BIO
Lewis LaCook makes things. He is a programmer/poet. He likes unstable objects. He doesn't eat enough. Send him all your money.
exposition
(Ikars--I hope you don't mind, but I've cross-posted
this to a few list-servs and interested parties--not a
manifesto, more of a rumination--bliss, l)
~~~~~~~
1.) What interests me most about any artform (indeed,
about the world in general, perception, etc.) is
juxtaposition. Man is a meaning-making animal; no
matter what is placed before her, she will make sense
of it to herself. This gives the artist a great deal
of liberty to combine and recombine all the elements
of her art.
2.) Syntax can be a reflection of this. What the poet
accomplishes with syntax is an at-times deliberate
spacing of perceptual objects. In the poet's case,
these are words (NOT their referants!); the poet
strings a necklace of words that interact and relate
via juxtaposition. If the necklace is good, it won't
break. Sometimes it will turn one's skin green.
3.) It took a long time for poetry to catch up with
the plastic arts. Painting went through its
phases--figuritive, non-figuritive, the blends
between--and now poetry too has aspired to
non-figuritive work. It is, however, both easier and
more perilous to try this with language; because the
basis of language is convention (that's all that holds
signifier and signified together), and because
language is such a common material (we all talk and
write to one another, few of us paint "pass the
potatoes").
4.) Poetry reached its non-figuritive phase; but, as
Rothenberg quite adroitly points out in his
anthologies of tribal poetries, this was inherent in
the literatures of the people of the earth all along.
Yes, Clark Coolidge does have something in common with
the Bushmen.
5.) Now, 2003, we have the internet, we have
technology. This is turning the publication and
distribution of texts upside-down, of course, but the
technology has also brought us new possibilities for
the poet. Now she can appropriate all the candy of
cinema in her work; and, if she's really adept, she
will know enough about programming computers to extend
her work, to create works that are reactive,
stochastic and unstable: works that change.
6.)To be a poet and to investigate high-level computer
languages is an act of recognition. Semiotics and
structuralism has prepared the poet for the
modularity of code. Code is the realization of a
utilitarian view of language; it's purely indexical
(there may be some iconic elements; there are
"tokens"), every element of the program pointing to a
function, event or variable. It's "pass the potatoes"
in overdrive.
7.) Authorship will become even more problematic as
this goes on.
~~~~~~~~
=====
NEW!!!--Dirty Milk--reactive poem for microphone http://www.lewislacook.com/DirtyMilk/
http://www.lewislacook.com/
tubulence artist studio: http://turbulence.org/studios/lacook/index.html
__________________________________
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this to a few list-servs and interested parties--not a
manifesto, more of a rumination--bliss, l)
~~~~~~~
1.) What interests me most about any artform (indeed,
about the world in general, perception, etc.) is
juxtaposition. Man is a meaning-making animal; no
matter what is placed before her, she will make sense
of it to herself. This gives the artist a great deal
of liberty to combine and recombine all the elements
of her art.
2.) Syntax can be a reflection of this. What the poet
accomplishes with syntax is an at-times deliberate
spacing of perceptual objects. In the poet's case,
these are words (NOT their referants!); the poet
strings a necklace of words that interact and relate
via juxtaposition. If the necklace is good, it won't
break. Sometimes it will turn one's skin green.
3.) It took a long time for poetry to catch up with
the plastic arts. Painting went through its
phases--figuritive, non-figuritive, the blends
between--and now poetry too has aspired to
non-figuritive work. It is, however, both easier and
more perilous to try this with language; because the
basis of language is convention (that's all that holds
signifier and signified together), and because
language is such a common material (we all talk and
write to one another, few of us paint "pass the
potatoes").
4.) Poetry reached its non-figuritive phase; but, as
Rothenberg quite adroitly points out in his
anthologies of tribal poetries, this was inherent in
the literatures of the people of the earth all along.
Yes, Clark Coolidge does have something in common with
the Bushmen.
5.) Now, 2003, we have the internet, we have
technology. This is turning the publication and
distribution of texts upside-down, of course, but the
technology has also brought us new possibilities for
the poet. Now she can appropriate all the candy of
cinema in her work; and, if she's really adept, she
will know enough about programming computers to extend
her work, to create works that are reactive,
stochastic and unstable: works that change.
