11 August, 2009
Apologies to Painters
I made a statement about painters in a previous blog entry and then I came across a painter that I think I want to work with. It's new abstraction and wonderful...more to come.
Cancel
I have a tendency and some would say a very bad habit of changing my mind at the last minute. I tend to live by my own clock and sometimes I forget that others live by routine. A friend in Lokeren,(Belgium) who is helping me with some upcoming presentations of artist in Antwerp and I had a IM conversation this morning. In it he made a statement..... a rather crude statement that "not all people don't come when they say they will...we keep our appointments". This remark was made in reference to me not attending an event in Lokeren about two weeks ago, well actually a music festival the city has for ten days every year and a meeting that we have planned for the next day with a possible sponsor. My response back was "or those who don't live by the clock...you can miss out on a lot by living by the clock". Bye was his response. I never really feel that one should have to live their life by a schedule. Yes, business be it in the world of art, academics or corporate has to be done on schedules because it's a rigid part of what has to be done to survive (sad but true). In life however , everyday life that's there to enjoy, is it wrong to change your mind so that you enjoy your life? Should those that may feel disappointed really be? Could something better come out of the concept of cancellation when you except it as part of the process of life and not this negative situation?. Nothing about art this time...or maybe it is...or isn't.
07 August, 2009
Some say that knowledge is HA HA HA.
This blog will centre around me leaving the art world behind as artist and quotes from the song Sat in Your Lap, by Kate Bush, 1982 from the Dreaming to express the "why".
"I see the people working and see it working for them. And so I want to join in but then I find it hurts me."
I've made a very hasty decision to let go of personal art practices. This happened when driving to Gent with a friend Rudi who also with his partner runs a small gallery space in Antwerp. There were (again) these questions of why and how come you do what you do. I've had the problem of explaining again and again about the social dynamics I looked for in work, the blah and more blah. If you even explain to people that you really just go with what you feel they still want to know why you felt that way. I just began to feel a ridiculous stigma is added to contemporary art and artist. Does anyone seriously ask Daimen Hurst why he does what he does? Maybe they do...but if he doesn't give an answer do they continue to try to find a meaning? This is the problem, personal problem I have with the whole art/artist thing at the moment. Some of the artificial "deepness" that has to be applied to some work in order for the masses to feel they get it when basically they really don't want to get it.
"Cause when I am unhappy theirs nothing that can move me."
I got into contemporary art through a very strange encounter in Chicago in 1988. I was walking around the trendy Grant Street art district looking at all the galleries and work. Introducing myself to people who could care less about a student walking into their space(s). As I'm leaving the area I pass by what was a very small gallery outside of the district. I walk into this space and see before me what seems to be a few clothes racks and a moving cart. The owner of the space is there (never forget her...red hair in curls and pink polka-dot dress) and I look at her and ask "so are you still preparing for the show?" she then looked at me with a little art arrogance and stated "THIS IS THE SHOW." I quietly turned and walked out this space. Never got the name of the gallery or artist but I did gain a sense of curiosity of what made this art. I went to school the next day (Columbia College Chicago) and asked my art history teacher (it was my first year) what I saw and how this was to be catergoried as art, I was and remained a liberal education major, so I need to know what was going on. My instructor then stated it's called installation work.....but I really wouldn't call it art. By that statement alone I knew that it was. The those who can't teach philosophy was my first thought to that answer. I immediately began to figure out how I can change the scope of work in art, ideas about it and to take on Duchamp (which I failed at miserably).
"Just when I think I'm King....I just begin."
I became very interested in "outside" art practices through researching the Fluxist and Situationist movements which lead to broader studies in early Japanese contemporaries like members of the MONA-Ha and Gutai movements. What struck me and made be begin to understand what I saw in the gallery space was that the idea of making art was too difficult and separate from my own personal existence and everyone elses. i wanted to make things that were familiar and I also want to avoid the enormous cost that come with being an artist by using either found or mundane materials and actions. This lead to several simple....and unfortunately undocumented actions around campus and the City of Chicago...having ten people sit on a ledge and chew gum, raking up a vacant lot on the Southside of Chicago, etc. I got this reputation of being the crazy artist from Detroit who takes on his professors, who ignored instructions on assignments and spent more time sneaking a beer with the seniors instead of going to another boring studio session. But something happens with college is that you graduate and all those ideas have to be taken to the real world....which isn't so real.
