David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.


31 March 2017

re. Right


Four concurrent threads : two in Oz ...

Right to ****** #1

The on-going-on-going debate in the Parliament of Australia 
re. the wording/re-wording of :

RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT 1975 - SECT 18C
Offensive behaviour because of race, colour or national or ethnic origin
             (1)  It is unlawful for a person to do an act, otherwise than in private, if:
                     (a)  the act is reasonably likely, in all the circumstances, to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or a group of people; and
                     (b)  the act is done because of the race, colour or national or ethnic origin of the other person or of some or all of the people in the group.

Note:          Subsection (1) makes certain acts unlawful. Section 46P of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 allows people to make complaints to the Australian Human Rights Commission about unlawful acts. However, an unlawful act is not necessarily a criminal offence. Section 26 says that this Act does not make it an offence to do an act that is unlawful because of this Part, unless Part IV expressly says that the act is an offence.
             (2)  For the purposes of subsection (1), an act is taken not to be done in private if it:
                     (a)  causes words, sounds, images or writing to be communicated to the public; or
                     (b)  is done in a public place; or
                     (c)  is done in the sight or hearing of people who are in a public place.
             (3)  In this section:

"public place" includes any place to which the public have access as of right or by invitation, whether express or implied and whether or not a charge is made for admission to the place.

*Last night, the attempt by the Government in the Senate to alter this legislation was defeated.


  Cathy Wilcox / SMH

Right to ******  #2

BROOK ANDREW : THE RIGHT TO OFFEND IS SACRED
National Gallery of Victoria : 3 March - 4 June 2017



Brook Andrew is an artist of considerable daring and flair whose work often confronts dangerous ideas, or questions conventional readings of the world. His constantly shifting, interdisciplinary practice challenges stereotypical notions of history, identity and race, without apportioning blame or guilt.

In re-discovering and re-positioning a complex practice, Brook Andrew: The Right to Offend is Sacred includes many of Andrew’s most memorable works, contextualised in exciting new ways, juxtaposed with formative works that have had very limited exposure. As a map that scopes, records and pinpoints great moments in Andrew’s career, this solo exhibition will also include a new sculptural work, enabling viewers to intuit future directions in the artist’s ever changing practice. These sculptures, like much of Andrew’s work, will draw on the artist’s extensive personal archive and respond to important themes in his practice that issue from and resonate in books, objects, photographs and postcards, newspapers and the media. The exhibition also confirms the importance of the collaborative process in Andrew’s practice.

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

 Brook Andrew : Tea Towel, Blue -The Right to Offend is Sacred

Four concurrent threads : two in USA ...

Right to ******  #3

On SBS last night : ATLANTA - Season 1 Episode 9

Van brings Earn to a "Juneteenth" party at the home of a wealthy acquaintance, but he is less than enthusiastic at the "emancipation" theme or the snobby nature of the bi-racial host-couple, and their guests. Van thinks the event could be a stepping stone to a new job, but it will require Earn playing his part as a dutiful "husband," and he finds pretending to be something he’s not – namely wealthy and successful – to be more trying than expected. Regardless, he does his best and as the evening progresses things seem to be going well enough, until Earn is recognized as "thug-rapper" Paper Boi’s manager, which creates a conflict that he just cannot ignore.

I'm sorry.
This is whack.
This is this is whack.
- Babe, please.
- No, no.
Okay, like, this isn't real life, okay? This this party is dumb.
She's dumb.
This is all dumb.
You know that, Van.
- Okay.
I'm sorry.
- This is dumb.
This is dumb.
We're gonna head out, right? And you know what? Stop stunting on me about my culture.
Like, I'm not gonna go back to Africa and find my roots, because you know what? - I'm sorry.
- I'm fucking broke, dude.
- I'm broke.

- It's my bad.
- No, don't do that.
- Hey.
Don't "my bad" it.
And stop being so likable.
Stop being so likable, like, I get don't - and don't be like "I understand" - Earn, we're heading out now.
- Because you don't understand.
- Now! - We're going now.
- Like, I'm - Good night.
- For your hospitality.
Okay, well, we we'd love to see you soon.
Thank you very much for coming.
- Mm-hmm.
- Good night.
- Mm-hmm.
- Happy Juneteenth.
- So weird.
- Great party.
Let's go, babe.
So weird.
This is a weird place.

Right to ****** 
 #4

Since the 2017 Whitney Biennale opened a few weeks ago, exhibition invitee Dana Schutz' painting of/after a 1955 photo of the battered body of Emmett Till on public display in an open coffin has been the focus of protest and wide discussion.

Scott W. H. Young : see photo below and twitter commentary  (here)
Siddhartha Mitter : “What Does It Mean to Be Black and Look at This?” A Scholar Reflects on the Dana Schutz (here)
Priscilla Frank : A White Artist's Painting Of Emmett Till Sparks Protest, Controversy And A Viral Hoax (here)
Coco Fusco : Censorship, Not the Painting, Must Go: On Dana Schutz’s Image of Emmett Till (here)
Benjamin Sutton, Whoopi Weighs in on Emmett Till Painting as Schutz Storm Reaches Daytime TV (here)
Adam Shatz : Raw Material (here)
Andrew Goldstein : Why Dana Schutz’s Emmett Till Painting Must Stay: A Q&A With the Whitney Biennial’s Christopher Lew (here)
Christopher Benson : The Image of Emmett Till (here)
    
Theatre of the Actors of Regard  
 detail 
 A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
 someone looks at something... 
         
 LOGOS/HA HA