TIMEANDDESIRE

So I could have a one—

While I stood at the edge,

Of this fountain—alone

In this courtyard...

  Sometimes I wish—I spoke French…

So I could converse about Sartre and Merleau-Ponty

In their mother-tongue,

Discussing the notions of, who I really am

And what—I really perceive…

  And occasionally I long for pure simplicity— 

Alike this fall day….

Where yellow and crimson,

Over take...

My peripheral vision— 

  And,

I don’t have to contend with unease…

Or think again—

About—rent

Or necessities,

Or
 all the man-made illusions…

Of how I am measured,

To who I owing…?

For this life I’ve endeavored—

And why must I,

Show I am worthy—

Of standing at this edge…

And yearning–

For all the details of which,

I’ve been thrust into learning…

There are always moments of beauty—

Amidst the wreckage…

It’s as if— we can’t escape it…

  Even the violent nature of a blackened eye,

Left to rectify…

Life ensures transition—

Blues and purples,

Greens and indigos…

Remind us of the unthinkable,

But the sunlight reflective—

Invites us in to view, To explore— its broken beauty…

  The wreckage…

In its transformative state—

Draws us in to admirably learn,

Investigate,

Knowing we will recreate—

Marking us,

But only to— make better…

  As I stand amidst the worn-down buildings,

Fractured paint—

Missing curtains, frayed lacy…

The autumn leaves match—

The stained streaked brick,

It’s as if— this is, their moment…

  Aging, Forgotten, Decayed…

Semi-naked, gnarled trees,

Dusted gold and crimson…

Strike the landscape,

Like a symbol…

Finally I stand and see,

The orchestra of stone notes

Float—

Each brick…

Existing…and,

Transcending…

Directional Series

Recently we installed two works downtown Toronto during (scotia bank) Nuit Blanche.... TIMEANDDESIRE's operation was a going smoothly after the installation of a subversive sign on a side street underneath a series of 'No' signs... you can check the pic. HERE if you haven't already seen it...however... it was taken down by morning... curiously we wonder by who?... (we need to put trackers on them)... any engineers out there willing to help? The second piece was larger planned for a vacant window/building that has been vacant for sometime on Queen St. W. --- we thought it might get some notice...

As we put it up... we got a few stoppers by... questioning, watching, even assisting at one point... it was hilarious... I was complemented on my construction vest, of course, my most dashing look! (>_o). Finally the work was wrapping up when a man stopped and asked... MAN: what are you doing? TIMEANDESIRE: An intervention... installation. 

He proceeded to tell us he owned the building and is renting it to TELUS next month... His look was striking... I scanned his face... I thought --why do I feel like I know him...?  He must be on TV ?

MAN: What does it mean? I don't get it? -he asked...... TIMEANDESIRE: Well...ah-- we're hoping you examine your life--Is your reality a series of reactions to your environment and the opportunities therein? Perhaps your life is not as much action, as it is re-action... (ultimately calling into question-- choice)

He replied... 'Well... I like it... it is something to think about... at least it is not graffiti...I'll leave it up for a while...' After he departed we couldn't get over his familiar face... it came to us at home...

PETER GALLAGHER!  (We have no idea if it actually was him...) 

Does Gallagher own real-estate on Queen St. West in Toronto?

Or was that guy the most accidentally amazing Peter Gallagher look-a-like ever?

Doubt— is key in searching for the desired outcome… which, at the base of any sound argument, is -- Truth. 

Unfortunately, there are gaps in the information that we can know at any given time…

And in addition, we all come to that information with our own constructed worldview…

Even if-- all things coalesced perfectly into a dialogue with the finest of minds and they had all the knowledge they could know…

The additional circumstance that everything is in a constant state of flux or change… would ultimately make that discovered truth obsolete… 

So until such time, I gain further information or change--

I currently denote Truth is a matter of keen Perception, and because of that we must remain doubtful…

As of late.... TIMEANDDESIRE has become more  theoretically developed... we have been working hard on fleshing out a statement about the ideas behind it... and here it is below! (^_^)----> (~_~)

TIMEANDDESIRE is a methodology that examines the concept of public and private spaces, as well as the role perception plays in constructing realities.

This practice is a result of contemplating the human condition, by particularly focusing on how our existence is cultivated through time, motivated by ultimate goods or desires. Early works attempted to subversively add new impressions into public spaces as seen in Confessions - Great Wall, while current works have an additional concern of adjusting the viewer’s paradigm by shifting their understanding of societal constructs.Directional 07 is a striking example, which consists of an amended mundane traffic sign emphasizing social paths and observing conceivable determined routes generated for an individual by a larger group; thus calling into question such philosophical theories as -- free will.

A Sign of Tribute....

It was shortly after I heard about Jack Layton's death that I immediately felt as so many Canadians felt... a deep regret and sense of loss...

Loss... is the easy term to explain. Canada benifited from his public policy interests. He and his party made Canada a better place...- bit by bit... fighting for issues they and many others believed in.

