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Phoenix, Arizona, United States
musician...artist...bartender...writer...quasi-academic-freelance-literary-something-or-other...rabble-rouser... beat-builder...connoisseur-of-crazy-critical-theory...etc.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

What IS LeVautourChronique? ( A Mission-Statement, Expanded Scope, and Updated Aesthetics…)

As my readership begins to gradually diversify a bit, I’ve noticed lately that I’ve been fielding more questions about what the theme and purpose of this website is. I’m aware that it’s not always completely evident from one entry to the next what, if any, is the connection between them…. So, this is probably a good time to establish the ground-rules…

My theme with LeVautourChronique is intentionally and by its nature pliable, but there are definite guidelines, and I feel that thus far I’ve adhered to them fairly consistently. Basically, this is an Arts and Culture blog dedicated to the Poetics and Politics of Identity. Critically, I’m of the belief that all Artists and public figures (and most individuals in general, whether consciously aware of it or not) are actively engaged in a project (or projects) of Identity-Construction, and that for artists this often even goes so far as being a facet of their catalog, one of their primary artistic creations (sometimes even their master-work, the larger piece that all of their other works are merely elements of… I’ve done academic work attempting to assert this about Walt Whitman, for instance.) Therefore, on this site, critique of nearly any element of art, culture, society, myself, my projects, daily life, etc is and has been fair game, as long as it is viewed, observed, and analyzed through this lens.

Now then, over seventy entries in and with those parameters finally clarified, I want to also make it clear that, when I started this site, I never intended to be the sole contributing writer to it in the long-run. My ideas for this site and reasons for establishing it, like most projects, seemed to require to be done in stages, and I think that it’s time to move a small step up that ladder.

So, from this point forward, consider this an open call. Keep in mind the theme just discussed (to reiterate, in a nutshell: An Arts and Culture blog dedicated to the Poetics and Politics of Identity and Identity Construction), let your mind spin, and send me some essays, reviews, musings, guerilla-journalism, poetry, abstract creative writing, whatever. I want it to be known, too, that I’m not only speaking of or to my close friends or frequent collaborators here; this is open to ANYONE if I think that your ideas fit well with what we’re trying to do and say on this site (…although part of me would like to start off with a couple contributions from artists/ writers in my own inner circle that I know and trust, just to test the water a bit [wink wink, get at me, kids.]…)

To get a few potential F.A.Q.’s on the subject out of the way…

Will you get paid for contributing your writing to LeVautourChronique? Yes and no. You will get paid in the same way that I get paid for maintaining the site. For the time-being, therefore, your compensation comes in the form of promotion, readership, networking, the free exchange of creative ideas, etc.

Will contributions published here be limited exclusively to ideas and opinions that agree explicitly with my own? Absolutely not. In fact, a desire for differing ideas is one of the driving forces behind my interest in the inclusion of additional writers. Open dialogue is definitely one of my goals here. Contributions from authors other than myself will feature by-lines, and probably an introductory blurb so as not to confuse my own thoughts with those of others. I will not, however, publish here anything perceived as intolerant, ignorant, or unnecessarily negative, however well you might think that your writing with those traits might adhere to the blog’s theme.

Will I stop posting my own work here once I start accepting contributions? Absolutely not. This will still primarily be my blog, and primarily the online home of my own ideas, reviews, and essays. In fact, you will most likely notice that the next few posts are still my own, as I have a handful in the works and partially written… and that won’t mean in any way that I’ve dismissed the idea of accepting contributions, either.

How do I submit my contributions, or send additional questions, comments, or feedback? The best way is to email me, at bernard.levautour@yahoo.com.

