I've been stagnant for a while, so getting back into book was a necessary shock to the system. And a mess. I spent a lot of nights in the studio after Frieda went down (as is evident in the second picture). I made a big wreck of the thing, cleaned it up, ruined it again, ripped parts out and loved the whole process.
I've a dearth of patience these days; I divide all I have between a two-year old and crap economy (as Oliver can testify to). Even though it was rough going on this one, and the end result is manic to say the least, I was completely invigorated by making this spread. Exhausted, out of time, and happy to be doing book.
OK, now I would like to talk about blogs. I hate them. I think they provide a platform for self important ramblings. What's worse is when this diarrhea of the editorial is knighted 'journalism' because it exists on a third party platform. I think blogs are evidence of our mile-wide but inch-deep attention spans. In short, I am a grumpy old man about the whole thing.
Now, concerning to this project, I am opposed to a 'blog'. Blogging about this project places book in a commercial realm that robs it of it's integrity. I know that sounds like bland and typical anti- talk, a sort of "fuck advertising, this is art, man" sentiment, but I assure you, I am not presenting an argument that sophomoric; nor do I have a problem with advertising. It's just that book isn't a commercial venture. I am not saying it is better than a commercial venture, just that it isn't one. Therefor it is measured by a different system, though the two (art and commerce) are very often pitted against each other in an almost always misguided debate . And if we shape it in that light, I think it will effect the project, and I think we won't get out of it what we are hoping to achieve.
Let me say this:
I do not want to emulate book 1.
I do not want to re-make an experience.
I DO want to lose myself in our conversation through this project.
Simply stated, I think it goes like this: If we plan on showing this thing to the world, we won't make something worth showing. If we don't worry about exhibiting this work, and make it for truly selfish reasons, we may end up having something worth sharing.
Now, having presented a diarrhetic editorial of my own, I think we should keep blogging about book. What? That's because I think there is value in recording the process, regardless of where this project goes, and as long as we don't contaminate the process by discussing content. Can we just not call it a blog please?
Here is a picture of book and some beer. American beer (owned by a Belgium company).
Week 1 in my studio.
