The Break Beat

 Writing in a school function again. Sorry! -- and no, I haven't written that article. Too tired. But here's my response to our opening question for class today:

CRITICISM

ARCHIVE

MONUMENT

REPRESENTATION

Which of these four words most resonates with you? Is there one that you want to learn more about? Found really interesting as you read and studied for this clasS? Or is there one that's a big part, or you want to be more of a part of your practice?

MY MIND PALACE! Personal archive……..
 

Yesterday I was talking to Philly and I mentioned how I wanted to take a writing course at Brown. He asked me if I wanted to to write fiction or non-fiction and I said magical realism. [Silence.]

“Fiction, I guess. But one always makes its way into the other, no?”

Everything I make is autobiographical to an extent because I made it, right? I’m not in the business of necessarily telling the stories of strangers. Maybe that’s wrong. But the personal archive! There is always so much to mine from and to lament about.

Wound dweller. Wallower.

I’m tired of all of these words. That article said it best but I don’t have the energy to try and re-express what she said. They’ve lost meaning! In Black Fem sophomore year we talked about how labelling can destroy meaning or how overuse can destroy meaning… the meaning is so far gone by now. The archive is literally everything. Where is the preciousness? What is special?

I knoooow it doesn’t have to be special but under the hierarchical eye can I not have something to deem mine and to give the title of outstanding?

The archive is a big part of my practice because it has to be. I know nothing more and nothing better than myself.