I’ve had this idea for half my life, to make a machine that’ll record thoughts in that amazing state between being awake and falling asleep. I love the mind then.
For me, making art is a lot like being in that hypnogogic state – you just hafta find the place in your mind where you’re receptive to things.
I hate it when I catch myself saying I can’t do something – because I think that people can do most anything. People just need to be told how much they possess inside and how developing their powers of perception can alter their lives for the better in whichever way they choose. Ok – will stop now cos I’m well on the way to sounding like an avant-garde Buddhist poster child!
I think I’ve reached a point in my life where the most painful bits seem to be funny now. Absurd. I’ve always had a great sense of the absurd, so I guess it helps out.
I LOVE to work. It feeds this deep part of me. I don’t think it’s ego related at all – just how it makes my brain and body feel. I get into this deep harmony and tranquillity mood.
Last year I discovered that there was this alleged Japanese garden in Ellensburg, went there and was horrified. I wasn’t aware the 16th Century Japanese used cement to such an extent!
I’m convinced that some people, like me, are born with a deep, deep loneliness. In the last couple of years it hasn’t overwhelmed me like it used to.
Lately I keep longing to Busby Berkeley-ize life. Most likely it stems from wanting to escape conventional reality and make a ‘better place/existence’ in my head. Sometimes the ‘real’ world of fantasy and illusion is more real than the real world.
I need to do something to get enough courage to start trying to sell my shit. Sometimes it bothers me that people don’t really get what I’m trying to do – but most times I don’t.
Poverty – I’ve lived in it for so long that nothing else is familiar anymore.
As for monotony – I have it just a little. I usually succeed a la Cage in finding most things interesting, if only for short spurts of time.
I think there are two kinds of boredom: the kind we all know and hate, and the good kind of boredom, where it’s sort of invigorating. Duchamp was big on this 2nd kind of boredom.
One thing I tend to do when I’m bored – write with my left hand and draw with the right one, at the same time.
I wouldn’t be me without John Cage. He’s been a pivotal influence on me. When I met him – he’s one of the few people I’ve met who have an actual aura.
One of those rare moments in my life that’s so amazing that I think to myself, ‘Ok, I can die now.’
I know that not only will Cage be remembered as probably the most influential composer of the 20th Century, he’ll also be remembered as one of the truly great minds of our century. He taught us so much and cared so much. Told us that there was no such thing as noise and that everything we do is music – which blows my mind, still, all the time.
Someone needs to write about Cunningham and Cage. They get my vote for the best and most successful romantic and artistic relationship of the century.
I met Gore Vidal on Friday. I said I’ve always thought I was one of the few non-Italians to love Pirandello and he said I was most likely right, but he adored him as well. I told him every time I walked by his flat in Rome, I wanted to ring the bell, and surprisingly, his response was, ‘YOU SHOULD’VE!!’ Very funny.
Little things make me very happy.
More and more, I find the ordinary things overlooked by people, so f***ing beautiful and astonishing. |
