SI Thirteen
Weighted Boxes Pushed by Dowels Long Tone Phrases Soloist
Place one closed weighted cardboard box in a parking lot like space. Equip the
performer with several dowels of different lengths, ranging for 2 feet or so to ten
or more. These dowels can be carried slung over the shoulder. From a fixed position,
using one of the dowels, the performer pushes the box near which he has placed himself
as far as the pole and his arm will extend without moving otherwise. This done, the
performer repositions himself up next to the box, and using the same dowel or one of
the others per choice, he repeats the act of pushing with the dowel and length of arm,
also in direction of personal choice. This is done until much of parking lot like space
has been explored.
Weighted Boxes Pushed by Dowels Long Tone Phrases in Orchestration
Place weighted uniform cardboard boxes about a parking-lot type space. Equip
several performers with different length poles from four feet to twelve in length.
They are instructed to push a designated weighted box with the dowel from where
they stand next to the box across the parking lot tar as far as the pole and their arm
length will reach. They will then walk to the box, stand next to it, and push it from
where the box is now to the length of the pole and arm in a chosen direction.
Continuous tones of box scuffing across tar will vary in duration according to pole
and arm lengths, a speed at which the pushing act is performed, effected perhaps by
length-of-pole dexterity, and amount of weight in box, which may vary if an additional
variant is desired. Otherwise, one brick per uniform box would do. Tone durations
will overlap and form short dowel/ long dowel phrasing and interplay.
Rummage Flipping Box with Dwindling Contents
Prepare a cardboard box by filling it about half full with beach stones. Seal it and cut
a four by six inch rectangular hole in one side. Now, the performer flips the box from
face to face slowly in a straight line across the park lot like area from one end to the
other. The contents will dwindle as the box spills contents on every fourth flip; the hole
should be on a face that will be turned face down in the path. Variation; an improvised
path is decided spontaneously, on which the other faces of the box will come into play,
being flipped on and hence extending the dwindling of contents, and varying the formal
spilling quality that would be associated with every fourth move.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Squirrel Feet by Jason Stocks
The deep of
the waters edge
is cold and black.
Mark Keen's telling me to jump
mice munching cables
during xmas
cheeer, yanks
me back.
Eggnog bubble
in the nostrils from waxy cup in Mrs.
Goodman's first grade
from over drink, itchy sweater,loose
tooth
someone's on the roof, squirrel feet
never what I ever want
big floppy eraser-burn-out
soft spot smell ,left at school
alone with big pencil and big lonely (SEASONS CHANGE TO
SPOOK
.and remind that you don't know me anymore
or hold my hand. People love turtles
they try and i
don't know
save em from
hot pavement and distracted drivers
but put em right back where they
started
sometimes turtles pee on people
sshsh I hear it too. It's just hogs
rootin' around
I guess I understand it don't
you .
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
The Enigmatic Symphonies of Instrumentism #12 by Lewis Gesner
Symphony of Instrumentism Twelve
Ensembles Unrolling
Cut a cotton sheet into five or more long even strips. Choose five or more
objects (one object per strip) of related utility; for instance, five items of personal
grooming, five kitchen utensils/cooking implements, five articles of amusement,
five fit-it or carpentry tools, etc; ensembles. Lay out the sheet strips and place
the item in at its end, then, roll the sheet strip up with the object rolled inside,
at the end of the strip, or, the center of the roll. When the entire selected
ensemble has been individually rolled, place all rolls side by side on the
performance space floor. Now take the end of the first roll and fling it out like
you’re flinging out a full sheet to spread. The strip and contained object will fly
out in front or in some forward moving direction, landing, hitting, bouncing,
sounding itself. Proceed and render the rest of the rolled strips/w/objects in
this way.
Swabs and Stones and Ruckus
Make a pile of stones, all sizes, textures and composition. Produce several rolls of
paper towels and a bucket of water. Take the beginning of a roll in each hand and
start to wrap the rolls around the hands, until the rolls are unraveled and
rewrapped around the hands. Now, dip each towel rolled hand in the bucket of water.
Proceed as best as can be done to wrap another paper towel roll around each wet
towel enclosed hand. Do this several times until at least three rolls have been wound
around each hand. The last rolling on the hand should not be dipped in the water,
but allowed to remain dry. Now with these swabbed hands, approach the pile of stones,
striking into it, dispersing them, shuffling, them spreading, scattering and battering,
burying the swabbed hands into the depths of stone and stirring until the swabs have
become shredded and the hands are exposed, at which time the movement ceases.
