Friday, August 24, 2007

"i am an opera singer, i stand on painted tape. it tells me where i'm going, and where to throw my cape."

Once again it's Friday! That means you could, if you were so inclined, check here to see my latest Jesus College blog post. Y'know, just on an optional basis.

Talking to Professor Perrin and Daniel Finch got me thinking. Well, honestly, it got me panicking a little bit, in among tons of excitement and inability-to-sit-still-because-I-can't-wait-to-start-work-on-senior-ish-things. So you know what I did? I sat down and wrote a manifesto for myself. I taped it to the front of my sketchbook, and I'm also planning on posting one over my desk. I'm also posting it here (sorry that it sounds so PR-ish. . . a side-effect of my summer job!), so the rest of you can help hold me to it. . . .

Manifesto for 2006-2007:

1. To be transparent and open, challenging myself to understand, invent, and use my voice,
2. By the end of the year to make work that earns the respect of my peers and mentors,
3. To behave in a way in the studio and classroom which promotes communal creativity and earns the respect of my peers and mentors (aka. . . don't have breakdowns and cry in class. Don't feel threatened by how far behind everyone else I am. Just take every opportunity to learn and encourage, and take criticism with a willing heart),
4. To know myself and to not be afraid (to stand up for myself and claim the things I need in order to be a healthy and happy individual, like enough sleep, adequate meals, social time, and the right to reject suggestions that don't mesh with me as the person I want to be when I grow up),
5. To live as though I were full of faith, even when I am thoroughly in the dark,
6. To give voice to "the middle" - those things which bridge "high" cerebral & ultimate experiences/causes and the "low" mundane myopic details that refuse to catch the attention (these are the things I'm beginning to define as worth giving voice to).

Do I feel vaguely like a communist? Despite that I wrote a manifesto. . . no. But good try.

Yay the weekend! I will be spending it, once again, at Greg's house. So expect no posting. I'm gonna take advantage of this as the last really calm weekend I'm likely to have for the next three months. . . .

And today, for your viewing delight and as preparation for the weekend's joys, I give you many youtube linkages:

Andy Warhol Not Rolling a Joint

Like old cold war informational movies? I highly recommend Duck & Cover (brought to my attention by Andrew). It's almost 10 minutes long, but so worth every second. . . .

Also, since of course Duck & Cover is so ridiculous. . . there's Duck & Cover 2007 (A Parody).

Have a good weekend, loves. Can't wait to see you all again when you move in next weekend!

3 comments:

Liz said...

I like your manifesto. A lot. We need to seriously hang out. We need to hang out hardcore. Hey! Hey! We could be like...HEALTHY artists. Wouldn't that be crazy? craaaazzyyyyy

Although I'm not sure I know what you mean by the middle. You may have to explain that sometime.
Oh well, one more reason to hang out. Shucks.

(I am an artiste! unfortunately, not a makeup artiste.)

Anonymous said...

My Dear Mackenzie,
After perusing your blog, I would like to describe my wombat-enriched experience of it, but am inclined to do it while holding a live sea-sponge and throwing a hammer.

See you in the studio soon,

DMF

Captain Shar said...

Yeah, the middle...that's the part I can never seem to find. Once I find it, I think I will understand life.