The main character in Van Buskirk's newest post-conceptual graphic novel is a body part; a human hand. The alphabet is communicated from a mysterious person, but particular mistakes are repeated all through the story, again and again in the same frequency and pattern.Todd Van Buskirk's journey into conceptual art began with reading comics as a kid. A keen memory from Todd Van Buskirk's childhood is that of being intrigued by a Garfield comic strip, by Jim Davis. On this strip, 2 or 3 panels were repeated-the same drawing-over and over. The next time Van Buskirk noticed this effect was in Frank Miller's work for Marvel Comics and in Miller's graphic novel, "Ronin." A couple years later, while working at the Rochester Public Library, Van Buskirk accidently came across David Lynch's "The Angriest Dog in the World." This strip uses the same drawing in each panel, the difference being the drawing in the final panel and the changing dialogue. As Van Buskirk expanded his knowledge of art history over a period of twenty years, including a Bachelor's in animation graphics, he relished the element of repetition within abstract expressionism, color field painting, pop art and minimalism to name a few. The element of repetition was the one element of art he was most interested in. With the start of his first graphic novel, "There is a comic panel on p.90," Van Buskirk started exploring minimalism with repetition in what he calls his "color-field" books. His novels, "Rochelle's name is seen on p.120," and "A world where the sun is locked in an eternal sunset" are other examples of this type of book. This graphic novel title continues in this tradition.
Todd Van Buskirk imagines a novel where the letter "T" interrupts every single word.The expression is actually "down to a tee" or, more commonly simply "to a tee". Either "tee" or "T" will do, but in any case the reference is to the LETTER of the alphabet.This is clear when you discover the origin of the expression. It's actually a shortened form of "to a tittle", an expression in use in English by the early 17th century, with the meaning "to the smallest detail." (the variation appears by the late 17th century)The word "tittle" comes from the Latin word for a diacritical mark (and is related to the word "title"). But the key to the meaning of all these expressions was John Wycliffe 14th century English translation of the Latin Bible. In Matthew 5:18, where the Latin has the word "apex" (the original word in the Greek literally means "horn"). Wycliffe chose the word "tittle", thus referring to a tiny pen mark that distinguished a letter.It was a good choice. In this verse Jesus refers to very small marks on the top of certain Hebrew letters that distinguished them from very similar Hebrew letters, rather like the small stroke that distinguishes our capital Q from a capital O or G from C. (Some modern translations use expressions like "least stroke of a pen" to convey the idea.)Note that "tittle" in this verse is is the second member of a pair, the now familiar "jot and tittle". The term "jot" renders Greek "iota" -- the name of the small Greek letter "i", though Jesus probably was speaking of the tiny equivalent HEBREW letter "yod". "Jot" and "tittle" continued to be used in later the 16th century English Bible translations (beginning William Tyndale in the 1520s). Many still know these terms from the King James (1611) translation -- "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."So, based on this Biblical "tittle" to refer to tiny details people began to use the expression "to a tittle" --and other later variations of it-- to refer to something done very precisely (that is 'to the smallest detail').
Todd Van Buskirk's journey into conceptual art began with reading comics as a kid.A keen memory from Todd Van Buskirk's childhood is that of being intrigued by a Garfield comic strip, by Jim Davis. On this strip, 2 or 3 panels were repeated-the same drawing-over and over. The next time Van Buskirk noticed this effect was in Frank Miller's work for Marvel Comics and in Miller's graphic novel, "Ronin." A couple years later, while working at the Rochester Public Library, Van Buskirk accidently came across David Lynch's "The Angriest Dog in the World." This strip uses the same drawing in each panel, the difference being the drawing in the final panel and the changing dialogue.As Van Buskirk expanded his knowledge of art history over a period of twenty years, including a Bachelor's in animation graphics, he relished the element of repetition within abstract expressionism, color field painting, pop art and minimalism to name a few. The element of repetition was the one element of art he was most interested in.With the start of his first graphic novel, "There is a comic panel on p.90," Van Buskirk started exploring minimalism with repetition in what he calls his "color-field" books. His novels, "Rochelle's name is seen on p.120," and "A world where the sun is locked in an eternal sunset" are other examples of this type of book. This graphic novel title continues in this tradition.