Ensembles Unrolling
Cut a cotton sheet into five or more long even strips. Choose five or more
objects (one object per strip) of related utility; for instance, five items of personal
grooming, five kitchen utensils/cooking implements, five articles of amusement,
five fit-it or carpentry tools, etc; ensembles. Lay out the sheet strips and place
the item in at its end, then, roll the sheet strip up with the object rolled inside,
at the end of the strip, or, the center of the roll. When the entire selected
ensemble has been individually rolled, place all rolls side by side on the
performance space floor. Now take the end of the first roll and fling it out like
you’re flinging out a full sheet to spread. The strip and contained object will fly
out in front or in some forward moving direction, landing, hitting, bouncing,
sounding itself. Proceed and render the rest of the rolled strips/w/objects in
this way.
Swabs and Stones and Ruckus
Make a pile of stones, all sizes, textures and composition. Produce several rolls of
paper towels and a bucket of water. Take the beginning of a roll in each hand and
start to wrap the rolls around the hands, until the rolls are unraveled and
rewrapped around the hands. Now, dip each towel rolled hand in the bucket of water.
Proceed as best as can be done to wrap another paper towel roll around each wet
towel enclosed hand. Do this several times until at least three rolls have been wound
around each hand. The last rolling on the hand should not be dipped in the water,
but allowed to remain dry. Now with these swabbed hands, approach the pile of stones,
striking into it, dispersing them, shuffling, them spreading, scattering and battering,
burying the swabbed hands into the depths of stone and stirring until the swabs have
become shredded and the hands are exposed, at which time the movement ceases.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Galapagos Cakes by Vanessa Maida
2 lb. yukon gold potatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 yellow onion
1 t. cumin
1 cup shredded jack cheeese
peel, cut, and boil potatoes
until tender. while potatoes cook,
sautee garlic and onion. season with
salt, pepper, and cumin then
transfer to a medium bowl. add potatoes
and shredded cheese....
Mash it all together then form
into patties and fry in olive oil
until crispy on each side.
2 cloves garlic
1 yellow onion
1 t. cumin
1 cup shredded jack cheeese
peel, cut, and boil potatoes
until tender. while potatoes cook,
sautee garlic and onion. season with
salt, pepper, and cumin then
transfer to a medium bowl. add potatoes
and shredded cheese....
Mash it all together then form
into patties and fry in olive oil
until crispy on each side.
Monday, February 20, 2012
untitled by Philip Radiotes
this is a poem about the time
we saw a terrible band
that we thought was great
"saves the day"
they played in an "underground" club
back before we knew underground
means shitty most of the time
we really thought they were great
maybe they are
or maybe it was because
we were all there
randy's mom let him borrow the car
and it was before tim and randy's brother
stopped talking to each other
and we were practicing in my garage
with the old line up
when randy's brother played drums
and tim's hair was green
i paid someone about 16 dollars to get us a pack of marlboro reds
that night
yeah
wow
seriously
we thought "saves the day" was awesome
as we and the posers went cussing through the streets
back to the car
with a bunch of posters in our hands
we saw a terrible band
that we thought was great
"saves the day"
they played in an "underground" club
back before we knew underground
means shitty most of the time
we really thought they were great
maybe they are
or maybe it was because
we were all there
randy's mom let him borrow the car
and it was before tim and randy's brother
stopped talking to each other
and we were practicing in my garage
with the old line up
when randy's brother played drums
and tim's hair was green
i paid someone about 16 dollars to get us a pack of marlboro reds
that night
yeah
wow
seriously
we thought "saves the day" was awesome
as we and the posers went cussing through the streets
back to the car
with a bunch of posters in our hands
Sunday, February 19, 2012
The Enigmatic Symphonies of Instrumentism #11 by Lewis Gesner
Symphony of Instrumentism Eleven
Movement
Enter the spaces with heavy boxes. Unbox books from the boxes. There are
quite a few. Make a single tall stack of books in the middle space as high as
possible. Take the top book off and tie a string around it that crosses on both
surfaces so that the book is secured on all sides by string. Cut the string
remaining to a length of about five feet. Make sure that where the string is attached
to the book, it is on a side, so that when the book is swung, it swings in a narrow,
flat space the width of the book. Wrap the loose string now around the hand and begin
to swing the book like a slingshot. Approach the stack of books and try to knock
the very top book off with the swinging book. Proceed onto the next book in the stack,
trying to knock only that book off of the stack. Continue until books are scattered.
