Notes from *The Aztec Empire* Show
10/22/04
Guggenheim Museum- E. 89th & 5th Avenue
Half price- $9 Friday after 6pm
THE SOLOMON R. GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM EXAMINES THE ART AND
LIFE OF THE AZTECS
Friday, October 15, 2004–Sunday, February 13, 2005
*
Since the truly fictive is only a relatively small part of fiction,
the "fiction" of fiction is itself a fiction.
*
The sequence of societal developmental phases.
*
A sculpture with layers of faces, one opening
out on the other by means of small doors,
like Chinese boxes.
*
The Aztec warrior is in the
shape of a bird, a armored angel.
*
Faces that are looking out at a world
invisible to ordinary consciousness,
available only to shamanic consciousness.
*
The "compelling" aspect of cruelty and
authoritarianism. Authoritarian domination.
A single word: power.
*
The sun is the origin of all that
is compelling. Energy- the
relationship between energy
and power.
*
Relief one
The 5 ages
1400-1521
*
Life-Death Figure
ca 1400-1520
Brooklyn Museum
*
Quetzacoatl
1500
Serpent with exposed
menacing teeth
chin sitting low to
the ground- overgrown
with vines-
Looking down into
another dimension
with insect/incisor teeth
over his teeth (fierce)
*
Passionate submission
to a greater power-
Bush's critics like
Pat Robertson-
who won't be robbed
of *their* private acess
to God- the ancient battle
for exclusive entitlement-
to God -access
*
Evil monsters play
a significant role in the
process of introducing brutality.
*
Dragons- and dominating'
cruelty- (Aztec aspect)
*
The horror of the open-mouthed
being- The "scream"
*
(Incredible sculptures)
The faces of dogs, rabbits, toads
looking out there at the "other"
dimension- locusts, grasshoppers,
fleas, also looking at the
same dimension.
*
The Aztecs- two classes- with wealth
-which must be exhibited- and
with no wealth permitted- the second includes
tradespeople and workers-
the far right dream?
The ultimate dream of all
addicts of power-
yourself and your slave/worshippers
*
the wind-god
Ehecatl
1300
1500
Bearer with Mask {click here}
The origin of the Greek wind-god AILOS
on Tinos, Greece-windy Tinos, where
we escaped the scorching heat one summer
only to listen to the window-shutters
of our hotel room bang
throughout the night- finally I had to tie
them back with boating-twine purchased
at a local store
*
Anthropomorphic mask
1325-1481
*
The cutting edge of narrative often turns
to blood- and is fascinated by monsters.
notebook: 6/14/87
published in *The Boundary of Blur*
*
The Aztec Empire-
press release- with photo {click here}
New York mag- metro.com review- with photo of Mictlantecuhtli {click here}
Keith Haring
New Wave Aztec-Sackler Center Oct 22 '04-Feb 6 '05 {click here}
**************
Robert Smithson's art was very influenced
by his interest in Mayan and Aztec imagery.
Check out his many fascinating writings on
his visits to Mexico-
in particular his *Mirror Displacement* piece in
his collected essays:
Robert Smithson {click here}
Yucatan Mirror Displacements {click here}
Smithson's films are also available to download and view on this excellent site!
**************
Jerome Rothenberg's translations
of Aztec poetry, originally published in
*Technicians of the Sacred*
"in the bark
tree of old age
stone patterns: starting
from the roots they
reach the highest leaves"
now on Ubu Web {click here}
**************
Mixtec Death God {click here}
*************
Frida Kahlo's Aztec influences-
also, a good essay on Aztec history on this site, especially in terms of gender imagery {click here}
*************
Further afield:
2004 Crop Circles
and Aztec imagery:
Crop Circles {click here}
