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love (the crit)

So Sonia, is there something up here that you wanna, you wanna chat about? Um, I wanted to chat about Matthews. This one. This one? Yeah, I think it's interesting because, uh, it kind of reminds me of, um, the poem this is, uh, about, um, the, the light comes out with the cracks are, or the, yeah. And, uh, I have a heartbeat of rhythm which I feel. Well, it reminds me, I associate that with like love is rhythmic. It's never constant, it goes up and down, up and down throughout the things. So, what do you guys think, Rafael? What do you think about this? And I think it's about to explode? I think it's, there's motion and I really like that. Mhm. Um, Sonia, is this a good thing or a bad thing about love? It's about to explode. No, what you were talking about is a good thing or a bad thing. I don't think so. I think it's real, real. But what, but, uh, uh, uh, what was it that you said about? You, you said explode? What was yours? Um, it's cracking through and the light is coming out. So I...

think I I think it's a good thing because it is reflective of love because there's no love without paying in. And so I think it perfectly reflects that, um, it's always interesting when, when, when, especially for this, when there's no hearts and then there's a heart. So that makes me, that for me is like, hm, do we, how do we do? Why do we need a heart there? Can we do it with something else and can get more, the, the, the, the process that we're talking about is this kind of, um, um, whittling, whittling it down to get sharper and sharper and more precise. And when you get, when you whittle it down to a certain degree, what you can actually do at the end process is you just go and you put a little barb in it, you know, like a fishing hook, you know, um um uh Robert Frost wrote that he, he wanted to write a poem that was barbed, write a poem that would stick in your heart and you could, once you read it, you couldn't get it out. Um Rafael, tell me what, what you said. Explosion. What else? Uh I was saying that I, even though it's, it's uh an image still image, I, I see it moving so I like that as well. Uh About what you said. Can it work with another figure? That's not a heart? Uh I don't know because the heart just takes you straight to love. That's just an image we've seen so many times what aspect because I was asking you in the assignment. I'm asking you what aspect, what, what thought, what, what belief about love can you tell me? Uh For me, it would be just like uh no turning back because it's the word that comes to me is like entropy. Once that explodes and it's broken, there's no way of putting it back together. Is that a good thing or bad thing? Uh I'll go with Sonia is just real. That's the way it is. Uh is this the big bang that will, that will big bang of love that will create a universe of love? Or is this it exploding and being gone? It can go either way just like it can. But what I want is you to tell me, OK, or the author to tell me, you know what I mean? I don't want, there's, there's a, there, there um um a piece of work or a story or a song can have a number of different kind of readings, but you should be able to, the artist should be adept enough that you could see their story first and then read into. And if you look at the history of my work, especially the early stuff, you know, you would think I'm a horrible person, you know, like a racism and a dead Indian and you know, this guy hanging from a, you know, um Um, but oddly enough people didn't, people saw what I wanted to see and then you can read other things into it. Um, what's it like? Having people talk about your stuff? Emotional. Um, it makes me excited to hear and that people can actually look at it and, and come up with their own story. I think that's part of what makes art so cool is that everybody's perspective is different. But, but for me hearing that, I also reminds me of the fact that it's like, oh this is what my problem is about hearing all the perspectives and not figuring out what mine is. So it's like I hear it and I'm like, oh yeah, oh yeah, I can apply that too. I can apply that too. I can apply that and I'm like, but wait and so then and while listening at the same time, I'm trying to remember what I was thinking when I did it now. Not looking at this, not describing this. It's nothing about this. What did you wanna say as far as love? Show me love, love is um it's everything and nothing. It's the feeling of being overwhelmed and underwhelmed, hurt and loved and joy like that when even even if you experience it once and you're hurting, you know, those scars are gonna stay no matter what. And it doesn't mean you have to give up on it even though you feel like you want to, you know, and if you lose something or you lose, uh, lose your way or your vision or whatnot that there's someone or something out there that's going to ignite that light inside you again. Hopefully. And that's, you know, one really perfect, one really great example is with love and, and it's my, my, my guest Matthew and, um, he goes into this diatribe about love and loss and mourning and this and it's, it's, it's to the left and it's to the right and it's 100 and it's zero and it's high and it's low and it's, it's just, you know, it's legal, this laundry list of details, laundry list of what love could possibly be. And he uses the word overwhelm and that's what happens when you do that and he's overwhelmed by, by what love could be. So it's hard for him to pick one aspect of it until we drill down and until a certain level, here's the funny thing, a certain level of frustration comes upon him where he just kind of really, really confesses the truth and that's what happened. He confessed the truth and he just said, I