zero-point

P O BOX 292109

los angeles, ca. 90029

we are closing this location at the end of july, and going on hiatus.

thanx immense to all wonderful friends and artists: art hungry & excellent chefs, collaborators, writers, visionaries, crazies who are really the sane ones, lovely people, deadliners, builders, grave diggers, seed planters, aerial performers, sound wrestlers & catchers & sculptors, and my greatest love to our collective core.  without you nothing.

i will be writing a book about these past few years and researching future manifestations of zero-point in a new location, collaborating on a chapter in maxi kim’s new novel, curating in other spaces, and i have started a mail art project: if you would like to join simply email me your address! zeropointspace@gmail.com

((((((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
our last experience at 1049 e. 32nd st.
this saturday, july 26th   1 pm - 3 pm

 a workshop:
READING’ SLAVOJ ZIZEK
A GROUP READING SEMINAR  with MAXIMUS KIM

please enjoy to join us…the book is fascinatingly appropriate after MAPS / LOCATIONS and we are relocating to a temporary ether…it is a dense work, but very common sense, and i think it provides an excellent dialog missing from what is currently taught, or has been taught in the past… (the book is provided with your donation)

 

 

((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
the delicious details:
‘READING’ SLAVOJ ZIZEK  
A GROUP READING SEMINAR with MAXIMUS KIM 

“[O]ne should distinguish between ordinary escapism

and this dimension of Otherness, this magic moment

when the Absolute appears in all its fragility:

the prisoners have seen a ghost –

neither the resuscitated obscene ghost of the past,

not the spectral ghost of the capitalist present,

but the brief apparition of a future utopian Otherness

to which every authentic revolutionary stance should cling.”

- Slavoj Zizek¹

Since the beginning of the short twenty first century I have participated in group – reading seminars as the basis of my art and writing process. Reading for me can be not only important, but also primary to a person’s creative economy. As Rainer Ganahl put it, “Meeting people, reading together and discussion [can be] an art of temporary encounter, an act that can affect both our noetic and social activities.”²

The title of this introduction alludes to a similar artist-run reading seminar by Rainer Ganahl entitled Reading Karl Marx (1998-2001). Commissioned by Craig Martin as part of the Open House Projects, what initially struck me was the fact that the vast majority of people who participated in Reading Karl Marx seminars have never actually read anything by Marx. In staging ‘Reading’ Slavoj Zizek at Zero-point, I would like to foster a similar open-door atmosphere. Ideally, there should be no assumption that the participants have a prior knowledge of the subject. Neither are they asked to read the text in advance. Participants may not have the time, the patience, habit or perhaps the educational grooming to read often elitist, sometimes indecipherable academic texts. It has been my experience that in order to facilitate meaningful discussion through the study of Zizek, we would have to read together, sometimes phrase-by-phrase. Simultaneously, participants have urged other participants to cross out certain paragraphs. I have found myself comforting readers; don’t be afraid of simply absorbing the surface of Zizek. Depth and surface are often on identical sides of the Moebius strip. Divorcing, dividing, violently stripping the text from its original philosophical roots may be the most utopic act of all. At the end of the day ‘Reading’ Slavoj Zizek is not about reading Lacan. And it certainly isn’t about rereading Marx.

Why Zizek? Why not more established names such as Deleuze? Derrida? Or Foucault? With the help of group-reading seminars I came to understand that reading chapter-by-chapter, paragraph-by-paragraph, enabled a more precise discussion. However with this precision came a price: xenophobia. In London and Berlin, the group-reading emphasis on French intellectuals and French theory often encouraged the concealment and silence of non-french thinkers such as Zizek, bell hooks, and Cornel West. Moreover, much of French theory – deconstruction, for example – is notorious for its inability to engage popular culture – and hence, a wider audience. On the other hand, Zizek’s texts – often highlighting today’s headlines, movies and television programs – can serve as a barometer to comprehend our contemporary situation, without pretension or guilt. In the ‘Reading’ Slavoj Zizek seminars all contributions are welcomed and I try not to solicit or impose classical interpretations, as is often the case with continental pedagogical readings.

In the beginning of 2008 I worked with new groups of artists from University of Greenwich and Goldsmiths College. The art school approach has the advantage of reaching people whom in most cases have never broached reading this kind of literature. However I believe the true positive emancipatory potential of the experience can be reached at experimental spaces such as Zero-point. After all, Zero-point has a keen understanding of the relationship between dreams and reality. Themes such as Geobiotic and Dreamtime encourages participants to question the contemporary frame of reality, to question the fantasies that shape our global, consumer capitalist world. It is by re-imagining the social imaginary that the social can effectively change. In a way, as naïve as it sounds and contrary to many of the totalizing concepts of today’s social fabric that see people solely as unconscious and manipulated consumers, it is surprising how little it takes to stimulate change. Let’s read! Let’s re-imagine a new utopia for the short twenty-first century!!

