Friday, February 8, 2008

what he said

lots of work and an unexpected trip, not much time for art or posting. i wanted to blab about my favorite literary approach, reconstructivism. you've probably never heard of it, since i just made it up one day -- the name, not the concept. in fact, i'm certain some smart person has already written up volumes about it, and given it a suitably brilliant moniker. but i choose to live in blissful ignorance.

i'll just say here that reconstructivism is, unsurprisingly, a counterpoint to deconstructivism. unfortunately, it is often satirical, and is mistaken for satire or comedy, so i don't think that people are aware of it as a particular and deliberate mode of expression.

if you're still reading (and i applaud/berate your attentiveness), my literary hero is the late author donald barthelme. since this is supposed to be a brief haha post, i'll hold off on the details, and just say here that his final book "the king" is practically a reconstructivist manifesto.



"the purpose of satire (it has been rightly said) is to strip off the veneer of comforting illusion and cozy half-truth. and our job, as i see it, is to put it back again".

- michael flanders