Post date: Oct 21, 2011 11:30:36 PM
Today, I send you another new piece of my art titled "CSL: Croatian As A Second Language". It is 15" long x 5 1/2" wide x 6" high. Trying to not only do the art, but also write a few words in relation to it, has been quite taxing on, not only my creative abilities, but also my mental stability. Therefore, I have reached out to a few of my respected associates to help relieve some of my anxieties and insecurities. Unlike our political leader, I have extended invitations to both sides of the aisle and will be like Fox News, "fair and balanced". I am not responsible for their views, interpretations or opinions. I am only responsible for the art. Feel free to join them with your own commentary. I will publish them, as received and unedited, on my blog. Below is the first of many I hope to share.
Guest Analyst: Walter A. Verbanic
I want to introduce JOHN MICHAEL’s latest work entitled “CSL: Croatian as a Second Language”. Many of you will recognize some of the metaphors he has used since they relate to your lives as well. His conceptualization of art and life has long been a mystery to some of you and even with the hints he has provided in past communications and work; some still wonder. Why wonder, just view and read with your subconscious in full control and you will understand and join in the creative process. A few of you have; more should.
What speaks to you, what you see or what you think? What filters of translation do you use? Academic bromides brewed in the witch’s pot of superstition and fear? When you are brave enough to crawl through the dark hole of inner self, the one that you have to really squeeze through, the one that smells of damp earth and is tangled with roots do you see something different? Which is the truth?
You are locked in the jury box, enclosed on all four sides, heads and cerebellum focused upon the ubiquitous display screen that reveals not a wasteland but the reality of history and the drama of a life. It’s not a puzzle and it is not game, it’s a simple and understandable exercise in the world you have overlooked and ignored for yourself and you developed a difficulty in seeing what is also behind you when it is in front of you.
Here are some hints:
“The hound of the Baskervilles lives in all of us,” Arthur Conan Doyle. “Sit still and don’t move,”Sr. Amata. “A house divided by language cannot stand.” Abe Lincoln. “That’s fine work but it’s not what I wanted you to do,” Anonymous. “Speak”. “Arf”. “Speak when you are spoken to ... … SLAP”. “Te se mali machka,” the neighbors. “A certain breed of dogs are more than likely born deaf than not,” Benny Asner.
Like a dream that starts to turn from fun and pleasure to pain and fear, your journey begins here. Lope with me through the landscape; connect the dots (no dunav, not on the dog! God do I have to always warn about being literal) and let things get under your skin. Whereas you have seen things, one like a crawling child, look up beyond the fur balls and lint, so you can see what that dark dream has in store and learn why you should learn to run not walk into the future. You’ve already gotten beyond the tripwire and don’t you want to get to the altar.
Listen to the invocation, “Hodie Spot” from the loud, rough voice that controls all about you but yourself; the voice doesn’t realize that “spot” is a refuge, “spot” is a sanctuary, and “spot” is escape; a refuge, sanctuary and escape from the cruel, bitter reality that comes down from what should have been -- a relieving, reassuring and caring loved one. That’s OK; I’d rather be ‘spot’ than be awake with you. My dreams are friendlier even when scary because you are real. I’ll cast my lot with imagination and freedom, with feelings rather than deceit and you can only wake me up after the fact.
Yes, the hints were pretty obvious weren’t they? Hope you didn’t have to struggle too hard to put them all together. Lots of times we do leave hints or clues for other’s to discover and make or not make sense out of; what hints have you left behind? And what about your friends or acquaintances; what have they figured out about you?
I hope I’ve shown you some of the other side of things and caused you to consider what metaphors, dreams and nightmares may be lingering around that can be put together.
(To see photos of the above art piece "CSL: Croatian As A Second Language", go to https://sites.google.com/site/jmdodigartphotos )