6.)To be a poet and to investigate high-level computer
languages is an act of recognition. Semiotics and
structuralism has prepared the poet for the
modularity of code. Code is the realization of a
utilitarian view of language; it's purely indexical
(there may be some iconic elements; there are
"tokens"), every element of the program pointing to a
function, event or variable. It's "pass the potatoes"
in overdrive.
7.) Authorship will become even more problematic as
this goes on.
~~~~~~~~
=====
NEW!!!--Dirty Milk--reactive poem for microphone http://www.lewislacook.com/DirtyMilk/
http://www.lewislacook.com/
tubulence artist studio: http://turbulence.org/studios/lacook/index.html
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
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Mouth
Sip in, with muster, signals;
glaciations within your dowry
so that I may sweat with a bad belly
and breasts, signature of cancer:
the scorpio toll that wages
in gestures almost scars pours
through those pinhole glimpses
of somewhere very bright where
behind the sky we kiss again,
lay down
with the accomplishment of shadows
is skill, oh baby what kills me
in your cute is the usual gradations,
the stuff that fumbles me when
reaching out through your utter trust
I grab everything that isn't mine,
break it down into my component
fantasy, smother me in shit up
and take notice of you, burning up
every room you smooth with thoughts
about sand and its noise in my throat;
you're talking to the uninitiated, baby,
syntax like a last cigarette in a pack of
clouds, in my mouth, tan
and dead with motors; do
you see now what starving?
=====
NEW!!!--Dirty Milk--reactive poem for microphone http://www.lewislacook.com/DirtyMilk/
http://www.lewislacook.com/
tubulence artist studio: http://turbulence.org/studios/lacook/index.html
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!
http://sbc.yahoo.com
glaciations within your dowry
so that I may sweat with a bad belly
and breasts, signature of cancer:
the scorpio toll that wages
in gestures almost scars pours
through those pinhole glimpses
of somewhere very bright where
behind the sky we kiss again,
lay down
with the accomplishment of shadows
is skill, oh baby what kills me
in your cute is the usual gradations,
the stuff that fumbles me when
reaching out through your utter trust
I grab everything that isn't mine,
break it down into my component
fantasy, smother me in shit up
and take notice of you, burning up
every room you smooth with thoughts
about sand and its noise in my throat;
you're talking to the uninitiated, baby,
syntax like a last cigarette in a pack of
clouds, in my mouth, tan
and dead with motors; do
you see now what starving?
=====
NEW!!!--Dirty Milk--reactive poem for microphone http://www.lewislacook.com/DirtyMilk/
http://www.lewislacook.com/
tubulence artist studio: http://turbulence.org/studios/lacook/index.html
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!
http://sbc.yahoo.com
The Eyes of the Roses
for Renee
I'd never dreamed
I could be so enfolded
until I mistakenly slid
from illness through your nights
bathed in thickets of real-life case files and the
humor we
wore to deflect our pasts.
You're so goddamned advanced
you figure it out. All I've
had for years is
reflections of these
weed-serrated houses, and
tonight four hundred miles
away from you I walk
until I've
hammered all the sweat out,
the scream of my body sinking
into this dirt I was born in.
Have you ever seen
so many fences in one fucking
town? At the same time,
I don't know how deep he goes, asleep
where we shattered a thousand old
bones, crying among the retired,
hospice tense, and growing
new frames to laugh at during
South Park.
By myself, I would probably use the phrase
"cultural landscape" and forget about it, though I
bury here what
I won't bury in you. And sometimes
I think about the eyes of the roses.
=====
NEW!!!--Dirty Milk--reactive poem for microphone http://www.lewislacook.com/DirtyMilk/
http://www.lewislacook.com/
tubulence artist studio: http://turbulence.org/studios/lacook/index.html
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!
http://sbc.yahoo.com
I'd never dreamed
I could be so enfolded
until I mistakenly slid
from illness through your nights
bathed in thickets of real-life case files and the
humor we
wore to deflect our pasts.
You're so goddamned advanced
you figure it out. All I've
had for years is
reflections of these
weed-serrated houses, and
tonight four hundred miles
away from you I walk
until I've
hammered all the sweat out,
the scream of my body sinking
into this dirt I was born in.
Have you ever seen
so many fences in one fucking
town? At the same time,
I don't know how deep he goes, asleep
where we shattered a thousand old
bones, crying among the retired,
hospice tense, and growing
new frames to laugh at during
South Park.