Movement
Movement
Collect the books and place as many as possible back in a tall stack. Some might not sit
flat if damaged. After this has been done, stand beside the stack, quickly take books
off of the top and fling them into the left corner of the room where wall meets floor. When
this has been completed, collect books and restack in a tall stack at the performance
space center. Now, starting with the topmost book on the stack, fling the books one at
a time into the right most corner. When this is completed, again restack the books in
the center of the room. Now, alternate flinging the books into the left and right corner.
When this is completed, collect the books again and place in a stack. Now, fling books
to the left, to the center, and to the right edge where wall meets floor. Make several
alternating patterns between the three locations until books are used up.
Movement
Movement
Movement
Restack the books into a single tall stack at room center. Take the top two books off of
the stack and tie them together with string. Take another book, and then another and
also tie them together, to each other and the first two. Begin to tie books from the stack
onto sides of books at angles, trying to break away from the square orientation and
steering the resulting shape toward a globe or circle. When all of the books have been
used up doing this, attempt to roll the book mass around the space, seeing if it will
continue rolling when thrust, or flipping it from face to face as if learning to use new legs.
Stop. Navigate the shape out of the performance space.
Movement
Enter the spaces with heavy boxes. Unbox books from the boxes. There are
quite a few. Make a single tall stack of books in the middle space as high as
possible. Take the top book off and tie a string around it that crosses on both
surfaces so that the book is secured on all sides by string. Cut the string
remaining to a length of about five feet. Make sure that where the string is attached
to the book, it is on a side, so that when the book is swung, it swings in a narrow,
flat space the width of the book. Wrap the loose string now around the hand and begin
to swing the book like a slingshot. Approach the stack of books and try to knock
the very top book off with the swinging book. Proceed onto the next book in the stack,
trying to knock only that book off of the stack. Continue until books are scattered.
Movement
Movement
Collect the books and place as many as possible back in a tall stack. Some might not sit
flat if damaged. After this has been done, stand beside the stack, quickly take books
off of the top and fling them into the left corner of the room where wall meets floor. When
this has been completed, collect books and restack in a tall stack at the performance
space center. Now, starting with the topmost book on the stack, fling the books one at
a time into the right most corner. When this is completed, again restack the books in
the center of the room. Now, alternate flinging the books into the left and right corner.
When this is completed, collect the books again and place in a stack. Now, fling books
to the left, to the center, and to the right edge where wall meets floor. Make several
alternating patterns between the three locations until books are used up.
Movement
Movement
Movement
Restack the books into a single tall stack at room center. Take the top two books off of
the stack and tie them together with string. Take another book, and then another and
also tie them together, to each other and the first two. Begin to tie books from the stack
onto sides of books at angles, trying to break away from the square orientation and
steering the resulting shape toward a globe or circle. When all of the books have been
used up doing this, attempt to roll the book mass around the space, seeing if it will
continue rolling when thrust, or flipping it from face to face as if learning to use new legs.
Stop. Navigate the shape out of the performance space.
Friday, February 17, 2012
untitled by Kevin Estrada
o maybe a spider
that bit me
at night
when i awake
at 3:03
at first to an itch
i think is nothing
then scratchscratchscratch
could be a rash?
it warms with his-
tamine, my blood
is invaded
the bump has a pulse
of its own
that bit me
at night
when i awake
at 3:03
at first to an itch
i think is nothing
then scratchscratchscratch
could be a rash?
it warms with his-
tamine, my blood
is invaded
the bump has a pulse
of its own
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Crackle by Kimberly Phan
it smells like past love
like thunder
like heat
like silence.
it crackles
it sizzles
it whispers embers.
it feels like anger,
like blankets, like melting skin.
it feels like yesterday,
like nostaglia, like open
air into space into
sky.
it sings in waves,
warms up my face
warms up a secret place,
all the while dancing quite loudly.
like thunder
like heat
like silence.
it crackles
it sizzles
it whispers embers.
it feels like anger,
like blankets, like melting skin.
it feels like yesterday,
like nostaglia, like open
air into space into
sky.
it sings in waves,
warms up my face
warms up a secret place,
all the while dancing quite loudly.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
The Enigmatic Symphonies of Instrumentism #10 by Lewis Gesner
Symphony of Instrumentism Ten
Books Pitch
Enter the empty performance space with one stack of books, perhaps twenty, or as
many as can be held in a stack from fingers to shoulders in from of you against the
chest. Place this stack on the floor in center space, in a stack. Take the book off
of the top and skid it across the floor toward the wall, trying to make it stop against
the wall or as close to it as possible. Take the next and do the same, this time
trying to land the book next to the previous along the wall, also as close to the wall
as possible. Do this until all the books in the stack have been used. Try to space
the books along the wall so that they are evenly located from the left to the right.
