Mark Hosler from
Negativland was speaking here at Yahoo! today, and I come away inspired. I think there's one quote that sums it up for me; he said, regarding copyright, "...we go on creating art as if the world IS the way we want it to be."
And it got me thinking...that's where the best art seems to come from, from a sense that the results will speak for themselves regardless of whether they "make sense" to a more conventional view of the world. This is the art that leads -- perhaps in spite of itself -- towards evolution.
These events I'm involved with, the whole idea of a "temporary autonomous zone" -- these are attempts to create a space for art and social exploration as if the world is the way we want it to be, as if it really is possible to trust everyone (or at least everyone inside the zone) and share and love with them.
And then one of the big difficulties faced by all of the communities that have built up around these events and this culture is that we're constantly smacked in the head by the larger consensual reality not supporting this desire for the world to be the way we want it to be. Some might say this is part of growing up, but I think a balance is possible -- it brings to mind the revolutionary theme inherent in the story of the Israelites' exodus from ancient Egypt: the way the world is, is not the way it has to be; yet even this is balanced by the theme of
Dayenu, "enough," reminding us that sometimes you've gotta be okay with what you have.
I don't accept, however, that accepting what you have means you can't continue to strive for more -- sometimes by asking, sometimes by taking (hopefully after careful thought & planning), and sometimes by simply ignoring obstacles.
