LETTERS

Art in America, Dec, 1998

"Poetics" Postscript: An Exchange

To the Editors:

Upon reading Diane Shamash's article "History Lesson" [A.I.A., Oct.'98], I was extremely offended by a misquoting of the sound track from the "Poetics Project." While I do not believe that this was an intentional mistake, it reflects very poorly on me, Tony Oursler and the art work itself, and I am demanding a retraction.

The words in question appear in paragraph six: "Politically incorrect (one soundtrack advises `fuck women, rub shit on them, hurt women as much as possible') and freewheeling, this work was a welcome relief from the tiresome didacticism of David's curatorial method."

Although the article itself reflects on the work in a favorable way, the statements Shamash quotes are nowhere in the sound track. The reference is to a video interview with composer Glenn Branca, and he is actually saying something quite different. Referring to his early rock performances, Branca can be heard to say, "I didn't want to fuck women and rub shit on people and hurt somebody in the audience. That had nothing to do with it."

Branca's language and sentiments are the exact opposite of those Shamash has quoted. The quote is even more offensive given that it states that the sound track "advises" people to do these things. Anticipating another project, Tony and I had all of the tapes transcribed, and I have read all of them personally. Branca's statement is the only one that bears any resemblance to the one cited by Shamash.

Given Shamash's seeming desire to understand and discuss the piece, I am surprised that she didn't realize the inflammatory nature of the quote. I am even more surprised that she didn't find the quote odd, given that Tony and I are critical of such misogyny throughout the installation. I should have been contacted before having such offensive language ascribed to me.

Unfortunately, many of your readers will not see the work for themselves and will be misled. The statements made in the article are very much against my personal politics, and those of my work.

Mike Kelley

Los Angeles

To the Editors:

I feel compelled to reply to Diane Shamash's article, "History Lesson," in your October issue. For the record, I came across an incorrect quotation: "one sound track advises `fuck women, rub shit on them, hurt women as much as possible.'" This was an obvious misunderstanding of a video interview component from my work, Entrails Diatribe, featuring a video projected onto the surface of a large painting of a rat, which was part of the "Poetics Project" installation by Mike Kelley and myself. The actual quotation is from the renowned experimental composer Glenn Branca and relates to his early performances. When asked about the audience and the transgressive quality of performances in the mid-'70s, Mr. Branca separates himself from the physical antics exemplified by James Chance, placing his work squarely in a psychological arena. He states: "It was--I wanted to fuck their heads around, man. I mean I didn't want to actually get involved in their reality. I didn't want to fuck women and rub shit on people and hurt somebody in the audience. That had nothing to do with it. But I did want to hurt their minds. I tried to hurt their minds as much as I possibly could. And I felt that was fair. There's no law against that, man. As far--as yet anyway."

As part of the "Poetics Project," I conducted and supervised more than 15 hours of audio and video interviews relating to the production of art and music. The documentary aspect of the "Poetics Project" was mixed with sculptural, visual and audio elements. The delicate balance between objectivity and subjectivity is always at the heart of art production and artists work with the fact that viewers interpret the elements of an art work in very personal ways. The possibility that they may completely misinterpret or fabricate these elements is indeed a subtext of the "Poetics Project."

I would like to thank Ms. Shamash for her time, effort and interest in our project. We discussed in great detail many aspects of the "Poetics Project" in preparation for her article. Generally, critical readings of the work have been superficial, as is so often the reaction to more time-consuming or complicated installations. I'm sad to say that, if no quick hit can be obtained, one can expect vapid knee-jerk reactions or confused dismissal. On that note, I am most grateful for Ms. Shamash's in-depth article on the "Poetics Project."

As artists, Kelley and I have to take responsibility for the way that we chose to mix the factual components into our often opaque light-and-sound installation. Metro Pictures did make available the transcript of various interviews with me, as well as an extensive printed discussion between Mike Kelley and myself which describes the origins of each component of our installation. We were also available for FACT CHECKING before publication and were never contacted.

Not that I have anything against being fucked and rubbed with shit, but I do have a problem with hurting women as much as possible. I only wish this particular quote had been checked before it went to print, as it is such a powerful statement.