Manifesto

I record presence,
portray stillness,
convey only truth,
document the specific,
seek the extraordinary in the ordinary,
look only as far as the surface of things,
turn light into colour,
record absence,
portray movement,
convey only untruth,
document the unspecific,
seek the ordinary in the extraordinary,
look only beyond the surface of things,
have yet to make up my mind about viewfinders.

Free your mind and your ass will follow
(George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic)

Being an Artist is primarily a state of mind. No matter what is physically made in the studio, at the heart of an artist’s practice lies exploratory thought opened by observation. Discovery and speculation will lead to unforeseeable developments, often in more than one direction. Comparable, perhaps, to the branches of a tree.

Questions and ideas matter more than answers or conclusions; the end of a thought may never arrive. Being able to operate with such an open mind is a unique yet learnable skill; a rare privilege.

In the world created for us, on the other hand, thinking is primarily conducted along familiar paths, rendering discovery and speculation largely obsolete. In that world we are likely to perceive an unfamiliar thought as demanding; it complicates life and throws into question what we already know. Spare mental capacity, excess, is easily dissipated by distraction, consequently we rarely entertain a challenging idea. We fear the freedoms available in complexity. In the ready-made world, comfortable as it may feel, we are condemned to the existence of an onlooker.

It is a moot point that, as our thoughts guide our actions, our inner life will direct the path of our fate. What will save us from an onlooker’s existence are ideas: it is in thought that our freedom begins.

An artist must aim to disseminate ideas – not so much her own, but the currency of ideas and of untried thought; and if all goes well, to tickle minds into unfamiliar positions.

[A man walks into a bar.]

Ed Ruscha: 'Hi!'

Sol LeWitt: 'Hi.  You alright?'

Ed Ruscha: 'Yeah,  you alright?'

Sol LeWitt: 'Yeah...'

Ed Ruscha: 'yeah...'

Ed Ruscha: 'Well,  see you then.'

Sol LeWitt: 'Yeah,  see you.'

MANIFESTO

THE OBLIQUE PORTRAITIST’S MANIFESTO

PHOTOGRAPHY is a valid form of art
AMBIGUITY is the central pivot and tenet of the work in question
A project can be entirely in one’s own mind but more often completely within the confines of one’s own BATHROOM
A photographic portrait does NOT necessarily involve photographing a person
The mundane and familiar can be SINISTER and unnerving
The PLASTIC and artificial can visually transform and morph into human flesh
The WHOLE picture is not an essential requirement in the presentation of the subject
ALLUSION and implication are encouraged
To BLUR is to reveal
COLOUR, light, pattern, shape are crucial elements in any photograph
INANIMATE objects have personalities
CROPPING can be expansive
Observing the DETAIL and magnifying the MICROSCOPIC is to be celebrated
Experimentation, exploration and having FUN are the starting points for any art endeavour
The QUIRKY and the KITSCH are as authentic as forms of so-called high art
To like and enjoy one’s OWN art is more important than outside appreciation – but that can be really nice actually and is not to be discouraged
To stage and to FABRICATE is welcomed and often essential
To be completely original is almost impossible in this post-post-post modernist era and deliberate PLAGIARISMcan be seen as ‘the new originality’ *

*(not that I am actually deliberately plagiarising anybody’s work at the moment – but it’s nice to have the option)

100 WORDS

Penny Dampier 100

Suggestive
Substitution
Repetition
Close-up
Red
Plastic
Anthropomorphism
Light
Focus
Green
Ambiguity
Photographic
Childhood
Artificial
Identity
Innersense
Innocence
Veneer
Human
Kitsch
Pregnancy
Texture
Decay
Imitation
Replacement
Exchange
Distortion
Shape
Pattern
Object
Obsession
Subject
Mutilated
Chopped
Symbolism
Portrait
Compartmentalised
Sinister
Freakish
Staged
Inanimate
Waxwork
Gaze
Perception
Cropping
Micro
Revealing
Sick
Intimate
Detail
Hidden
Section
Part
Body
Incomplete
Unnerving
Indistinct
Vague
Humanise
Dehumanise
Subtle
Visual
Quirky
Observed
Metaphor
Interpretation
Relational
Edited
Fabricated
Exploratory
Implied
Doll
Toy
Baby
Blurred
Representative
Conception
Image
Abstracted
Familiar
Reference
Tautological
Copy
Fragment
Mimic
Imply
Allusion
Memory
Enigma
Sexual
Belief
Mundane
Found
Impart
Colour
Form
Apparent
Evolve
Illusion
Mannequin




