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Thursday, November 2, 2006

Phoning A Genius

posted by on November 2 at 17:08 PM

Just now up on the Henry’s Hankblog is the announcement of tonight’s opening, Take the Cake: Celebrating Stranger Genius Award Winners, 2003-2006, which started at 5.

This new piece by Susan Robb is part of the show

StrangerGEniusExhibition013.jpg

so I dialed the number, and this is what I heard Susan say to me:

Please write the following words on the wall in front of you: “I am not here. This isn’t happening.”

It’s mortifying being a Genius.

RSS icon Comments

1

It's mortifying to take credit for someone else's lyrics.

Posted by tom yorke | November 2, 2006 5:04 PM
2

Those aren't lyics, that was my life.

Posted by Chuck Gerra | November 2, 2006 5:29 PM
3

Pretty much my favorite Radiohead song.

Posted by Hannah Levin | November 2, 2006 5:30 PM
4

It very well may have been your life, but they are still lyrics.

Posted by Hannah Levin | November 2, 2006 5:31 PM
5

You're right Hannah. I miss spooked.

Posted by upchuck | November 2, 2006 5:35 PM
6

So who made the sign?

Posted by Fnarf | November 2, 2006 5:59 PM
7

jesus christ. this is an affront to the noble idea of providing artists with patronage, a waste of neon, and an insult to thom yorke.

my OCD rears its head in my neat-as-a-pin home. you think if i put a sign on the door that reads "everything in its right place," i'll be eligible for a $5k prize?

i totally want one of those pricey dyson vacuum cleaners.

Posted by kerri harrop | November 2, 2006 6:12 PM
8

This art is so phoney I forgot to laugh

Posted by advertise! | November 2, 2006 7:08 PM
9

One of my intentions with this piece is to talk about fluctuations of identity through moments in time.

Is such a generic phrase uttered for years by many of us who wished to escape an uncomfortable situation, now considered to be the property of a pop band?

I'd also like to add that when I originally made this piece for Fuzzy Engine way back in the day I wasn't aware of who Radiohead was.

And, since I believe it's short-sighted to give up access and the rights to common phrases in personal and artisitc expression, I didn't feel compelled to change the piece for this show after their use of this phrase was brought to my attention.


Posted by Susan Robb | November 2, 2006 7:51 PM
10

It's a good idea. I should change my answering machine message to "I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo, what the hell am I not doing here?"

Posted by last days sucker | November 2, 2006 9:30 PM
11

full disclosure: i have known susan robb since the early '90's and, although i haven't seen her in years, like her a lot.

radiohead is one of my all time favorite bands and their performance this summer was the best show i have ever seen. by anyone. ever. and i am old.

ok, that said, i am curious to know what year this piece was made. anyone know? susan?

Posted by kerri harrop | November 3, 2006 12:16 AM
12

Jen - I am guessing that your post is actually an art piece exploring how the term "genius" has lost its meaning through overuse.

Posted by cite | November 3, 2006 5:56 AM
13

Creep caught my ear early on, then Fake Plastic Trees pricked em up a little more. Karma Police began to whisper in my ears. The Pyramid Song gave me the feeling of hearing impaired and finally Hail to the Thief was so brave a title, asking to be ripped off, now I merely offer all listening capabilities to anything Radiohead. Yes, I'd consider them modern day 'geniuses', and 'overuse' I believe, is a theme they deal with remarkably.

Posted by Amnesiac | November 3, 2006 7:00 AM

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