Friday, April 28, 2006

Hot in the Ass!

"I am against systems, the most acceptable system is on principle to have none. To complete oneself, to perfect oneself in one's own littleness, to fill the vessel with one's individuality, to have the courage to fight for and against thought, the mystery of bread, the sudden burst of an infernal propeller into economic lilies...."
Tristan Tzara ~ From: "Dada Manifesto" [1918]

~~~
Dada, the art movement, served to inspire me when chosing a name for this blog. It was probably one of the most significant art movements of the Twentieth Century if not one of its more forgetable.

Dada was born during World War I (not me, the movement!) as a reaction to that war. It embraced the total rejection of all prevalent social and aesthetic values. Its art materialized as a negation of those values. Art to Dada was like matter is to anti-matter.

In reflecting back on the different movements I studied as a student of art history in the 70's, I can honestly say I was happiest doing the research paper I did on Dada. That is, of course, if one can use "research paper" and "happy" in the same sentence.

One of the more memorable works of Dada was a postcard sized reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous work, the Mona Lisa. It was Marcel Duchamp who drew a mustache above that famous smile, entitled it "L.H.O.O.Q." and submitted it for exhibition.

It might be noted here that, per Robert A. Baron, "L.H.O.O.Q." when pronounced in French is "a pun on the phrase 'Elle a chaud au cul,' which translates colloquially as 'She is hot in the ass.'"

Well, almost a century later, here we are engaged in two wars and about to start a third and perhaps 'Final Conflict'. And feeling more than a little revulsion and a lot "Dadaist" at the state of the world, I thought, "What better time to revise Duchamp's "L.H.O.O.Q." than now?

And so, I proudly present my version of Duchamp's original farcical work of Da Vinci's masterpiece. Revived herein once more, is my 21st Century version of a 20th Century classic, "L.H.O.O.Q."



And who better to carry forward the (nukular) torch into this new millenium--and perhaps our last--than our own 'Chevron oil tanker secretary of state,' Condoleezza Rice?

The choice was easy because Rice exemplifies the very qualities the artwork's name implies, i.e., "She is hot in the ass" for war with Iran. And she is hot in the ass to please her house master, George W. Bush.

As National Security Adviser to Bush, the month before 9/11, who can forget--per her shaky testimony to the congressional 9/11 committee--that she was hot in the ass to dismiss as a "historical document" the President's Daily Briefing
warning that terrorists were planning to attack within the US using commercial airliners??!!

Or after 9/11 how Rice was hot in the ass for war with Iraq warning us of mushroom clouds over American cities if we didn't?

And now she tries to convince our allies this week that, with Iran, she is "L.H.O.O.Q." in the ass "committed to a diplomatic course because we believe a diplomatic course can work," while indicating in her next breath that military action is another option we can use effectively if diplomacy doesn't work, i.e., she's equally hot in the ass to just nuke the Iranian bastards.

So, there you have it. My reasons for reviving Duchamp's ready-made artwork, "L.O.O.H.Q.". Why our Chevron oil tanker secretary of state? Because in all she does, she does it in all seriousness.

And that's very fuckin' ridiculous. Unless you're a Christian jihadist just trying to provoke Armageddon for your house master Bush. And that's very scary. It's also extremely absurd, which is also dangerous, and that's outright ridiculous. And that makes it very, very "Dada"!

L.O.O.H.Q. or, as they say on the Continent, "Elle a chaud au cul!"

(Note: My thanks to an old college chum for sending me the article on Dada which recently appeared in the L.A. Times; for reminding me how much Dada means to me, and how much "Dada" should mean to each of you!)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, I think you've really come up with a dada art piece extraordinaire! Can't wait to see what you come up with for condi's house master (where will you put his moustache?). Looking at your contribution, I think for the first time, I "get" dadaism. It was always a stretch for me to grasp anti-art that, like Fight Club, has only one rule: "never follow rules".

So, do I finally grasp the underlying message of your blog as a revolt against a world capable of unspeakable outrages? And as one who has actually studied it, perhaps you can answer if the word "dada" was just made up, or can be translated into english cuz that has always confused me. And now that you've revealed yourself, I guess I'll need to remember Dada self-destructed when it was in danger of becoming "acceptable" in order to really understand any answers you may provide. D.K.

Dada said...

Oh DK....TY TY TY! Your comment has me feeling sooo validated. I have been hashing this blog over and over in my mind for a week or more....thanks to an old HS chum who sent me the LA Times article that inspired me.

Last night and today was hell, yet somehow very rewarding in the end. Thanks to your feedback. This blog, days and days bouncing around in my brain, finally hit the electronic page much, much longer and detailed than palatable, i.e., I had to cut away parts that I'd spent much time on....that I wanted to relate to everyone....but in the end were scissored in the interest of mercy for my readers and brevity.

So part of this blog which contain a part of my heart and soul was "amputated"--initially, to my chagrin.

But at the end of the day, when I'd settled on what you read, I uploaded it.....and, amazingliy, felt very good about the end product. Despite amputating, leaving on the OR floor, an arm here, a kidney there. I wanted sooo badly to share those appendages, those organs with everyone.

But it's ok. Why? Because YOU GOT IT! And thank you for letting me know that.

For that...for all my cursing the time I spent writing, rewriting this one, I feel it was all worth it.

So, maybe I'm close to some sort of cosmic horizon event? Maybe I'm dangerously close to becoming "acceptable".

Thank you, just in case, tonight, I fly into the flame!

Anonymous said...

re: amputation ... seems to me you left the most important organs intact ... your HEART and BRAIN. Although what you chose to leave is so excellent, now I'm wondering about the excised remainder. At least that's my impression, or do comments like that just give a dadaist wild encouragement?

Hahaha, don't worry about becoming acceptable! Too many daily outrages for that possibility. With the "event horizon singularity" approaching, you may find yourself a little closer to the flame, but I have a feeling you'll see others who were also skating around that thin edge with their hearts & brains intact. D.K.