Philip on wed 11 apr 01
Dear All,
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Well...some ruminations...of things with me, and not meant as to =
'defineing' the 'subject'...but shareing of thoughts 'about' the =
subject...or how I live with it...in a way...
=20
I'd say we 'live', or some of us do, in what is very much an =
'Artificial' world...'in' and with surroundings, and elements of our =
surroundings, which have been 'made' by people.
The influences which these things have, or may be imagined TO have upon =
us...may relate to the quality of attention we give to them...
And the influence wrought of our relationships with these =
things...determines - aside from an 'abstract' consideration - the =
attribution to something, as being "Good Form".
Or that a recognition Of ' Form' , and the assessments of it, must =
proceed in some defference to our relations with the 'thing' in =
question...the qualities of that relationship, will assess the qualities =
of a 'Form'.
If I 'think' of this at all, I think of things 'Being" rather than =
'Having' form...or such as 'Good Form'.
As a 'verb' rather than as a 'noun'...that the ' Form' itself, is a =
'verb'...
In 'our relationships' with these these things, are the contexts in =
which qualities of Form are recognitively attributed.
In or among this, is possibly the appreciation that 'Form' IS all =
around us: The things we use...our Houses, Automobiles, Clothing and =
Housewares...the Cities, Towns, Neighbourhoods...all the things we own, =
use, interact with...and, as well, our, and eachother's, Corporeal =
'Selves'...
I find endless 'Good-Form' amid the structures wrought or expressed by =
Nature - so to speak - or 'wrought' by those discrete agencies and =
co-operations whose evidence we denote AS 'Nature'.
Or whose 'evidence' is expressed or ennunciated, without 'artificial' =
constraining vexations.
Artificial constriants, may in themselves be a very 'peramiter' in =
which something may attain a 'Good Form'...as it may be...But also, as: =
a Creature in a 'Zoo' may not be so free of 'Artificial' constraints, as =
would be their wild counterparts...or as: those 'domesticated Primates' =
whose attention has long attended the 'making-of-things'...includeing, =
the making of such 'Artificial Constraints' as may vex their otherwise =
creative and respectful pursuits...as well, as to define them.
The complex arrangement of a 'Fire Horse', or a 'Horse-at-the-Plow', MAY =
have been 'Good Form' in certain ways...in certain occasions...a 'Horse' =
in a 'Zoo'...never, or very improbably...or not for long.
The Artificial 'constraints' implicit in Architecture ARE the peramiters =
in which 'Good Forms' may be deferentially achieved.
A 'Horse' may be said to 'be' a 'Good Form' for a prairie dwelling =
Ungulate which subsists on silicaceous vegetative 'expressions' or =
what...who had wanted to be Taller...Larger...Heavier than it had once =
been...and to be FLEET of 'hoove'...and sensitive to Sounds...things in =
the 'Winds' and...a 'social' Creature amenable to co-operative =
endevours.
A 'Nautilus..., or the 'Shell' of one...a 'Good Form' to 'be', for =
someone in Creaturedom (related I am told, to the Octopus?) who wishes =
to dwell in an enlarging and rigid 'Home', which it may 'make', excrete, =
or express as some solidifying Calcium Carbonate or other...and to do =
so, in a splendid spiral progression...
A 'Pigeon'...a Good Form...to 'be', for a descendant of the =
'Tyrannosaurus-Rex' (more-or-less) who aspired to more demure, and =
'lighter' pass-times...and traded somewhat dexterous 'hands', fingers =
and Teeth...for lightness, 'beak', arm/wrist/wing...'Feathers (which in =
their own right, have, are, 'Good Form')...and Aerial 'Flight'...
The "Egg" as an accomplishment of 'Birds' (or of their progenitors...): =
I think this is insurpassably elegant, practical, beautiful...and =
absolutely, in many ways, ontologically "Good Form"...(it humbles me, =
that we must suffice with our clumsy 'system', which at it's best, is a =
far cry from an Egg's 'economy' , ease...and politeness...to all =
concerned.)
An 'Oak Tree' , as it may be...And as 'Acorn'...for the celebration of =
It's intentions, in those environments where it may express it's =
aspirations...being 'Good Form'.
I find 'Good-Form' as well, in artifacts of Human endeavors with rather =
less frequency, though I DO find them, and maybe more than maybe, find =
quite a few OF them.
I had never really used the 'term' "Good Form"...(except to denote =
'Social' attributes at times...) but will, for haveing been thinking on =
this, oweing to the dialogues...do so some little bit...it IS =
interesting...
I may say or think that a 'Form' is 'Good' with respect to it having met =
some INTENTIONS of it's Author, as I construe them to be. Deffential to =
respecting the 'use', result, or function, as it may be...or of what I =
take as 'given'...as especially if I understand or admire the =
intentions, and the success with which the 'Form' may realize them...but =
this may not be the same as 'Good Form'.
