project 18/

PROJECTS FOR LONG-TERM ENDEAVORS

V. Stolnikov, Construction-Engineer, Bolshie Stolby

The vast majority of projects. whether they are intended for broad use, for the common good, or whether they have the goal of improving our well-being or the state of our home, are oriented as a rule toward the final result, toward their fulfillment, the realization of the conceived plan. As a rule, during such a real- ization of a project, numerous interferences, delays, difficulties occur, often of a tragic and sometimes of an insurmountable nature - after all the fate of completing the projects is in the hands of many people and many circumstances.

But another group of projects could exist (one of which will be described here), the goal of which will be precisely the elimina- tion of the tension and frustration inevitable during the real- ization of projects of the first type. The goal and meaning of them will be the elimination of the phenomenon of a goal (which is the main thing in the projects described above) and a turning of attention to the very process of making something no matter what it is. The result in this case does not have any special significance. To the forefront emerges the rhythmization of the process of work and the planning of such a procedure for an extended period of time in the future, the repetition of one and the same action in a specific repetitious slice of time. The "result" turns out to be the equalization of the internal mental processes, the emergence of equilibrium and tranquillity, a departure into deep meditation. Two such "projects" are described below.

1. "Blue, Orange, Purple."

Three white canvasses are hung on the wall. On the first day of meditation, 5 blue dots are placed on canvas No. 1, 5, orange ones on canvas No. 2, and 5 purple ones on canvas No. 3. On the second day (at any time): 5 orange dots are placed on canvass No. 1, 5 purple ones are put on canvass No. 2, 5 blue ones are placed on canvass No. 3. On the third day; 5 purple dots are placed on canvas No. 1, 5 orange dots are placed on canvas No. 2, 5 blue ones are placed on canvas No. 3. After this, the same rhythm is repeated. All of this is done without hurrying, contem- plating as you work, meditating on the worlds of color that emerge. It is absolutely obligatory to record the order. You keep working until all the white is covered with spots.

2. "Simple Series of Numbers" The number 1 is placed on the first canvas, the number 2 is

placed on the second canvas, the number 3 is placed on the third canvas. On the second day, in the same order, the numbers 2, 4, 6 are recorded, on the third day the numbers 3, 6, 12, on the fourth day the numbers 4, 16, 24, etc. Each number is drawn in its own colors: l - blue, 2 - yellow, 3 - brown, 4 - green, 5 - violet, 6 - red, 7 - orange, 8 - dark blue, 9 - black 10 - gray, You should write only one number on each canvas per day. Don't hurry and don't use a ruler.

PROJECTS FOR LONG-TERM ENDEAVORS

1. Make wooden frames 85 x 145 x 2 cm (6 of them) and nail masonite or plywood to them and then paint them white.

2. Hang them on the wall in two rows with an interval between the vertical rows of 13 cm, between the horizontal rows of 15 cm.

3. Make the drawings on them in accordance with the instructions in the projects described.