 

$10 - $15 donation

please rsvp : zeropointspace@gmail.com
remember: the book will be included in the workshop for reading and discussion…

hope to see you there!

love & ruckus.

****************************************************************

 

 

 

 

 

 

we are closing this location at the end of july, and going on hiatus.

our last show is this saturday: july 19th: MAPS /LOCATIONS

***************************************

and we have a workshop on july 26th

‘READING’ SLAVOJ ZIZEK

A GROUP READING SEMINAR

with MAXIMUS KIM

(SEE INFO BELOW)

******************************

i hope you can join us…THIS SATURDAY…

doors open 6pm …

MAPS / LOCATIONS

7th of 13 moon series

 

 

july 19th

experimental music showcase:
wormhole
push play
charts and maps

word artist:
narinda heng

special guests…

************

take home a piece

of the OPPOSITE OF WAR

collective collage

**************************************

that is our last show at zero-point

1049 e. 32nd st.

(((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

then we have a final workshop : fascinatingly appropriate

after MAPS / LOCATIONS and we are relocating to a temporary ether…

perhaps you can join us:

the book is provided

please rsvp if you’re interested…

love & ruckus.

**************************************

THE WORKSHOP:

**************************************

‘READING’ SLAVOJ ZIZEK

A GROUP READING SEMINAR

with MAXIMUS KIM

july 26th

1pm - 3pm

“[O]ne should distinguish between ordinary escapism

and this dimension of Otherness, this magic moment

when the Absolute appears in all its fragility:

the prisoners have seen a ghost –

neither the resuscitated obscene ghost of the past,

not the spectral ghost of the capitalist present,

but the brief apparition of a future utopian Otherness

to which every authentic revolutionary stance should cling.”

- Slavoj Zizek¹

Since the beginning of the short twenty first century I have participated in group – reading seminars as the basis of my art and writing process. Reading for me can be not only important, but also primary to a person’s creative economy. As Rainer Ganahl put it, “Meeting people, reading together and discussion [can be] an art of temporary encounter, an act that can affect both our noetic and social activities.”²

The title of this introduction alludes to a similar artist-run reading seminar by Rainer Ganahl entitled Reading Karl Marx (1998-2001). Commissioned by Craig Martin as part of the Open House Projects, what initially struck me was the fact that the vast majority of people who participated in Reading Karl Marx seminars have never actually read anything by Marx. In staging ‘Reading’ Slavoj Zizek at Zero-point, I would like to foster a similar open-door atmosphere. Ideally, there should be no assumption that the participants have a prior knowledge of the subject. Neither are they asked to read the text in advance. Participants may not have the time, the patience, habit or perhaps the educational grooming to read often elitist, sometimes indecipherable academic texts. It has been my experience that in order to facilitate meaningful discussion through the study of Zizek, we would have to read together, sometimes phrase-by-phrase. Simultaneously, participants have urged other participants to cross out certain paragraphs. I have found myself comforting readers; don’t be afraid of simply absorbing the surface of Zizek. Depth and surface are often on identical sides of the Moebius strip. Divorcing, dividing, violently stripping the text from its original philosophical roots may be the most utopic act of all. At the end of the day ‘Reading’ Slavoj Zizek is not about reading Lacan. And it certainly isn’t about rereading Marx.

Why Zizek? Why not more established names such as Deleuze? Derrida? Or Foucault? With the help of group-reading seminars I came to understand that reading chapter-by-chapter, paragraph-by-paragraph, enabled a more precise discussion. However with this precision came a price: xenophobia. In London and Berlin, the group-reading emphasis on French intellectuals and French theory often encouraged the concealment and silence of non-french thinkers such as Zizek, bell hooks, and Cornel West. Moreover, much of French theory – deconstruction, for example – is notorious for its inability to engage popular culture – and hence, a wider audience. On the other hand, Zizek’s texts – often highlighting today’s headlines, movies and television programs – can serve as a barometer to comprehend our contemporary situation, without pretension or guilt. In the ‘Reading’ Slavoj Zizek seminars all contributions are welcomed and I try not to solicit or impose classical interpretations, as is often the case with continental pedagogical readings.

