The Brooklyn Rail

SEPT 2022

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SEPT 2022 Issue
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WORD

We’rethinkingaboutthedeaoffluxandfluxesasagamemechanicwhenwefirstglimpsedthewindfallitwasonlyaflashbutthereitwasTheskywasclearnocloudsandtherewasnodewThedaywasoutwewereupandthewaterwasmakinganefforttoboilwhenwenoticedthefluxcomingit'soneofthesewordsthathasanegativeconnotationandapositiveconnotationinmymindItdescribesthewayitisIt'stimemanThewordfluxisfromthelatinrootmeaningtoflowortoflowlikeariverIt'sawordIreallyenjoyEverydayisanewdayAnewdaymeansanewfluxanewfluxmeansanewpracticeandsoyoukeepthepracticegoingWearetryingtobecomeawareofhowthenatureoffluxischangingandhowthenatureofourunderstandingofthefluxchangesbeginningwiththefluxofthewindfallWeseechaosinnaturelikeinaflowingriverorwindeverydayit’snotatallusefultocategorizeitAndthisiswheredrugsandalcoholgetinvolvedbecausethere’snochancethatanyofuscouldmakesenseofwhat’sgoingonWhatwe'retalkingaboutisactuallyakindofharmonybeingdisruptedThesethingsthatshuteachotheroutandkeepfromcoexistingcannotcoexistsofaraseachotherareconcernedIt'slikeatreecreatingacanopybutatthesametimeopeninguptocollectrainandsunlightatthesametimeThere'sthisharshnesstoitbecausethepathsthatwefollowinpursuitofthosethingsareharshYoustartwithsomethingthat’sthreateningtoyouthenyouworkandworkandworkuntilsomethinghappensthatjustifieswhatyoustartedoutdoingYoustartoutwithacontradictionandthestoryishowyouallowcontradictionstocoexistYoumightknowthecontradictionyoursoulmightknowthecontradictionyourspiritmightknowaswellButallyoucanfigureoutishowyouletthatcontradictionfeedyourenergyandleadyoutowhereyouneedtobetofinishupthejobAplacewhichhasbeenanimatedbyherandsheislookingformebecauseI'matouristandcouldbefooledintothinkingshe'sahumanandIthinkshe'salittlecrazyandit'sallquitesillyandmeaningfulwhenplayedbackat55secondstheyarelightandIwouldcontaintheformwithcomputermountedcamerasandtherearedifferentwaystodoitbutIdothinkit'sessentialtodocumentinfirstpersonaccountsoftheAnimatesinordertoachieveanykindofproperunderstandingofthisphenomenonisn'tabouttruthit'saboutattemptingtoobtaintruthVenusisbrightsoIcan'timaginewhattheEarthmightbelikeonceeverythingisinventedandwecanonlyfocusontheenergeticsofmatterWemusthavemadeanawfullotofnoiseIthinkIlookdownandIseethewaterandit'sgotthiskindofgreenishtingetoitandthere'swhatlookslikeatreestumpsittinginthemiddleoftheharborandhowitispossiblethatthelightfromastarcanbethestaritselfandhowthisiswhatlightisandthepictureitpaintsisthewholestoryaboutenergyandmotionandtherelationofmatterandmotiontoeachotherandthismuchlightcomesfromitandthat'showmuchenergydoesandthat'sitplainascanbeandeasytocalculateifyouknowwhatyou'redoingandifyou'reabrainoranactualstarorpartofastarbyacknowledgingrecognizingtherearedifferentsubsetsofmovementwithinlargerthingsinmotionwecantrytoavoidgettingstuckinaspaceofexpectedoutcomesAllthingsatonepointwerebutanideaaplanavisionTherewerevoicesofdoubtandsupportersatonepointbeforetheideawasbigorsmallitwasjustanideaItgrewitinflateditbecamebiggerthanwhatitoncewasitbecamethemainideathateverythingelserevolvedaroundThisideathisvisionmetaphoricallyturnedthepagefromblackandwhitetoMagicMarkerandrainbowtiedyedandthepeopleandotherideasturnedintothefleshandbonesofthemovementlikeanewbreathofliferesignedandrevitalizedandcompleteI'veneverheardanyonesaytheyjoinedamovementtochangeitThepeoplewhocamebeforeusconstructedtheideabutwhatwedowillbethefoundationandthebedrockofwhat'stocomehonestlyIthinkhavingarolemodeloranexpectationofhowthingsshouldbeorwillbeisthemostdeadlythingyoucandoIhatedthisideaofbeingatoolIdidn'twanttogothroughthemotionsoffeelinglikeIdidn'thaveavoiceIhaveaseriousissuewithauthorityfromalotofperspectivesIhadmadeadecisiontoneverbearepeatcircumstanceThatmightjustbeallnonsense.

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Contributor

Michael Joo

Michael Joo is an artist based in New York. He is currently developing collaborative projects with John Burns of the Mega Lab science collective in Hilo, Hawaii, and Isabel Sicat of Manilla based fashion/art label TOQA.TV.

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The Brooklyn Rail

SEPT 2022

All Issues