don't know what love is. Ah That's the best fucking truth you've said right there right there right there. I don't know. That is the best place to fucking come from because it's honest, I'm sitting here going tell me, tell me, man, tell me, just say, I don't know. That's awesome. Now, ignore this and start over and say, come from that place. I don't know. I don't know. Uh, there's a, there's a, an old, uh, French poster that, uh, for, for a theater piece, I don't remember the piece now. Um, but it, it was, uh, you know, these, uh, you know, the, the, the, the friendship or relationship. Yeah. So 11 person has one part of the heart, the other person has the other part of the heart, you know. Um, so it was, uh the poster was basically one of those and this one, this one was red and this one was blue just representing two different, two different people. Um, and they had voice balloons and this one says love and the other one says, never heard of it. Right? I don't know what you're talking about. It's right in front of you. It's right there. Right? It's like that's what, that's where you wanna go. You wanna go to this place where it's like, I don't know what it is. You do know what it is you've experienced in a number of ways. You're feeling the overwhelmed from it, but you still don't know it. Right. We're so close to it that we're, we don't know that you can never know though. You never know. You never know. And if we can come to the, from the place where we just like really that whittling down that you just did to get to, I don't know. Perfect perfect because when you can, because when you can come from that place of pure honesty, you, you never have to make anything up. That's exactly. We're done. Forget the rest of the class. We're done. Thank you guys, crew. Excellent. I'm out of here. Done. Right. Because then you don't have to go. Oh, what do they want? What am I trying to say? Say, I don't know. How does it look on paper? I, I don't know. I mean, this is kind of funny, a kind of cartoonish way to, to present it, you know. Um But that honesty is where we have to go for the next couple of assignments, right? That honesty and yes, the process you went through and shit, I wish you had more time. I'm not giving you a lot of time. I'm crippling you with, with, with, you know, some basic tools not giving you a lot to work with because I'm trying to force you down this funnel and that funnel is, you know, you facing yourself and trying to come up with, get to that point of, I don't know. Awesome, awesome. Um Shit. That was Yeah. Yeah. To get to get in the very first, the very first assignment to come up with the, I don't know thing. It was just like nailed it. I said, remember I said, don't worry about nailing it. Yeah. Um OK. Pick something. Let's talk about it. All right. Mm I'm gonna go here. Ok. Don't, yeah, it's not important. Who made it? What do you see? I see. Well, no, what do you see a horizon? I see a lifeline. Uh, you're being generous. I am. What I mean by you're being generous is, um, and it's ok because we don't know, we don't know who did it. We don't know what their intention is, what their, you know what their thought on love is. And again, love is a trap. I mean, actually marriage is a trap. But love is love is a trap. This assignment is a trap because, um, um, it's so clumsy. It's so overwhelming. It changes all the time. It makes me sweat, right? It changes all the time. And love as an idea is this big huge blob of jello that I've asked you to simplify into, you know, ink on paper. So, but why I say you're being generous is because you're, um, and I think you'd have to agree that you're guessing, which is fine. That's all we've got. All we've got is a line. So we have to start and we start putting ourselves into it. Right? Cool. Uh Well, I got to see it when it was on the table, it was vertical. So I was thinking of something like the heart. You just drew uh like two pieces that are broken and you, you think there is no other piece that fits so perfectly. But there it is, that's what I was thinking and now I see mountain ranges and all that stuff but, but I can't get that idea out of my head. Ok. Um, got you. What's it like having people talk about? Uh, it's uh super interesting. Um, I really, I, I was so focused on what I mean, I didn't think about all those things you came up with and, um, that makes me think how much more I missed. Ok. So do not, not talking about lines or landscapes or whatever splits. What do you want to say when I think about people? I love, it's, I kind of feel that line. You feel that line? I don't know what that means. Uh I just felt like I'm connected to something like I'm a part of something big and uh something is going on on the other end of this line and I feel it like that vibration. This is, it seems like it seems like what you've shown me is the middle. You haven't shown me, you know, even when you were talking about Rafael, is that tension? You're talking about the people over here and the people over here, but you're showing me the middle part. And I'm like, no, I want the middle part. I want something to rally behind something to fall in love with. Yeah, I want to ask, is it the right time to say? I don't know. It is. Of course, of course, of course. And yes, the, the again, the reason for love is because of that, you know, you draw uh you draw a circle with two dots. You know, the, the the the the the the the card says emergency room, right? So you draw a circle with two dots because that just makes perfect sense to you. And then you show it and they go, they go pig um balloon and you, and what you do is you just start pointing to it right? Because, you know, it works but they don't get it and you can't figure out what you can do to help them get a little closer. And that