Compressed Book Air Pitch
Put a 2x4 on the floor, one end against the facing wall, the other end at a straight
angle out from the wall. Depart from space, return with another stack of books,
about twenty in number, or from fingers to shoulders or chin, held against the chest.
Walk toward the 2x4 and let one foot catch or “stub” against the outward pointed end.
Use the momentum of continued forward movement to launch the stack of books held
against the chest directly forward so that they crash into the facing wall.
The Walk like Cobblestone
Leave the space. Return with another stack of books, held against the chest
from fingertips to chin. Arrange them on the floor like a cobblestone path across
a stream, books open, face down, spines facing up. When the path has been
completely laid out so that all books have been used up, go to one end of the path
and walk along the face-down books, trying to balance so that the predominant
amount of weight is upon the spines of the books.
Appended Fourth Movement
Depart from space. Return with a chair and one book. Seat self, turn the book
upside down and backward. Proceed to tear out each page from the last to the
first, crumpling each page and dropping it on the floor in front of the chair. When
all of the pages have been torn out, stand up, place the empty book jacket on the
chair, and depart from the space.
Addition to the Appended Forth Movement
Return to space, carrying a piece of canvas, string, scissors, and one book. Sit
down in the chair that has been left there with items on lap. Place on floor as
needed. Take scissors and cut a random shape from the canvas piece, throwing
what remains aside. Taking the scissors, make perforations along one side of the
canvas, and matching perforations along the side that most closely faces the first.
Now, cut pieces of string from the ball and make short shoelace like lengths.
Thread each string through one hole and its opposite. Now, make another set of
perforations such that one end will be closed up when threaded. Thread string
through all perforations to make a small sack, pull strings tight and tie. Put down.
Turn book obviously right side up, so you are looking at the front cover. Proceed
to tear out the pages one at a time. After tearing out each page, stuff them into
the canvas sack, or wait until several have been torn, and stuff several pages at
a time into the sack. Proceed until all of the pages have been torn out. Take the
scissors and make perforations on the sides of the last open end. Cut pieces of
string, thread them through the perforations, and close up the sack. Stand up,
put the empty book jacket on the seat of the chair, and then the sack on top of it.
Depart from the space.
Extension of the Addition to the Appended Fourth Movement
Return to the performing space with a camera slung around the neck. Approach the
canvas sack on the chair. Pick it up, turn it over in hands, and name it out load from
the seven mouth part position sounds uniquely combined. Place it on the floor, circle
it while looking through the camera, frame several shots and shoot several exposures
of slide film from different angles. Place again on chair and depart again.
Books Pitch
Enter the empty performance space with one stack of books, perhaps twenty, or as
many as can be held in a stack from fingers to shoulders in from of you against the
chest. Place this stack on the floor in center space, in a stack. Take the book off
of the top and skid it across the floor toward the wall, trying to make it stop against
the wall or as close to it as possible. Take the next and do the same, this time
trying to land the book next to the previous along the wall, also as close to the wall
as possible. Do this until all the books in the stack have been used. Try to space
the books along the wall so that they are evenly located from the left to the right.
Compressed Book Air Pitch
Put a 2x4 on the floor, one end against the facing wall, the other end at a straight
angle out from the wall. Depart from space, return with another stack of books,
about twenty in number, or from fingers to shoulders or chin, held against the chest.
Walk toward the 2x4 and let one foot catch or “stub” against the outward pointed end.
Use the momentum of continued forward movement to launch the stack of books held
against the chest directly forward so that they crash into the facing wall.
The Walk like Cobblestone
Leave the space. Return with another stack of books, held against the chest
from fingertips to chin. Arrange them on the floor like a cobblestone path across
a stream, books open, face down, spines facing up. When the path has been
completely laid out so that all books have been used up, go to one end of the path
and walk along the face-down books, trying to balance so that the predominant
amount of weight is upon the spines of the books.
Appended Fourth Movement
Depart from space. Return with a chair and one book. Seat self, turn the book
upside down and backward. Proceed to tear out each page from the last to the
first, crumpling each page and dropping it on the floor in front of the chair. When
all of the pages have been torn out, stand up, place the empty book jacket on the
chair, and depart from the space.
