Wednesday, February 8, 2012

The Yowie Series 2009 - 2012


Yowie Fame
Traditionally captured as singular moments of time, the availability of moving image technology to all has animated our memories onto the screen. Witness to our collective documentary, we imbue these moments of factual account with the aesthetic fictions of digital possibilities, tailored only by the palette of our computer interface.

In the rhythm of the classic ‘Golden Book’ story, this account of Yowie sightings and interaction, offers the accountability of documentary evidence within the emotive drama of a children’s story.
The marriage of fact and fiction in a global story of a creature, who both represents the human being in physical evolution and fantasy, in a narrative of one who has remained romantically separated from society itself.

Both Robinson Crusoe and the Hunch Back of Notre Dame, the Yowie has been scientifically researched for decades. The hermit, the hobo, the swag-man; these identities represent the model of the introvert who exists outside the directions of society. One that exists in the present, without Ikea, I Pod or I need that shiny object. They live within simplicity: the Yowie in the bush, the Hermit in a cave, the Hobo on the streets, and the Swag-man on the road with Jack. Freedom.

In a continuation of the Phenomena research, this project explores the Yowie as myth and, scientific subject. It is the absence of this creature that strengthens the reality of it’s presence. As referenced in the Alien Presence series, Absence is again, presence.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Executive Consecutive

A narrative series of images - Seven teenagers, 13, 15, 13, 14, 13, 13, 15 .. Add each of the ages together.. 96
A 96 year old man and woman. Locate a photo of each at age 13, 14, 15. Line up in series presented as a comparison of life experience. Each teenager to write a page on their life experience and plans for the future. The annoying questions, why are you here etc.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

The ultimate 1980's gift...the mixed tape




If anyone has a mixed cassette tape from the 1960' - 1990's, or a number of them in any condition please let me know. I will pay or we can do a swap for some fresh blue mountain air in a glass jar - excellent quality noted since the 1930's for its' healing properties.. MIXED TAPES WANTED ANY STATE ANY STYLE OF MUSIC ONLY STIPULATION IS THAT THEY ARE PERSONALLY ASSEMBLED COLLECTIONS..

Philosophical STD's and other chest hair


Turn on the fridge, it's freezing.. and who is Wally really.
My mind is scrambled eggs and I am yellow with frustration.. I have been officially offered a residency in Berlin, Germany to work with an incredible group of creatives at the forefront of their profession, from all over the world, uniting to collaborate and make post modern sour kraut. Architects, Designers, Live Artists, Installation performance artists, computer engineers etc. This collaboration will work on models of the contemporary arts residency and collaboration between creatives of all mediums.



But
I can not go.
For a variety of reasons I am unable to attend this incredible overseas residency - in a country of my heritage, where beside the professional growth of my arts practice, I would of met many relatives, many of which may not be around much longer. The pain is worthy of a Days of our Lives Episode.

I will however be participating as an active member of the residency from afar. I will connect via Skype several times a week and join the process towards an active element of the final outcome. Not the most ideal outcome but I am still there. This will be an interesting juncture for the Eastern Euro/Australian contemporary Art show I am curating for the Eastern Bloc Gallery at Roselle. NSW.

Still the fridge is on and it is freezing. It's all about seating and golfing handicaps.

Friday, August 12, 2011

John Doe Manifesto




Competition Manifesto 2011



'Not another f..ng manifesto'...



A recent VOXPOP conducted in the suburbs of Western Sydney produced a maelstrom of diverse contributions in all manner of expression, informed by the multicultural diversity of artistic interpretation and experience within this 'cutting edge' source of inspiration for many professional practitioners in tune with the 'avant garde'. An arbitrary, interwoven, ‘randomly ordered’ selection of the recorded responses presented the following post modernist slice of our cultural currency and their personal prescriptions for the 'now' manifesto;




'VOXPOP Manifesto 2011' 
John Doe

1. Purge the world of manifestos and art competitions; grants, residencies, awards set up/supported by the apparent interest from banks and telephone companies.... no skulls, classic muscle cars, appropriation or sensor technology.. No uncredited external assistance,

2. No more CNC machines operated without credit to the specialist, plastic moulding companies, or photo labs.. No sponsorship by water companies looking cool beside art, and lose the word Contemporary..

