Tuesday, December 17, 2013

"Why is the galaxy shoe in the water?"

two windows found on my walk home

found as is along 33rd St, Baltimore

found as is along Chestnut Hill Ave, Baltimore

Monday, December 16, 2013

We go to bed, but we don't sleep too hard.


We are crying out. We are black cats. We are lucky pennies. We are rotten food. We are cut zombie legs. We are building a raft. We are the ocean.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

common rituals

knock on wood
rubbing part of a bronze statue

Abraham Lincoln state, Taylorville, IL

coffee

Sunday, December 1, 2013

when it rains it pours

Hunger Games billboard on the green line Morgan St. CTA platform

* * * * *

Smoke

Hummingbirds make explosions in the dying white flowers—not only the white flowers are dying but old women are falling from branches everywhere—in smoking pits outside the city, other dead things, too, are burning—and what can be done? Few people know. Dogs have been lost in more than one place, and their owners do not love the Countryside anymore. No—old women have fallen and lie with their cancerous cheeks among the roots of oak trees. Everywhere, everywhere. And the earth is sprouting things we do not dare look at. And the smoking pits have consumed other unnamable things, things we are glad to see go. The smoke, tall and thick as mountains, makes our landscape. There are no more mountains. Long ago they were gone, not even in the memory of our grandfathers. The cloud, low over our heads, is our sky. It has been a long age since anyone saw a sky, saw anything blue. The fog is our velvet, our armchair, our bed. The trees are purple in it. The candles of flowers are out now. The fog is soft, it has no claws, not yet. Our grandmothers’ purple teeth crave. They crave things we would not even recognize anymore, though our grandmothers remember—they cry out at a bridge. Too many things to name are gone and we are left with this clowning earth, these cynical trees— shadows, all, of themselves. And we, too, are beyond help. Some only are less cancerous than others, that is all, some have more left, of their bones, of their hair, of their organs. Who can find a way around the smoking pits, the greedy oaks? Who can find a path to take among the lost and dying dogs back to where the hummingbirds, though mad, still explode the flowers, flowers still though dying?

-Lydia Davis, from "Almost No Memory", 1997

* * * * *

11/27/13
too far silly

11/28/13
pot of gold

pennies stuck in the fencing of a CTA platform

11/30/13
"she was blond and ironed"
Reebok brand cross-fit tractor tire
Michelin\Reebok cross-fit shoe
-
loving what you do is not a reason to be paid less than what your labor is worth (!)

12/1/13
 "off the bone"
"... the clock answers my questions about the time very well..." (from Examples of Confusion by Lydia Davis)
the},r (Google drive image/text conversion error for Smoke)

 
parts of the murals in El Taco Veloz, Chicago

Saturday, November 23, 2013

50° C - 54° C

the colors added to the Australian weather map this summer when it got too hot

Thursday, November 21, 2013


dose / dosage
Orange Herald
recipe



Wednesday, November 20, 2013

one measure

the colors used to signify heat index on a map, 70-120 degrees Fahrenheit

heat index
sugar and medicine
measure

heat index chart, abstracted

Monday, November 18, 2013

the ark in Frostburg, MD (tonight feels 10 degrees colder)


killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
wind chill
ending


Sunday, November 3, 2013

Dark Days: Three Cases

GWD-005 DARKNESS AT MID-DAY

G. ; Notes and Queries, 2:3:366, May 9, 1857.

"A phenomenon of this extraordinary nature occurred at Bolton-le-Moors and the neighbourhood, about noon on Monday, March 23, 1857. The wind during the morning had been north-east, with a little snow; at twelve o'clock the air became quite still, and a deep gloom overspread the heavens, increasing so rapidly, that in ten minutes it was not possible to read, or distinguish the features of any person a few yards off. This was the more singular from there being no fog at the time, though snow in very minute particles was falling. The extreme darkness continued about eight minutes, when the horizon at two or three points assumed a lurid yellow appearance, as though from conflagrations a few miles distant; within a quarter of an hour from this time the darkness was dispelled; but such was the alarm caused by the phenomenon, that many persons supposed the world at an end, not a few were made ill by intense nervous excitement, and all were more or less impressed with a feeling of awe. Poultry went to roost, instinct being stronger than habit. Can any of your correspondents explain the cause of this phenomenon, or record any similar occurrences?"

If darknesses, such as that described above, are due to great fires, where are the reports of the fires and why does no one smell the smoke?


GWD-006 EXTRAORDINARY PHENOMENON

Murray, Charles A. ; Annual Register, 99:132-133, 1857.

