2014::AUG::26
We can say that, the use of graphic diaries, on its ontological relationship with the every day life, is voyeuristic. This idea does not intend to establish a relationship with some psychological pathology of sexual nature, but rather, to identify it with the basic principles of drawing representation: to see, to think and to do.
The drawings on notebooks are records of one condition that belongs to us as interested persons. The drawing in sight, implies a positioning of its creator, that gives him a representation mastery. This domain, with a goal to some result, is not disinterested, in a way that the drawer seeks his registration be consistent with the purpose for which it is proposed.
The “to see,” triggers a process of constructing an imagined fantasy. The one who uses the notebook as a support to sketch the everyday life has necessarily to maintain a relation with the space and with the “other” in a away subversively respectful. That is, we want to be as close as possible without having to give evidence of invasion of privacy that does not belong to us, but which we want to be part of.
The pleasure that is obtained through this practice of drawing from the insight into the behaviors, the forms, the space-time relationships of the “other”, results of the motives of desire on the “other”.
The drawings on notebooks are the opportunity to create an imagine that carries the “other” to the particular universe of “i”. The record held, feels like an achievement. The sense of purpose that is not innocent or indifferent to the existence of the “other”. It is the reward for waiting and occurred away.
The drawing in notebooks, sticks to something and is not attached to anything. The drawer of everyday life, like the voyeur, don’t want to be caught in the act, but do not mind being seen. He steals what he sees, not for what it’s worth, but just for the pleasure of doing so. It is a fixation on what is the “other”, striving to bring it to his privacy. One drawing at a time, drawing anything as long as it is other thing.
In its fantasies, any person can do anything. The feeling of omnipotence is created by the controlled desired purpose. Like voyeurism, the drawings of everyday life are a way of traveling in the author´s fantasies. The drawings are the result of his fantasies. Takes place through the desire of the “other”, the need to make it real.
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2013::NOV::24
What can distinguish authorial/artistic/aesthetic works using notebooks as support, from any other type of support? If, graphic dayries, artist books, field notebooks, sketchbooks, travel books, are spaces of criation, other supports, too. If they give us chance for plastic experimentation, other media also. If we can use many poetic languages, in other media too. If they can create and add time and space interconnections, other media also. For all this and more, we just need to use creativity. To be able to find the proper difference – at least some – we need to go to the DNA of a notebook.
A particular and important characteristic for its distinction in relation to other mediuns of artistic creation, is in its particular “in folio” format, that gives it a unique quality in the presentation of the work . This quality has established an “original sin” in this kind of work, that is not common in other media: the fact that the parts could be isolated from the whole.
Every artworks aspires to be seen as a cohesive whole, a kind of structure (framework) that sustains the different elements that compose it. We look for a sense of unity as if there was a link between the artwork’s sensible qualities. However, the unit of a work is not a principle of the work itself, but rather the result of the relationships we build from the different properties of the work. In this respect, we would say that the parts are an expression of the background and we would agree with the gestalt theory. If we want to look to a notebook, as a legitime artistic work, then we have a dilemma: to perceive the book as an object aggregator of the work inside, in a logic way (sequential or hyperlinked) or perceive each as a double page work itself, isolated from previous and next ones?
Although there are examples where the book is used exactly to create an oriented narrative, most books are produced part by part. The author brings together the capability of abstraction with regard to the works already created and focuses the imaginative effort just in “that” space.
To the author , there is a sense of division created from the definition of “page”, which is easily isolated in the path of vision. In this case, we say that the notion of work in a sketchbook , is phenomenological, because it is the notebook as notebook defined in it’s practical and functional way, that guides the subject in the conscious of the work.
One evidence of this feature is when we find authors that showcase their work, wanting to isolate and get different works within the double page.
In this case, the drawings in notebooks are not only one work with many pages. They are several works in layers, each one with its autonomy within a purely structural totality.
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2013::MAR::06
Let’s start from these two premises:
A finished drawing is an applied drawing.
An Unfinished Drawing is an experienced drawing.
There is a kind of DNA on drawings in notebooks which leads us to an end that is not directly comparable with other drawings in other media. It is, perhaps, a particular specimen.
One of these characteristics borns in those using notebooks to draw that, in generaly, sees the notebook as an uncompromised place to ended works. The own English word “sketchbook” leads us in a difficult way to release this drawings to not feature in a “sketch” sense. Even the Greek etymon “schedios” means “that which is temporary”. By this way, we believe that what is temporary is a phenomenon that exists for an acceptable minimum period (temporal, spatial, material, ideological …), that after, it will lead in a much broader phenomenon of such conditions.
If, from an ontological point of view, a notebook is a place for not ended things then, what is more natural to feel is an unfinished character on those drawings.
The unfinished drawing is an experienced drawing by the principle that, if we are not interested to see a purpose (application) on sketchbook, but only an occasional experience, then, we want it to result as an open space, directed but undefined in it’s application. We want to have and do that experience, but since it gives us at least the minimum desirable, we move to the next drawing and so on until the last page of the notebook.
Therefore, the lack of patience (occasional or regular) is a symptom that drawing in notebooks only admits the minimum experience required to obtain that concrete experience. Everything that goes beyond this minimum experience, will result in an effort (gradual or exponential … not sure) to finish the drawing(territorialize, fencing, close, bypass …) that will give the drawing an aply sense.
The “finished” drawing is like a thesis (end of course, a goal reached, the beginning of another, a book…). The “unfinished”drawing shows us the hypotheses (opens paths, lifts us to new horizons, a notebook…).
Since my drawings remain unfinished, I’ll be fine!
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2012::DEC::22
What a pleasure to waste time. A chair, a table, an espresso, a pen and a notebook. Here, time abounds or does not exist. A space with time everywhere or simply without it. Who can allow itself the waste of time or not to take into consideration? Who can use the time to make it a space of freedom or have freedom without having time? Prose life is full of poems. Some live with closed eyes but others dream with them open.
What is this confused space where suddenly, everything becomes clear? The smell of coffee in taste and it’s flavor in smell. The hours running out there and the time not existing here inside. Drawings that are useless. Books that are thrown to the bottom of the shelves. Spectacular poverty materials and images. So many contradictions and so much meaning in sketchbooks.
As long i can draw, the insanity will not reach me.
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sketchbook therapy 