In his newest novel, appropriation novelist Todd Van Buskirk appropriates two different artist interviews from American Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.The following describes the two artists featured in the novel.Walkowitz, Abraham, b.1880 d.1965Painter, Printmaker, EtcherN.Y.An interview of Abraham Walkowitz conducted by Abram Lerner and Mary Bartlett Cowdrey for the Archives of American Art.Walkowitz discusses his childhood and schooling; travelling abroad; influence of Claude Monet exhibit; his book, Artists of Walkowitz: 100 Portraits; Paul Cezanne's death; meeting artists in Europe; his 1908 exhibition of modern art at the Julius Haas Gallery, New York; getting Max Weber a show at the Haas Gallery; Steiglitz and his 291 Gallery; the Armory Show, especially the roles of Arthur B. Davies, Walt Kuhn, and Walter Pach; reactions to Nude Descending a Staircase; the Society of Independent Artists; thoughts on criticism of his work; his relationship with the critic Peyton Boswell; the importance in his work of dancer Isadora Duncan; opinions on American art, modern art, art schools, students and patrons; good art versus bad art; and the role of critics. Among others he recalls are Lizzie Bliss, William Merritt Chase, Kenyon Cox, The Eight, Jacob Epstein, Childe Hassam, and Georgia O'Keeffe. And...Washington, James W. (James Winston), b. 1909 d. 2000 Painter, SculptorSeattle, Wash.An interview of James W. Washington (1911-2000) conducted 1987 June 29, by Paul Karlstrom, for the Archives of American Art.Washington discusses his early life in the South; effects of discrimination and the formation of a world view; art as the embodiment of spiritual truth; concept of the Absolute in art; role of the imagination; discovering form in material as basis of sculpture; training and contacts in Seattle; Mark Tobey and Morris Graves; role of Mexico in his shift to sculpture; and philosophy and its realization in sculpture.
Todd Van Buskirk's journey into conceptual art began with reading comics as a kid.A keen memory from Todd Van Buskirk's childhood is that of being intrigued by a Garfield comic strip, by Jim Davis. On this strip, 2 or 3 panels were repeated-the same drawing-over and over. The next time Van Buskirk noticed this effect was in Frank Miller's work for Marvel Comics and in Miller's graphic novel, "Ronin." A couple years later, while working at the Rochester Public Library, Van Buskirk accidently came across David Lynch's "The Angriest Dog in the World." This strip uses the same drawing in each panel, the difference being the drawing in the final panel and the changing dialogue. As Van Buskirk expanded his knowledge of art history over a period of twenty years, including a Bachelor's in animation graphics, he relished the element of repetition within abstract expressionism, color field painting, pop art and minimalism to name a few. The element of repetition was the one element of art he was most interested in.With the start of his first graphic novel, "There is a comic panel on p.90," Van Buskirk started exploring minimalism with repetition in what he calls his "color-field" books. His novels, "Rochelle's name is seen on p.120," and "A world where the sun is locked in an eternal sunset" are other examples of this type of book. This graphic novel title continues in this tradition. This graphic novel is a companion book with Van Buskirk's "Leo's Dead" graphic novel. In "Leo's Dead" it was the image of Leo dead that never changed. In "Housewife" it is the dialogue that never changes.
There is a man who has died. His name is Leo. This is all we know for the moment.Todd Van Buskirk's journey into conceptual art began with reading comics as a kid.A keen memory from Todd Van Buskirk's childhood is that of being intrigued by a Garfield comic strip, by Jim Davis. On this strip, 2 or 3 panels were repeated-the same drawing-over and over. The next time Van Buskirk noticed this effect was in Frank Miller's work for Marvel Comics and in Miller's graphic novel, "Ronin." A couple years later, while working at the Rochester Public Library, Van Buskirk accidently came across David Lynch's "The Angriest Dog in the World." This strip uses the same drawing in each panel, the difference being the drawing in the final panel and the changing dialogue. As Van Buskirk expanded his knowledge of art history over a period of twenty years, including a Bachelor's in animation graphics, he noticed and relished the element of repetition in other media; certain abstract expressionism, color field painting, pop art and minimalism to name a few. The element of repetition was the one element of art he was most interested in.In his third graphic novel Van Buskirk continues to be interested in repetition, a process also explored in many of his prose novels, such as "A world where the sun is eternally locked in an eternal sunset" and his first two graphic novels. Van Buskirk calls this type of literature his "color field" writing. Van Buskirk attempts the same with the comic book, such as the sequenced comic book offered here for your consideration. Van Buskirk set up a few limitations before he started on the graphic novel:1.No original art allowed. In place of original art, find a clip-art drawing.2.Only one image is allowed in the whole graphic novel.3.Space (negative and positive) is an element that can be changed or modified.4.The panel itself can be modified, either through different placement of each panel, or the ability to modify the panel itself.5.Only four page designs are allowed. This means there will be numerous repetitions of each page in order to have enough pages for a complete graphic novel. 6.The title is the only text that is allowed to hint at a textual narrative.
This novel was wholly created by the use of the "LJ Markov Text Generator." This online text generator uses random RSS feeds from "Live Journal," and cuts the text according to a Markov Chain formula. It took author Todd Van Buskirk minutes to create an epic tale of a woman soldier serving aboard a new spaceship docked at a space station (named in honor of Pearl Harbor) orbiting the earth. The soldier volunteers to experience the psychological effect of a new drill, called "Zebra Drill" in order to qualify for the Neptune Mission in deep outer space. The after effects of the drill in her head threaten to dissolve every last neuron in her brain.
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