"I want to be a lawyer, I want to be a scholar but I really can't be bothered with give me, give me, give me, give me, give me........"
After school I did several things to find my place as an artist, NYC for a couple of months but missed seeing trees and relaxed people, a quick hop to London to find out this isn't the place to come alone at 22 years old and a real understanding of what culture shock was. Came back to Detroit and ran a successful youth outreach program but felt I was not focusing enough on my own work. Working as an associate curator for a gallery in Toronto, which was a very good experience but the funding was cut and back to Detroit where I've did nothing but think about art for the past 15years..with a few odd jobs here and there. The most enjoyable things for me in the art world happened in Belgium, mostly Antwerp. I basically was lucky to have my first interaction with the art scene be with my now good friend Chris Staterling who is a wealth of knowledge and introduced me to a set of artist who works I admire and respect. I was accepted in this group instantly and felt a common bond with work based on the aspect of the artist and not the artist trying to please the public.
Let's jump ahead to Rotterdam spring 09 (say no to Dutch ideology---long live the Flemish..minus the right wing parties) where I became focused on what the art world was becoming..not all of it but most of it. It was becoming it's own little Mafia filled with academics, wanna be friends of artist academics and sorry but YUCK! Painters! This work was never questioned because obviously you knew what you were doing because everyone believed they knew what was happening because you did it from the proper background. Where as avant-garde practices are seen as these crazy ideas around nothing so you better have a good explanation as to "why" you're doing this. I think this question arises because they don't want you to have an answer. They want to be able to say I don't get it and give just cause to why this is not art. Then you give them an answer, maybe a little abstract but an answer and they start to dig for more. I've come too close to telling people to shut up and take it in and find you in the work or not. So before the pot boils over I decided to take a step back.
"The longest journey. Across the desert, across the weather, across the elements, across the water."
So now I've decided to shut everyone up conceptually. Take a needle and tread to the lips of the wannabes and help artist to reclaim what is rightfully theirs..their creative thought.
Welcome to Ideas!
Gent 2009
"I see the people working and see it working for them. And so I want to join in but then I find it hurts me."
I've made a very hasty decision to let go of personal art practices. This happened when driving to Gent with a friend Rudi who also with his partner runs a small gallery space in Antwerp. There were (again) these questions of why and how come you do what you do. I've had the problem of explaining again and again about the social dynamics I looked for in work, the blah and more blah. If you even explain to people that you really just go with what you feel they still want to know why you felt that way. I just began to feel a ridiculous stigma is added to contemporary art and artist. Does anyone seriously ask Daimen Hurst why he does what he does? Maybe they do...but if he doesn't give an answer do they continue to try to find a meaning? This is the problem, personal problem I have with the whole art/artist thing at the moment. Some of the artificial "deepness" that has to be applied to some work in order for the masses to feel they get it when basically they really don't want to get it.
"Cause when I am unhappy theirs nothing that can move me."
I got into contemporary art through a very strange encounter in Chicago in 1988. I was walking around the trendy Grant Street art district looking at all the galleries and work. Introducing myself to people who could care less about a student walking into their space(s). As I'm leaving the area I pass by what was a very small gallery outside of the district. I walk into this space and see before me what seems to be a few clothes racks and a moving cart. The owner of the space is there (never forget her...red hair in curls and pink polka-dot dress) and I look at her and ask "so are you still preparing for the show?" she then looked at me with a little art arrogance and stated "THIS IS THE SHOW." I quietly turned and walked out this space. Never got the name of the gallery or artist but I did gain a sense of curiosity of what made this art. I went to school the next day (Columbia College Chicago) and asked my art history teacher (it was my first year) what I saw and how this was to be catergoried as art, I was and remained a liberal education major, so I need to know what was going on. My instructor then stated it's called installation work.....but I really wouldn't call it art. By that statement alone I knew that it was. The those who can't teach philosophy was my first thought to that answer. I immediately began to figure out how I can change the scope of work in art, ideas about it and to take on Duchamp (which I failed at miserably).
