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EMPATHICS, Acrylic on wood panel, 10 x 10" (25.4 cm. X 25.4 cm.)
November 2008, Los angeles
This painting, (and 3 others) will be shown and sold at this years "ART BASEL MIAMI" in Miami Florida December 4 - 7, ( www.artbaselmiamibeach.com/go/id/ss/ ) If you are interested in the purchase of this piece, please e-m to rsconnett@gmail.com
This painting illustrates some of my fancies about human communication in a higher age of human evolution. I dream of communicating "empathically" through technological enhancements to our abilities. Empathy is superior to telepathy, and certainly to verbal language. It is to communicate with emotion. This would be a grand language! There would be little chance of misunderstanding.
I've been reading about "Transhumanisum" … "A term often used as a synonym for "human enhancement". Also known as "Posthumanisum".
It is an international, intellectual and cultural movement supporting the use of science and technology to enhance human mental and physical abilities and aptitudes, and overcome what it regards as undesirable and unnecessary aspects of the human condition, such as disability, suffering, disease, aging, and involuntary death." (quoted from Wikipedia; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transhumanism)
I've been concerned about death since I was a child. It's been a great motivator for me. Death is the greatest betrayal of life! Just when you begin to get good at it, you die!? Isn't that a bit of a "GYP"?
All through the history of mankind people have found ways to "make peace" with death. What choice have we? From the first historical records we find reference to death and "afterlife" Religions were invented (in part) to answer the question of the greatest human tragedy, our own death.
What could possibly be worse than death? Yes, life can become terrible in many ways, and one might welcome death under certain circumstances. I certainly agree with this. My father died a terrible death as a result of a more terrible state of life. So, I understand. However, when life is still vital. When we want our life to go on, to do more, it is indeed a tragedy beyond any other to die! This is premature death! And I believe most people die prematurely.
There are those who believe that life can be sustained in good health and sharp mentality through the use of technology. These are the Transhumanists. One whom I most admire is Ray Kurzweil. He has 'almost' convinced me that it will be possible to not only live longer, but to become much more than who we currently are. He belives we can transcend our own current biological state. And indeed, it is our duty to do so! It's a matter of evolve or die! It always has been. Now, it is up to us to take the next evolutionary step through our talents of invention. We can no longer rely of biological evolution to save our species.
The merging of human biology and human technology is the next step in human evolution. This is why the robots will not revolt; we WILL BE the robots!
In the same way that the first man invented a tool, or utilized energy (fire) to improve and extend his existence, we shall embrace and merge with technology as the next step in human evolution. It may be a bit late for me, (and that pisses me off!) but I continue on with a glimmer of hope. I have little hope for existence beyond the grave, though I keep an open mind to all things.
It would be wonderful to be free from the world we live in now, and enter a new phase of existence. I would live in a world where the only limitations are imagination.
In my own small way, this is the world which I do my utmost to live in now. It is not always so easy. Oft times the grim hands of reality swoop down to pluck me from my reveries. I spend my days toiling by the "sweat of my brow", being the accursed white Christian that I am :)
I highly recommend reading the books by Raymond Kurzweil, and about the man. Here are some links;
About Ray kurzweil: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Kurzweil
The Age of Intelligent Machines: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Age_of_Intelligent_Machines
The Singularity Is Near: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Singularity_Is_Near
By the way, Someone here described the "SINGULARITY" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularity ) to me, and I lost track of who this was. If you read this … Thank you very much! I have learned much and been much inspired!
Empathy... The topic of the first Words about words on the blog.
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#smalltowninertia Shared a few hours with David this morning. I’d purchased and taken with me a memo recording device, designed for use by people enduring blindness, a device, I hoped, that might aid in lessening the immense strain and stress of having to memorise one hundred percent of every element of David’s day to day life, now, when a thought, a need, an item or chore was thought of, David could record it, save it and replay it, at will. Another step towards greater independence.
Introducing new equipment to David takes time, patience and empathy. It’s a scary, frustrating endeavour, learning, memorising and understanding anything that you can’t see. Especially electronic devices. It’s a necessarily slow process of explaining, informing, describing and cannot be rushed.
