Saturday 9 January 2010

1349 Remodernism

16.00 The day has continued from last night except that I was able to get the next two British War film DVD's in early morning blue sky. In fact in kept cloudless over my hill for the greater part of the day although I could see the cloud stretching back over the river towards Gateshead and Newcastle. I celebrated the day with a coffee in cafe and then had another with toast on return (A nutty brown bread but where have all the cheap breads gone, long long time ago) I continued listening to the Blues Sun House's version of County Farm Blues is a good one, Ruby Hayes version of One scotch, One Bourbon and One Beer reminded of the days when I could enjoy a bottle of bubbly without looking down at the size of my tum and feeling the back ache when I walk a mile or more from overweight. Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child, Am I one of the few that never took to Mr Hendrix's music. James Blood Ulmer with You know I know sums an important aspect of my being; Buddy Guy and Junior performed a solid version of classic Hocchie Couchie Man and which for me will always be associated with George Melly (Hope you are enjoying your perpetual jazz cellar with plenty of booze and birds George. Hear me talkin to ya)The original and authentic blues man Muddy Waters is great on Wailing Blues. I also liked the unknown to me Ella James offering herself on Here I am - come and take me, guess she was not short of offers though. The greatest females blues woman of all time was Bessie Smith who summoned up a chunk of my adolescence and later cane across an established artist who included Bessie in her list of musical interests. The new generations miss out on the original soul music of the negro south -Need a little sugar in my bowl, I need a little loving so bad. Katherine Davis followed up the theme with Give it to me Papa Wild about that thing, another George Melly classic Whereas John Guitar Wats said it as it was, Aint that a bitch while being rocked by that jelly roll. And Grady Gains went on about Stealing love. And John Le Hooker Blues for Sunrise spoke of ones hopes for the morrow, Junior Wells went off on his mystery train.

Yesterday I was contacted by Remodernism on myspace which placed me in something of dilemma because I agreed with much of the statement in the manifesto published by Childish and Thompson around 2001, except except for the label Remodernism.

Definition of Remodernism -
Remodernism 'towards a new spirituality in art' Through the course of the 20th century Modernism has progressively lost its way, until finally toppling into the pit of Postmodern balderdash.(It depends on what is balderdah and what is not)
1. Remodernism takes the original principles of Modernism and reapplies them, highlighting vision as opposed to formalism
2. Remodernism is inclusive rather than exclusive and welcomes artists who endeavor to know themselves and find themselves through art processes that strive to connect and include, rather than alienate and exclude. (This is my fundamental connection) founding fathers of Modernism and respects their bravery and integrity in facing and depicting the travails of the human soul through a new art that was no longer subservient to a religious or political dogma and which sought to give voice to the gamut of the human psyche.(great)
THE REMODERNIST MANIFESTO


1. Remodernism takes the original principles of Modernism and reapplies them, highlighting vision as opposed to formalism.

2. Remodernism is inclusive rather than exclusive and welcomes artists who endeavour to know themselves and find themselves through art processes that strive to connect and include, rather than alienate and exclude. Remodernism upholds the spiritual vision of the founding fathers of Modernism and respects their bravery and integrity in facing and depicting the travails of the human soul through a new art that was no longer subservient to a religious or political dogma and which sought to give voice to the gamut of the human psyche.

3. Remodernism discards and replaces Post-Modernism because of its failure to answer or address any important issues of being a human being.

4. Remodernism embodies spiritual depth and meaning and brings to an end an age of scientific materialism, nihilism and spiritual bankruptcy.

5. We don't need more dull, boring, brainless destruction of convention, what we need is not new, but perennial. We need an art that integrates body and soul and recognises enduring and underlying principles which have sustained wisdom and insight throughout humanity's history. This is the proper function of tradition.

6. Modernism has never fulfilled its potential. It is futile to be 'post' something which has not even 'been' properly something in the first place. Remodernism is the rebirth of spiritual art.

7. Spirituality is the journey of the soul on earth. Its first principle is a declaration of intent to face the truth. Truth is what it is, regardless of what we want it to be. Being a spiritual artist means addressing unflinchingly our projections, good and bad, the attractive and the grotesque, our strengths as well as our delusions, in order to know ourselves and thereby our true relationship with others and our connection to the divine.

8. Spiritual art is not about fairyland. It is about taking hold of the rough texture of life. It is about addressing the shadow and making friends with wild dogs. Spirituality is the awareness that everything in life is for a higher purpose.

9. Spiritual art is not religion. Spirituality is humanity's quest to understand itself and finds its symbology through the clarity and integrity of its artists.

10. The making of true art is man's desire to communicate with himself, his fellows and his God. Art that fails to address these issues is not art.

11. It should be noted that technique is dictated by, and only necessary to the extent to which it is commensurate with, the vision of the artist.

12. The Remodernist's job is to bring God back into art but not as God was before. Remodernism is not a religion, but we uphold that it is essential to regain enthusiasm (from the Greek, en theos to be possessed by God).

13. A true art is the visible manifestation, evidence and facilitator of the soul's journey. Spiritual art does not mean the painting of Madonnas or Buddhas. Spiritual art is the painting of things that touch the soul of the artist. Spiritual art does not often look very spiritual, it looks like everything else because spirituality includes everything.

14. Why do we need a new spirituality in art? Because connecting in a meaningful way is what makes people happy. Being understood and understanding each other makes life enjoyable and worth living.

