Sept. 26th 2020
I say to overcome viciousness is to go forward in a state of victoria! Not to be angry!
The late, great basketball coach and philosopher, John Wooden of U.C.L.A. acclaim, once said, "Adversity is when a man becomes acquainted with himself!" Based on that i really know me.
I have included some real and very truthful but challenging stories in this blog. I limited names and such to try to focus more on showing that I was not the benefit of some form of trust fund, favoritism, political preferences, of just being well liked.
At every level of my working to grow all things Rhythmistic there were not just the usual barriers to processes, but an array of speed-bumps, insults, back-stabs threats and sabotage. I even overcame massive losses from a devastating live-work space fire.
No, I didn't talk or share any information about this type of thing that often in my 50 years of taking those hits during that extended phase of Rhythmistic experimentation. Nor did I do this life-long artistic work to be the target of those hits. It is important to know that this is what happens to most gifted innovators For instance, I strongly hold the position that acts intended to limit or deny a person their livelihood or respectful appreciation...... are acts of violence. I also do not promote or celebrate those assailants. I kept and continue to do the work. The good work. The amazing work.
Two intelligent and curious visitors to my
"Rhythmistic Residency" at the Hyde Park Art Center.
All I wanted to do was make art and grow this concept of Rhythmism to its most logical conclusions.
Boy!!!! Was I in for surprises and let downs along the way.
This type of reluctant sharing on my part is not to turn one off but to open a greater potential awareness of the application of greatness it took to to affirm Rhythmism
Nor do I offer them teflon or any blame the victim excuses. I measure them and most folks, by the same criterions that where and are served upon me, my path, my gift, my race, my gender, my sexuality and my smarts. Inches, actions, degree of difficulty should be metrics that apply in the same way to everybody. Not issued though the fog of social likes or appeals. Limited by one's being soft or frail.
That would be a fair metric. Not the usual one if one likes it its great, contrasted by, if one dislikes you, you suck.
When I tell folks about a few speed-bumps imposed on my path it is not to try to trigger sadness or sympathy nor serve notice to elevate the value of repression. But to demonstrate that to experience that forms of viciousness on any level is not cool. Its vicious! That being my term for a violation. Insults, cheap shots, actions designed to ruin ones earning or such are , to me, acts of violence. Again its viciousness. To score any type of victory in the face of that then is to leave or go forward as the victor in that transaction.
Therefore arriving in a state of victoria.
Those who decide to limit this revealing content to my being a poor unfortunate victim will miss the point. The same with the the cosmic disassociation of asserting , "You picked this life for its hardships as a way to recover from things you experienced in your past life." Some may become saddened or escape into disbelief often to so to limit a more accurate appraisal of what it takes to achieve real excellence given those speed-bumps. Artists such as Picasso, Dali and even Van Gogth wrote and spoke about the pain of being an artist. Art history is full of this stereotypical lust of the suffering genius artist. These narratives tend to but the burden of source of that episodic pain on the artist.
They end up missing the point again!
In my world..... most of the times I got a moment to do something important and did something positive per this experiment....doors were closed to me as a result. No momentum and often marginalized. The Japanese have a saying: "The nail that stands out gets hammered down!"
What this entry is saying is that the greater the need for resiliency the greater value is added to the accomplishment.