"Just when I think I'm King....I just begin."
I became very interested in "outside" art practices through researching the Fluxist and Situationist movements which lead to broader studies in early Japanese contemporaries like members of the MONA-Ha and Gutai movements. What struck me and made be begin to understand what I saw in the gallery space was that the idea of making art was too difficult and separate from my own personal existence and everyone elses. i wanted to make things that were familiar and I also want to avoid the enormous cost that come with being an artist by using either found or mundane materials and actions. This lead to several simple....and unfortunately undocumented actions around campus and the City of Chicago...having ten people sit on a ledge and chew gum, raking up a vacant lot on the Southside of Chicago, etc. I got this reputation of being the crazy artist from Detroit who takes on his professors, who ignored instructions on assignments and spent more time sneaking a beer with the seniors instead of going to another boring studio session. But something happens with college is that you graduate and all those ideas have to be taken to the real world....which isn't so real.
"I want to be a lawyer, I want to be a scholar but I really can't be bothered with give me, give me, give me, give me, give me........"
After school I did several things to find my place as an artist, NYC for a couple of months but missed seeing trees and relaxed people, a quick hop to London to find out this isn't the place to come alone at 22 years old and a real understanding of what culture shock was. Came back to Detroit and ran a successful youth outreach program but felt I was not focusing enough on my own work. Working as an associate curator for a gallery in Toronto, which was a very good experience but the funding was cut and back to Detroit where I've did nothing but think about art for the past 15years..with a few odd jobs here and there. The most enjoyable things for me in the art world happened in Belgium, mostly Antwerp. I basically was lucky to have my first interaction with the art scene be with my now good friend Chris Staterling who is a wealth of knowledge and introduced me to a set of artist who works I admire and respect. I was accepted in this group instantly and felt a common bond with work based on the aspect of the artist and not the artist trying to please the public.
Let's jump ahead to Rotterdam spring 09 (say no to Dutch ideology---long live the Flemish..minus the right wing parties) where I became focused on what the art world was becoming..not all of it but most of it. It was becoming it's own little Mafia filled with academics, wanna be friends of artist academics and sorry but YUCK! Painters! This work was never questioned because obviously you knew what you were doing because everyone believed they knew what was happening because you did it from the proper background. Where as avant-garde practices are seen as these crazy ideas around nothing so you better have a good explanation as to "why" you're doing this. I think this question arises because they don't want you to have an answer. They want to be able to say I don't get it and give just cause to why this is not art. Then you give them an answer, maybe a little abstract but an answer and they start to dig for more. I've come too close to telling people to shut up and take it in and find you in the work or not. So before the pot boils over I decided to take a step back.
"The longest journey. Across the desert, across the weather, across the elements, across the water."
So now I've decided to shut everyone up conceptually. Take a needle and tread to the lips of the wannabes and help artist to reclaim what is rightfully theirs..their creative thought.
Welcome to Ideas!
Gent 2009
10 May, 2009
ALSTUBLIEFT (as you please) Rotterdam
There was a small but nice event that was organized by a couple from here, who I believe are originally from Belgium named Joe and Vanita. Avant-gardist, along the lines of Chris and Cosey, very...shall I say Belgian, flux, experimental noise and deep thought. There were also a couple of dance acts and musicians playing. It was a nice evening in and it's nice to be able to walk out of your room right into an event. I learned a lot about the young Rotterdam arts community though and maybe why the Flemish separated from the Dutch. Both the dance performances used elements of absurdity to get across some strong political elements, combining some performance art theories that owe respect to early avant-garde and conceptual practices however, each dance still had strong (very strong) academic influences...this maybe because they were students. Now this is the part that made me realize that Rotterdam is as someone told me last night "a white cube" when it comes to arts, essentially trendy. Joe and Vanita are avant-gardist whose practices are rooted in a different system of the avant-garde, that 70's, political, happening real shit!