While we were all off shopping and tending to our own lives, Jack was off making this place in which we live a progressive and envied country for many around the world. From gay rights, speaking out about violent acts against women, researching and writing books on Canadian issues around homelessness, highlighting the use of cleaner energies, fighting for the freedom of information and the unnecessary use of internet traffic shaping, just to name a very few... While some nations are disgraced by their lack of resolve regarding deeply ethical issues, we (Canada) somehow magically were up to date on social equity. I think too many Canadians are proud of a country they had little to do with (and I include myself in this)... However Jack Layton was not one of those people... he was a person many of us were not able to be --on a regional and national scale-- generous, compassionate, giving and just, reading endlessly through policy after policy, finding and fighting at every turn for social equity. I wanted to dedicate something to Jack... a small token of myself.... and so I wrote and made this sign a day or so after his death and posted it up among the many chalk tributes in Nathan Phillps Square. Loss is easy to feel... yes... but, regret hurts --it stings... To know there was a person right in front of Canada... a person who had proven time and again to be someone worth admiration... a person that we chose to somehow think was not good enough to fight for...  Jack Layton and the NDP party possessed values I always supported but at times didn't vote for, thinking it was 'not the stategic vote' -- I regret the few times I voted against something instead of standing up for what I believed in whole heartedly... and I maybe wrong, but I think there are many other Canadians out there feeling the same as I do...  However... life is a teacher, and this experience has taught me a great lesson...

Urban Animals Series

It's been 1 week now and the Community Building 01 project is still holding strong. 

I think this would be an appropriate time to share our thoughts behind the piece. Of course, we'd still love to hear your thoughts about it, especially if you've been down to Callender and Queen W to check it out. We encourage you to comment!

---

Our intentions with Community Building 01 is to provoke the viewer to examine the existence of abandoned / boarded-up shops that one often finds throughout their local urban community.

The text “What Community Faces” presents a double entendre; it can be read as both a question and a statement. As a question, it encourages the viewer to take an inquisitive stance and consider the faces behind the abandoned shops. Who was impacted? What actions led to the failure of this particular business?

Taken as a statement, Community Building 01 brings these considerations into focus. For instance, the rise of big-box stores, restructured traffic flow and a missing sense of local community are all potential factors. It also addresses the fact that a community must now deal with an abandoned building within its midst, which can lead to “Broken Window Syndrome”, affecting both the social and economic dynamic of a community. All are factors that can drastically alter the face of a community, which require a collective effort to battle, influence and re-shape.

Last year Denise was afforded the opportunity to work with Arts Etobicoke, Community Living and Creative Village on the 3-year Art on the Move project (supported by the Trillium Foundation and Lakeshore Arts). Over the course of the summer/fall in 2010 she worked closely with intellectually disabled adults to create a mobile piece of public art.

The final production (a vinyl-wrapped cube truck) was launched this past June. 

Integral to the project was Graham Curry, Project Coordinator. Graham, an artist in her own right, chose artists for the project who were comfortable with public art. 

Recently, Denise and Graham were interviewed by Radio Canada International about the project. 

Hi All,

Hope everyone's having a great summer so far...

Just finished completing our Community Building 01 Art Project this morning. It's up in the Parkdale area (corner of Queen St W and Callender St). Check it out while it lasts!

Warm regards,

Well, it has been over a week since our last post.... my apologizes-- the summer has a way of filling your days with a parade of things to do....  I have some good news for TIMEANDDESIRE.... I wanted to announce that 'Pathways 02', a short video piece, has been chosen among other shorts for TUFF (Toronto Urban Film Festival).  (^_^) yah!  This means our video will be on a loop with other shorts throughout 300 TTC subway platforms across the city from September 9th-18th.

In addition, you can view and vote for your favorite film online (we will be posting about it closer to the date). I hope you VOTE (^_^) for us! But we are just so excited to be in the film festival that we would like to celebrate by... ~ A FREE ART GIVEAWAY ~ A set of 6 postcards ~ Of TIMEANDDESIRE's Art Interventions 

Please send your name and postal address to: [email protected] We will honour the first 50 responses with a set of postcards.....

I want to highlight a new blog I have been following since the beginning of this year called The Oxford Comma by: Daniela Piteo.

I had the pleasure making Daniela's acquaintance in my awkward teen years... it was evident, even then, she was a talented creative… and our paths though separate took us both in critically-minded, innovative directions... her contemporary writing I have recently discovered still burns bright.  The Internet has allowed me to appreciate her current endeavors as a freelance Journalist and a philosophically minded author.

I definitely have not been disappointed by her dark humored, analytical narratives, which range from everyday experiences, to social commentary.

Her posts seem to develop from her various roles and influences as a woman, a mother, a critical observer, a bibliophile of philosophy, and of course the intriguing and unique lens from which she examines the world.   

Daneila Piteo’s blog -The Oxford Comma- posts a range of reads that I have thoroughly enjoyed... 

When I think about my life.... generally I become unconsoled with a social understanding of who I am -- or what I am suppose to be in my 30 something-ith existence... I get lost in all the 'amounts' I feel I am to adhere to....

What do I amount to....

Who do you claim I am... 

How does that reflect in my bank account... 

What are my numbers.... a modern account of my amount. 

I always wondered.... if I got paid for my integrity, my courage, my spontaneous kindness... to a stranger.... a passer-by... what would my bank account behold.... and then I realize... as if for the first time - again.... THIS is not how life works.... or not how our capitalistic economy behaves ... 

It cares not of your worldly knowledge, your demeanor, your 'PATHOS'.

I admit... I can't sell our car that just broke down to anyone --- I just cant fuck someone over like that... there I said it... call me what you wish... but when I look at the constructs of the world in which I live... I would like nothing more than to tear them down and rebuild... 

To rebuild what?  is the question....

If the world we live in is the best we have mustered to create... and I feel alien walking around in it...

Then, what is the better construct...