In the beginning of 2008 I worked with new groups of artists from University of Greenwich and Goldsmiths College. The art school approach has the advantage of reaching people whom in most cases have never broached reading this kind of literature. However I believe the true positive emancipatory potential of the experience can be reached at experimental spaces such as Zero-point. After all, Zero-point has a keen understanding of the relationship between dreams and reality. Themes such as Geobiotic and Dreamtime encourages participants to question the contemporary frame of reality, to question the fantasies that shape our global, consumer capitalist world. It is by re-imagining the social imaginary that the social can effectively change. In a way, as naïve as it sounds and contrary to many of the totalizing concepts of today’s social fabric that see people solely as unconscious and manipulated consumers, it is surprising how little it takes to stimulate change. Let’s read! Let’s re-imagine a new utopia for the short twenty-first century!!

 

$10 - $15 donation

please rsvp : zeropointspace@gmail.com
the book will be included in the workshop for reading and discussion…
**************************************

JUNE 28TH IS A THREE EVENT DAY:
you can come to all three events for $30

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

PHILLIP STERNS - WORKSHOP

“Simplified Gardening: Against Biotech Agribusiness”

$15 or $10 member

4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
TONI POPE - WORKSHOP

Theta - Sound Healing workshop

$15 or $10 member

6pm - midnight

CULTIVATION

$5 - $10 donation - FREE for members

details below:

*********

JUNE 28TH 1-3 pm

PHILLIP STERNS - WORKSHOP

“Simplified Gardening: Against Biotech Agribusiness”

 

Food is as necessary as air and water for the maintaining of the body, the house of the soul. As times have progressed, we have become further separated from the source of our food, and it has become increasingly processed in order to keep up with demands of peoples living a life that is faster paced than ever. There was a time when we had an intimate relationship with the land. It is not difficult to see how that relationship has changed when we read the ingredients on the back of a microwave dinner. We have alienated ourselves from nature’s way in order to pursue our own desires by exchanging our faith in the ability of nature to adequately provide for a dependence on the fruits of intellect and reason to dominate and control. You can see the true nature of a civilization by the way in which it feeds its people. It is food and its acquisition, or production, after all, which lies at its very foundation.

 

In “Simplified Gardening: Against Biotech Agribusiness” we’ll take 3 hours to examine and discuss topics as broad as the source of life and as specific as the ingredients in the world’s most popular herbicides, all starting from the basic principles behind “Do Nothing Farming” developed by Masanobu Fukuoka, author of “The One-Straw Revolution”. From there, we’ll look into some common methods of growing on smaller plots of land and in containers, and study traditional methods of pest and weed control via companion planting. After which we will examine some of the modern techniques of cultivation. All the usual boring lecture techniques, i.e. slide show, movie clips, and Q and A sessions will be present, but when it’s all over, your head will be filled with a strong foundation of knowledge to being a lifelong practice in natural gardening.

$15 (nonmembers) $10 members

*********

JUNE 28TH: 4 - 5:30 pm

Theta - Sound Healing Workshop

such positive experience: don’t miss this INTERACTIVE session!

Alpha - Lucid dreaming while awake similar to “Daydreaming”

Beta - Everyday activity, media airwaves etc., can be toxic to maintain holistic health

Theta - An inner / intuitive state, prior to sleeping or when invoked

Delta - Deep restful sleep

Gamma - Conscious cosmic soup - a general “social psychology” we’re all tapped into

The Theta Sound Healing Workshop consists of primordial vocals and instruments that naturally place the human brain into a theta like patterning. These instruments include East Indian electric Tambura, Australian Aborigines didgeridoo, and Tibetan singing bowls. Once heard, the listener automatically begins to relax, the brain becomes calm, as the essence of the total being of the listener is replenished.

As instruments are played and at various moments during the session Toni Pope will offer and provide primordial vocals. Primordial vocals include throat-singing/harmonic singing, micro-tonation, and multi-phonetical voicings - i.e. producing multiple tones simultaneously. Toni is a voice and sound practitioner who carries a unique ability to channel sacred dimensions of sound using her voice and theta sounding instruments.

During the course of the session intuitive concepts of voice and sound instruction will be given, as well as the opportunity to utilize the voice as a sacred sounding instrument. Concepts such as toning, harmonic singing, deep inner listening, and concsious breath work will be discussed and practiced. The benefits of this workshop vocal inhibition, voice placement , tone placement, toning, and tone isolation/multi-
phonetical singing

$15 (nonmembers) $10 members

*********

JUNE 28TH

that same day::::::::

6pm - midnight

CULTIVATION

an evening of plant performance art, cellular lectures,
poetic distillation and more….

