Artistic Statement
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Tom Block
Artistic Statement
I create works that I call “absurdist-philosophical,” utilizing heavy doses of humor to deal with the basic question of life: who are we and why are we here? I strip away the patina of tradition, history and generally accepted narratives (religious, political, nationalistic etc.) to approach these questions from a mystical point of view. If we remove all “objective” and traditional manners of viewing life, what are we left with? The play I am applying with — Comic Book — is one example of what I think remains!
I use a variety of media (my own paintings, video and writing often coupled with dance, performance art, poetry and live music) to create work which seeps past the mind and enters the viscera. As the Sufis note, words spoken from the mouth never get past the ears, while words spoken from the heart, enter the heart. While my works are rife with human and absurdity, these are methods I use to bypass the normative consciousness on the way to the subconscious and emotions of the audience. These are not cheap devices meant to distract or simply entertain!
The beauty of theatre is manifold. Especially with works as strange, deep and multi-media as my own, the collaboration of actors and a sensitive director is paramount as I build the script. In works such as this, I can get lost in my head and own reference points. The initial read-throughs and conversations allow me to better see the script from the outside — and where the humor and philosophy are successful, and where less-so.
Of course, the purpose of theatre is to be seen, and when my work heads to production, physical movement (perhaps even approaching the Pink Panther, Charley Chaplin or even the Three Stooges) mix with and leaven the ideas. Here, the actors and director are paramount. Add elements such as the strange set design, the video projections and ideas such as a stage which cannot be left by the actors (held there in reference to Sartre’s “No Exit”) and the need for subtle yet deeply involved collaborators becomes necessary to bring the piece successfully to fruition.
I use a variety of media (my own paintings, video and writing often coupled with dance, performance art, poetry and live music) to create work which seeps past the mind and enters the viscera. As the Sufis note, words spoken from the mouth never get past the ears, while words spoken from the heart, enter the heart. While my works are rife with human and absurdity, these are methods I use to bypass the normative consciousness on the way to the subconscious and emotions of the audience. These are not cheap devices meant to distract or simply entertain!
The beauty of theatre is manifold. Especially with works as strange, deep and multi-media as my own, the collaboration of actors and a sensitive director is paramount as I build the script. In works such as this, I can get lost in my head and own reference points. The initial read-throughs and conversations allow me to better see the script from the outside — and where the humor and philosophy are successful, and where less-so.
Of course, the purpose of theatre is to be seen, and when my work heads to production, physical movement (perhaps even approaching the Pink Panther, Charley Chaplin or even the Three Stooges) mix with and leaven the ideas. Here, the actors and director are paramount. Add elements such as the strange set design, the video projections and ideas such as a stage which cannot be left by the actors (held there in reference to Sartre’s “No Exit”) and the need for subtle yet deeply involved collaborators becomes necessary to bring the piece successfully to fruition.