liquid magnet

the organizing quality of vibration

i feel the same way about lines as symbolic geometers

I am not familiar with symbolic geometers, but maybe I should be.

“To a symbolic geometer a line is a picture of energy, tension, force, action, impulse, urge, direction, movement.”  –Michael S. Schneider, A Beginner’s Guide to Constructing the Universe

resonances: installation views

Resonance phenomena occur with all types of vibrations or waves: there is mechanical resonance, acoustic resonance, electromagnetic resonance, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), electron spin resonance (ESR) and resonance of quantum wave functions. Resonant systems can be used to generate vibrations of a specific frequency (e.g. musical instruments), or pick out specific frequencies from a complex vibration containing many frequencies.

Resonance was recognized by Galileo Galilei with his investigations of pendulums and musical strings beginning in 1602.  {Wiki}

Kathleen Moles paired Guy Anderson and Jan Hoy, with their shared affinity for iconic forms and strong pallette.

The Museum of Northwest Art has just sent me some installation views from Resonances:  Contemporary Echoes Modern.  I’ve written some about the exhibition here, but very briefly, MoNA has asked four Northwest curators compare the work of older and newer regional artists, in pairs that resonate.  Participating curators: Sarah Clark-Langager, Director, Western Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham; Kathleen Moles, Curator, Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner; John Olbrantz, The Maribeth Collins Director, Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Willamette University, Salem, Oregon; and Jake Seniuk, Director, Port Angeles Fine Art Center, Port Angeles, Washington.

Looking at these images has got me thinking about the show again.  What is resonance?  Why do I like this show (aside from the obvious pleasure of being included)?

John Olbrantz selected Darius Kinsey and Michael Brophy for their sweeping portrayals of the Northwest landscape, timbered and logged.

John Olbrantz selected Darius Kinsey and Michael Brophy for their sweeping portrayals of the Northwest landscape, timbered and logged.

It occurred to me to look up the definition of the word resonance.    At times the nuanced specifics of a word’s meaning can help to clarify it use.  Turns out resonance is owned by its scientific meanings.  Which, to my mind, is sexy, but went only a short distance to unwrap the reasons why this exhibition works.  These science-based definitions helped on some level; this is why I picked out the quote at the top of this post.  I can get into comparing the artists to particles, or thinking of them as part of a linear system through time, picking up specific vibrations and putting them into their work.  (By the way, I included the Galileo discovering resonance bit just because the guy is awesome.)  Wanting a little more I went to the word resonate.

Sarah Clark-Langager chose Jacob Lawrence and Whiting Tennis for their renderings of construction and buildings.

Sarah Clark-Langager chose Jacob Lawrence and Whiting Tennis for their renderings of construction and buildings.

According to Miriam-Webster the third meaning of resonate is: 

3 : to relate harmoniously : strike a chord.

“Strike a chord.”  That is really all there is too it.  These artists have been paired to draw out a common chord they have struck in their work.  With each pairing the chord is different; more or less subtle; more or less felt on an intuitive level.  The moment of richest resonance occurs in the viewer.   Here the same chord responds/resonates/vibrates.  It is very much like that magical thing that happens with pianos, guitars and other musical instruments; when more than one of these instruments are in the same space and a string is plucked or struck on one the corresponding string of another will vibrate.

Jake Seniuk selected Charles Stokes and yours-truly for the “highly abstract, structured and organic compositions” we have in common.

Jake Seniuk selected Charles Stokes and yours-truly for the “highly abstract, structured and organic compositions” we have in common.

Jake Seniuk selected Charles Stokes and yours-truly for the “highly abstract, structured and organic compositions” we have in common.

The Stokes piece in the center (above) is titled Ultra Very.  Oh, yes yes!  I resonate.

obsessing: songs about cities #5

Los Angeles, Frank Black

responding to music

Two things about last week’s art class:  Last week’s art class had a play list.   Last week’s art class might have been the best art class ever.

Play list:

Serenade #13 in G, “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” Allegro, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Ragged Wood, Fleet Foxes

Into the Labyrinth, Trevor Jones (Labyrinth soundtrack)

Weeping Wall, David Bowie

Team, Bon Iver

Keep the Car Running, Arcade Fire

It is Accomplished, Peter Gabriel (Last Temptation of Christ soundtrack)

With this music my students finished out an exploration of storytelling with visual art.  Listening to each song two or three times, limited to only black and white:  white clay, black paint thinned to inky consistency on white paper, white conté crayon on black paper, they responded directly to what the music made them feel.  We worked fast and furious for over an hour.

Into the Labyrinth

It is Accomplished

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

Ragged Wood

Keep the Car Running

Then they selected the pieces they found most interesting and pushed those further–refining the lines and working color into  the image.

ripe with potential

There was, once upon a time when I resided in Seattle, a day.  A beaming, basking, brilliant and almost warm day boasting more light than we’d had in ages.  I was after some coffee–I recall my choice was Victrola.  As I was walking in, he was walking out and I hear this, “When the sun is out in Seattle it’s like anything is possible.”  Not particularly deep, but it was said in earnest and I remember it because it rang true.

Yesterday was a day like that.  This is what it looked, and felt, like walking down the hill, two drinks and one helluva conversation deep, towards the new physical home of Ghost Gallery for ‘Best of.’  That expansive, sun-drenched feeling of ‘anything is possible’ defined the evening.

A little about Best of:  Laurie Kearney, motive force behind Ghost Gallery, has landed herself a great space on Seattle’s Capital Hill (formally the home of Crawl Space).  To celebrate Kearney has amassed some 20+ artists who’ve worked with her over the years–a sort of Ghost Gallery greatest hits collection.  Every piece was graced with a  placard listing all previous dealings that artists has had with Ghost Gallery.  This detail, this notation of archival data warmed me to the show; added a layer of connection between artists/artwork and years of good work.  Plus, there were cupcakes.  Apparently, I’m a huge fan of cupcakes.  Cake proper, not so much.  Cupcakes are different:  they are cute; offer better frosting to cake ratio; tend to be moister; ease of carrying gives you a sense of freedom, a cupcake says “here’s dessert, no strings attached.”

Here’s some great footage of the party by Damian Jurado.  Note the beams of light saturating the scene.  Being saturated with light is way better than cupcakes.

Ghost Gallery – Seattle, WA. from Damien Jurado on Vimeo.

Oh and one more thing, related to all this by virtue of Ghost Gallery’s Laurie Kearney, and the whole ripe with potential thing! The band SHIPS (Kearney on bass) is going to use Meeting by the Pond for cover art on their upcoming album.   Thank you SHIPS–I couldn’t be more excited!  Visit their site for your listening pleasure.

obsessing: songs about cities #4

I’m sure I’ll have something of substance to say before too long, but for now I am just a tool for my obsessing. Anyway, there is so many great things about this one, the set NOT least among them.

Chelsea Morning, Joni Mitchell (1969)

obsessing: songs about cities #3

Panic in Detroit, Bowie

obsessing: songs about cities #2

Detroit Rock City, Kiss