#repeated gesture

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WOLFGANG LAIB October 2015 in Tokyo, Japan

I’ve known Laib’s work for several years now and have always been drawn to the power of his works as they describe the peaceful process of his daily life - collecting pollen. The receptiveness suggests complete satisfaction and contentedness and his living-with ‘nature’. This quality of contentedness in repetition is as essential for the build of all elements of the installation as it is in Zen brushwork;

‘True creation must arise from mu-shin, or the star of “no mind,” a state beyond thought, emotions, and expectations. Work that is produced through conscious effort is ultimately devoid of life.’ (Tanshu, Zen Brushwork. p. 10)

This will develop as an extension of my daily meditation and energetic work. 

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Qiu Zhijie, Writing the “Orchid Pavillion Preface” One Thousand Times (1990-5)

‘By writing the same text repeatedly, Qiu not only focused on the process of writing but also eliminated “the literary nature of calligraphy” and asserted the ultimate goal of calligraphic practice “as a form of ‘written meditation.’”’

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Tom Friedman, Unitiled. 1990

Writing in a circular motion to graduate to an eventual empty circle by way of the artist writing his own name until the ink of the pen runs out.

My first thought was that the writing of ones own name is ego-centric, but that is exactly the point of the process and the message - the repeated gesture that, like meditation, appears to gradually dissolve “I”, or ego. The artist reduces himself into empty space as the trace of the ink vanishes.

Migone recognizes this dissolution of Tom Friedman but it is with regards to the circular form of the piece and the ‘recording’ of the artists name in ink as it resembles the grooves of a record. Complimenting his patience as ‘meticulous perseverance’ it seems to miss the point by concluding, ‘by way of its very inscription, the signatory paradoxically achieves immortality’. I do not see this death, unless it is the death into rebirth.

A very important work going forward as it uses every day-materials to articulate time, space and non self.

(Found in C. Migone, Sonic Somatic: Performances of the Unsounding Body. 2012, 39-40)

[doranedwards]

Qiu Zhijie, Writing the “Orchid Pavillion Preface” One Thousand Times (1990-5)

‘By writing the same text repeatedly, Qiu not only focused on the process of writing but also eliminated “the literary nature of calligraphy” and asserted the ultimate goal of calligraphic practice “as a form of ‘written meditation.’”’

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Seon Ghi Bahk

An aggregate 201106, 2011

Stairs, 2008

Existence Circle, 2009

Coal hung from nylon thread

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David Connearn, Untitled (part of a series of 5), ink on paper, 72 x 72 cm, 1985 - 1994

The artist draws a line as straight as possible and then follows, as closely as possible, with another line underneath the previous so as to try to keep them touching. When talking to David about his work, he merely said that he makes procedural drawings, but what is evident in this process is the beauty of that giving-over of the “self” to the repetitive labour that allows us to see the true humanity in the imperfection.  

[doranedwards]

Tom Friedman, Unitiled. 1990

Writing in a circular motion to graduate to an eventual empty circle by way of the artist writing his own name until the ink of the pen runs out. 

My first thought was that the writing of ones own name is ego-centric, but that is exactly the point of the process and the message - the repeated gesture that, like meditation, appears to gradually dissolve “I”, or ego. The artist reduces himself into empty space as the trace of the ink vanishes. 

Migone recognizes this dissolution of Tom Friedman but it is with regards to the circular form of the piece and the ‘recording’ of the artists name in ink as it resembles the grooves of a record. Complimenting his patience as ‘meticulous perseverance’ it seems to miss the point by concluding, ‘by way of its very inscription, the signatory paradoxically achieves immortality’. I do not see this death, unless it is the death into rebirth. 

A very important work going forward as it uses every day-materials to articulate time, space and non self. 

(Found in C. Migone, Sonic Somatic: Performances of the Unsounding Body. 2012, 39-40)