So Joe and Vanita are performing and Vanita does some vocal instrumentation (similar to Yoko Ono vocals) where she keeps up and/or replaces the notes that Joe is playing either on sax or homemade instruments and people start to mimic, laugh, flash lighters and sway. Not everyone and not a majority but still some..and a couple of them were two of the dancers who performed. Basically rude. What is so sad about all this is that the only reason any of the 28 and under art crowd are basically allowed to do anything in the art world is because people before them were brave enough to do it first. The reason you can add absurdist elements into art has a lot to do the generation before them. So generally no respect for the avant-garde in Rotterdam. Which makes those who know me understand why I am taking it to its extreme through the most simple of practices. I've cut back my energy level on this project because the type of work I produce and others like Joe and Vanita produce isn't to help set your status among your peers in the art world. Rotterdam is purely academic and a little provincial yet, they want to use purely vanguardist strategies and give them elitist character. Rotterdam is a great city for dance and music.
It's like the Turner Prize this year. Ok all of a sudden the art market is dropping and painting and craft aren't selling and the winners of the prize this year (and rightly so because of their hard work) are mostly painters and crafters. When installation was hot it was installation, when video was hot it was video, etc., etc. Give it character and it makes it work, put the academy behind it and you're justified. I obviously will never get this prize.
So I've tried to work in the academic elements with avant-garde ideas and I'm going back to purely avant-garde. Not being concerned with what technology can do. Just seeing what happens when I decide to do something with it. Experiment with everything and learn the absolute truth about nothing.
NEXT BLOG: Who Knows
notes: Blair was in town and performed at the eetcafe here at the residency. I posted a couple of pics.
So Joe and Vanita are performing and Vanita does some vocal instrumentation (similar to Yoko Ono vocals) where she keeps up and/or replaces the notes that Joe is playing either on sax or homemade instruments and people start to mimic, laugh, flash lighters and sway. Not everyone and not a majority but still some..and a couple of them were two of the dancers who performed. Basically rude. What is so sad about all this is that the only reason any of the 28 and under art crowd are basically allowed to do anything in the art world is because people before them were brave enough to do it first. The reason you can add absurdist elements into art has a lot to do the generation before them. So generally no respect for the avant-garde in Rotterdam. Which makes those who know me understand why I am taking it to its extreme through the most simple of practices. I've cut back my energy level on this project because the type of work I produce and others like Joe and Vanita produce isn't to help set your status among your peers in the art world. Rotterdam is purely academic and a little provincial yet, they want to use purely vanguardist strategies and give them elitist character. Rotterdam is a great city for dance and music.
It's like the Turner Prize this year. Ok all of a sudden the art market is dropping and painting and craft aren't selling and the winners of the prize this year (and rightly so because of their hard work) are mostly painters and crafters. When installation was hot it was installation, when video was hot it was video, etc., etc. Give it character and it makes it work, put the academy behind it and you're justified. I obviously will never get this prize.
So I've tried to work in the academic elements with avant-garde ideas and I'm going back to purely avant-garde. Not being concerned with what technology can do. Just seeing what happens when I decide to do something with it. Experiment with everything and learn the absolute truth about nothing.
NEXT BLOG: Who Knows
notes: Blair was in town and performed at the eetcafe here at the residency. I posted a couple of pics.
