While in Manhattan >> now some weeks ago, Isis & I approached the new High Line park by way of the Whitney Museum of American Art. Never made it to the High Line (80 away). We were distracted & then engaged by a wedding rehearsal dinner and a Frances Stark display, Censorship Now!! The display is a set of big (8x12?) panels, with paragraphs of text by writer, artist, post-punk musician Ian F. Svenonius. His writing, the Whitney catalogue says, makes the ironic/radical argument that censorship, not freedom of speech, might actually empower creative expression by raising the stakes of arts presumed role in society . . ..

Hmm: >> Censor speech, so that free speech becomes rare again, risky, existentially costly? Sounds like setting a fire, to have the glory of putting it out.--In any case, I dont think there can actually be an ironic/radical expression: I occasionally opine that irony can be defined as living in someone elses system while retaining a measure of self respect. Most of us do that, to some degree, too much of the time, while a few radicals (often self-described as freedom caucuses) uproot, destroy systems.--Ill go for Svenonius-as-ironist: Censorship would immediately grant [art] a compass, a meaning, a purpose, a direction, give it its power back. An artist who is anti-censorship is essentially waving a white flag, declaring their work to be inconsequential; a smudge, a scribble, a doodle, a polka dot.--Blue laws for Red states! says the deeply sympathizing Walrus.

Theres an argument >> to be made (and Svenonius almost endorses it) that the American-military-industrial-liberal-capitalist-Hollywood-Nashville-university-publishing-curatorial complex is already censorious enough.-- Not everyone gets wallspace in the splendid Whitney Museum of American Art and/or its Biennial, and that wallspace is itself funded in more or less obvious ways by the A-m-i-l-etc. Who chose, what cabal chose X not Y? Applied what standards? The music on the radiopop, rock, rap, and country songs which promote class war and celebrate idiocy, sociopathy, immoral wealth accumulation, discrimination, and stultifying social rolesis the thrown voice of Wall Street.--Hah! I knew it!

Svenonius >> has written me into an ironic box: Everything in the arts (including his book & media appearances) has been corporatized, distorted, imprisoned. The Whitney in New York? The Command Bunker at the Presidio in San Francisco? Equally enclosed art venues, equally censors of free expression. Is there no escape?--Driving home, up the 101 from SFO, somewhere around Healdsburg, I glance to my right. There are a few sculptures in a fieldquick apparitions, visions, which I dont risk trying to find in my rearview mirror. Outdoors. Anonymous. Gone for now. There are other such beauties on the Rumsey cut-off, Sacramento-bound. A few up in the State of Jefferson.--If you look with your minds eye into the corner of those open spaces, you see Svenonius writing: Art lives on, after ephemeral political leaders, after the circumstances of the moment. It crosses borders fluidly, without visas or permits. It acts as a rallying point for generation . . . etc.--One cannot be ironic all the time.

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Blue collar cool >> Ive been having some heavy work done up here. Macro machinery, micro tolerances. Phase one crew finishes up, says good-bye to those who are staying on for phase two: That was fun. Lets do it again.--And this morning, they are, drilling holes in the foundation. Suggests being inside my tooth when Dr. Lee is drilling it.

Gail Godwin >> Shes an 80-year-old writer, and on Saturday I quoted her whimsy about losing wordsshes misplaced one, rings for help, and waits for this very arthritic old butler whos [her] only servant left. And he comes up with his wooden tray, and theres one word on it. But its a good word.--My version of that oldster experience: Last might I was searching for an important name. Fruitlessly beat the raspberry bushes of memory. Fell asleep. Awoke at 2:43 a.m. & had just enough smarts to write down Bert Schlosser, the man who answered TWKs grouse about giving money to a bum: Because I have it, and he doesnt.--Wish Id met the man.

JM has pretty much finished mowing his defensible fire space on his ridge between Potter & Redwood valleys. Hes also found and repaired the seasons first irrigation leaks. Bring on summer!--itsallgood1776@gmail.com

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It's All Good: Censorship Now! Free expression now! In Healdsburg's fields... - Ukiah Daily Journal