David DiMichele

david_dimichele_lightrods_pseudo_crop

Wow what an awesome installation! that is just cool!

Except that isn’t an installation, that’s not even the art. This is: david_dimichele_lightrods_pseudodocumentation

huh? what? Yeah the LightJet Print is the art. The photo and the print are the real art. There is no installation and there never was, well not life-size anyway.

It’s all part of a series of work by artist David DiMichele called Pseudodocumentation. At first I felt a little cheated, but the more I think about it, the more I appreciate and enjoy this pseudo art. In this day and age I experience most installation art exactly as above, as an image not an experience. These pseudo installation pieces serve to underscore exactly that point, and the more I meditate on them the more I like them.

david_dimichele_charcoal_pseudodocumentation

david_dimichele_bark_pseudodocumentation

I mean if they were real they would be awesome, but even as mockups they are engaging and as an added bonus they remind me of set-design models I used to make and play with so its a nostalgia/conceptual art win win.

Please make sure to check out all the “installation pieces” at his website.

The Bonobo and the Atheist — Frans de Waal

frans_de_waal_bonobo_and_atheist

Wow, what an interesting read. Even if you don’t agree with the many, many ideas brought forth in Frans de Waal’s central argument, or if you’re a staunch anti-atheist or hate bonobos, there is no denying there is a lot to chew on in the pages of this book.

There are some really, really interesting theories put forth about the origins of morality and how, contrary to popular belief, perhaps they do have a basis in biology.

Certainly de Waal’s work with bonobos, and other scientists with other animals like elephants, but even rats, helps support his claims.

If there is one criticism it would be De Waal’s obsession with Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights, I mean I think it was meant to be an interesting jumping off point, but mostly it felt like a huge distraction, especially since no full reproduction is included only bits even though many other parts of the painting are discussed. What does a 15th century painting have to do with Bonobos and Atheism? to be honest I don’t remember anymore.