Addition to the Appended Forth Movement
Return to space, carrying a piece of canvas, string, scissors, and one book. Sit
down in the chair that has been left there with items on lap. Place on floor as
needed. Take scissors and cut a random shape from the canvas piece, throwing
what remains aside. Taking the scissors, make perforations along one side of the
canvas, and matching perforations along the side that most closely faces the first.
Now, cut pieces of string from the ball and make short shoelace like lengths.
Thread each string through one hole and its opposite. Now, make another set of
perforations such that one end will be closed up when threaded. Thread string
through all perforations to make a small sack, pull strings tight and tie. Put down.
Turn book obviously right side up, so you are looking at the front cover. Proceed
to tear out the pages one at a time. After tearing out each page, stuff them into
the canvas sack, or wait until several have been torn, and stuff several pages at
a time into the sack. Proceed until all of the pages have been torn out. Take the
scissors and make perforations on the sides of the last open end. Cut pieces of
string, thread them through the perforations, and close up the sack. Stand up,
put the empty book jacket on the seat of the chair, and then the sack on top of it.
Depart from the space.
Extension of the Addition to the Appended Fourth Movement
Return to the performing space with a camera slung around the neck. Approach the
canvas sack on the chair. Pick it up, turn it over in hands, and name it out load from
the seven mouth part position sounds uniquely combined. Place it on the floor, circle
it while looking through the camera, frame several shots and shoot several exposures
of slide film from different angles. Place again on chair and depart again.
Friday, February 10, 2012
The Enigmatic Symphonies of Instrumentism #9 by Lewis Gesner
Symphony of Instrumentism Nine
Nature with Manufacture
Collect a large number of smooth beach stones, all from the same beach at
once so the material of the stone are relatively uniform. Collect in groups of three
distinct sizes; pebble sized, distinctly larger, the size of a lighter perhaps, and larger,
the size of a fist or apple. Collect as much as possible, several hundred of the
small, perhaps fewer of the largest size. Bring to the performance space in separate
bags. Deliver to the space still in bags, resting at center space, the three bags side by
side on the floor. Also collect objects from attics, salvation army stores, and yard sales,
random things of no particular focal use, just utilitarian things. Bring them in a box
to the performance space and empty the box along the wall where it meets the floor,
like spreading seed for the length of the room. After doing this, push the clutter
in with feet and hands, to more densely pack the objects into the wall/floor meeting.
Now taking a position in center space beside the bags, and empty the bags of beach
stones onto the floor in three piles, being careful to keep the piles separate. Now
sitting on the floor, select stones from the three piles in any combination or
series/sequence, and pelt the objects packed between the wall and floor the length
of the room. Develop this instrument though observation of specific item-in-object-pile
locations, interactions with stone weights and size, and effect of combinations possible
within the parameters.
A Sheet Solo Sound Progression
Produce a queen-size linen sheet from a plastic bag. Pull it over your head and
body standing up and center it so that it meets the floor all around you if possible.
Now, by scratching, blowing, tearing, snapping, fluffing pulling taunt and otherwise
touching/interacting with this sheet, produce a spontaneous sound making vocabulary
of action, generating one sound at a time, with silence before and after, so that each
sound exists in its own spatial location.
Rattling Damage
Buy or collect as many manufactured objects with several attached elements
or armatures on each. Examples might be toys, various kitchen utensils, like a
manual egg beater, ink pens, office items, staplers and so forth. Arrange neatly
in the performing space, and then, selecting one at a time, strike the chosen
object using a board and a stone. After each strike, shake the object to observe
any rattling effects. Continue to strike objects with uniform blows, shaking the
object between each strike to produce a possible associated progression of
rattling from object breakage, or, find the limit of its breakage, where the items
stops being affected by force. Continue on individual objects until they have
deteriorated and fall apart in the hands, or until this maximum damage limit has
been reached.
Nature with Manufacture
Collect a large number of smooth beach stones, all from the same beach at
once so the material of the stone are relatively uniform. Collect in groups of three
distinct sizes; pebble sized, distinctly larger, the size of a lighter perhaps, and larger,
the size of a fist or apple. Collect as much as possible, several hundred of the
small, perhaps fewer of the largest size. Bring to the performance space in separate
bags. Deliver to the space still in bags, resting at center space, the three bags side by
side on the floor. Also collect objects from attics, salvation army stores, and yard sales,
random things of no particular focal use, just utilitarian things. Bring them in a box
to the performance space and empty the box along the wall where it meets the floor,
like spreading seed for the length of the room. After doing this, push the clutter
in with feet and hands, to more densely pack the objects into the wall/floor meeting.