24 April, 2009
The next day, Delft and letting go of the academic
So as things would have it I got up this morning with plans to travel to Delft for a art opening after two days of whatever and what else. After losing everything in the machine and still having the material I needed for the Rotterdam Residency and upcoming projects I said to myself "move on." I even found a copy on tape of a new videowork I had finsihed that I had left in my camcorder. Only thing is that there is a brief sound piece that accompanies the piece and I will have to create a new version when I reload the video into the machine. So the original which was only to be released in PAL version anyway will remain the "Detroit" version, with those three versions already taken and in Belgium. This new "Rotterdam" version will include a sound piece from sounds collected around the residency and be in NTSC version only. More to come on this after Open Studio, May 30th
Delft.....and finally great service in the Netherlands
I was invited by a member of Het Tijdelijk Verblijf, an artist residency program in Delft to an "opening" of artist who created site-specific work and did murals on a wonderful blue building near the Delft Centraal Train Station. I arrived in Delft around 12:30pm about 4 hours before the opening was to begin. This gave me the oppurtunity to walk around Delft again, take some more pictures and have some um..coffee. It was a much better day in Delft then my last time which was rainy, windy and cold. Today the sun was shining and sunny days are rare here. People were out at cafe's, walking around and a few tourist (like l live here-lol) were about. I stopped in and had lunch at this wonderful bar and grill called "BAR SIL" (www.BAR-SIL.nl). Two (cute) waiter/bartenders greeted me with excitement "Hello, how are you?" That's the "we know you're American" greeting in NL. I ordered a coffee and asked if they served lunch. With grand exsuberance one of the waiters shouted "WE DO! Go back in the kitchen and see what we have. There's two ladies back there, one cooking and the other learning to cook and they'll get you whatever you like." Since I had a coffee coming I choose not to go back in the kitchen, which I'm regreting now since the study of food is part of this residency and sat inside..while everyone else was outside. I wanted to sit inside to enjoy my lunch, without all the noise and only the sound of Detroit Techno playing very very low. I order the salmon sandwich, sit with my notebook, a real notebook, not a machine and waited for my sandwich. It came in about 10min which I thought was good being that only 4 people were running the bar and they had about 20 or more tables outside to handle. The sandwich was wonderful. On toasted brown bread, with capers, pickles and a very light dressing with slice of fresh raw salmon. I ordered another coffee and enjoyed the rest of my lunch and flirted...i mean, chatted with the waiters some, paid and went on my way. I plan to go back.
Service in the Netherlands can at times can be frustrating. Why do (periodically) you have to go through 3 processes that take 15min to 20min that can be done 1 action in 3min? But BAR-SIL you have it down to an art form. Good to see that here. Although I think the cost of coffee is a little high (2,10 euro) and the cost of the sandwich too cheap (5,90 euro) and I'm not basing this on the dollar. It as still worth it just for the service. So if in lowlands make a trip to Delft and BAR-SIL
Around 4pm I finally head over to the opening. I really do not like the concept of openings and felt like even though I was invited it was more like "why are you here?" So I had the traditional glass of wine and got on the train back to Rotterdam. I just think it's the Dutch (outside of Amsterdam) way..WE ARE THE BORG. There is a reason I'm attracted to the Belgian art scene/movements. What I'm noticing here in Netherlands is that academic and rules of art play a strong role in the way art is made and presented. Regonition is the key and the proof that you're an artist. Not the fact that you have ideas. I've been showing in Belgium since 2003 and have a fair understanding I believe of what is and has been happening there. Where the Dutch are liberal in policy it sometimes doesn't translate to the personal. Now the Flemish and French in Belgium are free-spirits although thier polcies are ultra-right. The contemporary art scene in Belgium seems to use art history and practices to advance the ideas of art to create new ideas. What I've seen in Netherlands is interpretations of what makes art important. This may sound mean but it's meant to be lighthearted. The Dutch (as a culture) remind me of The Borg from Star Trek (Resistance is furtile. You WILL Assemulate!). Amsterdam hides that. Rotterdam does not. Those attitudes are making for some great performance concepts and I still have a lot to learn about the culture.
Quick Notes From what WAS lost
12 days of music gone has got me listening to internet radio with options for the next 2 years. Going to take the time to discover some new music and see what that does.
I had some wonder pictures from Antwerp and holiday in Ostend but lost those. I will post some pics soon that .....I'm going to say Heini Obst took. I go back to Antwerp in mid-May for intervention projects and will yes, take more pics.
I guess I'm feeling better.
