Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Answers, or are they???

Share something (or multiple things) with the class that moves or inspires you.
I am inspired by loss, pain, grief, etc... You know, all the fun stuff! :-) The Japanese concept of mono no aware blows me away. Simply put it is the idea that things are beautiful by their very nature of being transitory. The classic example is a cherry blossom. It is beautiful, yes, but the fact that it is so fragile and temporary adds an exquisiteness to that beauty that borders on the indefinable. That is why I like to make pottery that is a document of the moment just before a piece will self destruct. I am looking to document that feeling you have when you know you are going too far with something and you are caught up in the wonder of the fact that it still exists. In that briefest of moments before it all falls apart you have hope that it will last just a second longer because it is the coolest damn thing you have ever done or seen or heard or felt...

This poem by John Donne is my favorite. For someone who has ever lost a person they care about, or is worried about that loss, these words can be a powerful salve.

SONG.
by John Donne


Sweetest love, I do not go,
For weariness of thee,
Nor in hope the world can show
A fitter love for me ;
But since that I
At the last must part, 'tis best,
Thus to use myself in jest
By feigned deaths to die.

Yesternight the sun went hence,
And yet is here to-day ;
He hath no desire nor sense,
Nor half so short a way ;
Then fear not me,
But believe that I shall make
Speedier journeys, since I take
More wings and spurs than he.

O how feeble is man's power,
That if good fortune fall,
Cannot add another hour,
Nor a lost hour recall ;
But come bad chance,
And we join to it our strength,
And we teach it art and length,
Itself o'er us to advance.

When thou sigh'st, thou sigh'st not wind,
But sigh'st my soul away ;
When thou weep'st, unkindly kind,
My life's blood doth decay.
It cannot be
That thou lovest me as thou say'st,
If in thine my life thou waste,
That art the best of me.

Let not thy divining heart
Forethink me any ill ;
Destiny may take thy part,
And may thy fears fulfil.
But think that we
Are but turn'd aside to sleep.
They who one another keep
Alive, ne'er parted be.


What do you consider to be sacred?
nature, wonder, hope, humor, peace, love, freedom of expression

What is an image?
Transferring an idea that creates the elements of visual stimuli from one mind to another, regardless of the vehicle of transference, usually constructed of line, color, shape, texture, value, etc. The mind often attempts to arrange all visual stimuli into recognizable objects, but not all images will allow this to happen.

What is music?
Aural stimuli that has meaning to the listener or creator, usually arranged in rhythmic patterns

What is New Media?
later

Why did you chose to go into New Media?
later

Who are you?
later

3 comments:

SalmonGod said...

freedom!... I bet most people would say it is sacred to them... but I dont think many would mean it... the American perspective on freedom seems very superficial to me, for example...

I may be misquoting this, but I think it was Ben Franklin? who said

"He who would give up freedom for security will not have or deserve either."

Sounds like the words of an Anarchist to me, and I totally approve :)

spyroterra said...

Being sideways can cause anarchy and chaos... That is why I recommend it in perspective and moderation, sort of. We discussed in class last week (we missed you BTW) how powerful and threatening this approach can be. We are actually learning to think and question the status quo and that can be very upsetting to the social order. This class has some powerful possibilities, therefore we need to think of ethics, etc. When is it OK to be sideways and when should you reel it in a bit?

SalmonGod said...

well chaos is one thing and isnt so great as relates to real world society

but I do consider myself an anarchist... I don't believe we'll ever see a truly enlightened culture as long as any form of government is involved...

don't get me wrong though... I'm not the active rebellious type of anarchist either... I understand that our society, in its current state, would quickly crumble without such power structures in place

my perspective on government, for many reasons which I may blog later... at best, it does serve to sustain a minimum amount of livable order in society... and throughout the world today, this is an absolutely necessity... but at the same time, governments act as a wall which prevent any culture as a whole from breaking through into an enlightened state