CULTIVATION performances:
6 pm - 10 pm

jorge martin : cellular cultivation

anna homler : pharmacia poetica, cultivation of inner images

silent running : plant performance art

the classic quintet : organic improv

this is the process of making the human mark into the earth, but it is proper to exist in balance. this is not only a metaphor, but the beauty of it is that it extends, as the curl of a new tendril, out to the farthest and ultimate cyclic now. so this is important to know about, to explore, to ponder, to look at from different directions, to head in new directions, to put things into perspective and enjoy the work necessary to cultivate.

in our current urban living, we must find ways to reconnect with the elemental, in our bodies, our work, our food, with our fellow living beings, and our metaphysical and critical aspects. this begins with the child as artist: making things through a state of wonder, but now is the time to cultivate that human urge to create / make art in all forms : and know that this is our world too, and we are part of it.

it is also the cult of culture. it is the bravery of us to say that we can make our own culture, our own symbolic way or description or names for sacred or release or regeneration. it is the right of people to have rituals that nourish and speak with language they have had a hand in forming. it is different than before because it is now. that’s all.

cultivation is mostly about absorbing and emitting energy. to behave with wisdom in our daily lives.

this evening / event / re-opened warehouse warming
is to foster.
it is about people, celebrating and mourning,
powerful forces of will and belief, knowing that there will be that one good spot
and all the work will be worth it.
and these will go in cycles
constantly.



*********

*************

 

for your regard: zero-point welcomes you to collaborate and contribute!

lexical evidence : the zine of 32 pages. photocopied and / or sent at what time it is finished. submissions only under pen names. the story of stories. words are documents. this is the word. now. prose . real . made-up . deeply poetic . photographs . whatever can retain it’s purpose and meaning and aesthetics enough to be photocopied. black and white.it sill be online as well.  

this project was created to continue the 13 moon series.

******************************************************************

workshop: join Phil Sterns for:
“Simplified Gardening: Against Biotech Agribusiness” 1- 3pm

JUNE 28TH

then that same day::::::::

6pm - after the workshop:

CULTIVATION

an evening of plant performance art, cellular lectures, poetic distillation and more….

this is an open call for quiet art:

2d / 3d / quiet amplified / acoustic / dance / puppetry / fabric arts etc.

email links to zeropointspace@gmail.com

love & ruckus.

this is the process of making the human mark into the earth, but it is proper to exist in balance. this is not only a metaphor, but the beauty of it is that it extends, as the curl of a new tendril, out to the farthest and ultimate cyclic now. so this is important to know about, to explore, to ponder, to look at from different directions, to head in new directions, to put things into perspective and enjoy the work necessary to cultivate.

in our current urban living, we must find ways to reconnect with the elemental, in our bodies, our work, our food, with our fellow living beings, and our metaphysical and critical aspects. this begins with the child as artist: making things through a state of wonder, but now is the time to cultivate that human urge to create / make art in all forms : and know that this is our world too, and we are part of it.

it is also the cult of culture. it is the bravery of us to say that we can make our own culture, our own symbolic way or description or sacred or release or regeneration. it is the right of people to have rituals that nourish and speak with language they have had a hand in forming. it is different than before because it is now. that’s all.

cultivation is mostly about absorbing and emitting energy. to behave with wisdom in our daily lives.

this evening / event / re-opened warehouse warming
is to foster,
it is about people, celebrating and mourning,
powerful forces of will and belief, knowing that there will be that one good spot
and all the work will be worth it.
and these will go in cycles
constantly.

june 21st : sacred sounds workshop 3-6pm
(see the !CALENDAR for details)

other workshops
now have specific dates / times
and there are many more t.b.a

membership is simple:
it is a monthly donation.
$45 or $30 for students / seniors

also a regular group art show is in the planning
available for showcasing members work!

and for those who just want to come to a regular
$5 donation show: you too can become a member
for the night: because we are a collective: not a public place

we are also opening zero-point to artists
for creation space…it is a monthly fee
for what hours you choose
and the cost of donation can be offset by
collective community service

click on !join the ZERO-POINT ART COLLECTIVE
to the left to donate for your membership.

if you have any questions or suggestions
or are seeking artspace just email me:

zeropointspace@gmail.com

also dear friends: what a great night at echo curio.
true thanx to steve from +dog+
and all the work he put into celebrating
NOISEPOLLINATION despite our sound shutdown…

love & quieter but no less riotous ruckus!

for those who are sad about NOISEPOLLINATION -
our three day fest being cancelled:
SUNDAY JUNE 8TH AT ECHO CURIO - NOISEPOLLINATION PARTY
thank you to the wonderful folks at echo curio!

and thank you for being part of zero-point!

love & ruckus.
***
christie.

