| Abstract : |
We are living in a peculiar era where basic needs, namely food and shelter, are well secured, especially in developed societies. Yet, the sense of deprivation is stronger than ever. The market constantly bombards us with this ambitious dream that we can achieve anything and become anyone in this time and age of well-connected and highly developed technology. Thus, failure is unacceptable and only belongs to an incompetent, lazy individual. But as the world constantly shapes new standards and expectations, many of us spend our lives running wildly from one goal to another without ever stopping to ask ourselves for what purpose we are doing so. Until one day, one of the biggest fears beset upon our lives: a fatal accident; a loss of job, reputation, romantic partner; a crisis that disrupts the rat race, throwing us off balance. All at once, we feel like a stranger in this world, questioning everything we have been taught and believe. This is the pivotal point for many people that would either push them to the edge of self-destruction or the wake-up call to go back to our inner deepest concerns. But what they are and how understanding them would help us stay grounded in this "industrial living, technological advance, and megalomania" .
My artwork is a humble attempt to address this phenomenon. During the process of realizing its concept, John Cage’s life story came to my attention. I was enthralled not only by the similar line of thought between my work and one of his, but also the "pervasive, strong, and consistent" attitude as seen in his writings and interviews that had been informing his creations.
This paper shares the materialization process of my work mainly in terms of its inspiration and offers perhaps a slightly different aspect of John Cage’s philosophy regarding life and music. |
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