Now taking a position in center space beside the bags, and empty the bags of beach
stones onto the floor in three piles, being careful to keep the piles separate. Now
sitting on the floor, select stones from the three piles in any combination or
series/sequence, and pelt the objects packed between the wall and floor the length
of the room. Develop this instrument though observation of specific item-in-object-pile
locations, interactions with stone weights and size, and effect of combinations possible
within the parameters.
A Sheet Solo Sound Progression
Produce a queen-size linen sheet from a plastic bag. Pull it over your head and
body standing up and center it so that it meets the floor all around you if possible.
Now, by scratching, blowing, tearing, snapping, fluffing pulling taunt and otherwise
touching/interacting with this sheet, produce a spontaneous sound making vocabulary
of action, generating one sound at a time, with silence before and after, so that each
sound exists in its own spatial location.
Rattling Damage
Buy or collect as many manufactured objects with several attached elements
or armatures on each. Examples might be toys, various kitchen utensils, like a
manual egg beater, ink pens, office items, staplers and so forth. Arrange neatly
in the performing space, and then, selecting one at a time, strike the chosen
object using a board and a stone. After each strike, shake the object to observe
any rattling effects. Continue to strike objects with uniform blows, shaking the
object between each strike to produce a possible associated progression of
rattling from object breakage, or, find the limit of its breakage, where the items
stops being affected by force. Continue on individual objects until they have
deteriorated and fall apart in the hands, or until this maximum damage limit has
been reached.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The Enigmatic Symphonies of Instrumentism #8 by Lewis Gesner
Symphony of Instrumentism Eight
Random String Roll Lococompulsion
There will need to be three distinct locations in which this symphony will be performed.
The first, the gallery or room, and immediate vicinities, represents the synthetic
orderly surface as composed for casual, low physical impact human use. I use a
domestic material, cotton string, as a means of passing through it toward a second
destination. I, the performer, standing this empty clean space, take one end of
the roll of string in my hand, and toss it out away from me with the other. The effect
is that the string rolls away like a ball, and leaves behind the line of string as the ball
unravels, me, still holding onto the end of the string to keep it from following the ball
away from me. Of course what then is produced is the ball in one location, with a
white line drawn from me to it. This is also a path, which I then follow to the ball,
which, when I reach it, I pick up, holding the string now close to where it is wrapped
around the ball, and throw the ball again in some direction, so that it continues to
roll out. While the rolling has a haphazard quality to it, I intend to roll it ultimately
out of the space and into the surrounding outdoor environment. The place I roll my
string to would be an outdoor park-like area, or, a more utilitarian public place.
There are objects and abutments here, either trees and shrubs, or, magazine racks
and turnstiles.
Lococompulsion by Hook and String to Advance or Retreat
In this outer environment, I change my means of locomotion. Now, I tie string to
me, and attach wire hooks to the other ends, throwing them outward and advancing
like a mountain climber.. The hooks secure me to the space, and as I become
attached, I cut myself loose from some hooks with scissors to allow myself to
advance in one direction, while limiting myself in another; the attachments and
string allow me to swing like on hinges from the various abutments and obstacles
in the environment, and advance, through increased understanding and manipulation
of this means of lococompulsion, to move to another uniquely characteristic space/
environment. I do this “hooking” until I am clear of rough landscape, onto a sidewalk
or grassy, lawn-like area.
The Flip Progression
When I arrive at a less rugged outdoor area, with flat surfaces and expanse, I
produce my third means of lococompulsion, a board, which I flip end over end
and follow in the direction from where I came. Were landscape to change again
along any of the way here, I would digress to the use of a previous means of
advancing, like a musical reprise or leitmotif. In terms of space, there is a need
for three different kinds of landscape within reasonable distance of each other.
There is no technical requirement, though the generally circular path I might take
makes anything more than an approximate duration hard to be exacting about.
However, I would give myself or performer a good two hour frame for this
symphony. This should mildly suggest how far afield the performer might want to
wander.
Random String Roll Lococompulsion
There will need to be three distinct locations in which this symphony will be performed.