Next Blog: Distributing Experience, BLAIR and Queens Day
Delft.....and finally great service in the Netherlands
I was invited by a member of Het Tijdelijk Verblijf, an artist residency program in Delft to an "opening" of artist who created site-specific work and did murals on a wonderful blue building near the Delft Centraal Train Station. I arrived in Delft around 12:30pm about 4 hours before the opening was to begin. This gave me the oppurtunity to walk around Delft again, take some more pictures and have some um..coffee. It was a much better day in Delft then my last time which was rainy, windy and cold. Today the sun was shining and sunny days are rare here. People were out at cafe's, walking around and a few tourist (like l live here-lol) were about. I stopped in and had lunch at this wonderful bar and grill called "BAR SIL" (www.BAR-SIL.nl). Two (cute) waiter/bartenders greeted me with excitement "Hello, how are you?" That's the "we know you're American" greeting in NL. I ordered a coffee and asked if they served lunch. With grand exsuberance one of the waiters shouted "WE DO! Go back in the kitchen and see what we have. There's two ladies back there, one cooking and the other learning to cook and they'll get you whatever you like." Since I had a coffee coming I choose not to go back in the kitchen, which I'm regreting now since the study of food is part of this residency and sat inside..while everyone else was outside. I wanted to sit inside to enjoy my lunch, without all the noise and only the sound of Detroit Techno playing very very low. I order the salmon sandwich, sit with my notebook, a real notebook, not a machine and waited for my sandwich. It came in about 10min which I thought was good being that only 4 people were running the bar and they had about 20 or more tables outside to handle. The sandwich was wonderful. On toasted brown bread, with capers, pickles and a very light dressing with slice of fresh raw salmon. I ordered another coffee and enjoyed the rest of my lunch and flirted...i mean, chatted with the waiters some, paid and went on my way. I plan to go back.
Service in the Netherlands can at times can be frustrating. Why do (periodically) you have to go through 3 processes that take 15min to 20min that can be done 1 action in 3min? But BAR-SIL you have it down to an art form. Good to see that here. Although I think the cost of coffee is a little high (2,10 euro) and the cost of the sandwich too cheap (5,90 euro) and I'm not basing this on the dollar. It as still worth it just for the service. So if in lowlands make a trip to Delft and BAR-SIL
Around 4pm I finally head over to the opening. I really do not like the concept of openings and felt like even though I was invited it was more like "why are you here?" So I had the traditional glass of wine and got on the train back to Rotterdam. I just think it's the Dutch (outside of Amsterdam) way..WE ARE THE BORG. There is a reason I'm attracted to the Belgian art scene/movements. What I'm noticing here in Netherlands is that academic and rules of art play a strong role in the way art is made and presented. Regonition is the key and the proof that you're an artist. Not the fact that you have ideas. I've been showing in Belgium since 2003 and have a fair understanding I believe of what is and has been happening there. Where the Dutch are liberal in policy it sometimes doesn't translate to the personal. Now the Flemish and French in Belgium are free-spirits although thier polcies are ultra-right. The contemporary art scene in Belgium seems to use art history and practices to advance the ideas of art to create new ideas. What I've seen in Netherlands is interpretations of what makes art important. This may sound mean but it's meant to be lighthearted. The Dutch (as a culture) remind me of The Borg from Star Trek (Resistance is furtile. You WILL Assemulate!). Amsterdam hides that. Rotterdam does not. Those attitudes are making for some great performance concepts and I still have a lot to learn about the culture.
Quick Notes From what WAS lost
12 days of music gone has got me listening to internet radio with options for the next 2 years. Going to take the time to discover some new music and see what that does.
I had some wonder pictures from Antwerp and holiday in Ostend but lost those. I will post some pics soon that .....I'm going to say Heini Obst took. I go back to Antwerp in mid-May for intervention projects and will yes, take more pics.
I guess I'm feeling better.