"The following letter from the Hon. Charles Augustus Murray, Her Majesty's Envoy to Persia, to Sir Charles Lyell, was made public:- "Bagdad, May 23, 1857. My dear Sir Charles,—We have lately witnessed here a phenomenon so strange that a brief description of it may not be uninteresting to you. On the 20th instant, a few minutes before 6 p. m. (which is here about an hour before sunset), I was sitting with my Mirza reading some Persian letters, when on a sudden I became sensible of an unusual obscuration of the light on the paper. I jumped up, and going to the window, saw a huge black cloud approaching from the north-west, exactly as if a pall were being drawn over the face of the heavens. It must have travelled with considerable rapidity, for in less than three minutes we were enveloped in total darkness—a darkness more intense than an ordinary midnight when neither stars nor moon are visible. Groping my way amid chairs and tables, I succeeded in striking a light, and then, feeling assured that a simoom of some kind was coming on, I called to my servants to come up and shut the windows, which were all open, the weather having been previously very sultry. While they were doing so the wind increased, and bore with it such a dense volume of dust or sand, that, before they could succeed in closing the windows the room was entirely filled, so that the tables and furniture were speedily covered. Meanwhile a panic seized the whole city; the Armenians and other Christian sects rushed through the gloom to confess and pray in the churches; women shrieked and beat their breasts in the streets and the men of all classes prostrated themselves in prayer, believing that the end of the world had arrived. After a short time the black darkness was succeeded by a red, lurid gloom, such as I never saw in any part of the world, and which I can only liken in imagination to the effect that might be produced if all London were in conflagration in a heavy November fog; to me it was more striking (I may almost say fearful) than the previous utter darkness, and reminded me of that 'darkness visible' in which the poetic genius of Milton placed the demons and horrid shapes of the infernal regions. This lurid fog was doubtless occasioned by the rays of the western sun shining obliquely on the dense mass of red sand or dust which had been raised from some distant desert, and was borne along upon the blast. I enclose you a specimen of the dust. The Arabs here think that it came from the Nejd. The storm seems to have travelled in a circular direction, having appeared first from the south, then south-west, then west, then north-west. After about two hours, it had so far passed away that we were able to open the windows again and breathe the outer air. It cannot have been a simoom, for during those which I have experienced in Arabia and Egypt the wind is hot and stifling. On the 20th the wind was high, but only oppressive from the dense mass of dust that it carried with it. " Professor J. Quekett, having examined a specimen of red dust from Bagdad, which accompanied Mr. Murray's letter, detected under the microscope only inorganic particles, such as quartz, sand, and, though a small portion of calcareous matter was present in the sand, yet he could observe no microscopic shells or other organic matter."


GWD-007 A DARK DAY IN WASHINGTON


Eells, M. ; Monthly Weather Review, 30:440, September 1902.

"Friday, September 12, 1902, was the darkest day that the oldest inhabitant of Hood Canal, in western Washington, ever knew here, owing largely to the smoke from heavy fires in western Washington and western Oregon. At Twana, in Mason County, it appeared as follows: The evening before was somewhat smoky, though not peculiarly so, with a few ashes occasionally falling. About 3 o'clock on the morning of the 12th the whole heavens were a very bright red, according to the statement of a young lady who waked up, as she supposed, about that time, the light being similar in appearance to a certain kind of northern lights only it covered the whole heavens. By 5-30 a. m. , when the writer first looked out, it had faded to a dull red. By 7 a. m. the reddish appearance had disappeared, it having turned to a gray color. At 9 a. m., it was possible to read in the house only by getting near a window, and even then it was quite trying to the eyes. By 11:30 a. m. the dull reddish color appeared all around, soon growing very bright in the north, but by 12-30 p. m. the brightest red was in the south. Between 12 noon and 1 p. m. was the darkest part of the day, it being utterly impossible to read out of doors. After 1 p. m. it began to lighten a little, the chickens, which had gone to roost, began to crow; 1:15 p.m. it was again possible to read out doors; at 2 p. m. there was considerable dull red in the sky, but it then disappeared to be seen no more, the heavens becoming again of grayish color. After 3 p. m. was the brightest part of the day.

What caused the reddish appearance has not been satisfactorily explained. Some attributed it to the light from the fires, but this does not seem possible. The writer attributes it to the sun's rays working through the darkness, until he learned that the brightest red was seen about 3 a. m. There certainly seems to have been a very peculiar state of the atmosphere that day, which can only be explained by wiser meteorologists than the writer, but the day will be remembered as one in a lifetime."

