'Life escapes; and perhaps, without life nothing else is worthwhile' (Virginia Woolf, Modern Fiction)
Friday 4 February 2011
Jusdicia et al
These pictures tell a story...Taking inspiration from the film maker Alexander Kluge, I ask you to make your own interpretation. Feel free to leave a comment with your story:
Pinar Cope '... the very symbol of energy. It boils impatiently, vehemently it demands to be used, to be harnessed, it is either the whistling signal for work, for work stoppage, for strikes, or else the motor-power of a whole factory, a machine for ...future production ...” (Frederic Jameson in the New Left Review, July/August 2009). By insistence and repetition this banal object, a commodity, transforms into a larger-than-life symbol, and we start to get a sense of the full range of cognitive and material links this commodity has to the web of life that surrounds it.' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFZatmOFpns
'A commodity appears, at first sight, a very trivial thing, and easily understood. Its analysis shows that it is, in reality, a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties. So far as it is a value in use, there is nothing mysterious about it whether we consider it from the point of view that by its properties it is capable of satisfying human wants, or from the point that those properties are the product of human labour. It is as clear as noon-day, that man, by his industry, changes the forms of the materials furnished by nature, in such a way as to make them useful to him. The form of wood, for instance, is altered, by making a table out of it. Yet, for all that the table continues to be that common, every-day thing, wood. But, so soon as it steps forth as a commodity, it is changed into something transcendent. It not only stands with its feet on the ground, but, in relation to all other commodities, it stands on its head, and evolves out of its Wooden brain grotesque ideas far more wonderful than "tableturning" ever was.' (Karl Marx)
It is an un-stoppable energy within - could be used and abused by many. Outside, it is an object - still... ; although the energy witin makes it move. Move? By who, whom, where, when, etc. What is the source of this move, the experience behind it? In a cage full of solitute, how much of the move we encounter eachday could be possibly real?????
What is special about this monster? What does it represent? Remember that scene from V for Vendetta? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCZrLbOXWVU
Fascists are scary, but what is it this particular one feeds on? (Aside from obvious power...What feeds power?)
The lady next door? Well she can take milk from schools, among many other things. Is there a link to the current situation, do you think? How can we prevent street crime?
May I add that I don't intend to say Madam Justice should be blown up, and neither should the Statue of Liberty. But in this first picture, what has happened to justice? What makes her so montrous?
Hitler=fascism,dictator,war,leader.... Juctice in mummy's hand...I could say there is no justice no more or ppl cant seek for justice because they are scared....
how to prevent street crime....make sure ppl get paid enough to live... search the reasons for crime...hunger..no jobs...capitalism...
Sevim, that's an excellent point. Fear, speaking up, justice... It's so interesting hearing the different interpretations of these pictures! And interesting how you see the Thatcher picture representing the reason for crime (rather than her being a criminal herself) :-)Many people are suffering/going to suffer as further cuts are made. Will this mean more street crime? My thinking cap goes on...
Pinar Cope
ReplyDelete'... the very symbol of energy. It boils impatiently, vehemently it demands to be used, to be harnessed, it is either the whistling signal for work, for work stoppage, for strikes, or else the motor-power of a whole factory, a machine for ...future production ...” (Frederic Jameson in the New Left Review, July/August 2009). By insistence and repetition this banal object, a commodity, transforms into a larger-than-life symbol, and we start to get a sense of the full range of cognitive and material links this commodity has to the web of life that surrounds it.'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFZatmOFpns
Do you mean something along the lines of Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times? The madness and greed of capitalism?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CReDRHDYhk8
Beckett was a genius!
ReplyDelete'A commodity appears, at first sight, a very trivial thing, and easily understood. Its analysis shows that it is, in reality, a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties. So far as it is a value in use, there is nothing mysterious about it whether we consider it from the point of view that by its properties it is capable of satisfying human wants, or from the point that those properties are the product of human labour. It is as clear as noon-day, that man, by his industry, changes the forms of the materials furnished by nature, in such a way as to make them useful to him. The form of wood, for instance, is altered, by making a table out of it. Yet, for all that the table continues to be that common, every-day thing, wood. But, so soon as it steps forth as a commodity, it is changed into something transcendent. It not only stands with its feet on the ground, but, in relation to all other commodities, it stands on its head, and evolves out of its Wooden brain grotesque ideas far more wonderful than "tableturning" ever was.' (Karl Marx)
ReplyDeleteIt is an un-stoppable energy within - could be used and abused by many. Outside, it is an object - still... ; although the energy witin makes it move. Move? By who, whom, where, when, etc. What is the source of this move, the experience behind it? In a cage full of solitute, how much of the move we encounter eachday could be possibly real?????
ReplyDeleteMonsters are scary, Fascists are scary and so is the lady who looks like she lives next door.. Mistrust power. Trust yourself.
ReplyDeleteWhat is special about this monster? What does it represent? Remember that scene from V for Vendetta? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCZrLbOXWVU
ReplyDeleteFascists are scary, but what is it this particular one feeds on? (Aside from obvious power...What feeds power?)
The lady next door? Well she can take milk from schools, among many other things. Is there a link to the current situation, do you think? How can we prevent street crime?
(There you go, that's A LOT of questions ;-))
May I add that I don't intend to say Madam Justice should be blown up, and neither should the Statue of Liberty. But in this first picture, what has happened to justice? What makes her so montrous?
ReplyDeleteThe life experience of hers....
ReplyDeleteHitler=fascism,dictator,war,leader....
ReplyDeleteJuctice in mummy's hand...I could say there is no justice no more or ppl cant seek for justice because they are scared....
how to prevent street crime....make sure ppl get paid enough to live... search the reasons for crime...hunger..no jobs...capitalism...
Sevim, that's an excellent point. Fear, speaking up, justice... It's so interesting hearing the different interpretations of these pictures! And interesting how you see the Thatcher picture representing the reason for crime (rather than her being a criminal herself) :-)Many people are suffering/going to suffer as further cuts are made. Will this mean more street crime? My thinking cap goes on...
ReplyDeleteThe only answer I have id the last one is the most scary.
ReplyDeleteIs that the one that made you feel as though your insides were being ripped out without you knowing it?
ReplyDeleteI would say yes. It will increase crime.
ReplyDelete