The first, the gallery or room, and immediate vicinities, represents the synthetic
orderly surface as composed for casual, low physical impact human use. I use a
domestic material, cotton string, as a means of passing through it toward a second
destination. I, the performer, standing this empty clean space, take one end of
the roll of string in my hand, and toss it out away from me with the other. The effect
is that the string rolls away like a ball, and leaves behind the line of string as the ball
unravels, me, still holding onto the end of the string to keep it from following the ball
away from me. Of course what then is produced is the ball in one location, with a
white line drawn from me to it. This is also a path, which I then follow to the ball,
which, when I reach it, I pick up, holding the string now close to where it is wrapped
around the ball, and throw the ball again in some direction, so that it continues to
roll out. While the rolling has a haphazard quality to it, I intend to roll it ultimately
out of the space and into the surrounding outdoor environment. The place I roll my
string to would be an outdoor park-like area, or, a more utilitarian public place.
There are objects and abutments here, either trees and shrubs, or, magazine racks
and turnstiles.
Lococompulsion by Hook and String to Advance or Retreat
In this outer environment, I change my means of locomotion. Now, I tie string to
me, and attach wire hooks to the other ends, throwing them outward and advancing
like a mountain climber.. The hooks secure me to the space, and as I become
attached, I cut myself loose from some hooks with scissors to allow myself to
advance in one direction, while limiting myself in another; the attachments and
string allow me to swing like on hinges from the various abutments and obstacles
in the environment, and advance, through increased understanding and manipulation
of this means of lococompulsion, to move to another uniquely characteristic space/
environment. I do this “hooking” until I am clear of rough landscape, onto a sidewalk
or grassy, lawn-like area.
The Flip Progression
When I arrive at a less rugged outdoor area, with flat surfaces and expanse, I
produce my third means of lococompulsion, a board, which I flip end over end
and follow in the direction from where I came. Were landscape to change again
along any of the way here, I would digress to the use of a previous means of
advancing, like a musical reprise or leitmotif. In terms of space, there is a need
for three different kinds of landscape within reasonable distance of each other.
There is no technical requirement, though the generally circular path I might take
makes anything more than an approximate duration hard to be exacting about.
However, I would give myself or performer a good two hour frame for this
symphony. This should mildly suggest how far afield the performer might want to
wander.
Friday, February 3, 2012
The Enigmatic Symphonies of Instrumentism #7 by Lewis Gesner
Symphony of Instrumentism Seven
Object Set Locomotion
Select a body of objects that vary widely in texture, size, weight,
composition, rigidity and other relevant qualities that distinguish them. Place
them all together unorganized at the beginning or extreme edge of the space
to be performed in. Consider any adjoining rooms, corridors, restrooms and
entryways as being part of the performing space. Now, Make selections from the
object set based on likeness in their ability to be moved in a common way; for
instance, if certain objects lend themselves to being picked up and carried
cradled in arms against chest as one group, transported together across a room,
this is one criteria, the selection can be made with this in mind, and that subset
of objects will be transported across the appropriate space in this way, until a
door, hallway, rug, or other environmental condition, if it is varied, interferes or
offers a more promising means of locomotion. (a rug might be used as a carrier,
and a selection of objects moved by dragging the rug, for instance. Select another
subset to be, for instance, dragged, plowed across the floor space using one object
for that purpose, and so forth. Objects may be such that they need to be
transported one at a time, or attached to each other in the case of paper clips, or
chain links. There will be a starting point, and a finishing point for all objects at
extreme opposing locations in the usable performing space. This section may vary
widely in duration. It ends when it is completed as a thoughtful and, satisfactorily
solved and challenged task and exercise, and all objects have been sufficiently
and appropriately transported from one end of the space to the other.
Ridge Patterns
Collect or make a set of slats; narrow, long boards, varying in width and height
by a degree of one hundred percent or more, but consistently the same length.
Now place them in one half of a space on the floor so that they are parallel to
each other, and so that the length of the sides are facing the performer in his
position in the other half of the space. Improvisationally space the slats, randomly
or in patterned distances from each other, as widely varied as is pleased, but always
perfectly parallel to each other. Now, empty a bag or box of small objects of different
sizes, some round, some compact and angular, and attempt to roll the objects over
the slats in their configuration. After the objects have been thus rolled, retrieve them
from where they have ended up, return them to the launching position in the performer
occupied half space, and make another improvised spacing of the slats. Repeat
this again, and several more time. After several variations of slat arrangements,
begin to make object edits, breaking down and limiting the object group to things with
a certain likeness, or, uniform differences. The number may also be systematically
diminished down to a single object, placing then all of the emphasis in variation in
the arrangements and distances between the slats, changed between every roll of
the object. (If multiple objects remain in use however, the slats may be left in one
position while variations are made in the roll number and sequence.)