Summary

It is quite clear to anyone of an uncluttered mental disposition that what is now put forward, quite seriously, as art by the ruling elite, is proof that a seemingly rational development of a body of ideas has gone seriously awry. The principles on which Modernism was based are sound, but the conclusions that have now been reached from it are preposterous.

We address this lack of meaning, so that a coherent art can be achieved and this imbalance redressed.

Let there be no doubt, there will be a spiritual renaissance in art because there is nowhere else for art to go. Stuckism's mandate is to initiate that spiritual renaissance now."

Alas I wish I could be as optimistic. Creative Art, Creative visual art in particular, can be divided into historical art and contemporary art. Most will not accept the narrowness of my definition that all art is historical except from the moment of its conception until the moment of its completion. It continues to live and change as an object, and as a contemporary experience by every being who subsequently interacts with its object form and then as an historical experience in the memory, so that even when it is material form dies naturally or is destroyed, it has a continuing existence in the memroy of beings, in the pictures and filming of it. New art is mostly reproduction of historical art and all new creative contemporary art is an expresion of the feelings or lack of them, and the spirituality and the soul or lack of them of the present. There is not more likelihood therefore of contemporary creative art universally becoming fully of spirituality and soul than there is of Christianity, Socialism, Communism, Pacifism and all other combinations of faiths and beliefs becoming practiced universally by human beings individually or collectively because of the nature of human beingness. What is important is that human beings do have the capacity to understand their short comings and limitations and to strive for further enlightenment, continuing in their search for truth and resisting the forces of destruction, of hate and of negativity. The journey to truth ha smany pathways and fundamentally is the method of travel, and awareness of the destination but a lack of concern about arriving.

I listen toThe Alman Brothers Statesborough Blues; J B Hutto Leave your love in. Magic Slim Just before you go. Hound Dog Taylor on Wild about you baby got me going again Irma Thomas does the classic Another Man done Guy Davis Sugar Belle Blues is a good warning to all mother's who allow their 15 year old daughters to dress up like twenty year olds .BB Kings Bad case of love remembering that he will soon be six feet deep bring this session to an end.

17.00. It is time to catch up with the weekend, papers and news. First the MK Dons, Wimbledon that was, the team that provided cup final tickets against Liverpool which they won by one goal to the amazement of everyone especially me. Alex Fergusson's son has also gained promotion as manager of Peterboro. Dad could not be there as he has a crucial match about to start at 17.15. I was about to check the Daily Mail weekend magazine to establish what is on when tonight but an n article about the gorgeous Renee Zellweger caught my attention about her inability to find a life partner and children having reached the age of 39 and become one of Hollywood highest paid and Oscar winning actresses,. John Hurt writes about trying to say sober and make his fourth marriage work at the age of 70. Beware John good intentions, including putting it down in print is no substitute for actually doing it. Take my weight. There is a look at the original St Trinians who are now of my generation grannies The Volvo C 70 looks a great car in the advert which is should as the start price is £25,750. The evening programme is definitely Dr Who and I've Got talent. There was a rerun of I've Got last night which I part watched yesterday evening before the American Idol results show, There is a good article about Andre Johnson who stole the show with his rendition of (did I say rendering yesterday) in the main paper which explains that the image of council estate was wrong. It is nice Housing association area but everything else was correct and both mother and son come out well. Tomorrow is the second match of the season as Sunderland go tot eh Toon at lunch time and the TV Bafta's in the evening which tends to be soap and against soap. But I will go for Foyle's way and hope to watch the Bafta's later on BBC I. Durham is home to Yorkshire on Sunday also on TV so that sorts out my day. The Saturday Daily Mail includes a special edition of Hullo magazine, an essential for Wannabees and this week has photos features on Ronaldo, Antonio Banderas, Mylene Klass ( who?) George Clooney,( bless the old man) he met Gordon Brown and Renee, we take a look at the home of Reese Witherspoon and her beaux Jake Gyllenhaal, and no edition would be without a Beckham who is the world's number two Caleb after David. The Queen is 82 is a couple of days and there is a fact for each year of her life which will keep and which a lead in tot eh main future of future King William Wales Windsor getting his Wings from his father accompanied by future Queen Kate? Will I live to see it? Talking of spice Geri is still in the picture and so is Elizabeth Hurley in fund raising pink along with Elton, Gary Rhodes has been transformed by his wife into a beefcake hat is not on anyone else's menu. The cheese cake is provided by Lisa B and a bevy of brides but there is also a recipe for an edible lemon one with wholegrain, and then lots of adverts plus a feature on Crab which is of interest.

Enjoyed Dr Who with an anti slavery message and aliens can be fun and then there was an early episode first series of Lost on more 4.had little choices for the evening meal not having defrosted the coated chicken pieces and did not really enjoyed a vegetable pizza which was a little undercooked for my liking. But the pint of lager helped it down.

Britain's Got Talent followed the formula of last week's programme. There were two performers who impressed buy I do not believe they will command more support that those of last week. A ten year old who will make pantomime this Christmas, and Oliver and the like and a young woman for the clubs and Ceylon.

Could not resist seeing Get Carter for the umpteenth time although I now know every scene and most of the script. If you add this film to Our Friends in North you get one valid perspective on Tyneside side four decades past

Have a midnight supper of two slices of chese with salami and play Hearts having got back to 16% Just about keeping up with new work sets of four a day and looking forward to tomorrow.

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