'What's Necessary' by VANDA_project

Published by VANDA_project 2013 London

International ÂŠ remains with individual artists and writers. All rights reserved collective ÂŠ VANDA_project/ABSC_ND 2013 No reproduction in part or whole without prior permission from the publisher. vandaproject@yahoo.com Editor Victoria Coster Design/Layout Victoria Coster Cover Words Row Walker Theme Jose Lourenco www.vandaproject.com

ABSC_ND

An independent publishing platform dedicated to the diverse practices of artists, writers and multi- disciplinarians ... All pushing the boundaries of theme.

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‘WHAT’S NECESSARY’ When speaking with potential contributors and being asked what the next theme was, I was greeted with a quizzical 'What!' ... yep you heard it right 'What's Necessary' ... 'but what do you mean 'What's Necessary' came the response. It's a question that Portuguese artist Jose Lourenco has been asking himself in relation to his practice, a question that arose long before we were talking about his three dimensional portrait 'Woman in the Room' ... you can find her here http://issuu.com/ absc_nd/docs/opposition_1_2_3_4.

He wondered how others would interpret his inquiry, what was really necessary to another, without explaining what it meant personally and not necessarily contributing to his own theme but letting it lose to see what would happen, if anything at all. Gradually something did happen and the question didn't seem so abstract once applied to individual process and practice, there’s nothing mystical about it, simply applying another’s quandary to ones own exploration. For me it was a question that lead to more questioning, the endless piece of string that could potentially lead to endless philosophical debate, never concluding in anything and almost as bad as asking ‘where’s the beginning’. A question so easily applied to a myriad of concepts that the danger was over thinking and possibly drowning in self nihilism, for if or when we apply ‘What’s Necessary’ to condition, culture, society, environment, and dare I say religious or spiritual practice, we’re confronted with an all consuming beast that given the opportunity would swallow us whole, spit us out, all the while laughing at our ignorance for thinking that we really do believe we have the answers and that by dreamily masquerading in the carnival we actually think we know ‘What’s Necessary’. A huge thank you to all who embraced the theme and made it possible.

Victoria Coster

CONTRIBUTORS

Row Walker Sasha Alexander Tracey Duncan Richardson Andy Gashe Neil Burgess Philip Weiner Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ria Green Mr Moon Victoria Coster Anonymous

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‘What’s Necessary’

“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art” Andy Warhol

www.vandaproject.com

Row Walker Self-Directing Essence

e're born, we eat, we shit, we play, we learn, we work, we reproduce, we die, then the cycle repeats. Ignorance of life's purpose prevails through the conviction of the illusion. The wall of matter blinds countless eyes, containing the minds of the gullible, easily fooling the lesser experienced players. Apathy restrains righteous actions for the betterment of mankind enforced by the "You only live once" belief system, captured by the shadow self, conditioned by the shadow society to pay attention only to self interest. Identities owned, flesh vehicles draped with expensive fabrics, hoarded possessions extending the emptiness, camouflaging the abyss within. Canvases painted skin deep with art and ancient symbols barely understood, following trends of fashion portraying an image to be cool, hip and with the times.

To appear to have knowledge and understanding when little is present if any at all. Qualities of character are worn like a suit to impress chosen victims who are easily fooled without depth perception. Herds of humans congregate in the same location, with the same thoughts, spoon fed by their captors through the same invisible bars. Misplaced trust in authority is the cause of all social ills, removing personal responsibility from the equation of life and sacrificing one's self direction leaving no choice but to stand in line and follow the blind, give up your eyes so others can see for you. "You have too much time on your hands, you think too much" give us your time so we can spend it for you, give us your mind so we can think for you, give us your life so we can live it for you. Too many ex-vertebrates control the destiny of the evolving man and women, hindering the children of the future, blinding their sight, clipping their wings, bending their minds to meet unnatural principles of conformity until they break under stress, creating psychological disease. A gift to pass on, to damage the next generation, squeezed under the thumb of oppression, repeat the mantra "this is normal".