After many attempts and learning, tracing the buttons, making a visual map within his mind, David began to understand the memo recorder and was able to use it to record his voice. The first ten messages recorded, face etched with concentration, self doubt and tension, he whispered ‘Help’ into the recorder, played it back, heard his voice, then erased.
Carefully, as we progressed, I suggested he try a longer list of items, as though making a shopping list, which he did and then learned to scroll through the recordings, erasing them, re-recording, playing them, listening, learning, gaining confidence every time.
Then, without prompting, David launched into a song, then another and another. Playing them back, a broad smile awoke upon David’s face “I don’t mean to sound big headed but I sound better than I expected, don’t I?”, “Yes!” I encouraged, truthfully, as David has a beautiful singing voice.
Together in his kitchen, cold, dark but now both singing along to the recordings he had made, we smiled, laughed, together.
As I write this, now, I am amazed at David’s memory, singing songs he’d heard as a child, from cinema and radio, recalling every lyric and phrase, melody and timing, never missing a beat nor forsaking a word. I am equally aware of the great privilege it was and is, to hear David sing.
Music, it has transpired, is a key to happiness for David, a momentary escape and joy, non reliant upon sight, transporting him out of the blackness, into the light of song, of singing and of being alive.
Today, was a good day.
* Also, a chance to try some more out of date Kodak BW400CN, developed at the local Boots. Looking forwards, in January, to finally start developing TriX and Tmax, myself.
#film #Kodak #leicaM6 #BW400CN
Full story : smalltowninertia.co.uk/tag/david
DAVOS/SWITZERLAND, 23JAN15 - Sarah Jones , Playwright, Actress and Poet, USA captured during the session Comedy and Empathy in the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 23, 2015.
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Benedikt von Loebell
My first “oriental” film w/ j.faerie...
SERPENT CAMEL EYE OF THE SPHINX TIGER
... is on YouTube!! xoxo AV
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We wanted to make places that don’t exist, with rich iconographies pointing to nowhere. An indeterminate zone (“The Orient”) through which identity can fracture like refracted light. It’s a made up place where there is no there - yet the impacts of orientalism are felt materially, pooling around people and places of need to Other their struggles. This flattening of identity gives calm to the colonial gaze, as dehuminization creates objects and empathy gets in the way of control. Were they just terrorists asking for it, or just objectified massage workers. The gaze doesn’t ask. We wanted to meet and return this gaze to the spectator. Perform the liminalities of self made and imposed identities. Serpent Camel Eye of the Sphinx Tiger. 2021
"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know; the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve."
Albert Schweitzer
From UBU's new 'Savage Virtues' series (Coming in the New Year).
Photographer: Everyman
Location: The Garden of Eden.
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La mer, la mère et le bêbê.
C'est au cours de la promenade que nous rencontrons des gens qui nous montrent le plaisir de vivre,
ceux qui nous accueillent et nous aident à nous éveiller à notre potentiel,
l'arbre le plus grand, le plus beau et le plus puissant, un jour cet arbre n'était qu'un graine,
et en lui il y avait toujours tout le potentiel
un jour tu as été aussi le début de tout potentiel et si tu es parmi nous aujourd'hui c'est parce que quelqu'un t'a protégé pour que tu puisses surmonter la phase fragile de la condition initiale
ceux qui aident les autres savent que la frustration initiale ne fait que cacher l'énorme potentiel qui attend de se réveiller.
la vie se fait malgré d'innombrables frustrations,
la créativité et la résilience nous aident à surmonter les frustrations,
c'est ainsi que nous sommes sortis des profondeurs des cavernes sombres,
nous apprenons à produire la musique, la technologie, l'art, la démocratie, la coexistence, l'empathie,
et pas à pas nous grandissons,
comme c'est merveilleux que nous apprenions sagement à surmonter les frustrations momentanées,
être une personne sage, utiliser votre potentiel,
que quelqu'un vous a aidé à atteindre,
soyez sage et reconnaissant,
le graine vous remercie : ]
oui, le bébé que tu as été
Ivan
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The sea, the mother and the baby.
