Synchronicities and art
Today I went to the Third Line Gallery and had a conversation/experience that made me feel like I am doing the right thing, and in the right places. I decided that I need to write a little something about what's happening in terms of the work I've traveled to this side to do.
One of the great things about my experiences so far are all the coincidences. For example, I'll be meeting both Walid Raad and Tarek Al Ghoussein in other unexpected places during my trip. If all goes as planned, Walid is going to be in Ramallah in July, and Tarek will be in Nimes at the same time as I. This wasn't planned, it's just what happens when the stars align and you're doing the right thing.
Another cool thing: Walid recommended that I read Jalal Toufic's work. This is no ordinary feat. I once tried reading his book Forthcoming, and nearly shot myself. For the most part, I had no idea what he was talking about. While I was in Amman, I was checking out Darat al Funun to see what was going on there and lo and behold! Jalal was scheduled to give a talk there in english that night. So I made my way there and
(listened to him try to explain the difference between what he distinguishes as two different kinds of disasters: a surpassing disaster and a relative disaster. A relative disaster is one that has definable boundaries, no matter how large or small, in terms of its reach. A surpassing disaster is one whose impact cannot be known until the symptoms begin to appear. A good example he used was Christ's crucifixion. Now comes the interesting and confusing part: one symptom is the withdrawal of tradition. A population that is sensitive enough to realize what has happened will be unable to use a book for example. It might be physically there, but something prevents its use. It is not until artists, thinkers and writers begin to excavate this lost tradition that it can be reclaimed, but it will never be the same.)
Needless to say, I need to sit quite a bit more with Toufic's ideas and 1) see what it's all about and 2) figure out how I may be able to use it in my dissertation. The lecture itself was quite entertaining because of the response the audience had to his characterization of certain disasters as surpassing while others remained relative. Out came people's political allegiances and faiths. Though he kept explaining that the theory wasn't about his personal feelings about the Nakba, for example, people were still pissed. Plus, many people were confused about it. Therefore, Jalal spent nearly two and a half hours explaining this one concept and a related idea.
Today at Thirdline:
First off, I thought that I was going to leave Abu Dhabi 23 hours after my arrival. Thank god this was not true. Otherwise I'd be on a plane waiting for take off as I write. Lovely M asks me - so I think you'd really love to go to the gallery in Dubai, right? And I was so happy! I wanted to go, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to get there. M only learned at the last minute that she was going to be able to take the day off. I called the gallery and learned that yes, they did have some of Tarek's photography, and that yes, I could come and check it out. We made our way to Dubai (by the way, this can at times be a major pain in the buttocks because of the traffic and construction, etc) and got to the gallery relatively early. I had a great but short conversation with Haig Aivazian about the work, Toufic, and some other things. It was sooo exciting to talk to someone who knows the scene. I need to do it more often. As they unwrapped mounted photograph after mounted photograph, I stood there with my pencil and notebook in hand, ready to get down to some hardcore formal analysis. He said, "Yeah, you're lucky. We just got this work back in about a week ago." You know, had I been more together when I was first in the Emirates, I wouldn't have seen the photographs.
It made me wonder about my approach to life on this trip. I've certainly been proactive in
terms of organizing meetings and such, but not totally. I've left some things up to whatever/whoever makes things tick, and for the most part, life has been working quite well. This is encouraging to say the least. A lucky duck, I am. A happy lucky duck. Though in the back of my mind, I'm starting to worry about the dissertation itself.....when do I start writing??? And more importantly when I start, what do I write?
One of the great things about my experiences so far are all the coincidences. For example, I'll be meeting both Walid Raad and Tarek Al Ghoussein in other unexpected places during my trip. If all goes as planned, Walid is going to be in Ramallah in July, and Tarek will be in Nimes at the same time as I. This wasn't planned, it's just what happens when the stars align and you're doing the right thing.
Another cool thing: Walid recommended that I read Jalal Toufic's work. This is no ordinary feat. I once tried reading his book Forthcoming, and nearly shot myself. For the most part, I had no idea what he was talking about. While I was in Amman, I was checking out Darat al Funun to see what was going on there and lo and behold! Jalal was scheduled to give a talk there in english that night. So I made my way there and
(listened to him try to explain the difference between what he distinguishes as two different kinds of disasters: a surpassing disaster and a relative disaster. A relative disaster is one that has definable boundaries, no matter how large or small, in terms of its reach. A surpassing disaster is one whose impact cannot be known until the symptoms begin to appear. A good example he used was Christ's crucifixion. Now comes the interesting and confusing part: one symptom is the withdrawal of tradition. A population that is sensitive enough to realize what has happened will be unable to use a book for example. It might be physically there, but something prevents its use. It is not until artists, thinkers and writers begin to excavate this lost tradition that it can be reclaimed, but it will never be the same.)
Needless to say, I need to sit quite a bit more with Toufic's ideas and 1) see what it's all about and 2) figure out how I may be able to use it in my dissertation. The lecture itself was quite entertaining because of the response the audience had to his characterization of certain disasters as surpassing while others remained relative. Out came people's political allegiances and faiths. Though he kept explaining that the theory wasn't about his personal feelings about the Nakba, for example, people were still pissed. Plus, many people were confused about it. Therefore, Jalal spent nearly two and a half hours explaining this one concept and a related idea.
Today at Thirdline:
First off, I thought that I was going to leave Abu Dhabi 23 hours after my arrival. Thank god this was not true. Otherwise I'd be on a plane waiting for take off as I write. Lovely M asks me - so I think you'd really love to go to the gallery in Dubai, right? And I was so happy! I wanted to go, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to get there. M only learned at the last minute that she was going to be able to take the day off. I called the gallery and learned that yes, they did have some of Tarek's photography, and that yes, I could come and check it out. We made our way to Dubai (by the way, this can at times be a major pain in the buttocks because of the traffic and construction, etc) and got to the gallery relatively early. I had a great but short conversation with Haig Aivazian about the work, Toufic, and some other things. It was sooo exciting to talk to someone who knows the scene. I need to do it more often. As they unwrapped mounted photograph after mounted photograph, I stood there with my pencil and notebook in hand, ready to get down to some hardcore formal analysis. He said, "Yeah, you're lucky. We just got this work back in about a week ago." You know, had I been more together when I was first in the Emirates, I wouldn't have seen the photographs.
It made me wonder about my approach to life on this trip. I've certainly been proactive in
terms of organizing meetings and such, but not totally. I've left some things up to whatever/whoever makes things tick, and for the most part, life has been working quite well. This is encouraging to say the least. A lucky duck, I am. A happy lucky duck. Though in the back of my mind, I'm starting to worry about the dissertation itself.....when do I start writing??? And more importantly when I start, what do I write?
posted by kathy at
1:58 PM
1 Comments:
Hmmm, good rhetorical questions. I wish I could help. You can start thinking of topics for your dissertation now and maybe the writing will flow when your topic is chosen? It may even change along the way when you first get started in favor of something that you hadn't thought of originally.
Hugs~
Lizanne
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