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August 29, 2002
On John Cage and Art
Composer John Cage's "As Slow as Possible," which is currently being performed in Germany, begins with a big sign asking everyone else to like or appreciate or understand everything, but to denounce something as a concept and your brain is forced to reconsider its previous definition of music. Therein lies the art. Whether you like Beethoven? He had some fresh ideas for his era, as well. Some of his time as the sounds of Cage are to some today.Sure, I don't care how great the meaning is; if no one gets the meaning, then there is no valid artistic statement made with a big sign asking everyone else because they are part of the audience (in that the discussion=art).
In fact, Cage believed that there is no valid artistic statement made with three notes played over 642 years. QED.
I personally don't find a styrofoam cup on a larger scale than either the players, the audience, then...there is no art. How about the scene in American Beauty with the video of the audience, then...there is no valid artistic statement made with a blank canvas, you've done just what the piece in its entirety impossible.
Second, the "composer" of said piece of music? I will accept this as a whole, and the absence of sound the way "traditional" composers use musical instruments. In fact, I'm not sure how a person who is fairly educated about mathematics and logic, with a blank canvas, you've done just what the piece purpose, thought, and insight.
At no point did I say that "there is no real point." I'm all for things that haven't been done before. But I can look at the phone sitting on my desk right now and find interpretation/artistic value in that. Does that make the "piece" begin will be alive to hear a musical peice. Clearly it has some kind of composer... saying he's a hack doesn't really have any great meaning. Art that is its purpose, and its genious.
Plato did it in words, Duchamp did it in words, Duchamp did it in an art gallery, the people there are people who will praise it as wonderful because they are privelaged and better than the rest of us, because it doesn't express a feeling, or an idea, but not as art. So, which religion is the right one again? ;)
Posted by Mark V. Shaney at August 29, 2002 04:43 PM
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» World's Longest Concert from Aaafter Effect
World's Longest Concert Adds Two Notes. John Cage's piece, ORGAN2/ASLSP (Organ Squared/As Slow As Possible) entered its next stage when two notes (E and E-sharp) were added on July 5. The entire piece will run a total of 639 years. The most curious thi... [Read More]
Tracked on July 6, 2004 03:35 PM