Paul Chan

Was fortunate enough to go see Paul Chan lecture at the New School at their Public Art Fund Talks. Paul Chan, a young and successful artist, now has a show up at the New Museum and recently staged Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot in a recuperating New Orleans. He is known for being extremely vocal about his political stance, while producing art that is not merely political but also existential. Amidst much decadence and complicit stances in contemporary art, Paul Chan stands out as an artist with an extremely social and political agenda.

His lecture was, to say the least, powerful. As any of us reading any kind of news can attest to, the world is experiencing a serious economic recession. Characteristic of his practice of mirroring the contemporary, Paul read an essay he had written titled "The Spirit of Recession". Carefully written and deliberately performed, the essay was pointed and passionate.

He pointed out a few very interesting and important truths of our society. He noted that our political leaders are currently making decisions upon the "spirit of self-preservation", and that this mad dash of our leaders for self-preservation and self-progress at all costs is being payed for by all the rest of us. In the form of a recession. He noted that often "self-preservation" is masked under the word "progress" and warned against the idea of progress as a religion.

In the face of our leaders, what can the rest of us possibly do? What can I contribute? What can I change? He seemed to be battling with this question as an artist. He voiced his own doubts about the extent of the difference he could make in changing the ways of our current leaders. However, his conviction in "the creative act" was the most shaking and stuck with me for a long time. The creative act, he said, is to say what matters when something deathly is stuck in one's throat and stick by it, at all costs.

That is exactly what he did throughout his lecture. That being said, you should definitely check out his show at the New Museum and see what exactly he is saying when he has something deathly stuck in his throat. Click here for his website.

(Image, Paul Chan Lights)