The Project. I have several wonderful folks who are sending advice my way on the Installation. I temper their advice with what Thomas Ingmire is telling me about how his west coast Installations actually ran. Words of experience. The thought came up as to what the disposition of the Rochester broadsides would be, afterwards. Thomas thought of binding his and donating them to the library in California – but that has not happened, yet. So his advice was to keep them – or add “mine” to his collection. I’m keeping them. Too soon to look into the future, but I see other installations in the regional area. Can art installations have 2nd and 3rd lives?
And then we ask the question – who owns them? Well for cost and practicality, they’re not going back to the originators, the artists, the calligraphers. But do I own them? I don’t think so. Can art be owned? It can be possessed. I will have the broadsides in my possession. But I think of art as being owned by the world. So I will keep them in my care. And I will try to make sure that they are exhibited again, and again. (way too heavy for a Monday morning. I need more coffee!)
Personal. It was 45 degrees F (7 C) this morning. Fall is in the air. I’ve got some ten quotes ready on the subject of PEACE. It’s time to start turning them into calligraphy and art. BTW I’m teaching a Guild class on The Mechanisms of Circle and Spiral Calligraphy Layouts this Wednesday. Thanks to Bill Waddington of Texas for his notes.
Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek,
but a means by which we arrive at that goal.
The late Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The Journey Begins ...
The Project. I have approval from the Fire Marshall. Now for a formal presentation to the Venue owner and his Manager. Thanks to Fiona from down under for assistance in the Blog start up. Ahhh technology. I'm working toward compiling a list of my own PEACE sayings. There's more anti-War stuff than "Peace." Oh, have I said that yet? This exhibition will be along the lines of Peace rather than anti-War. From the PROPOSAL:
"I’ll shift the focus a bit for this version of the installation. Words For Peace. That’s the theme: PEACE - in all of its forms and manifestations. Peace on earth, Peace to mankind. Peace between peoples, between countries, races, and religions. Peace of the Spirit. Peace of God. Give Peace a Chance. Peace of Mind … take it where you will. So think Peace. "
Personal. I guess that I thought when I was 18, that by my late 50’s, I’d be cast in stone. My religion. My politics. My ethics. My ability to learn and to change. I was wrong. It’s all still fluid. Would I enlist in the Army for 4 years like I did in 1970? Probably. I’m still patriotic and believe in the rule of law and country. But this young nation has been involved in some 40 plus conflicts. I’d love to see peace in my lifetime. I’d love for my Grandson not to be faced with the choice of going to war.
“Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind.”
President John F. Kennedy
Ted Kennedy died this morning. Last of his generation of Kennedys.
"I’ll shift the focus a bit for this version of the installation. Words For Peace. That’s the theme: PEACE - in all of its forms and manifestations. Peace on earth, Peace to mankind. Peace between peoples, between countries, races, and religions. Peace of the Spirit. Peace of God. Give Peace a Chance. Peace of Mind … take it where you will. So think Peace. "
Personal. I guess that I thought when I was 18, that by my late 50’s, I’d be cast in stone. My religion. My politics. My ethics. My ability to learn and to change. I was wrong. It’s all still fluid. Would I enlist in the Army for 4 years like I did in 1970? Probably. I’m still patriotic and believe in the rule of law and country. But this young nation has been involved in some 40 plus conflicts. I’d love to see peace in my lifetime. I’d love for my Grandson not to be faced with the choice of going to war.
“Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind.”
President John F. Kennedy
Ted Kennedy died this morning. Last of his generation of Kennedys.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
The Beginning ...
First - The Story.
Back in 2003, with the war in Iraq immanent, noted calligrapher Thomas Ingmire invited friends and colleagues to participate in a calligraphic art installation on the subjects of war, fear, and peace. Each person was asked to write out a statement on a 5”x20” sheet of paper with the idea of hanging these pieces in the San Francisco Public Library. More than 750 people from twenty-eight nations responded.
“… Some see it as an anti-war protest. Others look at it as a statement about freedom and a plea for world peace that asks each of us to live in this world responsibly … Perhaps … it is a demonstration of the power of passion and of the creative spirit … from the untrained writing of four year olds to the masterly calligraphy of the greatest living scribes … individual efforts … brought together to create a whole that is even richer than its parts... an apt symbol in itself for the idea of a peaceful world." T.I.
You can check out the website: www.wordsforpeace.org/
Click on EXHIBITION on the left
Click on “click to view” on the lower right
Enjoy the slide show of the 2008 installation at the Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA
Present day: Thomas Ingmire has graciously given me permission to replicate a version of the installation in Rochester, NY. I'm looking at mounting the installation in the Spring of 2010. I've been piddling around for about a year getting going - and it looks like it's on its way.
Peace,
Mike
Back in 2003, with the war in Iraq immanent, noted calligrapher Thomas Ingmire invited friends and colleagues to participate in a calligraphic art installation on the subjects of war, fear, and peace. Each person was asked to write out a statement on a 5”x20” sheet of paper with the idea of hanging these pieces in the San Francisco Public Library. More than 750 people from twenty-eight nations responded.
“… Some see it as an anti-war protest. Others look at it as a statement about freedom and a plea for world peace that asks each of us to live in this world responsibly … Perhaps … it is a demonstration of the power of passion and of the creative spirit … from the untrained writing of four year olds to the masterly calligraphy of the greatest living scribes … individual efforts … brought together to create a whole that is even richer than its parts... an apt symbol in itself for the idea of a peaceful world." T.I.
You can check out the website: www.wordsforpeace.org/
Click on EXHIBITION on the left
Click on “click to view” on the lower right
Enjoy the slide show of the 2008 installation at the Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA
Present day: Thomas Ingmire has graciously given me permission to replicate a version of the installation in Rochester, NY. I'm looking at mounting the installation in the Spring of 2010. I've been piddling around for about a year getting going - and it looks like it's on its way.
Peace,
Mike
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