Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Thought Pouring

Thought pouring is writing without editing; a documentary of thoughts as they run through the mind. Thought pouring can be done with a specific focus, in order to draw out and externalize relevant thoughts on a certain matter; or it can be done boundlessly in order to allow more personal revelations to occur. -- I use this technique when I have so many thoughts, ideas, concerns running through my mind that I don't know where to begin working on/with them. Also I find that this technique is very useful for revealing unacknowledged thoughts and feelings. The idea is not to judge. To write whatever comes into one's mind. To observe. Also, to let go and not be attached to focusing on one idea that might come up. Sometimes when I engage in thought pouring my writing fluctuates between all kinds of approaches: personal, intellectual, poetic, narrative, etc. I find this exercise very satisfying because I get to give attention to all the things that I am thinking about, instead of having to pick just one or two. 

So: Thought Pouring:

I watched Persepolis the other night. It was really great. Mostly black and white animation with a storybook quality rather than a fast-action type of animation. The story is of a Iranian girl coming of age in  a climate of war and political oppression. It had humor and heartache and beautiful visual elements. It was also educational, for me at least. I know very little about the political history of Iran. It would be helpful to know a bit more about that, these days, as those rumors of conflict, weapons, war are floating around in the breeze. Actually, I don't think rumors like that would float around in the breeze. I don't think the breeze would carry them. I think they must travel some other way...maybe in tiny invisible nuclear powered zeppelins. That sounds more like it. -- I've been doing some prep work for my "can" project. I haven't mentioned that yet. It is one of the things I am working on. A major theme in my work right now is communication. I think communicating is one of the most awesome things ever. It's about sharing ideas, exchange, bringing information and personal knowledge out into the commons. It is the process or action of making something common(shared). <--- That's a revolution right there.-- On a biological level communication is "activity by one organism that changes or has the potential to change the behavior of other organisms." Pretty fuckin' Rad! --
So, the project that I'm working on explores what communication is and how we engage in that experience on a personal and societal level. And yes, this is my "can" project. Why? Because one of the major visual metaphors I am utilizing is the tin can telephone. 




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