-from Corliss, William R. Strange Phenomena: A Sourcebook of Unusual Natural Phenomena. Volume G-2. Compiled by Glen Arm, Maryland: The Sourcebook Project, 1974.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

my talk from "Superstizione" today

This Inaugural exhibition for the new School of Design Gallery at the Owings Mills North campus will include photography, video, print, sculpture, and performance art related to Italian film traditions and superstitions.
Superstizione features work by Catherine Borg; Adam Farcus; Dina Fiasconaro, Assistant Professor, Film and Video; Terence Hannum, Assistant Professor, Art; and Allison Yasukawa.


installation shot of Superstizione

Adam Farcus - Crier (tablecloth and Garden Defense Owl) 2013

Artist Talk

The information presented in this talk will require some interpretation by the listeners and viewers as I will be defining, describing, and expanding upon my piece, Crier. I am going to read some poetry and text that I have written as well as poetry and text by other authors. I will note when I am reading from other authors. All other text is written by me.

Coal City Superstitions

Bare Cottonwood Trees
If the cows are laying down in the pasture, it will rain soon.
If you stomp on a rat, and it doesn't die, your mill is in trouble.
To avoid the curse of a black cat about to cross your path, curse profanely until you pass it.
Hedge-apples will keep rodents away.
If you hear an owl, you have a guardian protecting you.

Leftover Paper Plates
Step on a crack, break your mother's back.
Looking at pornography will make you go blind.
Falling into a mine shaft is a bad omen.
The left thumb will turn black in sympathy for a smashed right one, and vice-versa.
Drinking pop after dinner will cause nightmares.

Train Flattened Keys
An upside-down penny is unlucky.
An open door says friends are nearby.
You will trip over old shoes.
A lucky penny, once washed, will no longer be lucky.
You are in love if your cigarette will only half-light.

Craft Fair Booths
The darkroom beneath the stairs will protect you from tornados.

Garage Sale Tee-Shirts
If you see an apparition in your rear-view mirror, put a tea leaf on your back seat to keep him away.
A neighbor's haunted attic should always be unfinished on the west side.
A girl thrown from her bed by a ghost will grow freckles over her bruises.
A full moon casts long shadows.
A broken bone, caused by falling into a mine shaft, will be haunted.

Cornfield Arrowheads
Coal brings bad luck. A cows tooth brings good luck.
Buried trauma will always be dug up.
Finding a Trilobite fossil is a sign of wisdom.

I wrote this piece in response to the myths and superstitions from my home town, Coal City, Illinois. Some of the superstitions were believed by everyone in town, some are from friends, some were only mine, and some I created. These beliefs, and most superstitions, are created to give name to that which is undefinable.

In Italy owls are assigned a superstitious power that is akin to Americans’ supernatural understanding of a black cat. They are both bad luck and harbingers (or bringers) or bad fortune. In the case of Crier that fortune may be external, such as a storm or disaster, or internal and personal to the viewer.

Michael Earl Craig
Night Visit

I'm awakened at 3 a.m. to the sound of an owl.
It takes me a minute to find my glasses.
I press my face to the window.
A silver flash crosses the yard.
It settles into an owl shape on a nearby post.
My nose and eyes are stinging.
A stinging behind my face.
Like some kind of problem behind a billboard.
Why would a man look at an owl and start to cry?
My body is trying to reject something.
I have no idea what it is.
The owl is sitting in the moonlight.
The yard is completely still.

The home, and domestic living, is signified in my piece through the inclusion of the tablecloth. The owl hides (although not successfully) under the tablecloth and is subsequently turned into a ghost. Crier is a harbinger that comes back from the dead to deliver its warning message.

Some Italians do not keep any birds in their homes, especially owls or representations of owls, because they are thought to posses the "evil eye." I do not know of any time when a wild animal in your house would be anything but a negative sign, but this should remind us of the famous local poet Edgar Allan Poe.

Edgar Allan Poe
from The Raven

And the Raven, never flitting, still sitting, still sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above of chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamplight o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
                                Shall be lifted – nevermore!
 

Thursday, October 24, 2013

from the introduction to Mary Pipher's "The Green Boat: Reviving Ourselves in Our Capsized Culture"

this book is defining my practice.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Green-Boat-Reviving-Ourselves-ebook/dp/B009NY40JQ

16/16 Rose


my contribution to the print exchange, Atlas, organized by Nick Flatley.

Monday, October 14, 2013

a direct citation of those who indirectly cite: just a list of some names of “neo-conceptualism” artists

Martin Creed
Simon Starling
Roman Ondák
Ceal Floyer
Ryan Gander
Alexander Gutke
Jason Dodge
Kirsten Pieroth
Evariste Richer [1]

Sunday, October 13, 2013

10/9-12/13

Jasper Johns - Corpse and Mirror II (oil on linen) 1974-75

10/9/13
"who are we at the whim of (whom?) whom hums the tune"
-from red doc>, by Anne Carson

10/12/13
"the moon tunes the tides"
-from a poetry reading at Current Gallery

the sun tunes the flowers
the woman tunes the guitar
the mechanic tunes the car
the stove tunes the omelette
the fleshlight tunes the cock
the season tunes the leaves (and the colds)
the paper-maker tunes the pulp
the combination tunes the lock
the light tunes the eyes
the sugar tunes the blood
the core tunes the crust
the tuna tunes the sandwich

10/12/13
"Night's bones are still forming"
from red doc>, by Anne Carson

Monday, September 30, 2013

i just bought this, shit!

i tuned into WBEZ online this morning (because the NPR in Baltimore isn't my favorite) and heard an interview with this author on Worldview.