50

Substitution
Abstracted
Inanimate
Anthropomorphism
Ambiguity
Plastic
Detail
Compartmentalised
Object
Fragment
Chopped
Micro
Gaze
Colour
Doll
Staged
Obsession
Quirky
Freakish
Body
Tautological
Innersense
Close-up
Intimate
Pattern
Mannequin
Indistinct
Blurred
Revealing
Allusion
Red
Green
Familiar
Observed
Form
Sinister
Baby
Humanise
Cropping
Mutilated
Implied
Innocence
Replacement
Perception
Kitsch
Suggestive
Portrait
Distortion
Light
Section



10

Anthropomorphism
Gaze
Close-up
Sinister
Ambiguity
Chopped
Plastic
Allusion
Colour
Light


1

Anthropomorphism

photographic dogme 07

I will control the light

I will control the frame

I will control the subject

I will control the background

I will control the movement

I will control the time

I will control the grain

I will control the developer

I will control the light

I will control the colour

I will control the paper

I will control the chemistry

I will control the photograph

ping pong ping pong ping pong.......

To all the teachers who made me write this essay

Consider coming into existence inside a ping pong ball

You have no knowledge of anything else.

Left or right has no value as you always end up facing….well just facing nothing.

You have no sense of scale or size.

No fear of heights or looking down.

You wouldn’t know what it would to be to be out or in. your concept of outerism or innerism wouldn’t exist.

You can walk or run, or even stop or start, but consider having no starting point or finish? Each step being as insignificant as the last.

All ambition or aspiration swallowed up in a white fog of the abyss.

Would you go blind?

Would you know what colour is?

Would your eyes just simply stop seeing?

Would you keep them closed.

You would have no sense of pain or pleasure. Never being able to reach out, or touch.
Falling or tripping wouldn’t hurt, always landing in the same spot.

Have you ever considered how you would describe the horizon to someone how has never seen it before, a place where top meets bottom, you can always see it, you know its there but never being able to reach it. Never being able to visit.

Would you understand top and bottom.

To be deficient of senses, to experience sensory depuration, how would you think?

Without the pollutions of suggestion would your thoughts be pure?

To have sight but no view. Would your mind fill the void.

Any form of sensory depravation like blindness forces the other senses like hearing become more sensitive, better tuned in, stronger, functioning on a higher level, now consider all your senses deprived of there use. Would we become superhuman.

Would thought and reality become blurred?

Imagine the world you would curate!

Would your ball be your freedom to explore new levels of reality? And not your limitation or your prisoner?

Time and space freed to be controlled and shaped into anything, but by who?

Could you tell the difference between reality and a preconceived reality!

What is "real" could you be sure right now!

There's a thin line between madness and genius…..

Now ask yourself, what's it like in your ping pong ball?

MANIFESTO

List
Organize
Collect
Order
Arrange
Clarify
Classify
Quantify
Qualify
Explain
Confirm
Elucidate
Illuminate
Categorize
Systematize
Taxonomize
Manage
Control
Continue

100
Red,Toy, Research, Smart, Robot, Useless, Funny , Deep, Logo, Website, Business, Wood, Founding, Recycling , Stealing, Copyright, Aware, Re-edite, Noises, Chaos, Random, Bastard, Nasty, Naughty, Cartoon, Old, Cross, Crushed, Jesus, Plastic, Wall, Bitter, Black, White, Modified, Fast, Better, Brain, Nut, Name, Disgusting, Guitar, Unsay able, Forbidden, Tall, Alarm, Metal, Connections, Mass, Production, Advertising, Price, Dog, Duck, Mouse, Suggestion, Myths, Do, Undo, Manifesto, First, Donations, Post-it, Simple, Arguably, Irritating, Money, Numbers, Free, Productivem, Censure, Retro, Blur, Risks, Weapons, Fight, Colours, Ignorance, Market, Factory, Reader, Tape, Leodardo, Humor, Boundaries, Handmade, Dodgy, Innocence, Dark, Subvert, Lazy, Gun, Give-up, Chip, Administrator, Fairytale, Unacceptable, Rip off

50
Business, Cartoon, Noises, Chaos, Rip off, Useless, Funny, Toy, Market, Disgusting, Irritating, Money, Numbers, Modified, Fast, Unsay able, Connection, Handmade, Risks, Retro, Mass, Production, Advertising, Better, Brain, Recycling, Subvert, Smart, Jesus, Bastard, Re-edited, Aware, Wood, Founding, Deep, Fight, Ignorance, Colours, Website, Logo, Suggestion, Nasty, Give-up, Forbidden, Name, Myths, First, Arguably

10
Useless, Disgusting, Money, Modified, Risks, Advertising, Ignorance, Suggestion
Chaos, Connection

1
Suggestion

LEODARDO MANIFESTO

Leodardo are several trips.
Leodardo doesn’t know the final destinations.