was the thing with the line because all we see is a line. All we can do is guess because you haven't told us any of it. You haven't, you haven't, you haven't committed yourself. You haven't gone past, you go a line and then you're done. You, you drew the circle with the two dots and you're like, come on guys, don't, you get it, you know, and we can't get there unless you invest yourself, unless you commit. Unless you start telling us something of truth, something of value, something, um, um, vulnerable or authentic. And a line on a piece of paper is not gonna do it. It's not gonna get us there and got you. Yeah, I wanted to talk about the wave, the wave people in it. Yeah. And it has this two, like fire and, uh, I assume it's water and I also assume it's just like tsunami when again, some kind of energy is pushing things and they're uh smashing together and they're super powerful and they're swirling everyone in that motion. Mhm. Um One thing I find fascinating about it is like, especially, especially these two pieces is like, I give you the most rudimentary tools and you guys are like pulling up like gray levels and white highlights and like freaking Bravo. Um And then this is love, right? This is love. And I'm like, well, there's like three people here. That's interesting, right? There's three people. Well, ok, then is there four? Oh yeah, there's four. So uh Matthew, what do you think? Um aside from that, um take the dirty mind to write a clean headline idea. Um I, I don't know if either they're drowning or they're having fun. You know, it like, I think of, I went to the beach for the first time in years this year and I was just like, me and my girlfriend were like, yes, wave scream go inside. So it's like so much fun and at the same time it can overwhelm you love, can overwhelm you and drown you. And so that's, that's what I get. And then what about this? I mean, to me that would be like the crashing against the rocks, um, you know, could be dangerous. That poor guy looks like he's upside down about to get his head burst. Um You know, one's over there, you know, having fun waving this one's calling for help and that one's just chilling in the middle. I mean, it's just like it's a variety of emotion. Cool, cool. Um Rafael, what do you think? I think it's terrifying, terrifying. I don't see fun at all. Uh And it's also terrifying because there's a lot of people like, like we're in this together but it doesn't help at all because nothing good will come of trying to help someone else with that fucking wave coming on top of you. No, they, they, yeah, these, these two were definitely, that's like definitely the call for help, right? Yeah, that's what I see. Yeah, I mean, it's like, it's funny. It's like, it's like, hey, the assignment is show me love and then somebody brings in the poster for jaws, you know, this is love to me and then just, just sign it like it's yours. Hilarious. Yeah, this is interesting. This is interesting and this, this, this stuff, this is why I love doing this class. It's so crazy. It's so crazy. Um uh Sonia tell us. All right. So this was hard because it's like love is an abstract thing. You can like define it. So then I had to figure out how do I explain something that is like so complex and so vast. So I thought like the ocean is so vast and so complex and also it's like, kind of like merciless, you know, it has this like, great beauty and great joy, but at the same time, like, it'll crush you if it pleases it. So, um there's like one person going deep down because like, they don't know what's up. So like if the cra the wave is coming along, they, they, you know, like if you dive deep you're fine. You know. So there's like, my idea was like to have like a little bit of a light in there so that, you know, it's like you're kinda going through this, like, dangerous thing, but at the same time, there's a great joy in it. So I wanted to represent both sides of love, I guess. Yeah. The Yin Yang of what? Um Yes, love is very difficult to describe and you kind of have to pick one point, you know what I mean? Like, like, like, you know, I'm in, in an intense, beautiful relationship and I have to go, like, right now is ok right now is good. You know what I mean? Because like, tomorrow, who knows? Right. I mean, any relationship is like that, right? Um So is this, is this, is, is this a good thing or a bad thing you're saying? It's actually kind of both, I think it's odd that you're asking us if something is good or bad. It's, it's in a gray area, I think because you, you won't sit and watch a movie about a gray area. Do you feel like all movies are? Well, no, I mean, what I'm saying is, is, is you kind of have to, you know, uh um um have an opinion, opinion and, and, and it can be, you can tell me love is the Jaws poster. Love is crazy as long as you're telling me, but I want it. Oh, ok. You know what I mean? Or you can tell me love is crazy. Love is a Jaws poster. I know. So I don't want it. Do you know what I mean? Is that what you mean by good and bad? That's what I mean by good or bad. Is this something? Is this desirable? Is this no desirable? Is this the love that you want? Is this love that you don't want? Is this a, is this a good love or is this a bad love? Because there are love and there is bad love. I have no relationships that are, you know, been together forever but then I'm like, really, you guys are together. They're like, yeah, we're together, we love each other. You know what I mean? It's true. It's the truth. Well, I, I think it's a good thing though. There's like a light at the end of the tunnel. I mean, like there's certain beauty in it and I don't know this. So that part, yeah, that part is awesome because it's like, yes, it's crazy and I'm, but I, but I found the, the peace and the