Take back your eyes and gaze far into the distance, step out of line and walk away from the factory of woes, grow your wings and fly to the stars where you belong, scream and shout until the sleep walkers awake from their hypnotic trance and stumble upon their ignorance and foolishness. Take back your minds, think, learn, grow and never make a decision based upon ignorance and the forceful intimidation of an authority figure. Take back your time and spend it on worthwhile experiences, priceless moments that no amount of promissory notes can purchase or refund. Raise your children to be free, intuitive, intelligent, compassionate and understanding so that their very presence will make the world a better place. Take back your responsibility and question every mindless and heartless act committed in your name, use reason and logic to dissect the truth from the greatest sum of information you can call upon, question everything.

Do not give unearned trust or respect to any authorities who have not gained it through persistent and unwavering demonstration through consecutive actions. Believe no string of words without the correlation of provable facts, to be experienced objectively or subjectively regardless of the importance of the person who speaks them. Be aware of everything at all times, be concerned with all decisions being made on your behalf and never turn a blind eye to injustice wherever it may be. That is What's Necessary if we are to live in a free and open society. Wake up from the dream and question your reality, there is much more to life than you are lead to believe. So disobey your leader, become responsible for your own direction.

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Sasha Alexander de wallen

Amsterdams Red Light District (de Wallen) is a very mysterious place, most of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;working girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; come here from Eastern Europe in search of a better life but find themselves working in the sex industry. The idea of this project is a primary research into the sex industry and to find out what it is like to be a working girl and to ask is it really necessary to do this job?

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Sasha Alexander_de wallen

It was October when the project began, the mood is dark and wet this time of the year, however the streets are full of people, mostly men, wandering the district throughout day and night. No matter where from, always drawn to the guilty pleasures of de Wallen.

“K” working girl She opened the door to introduce her life to Sasha Alexander, Romanian born, working in this industry for 6 months. She doesn’t hate her job but doesn’t love it ether; the family back home think she works as a waitress. Photography was not allowed simply for her own security and protection purposes.

“It’s just a normal job but the job description is different”. K has been asked to describe herself as an object in the room, the pink fluffy cushion with chihuahua was picked by her, to underline her innocence and feisty character.

Throughout the project Sasha Alexander interviewed many working girls, every single one was different, a hopeless destiny brought them here. Few were angry, some sad and others content in their lives as they are devoted to something deeper, beyond their job. To them this is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;only the jobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; but nothing else. The happiness and escape lies in money and the job can certainly provide this.

There are two shift patterns, the day and the night. The whole structure seems straight forward although it is not always a smooth ride.

Truly in some cases de Wallen is a better life and an escape from harsher realities the women could be faced with.

After all if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mind your job status, along with the job specification, happiness can be found at the district.

The necessity is here, giving financial stability to every girl involved in this industry. Some have fallen into a trap of reality but others simply find this as an escape and a step towards a better future.

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The pressures come from government, clientele and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Bossâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Women are taxed heavily on their trade they do have to declare the earnings and the boss does take a heavy cut. But women are protected and certainly can feel safe in their environment, they know somebody is always looking out. The weekly health checks also make this job safer.

Tracey Duncan Richardson Doing ‘What’s Necessary’

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Andy Gashe

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Necessary? Pixilation Fragmentation Juxtaposition The constant journey Polarity Is this real or imagined ? Captured in a moment/ Gone in a Flash An experience that leaves a trace either consciously or subconsciously Surroundings/feelings/ moments of transition that are somehow imprinted in my mind Are these real places or are they imagined , probably both â&#x20AC;Ś.

ABSC_ND_Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Necessary_Andy Gashe

N e i l B u rge s s A Learning Curve

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve read many books, avoiding the hooks. Joined a movement to help self improvement Gave myself a trial of total self denial. But regular fasting made days everlasting. Became a chanter, recited a mantra. Went transcendental, thoughts elemental. Tried self hypnosis and then yoga poses, sun salutation, mind- body calibration. Daily meditation, constant contemplation, sitting in lotus, sharpening focus. Working on karma, inhaling the prana. Watching the breathing as the ego was leaving. Studied the scriptures and mystical pictures. Raised kundalini, unleashing the genie. Attempted techniques to beat the mystique. Senses most heightened but still not enlightened. A startling confirmation about soul preparation. Ended the confusion of lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great illusion. A sudden realization to disregard the destination. As my journey was the key to learn all about me. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look too far ahead, live in the now instead. No matter how life appears, try not to live it in fear. Nothing will be denied, if you trust that the universe will provide, know that you are free and you are right where you need to be!