The Green Boat : Reviving Ourselves in Our Capsized Culture by Mary Pipher


SYNOPSIS
Pipher is back with another groundbreaking examination of everyday life, this time exploring how to conquer the fears about major environmental issues and transform them into a positive force in for life

*****

"Mary Pipher takes on our planet's greatest problems with the skills of a truly gifted therapist. She knows why we avoid and deny the truth and she knows how we can heal ourselves and our communities even as we try to heal the earth. This book is a deep and true gift."—Bill McKibben, author of Eaarth

In Reviving Ophelia, Mary Pipher offered a paradigm-shattering look at the lives of adolescent women. Now Pipher is back with another ground-breaking examination of everyday life, this time exploring how to conquer our fears about the major environmental issues that confound us and transform them into a positive force in our lives.

Pipher emphasizes the importance of taking small, positive steps to preserve what’s important, drawing from her own experiences as part of a group fighting energy company TransCanada’s installation of the Keystone XL oil pipeline across the Midwest, which will sit atop the Ogallala Aquifer, the source of 40% of the United States’ fresh water. The challenges she confronts reveal surprising answers to the critical questions we face: How do we mobilize ourselves and our communities to work together to solve global problems? How do we stay happy amid very difficult situations? And what is the true meaning of hope?

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

in a poem, yesterday

cats + nuclear fission =

to touch
            sun warmed brick

Sheppard's Hook

LAKE TROUT

SEA
SALT GRINDER

UNDER
   DA
  SEA

*****

there was something extra pretty about yesterday. it felt like i was living inside a poem

Saturday, September 14, 2013

can death metal aesthetics transcend it's angst?



 by this google search it doesn't look good, but i think i might try

Terrence Hannum, Thaddeus Kellstadt, and Jason Lahr (probably among many others) have done it....

Sunday, September 8, 2013

sometimes i transcribe packaging material

mehron

New Blood Red

$8.00
3-D GEL(Gelatin Effects)

·         Mix with FFX makeup to create dazzling colors
·         Creates realistic 3-D effects
·         Easily comes out of cloths
·         Leftover gel can be reused

mehron
3-D GEL
(Gelatin Effects)

Create Realistic
3-D Effects

Net .5 fl. oz. / 14 ml.
Mehron Inc.
Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977

8

Made in U.S.A.

Net Contents: .5 fl. oz/14 ml.

mehron

3-D GEL™ (Gelatin Effects)

Use 3-D Gel™ to create many frightening special effects. Achieve realistic looking bruises, burns, scars, lacerations, bullet holes and many more "3-D" effects.

DIRECTIONS: Place bottle into hot water (70°c/158°f water is optimum. NO HOTTER!) until material has liquefied (Do not microwave). Always test the temperature of material before using. Apply directly from the bottle, or squeeze out a small amount on a clean, hard surface. Use a utility brush, finger or spatula to smooth over skin. Build up in thin layers, allowing to cool between each layer for perfect effects. Blend well with real skin for a more realistic look. 3-D Gel™ can be torn away or cut open to create cuts and open wounds.
                To create textures and bumps, use a cosmetic brush to tack the gel. An application of translucent powder will set the 3-D Gel™ and reduce the shine.
                To add color mix a small dab of Fantasy F-X™ tube makeup, liquid makeup or Stage Blood into the liquefied gel. The color is now incorporated into the 3-D Gel™ and prevents color from running off. Once gel is cooled and set on skin, any cake or cream makeup can be used to add color. Use Stage Blood and/or Blood Gel to dress open wounds and cuts.
                Helpful hints:       Dip Finger in warm water to help smooth gel over skin.
• 3-D Gel™ can be used as an ultra-strong adhesive for applying monster bolts, fake spiders, creating rivets, etc.

REMOVAL: Peel off 3-D Gel™. Wash off any remaining residue with mild soap and warm water.

WARNING: Burns may occur! Always test temperature of material before using. DO NOT MICROWAVE or use a heat gun. Do not put in ears or eyes. Recommended for ages 10 and older. Adult supervision required.

INGREDIENTS: Glycerine, Gelatin, Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, May contain: Titanium Dioxide, FE&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #2, Iron Oxides.

Be sure to try the entire family of products from MEHRON...

The First Name in Performance Makeup.

Made in U.S.A.

7   64294 52142   8

Mehron Inc./Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977