By myself, I would probably use the phrase
"cultural landscape" and forget about it, though I
bury here what
I won't bury in you. And sometimes
I think about the eyes of the roses.
=====
NEW!!!--Dirty Milk--reactive poem for microphone http://www.lewislacook.com/DirtyMilk/
http://www.lewislacook.com/
tubulence artist studio: http://turbulence.org/studios/lacook/index.html
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!
http://sbc.yahoo.com
Re: Re: I promise...
this is just brilliant!
i once read that syd barrett, in his drug-fueled decline, wrote a song called "Have You Got It Yet?"---this piece consisted mostly of Syd trying to teach the other members of Pink Floyd to play it---he would change it as he was teaching it, thus making it impossible to learn---the chorus was, "Have you got it yet?" to which the bewildered musician had to reply, "no..."
that's my kinda art!
bliss
l
Eryk Salvaggio wrote:
>
>
> My most recent grant rejection was almost entirely conceptual art. It
> has
> proven to me: Conceptual art is not a good foundation for a grant
> application.
>
> As a conceptual artist, could I write a proposal to a grant committee
> that
> says my piece is based on thier rejection of my application, and that
> payment is to be expected in full if they reject said application?
> They
> would then have no choice but to accept, and pay me anyway. It may be
> weak
> ideologically, but it might just get me paid, and I owe money on a new
> Hyundai.
>
> Ultimately, this is the value of performance art, yeah?
>
> -e.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "t.whid" <twhid@mteww.com>
> To: <list@rhizome.org>
> Sent: Monday, July 14, 2003 9:02 PM
> Subject: Re: RHIZOME_RAW: I promise...
>
>
> >
> > On Monday, July 14, 2003, at 08:08 PM, Mark River wrote:
> >
> > > http://tinjail.com/promise.html
> >
> > i think 15, 16, 18 and 32 are very relevant.
> >
> > Sentences on Conceptual Art
> >
> > by Sol Lewitt
> >
> > 1. Conceptual artists are mystics rather than rationalists. They
> leap
> > to conclusions that logic cannot reach.
> > 2. Rational judgements repeat rational judgements.
> > 3. Irrational judgements lead to new experience.
> > 4. Formal art is essentially rational.
> > 5. Irrational thoughts should be followed absolutely and logically.
> > 6. If the artist changes his mind midway through the execution of
> the
> > piece he compromises the result and repeats past results.
> > 7. The artist's will is secondary to the process he initiates from
> idea
> > to completion. His wilfulness may only be ego.
> > 8. When words such as painting and sculpture are used, they connote
> a
> > whole tradition and imply a consequent acceptance of this tradition,
> > thus placing limitations on the artist who would be reluctant to
> make
> > art that goes beyond the limitations.
> > 9. The concept and idea are different. The former implies a general
> > direction while the latter is the component. Ideas implement the
> > concept.
> > 10. Ideas can be works of art; they are in a chain of development
> that
> > may eventually find some form. All ideas need not be made physical.
> > 11. Ideas do not necessarily proceed in logical order. They may set
> one
> > off in unexpected directions, but an idea must necessarily be
> completed
> > in the mind before the next one is formed.
> > 12. For each work of art that becomes physical there are many
> > variations that do not.
> > 13. A work of art may be understood as a conductor from the artist's
> > mind to the viewer's. But it may never reach the viewer, or it may
> > never leave the artist's mind.
> > 14. The words of one artist to another may induce an idea chain, if
> > they share the same concept.
> > 15. Since no form is intrinsically superior to another, the artist
> may
> > use any form, from an expression of words (written or spoken) to
> > physical reality, equally.
> > 16. If words are used, and they proceed from ideas about art, then
> they
> > are art and not literature; numbers are not mathematics.
> > 17. All ideas are art if they are concerned with art and fall within
> > the conventions of art.
> > 18. One usually understands the art of the past by applying the
> > convention of the present, thus misunderstanding the art of the
> past.
> > 19. The conventions of art are altered by works of art.
> > 20. Successful art changes our understanding of the conventions by
> > altering our perceptions.
> > 21. Perception of ideas leads to new ideas.
> > 22. The artist cannot imagine his art, and cannot perceive it until
> it
> > is complete.