Philip Weiner

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Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ria Green UNDERWOOD 'Wot is it' 'It's a typewriter ... a very old one ... and it says don't touch' He poked and prodded despite the little brown tag with its handwritten request, placed prominently on the keys by the shop owner, I say shop but it's not really a shop, it's more like a permanent stall in the closed area of the market ... but she'd warned me before leaving about how people had the inability to look without touching, entertaining me with her observations on the instructional handouts, especially with the "very important rule NO PICTURES whatsoever! ...." And the accompanying answers to the customer's 'why's' ... my favourite being number 2: Because taking pictures seems to be a national disease and number 4: Because i'm very old-school and you use your eyes and enjoy/remember what you see. In some senses I agreed, though my own observations during the days i'd spent minding the stall led me to witness something more akin to compulsion, I spotted sneaky sly touches to objects that blatantly said 'Don't Touch - ask if you need to', I wondered if the instructions might need to be written in ten different languages, the same with the no photography signs, but surely it was the presence of the signs themselves that evoked the compulsive urge, I don't think it had anything to with the curiosity about the objects,

or about being a potential customer on the verge of a purchase, it was much more fundamental, a basic humanness, a primal act of anti-authoritarianism, challenging rules, any rules, anywhere, any-bodies rules, nobody likes to be told anything ... told what to do ... do they? ... it's like running on the grass when it says 'Keep Off' and testing the area when it says 'Wet Paint', fortunately I did manage to keep my feet from kicking up a dust storm by not running through the rainbow coloured powder of a floor installation in a gallery ... but the very sign sparked the desire to do the opposite to what was being asked, summoning the rebel, the rule breaker, the child to the surface ... so I got why he looked at me blankly ... and ignored me, his ten year old fingers still pressing and fiddling, feeling with intent fascination the little round buttons, I'd had to feel them too, it was an intriguing object, it begged to be experienced, it called out to the senses, one to the other so intrinsically linked, each delivering fragments of information, disease, yes she could be right ... And then he removed the 'don't touch' tag in an attempt to get to the buttons underneath ...

"ergh hem" I pointed to the words as I took the tag from him. "but wot does it do?" "It types" "Types wot?" "You know, letters, stories, words, poetry ..." "Wots poeetree" "poetry not poeetree ... you must have come across it in school" "nah I aven't" I was tempted to tell him to google it and typewriters too while he was at it, surely he'd know what googling was, but I refrained from sarcasm, I was irritated and it had nothing to do with him, i'd had a late night, little sleep and no coffee this morning ... and sure it wasn't his fault that he was born to a culture where ipad was probably his first word ... i'm surprised there isn't yet a gadget called i-baby or is there?

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"I don't like school, I ate school" he said with his finger on the button "Oh well ... mmm I know what you mean ... but" I looked at his hand and then back at the sign now in my hand, he got the message. "where's your mum? ... I take it you're not wandering around the market on your own" "Nah she's at the ospital, she ad my baby sister, me Nan's ere drinking tea and said I could walk round if a stay inside" "Oh well ... that's nice, a baby sister" "It isn't" "Oh!" "Charlie, I ope you're not bovering the lady" "I'm not" "He was telling me about his baby sister" I said reassuringly

She just stared at me open mouthed and wide eyed in silence and then looked at the boy, who looked at me as if to say 'what did I say that for' ...

"Well mmm and he was asking me about the Underwood ... and Po..." "She's not too good ... the little en ... in intensive care" "Oh ... oh i'm sorry to hear that" "We're all praying for er" "I'm not praying" "Charlie, wot av I told you ... we are ALL praying for er..."

she clipped him around the ear which went instantly red, I felt myself wince as he put his hand up to protect it from another.

"But i'm not praying, I don't know wot it is, or ow it works"