Next Blog: Distributing Experience, BLAIR and Queens Day
The crash heard around my head
I was synching my ipod to my laptop. Somewhere along the line a glitch happened that sent 12 days of mp3 to my desktop which the hard drive (outside of Itunes) couldn't handle. Finder wouldn't load but everything else would still work but it was extremely slow. It wouldn't allow me to get back to a startup screen, just that crazing spinning thing that Macs give when they are "confused". So I had to reload the software which means I lost a lot of the material I had been collecting during my residency..even losing the blog entry I had been working on for this entry. All photos, computer sketeches, 12 days of music and some sound work is all gone! Luckly I have most of the information I've been developing here and for future projects on a flash drive and I know my music (which I'll have to reload whenever I return to Detroit) is in good hands with my friend Atiba back in Detroit. So I'm taking this as a way to start over....gain a new focus and change the scope of my time here in Europe. The last few days in Rotterdam have been a little strange. Weird things happening, disappering and find this a very hard place to create in. So in the next few days I'm going to make a major change to my plans here in Europe, start taking more photos and developing the projects at hand. More to come.
08 April, 2009
River Mass and HeadNods
8, April 2009 (12:24pm)
Well the time in Europe has begun. Starting in Rotterdam with the residency. Rotterdam is an interesting place and attitude. It's an easy walk. I think if you just walked continually you could see the whole city in 4 hours. However, if you have a fear of bridges like yours truly...thank the heavens for the subway, trams and water taxis. I 've been trying to get a feel for the area in which the residency is located. I always tend to end up in basically the same type of "hood's" in Europe with each residency, mostly Turkish, around water and cities of industry. I have a fantastic view of the River Mass on two sides of my studio.....however a great chill comes with that view. I'm trying to figure out why Chicago calls itself the windy city. Rotterdam has it beat by miles. This is the second largest port on the planet. The water is wide (and not all that clean). Since I've been here (arrived Friday, April 3) the winds have been at a steady pace. Now imagine a somewhat drafty studio apartment and a large river on both sides of you. it's great though to get up every morning and see nothing but sky and water.
Most people say I'm a wimp but in simple terms I'M FROM DETROIT! We enjoy HEAT Up-south. There is no gas heat in the Netherlands. It's all electronic and electricity is expensive. So people have become accustomed to not turning up the heat. Whereas we heat a whole house in the states here in the Netherlands (or at least with the people I know) they heat a room and bear the rest. Oh and this also means no dryers for clothes. You hang dry here.
People here are generally friendly and curious. They're not afraid to stare at you hard and have overheard a couple of times some say to the affect "it's an American". They won't ask you much or even make acknowledgement that they've made eye contact. You know how we are in the states, a quick hello, flash a smile, or in the black community the headnod. Not here, they stare and say nothing. I keep doing my regular thing. A quick hello and a smile. I tend to start laughing. I really think it's that "bah humbug AMERICA/AMERICAN thing" and especially one who's not overweight and walks with an attitude like he runs the place. What really troubles me though is the reaction from the black community. I've seen this in Belgium and now really in the Netherlands. They stare because it is pretty obvious to them that you're not directly from the Muthaland or Caribbean but I still believe that the obligatory black headnod is universal. Not here. They look, look back at you and keep moving. I learned years ago that to really be an American in Europe you have to have and keep confidence or they will eat you alive.
The people here at The Poortgebouw are great. Couple of other Americans, French, Columbian, Turkish, Canadian etc... make up this place. Very non-traditional and open.
next blog: Easter weekend w/ the Belgium Avant-Garde (Antwerp and Oostende)
12 March, 2009
seeking the next thing
In 22 days I begin a residency in Rotterdam,NL with the group the Poortgebouw and good-bye to The D for an extended period of time. Originally, I planned on just presenting the third installment of a project I began in Brussels in 2007 titled "Distributing Experience / Situation Prompted / Prominent Public Relations (DSP)" but have decided that the residency will only be part of DSP and will now be more of a focus on additional projects and ideas on intervention/drawing/video..etc. Unlike past residencies and work the direction I'm taking now is (in my opinion) far more experimental with strong reference to fluxus, minimalist and situationist practices. I'm finally feeling that my work and the work I appreciate is coming to terms giving me a broader freedom to explore. Offsider Study Blog is based on ideas surrounding my travels between Europe and the States presenting and finding new art practices and ideas. Along with this blog Offsider is also an intervention project that will begin at Bureau Gruzemayer (Antwerp) this April with two intervention projects. UntiL Rotterdam
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