Leodardo is the plinth and not the sculpture.
Leodardo doesn’t want to be categorized.
Leodardo is leodardo.

Leodardo believe in human beings, every body can be part of leodardo apart who doesn’t know Frankenstein junior by Mel Brooks.

Leodardo exists in real places (physical) for instance web space, and non-real places (non-physical space) such as ideas, concepts or opinions.

The web space is meant to be a documentation of what leodardo is doing.
Through the web site everybody from everywhere in every time can see what leodardo in making and leave a comment.
Leodardo doesn’t like all the comments… it likes only the sincere ones.

Leodardo likes technology…
Leodardo loves past, present and future.
For Leodardo technology doesn’t mean future.
Leodardo believes in Ready-made, recycling, transforming, and ripping off.

Have you ever heard the sound of a wax pipe organ made with a Chinese crap toy keyboard, glasses and engines… that may be Leodardo!

Leodardo is the gift you have never received for Christmas.

Leodardo is the mosquito in your soup.
Leodardo believes in art but food is much more important.
To make a good pasta is an art, to make good art may be just a fart. (And you can’t eat it).

Leodardo is the day Willy coyote will catch the peacock

Never, and I say never avoid the risk.

Leodardo believes that art is a trip.
Leodardo will not tell you where you have to go… just go.

manefesto 2007

We shall continue to voyage, amuse ourselves as fortuitous flanuers to
make myths,

spin tall tales,

textually visually

and orally.

We shall collect, hoard and investigate, disparate found objects, including books, photographs, fetish objects, comics, relics, mechanical diagrams, stories, personal and anonymous drawings and documents but not excluding any junk we find in the tip or on its way to the tip

With mixed media, including collage overlaying varying transparent and opaque materials, we will rip, tear and staple, glue, paint, draw, photograph, video, sculpt and screen print a multilayered narrative of confusing warbling pastiche.

We will maintain the fight for our fragile existence as artists and entertain magic and chance, explore the accidental and the unexpected, continuing an inquisitive struggle.

We will not give up until we become honorary members of the necronautical society or win the turner prize which ever comes first.

MY PAINTING MANIFESTO 2007

Yes, it is true that I am trying to paint something.
Yes, it is very true and often I get people to tell me or ask me that what is it about?
Or people just tell me that ‘ah, nice.’ Or ‘ that’s interesting.’ Or maybe he says ‘I like your work.’
And I say ‘ oh, thanks.’
Yes, it is true that I do not have a good answer for these kinds of questions or communications with others yet. Because I am still searching about my visual language there for communication element.

Visual language and how to read the language…
It is coming from your experience and knowledge I believe. And each of us will have different experiences when you get to touch with something new or different in front of us.
Judgement…
Also created by our knowledge and experience. I leave you for the judgement what you feel like when you need to make a judgement of my painting work because you have a different past experience and back ground from me.
Truth…
Is there always in front of me on the canvas. I do look and read what is there with my naked eye.
Circle, Rhythm, Curve, Lines, forms, and Infinity in the Space…

What could be infinity? And what could be infinity in the limited space?

Yes, it is true that I could carry on and on to produce ‘same kind’ of image paintings. However they are not the same for me because time passes always and time where I am now is different as a space. And feeling different, so on. However maybe for you it looks like the same perhaps. As I said before I leave this judgement for you to enjoy. And I am here for trying to develop my painting forms with other touch and excited to see the different results always.
Yes, it is true that I should record about my practice somehow. It is integral and I do not have them.
Yes, it is true that I am carrying on same kind of style of painting work from last year’s investigation at the moment. Which is good or bad? This is my choice to do this way in this time, because I see myself to carry on this way of practice is more challenging for me in this stage. And see what I can do more from it.
Yes, it is true that I am much more conscious about what I am doing now than before with paint and brush. This process is needed for sure to be sure and has a little control of my work.
Yes, it is true that now actually I want to have uncontrolled feelings and get lost in my painting also in the same time in the same space as a unity.

Yes, it is true that I am painting ‘something’ almost every single day. There is many problems occur and needs to be resolved in every each days.

Yes, why not to have an ambition!
Challenge to Possibility and Potentiality…always

‘Something’ is the form…
Forms assert that forms…by Plato, and I am hungry for possessing the most fundamental kind of reality.
‘Something’ is the all kind of energy for the creations… And power of strong will.

1m square white canvases and me with paints and brushes. I want to see myself in this relationship.
‘Something’ is therefore self reflection and understanding.

