(no subject)

[lapsedmodernist]

to the lovely akozorez:

I came home last night and combed through my bookshelves, finding things I wanted to give you.

I will see you very soon!

In the meantime, this is what I want by way of a tattoo:



This is the Thesis IX of Benjamin's Theses on the Philosophy of History that concerns itself with the angel:


IX  

My wing is ready for flight,  
I would like to turn back.If I stayed
timeless time, 
I would have little luck.

Gerherd Scholem, 
‘Gruss vom Angelus’




A Klee painting named ‘Angelus Novus’ shows an angel looking as though he is about to move away from something he is fixedly contemplating. His eyes are staring, his mouth is open, his wings are spread. This is how one pictures the angel of history. His face is turned toward the past. Where we perceive a chain of events, he sees one single catastrophe which keeps piling wreckage and hurls it in front of his feet. The angel would like to stay, awaken the dead, and make whole what has been smashed. But a storm is blowing in from Paradise; it has got caught in his wings with such a violence that the angel can no longer close them. The storm irresistibly propels him into the future to which his back is turned, while the pile of debris before him grows skyward. This storm is what we call progress.

You can find the entire thing here

Comments

[never-the-less.livejournal.com]

ha -- you HAVE to get the angelus novus, with his wings all a flutter, moving forwards looking back! i know you have the tattoo from your dad's childrens book (or something like that) but if you have others, are they all literary in one way or another?

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

Heh. My dad's book, while a fairy tale of sorts, is hardly for children. But, in addition to that tattoo, I have five others, some are more literary than others:
1. The first tattoo I got is three Kanji characters that go down my back and translate as "writing on the body" (and NO, I didn't see The Pillowbook before getting it)
2. I have a lotus flower on my lower back,
3. A cave painting of a kneeling woman with a bow and arrow with the greek word "aletheia" which translates as "truth" with the connotation of "unconcealement"
4. A character for "horse" (my zodiac year) on my neck
5. An "Ohm" on my left forearm.

I think it would be difficult to capture the aflutter motion in a tattoo, but I think I'm going to get it, and I think it's going to be my last tattoo.

[seltix.livejournal.com]

maybe you can get a hologram tatoo. how cool would that be!

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

eeeek, that would be creepy. YOU could get one of those magic-eye tattoos. I wouldn't be able to see them since I lack the gene required to see magic eye pictures, but I'm sure it would thrill others.

[seltix.livejournal.com]

yeah. i seem to lack that gene too. but the good thing about getting a magic-eye tattoo would be telling people that they have to back up "just a little more" to see it right. "not yet? keep going then... a little further... now squint."

as far as the hologram - i figured you might be able to get that fluttered effect you were looking for. but i think it would be more freaky than creepy. depending, of course, on the actual image(s).

[apropos.livejournal.com]

I love Klee, especially that phase of his work.

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

me too.

do you have any tattoos, apropos?

[apropos.livejournal.com]

No, no tattoos. They are difficult to do well, I think.

Anything I would want to get would probably be highly morbid, which would clash with the general aura of innocence I tend to unwittingly project.

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

morbid? Like what?

If it were me, what you wrote above would be an impetus, rather than a deterrent, I like contrast like that a lot, in the same way that I like wearing classical/conservative clothing that shows off my tattoos.

[emblemparade.livejournal.com]

Great tatoo, and an association with the most passionate moment in the history of literary criticism. I challenge you to go ahead with it! We can compare them later at conferences (I'm getting a map of the Kula Ring tatoo in September).

By the way, I admit I was surprised when I first saw the painting, after reading Benjamin's account of it. It was not how I imagined it would be. But, then, it does fit, and it's very Benjamin to let the representation of the representation off the hook while keeping it on the hook.

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

I am going to print out your reply and carry it with me and show it to everyone who asks me why I got Angelus Novus.
the most passionate moment in the history of literary criticism.
I love that assessment, except for me it's the most passionate moment in the discourse of history and possibly All Theory.
I don't need to be challenged, I am going to do it!

And I totally felt the same way about the picture! I saw it long after I read about it, and was nonplussed; it was weird and did not conform to my previous image, and I didn't necessarily like it. But then it grew on me, and now I see it as not only appropriate but inevitable.

it's very Benjamin to let the representation of the representation off the hook while keeping it on the hook.
I think I know what you are saying but please say more.