> > 23. The artist may misperceive (understand it differently from the
> > artist) a work of art but still be set off in his own chain of
> thought
> > by that misconstrual.
> > 24. Perception is subjective.
> > 25. The artist may not necessarily understand his own art. His
> > perception is neither better nor worse than that of others.
> > 26. An artist may perceive the art of others better than his own.
> > 27. The concept of a work of art may involve the matter of the piece
> or
> > the process in which it is made.
> > 28. Once the idea of the piece is established in the artist's mind
> and
> > the final form is decided, the process is carried out blindly. There
> > are many side effects that the artist cannot imagine. These may be
> used
> > as ideas for new works.
> > 29. The process is mechanical and should not be tampered with. It
> > should run its course.
> > 30. There are many elements involved in a work of art. The most
> > important are the most obvious.
> > 31. If an artist uses the same form in a group of works, and changes
> > the material, one would assume the artist's concept involved the
> > material.
> > 32. Banal ideas cannot be rescued by beautiful execution.
> > 33. It is difficult to bungle a good idea.
> > 34. When an artist learns his craft too well he makes slick art.
> > 35. These sentences comment on art, but are not art.
> >
> >
> > First published in 0-9 (New York), 1969, and Art-Language (England),
> > May 1969
> > --
> > <t.whid>
> > www.mteww.com
> > </t.whid>
> >
> > + ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup
> > -> post: list@rhizome.org
> > -> questions: info@rhizome.org
> > -> subscribe/unsubscribe:
> http://rhizome.org/preferences/subscribe.rhiz
> > -> give: http://rhizome.org/support
> > +
> > Subscribers to Rhizome are subject to the terms set out in the
> > Membership Agreement available online at
> http://rhizome.org/info/29.php
> >
>
i once read that syd barrett, in his drug-fueled decline, wrote a song called "Have You Got It Yet?"---this piece consisted mostly of Syd trying to teach the other members of Pink Floyd to play it---he would change it as he was teaching it, thus making it impossible to learn---the chorus was, "Have you got it yet?" to which the bewildered musician had to reply, "no..."
that's my kinda art!
bliss
l
Eryk Salvaggio wrote:
>
>
> My most recent grant rejection was almost entirely conceptual art. It
> has
> proven to me: Conceptual art is not a good foundation for a grant
> application.
>
> As a conceptual artist, could I write a proposal to a grant committee
> that
> says my piece is based on thier rejection of my application, and that
> payment is to be expected in full if they reject said application?
> They
> would then have no choice but to accept, and pay me anyway. It may be
> weak
> ideologically, but it might just get me paid, and I owe money on a new
> Hyundai.
>
> Ultimately, this is the value of performance art, yeah?
>
> -e.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "t.whid" <twhid@mteww.com>
> To: <list@rhizome.org>
> Sent: Monday, July 14, 2003 9:02 PM
> Subject: Re: RHIZOME_RAW: I promise...
>
>
> >
> > On Monday, July 14, 2003, at 08:08 PM, Mark River wrote:
> >
> > > http://tinjail.com/promise.html
> >
> > i think 15, 16, 18 and 32 are very relevant.
> >
> > Sentences on Conceptual Art
> >
> > by Sol Lewitt
> >
> > 1. Conceptual artists are mystics rather than rationalists. They
> leap
> > to conclusions that logic cannot reach.
> > 2. Rational judgements repeat rational judgements.
> > 3. Irrational judgements lead to new experience.
> > 4. Formal art is essentially rational.
> > 5. Irrational thoughts should be followed absolutely and logically.
> > 6. If the artist changes his mind midway through the execution of
> the
> > piece he compromises the result and repeats past results.
> > 7. The artist's will is secondary to the process he initiates from
> idea
> > to completion. His wilfulness may only be ego.
> > 8. When words such as painting and sculpture are used, they connote
> a
> > whole tradition and imply a consequent acceptance of this tradition,
> > thus placing limitations on the artist who would be reluctant to
> make
> > art that goes beyond the limitations.
> > 9. The concept and idea are different. The former implies a general
> > direction while the latter is the component. Ideas implement the
> > concept.
> > 10. Ideas can be works of art; they are in a chain of development
> that
> > may eventually find some form. All ideas need not be made physical.
