Rules to Break
A quick Thursday note about iconic Czech surrealist filmmaker Jan Švankmajer’s Decalogue—that is, 10 principles of creative work-making. There’s some really yummy ones in his list that I love…
• Surrender to obsessions—obsessions are the relics of childhood.
• Exchange dreams for reality and vice versa.
• Trust the body.
• Imagination is subversive, because it puts the possible against the real.
• ‘If there is any purpose at all in creativity it is that it liberates us. No film (painting, poem) can liberate a viewer unless it didn’t liberate its author first…
Švankmajer ends his Decalogue with: ‘all the rules are there to be broken (not avoided)’—except for this one that is destructive to the artist: ‘never subordinate personal creativity to anything but freedom.’ <<<< THIS.
— Excerpted / adapted from Jan Švankmajer’s Decalogue (translated by Tereza Stehlíková). And thanks to rockstar Trey Gunn for pointing me to the Decalogue!
George Heathco, guitar. Misha Penton, voice. Chris Becker, laptop: Misha Penton Collective
LIVE PERFORMANCES
ensemble in residence for Sculpture Month Houston
Site Gallery Houston (MAP)
At the Silos at Sawyer Yards
Thanks so much to everyone who has been supporting the art and music of Sculpture Month—we have 2 more live performances: November 4 & 18 - 3pm.
The Misha Penton Collective is project-based collaborative of musicians, composers, and performing artists spearheaded by Misha Penton.
Misha Penton Collective is Sculpture Month Houston 2023 music ensemble in residence. Experience voice, guitar, and electronic ambient, textural, and spacious music to accompany the visual art installations throughout the sonorous Silos at Sawyer Yards.
Misha Penton, voice. George Heathco, guitars. Chris Becker, laptop.
Performance Dates, Saturdays:
October 14 & 21
November 4 & 18
Performances at 3pm after curator Volker Eisele leads an exhibit tour from 2pm-3pm. FREE.
