The Creative Act 2 (Ars Longhaired)

 

     Mycream-colored Persian cat Claude hasbeen the subject of previous posts.

     Recently, unexpectedly, no explanation proffered, he has taken up a visualarts vocation.

     Claudeworks on paper.  Rather, his medium ispaper.  He may, in fact, be a “paper medium” (inthe paranormal sense), i.e., paper seems to speak through him.  This accounts both for the uniqueness andhigh quality of his work.

HumDrum, 2011

     Atvarious times every day and night, Claude locates piles of paper in my office(there is a lot of it around; I’m a lawyer), takes pages in his mouth and distributesthem throughout the house inarranged patterns on the floor. 

     Thisisn’t random scattering.  Claude worksall the rooms in the house and expends great effort on both transport and composition.  The Druids of Stonehenge – the monument builders,not the 1960s New York City rock band -- would understand.  

Corner Piece, 2011 

     The visualeffects are striking.  Formal differencesaside, the mood he achieves, which combines elements of classical permanency and flux, akind of formal spontaneity,reminds me more than anything of the work of certain Conceptual artists (I’mthinking of Agnes Denes and Scott Burton).  

Les Voisins, 2011

     Unlikemany Conceptualists, however,  Clauderefrains from making any tedious references to “systems” or theory (structuralist,post-structuralist or any other type of "ist" or "ism").  

      Hespecifically does not “posita synthesis of all knowledge” in his work.  The work speaks for itself.

A Christmas Carol, 2011 

      In theact of creation, Claude resembles JacksonPollock painting or Leonard Bernsteinconducting.  He is full offeeling and "hums" his creations as he works.   

    When sheeventually masters the alto saxophone, Iimagine Jane filming and scoring one ofClaude's performances.   

 

The Druids Of Stonehenge (feat. David Budge) : Mumsy (Live on the Joe Franklin Show)(Link)