Following the horribly sad news about ZERO-POINT’s three month closing
due to a noise complaint, we’re going to throw a little shin-dig
to make up for the canceling of Noisepollination 2008….

Come and see some of the more restrained
and yet unstoppable bands in the “scene” at this non-stop event.



Sunday June 8th Los Angeles CA
ECHO CURIO
1519 SUNSET BLVD. ECHO PARK, CA 90026


www. echocurio.com

www.zeropointspace.org

www.myspace.com/zeropointspace

Starts at 7pm (go to bed ontime!)

NOISEPOLLINATION ALTERNATE SHOW with

+DOG+
THE CRYSTELLES
BAVAB BAVAB
HOP FROG DRUM JESTER DEVOTIONAL
SEND MY REGARDS
METAL ROUGE
FANTASTIC SLEEP
TREASURE MAMMAL


www.myspace.com/bavabbavab
www.myspace.com/dogstevedog
www.myspace.com/hopfrogsdrumjesterdevotional
www.myspace.com/thecrystelles
www.myspace.com/sendmyregardss
www.myspace.com/treasuremammal

((((((())))))

we have recently received an official sound complaint. our landlord is very supportive of us, he has been a great landlord and a great friend, but he is forced to ask that we cancel events for the next three months, after which time he feels that we can begin more consciously through changed policies and soundproofing.

our other option is to move, but that would also necessitate that we cancel shows, so the only responsible thing for me to do is let everyone know and work together on forming and following through with ideas to help zero-point evolve.

this is sad news. i am so sorry. i have gone to every length to make sure events happen as they are scheduled, but the only thing i can do is go forward with the new temporary boundaries in mind. i respect our landlord and there is no point in trying to continue events under these conditions.

it is my job now to coordinate the collaboration, to make an environment, to incubate the changes and new ideas, so with core help we will figure out how to make the place respectful of the neighbors. i want for us to look back on this day and be thankful that we had this time to grow an already burgeoning art community.

that is my vision in this upheaval.

in pondering zero-point’s future, i see this as an opportunity to make this space even more of a daily full-art experience. we can focus on things we can host that are quieter and have less ‘crowd’ while we make the necessary changes to the place and our ways of doing things so that we can host events again under more appropriate circumstances.

the space has functioned as a successful art gallery for one night events. recently a friend of ours sold five pieces in a night! it could be a change where we can have gallery style hours, or earlier / quieter events. we also have people volunteering to host workshops and classes. life drawing or filming, screen-printing, photography, yoga, natural living, circuit-bending, dance, writing etc. whatever you would like to take or give.

i am also looking for visual artists who would like to join a zero-point collective in shares that would allow them to keep their tools & supplies in their own spot and then they could have a schedule of so many hours in a week to work in the space. also there could be showcases for individuals to display a whole body of work, which should be accessible to artists as much as possible.

would you or anyone you know who has skills that could be taught be interested in hosting workshops / classes at zero-point? would you perhaps know or be an artist who would like an expansive well-lit studio environment. we need to make a solid june schedule that will keep us going. june, july and august. and once that is established we can continue nourishing the quiet art while slowly re- integrating aspects of the sonic.

i believe, with the help of all involved, and the excitement and energy of people coming to experience zero-point, we can use this time to expand the art environment that is already wonderful.

there will always be art wherever we are. zero-point is about a community that has grown so quickly and with amazing experiences. i love this place because of all the people who have come here who have been kind and supportive. i am so grateful and inspired, and i believe in the people who are part of this, which is why this is just a place without the people, without the art it is a shell. whatever we have to do we will do to keep zero-point alive - through whatever evolution is ahead.

i appreciate your collaboration. thank you…. please feel free to pass this on to people who may be interested, and i will do everything i can do to help make creative alternatives real.

love & ruckus.
***
christie.

…whatever you need is already there…

((((((())))))

JONES CLUB CABARET!
saturday may 17th
doors open 7:30pm
show starts 8:00 pm
$10 donation requested

featuring:
the shuffle kinds
luis narino
kid gloves

live comedy improv with the understudies

paintings by irwan iskaak

dj vichyy

all proceeds fund jones’ cancer treatment

raffles
homemade treats

benefit soiree for jones

jones - the little howler…!
HELP THIS SWEET DOG