Insurgent Summer

I don't want to go in depth about the experiences of this summer. We mounted two local long-run shows simultaneously, took part of one to the Minnesota Fringe Festival, and toured out east for two weeks with the other. Forget the details, here's the conclusions: 1. We learned a lot. 2. I hate being back in Milwaukee. 3. I find myself most motivated by revisiting and refining my theory, rather than continuing to try and apply it.

See, this theory galvanizes me. I drives me to action, very specific and direct of actions. But, it has the same effect on very few other people. This means that either: I'm crazy, my theory has not been stated clearly, or nobody gives a shit about the kind of things that i find absolutely compelling. Of those three possibilities I can only do something about the second, so i'm about to start spending more time improving the theory and stating it more clearly.

To this end, i will be posting no more reviews here for a while. Since getting back to milwaukee, going to shows and galleries has pissed me off more than anything. Not because the art isn't great, but because the audience is so obviously there for reasons other than genuinely appreciating, engaging with, or supporting the art. I'll still go see art, i love it, but i'm done trying to talk about what i see. Instead, i'll be retreating breifly into academic research and using this blog to share the developments of my theory.

You can expect future posts to deal in depth with the following subjects:

First, there's "Paint the Town" itself. This play is a theatrical statement of my theory. The creation of the play, critiques of it, experience touring with it and discussions with audience members afterward have impacted my thoughts on these subjects in many interesting ways.

Second, there's "Towards a Practical Revolution" this is a consise, general and incomplete (though more complete than any other single document) statement of my theory of political revolution through artistic production. I sold copies of this for cheap on tour, spreading the ideas to the east coast. I'm also distributing them to certain people and places locally to try and elicit feedback, communication and development. I'll be putting it up on the insurgent website soon, but it's a bit long for reading off a screen, so if you'd like a hard copy, email: insurgent.ben@gmail.com or call 414 305 9832 and I'll sell you one for $2 (to cover printing costs).

Third, I'm reading Richard Florida's "Flight of the Creative Class" and will be re-reading "The Rise of the Creative Class" taking better notes and thoroughly incorporating his findings into my theory.

Fourth, i'm continuing to have ideas and looking for additional supporting evidence to my many claims and ideas.

In the next six months i hope to get together a much longer, more thorough statement of the theory, with more supporting evidence, works cited, academic analysis of Florida, Marx, Adorno, Daisey and many others whose ideas have contributed to the theory.

I don't know what, if any, art i'll produce during this time. I hope to tour more with Paint the Town.