I love the Kula tattoo! (I already have an "anthropological" tattoo, kind of). Yes, we will compare at conferences. Did you know I met amadea while she was in NYC? Are you going to the AAAs in November? Why isn't tomorrow_devil on your friendslist?

[emblemparade.livejournal.com]

Isn't amadea great?

I may go to the AAA, but without any enthusiasm. Last year, when they were in Chicago, I snuck in and was bored to near death. I was ecnouraged by some people to try to start a panel on love for this year, but I didn't get my shit together on time, and was also very unmotivated. But some friends of mine are doing stuff there, and boy do I live SanFran, so it may happen.

Well, we talked about Benjamin before, and as you know it looks like we appreciate different facets of this deeply tortured soul. What I meant by my cryptic comment was that Benjamin presents us with a representation of a representation (his description of a painting) while it's very obvious that most readers would not recognize the paining. And so, the painting is "off the hook". However, there's a direct line drawn to that painting, and a direct invocation of whatever material reality the painting itself represents -- and Benjamin is very clear that underneath there is a real material history. Thus, it is "hooked" to reality.

Sorry, my metaphors are often far too "clever". I forget that people actually read what I write and try to understand it.

I'll check out tomorrow_devil. Care to introduce this virtual person?

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

tomorrow_devil is a fellow anthro grad person. His grandpa defeated a dinosaur during WWII in the Pacific.

Here is an example of a brilliant entry by him:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/tomorrow_devil/50935.html

[tomorrow-devil.livejournal.com]

Oh, pshaw, it gets mentioned in some notecards or something and everyone wants a Klee tattoo. Get with it. My tattoos are altogether more tacky. If you please, I really want the above user pic to be part of me someday. If I win big in Windsor, that's the plan.

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

notecards? Are you calling Benjamin's Theses notecards, or did Hallmark come up with, like, post-its of Klee reproductions?

I think your icon would make an awesome tattoo. You should get one, and then you, me and ghostwheel can compare them at conferences.

[tomorrow-devil.livejournal.com]

All I need is an edition of Syd Hoff's Danny and the Dinosaur (not the more common Danny and the Dinosaur's Birthday or Danny and the Dinosaur Go to Camp), and like $100. Pray or whatever for me, when I go to Windsor, maybe this Thursday. Big bucks, Canada cash. And don't tell my advisors that this is what I do with my stipend. (Har har.)
I don't think Klee is on any Hallmark cards - too distressing. I was referring to The Arcades Project, which I got dirtypages for Christmas last year.
My conferencing career begins this year, so yes. Let's make tattoo comparisons a tradition. By the time we're tenured, we'll be painted people.

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

Are you going to the AAAs???
If I get this tattoo, it will most likely be my last one. I like the half-sleeve/full-sleeve aesthetic on other people, but not on myself; I envision my tattoos being strategically positioned over my body, and not exceeding a certain vision I have.

Haha, there should be twisted Hallmark cards--Hellmark, perchance? Like, "Francis Bacon for that Special Someone."

[tomorrow-devil.livejournal.com]

I guess I'm going to the AAAs, if I can remember to join and all.

Just like in the storybook, the biggest source of tension between the Dinosaur and Danny is that Danny doesn't know where to put the dinosaur. Full dinosaur body, with boy atop, on the right shoulder? Little icon-like dinosaur head elsewhere? Wrist? Butt cheek? What to do, what to do . . .

Also, architeuthisdux has provided me with a whole lineup of her own dinosaur art to apply to my body, and some of it's pretty good.

[akozorez.livejournal.com]

gah... i show up a day later, it seems... (have been away from the net for the whole 1 proud day). either way, yes, thank you, after i got home, you know, i went straight into my little Benjamin search, and found that drawing. I think this would would be, hands down, one of the best tattoos i've ever seen--cause/effect and all :)

I thought of million things I wanted to talk to you about/ or give you as well. I guess we'll just have to repeat the Yaffa experience next week.

P.S. I am suddently getting the urge to come with you when you are getting your Angeus tattoo, so that I get my Rachmaninoff tattoo :)
I had the most amazing dream by the way, shortly after we parted, but I will write about it in a bit. I am excited to have found someone who is interested in hearing of other people's dreams...

oh, i also meant to forward you some links of things i wanted you to read... i will do so shortly then as well.

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

Indeed we will!

I want to hear the dream!

And send over the links...

Did you find whether that book was dedicated to Benjamin?