work
I'm religious not spiritual. Ritualistic not philosophical. I've said this before, and often. But it bears repeating, if for no one else but me.
"When philosophy paints its grey in grey, a shape of life has grown old," Hegel says, "and it cannot be rejuvenated". The Event is over. The moment passed. "[T]he owl of Minerva", Hegel says, "begins its flight only with the onset of dusk".
The work of abstraction. Of speculative thinking. Of analyzing. Of pondering what it all means, is something that happens in the rearview. When the work is done. At the end of the journey. At the close of the day.
But my work isn't over. There's more to do. My journey hasn't ended. It's only beginning.
I'm a line cook making collages. I make images and pictures.
That's it. That's all there is.
It's all I am. All I ever really have been. All I can ever really hope to be.
"Resistance loves pride and preciousness", Steven Pressfield says, and I have no taste or time for erudite proclamations. I leave that to those more learned than me.
My religion is mise en place. My philosophy is "showing-up" and "doing-the-work". I go where the craft takes me. Where the paper whispers. It's not my job to question it. I just work here.
If you want to know what I believe look at what I'm making. It says more than I know how to.
If you don't understand it, that's OK. If you don't know what it means that's OK too. Most days I don't either. But some days I do.
In either case, I don't think about it much. I have work to get back to.
***special thanks to for having an incredibly insightful conversation with me recently that inspired this piece.
P.S. ICAD - Day 188 - 191 - *If you’re interested all of the index card collages below, along with many others, are available for purchase here.
P.P.S. - yeahokben interviewed me a while ago for his YouTube channel. He released the episode earlier this week. It’s beautifully edited and gorgeously put together! He did an outstanding job! Please check it out, give it a like, and subscribe if you’re so inclined.
This is terrific. You've got me thinking about a range of distinctions now.
As I've said, Duane, I love your work. And I am intrigued by how you make way for it, like belief. Like faith. That's wonderful. And impressive.
Your humble spirit throws the studio door wide open--an invitation to feast.
Food for diverse hungers. Always enough for everyone.