“Life (…) is capable, luckily for us, of nothing but splendid waste. Hence the opportunity for the sublime economy of Art, which rescues, which saves and hoards and “banks” investing and reinvesting these fruits of toil in wondrous useful “works” and thus making up for us, desperate spendthrifts that we all naturally are, the most princely of incomes.“ – Henry James
Years ago, when the Institute of Contemporary Art in London was still a very cheap member’s only club, I bought a postcard there which I have stuck to the doors of at least six different fridges ever since. It is a black and white photo of a desolate arctic landscape and, right in the centre, there is a bald man in a black tuxedo, his body stance giving the impression that he is hesitating. There’s a sign next to him with two arrows pointing in different directions. Ones says Art and the other Life. He seems to have just been going in the direction of Art but is now looking back at Life o0ver his shoulder.
It’s a still from a video art installation I’ve never seen by Anri Salas.
I, too, try to go in the direction of Art but Life keeps getiing in the way. Mustn’t let it.
This personal website is mostly a commonplace book, occasional journal.
Claudia Dias