electromagnetic pulse

musings. precious moments.

Last night I took part in a fun show at the new Galapagos Art Space in Dumbo: 60x60 Dance. It's a collaboration between the compositions of 60x60 and 60 invited choreographers who create something to perform alongside the music. It's a hoot. An hour is a lot longer and a lot shorter when you're counting the minutes. And half an hour is a whole f*ck load longer when you're waiting to perform your second minute after the first one was over in 45 seconds.

Mostly, I had fun seeing so many choreographers and dancers do their thing --there was some old stuff, some inventive stuff, and some really fun stuff. (We had only two weeks notice to put the show together, but with more time and a tech run-through in the space, it could be even MORE fun.) I was reminded that this dancing thing we do is a language -and I really don't know how it's a language for non-dancers (though I'd love to hear about that), but for the dancers in the community, this is one way we talk. We learn things about each other through our expressive, moving -and still!- bodies. It's powerful to connect without words. It can be riveting, too, to make that bond without ever following up on it, without ever using words - something that art does for us in a way not much else can... except maybe those unplanned moments when you develop an entire narrative in your head from just one exchange of glances with a stranger. But are they not art, too?

Earlier this summer, I was commenting back and forth with Claudia La Rocco of The Culturist and up came the question of whether art is -or should be- "precious". She said no, and while I don't unreservedly say yes, I can't say no either. Art that is made to be seen and marketed - and to live in the public realm should not be above anyone. In that way, "precious" is out of place. But what about the moments (in life or not) that are precious and for which we use art to replicate or explore?

Precious moments. Those are art for me. They inspire me to continue making art, even as the work I make engages in the less touching moments I experience.

What do you think?

Labels: musings

posted by e m p @ 2:43 PM