With a newly-clarified mission-statement, and a widened scope for future entries on this site, I think that this is also as good a time as any to introduce a bit of a new look to L.V.C. I am therefore retiring the awkward/ outdated quasi-unintentionally phallic-looking B+W vulture logo (I’ll leave it up until the next post, in case you haven’t a clue what I’m referring to…) and replacing it with a brand new and far more appropriate-feeling logo(the aesthetic tone around here has evolved with the blog, I feel…)…




…which features an image from my portfolio of Miss Chloe Claustrophobia (herself a conceptual-art project pertaining to the theme of Identity-Construction) digitally modified in collaboration with Sara Jane of Alloy Images/ Swords We Swallow / Tipsy Cougar (who is also my wonderful and supportive girlfriend.).

So, stay tuned. Click the “Follow” link at the top of the page. Contribute your writing. Help this site become a home for active, constructive, and creative dialogue. In the meantime, enjoy my rants and rambles more thoroughly now that you hopefully have a better understanding of why I post them here.

Thanks for reading.


-Bernard P. Provencher LeVautour

3 comments:

Bernard P. Provencher LeVautour said...

OK, so I decided to update the photo here tonight, since some unexpected censorship ensued when I tried to update and promote on Facebook and Myspace... apparently Rupert has a deep aversion to mannequin-porn, and he blocked my new logo from my Myspace-album, deeming it (in email) "offensive".

hahaha OK....

So, here's the logo that I replaced with the new "controversial" one... (I honestly think that the old one is more "obscene," and in just as "discrete" of a way... but whatever...)

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/119/l_2abda31423fd67b85d48fafc90c99960.jpg

Anonymous said...

I see someone hasn't changed much since college. Same ole' shtick. That's what I get for checking up.

An informed opinion-
Not everyone is a performer, a "construction", or a complete denial of any truth beneath the layer of their own bullshit, or image, or whatever you decide it's trendy to call it. You seem to have embraced that track for quite some time now, and I'm glad it works for you, but you are, and always were, extremely arrogant in your assertion that every artist (and any other person for that matter) is like you. We aren't like you, not all of us. And not agreeing with you certainly doesn't mean that I am unaware of my own "performance", or of the lit theory you cling to as support for this line of thought. Yes, art is, in most capacities, demonstrative, performative. That's old hat, time to move on.

And pretension isn't a pretty color on anyone, something to keep in mind when trying to gain readership. I don't believe I'll be checking back.

-Sincerely,
Just some person in one of your classes back in the day

Bernard P. Provencher LeVautour said...

I'm not speaking of facades here. I'm speaking of the way that individuals' conception of "self" plays into the purposes and processes of Art. And I'm certainly not assuming that anyone "thinks like me." I merely use myself as an example here at times... mostly just as observations of how this way of looking at things has affected my own creative work.

As for the allegations of dwelling on this since college and needing to "move on," I should probably just point out that this method of observation and these thought-processes continue to open creative doors for me since ASU, and I feel that my work (both creatively and critically) continues to be enriched by realizations that come from in-depth analysis on this subject. I've studied and embraced elements of plenty of other critical theories since I started delving into this particular idea, and many have found their way into my constantly-progressing personal philosophies about art and culture.

What more productive form of "moving on" would you suggest?

I would LOVE to debate this constructively in more depth, and try to make mutual gains from it... pretension, arrogance, insistences that my theories are any sort of absolutes/ unchangeables/ truths (a somewhat ironic allegation to me, since it's obvious from your post that you're well aware that I don't currently believe in any form of constant and unalterable "truth," and this absolutely includes my own ideas) have been the FARTHEST things from my goals with my posts here... but my critics on this site seem curiously and consistently insistent on hiding behind the "anonymous" post feature, which makes it hard to start any sort of meaningful dialogue about what aspects of my ideas (or myself personally?) you disagree with.

Can I get some contrary/ constructive feedback from someone that actually wants to actively engage in a discussion, please?

I write, analyze, critique, and share my ideas because I enjoy it. Attempting to expand my personal scope by freely exchanging ideas makes me happy. I'm not espousing any sort of "agenda" here or trying to convert anyone to my way of thinking. Therefore, I don't understand what is gained by stopping by and posting an anonymous comment suggesting that you find my ideas distasteful because you don't happen to agree.