[EMAIL PROTECTED],.Internet writes:
>Hi all,
>Quite surprised at the sheer volume of posts this weekend!
Just got back late last night from a weekend away from the computer
(off on an island off the coast of Maine for a friends wedding) and
now just finished reading them all - and will agree with Sol - a lot of
discussion of the ideas related to our "event" of last week. The
various threads were quite interesting to follow - for me George's and
Scott's comments were particularly of note. . . . .
>3)It's interesting how no-one considered what Owen's posts and mine
>evolved
>into which was the trial of a concept. This type of trial avoided any
>problems of reality, took the focus away from individuals and made the
>whole
>thing into a sort of interesting thought experiment. However since the
>weekend has seen a large number of posts exploring the issues of
>unprovoked
>abuse, moderation etc. the trial is now somewhat redundant. Oh
>well...maybe
>it wouldn't have worked anyway.
Yes, I had thought of it as a kind of thought experiment or thought
trial. I am not sure of the redundancy however, because my way of
looking at it is that the totality of the posts over the last few days
is the trial/experiment So, what concept is on trial? Seems to me that
the primary focus is on the nature and place of transgression both in
Fluxus and in general as part of an artistic stance/action. So far the
ideas that have struck me most are related to the idea that
Transgression has become expected and in fact is now what it sought to
break, that is part of the Status Quo and the role and place created
for the artist and in this way has little or no efficacy, other than as
possible entertainment (and in this context I am thinking of news as a
form of entertainment, for that is really all it has become in the
major media contexts). So are there arguments for the continued
validity of transgression? Possibly, but from my point of view no one
has offered any in this context - does anyone want to argue for
transgression's continued use/significance/importance?? If so let's
hear it . . . . . .
- So where do we stand - in the middle? at the end? I am not sure but a
number of points have been put forward that are certainly an important
part of a potential consideration. So far I seem to have more of a
sense of that interest has waned or we are seeming to line up on the
side of transgression as being guilty as charged - an outmoded concept
with no use or place in our current context. What do others think. . .
. .
If this is a consensus (no argument to the contrary, which I know is
not really the same as a consensus, but I will pretend that it is to
move this along) the I say we find the concept guilty and banish it
from this list as punishment . . . . . .
>4)Ken wrote that he would like to see "historical and critical
>reflection".
>I agree this doesn't happen so much on the list and would be nice to see
>more of. I also think that there's a simple reason why there's not more
>of
>it: Most of the people with the necessary expertise to sustain this
>type of
>discussion don't post, presumably because like Bertrand they don't have
>time
>to. I enjoy such discussions but I don't have the expertise to sustain
>them.
>When those with the necessary expertise have more free time we'll have
>"historical and critical reflection".
I suppose I am one of those that could/should be more of a participant
in this part of the list but I have often held myself back because I do
not want to come across as either a historogeek, or as the dominant
voice, where one isn't needed of really wanted. And yes, even after all
that time is a factor . . . . .
>5)Even without "historical and critical reflection" I think this is a
>great
>list. We're very creative I think...look at all the great projects that
>go
>on and we have a lot of fun together in doing these things. In some
>ways I
>feel the strength of this list lies in actually creating things
>together and
>that in turn leads to a critical consideration of what we create. Look
>at
>that creativity alongside long discussions about virtually any artistic
>activity and you have something that's pretty good to be a part of. In
>fact
>you have something that is very Fluxus in its nature.......... which is
>of
>course a good thing.
Yes, I concur 100% - one of the best way to "consider" Fluxus and its
ramifications is to enact its ideas - so that in and through the
various projects that have been produced trough this list we are (or at
least we have the potential to) exploring the nature of Fluxus through
a kind of reflection that utilizes historical and critical capacities,
but not the traditional passive kind that is often assumed necessary
with engagements in historical materials.
Owen
