An unappealing thing

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An unappealing thing, blu-tac, match

 

 

There is much that is beautiful in the world and my objective here was to create something which  people will find unappealing, without resorting to obviously repellent mimetics (representations of unappetising phenomena) or recourse to unpleasant symbolism (symbols associated  morally dubious groups or individuals, such as the Nazi party).

I started with an unattractive material, blue tac, which has a grey colour. It has a slightly grainy texture. It also has an odd property which is that it can be stretched if warmed and pulled very slowly, and can also snap.

 Thinking about it now though, the grey is actually quite nice, its a soft, grey leaning towards yellow. It would never be my favourite colour (which for the record is a marron red, or jade green or golden yellow depending on my mood) Maybe here a dirty pink would be better?

However, I would say that the texture of blu-tack here is not very pleasant, at least to me. I don`t know about you, but I`m really a smooth surfaces person. I  always say no to rustic.

My blue tac has been formed into a sphere- or rather, an almost sphere. Such an almost form is, I think basically unsatisfying. I believe incompletion and irregularity are essentially unpleasing, unless they are given a specific context - i.e. a rough path surface which serves to provide a better grip, or the dissonance used in certain pieces of music by, say Mahler.

 I added a blotch of blue tac to give an additional unpleasantness. Do you see how it looks a bit like a scab? I hope so. I`m breaking my rule of avoiding obviously unpleasant mimetics- here I admit it.

I also drove several (four) small holes in the surface with the matchstick before inserting it into a fifth.  Arbitrariness has, I feel, a disturbing quality, the sense that there`s no rhyme or reason for something is   annoying, pointlessly provocative. It is argued that one of the definitions of the classical in art is in  completion, harmoniousness- so that no element can be added or removed without destroying this balance. I hope I have, in contrast, succeeded in  creating a piece in which  elements can be added, moved  or removed without disturbing its essential quality, leaving its meaning- its ugliness - intact.

 In addition, the act of puncturing the surface of the piece conveys an aggression towards the piece (perhaps a metaphor for self harm?) which I trust views will recoil from. Of course, there is an established tradition of the fragment in art, one of the many strange borrowings from the re-discovery of Greek art by Northern Europe in the 18th century, and which resulted in the deliberate production of fragmented pieces by forgers, and ultimately detached hands, heads faces- by Rodin and Brancusi among others. 

But, in contrast to the considered fractioning of these masters, my action here is merely violent, conveying nothing more than the idle idiocy of the casual vandal, and I trust viewers will recoil from the sight of these four puncture holes.

I hope also that viewers will find the matchstick sticking up like that- basically stupid and pointless. 

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It's nice to find something inside a box

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It's nice to find something inside a box

 

 1. A box. How curious. I wonder if it has anything inside? 

Why not give it a little shake? 

Ooooh...a faint rattling sound!

 

2. Now, push the little try. A glimpse of what's inside...

 

3. Whoah, what can that be?

4. A twist tie! So useful.

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Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho: avenue, 27 March 2023

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Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho: avenue, 27 March 2023

 watercolour, A3 NOT FOR SALE

 

 

 

Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho: avenue - detail

 

Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho: avenue - detail

 

  

This is the third from this avenue. 

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Light brown envelope

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Light brown envelope

 

Here is something I received from a shop. When the plump lady serving put my item (a small tube of green paint) in the bag I was extremely pleased. 

Why were you pleased?

A. It was unexpected. In days when relations have a sorry predictability the unexpected is (almost) something to be grateful for in itself especially when it is also…

 

B. thoughtful. The lady obviously knew that the chances of losing the tube would be much higher if  I were to carry undeveloped

 

C. I was so grateful that she did not use a plastic bag as I just find paper things more pleasant texturally 

 

D. The quality of this particular envelope is noteworthy- reassuring slightly stiff- yes, a little unyielding. and dare I say somewhat old fashioned, so you might imagine that, were it to come to life, that it would speak in the manner of a retired military man, a mid-ranking officer, the sort that make appearances in David Lean films.

 

E. The colour is extremely pleasing. So much packaging seems to feel the need to shout, to demand attention. By contrast the self assured modesty of this envelope is so pleasing British. British, that is, in a way which does still just about exist, with that quality of calm reserve? A country whose coins and postage stamps do not carry its name.

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Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, Avenue, 21 March, 2023

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Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, Avenue, 21 March, 2023,

watercolour, A3

 

Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, Avenue, 21 March, 2023 - detail

 

Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, Avenue, 21 March, 2023- detail

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Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, a tree, March 17, 2023

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Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, a tree, March 17, 2023

 watercolour, A3

 

 

 

Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, a tree-  detail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Spaghetti

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Spaghetti

 

 

 

This is what I ate today (16 March 2023 at about 11.30 am), and it`s being served on one of my four large plates. The plate design has a certain insanity about it- characteristic of the acid-trip designs sold by the Brazilian ceramics firm which has the very un-psychedelic and stoical name "Oxford".

 I admit that there is something disturbing about my spaghetti. I think it suggests a sea anemone:I feel anxious that it might stage a revolt when it realises how it is about to be consumed, when the prongs of my fork twist its tentacles and proceed to lift it to my central , open anticipating facial orifice. The piece of tomato looks like an organ too, you will agree.

 

You might think, and perhaps not say, except to a close confidant and not to offend, yes, really,  that really isn't nice at all, or how can he put that in his mouth, or suchlike, but really it is delicious. Actually I think I like how you might not like it. It's like, I know something you don`t.

 

 

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