here is an abstract for a feature under development which is also being submitted for consideration to the ACSA for a conference in the fall at the university of louisiana/lafayette. it deals in some fashion with the work.group’s marquis project and its investigation of allegory’s role in the design of a practice. also investigated will be the shortcomings of post-enlightenment monotheism, kafka, and boots stamping on human faces—forever.
this is related to the ‘public appearance’ aspect of your post, rather than the abstract: should we
1) piece together the marquis in a format suitable for hard publication – perhaps the virtual gallery rendered in indesign?
2) prepare an abstract for ex_nihilo, or at least this chapter, so we can send it out to publications/journals/papress – something like the piece sent to those sci-arc alumni, but more thoughtful and craven?
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given that everyone i spoke to about the installation (dy, jt/3, and melam) said they thought it would be very effective in publication form, i think this would be an admirable pursuit. i too think it would be a very engaging piece of ephemera. the only problem i see is either convincing a twink of resources to back us or seeking distribution for a self-produced tome, a task which i have never had much success with (considering i could never even convince the doppelganger of that big-toe-headed creature at wf to even give away my fanzines). i believe you have had more success with this. at any rate, i think it is a good idea. i am curious about your mention of an ‘abstract’ above. do you mean a blurb showcasing the fiction and the narrative, or something by tony vidler about the relevance of this piece of work to all sentient beings. i am reading that you imply the latter, perhaps composed by more second-rate thinkers such as ours truly. the paper i am working on above is not explicitly about our work but it will include it as though referenced by an interested and impressed party (revans on m.v. der rohe). what issues do you think would be addressed in this abstract; what is it that you believe our work on marquis was doing?
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re: ‘abstract for ex_nihilo’. i was thinking about something crafted by us, that would explain the intent and form of marquis (at least), as related to the practice and the results, which could be used as a press release or something that could be delivered to potential (and otherwise) journals or galleries. i don’t know if the work alone would entice these visionless dullards, but we might be able to develop a compelling description of our office space – as lack of ownership and identity in the city relates to the same involving the work. i know less than you about getting a ‘paper’ published in some periodical or conference, but i thought it might be helpful to have some concise proposal (abstract?) ready made.
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re: ‘engaging piece of ephemera’. well, if we are going to ask some brutal dildos to guarantee the cost of publication of this tome, then perhaps the previously described ‘abstract for ex_nihilo’ would apply here. even if we could find the scratch for self-publication (preferable), i don’t see how we can overcome the issue of distribution, even if the shit is free, unless we put your face or pzellner’s name on the cover.
regardless, we can push on w/ the developement of the copy, perhaps, which i guess would be some screen shots of gallery pasted into indesign?
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do you have any ideas for a thesis statement? i feel like the work can be approached at a number of levels. i see it as: 1. an allegory about a young office struggling to design a practice, b. a sociopolitical commentary on our work and our thoughts on the role of design in everyday life, iii. a treatise on the limits of the architect’s power… all of these things seem to have a common goal, to situate our work in a realm whose attributes are ascribed with a meaning. depending on the use of the narrative, the meaning of the red pickup truck or the abandoned super8 changes. im not sure it is up to us to exaust the possible uses of the narrative, however, it should be clear to us which ones we see as most important to our work. i see the above listed uses as being important to me, and im sure i could come up with more, but i would be interested in seeing your rapidfire list.
btw… have any of your sugartaurs from la expressed interest in financing further proliferation of the narrative and its stations?
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you are free to use my visage to whatever ends you fancy. as for pzellner’s handle, i wouldnt waste the ink.
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GrayAh ha! “Brutal dildos”…you’re trying to rig the Google search results so that an ominously delicious sex toy out performs the Beez (metaphorically speaking, of course…I go all night)!
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i was also hoping we could be the sole hit for ‘sugartaur’, thereby proving our mastery of jawkist wordsmithery to the globe. log on to this!
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re: socal sugartaur; i have not heard a peep since the initial response.
re: rapidfire thesis statements; see ‘crud‘ for a continuation of this theme
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perhaps a more ongoing strain of cultural action that gives meaning to functions and locales of the city is a more theatrical form of allegory. this could be in the form of walking (decerteau), conversing, or body language (watch for defensive body language and read what it says about the character of a district or space in the city, it is describing a stance or ascribing a code of use for other people to read and learn, how can we write our own, who is writing alternate scripts (homeless, interestingly, it is in the areas where the homeless and abject population are at their most open and at ease that the gentry take their most defensive poses (the nickel in la, jw dobbs in atlanta) usually these accompany an archetypally decrepit architectural scene, but it is interesting when the tone of the infrastructure collides with the collage of body languages, such as pockets of intown parks that act as leisure centers for the gentry and living rooms for the homeless).
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strike the personal appearance aspect of this post. but god damnit im still writing the paper. at least now it doesnt have to tie into something as hackneyed as ‘improvisation.’ also, to peer 28r, i hope you enjoy the fruits of your narrow conception of improvisation with a bunch of papers about albert ayler and merrill elam. oh, im also sorry i dont write like tom clancy and rem koolhaas.
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22h51m16
15.Apr.2005