HE KNOWS YOUR NAME

 

'You're not just a number with God. HE knows your name'.

1970s Television advert for the Christian Reformed Church.

HANS (JEAN) ARP / JEAN (HANS) ARP

 

Schnurhutt / Moustache Hat (1923)

OPTICAL CARNIVAL

The Responsive Eye was an exhibition of optical art held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York from February to April 1965. Some of the artists represented included Josef Albers, Bridget Riley, Frank Stella, Victor Vasarely and the French collective Groupe de Recherche d'Art Visuele.

Curator William C. Seitz said "unlike most previous abstract painting, these works exist less as objects to be examined than of generators of perceptual response, of colours and relationships existing solely in vision; of forms, presences and variations often entirely different from the static stimuli by the artist'.

The first night audience, captured in a short film (one of the cameraman was Brian de Palma), is clearly drawn from the upper echelons of Manhattan society (the men are wearing black tie; the women evening gloves), and seem largely indifferent, being far more interested in themselves and each other. 

Some medical professionals are on hand to talk about the physiological effects the pictures and objects might be having on the viewer, and the curators and the artists work hard, talking about concavity and convexity, transience and translucence, perhaps trying to ensure people understand that this is ART, not a set of fairground mirrors. 

David Hockney says that he detests some of the work because it 'makes my eyes blink', a statement he thinks very clever indeed, but then he's always been an obnoxious little prick.

EXCESSIVE BRIGHTNESS

Strong glare: screen eyes as shown to combat sunlight reflecting from snow / water / sand. 

Use these protective measures even when the sky is overcast as harmful rays can still penetrate and hurt your eyes.

People differ in reaction to fierce light. Even though you may not seem troubled always wear eye protection in areas of brightness. Penalties for not doing: you will be unable to see far; judgement may falter; night vision affected; partial or total blindness, temporary and permanent; death.

From The Book of Survival by Anthony Greenbank (1967).

EVERYDAY ELECTRONICS

 

009: Light To Sound Converter

EYE WORK 2: THIS TIME IT'S INCOMPREHENSIBLE

Oh no, bonkers Antipodean therapist Bethany Allridge is back with her disturbing eye improvement exercises. Don't ask about the science, there really isn't any, just shut up, pay attention, and make a nose pencil.

INNER BEAUTY

 

It's not discarded, by the way, I have it, and I don't intend to relinquish it.

DON'T DO IT (NE LE FAIS PAS)

Juliet Dans Paris, d. Claude Miller (1967)

A kind of Vampire story, Juliet moves to Paris to attend University, but is distracted by a thirst for blood that leads her to terrible acts of self-harm and murder.

A wonderfully composed short film - virtually every shot could be framed and put behind glass. It also reminded me that quality orange knitwear, if paired with the right accessories, can be really quite exciting (see also Threshold Of The Void).