> > 11. Ideas do not necessarily proceed in logical order. They may set
> one
> > off in unexpected directions, but an idea must necessarily be
> completed
> > in the mind before the next one is formed.
> > 12. For each work of art that becomes physical there are many
> > variations that do not.
> > 13. A work of art may be understood as a conductor from the artist's
> > mind to the viewer's. But it may never reach the viewer, or it may
> > never leave the artist's mind.
> > 14. The words of one artist to another may induce an idea chain, if
> > they share the same concept.
> > 15. Since no form is intrinsically superior to another, the artist
> may
> > use any form, from an expression of words (written or spoken) to
> > physical reality, equally.
> > 16. If words are used, and they proceed from ideas about art, then
> they
> > are art and not literature; numbers are not mathematics.
> > 17. All ideas are art if they are concerned with art and fall within
> > the conventions of art.
> > 18. One usually understands the art of the past by applying the
> > convention of the present, thus misunderstanding the art of the
> past.
> > 19. The conventions of art are altered by works of art.
> > 20. Successful art changes our understanding of the conventions by
> > altering our perceptions.
> > 21. Perception of ideas leads to new ideas.
> > 22. The artist cannot imagine his art, and cannot perceive it until
> it
> > is complete.
> > 23. The artist may misperceive (understand it differently from the
> > artist) a work of art but still be set off in his own chain of
> thought
> > by that misconstrual.
> > 24. Perception is subjective.
> > 25. The artist may not necessarily understand his own art. His
> > perception is neither better nor worse than that of others.
> > 26. An artist may perceive the art of others better than his own.
> > 27. The concept of a work of art may involve the matter of the piece
> or
> > the process in which it is made.
> > 28. Once the idea of the piece is established in the artist's mind
> and
> > the final form is decided, the process is carried out blindly. There
> > are many side effects that the artist cannot imagine. These may be
> used
> > as ideas for new works.
> > 29. The process is mechanical and should not be tampered with. It
> > should run its course.
> > 30. There are many elements involved in a work of art. The most
> > important are the most obvious.
> > 31. If an artist uses the same form in a group of works, and changes
> > the material, one would assume the artist's concept involved the
> > material.
> > 32. Banal ideas cannot be rescued by beautiful execution.
> > 33. It is difficult to bungle a good idea.
> > 34. When an artist learns his craft too well he makes slick art.
> > 35. These sentences comment on art, but are not art.
> >
> >
> > First published in 0-9 (New York), 1969, and Art-Language (England),
> > May 1969
> > --
> > <t.whid>
> > www.mteww.com
> > </t.whid>
> >
> > + ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup
> > -> post: list@rhizome.org
> > -> questions: info@rhizome.org
> > -> subscribe/unsubscribe:
> http://rhizome.org/preferences/subscribe.rhiz
> > -> give: http://rhizome.org/support
> > +
> > Subscribers to Rhizome are subject to the terms set out in the
> > Membership Agreement available online at
> http://rhizome.org/info/29.php
> >
>
Liquid Spill
I pry
a cream and needle
s
ky from you, when my voice
nodes with yours, and twin
stained
bruises billow loosely through
our bites.
I rode my bike to see you. I rode my bike through the
pained branches of midsummer. There was a place I
wanted to get to. Your hands stitched your words to
the air. You roll out against me, tenderest jelly. I
rode my bike straightaway through your face, and
landed amply in these pools.
--stoic but calculated days--
=====
NEW!!!--Dirty Milk--reactive poem for microphone http://www.lewislacook.com/DirtyMilk/
http://www.lewislacook.com/
tubulence artist studio: http://turbulence.org/studios/lacook/index.html
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!
http://sbc.yahoo.com
a cream and needle
s
ky from you, when my voice
nodes with yours, and twin
stained
bruises billow loosely through
our bites.
I rode my bike to see you. I rode my bike through the
pained branches of midsummer. There was a place I
wanted to get to. Your hands stitched your words to
the air. You roll out against me, tenderest jelly. I
rode my bike straightaway through your face, and
landed amply in these pools.
--stoic but calculated days--
=====
NEW!!!--Dirty Milk--reactive poem for microphone http://www.lewislacook.com/DirtyMilk/
http://www.lewislacook.com/
tubulence artist studio: http://turbulence.org/studios/lacook/index.html
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!
http://sbc.yahoo.com