Re: [microsound] [OT] urination (eno/duchamp)

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Dans un e-mail daté du 27/02/2004 00:19:18 Paris, Madrid, 
i.andrews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx a écrit :

> Yes Warhol did a series of "piss paintings" (direct unmodified urination
> onto canvas, or perhaps cardboard). And, more recently, there's Andres
> Serrano's infamous *Piss Christ.*
> 
> 
> Steve Poltawrote:
> 
> >Well, some things certainly come to mind, but, I don't
> >know-the list *might* be interested to know that,
> >Douglas Kahn, in his book NOISE WATER MEAT: A HISTORY
> >OF SOUND IN THE ARTS has a long discussion on water
> >slunds ands dripping in general across a spectrum of
> >music, sound art and art in general. The discussion
> >ranges from Cage to Yoko Ono to Warhol to various
> >Fluxus artists but begins with the "drip" paintings of
> >Jackson Pollack, includes his infamous pissing into
> >Peggy Guggenheim's fireplace. The thread's origins are
> >specifically located (according to the occasionally
> >tongu-in-cheek Kahn) to the statement by the
> >possibly-flippant Pollack that his main inspiration
> >was observing his boyhood experience of observing his
> >dad pissing on a rock.
> >
> >>
> >>>dear list -
> >>>
> >>>i'd like to compile a list of works or other
> >>cultural activities
> >>>[artist/title/date/short description] which use
> >>the act of urination in
> >>>some form.  this could be from film/video,
> >>performance, drawing, music,
> >>>circus, theatre, radio, sound art, installation,
> >>various traditions, etc..
> >>>
> >>>although of less immediate interest: the same
> >>would apply to the void of
> >>>other elements - defacation, vomiting, spitting,
> >>ejaculating, etc..
> >>>
> >>>i guess off-list is best. non?
> >>>
> >>>cheers
> >>>b.
> >>>
> >>>
> 

i missed the beginning of this discussion, but the message from ian andrews 
reminded me a funny story involving brian eno and marcel duchamp.
eno who is an admirer of duchamp, went to see a retrospective of the artist 
in a museum in which the famous urinal called "fountain" was exposed.
but eno had a quite strange idea in mind. he actually wanted to make the 
urinal to return to its primary function.
of course, eno could'nt come to the exhibit and simply piss in the fountain. 
so he imagined an ingenious system to accomplish his crazy plan.
he came back to the museum with a plastic bag filled with his own urina; the 
bag was hidden under his coat; and with the help of a thin tube attached to 
the bag, he succeeded in pouring his fluid inside duchamp's piece of art, making 
the "urinal" to become again an urinal.

eno related this episode in an interview that he gave to a french tv channel..

by the way, and speaking of duchamp and his ready-mades, it makes me think of 
two relevant experimental bands, the french bruitist performers étant-donnés, 
and the italian dada duo tu m' (well known on this list). both are of great 
interest.

ps: ian, are you the "ian andrews" who was featured on the fällt directions 
series?
your track "jaffa" is a very nice one, a great mix of dub à la vladislav 
delay and of field recordings.

cheers,

eric

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