"Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark. 
In effect, the people who change our lives the most begin to 
sing to us while we are still in darkness. If we listen to 
their song, we will see the dawning of a new part of ourselves."

Rabindranth Tagore

Existential Intelligence is the sensitivity and capacity to engage questions about human existence – how we got here, whether we have a purpose, and whether there is meaning in Life. Existential intelligence embraces the exploration of aesthetics, philosophy, religion and values like beauty, truth, and goodness. A strong existential intelligence allows human beings to see their place in the big picture, be it in the classroom, community, world, or universe.

First proposed by Howard Gardner, existential intelligence is one of nine theorized intelligences and is considered to be amoral – that is, it and the other eight categories of human intelligence can be used either constructively or destructively.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Guerilla Acts Part Two


I am working on a new name for art driven guerilla activities. There are loads of them out there. For instance, some folks led by my friends Diane Sandlin and Jean Dahlgren participated in a yarn bombing at the Blanton Art Museum in Austin, Texas.

Don't the colors look beautiful amid the trees?

After I wrote the post yesterday, I read a few inspiring things on line, and decided no time like the present. I grabbed four framed photographs left from a recent exhibition of spoonflower.com inspired pieces and hopped in the car, armed with my hammer, a few nails and the camera.


I loved the incongruity of framed art work hanging on a telephone pole.

Before I left the house, I printed cards that read:
THIS IS FREE ART
If you want it, it’s yours.
Call & leave a message if you want to tell me who you are.
Happy Day.
733-1957

I attached a card to the back of each photograph.

I installed the Dhalia piece yesterday afternoon at 3:00 pm. This morning at 9:00 am it was gone.



I installed the Agave photo in front of the liquor store. You know - tequila, and all - and the fact that this is Texas. I drove by this morning, and the photo had a crack in the glass. The Free Art tag was taped to the front, on the glass. I thought it was pretty sweet of someone to hang it back up, but I did wonder why he or she didn't just take it. One of those things that's interesting to question, but part of the lesson of letting go.


I chose to install the Poppy outside my favorite Mexican restaurant - the Blanco Cafe. There's a gorgeous tribute to one of the daughters - Miss Gina - painted on the window. I thought it was fitting to offer the poppy up in memory of her. This morning it was still there.


The last photograph is installed outside the local drycleaner's storefront. When we drove past it this morning (My sister Ann was visiting) we agreed that most people are so preoccupied with their thoughts when they drive, they may not even notice the 12" x 12" square hanging incongruously on the telephone pole. There's a lesson there, too. It's so good to get outside yourself and really look at the world around you. I will be looking and also reporting.

And I'll let you know if anyone calls.

6 comments:

  1. Jane -- I would love to have any of those art pieces, but I think I would've left them for others to enjoy. It might be interesting to include a little spot where viewers could leave comments.

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  2. That's a great idea. I just made the rounds again. Even the broken one at the Liquor Store was gone.

    The only remaining piece from this experiment was the one outside the drycleaner's place. And it was the most remote. I LOVE seeing what happens and am already thinking of the pieces that will go out into the world next.

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  3. Hang more and leave me coordinates.....I'll be in town tomorrow and wouldn't be the least bit shy about removing one or even two!

    See you soon!

    xo

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  4. Such a wonderful idea! Be interesting to see if you receive a call from the people who took the photos.

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  5. Happy day! So glad you're back. You are a gift that I am thankful to receive!

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  6. i have enjoyed your blog and group complex cloth. inteligent ideas and exchange will be a loss to many. thanks for your input and stirring up the focus of clth and color and why

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