chaos. Exactly. Ok. I like that. Explain, you know what I mean? While these, while, while these poor suckers are, like, just still out there. Um, and, and that's, that's, that's, that's, that's the important part is, that's what I meant by. Like love can be a maelstrom and it can be crazy and it can be a, or a, a tornado in the middle of an earthquake. But you can also go, this is awesome. Everything is uh is, is susceptible to perspective. And it's my job to get students to choose a perspective because everything could be good or could be bad. I want you to tell me which it is. I want you to tell me, I want you to commit just for the, even if it's just for the practice of committing to a side standing for something because we're so used to listening to other people's perspectives and being and being awash in them that we're used to just kind of floating and bobbing along with no perspective whatsoever. But, but to be a powerful communicator, to be a powerful creator, to be a powerful contributor to the human condition. We need to have a point, we need to have a perspective. You need to take a side, we need to have a stand. We need to say this is what I believe. So that part, that part I, you know, I dig that, that and I wanna know that, that's you and you found the answer and everybody else is fucked. Not everybody else is fucked. But, but you know that, that, that is the process. Everybody else is screwed. I do. Do you, do you surf? Uh No, but I want to because this is surfing because surfing is, I love surfing. I love floating out past the break. I love, you know, turn and burn. I love, but getting out there, forget it. I wanna, is there a chair lift? Can I take the chair lift? Right? You don't wanna have to, you don't wanna have to go out and you know, get through the break. That's, that's work. That's exhausting. You just wanna, you just wanna like pop in off the jetty, you know, behind the break. But yeah, but there is no lift. So no, no, you gotta do the work and it, and you, that's what I want you to show me is that you've done the work and you found that place because that would be beautiful and that, that if we figure out how to do this and I'm not saying this is it. I mean, I'm saying it would take some work, you know, we'd have sit down together, it would take time. I mean, creativity takes time but I bet we can come up with something where, you know, so now I'm the client, now I'm the client. I'm, I'm, you know, like tear, tear off my James Victoria face, you know, and I'm the client and I'm gonna give you, you know, um, I'm, I'm like, OK, I need a, I need a AAA campaign across the United States. It's billboards and I want you to tell me that I want you to tell me that you can find through the craziness of love, you can find your place. That's what I want from you. And I'm gonna give you, you know, $50,000 to do that. So what's your first question? What's my first question? Yeah. Your first question. It's a trick. Your first question is ask for more money. Come on, come on, $50,000 World Countrywide Campaign. Give me a fucking break. OK? So ask for more money. But I, as the client say, yes, we're gonna run this. I like, I, I like what you're saying. I like your thinking we can get there and when we do, we do a campaign, uh you know, and we, what we do is you take, you know, all these people who are, who all these people out in the world and we're talking to him now and saying, do the work. OK? It's worth it, right? Do you believe Sonia that we could do that and make something meaningful for people? Definitely. Yeah, and powerful and memorable. Yeah, I mean, with my work, you know, um I mean the good stuff, not the shit everybody poops but you know, with my work, I wanna make, I wanna make those images. I want those images out in the world, but I wanna make them so good and so desirable and so meaningful and so powerful that people wanna steal them. Yeah. People want to take him off the, off the street and bring him home. That's a cool feeling. That's a cool feeling. That's what you and that's the feeling that I put in the work, right? I make my work pregnant like that. I want my work to feel like that. All those things, you know, all these, all these, all these things, we, we, we as the reader, we, we want to know what you have to say. We're dying, we're dying for someone to give us an honest opinion. We're dying to someone to talk to us as adults. We're dying for someone to give us the benefit of the doubt. You know, he sees me. So all of these, all of these, these details we read into them and we want them to be like, if like, you know, in, in, in this piece here, if there was a big, if you know, if there was a big uh uh uh that on the page and at the end of at the end of reading, you're like, oh no, I just put that on people. Go what the fuck. No, I, no, II I prescribed meaning to that. That's what we do. You know, we want to, we as the viewer just like in a, in a, in a movie, we invest in the story. We wanna be, you know, we wanna sit back and just go fucking take me away, just like I just wanna get lost in this story. I don't wanna, I don't want the worst thing for me is I'm watching a movie and I go like this, this is the, this is the worst. I'm watching a movie and I go like this. Uh Right. I might as well just get up and leave. I'm like, wrap it up good. Right. Um So all these things, all these little marks, you know, some something's red and we'll, we'll have this conversation, we'll have this conversation about the cliche and its meaning and how important it is because our entire lives are cliche, everything about us. You know, some people call them cliches. I call them habits. It's the same thing. Right. So, this is awesome. This was a good start. Good job, guys. Super. We can, we can clap good job. Awesome. Thanks.