Category: Poiesis

by jad

Invisible Cities, and Building the Raised Fist

I just finished reading Calvino’s Invisible Cities, that postmodern novel I’ve seen cited and quoted and gestured at for decades in the books about human geography and urban politics I tend to reach for first, and it was only near the very end that I felt a strong resemblance between one of his imagined destinations and Seattle: “Also in Raissa, city of sadness, there runs an invisible thread that binds one living being to another for a moment, then unravels, then is stretched again between moving points as it draws new and rapid patterns so that at every second the … Continue reading “Invisible Cities, and Building the Raised Fist” →

by jad

Erase and Rewind

“Erase and rewind, ’cause I’ve been changing my mind.” Do you remember the video for that song? The walls closing in on the band until the very last second? Does anywhere remind you of that? What I mean to ask is: have you ever lived somewhere that seemed to make your world smaller by the day? Closing in on yourself until you’re more compact and neatly stackable, fitting in by shrinking down? It’s a genuine question. Because I’ve lived places that felt the opposite. Places that didn’t crush you if you stretched yourself out and took up more space. I’m … Continue reading “Erase and Rewind” →

by jad

Antigravity (On the Cost of Film Photography)

It’s been harder to justify the cost of film photography lately, but the siren’s call is almost just as hard to ignore, so I decided to stretch a roll out across a couple of weeks, like an “everyday carry.” This is counterintuitive, because the cost usually makes me more precious about the shots, needing them to “mean something.” These don’t mean anything. We took the new light rail to Mercer Island and found some earthworks, walked around, then took the light rail back. x I didn’t think about it at the time, but these fit well with an advertising project … Continue reading “Antigravity (On the Cost of Film Photography)” →

by jad

What Makes a Photo “Necessary”?

Whenever I’m anywhere with lots of people with cameras, I become painfully aware of my own camera and how low-key gross they actually are. It’s that twinge that Barthes writes about when he recognizes himself as becoming-object, but it’s worse, because, for me, it’s from both sides of the lens. I am the biggest hypocrite. I run from the gallows and happily take my place at the foot of the guillotine; I’m mixing metaphors somewhat, but I’m making another reference here: the photographer as executioner, as exegeted by Fontcuberta—the trail of dead leading back to France when the histories of … Continue reading “What Makes a Photo “Necessary”?” →

by jad

Finding a Political Home on May Day

Mr. Melee told me that he’s perma-banned from Instagram, so he probably won’t see this, but I’m sure you’ve seen him before, if you’ve been to any rally, march, or protest in past year or so. This was from May Day. I’ll be posting a few photos. Me and the other 10,000 people with cameras who were out here today. x Comrade Nate was a little suspicious of my intentions at first, but I think I won him over with the sheer power of my airtight logic: if you show up looking this cool, you’re gonna get pestered for a … Continue reading “Finding a Political Home on May Day” →

by jad

Barthes and the History of Looking

“The portrait-photograph is a closed field of forces. Four image-repertoires intersect here, oppose and distort each other. In front of the lens, I am at the same time: the one I think I am, the one I want others to think I am, the one the photographer thinks I am, and the one he [sic] makes use of to exhibit his art. In other words, a strange action: I do not stop imitating myself, and because of this, each time I am (or let myself be) photographed, I invariably suffer from a sensation of inauthenticity, sometimes of imposture (comparable to … Continue reading “Barthes and the History of Looking” →

by jad

Easter, Žižek, and Abolishing ICE

The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. Happy Easter to all who celebrate. x I didn’t pay attention to the calendar when I booked our tickets to see Žižek months ago—it was last night, one of the biggest nights of the year at work—so I didn’t end up going. But Christine did. Here’s the man signing my scrapbook (he said I was very wise to ask for his signature on that—don’t tell his publisher) in a photo that Christine took using her old PowerShot called “Pete.” Look at how this self-proclaimed Christian Atheist is … Continue reading “Easter, Žižek, and Abolishing ICE” →

by jad

No Kings, Kontra Kapitalismus

One of my greatest pleasures lately has been decluttering, particularly letting go of books I know I’ll not be rereading, if I’d ever finished them in the first place. Like unclenching a fist and letting the blood flow. Letting go. Letting recirculate. The simplest thing in the world, but not for me. I’ve spent my whole life holding on tightly. Refusing to let go of whatever I’ve clawed back from the jaws of oblivion. Sentiment becomes sediment. It’s time for the levees to erode. x No Kings. Kontra Kapitalismus. Sin banderas, sans frontières. نراكم غداً x Two over-processed smartphone captures … Continue reading “No Kings, Kontra Kapitalismus” →