Still Life with Ebike and Garlic Fried Rice
#127: Ebike, Fediverse, Documentarians, Tim Gorichanaz, Susan M. Schultz, Deepa Paul, Komar & Melamid, Art Markets (Wendover), Vanessa German, Werner Herzog, Bill Bailey (Doctor Who), & Killer Boogie
HERE & NOW
Got myself an electric bike, which was delivered via FedEx. I had to assemble it, and only started riding today (for some definitions of riding). A few months ago, I fell off a different ebike that I had tried out at a local shop. Nobody warned me about how heavy they are, compared to regular bikes. I made sure this one was lighter, but it still takes some getting used to. I’ve lost more muscle mass during the past several years of the pandemic than I’d like to admit (not to mention—I’m old), but at least I haven’t fallen off this bike—yet.
Keeping my balance on this machine woke up a few arm muscles that had resigned themselves to clutching my mobile phone or disinterestedly helping my fingers type. Then there were my leg and butt muscles that had grown used to molding themselves to my office chair.
Still, it felt good to get them to do something different, like making turns, shifting gears, and keeping me from hitting the pavement. In any case, I'm heartened by Werner Herzog’s admiration of falling skateboarders who never give up (see video below). I’m also glad to have another form of transportation in my mostly carless life.
Recently I checked my stats and noticed that the bulk of my (free) subscribers come from the Fediverse: mastodon.art, montereybay.social, or pixelfed.social (the open source alternative to Instagram). Yay, Fediverse! So I thought I would post links to a few Fediverse artists/writers in every issue, whether they follow me or not:
Jennifer de Guzman, writer/reader, tea drinker. @JenniferdeGuzman@mastodon.social
MntyFrsh (James Mincey), photographer, DJ. @mntyfrsh@ravenation.club
Margo De Weerdt, artist, designer. @margodeweerdt@mastodon.social
Exist Otherwise Literary & Art Journal Eric Jennings, ed. @existotherwise@writing.exchange
Rejin Leys, Haitian-American artist, papermaker. @rejinl@mastodon.social
Linda Sgoluppi, abstract artist, painter. @lindasgoluppiart@mastodonapp.uk
A few notes on documenting art:
Been thinking about how artist Jamie Chan documents the less obvious side of making art (see Issue #126), including things like note taking, preliminary sketches, non-art work hours, etc. Not only deconstructing, but frankly acknowledging all the big and little tasks and focus time needed to go into making art and writing. So there is art as documentation vs. documentation of art.
I’ve always seen my art as sort of “documentarian,” but I’m not sure I’ve completely grasped that concept. Chan’s work expanded my vision of “documentation” beyond recording experience on paper and canvas, on a screen, or in a book. What you document is not necessarily just the process of artistic creation. There is also the where, why, and how. For example, that moment of drawing at bedtime can document a refusal to participate in phone scrolling and email checking. It documents time for oneself away from work; it documents solitude; it documents material and physiological or emotional limitations and attempts to transcend them. And what about economic limitations? What if one gives away art for free and documents that process? And while art can document one’s identity and relationship to a community, can it also document the limitations of that relationship?
RABBIT HOLE
“Understanding Art-Making as Documentation,” by Tim Gorichanaz.
I first encountered Susan M. Schultz online (and have never met her in person), when she was writing her Dementia Blog. I have always been moved by her documentarian approach to writing (and photography), which is somehow both lyrical and “everyday,” as well as committed to experiencing and examining life from the mundane to the tragic. See, for example, her work from “War Diary” in Chant de la Sirène journal.
Author Deepa Paul’s tribute to her writing mentor, Doreen Fernandez. And keep an eye out for her upcoming book, Ask Me How it Works.
Komar and Melamid, subversive and satirical Soviet artists who teamed up to thumb their noses at the USSR and US:
. . . speaking of which, “The Art Market is a Scam (And Rich People Run It),” (Wendover Productions):
Vanessa German’s ritualistic sculptures as “power figures,” (from Colossal)
Discussing skateboarding with filmmaker Werner Herzog (by Jenkemmag)
SOUNDINGS
Any Doctor Who fans out there who are also into (Belgian) jazz? Bill Bailey reimagines the Doctor Who theme1 as Belgian jazz. Translated lyrics here.
Just some folks having fun dancing. Silent Circle / “Touch in the Night”2 / Killer Boogie, led by Rasmus & Marcus:
Getting this out just before midnight. Thanks for reading/listening to Eulipion Outpost. As always, special thanks to my supporters for donations to my Ko-fi!
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Original composed in 1963 by Ron Grainer, realized by Delia Derbyshire at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
Songwriters: Axel Breitung / Bernd Dietrich / Engelbert Simons. Touch in the Night lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.