"Like the study of science and art, accounts of historical events can be intrinsically fascinating. But they have a wider significance. I believe that people are better able to chart their life course and make life decisions when they know how others have dealt with pressures and dilemmas---historically, contemporaneously, and in works of art. And only equipped with such understanding can we participate knowledgeably in contemporary discussions (and decisions) about the culpability of various individuals and countries in the Second World War. Only with such understanding can we ponder the responsibilty of human beings everywhere to counter current efforts at genocide in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia to bring the perpetrators to justice."
"...we humans are the kinds of animals who learn chiefly by observing others---what they value, what they spurn, how they conduct themselves from day to day, and especially, what they do when they believe that no one is looking."
----Howard Gardner, from The Disciplined Mind, published in 1999

Thursday, August 9, 2007

On Time, Motion, and Momentum; or The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

Dear reader, the more I attempt to become facile in this practice of writing, the more visual my thinking becomes: an unexpected outcome of this behavior plan I've made for myself.
As the visual is a preferred activity/modality for me, I'll start off what I've been wishing to write about, about motion and time, solitude and isolation, and how we take it--- with some visuals.

I think in this schedule of reinforcement, I'm ready to be able to engage in preferred activity.



Departure, Max Beckmann www.moma.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij738Q-wWmk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LHhcx52CF0

5 comments:

AfKaP said...

I enjoyed the Peter Gabriel images and will have a coutnerpart posted on my blog in a couple of days (not one of my own videos but someone else's.) Beckmann is always great (even two days in a row!!)

neroli said...

I await your counterpart happily!
*grinning*

I absolutely adore Gabriel. His work is incredibly multi-modal for me; and he is an incredible performer...I've been fortunate to see him 3 or 4 times, and been amazed each and every time.
And when it came to choosing new names for BG (first, middle, last) when we were "emancipated," the name Gabriel was one of my choices.
(The angel reference just put it over the top :-)

Beckmann...what can I say? The efficiency of communication in the image is inordinate: I loved it before I even knew violence.
I love it even more now that I have known violence, and been marked by it.
But that's a whole 'nother post...

Pelicano said...

Hey...I've never seen that video of P. Gabriel's before- thanks! I do recall his video for Bigtime though, I've always loved clay-mation, especially some of those older children's films.

Do you ever listen to Kate Bush? I've been a fan since 1985 or so...she's done a few collabs with Gabriel. Her latest album, Ariel is pretty good- full of birdies! :-)

neroli said...

Pel, somehow I knew you would like that video!
I've always been drawn to that which seems to have the mark of the hand and of the making upon it-I guess I perseverated on those Davey-and-Goliath, Gumby, and Christmas films in my youth :-)
I like Gabriel's visual solution to the song in concert, rather than replaying the video visuals on the jumbo-tron. It's always nice to be informed with different perspectives, I think...
Kate? Yes---and Laurie Anderson, Tori Amos, and Bjork...

neroli said...

PS---
Pel, did you go over to the AFKAPW's place to see the video she posted as a rejoinder?
It's wonderful.