Yes, it is true that I am painting ‘something’ every single day.

Yes it is true that I am looking for ‘something’ more than beyond.

MANIFESTO FOR A CALMING ART


The idea that art should be disturbing, provocative and shocking, particularly to the middle classes of the western democracies, is outdated. Even a cursory knowledge of the current state of world affairs convinces that the last thing needed is provocation.



Produce art that has a soothing effect on society, a still small voice of calm amid the prevailing din.

Be more cheerful and recognise the bright side of life as suitable subject matter for difficult times.

Stop pushing on open doors and prodding unhealed wounds.

Shocking the middle class is counterproductive since it is they who usually start the revolutions.

Art to become a popular international medium of communication similar to music.Use modern internet marketing to build a ‘long tail’ sales model to widen the range available and the audience.

The way to address horror is obliquely.

Word count

Words and number of times included in 100 50 10 1

Accommodate



Action



Adjust
Adjust


Adopt



Amend



Analyse
Analyse
Analyse
Analyse


Appearance



Arrange
Arrange


Assemble
Assemble


Balance
Balance


Broaden



Chance



Change
`


City



Colours
Colours
Colours

Comment



Communicate
Communicate


Concept
Concept
Concept

Conclude



Consider
Consider


Construct
Construct


Consult



Contrast



Define
Define
Define

Depict



Design
Design


Discuss
Discuss


Display



Distribute



Diverse



Electronic



Encounter
Encounter


Environment
Environment


Evolve
Evolve


Experiment
Experiment
Experiment

Express



Familiarity



Focus
Focus


Grouping



Hue



Idea



Imagine
Imagine


Impact
Impact


Incomplete
Incomplete


Integrate
Integrate


Interpret
Interpret


Investigate
Investigate


Learn



Link



Location



Look
Look


Luck
Luck


Materials



Metaphor
Metaphor


Modern
Modern


Note



Observe



Openness



Optical



Order



Original
Original
Original

Ornament



Paint



Patience



Pattern
Pattern


Perception
Perception


Permutation
Permutation


Print



Project



Proportion
Proportion


Range
Range


Rearrange



Reason
Reason


Record



Reject
Reject
Reject

Reorganise
Reorganise


Represent
Represent


Research



Review



Revise
Revise
Revise

River



Select
Select
Select

Show
Show


Sources



Space
Space


Speed



Subjective
Subjective


Surprise
Surprise


Think
Think
Think

Time
Time


Transform
Transform


Transport



Treatment



Try
Try


Variation
Variation


Verbiage



Visit



Visual
Visual


Water



Work

MANIFESTO...
Maria-Lena Hedberg


I admit to the futile aspiration to change the world
and the narcissistic ambition to say
what hasn't been said before...

100-50-10-1

Enhanced, manipulated, derived, questioning, detrimental, confused, withholding, dimensional, communication, dream, fairytale, fantasy, imagination, diction, authorship, symbolism, mythology, chronological, historic, deep, myth, enchantment, fabrication, lie, romantic, traditional, probing, mystified, disorderly, preservation, release, accomplishment, thoughts, creation, articulation, expression, style, illusion, invention, significant, extraordinary, old, ancient, momentous, reverie, nightmare, hallucination, reality, aspiration, hope, desire, visualized, pleasure, ideal, joy, angry, fear, soul, psyche, character, habitual, accepted, established, interaction, transference, elemental, component, whimsy, castle, power, control, conscience, consequence, representation, cold, tone, warmth, ritual, forever, performance, predictable, routine, time, movement, stretch, era, generation, calculation, measurement, improvisation, achievement, good, evil, construction, concept, environmental, features, spirit, discourse, converse.

Enhanced, manipulated, derived, questioning, confused, communication, dream, imagination, diction, authorship, symbolism, mythology, articulation, expression, measurement, elemental, joy, angry, fear, soul, psyche, hallucination, ancient, reality, desire, visualized, whimsy, castle, ritual, preservation, myth, enchantment, lie, probing, habitual, spirit, discourse, interaction, conscience, features, improvisation, discourse, converse, measurement, predictable, dimensional, withholding, ancient, traditional, generation,

Enchantment, whimsy, predictable, ancient, expression, authorship, symbolism, mythology, communication, elemental,

Authorship

The In Between

We have been through the hours of night and day and seen all that there is to see of the sky. The importance of power and the right of every being to that power is the main belief of this group. In concordance we have come to these conclusions of life that should be observed by those important thoughts.

1. Members should keep an open mind.

2. Members must remember that the key to the in between is found in reading and feeling.

3. Members should take the opinion that all work must be realized in reality.

4. The member must understand that all work is not reality and therefore cannot be represented in it's true form, except in the in between moments.

