I am glad that you see the logic of our reasoning regards our conclusion of 'nothing'. We have indeed come the long way around to the realisation that we do not know what is going on and of course that is where we were back in 2018 when we started, but just look what else we have to show for our efforts. We have learnt and grown and grown and learnt and have a few good studies in the bag so even as we arrive back at our default position of not knowing what is happening we do so with a lot of knowledge gained from the journey round the houses. I suppose we know a bit more about why we know nothing so it hasn't been for naught by any means. If any of this sounds negative then rest assured we do not intend it, on the contrary the choice of nothing as the still life was actually taken in positive mood, or at least in the spirit of acceptance and of refocusing somewhat on the all important Doing. When there's nothing left to say there's always something we can do, and Doing we did today. A tree study. Simple enough. We took this one at the Mellingholm retreat1 but on the very edge looking back towards the gun club range and indeed as we talked to Borg we were being fired upon (put the video in here if you like)2 and although it felt close we ploughed on regardless and in the end came away with something honest. Too much too little but honest. It is a view we were struck by on one of our recces. It is a particular spot where the trees line up just so, a step to the left or right throws the whole thing off. From this position one can feel an almost synaesthetic effect as ones eyes bounce and ricochet through the scene to the furthest point and back again. (Imagine a glockenspiel.) The wood from the trees metaphor is in play of course but we make no apologies and look here there is a lot to be getting on with in 'the trees'. You could live out a lifes work in 'the trees'.
Nearing the end as we are it is perhaps time to have a think on the more theoretical matters, not technologically speaking vis a vis the AI singularity but art theory related issues vis a vis the radical 'cutting edge'; where is it and how sharp? As a dark matter subject3 these things are the base of us even though we have forfeited any and all claims to proper artistic research, beyond our five themes that is, (and this season not even those) but that's all water under the bridge. For all the talk of there being nothing left to say we have been rather gripped by a sudden need to check back in to the critical arts and in that sense we can better understand that our picture of 'nothing' relates to the post truth era and how, having been round its bend for three seasons, we can finally place our attention elsewhere. How to do it with so little time left is a question. Inevitably we cannot offer any deep and thorough assessment but some effort to gather, consolidate, orientate, put into context our efforts during our time with you would not go amiss. Surely its better to try that than to waltz once more around the psyche war.
The issue of contemporaneity would seem to be the chestnut. I have ordered Anywhere or Not at All: Philosophy of Contemporary Art by Peter Osborne and Modern Times: Temporality in Art and Politics by Ranciere.
Good day.
John
1. Refers to an area where old manor house once stood and is now a nature reserve 4km south of Norrtälje.
2 John seems to have forgotten that he has asked us not to upload the video messages because of the climate impact of The You Tube Video Service. We will fact check the issue and potentially include the video at a later date.
3 All references to being a 'dark matter subject' or a dark matterer' are used by John seemingly to signify his identity as a marginalised critical artist. Derived from Gregory Shollette's book Dark Matter: Art and Politics in the Age of Enterprise Culture.
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