What the world needs today more than anything else is a stern talking-to from John Lydon. STOP what you are doing, if it is cruel or thoughtless or designed to screw people. If unsure look inside yourself and dare to be honest. Go home. Take care of your family and plan for your future, because it is coming. We did an art show on "The End of the World" last summer and one of the ideas I pursued with my own work is that it isn't going to happen. We live in a consumer oriented global culture driven by consumer priorities rather than ideological agenda. Things can't grind to a halt in the traditional notion of the world just "ending".
Whether or not we'd prefer it or not, we're going to have to come up with rent money for next month, or that mortgage payment if you are so lucky. We're going to have to keep that dentist appointment so you can chew food to continue living to make sure the check cleared. You're going to need to get those car repairs done so it can pass inspection so you can go to work and pay for it all, and again if you are so lucky. It'd be swell if a giant asteroid would target the earth and do away with such concerns, but chances are poor in such an event actually happening before the 1st of the month. Even the global powers' ability to annihilate all life in an unforgivable act of stupidity has come & gone. Though that doesn't mean they still won't give it the old college try.
We are stuck with each other, see. Unless you are fixing to go and top yourself off you're going to have to learn how to live together, somehow. Those legitimately "trapped" in dead-end lives defined by poverty or dross have my compassion. Everyone else should just STFU, go home, take care of your kids or your cat or whatever it is you take care of. Find a reason to live and let live. I have my art to fix up with, anytime I like too, and feel sorry for those who don't know the magic of such things.
All I need to be content is a table with a chair, a lamp to see what I'm doing, maybe a wall socket to plug the phone or laptop in for a charge so I can hear some music or whatever. A window would be nice. My box of watercolor crayons, some gel medium and half a thimble full of water, couple brushes and I am someplace good. No need for drugs or booze, pious religion, sports programming or other forms of personal escape. Some sex would be great and I will need coffee, but whatever. Take your politics, insane idiots + the global chaos they spew & shove it where the sun don't shine. I'll be at the house working on my stuff.
Good to go.
For some reason that made me think of John, and how he just wants to get on with it. I've looked up to Mr. Lydon since I was fourteen and got the Sex Pistols album. Everyone should have it, and actually listen to what they had to say. People who regard John as some force of mindless destruction or sneering menace twisting young people's minds don't have a clue. If anything through the Pistols and later PIL John teaches the importance of personal responsibility, honesty, and leaving other people the hell alone to do their thing, whatever it is. Punk may have been a fad but Johnny Rotten was very real and I still dye my hair blue violet green in homage to his unflinching loyalty to humanity & determination to lead by example. Gives us a leg-up on the world, to face it's stupidity and indifference. Even if we wear a hat when out shopping or what have you, to blend in with the crowd. Like Mr. Spock, who always wore a hat when they would beam down to mix with humans.
Or better yet bring the crowd onto the stage of life with us, as equals. No hat needed then. That's what John's telling us. Gender, ethnicity, politics, fashion sense, doesn't matter: We're all equals. Or we should be, and anyone who doesn't feel that way is a tosser.
All I need to be content is a table with a chair, a lamp to see what I'm doing, maybe a wall socket to plug the phone or laptop in for a charge so I can hear some music or whatever. A window would be nice. My box of watercolor crayons, some gel medium and half a thimble full of water, couple brushes and I am someplace good. No need for drugs or booze, pious religion, sports programming or other forms of personal escape. Some sex would be great and I will need coffee, but whatever. Take your politics, insane idiots + the global chaos they spew & shove it where the sun don't shine. I'll be at the house working on my stuff.
For some reason that made me think of John, and how he just wants to get on with it. I've looked up to Mr. Lydon since I was fourteen and got the Sex Pistols album. Everyone should have it, and actually listen to what they had to say. People who regard John as some force of mindless destruction or sneering menace twisting young people's minds don't have a clue. If anything through the Pistols and later PIL John teaches the importance of personal responsibility, honesty, and leaving other people the hell alone to do their thing, whatever it is. Punk may have been a fad but Johnny Rotten was very real and I still dye my hair blue violet green in homage to his unflinching loyalty to humanity & determination to lead by example. Gives us a leg-up on the world, to face it's stupidity and indifference. Even if we wear a hat when out shopping or what have you, to blend in with the crowd. Like Mr. Spock, who always wore a hat when they would beam down to mix with humans.
Or better yet bring the crowd onto the stage of life with us, as equals. No hat needed then. That's what John's telling us. Gender, ethnicity, politics, fashion sense, doesn't matter: We're all equals. Or we should be, and anyone who doesn't feel that way is a tosser.
PIL on American Bandstand, 1980. It's beautiful how they brought everyone onstage with them.
I want my art shows to go like that, demolishing the boundary between viewer and artist, have come close a couple of times. BC, Fun In Space, Star Wars & Machines, sheer chaos & so much fun. I want more of that. Always more.
In spite of appearances I think this went very well for both parties; 11 minutes and worth it. What Johnny has to say is interesting and Snyder holds his own. They respected each other after even if it wasn't all hugs & kisses.
If you do watch the interview John has an interesting perspective on performing as a "band". I feel the same way about art shows. They are embarrassing. I do them because we must, it is what the art deserves & expects. The art serves no purpose without an audience and I yearn for new or different ways to find them other than standing around in the nicer shirt with the glass of wine, attempting to feign small talk to strangers while perspiring. Usually making do on four hours of sleep, counting out time until you can just go home. It becomes a recurring nightmare. "Art as Endurance Ordeal."
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