5. The members can be seen at all times by other members and must be in communication on a consistent basis.

6. All members must remember that The In between reject the idea of God and all associated theories. They do not exists in the inner state and therefore are false truths and should be stricken from the record.

7. The other plane of existence should be seen in the members mind and observed at all times.

8. Members should understand that they have entered a new thought process and should believe in this so much that they would be prepared to give everything for it.

9. In creating work all members should always be prepared to destroy it and recreate it on the "other plane".

10. Reality is a subjective matter and is observed on an individual basis. The understanding of others work can therefore only be a paradoxical version and only guessed at.

In failing to do so the consequences are such that you will be stricken from the space and be taken from the space of power never to return so as not to corrupt it.

Manifesto

1.Explore time, change, metamorphosis and transience.

2.Understand why and how time changes us, physically and cognitively.

3.Use/ collect/ reproduce and manipulate objects that are left behind, metaphorically, conceptually and physically how we leave parts of ourselves behind through memory, ephemera, the imprint of life and the shells we eventually discard.

4.Document the passing of time, and the inevitability and importance of change.

5.Acknowledge the balance and fragility of an existence, and how change reminds us of this and reinforces it.

6.Investigate a place where a change occurs, e.g. within a chrysalis/cocoon, and regard them in another way from the typical association.

7.Be inspired by the structural form of an object; be able to manipulate and reconstruct/duplicate it.

ESTO-MAN-IF-MAN-ESTO-IF-ESTO-IF-MAN

(man-if-esto)


One eye open while the other open as well, both function in perfect harmony as the rest of the body almost reflects itself, within the symmetrical order. I will not concentrate on anything else till the time I feel like it.

Structure of the structure and selection of the selection, I did considered it in the past I might consider it back in the future, tomorrow for example.

Saussure and Barthes, I could rethink it back again.

I might change subject completely. Might not.

I shall go and have my coffee and cigarette than, and start progressing towards the future or reconsider temporality with the mixture of past, or actually link these three together if I feel like it.

You do whatever you like, I might get involved, however don’t have to. Depends how good the coffee is going to be.





(if-man-esto)


To Agnieszka and myself.
I’ll be truly and honestly supporting her till the point I won’t be able to breath any louder.





(esto-man-if)

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church of random. a first manifesto

 

                          CHURCH OF RANDOM.

                                          A FIRST MANIFESTO.

 

 

In the beginning, god created the heaven and the earth, and then he hung his paintings on the wall while he created the church of random.

      I.     The church believes all men/women are equal therefore, by default, all art, if considered is relevant.

    II.     Anyone can belong to the church of random providing there is a functional magnet in his or her moral compass.

  III.      The church declares that work can only be made after having devoured and digested the church ethos.

 IV.     The church ethos is final but other than that, there are no other absolutes.

   V.     All aesthetic creation whether concept or emotion driven will be tolerated if it contains the church ethos and a modicum of original thought. Pure therapy based drivel is an exception to this rule and will result in immediate crucifixion. The church does not hold with the stuckists on this point nor on the point regarding bad taste, as this is never acceptable even under the guise of art. The only stipulation to this is if work that has a negative physical impact on man, woman or creature (negative emotional and psychological impacts are acceptable and discretional where the recipient or subject is given the choice to take part or ingest said work)

 VI.      Only considered and deliberate mediocrity in creation will be tolerated.

VII.     Accidental creation of ‘bad art’ will result in immediate crucifixion n.b. Crucifixion will be waived if said art has any discernable merit.

VIII.     Only those with a basic understanding and appreciation of pythonesque conceptual humour shall be permitted to join.

 IX.     Aberrant thought and behaviour within one’s work will only be tolerated if conscious.

   X.     The wearing of artistic styles/concepts/movements as accessory or in response to trend will result in immediate and irreversible crucifixion.

 XI.     Attempts to challenge / subvert style/tradition and / or historical aesthetic in the art world for the sake of it, i.e. because one can and without ‘reasonable’ conceptual, emotional or political validation, will result in a minor infraction penalty i.e. time spent in stocks and pillories to consider, repent and atone.

XII.     The acolytes of the church will adhere to the ethos and within that continue to attempt to challenge themselves and why they make work and for whom the work is made. Cessation of this last clause requires that said acolyte immediately and without hesitation destroy the nonsense they have created and take their own life (thereby not afflicting ill conceived work or bad taste on the semi innocent populace.

 

               Laws invoked by Carlos Diaz, founder and only member of the church of random on this day, November 20^th. In the year of our lord   2007