5. Graphic Design must be finally thrown into a full contact Cage Fight, and clarify the war with Contemporary Art.. and when did everyone become an OUTSIDER Artist? All artists to return to life drawing classes run by Hughe Hefner in collaboration with Rolf Harris.. modelling by Germaine Greer.

8. No further recycling of Op Shop art and porcelain figurines, stuffed animals, and crying self portraits.. Climb (free climb) from the 2D surface of the projection screen and introduce our children to the fourth dimension of reality.. Ween them in with a train ride, window as screen, and escort their senses into the view from a rooftop, a cubby house, a cliff side, a ladder beside the blank canvas areas, waiting to be teased by exploration and discovery. 


15. Enough video documentation of the mundane, the experiential monuments of the 'life sized' reduced to 16' x 9'. Are there any family photo albums; those sacred relics of personal memory, not raped by the tactical post modernist apparent appropriation, turning your mother and mine into objects shaped by gallery critique in glossy, invites with essays that transform the strange uncle at the back left corner of every Christmas shot, into a hero of the Dank Street narrative.



66. Our senses compete for time and attention, between the unconstrained vibrancy of our free surround sound CMYK-4D-RGB of reality by chance, enchantment by fate sitting patiently awaiting our attention, all outside the back door, running into, but never out of, the unexpected.. to compete with what? The guide time tabling most; the TV guide. 


27. Banish the TV guide into the wasteland of Mt. Predictable. HIstory has documented guides which have left us feats of literature which remain applicable to contemporary life, inspired centuries past, practical through generations of trend change in fashion, in culture, culinary experience, in piercing, sexual aids, and spiritual adventure. 


31. Art that you know works is the experience of the timeless sensual outside of trend and left of critique... it is an inherit known, one of those thoughts that awakens something, doesn't matter what that something is. It is. Manifest that, write a guide about it, hand out the fairy bread and blow up some balloons.. there you have yourself a Manifesto. 



THE COMPETITION: WRITE A MANIFESTO YOU BELIEVE TO BE APPROPRIATE TO CURRENT PRACTICE AND CULTURAL POSITION. 



1ST PRIZE FOR 'BEST' MANIFESTO: Product Placement on full length of top shelf at register area in 'Cash Converters' for Six Weeks with a reduced rate specially approved for this COMPETITION; 79 percent commission.



2ND PRIZE 
ONE WEEK WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY: Includes your choice of a blanket and a box of matches - OR - two unlabelled tin cans, and a piece of string.. either for emergency communication via smoke signals or tin can comms. Both include a week membership to the research room of Mt. Druitt Community Library with access limited to NON-FICTION PRINT material only; known as books that contain information applicable to ones life. 



3RD PRIZE
 A two hour interview, no limit question session, with the judges of any one of the prominent Arts Grants, or competitions such as the Helen Lempriere, or Archibald. All questions guaranteed to be answered without adjudication, deferral, or misdirection. 

All prizes must be collected upon notice of successful entry.



WINNERS will be announced within the literary eminent ANTHROPOLOGICAL PUBLICATION; 'THAT'S LIFE'. 

PHOTO SESSION OF WINNERS SMILING AND CAVORTING WITH OH&S APPROVED LEAPS OF JOY TO BE PRINTED IN FOLLOWING ISSUE.

Winners will also receive a one week subscription hand delivered by paper boy. 



Entry Requirements

Entries are restricted to ONE A4 page, either hand written or typed and saved as a WORD DOC. If entry contains support images these are not included in the one page limit.

VIDEO submissions are encouraged and to be limited to 4 min. 
(video submissions must provide an additional text document for publication in the event of winning).


This performance event will be exhibited in Sep 2011. 



Entries to be emailed only to:
notanothermanifesto@dodo.com.au



Those submitting large file video works should use a service such as sendit.com. 


Thursday, August 11, 2011

Bio

Daniel Kojta is a new media artist working in the arena of perception of phenomena. Informed by various expeditions thoughout remote Australia and the thoughts of Merleau Ponty, Paul Virilio, and McKenzie Wark, Daniel has presented interactive installations, which engage the audience in immersive environments and challenge their perception of sensual engagement.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Queen Victoria Unidentified Presence Expedition II

Exploration to the local Asylum Circa 20th C. Will be setting up Yowie sightings in area and exploring any remains of equipment for image library. Permission granted. Shoot starts Wed 13 July 2011. Experimenting with costumes of 70's doctors patients nurses.. TBC. Anyone with access to images please send on.