week11. distant star –
Robert Bolaño’s Distant Star was a refreshing book to read. Especially after quite a few heavy and complex books. Not to say that Distant Star is not complex, but it felt lighter in comparison to the books we’ve read recently. It was nice to be involved in a (more) linear story arc. The ‘detective mystery’ type of genre or story also allowed me to be more invested and clue into things that were (or weren’t) happening. Overall, it was an entertaining, thought-provoking, and short read.
I think Carl Wieder was an extremely intriguing character. At first I didn’t know if he was supposed to be the protagonist or antagonist, hero or villain, or simply a character to witness. I think Bolaño brings up a lot of interesting and conflicting tensions of art… how far is too far? Can art draw (ethical) boundaries? Should art draw (ethical) boundaries?
From what little I know and the few times I’ve been involved or studied the art scene, these are questions that are constantly asked and even challenged. A lot of performance art – and its conception – is entangled in questions of boundaries. Some might even say that performance art itself is a challenge of status quo – it’s purpose to interrupt the unconscious flow of daily routine; to shock, to interfere, provoke, or even disturb. I think Carl Wieder does all this in spades.
His performances constantly push the envelope of what is considered okay and not okay. I also think that his demeanor – cold, emotionless, distant – is an integral part of his performance. His nonchalant-ness towards his own art, poetry, and performance forces others around him to make up the emotion(less) gap; it pushes others to face the emotional consequences that he himself began to disturb. In a way, I saw Carl Weider as an artist whose existence is simply a part of the process.
Another thing that I found intriguing was the fact that the whole story began with poetry, or rather, two group poetry workshops. Poetry, in the past, has been very influential in subverting and twisting syntax and semantics. I believe that poetry’s true power – especially in regards to its presence in a politically unstable state – is it’s innate ability to play with words. In many ways, things like government documents and official reports also play with words, syntax, and semantics, but underneath the backdrop of a systematic and institutional setting. The way that bureaucracy can find loopholes and undermine meaning could possibly be considered a form of poetry – albeit, one that is boring and absolutely sucks. In this way, I think it was crucial for the story to begin with poetry, and for the prophecy of Carl Weider’s revolutionary way in poetry to set the story.
My question is: do you believe that Carl Weider is an artist? Do you think he provoked real change? Or, did he simply disturb other people in the name of art?
3 replies on “week11. distant star”
What have I done, if a book about mass murder and dictatorship comes to seem refreshingly “light” reading?! 😉
Meanwhile, I like your idea that poetry is distinguished for “its innate ability to play with words.” (Not least because you help remind us of the course theme!) But is Wieder playing? (If not, then is what he writes in the sky still poetry?)
I think that Wieder is an artist. I think his art is wrong and disturbing but it is art. I do not think he provoked real change or that he really intended to apart from perhaps very early on in right after the coup. Wieder seems to enjoy playing with people and with art. His love of destruction was what informed the combination.
I love that you brought up the two separate workshops again becasue it just occurred to me that perhaps they function as a symbol for the dichotomy created by art and poetry critics: whether it can (or should) be allowed to be barbaric or not. Although Stein resists against the barbaric regime he engages in violence in his pursuit. Soto takes a starkly different route, not engaging in any violence but still ends up dying violently. Perhaps both forms of art are inevitably doomed and have no effect on politics and actions in the world.
Hey Jasmine! Thanks for your blog post 🙂 I especially appreciate your point on poetry as “subverting and twisting syntax and semantics”—I also thought it was a smart place to begin the novel. In response to your question, I believe what Carl Wieder drew in the sky was art (but is it his art or was it plagiarised from one of his victims?), but I don’t consider his awful photography exhibition art. Killing people, arranging their bodies, and taking their picture is not art. It’s for sure…something, just not art.