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.
Up the pole
Prime Minister Turnbull
Next election comin' into sight...
Yesterday, very butch indeed
Impress th' right wing -
Those hard liners!
Asylum Seekers
Mr VARVARIS (Barton) (14:06): My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on the government's steadfast commitment to keeping Australia's borders secure?
Mr Husic interjecting—
The SPEAKER: Member for Chifley, if you interject again you will be leaving the House.
Mr TURNBULL (Wentworth—Prime Minister) (14:06): Nobody should ever doubt the resolve of this government to keep our borders secure, to prevent the people-smuggling racket, to break their business model and keep lives safe, to prevent drownings at sea and to protect vulnerable people from being exploited by ruthless criminal gangs. Twice in our history, coalition governments have acted decisively to ensure that the pernicious, criminal trade of people-smuggling cannot succeed. Our commitment today is simply this: the people smugglers will not prevail over our sovereignty. Our borders are secure. The line has to be drawn somewhere, and it is drawn at our border.
I note today that a very significant judgement was handed down by the High Court of Australia. By a six to one majority, the High Court rejected a challenge to Australia's offshore detention arrangements, and it upheld the existing framework as legally and constitutionally valid. Now, we will consider the judgement and its implications carefully. But what I can say is this: our system of deterrence remains robust and has recently been reinforced to deal with immediate and enduring threats to our maritime security and sovereignty.
- extract from Hansard :
Questions without Notice , 3 February 2016 (full extract here)
High Court finds offshore detention lawful (here)
Nicole Hasham, The Age
3 February 2016
End offshore detention of refugees now (here)
Editorial : The Age
4 February 2016
For deport to Naura :
Canberra Lineman
with apology to Glen Campbell
I am the lineman for this country and I drive the main road
While searchin' on the sea for another boat overload
I hear you singin' in the wire, I can hear you through the whine
And the Canberra Lineman is still drawing the line
I know I need our re-election, it's coming all too soon
If those tow-backs were all known could we ever stand the strain
And I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time
And the Canberra Lineman is still drawing the line
[Slave Guitars - Instrumental Interlude]
And I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time
And the Canberra Lineman is still drawing the line
[Slave Guitars - Instrumental to end]
For deport to Naura :
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
One notices a certain something then sees it here and there and soon it appears to be everywhere, right?
Sketchies, for instance, as predicted yesterday, from tags and selfies to artisanal selfie-sketches. After meta-sketchies, obviously space-sketchies and void-sketchies would quickly follow.
It was no great surprise therefore to see the front page photo on last weekend's The Saturday Paper : above the headline 'Unless you bare your arse you've no chance', there's Bill 'The Devil' Heffernan drawing his own immaterial Senate sketchie.
Senator Bill Heffernan The Saturday Newspaper
You can play that other track now :
'Flowers on the Wall'
written by Lew DeWitt
recorded by The Statler Brothers (1965)
performed by free pencil movement (Festival Hall,
Melbourne 2016)
I keep hearin' you're concerned about my happiness
But all that thought you're givin' me is conscience I guess
If I was walkin' in your shoes, I wouldn't worry none
While you 'n' your friends are worried about me I'm havin'
lots of fun
Countin' flowers on the wall
That don't bother me at all
Playin' solitaire till dawn with a deck of fifty-one
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me I've nothin' to do
Last night I dressed in tails, pretended I was on the town
As long as I can dream it's hard to slow this swinger down
So please don't give a thought to me, I'm really doin' fine
You can always find me here, I'm havin' quite a time
Countin' flowers on the wall
That don't bother me at all
Playin' solitaire till dawn with a deck of fifty-one
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me I've nothin' to do
It's good to see you, I must go, I know I look a fright
Anyway my eyes are not accustomed to this light
And my shoes are not accustomed to this hard concrete
So I must go back to my room and make my day complete
Countin' flowers on the wall
That don't bother me at all
Playin' solitaire till dawn with a deck of fifty-one
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me I've nothin' to do
Don't tell me I've nothin' to do
back page of PT catalog for 'the go-between' (May 2000)
Anna Schwartz Gallery, Melbourne
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
Further to yesterday's vainglorious solipsism, from Theatre of the Actors of Regard (Dolce & Gabbana, Milan, September 2015) it's Selfies On Parade.
Best in category.
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
We're tipping as the next reflexive : the sketchie (via selfie-sketch, meta-sketch).
It's already happening : yesterday at the bakery on the otherwise bare counter a lone brown paper bag sketchie. Bread on the shelves but no one there to serve. The customer examined the bag. Eventually bought some bread and took the bag home.
One side : three dimensions of space tightly wrapped and all self contained.
The other side, same bag, same container : three free lines (or possibly they support an unseen container) and three lines as supports for an ideogram of dependent arising.
Paper bag, teacher, projection-space, container : same bag, aware and self-illustrating as both Relative (one side) and Absolute/empty of inherence (the other).
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
She sees See Selfs by the Self Sure
I self
you self
he/she selfs
we self
you self
they self
Mary Anning of palaeontoLOGOS/HA HA fame
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
She sees See Selfs
subject verb object
subject verb object
subject verb object
subject verb object
subject verb object
subject verb object
Genesis : Self Made Sign
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
Self self self (Self is all you need)
self self self
self self self
self self self
self self self
self self self
self self self
20teens : Age of the Selfie Sketch
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
... dial!
... ugly mug!
... boat race!
... projection-space!
FIAPCE
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
Theatre of the Actors of Regard
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
As with yesterday's featured photo
today we again regard
a figure
who emits no light/
who absorbs all light/
who reflects no light/
other
a figure who appears to regard
a painted artwork mural
that emits some visible spectrum light/
that absorbs some visible spectrum light/
that reflects some visible spectrum light/
other
- newspaper image and caption from obituary for
Ellsworth Kelly (d. 27 December 2015)
TAR Proscenium
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
Six months ago, after more than 150 years service, the local Post Office closed down. (see here)
Two weeks ago the cost of a basic stamp rose from 70c to a dollar.
This morning, our postie delivered this pamphlet from Australia Post.
Now, regular delivery times will be much slower unless we pay even more.
HAND SPACE manifesto, 1981-
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