It's during the walk that we meet people who show us the pleasure of living,
those who welcome us and help us to awaken to our potential,
the biggest, the most beautiful and the most powerful tree,
one day this tree was only a seed,
and in him there was always all the potential,
one day you were also the beginning of all potential and if you are among us today it's because someone protected you so that you could overcome the fragile phase of the initial condition.
Those who help others know that the initial frustration only hides the enormous potential waiting to be awakened.
Life goes on despite countless frustrations,
creativity and resilience help us overcome frustrations,
this is how we came out of the depths of the dark caverns,
we learn to produce music, technology, art, democracy, coexistence and empathy, and step by step we grow,
how wonderful that we wisely learn to overcome momentary frustrations,
try to be a wise person, to can use your potential,
so, like someone helped one day to you achieve the today,
be wise and grateful,
the seed thanks you a lot : ]
yes the seed, the baby that you were.
Ivan
Thomàs the Ravenous wrapped his arms around her and let his spirit rise up through his skin like a balm. Sweet, warm and opiate. Of course, it did not erase the pain, but could make it more bearable- so that it could taper away from the point where it choked and suffocated her.
Astrid de Manyet was quiet, and shifted in his lap, her cool glass nose pressed to his cheek, though the rise of his spirit brought out hers too... and she rose up with him... which changed her composition almost automatically without her meaning for it too... and her skin softened even before she could react, her fingers flexing in the hair at the nape of his neck, her manner easing and she let out a breath near his ear and closed her eyes. She took comfort in what he gave of himself... and it heated her core and eased her spirit.
Thomàs the Ravenous was able to relax as soon as she was, caressing the line of her form against his- he could say any number of things in this moment, but ultimately did not trust himself not to put his foot in his mouth instead. In place of words he smoothed heated kisses over the softening skin of her cheek and neck.
Astrid de Manyet sighed. Touch... was more of a balm than any words anyway. And for whatever reason... She and Thomas simply 'fit'.
"I told you not to go out tonight, didn't I ? Every time you go out, this kind of thing happens."
('Frank Zito' by RK - made out of a slightly modified and blood painted action figure by ToyBiz / 'Knife' by NECA / 'Scalp' by ToyBiz as well)
NOTE: I always hoped that one day there'd be a figure of one of my favourite horror movie characters: Frank Zito, outstandingly performed by the late Joe Spinell. Then again, what toy company wants to get their hands dirty by sculpting this grim, deranged and yet sad and lonely serial killer from 'MANIAC' (1980)? A movie so controversially discussed and reviewed - and often incomprehensibly ignored when it comes to the list of 80s horror movies.
So I took this matter into my own hands and tried to recreate the now infamous movie poster. To me it's still one of the best horror movies ever made - with Joe Spinell's great and disturbing performance and some of the best make-up effects at that time by Tom Savini.
EMPATIA.
Como hacer para no contagiarse del sufrimiento ajeno?
O acaso de eso no se trata la empatia?
Somos empaticos, porque entendemos el dolor ajeno como propio,
podemos bajar a su nivel y rodearnos de sus emociones,
ya sean alegres, como completamente negativas.
¿Que se gana, cuando la empatia hace que quedes en un pozo ciego y aparentemente sin salida, tan solo por sentir lo que el otro siente?
Quiza la vida no se trate sobre ganar, quiza solo se trata sobre sentir…
Taller de Lola Caffieri Fine art ♥
EMPATHY.
How to do so as not to become infected with the suffering of others?
Or maybe that’s not about empathy?
We are empathetic, because we understand the pain of others as our own,
we can go down to their level and surround ourselves with their emotions,
be happy, as completely negative.
What do you win, when empathy makes you stay in a blind hole and seemingly without exit, just by feeling what the other feels?
Maybe life is not about winning, maybe it’s just about feeling …
Lola Caffieri Fine art workshop ♥