Object ‘Scape Transits
Sight read the scores for Object ‘Scape Transits from the 31 volumes I’ve
written of these scores. The score volumes should be in a single stack on
the floor of the central performance space. The volumes will be gone through
randomly by performer, who, making a selection, will stand straight with volume
open like hymnal in one hand, and deliver the interpretation. For the uninitiated,
these score consist of a single unbroken like running from the left margin
of a white page, across to the right margin. The path of the single line is
drawn like a cross section of earth, a terrain, or, a landspace in profile. At the far
left, as if resting on the very beginning of the ‘scape line, is a closed topological
shape. In the interpretation of this as a score, this topological shape, however
symmetrical or oddly formed, is imagined tumbled over the length of the ‘scape
line, from its location at extreme left, to the line’s termination at the extreme right.
Simultaneous to this imagining, the transit of this shape in its journey is vocalized
as a similar tumble or the phonetic, pitch, and dynamic range that might
spontaneously and reasonably be delivered. If scores are not available at the
reading of these notes in your hand, here are three example Object ‘Scape Transit
scores, to clarify:
Object Set Locomotion
Select a body of objects that vary widely in texture, size, weight,
composition, rigidity and other relevant qualities that distinguish them. Place
them all together unorganized at the beginning or extreme edge of the space
to be performed in. Consider any adjoining rooms, corridors, restrooms and
entryways as being part of the performing space. Now, Make selections from the
object set based on likeness in their ability to be moved in a common way; for
instance, if certain objects lend themselves to being picked up and carried
cradled in arms against chest as one group, transported together across a room,
this is one criteria, the selection can be made with this in mind, and that subset
of objects will be transported across the appropriate space in this way, until a
door, hallway, rug, or other environmental condition, if it is varied, interferes or
offers a more promising means of locomotion. (a rug might be used as a carrier,
and a selection of objects moved by dragging the rug, for instance. Select another
subset to be, for instance, dragged, plowed across the floor space using one object
for that purpose, and so forth. Objects may be such that they need to be
transported one at a time, or attached to each other in the case of paper clips, or
chain links. There will be a starting point, and a finishing point for all objects at
extreme opposing locations in the usable performing space. This section may vary
widely in duration. It ends when it is completed as a thoughtful and, satisfactorily
solved and challenged task and exercise, and all objects have been sufficiently
and appropriately transported from one end of the space to the other.
Ridge Patterns
Collect or make a set of slats; narrow, long boards, varying in width and height
by a degree of one hundred percent or more, but consistently the same length.
Now place them in one half of a space on the floor so that they are parallel to
each other, and so that the length of the sides are facing the performer in his
position in the other half of the space. Improvisationally space the slats, randomly
or in patterned distances from each other, as widely varied as is pleased, but always
perfectly parallel to each other. Now, empty a bag or box of small objects of different
sizes, some round, some compact and angular, and attempt to roll the objects over
the slats in their configuration. After the objects have been thus rolled, retrieve them
from where they have ended up, return them to the launching position in the performer
occupied half space, and make another improvised spacing of the slats. Repeat
this again, and several more time. After several variations of slat arrangements,
begin to make object edits, breaking down and limiting the object group to things with
a certain likeness, or, uniform differences. The number may also be systematically
diminished down to a single object, placing then all of the emphasis in variation in
the arrangements and distances between the slats, changed between every roll of
the object. (If multiple objects remain in use however, the slats may be left in one
position while variations are made in the roll number and sequence.)
Object ‘Scape Transits
Sight read the scores for Object ‘Scape Transits from the 31 volumes I’ve
written of these scores. The score volumes should be in a single stack on
the floor of the central performance space. The volumes will be gone through
randomly by performer, who, making a selection, will stand straight with volume
open like hymnal in one hand, and deliver the interpretation. For the uninitiated,
these score consist of a single unbroken like running from the left margin
of a white page, across to the right margin. The path of the single line is
drawn like a cross section of earth, a terrain, or, a landspace in profile. At the far
left, as if resting on the very beginning of the ‘scape line, is a closed topological
shape. In the interpretation of this as a score, this topological shape, however
symmetrical or oddly formed, is imagined tumbled over the length of the ‘scape
line, from its location at extreme left, to the line’s termination at the extreme right.
Simultaneous to this imagining, the transit of this shape in its journey is vocalized
as a similar tumble or the phonetic, pitch, and dynamic range that might
spontaneously and reasonably be delivered. If scores are not available at the
reading of these notes in your hand, here are three example Object ‘Scape Transit
scores, to clarify:
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