I think of 'Shape'...differently than 'Form'...as a connotation =
maybe...'Form' suggests completeness to me...'Good Form' as a 'Good' =
Complete-ness...'Shape' alludes to 'form' only as an abstraction...if at =
all...'Shape' as a kind of 'cross-section' of (dimensions of) 'Form'.
That I also might find much TO suppose as 'Bad Form', I take to be =
oweing to how it is that People suffer from some confusions, which deny =
them the guidance of those internal influences, which seem abundant in =
Nature, where (or with which?) they may express easily and with =
innocence, the qualities we - I - (would) denote as 'Good-Form'...
I do not know anything about the 'Golden Mean', and can only imagine, it =
represents a formalized memorandum, or some formulae, of observing some =
things that were thought agreeable?..I looked into it once, and decided =
I would just as soon not get it confused with the things that 'did' this =
from the inside...as it were...so I left it be...
I will look into it again...
How would it describe a Bird?
An Acorn?
A 'Scallop Shell'?
A 'Preying Mantis'? (Or is it 'praying'?)
I will see...
Something being 'Good Form' , to me, is related in practice, to my =
understandings of ( or with, or to...) what it 'does'...and this may be =
'in' my appreciation of it's (construed or implicit) =
INTENT...'function'...purpose...and the elegance, economy or 'method' in =
it's attaining it....and 'what-it-does', is more than merely 'exist' =
without defference to sentience or sense...indifferent to Life.
The 'it'...
A pleasing Shape, or interplay of shapes, may not be at all the 'same' =
as Good Form...even if compelling, curious, or allusive to whatever =
'interests'...
Lincoln Beachey's "Baby Grand" or "Little-Looper" were 'Good Form' to =
me...a 'Twin Beech', 'Dee-Cee' Two', and 'Three', The Loockheed Electra' =
, many of the "Super Marines" and 'Ultra Marines' which led to the =
British 'Spit-Fire'...Most 'Howards'...and many more..."Good Form"...the =
'Spad"...on and on...Yes...' very'...
A '747'...never.
Ships often WERE or 'had' Good Form...Sailing Ships...and the Cunnard =
and White Star Liners up through the twenties...
Nothing now in this regard...the 'Queen Elizabeth III or whatever it is =
called...is merely hideous...'it functions' even as some catastrophic =
birth anomaly may sometimes 'live'...that is all.
The 'Hindenberg'...the Graff-Zeppelins...the 'Denver Zypher'...the =
'streamliner' Locomotives...the last of the 'Steam' Behemouths...
Many...most...American, and some foreign Motorcycles, of the teens, =
through the 'fourties...
Hence, I cannot think of 'Good Form' to have much application in the =
contemplation of the 'purely'(?) 'Decorative' Arts, even though one may =
find experiences to Spiritually uplift, effect or engage one...to =
me...these have to do with 'Shapes'...or allusion to 'Form', more than =
'Form' itself...
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'Form' to me, has to 'do' with a pragmatic, and with the qualities in =
which the pragmatic is addressed or realized...one's relation TO the =
'how' the pragmatic, being realized, is interacted with...related =
with...how one identifies to and with it...'what-it-does'...in several =
dimensions.
Allusions to, or of, an 'Ideal', as may be indicated in the 'Arts' in =
some ways...are not pragmatic...they are Spiritual, emotional, imaginal, =
or mental...and do not take up 'space' in the Temporal Activities and =
tasks of Beings...in the same way.
'Form' to me is 'Formalization'...in three dimensions, of something that =
is dynamic in it's potential of use...and if 'Good Form', it is earnest.
Or, 'Form' as 'lay-out'...I have seen many Title Pages of (old) =
Books...which I would recognize as 'Good Form'...(is this a =
contradiction?!) their balance, the motion in which the eye is 'led', =
and the rhythm, pauses, cadence and sweeps OF that motion...just a sheet =
of paper...a medium for the conveyance of symbolically coded 'shapes', =
acquire, in their way, to me, a 'Form'...and sometimes, a very 'Good' =
one at that.
'Books' themselves as well...or 'some' of them...
I do not think of 'Paintings' in this way...or of 'Sculpture', not as =
'Form'...but rather as 'Shape'...allusion...evocation of form.
'Form' may be abstract, as say the contemplation of a fragment...which =
mysteriously, is 'enough' AS an aesthetic 'Form'...though it may not be =
as a 'Good' Form...even if splendid, or compelling.
Good Form denotes wholeness to me...completeness...and earnest. As the =
'Venus de Milo' (sp?) is said to manage...AS a 'form'...but not as a =
'Good Form', in this sense...it is an allusion to something which IS =
'Good Form'...ie a 'Woman'...which, as we may know, may be quite =
engageing even AS an 'abstraction'...so admired and enjoyed are they =
when 'Complete'...allusions alone may be compelling.
As I look around sitting here...
A little Ink Well...purportedly which had been 'through' the Civil =
War...tan/brown shades... like 280 grit garnet paper... =
Stoneware...tiny...'formal'...a cork with a small brass ring...I look at =
it just this second...it IS 'Good Form'...it 'does' everything =
perfectly...unassumingly...it is 'complete'...an 'idealization' =
realized...it is itself.
