling.
Just as an example how
"Connotation" of artwork branches easily into a mixture of different
meanings.
Violence/aggression:
Let me quote Slavoj Žižek
"something violent is the very symbolization of a thing."
Looking at things from an ontological
viewpoint the damage caused by how we interpret the world can be seen as a kind
of harm, which is different from physical violence. One lucky bastard can try
to succeed to steer clear of physical harm but this broader concept touches on
everything in existence including all aspects of reality and every being in it.
Violence appears to be woven into the
fabric of all knowledge. Aggression seems also not to be necessarily something
bad. TBEOL.
Why calligraphies? (Ink drawings as a
significant art form.):
Calligraphy and ink painting is another
fascinatingly antiquated and obsolete technique we indulge in. The very first
calligraphy we produced for “the early worm catches the bird” show, a long time
ago, when people still banged stones together and lived in caves. Yes, of
course my favorite calligrapher is Kim Jeong-hui 김정희. Don’t know him? Look him up! TBEOL.
It’s such a relief to be finally
understood.
Thank you for having us.
(Fragrance:
Dzing! L'Artisan Parfumeur)
