Manifesto
(Statement)
2025
PERSPECTIVE
Whatever your initial idea, it is only one side of the story. You don’t have to include ALL perspectives in a work, but they should be considered (which is maybe its own form of inclusion)
NATURE
The natural world (whatever that is) is the only thing that is consistently true. Water in all its forms today is essentially the same as it was millions of years ago. Matter cannot be created nor destroyed, you and I have always been here.
NATURE’S HISTORY
Most of the world, certainly America, is stolen land. Not stolen as if someone snuck in through the window, but stolen violently and brutally. It is important to contend with this history if we are to be well informed citizens of a country or a world.
MUSIC
From James Baldwin’s 1957 short story “Sonny’s Blues”:
“All I know about music is that not many people ever really hear it. And even then, on the rare occasions when something opens within, and the music enters, what we mainly hear, or hear corroborated, are personal, private, vanishing evocations.”
VANISHING
If matter cannot be created nor destroyed, what is the point of holding onto any piece of matter in any particular form? Why should your (my) artwork last forever? Let it dissolve, decay, and be a memory. Let the music enter and vanish.
HEARING
In Ed Yong’s Immense World, the author states that “Among the traditional five senses, hearing is most closely related to touch”. Following this logic, it is fair to say that by hearing something or someone, to deeply listen, is to deeply feel that person or thing. How can this be applied to perspective? Notice the one letter difference between hearing and healing.
SCANDAL OF PARTICULARITY
From Annie Dillard’s 1974 book of essays Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
“That Christ’s incarnation occurred improbably, ridiculously, at such-and-such a time, into such-and-such a place, is referred to – with great sincerity even among believers – as ‘the scandal of particularity.’ Well, the ‘scandal of particularity’ is the only world that I, in particular know. What use has eternity for light? We’re all up to our necks in this particular scandal.”
We are all up to our necks.
SPEAKING OF CHRIST
I was listening to Nikki Giovanni on npr’s “Wild Card” show – one of the last interviews she did before she passed – and I resonated with this quote:
“I almost hate to use this word because there’s so many fools out there but I am a Christian.”
I grew up in the church, I would say I’m down with the general message of Christ, but she’s right. There are a lot of fools.
RIDICULOSITY
On my worst days I hold a cynical belief that art is not essential, pointless, unhelpful, wasteful, arrogant, selfish. On good days, art can be hopeful or helpful, maybe loving. Most days – good or bad – I am sure that it’s all fairly ridiculous. We’re all going to burn anyway, who gives a shit?
STOP MAKING ART
In an artist talk from Rikrit Tiravnija at The Art Institute of Chicago, the artist shares that as a younger person, an older artist gave him a piece of advice during a residency. The artist told Tiravanija he needed to “stop making art.” Tiravanija goes on later to say that this does not mean to quit altogether, but that art must always be rethought. It’s context, it’s importance, it’s limitations, etc. This is true for art as a whole, but really for every artist individually. I don’t suppose everyone will be right, or at least I won’t agree, but we could still have an interesting conversation. That’s the best we seem to do.