On Vine as combinatorials

vine compilation # 8

 "Vining is a combinatorial game that pursues the possibilities implicit in its own material… The short video footage captures places the voodler//viner inside a strange loop of production: The so-called personality of the voodler//viner exists within the very act of voodling//vining: it is the product and instrument of the video capturing process. The voodler//viner's creative act becomes one of re-creation, in the sense of both a playful act and a derivative one…" 

Paraphrasing Calvino's "Cybernetic & Ghosts", Sam Renseiw, in a state of calm OCD, ammassed a great deal of short Vines lately. As this end-of-year's treat, enjoy the comprressed, chronological compilation by cliking on the icon above to re-view the undfolding of body-space morphologies. [vinecompilation # 8, 948MB, 27'22'', Quicktime/mov - other versions at blip.tv]

A happy new year to all viewers. More next year.  Best Sam R.

On forward moving in voodling

click for video: Quicktime / -m4v for iPod/iPhone / direct streaming for PC

" Having heard, or more probably read somewhere, in the days when I thought I would be well advised to educate myself, or amuse myself, or do some serious voodling, or kill time researching space(s), that when a man in a forest thinks he is going forward in a straight line, in reality he is going in a circle, I did my best to go in a circle, hoping in this way to go in a straight line. For I stopped being half-witted and became sly, whenever I took the trouble… and if I did not go in a rigorously straight line, with my system of going in a circle, at least I did not go in a circle, and that was something. "

The conclusion of this year's voodle activities raises more questions than actually presenting any reasonable answer to the actual core of my moving, obsessive-compulsive undertaking. I did, nevertheless, try to submit some plausible clarifications at some respectable institutions, here and there, at the end of the year.

Best of all was the continuous inspirations by other's works and the many, many considerate comments and dialogues underway. In random order, here are a few cross-links to important sources of inspiration during 2009: DVblog's ongoing video compilation work, and Michael's splendid, prolific & diverse production; Robert's superb video work, generous and attentive comments after joyfully scrutinising fellow vloggers works; Daniel's subdued moving amalgam of bright, minimal poetics always combining its refined visual lavishness with genuine humanistic substance and humour; Steven's razor sharp, inventive ongoing audio-visual research and near encyclopaedic knowledge; Philip's alert, canny & perceptive AV works, permanent attention, & his recent inventive "Lumiere et Son" re-makes, stretching Brittany's & Andreas' seminal project into new audio-visual territories of re-constructions. The Lumiere project and manifesto remains, to me, the most crucial investigative tool: liberation and deliberate focus, at once; Rolf and Inger's collegial Nordic voodle-mirror and didactic dedication; Loiez' delicate poesie des desir en desordres; Jimi's ongoing wave of personal, oblique video works continue to motivate me; Rupert's fine experiments in new, moving, communicative cellphone imagery and 12 seconds videobites; Gurdonark's energetic ongoing musical work, probing the generous shores and shares of web 2.0 treats; Last not least: missing Pepa's, but then enjoying Juan's new videos both featuring such fine South American focii; Many, many thanks to you all and also to the many fellow vlogers & other regular and casual visitors at Patalab. (+ not to forget: Blip.tv, always with superb service)

Best wishes for a happy, prosperous and fruitful new year (and new voodling decade)! Kind regards from Sam Renseiw. (patafilm # 744, 00'41'', 8MB, Quicktime/mov - other versions at Blip.tv)

On Steiner, Beuys and Godard's blackboard use

" He often used the board to either emphasise a concept or date, or to imaginatively construct a complex idea and break it down according to a diagram. Often, initially simple sketches and diagrams were continuously developed during the course of a lecture until, in the end, an "imaginative, colourfully-flowing overall picture" was created which could be directly and vividly experienced. Most of the blackboard drawings were erased after the lecture, until an attentive listener, saw to it that the provided blackboards were covered with black paper. Thus many drawings were preserved after all.."

Sam Renseiw postulates that we can hear the 'drawing', the plan on the ground; at another level we find dissonant emphases, at the next level a voice, which is softly bound from its diction, and then another that is rigorous and hard in its articulation. All of this is synchronous. View it unfold here or click on the blackboard above.( patafilm #114, 01'42'', 15.3 MB, mov/quicktime)