So too...a, or the 'Steel Point Pen'...gone from desks, Offices, Post =
Office, and Bank counters and Schools...but it 'was'...IS...'Good =
Form'...if nearly abstract...or 'too'...for 'this'...but with =
it...people understood TO 'write'...which was a condition and =
inter-relation OF that 'Form'...of the pragmatic of it...a ball point =
has no such 'condition'...it merely has 'form'...existence...a banal, =
indifferent...'cursory'? function...a detriment TO language, and to =
writeing...an aneasthesia, and one among many.
Many 19th. Century Woodworking 'Hand-Tools' have, are 'Good Form'...they =
respect the function intended, the 'Materials' used to make it, and the =
assumed or anticipated sensibilities of an intelligent operative.
Their successors, made since the nineteen twenties and thirties, have =
tended to do neither, or to 'do' rather less, of either.
The 'Colt' Mdls. l900('sight-safety'-excepted), l902 'Sporting', and =
l903 'pocket' .38 Auto-Colts, were unsurpassed for simplicity, elegance, =
function, and for their respect for the prospective operative.
(Was 130 grn. Copper Jacket and 1200 foot-per-second...'Rimless - =
Smokeless'...but then, early on, settled at 1050 ft per sec.)
I would say they have, ARE, in every way... Good Form...
I know of few 'Auto-Loaders' since, which are as close to the idea, and =
the Ideal, save for the Mdl. of l911 .45 Auto-Colt.(But not the =
l911A1...and nothing 'since'.)
There is only 'less' after that...in 'U.S. Arms'...as diminishingly OF, =
or from... 'Good-Form'.
There is merely 'form'...function...existence...anaesthetic cynicisms in =
the guise of 'practicality'...sops...condescension...appeasement.
.The 'Remmington-Lee' detachable Box magazine 'fed' Rifle, in '.42 =
Spanish', '.43 Egyptian' and '.45-70 Gov't'...of the 1880s...the 30-40 =
Crag...MANY of the late 18th Cent 'Squirrel-Rifles'...of the Eastern =
U.S...MANY up through...the latter 19th. Cent...Some early 20th. =
Cent...then...
The 'Waterman's...Parkers...Conklins...and some others, of =
'Fountain-Pens'...eye-drop filled, or 'self-fillers'...from the 1890's =
through the early 'teens...were to me, unsurpassed of Good Form.
Does anyone know what these 'looked like'? "Perfect"!
"Universal" (Landers Frary and Clark, New Britain, Connecticut) 'Coffee =
Percolators' (as especially the Range-Top 'Coffee-Pots') of the l900s =
and teens...unsurpassed...of 'being'...Good Form...'Grind Coffee Medium =
Fine' it says...on the Basket...
The general run of (some 'mid-sized', and many Large) American =
Automobiles of, approx l928 through 1934, were, unsurpassedly...Good =
Form...The 'Vee-Sixteen Cadillac, and 'Marmon' of l932 and =
'33...unsurpassable...l934 'Dodge' Business Coupe...1932/'33 =
Lincolns...The '32 Ford Roadster...many...'33 Buicks...32 Nash =
big-series...and their 'twin Ignition Big-Eight' of l934...the '33 Reo =
Royallle...
On and on...SO MANY!!!
Men's 20 eyelet, 'Cap Toe' Shoes...
Most Pocket Watches...as especially from 1830s...through early =
1900s...and many early 'Wrist Watches' of the teens, twenties...
On and on...
These things had Importance to People...and the Importance they had was =
not obscure or narrow.
The function, and appearance were not ambiguous, elusive, or difficult =
to understand.
The respect implicit IN these (and many other) 'Artifacts', was a =
dimension of the relation People had to themself, the 'task', the =
respect for the 'task', and FOR formalizations OF the ( pragmatic, and =
the conceptual and ideological, appreciation of the) task, and to =
'eachother'...to 'living' one might say...as ones 'living' IS mediated =
by these things...
Self Respect, recommends 'Good Form'...and seeks it.
How this all relate to what, in our vernacular, we are disposed to call =
'Art', or 'Fine Art'...I am not fit to say.
Only as it 'please', and that the whom it please, know to some order of =
intelligence or 'purpose', what the thing is 'about'.
It must suffer to 'be'...something of a relative, and conditional =
'term': "Good Form"...?
Yes?
Like that.
And 'like that' as well, in thousands of common, obscure or esoteric =
Artifacts...(or the where-with-all to construe them)...whenever =
made...or wherever made...or by whomever made...for tens of thousands of =
years...The 'Folsom-Points'...on and on...
Peculiar TO the thing in question...is our relation to it...peculiar to =
that, is our relations to ourselves...in appreciation OF the intent, and =
the 'what' we construe it to 'do'.
My thoughts, a mite rambley...
Thank you for the indulgence!
Phil
las vegas
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