Where the finger points to the moon

the idiot looks at the finger

– Chinese Proverb

Don’t get discouraged! Cockroaches are not a mortal danger nor are mice and scorpions. There are periods in the life of human society where revolution becomes an imperative necessity, when it proclaims itself as inevitable. Turpentine in this case is very helpful. Ask any painter. Turpentine – not water.

Your life does not end when someone does not like you. The iron curtain can fall and Goodbyes happen. Balances, negotiations, diplomacies, agreements; our world does not consist of those qualities only and by now mostly not. What is important? The doors? Closed? The sanctuary of negotiations or is everyone dozing off behind them, faking responsibilities. Endless negotiations behind closed doors, so important, so consensual, so beneficial – we are made to believe.

Survival Is Not Enough happens at this moment in history where time itself has stopped flowing: it has become honoured time, an asset of real estate and national self-congratulation. The possibility of any form of peace has vanished, democracy has left the room it never entered. Survival is a necessity, never can be a source of pride. Life does not only consist of necessities. Cherry orchards, plum gardens, fig trees abandoned for the lure of the golden pavements of the big city. This movement is not based on economics but on temptation; that pleasure leads to doom has been axed into our minds to the point where any sign of playfulness, let alone silliness or illiteracy, becomes guilty. Play is not luxury nor a necessity. Play is against consumption, it is not a commodity. It cannot be a brand. Play is spirit, it is the soul of existence. When play becomes a commodity war breaks and torture is in the house.

BLESS (founded in 1997, Berlin) live and work in Paris and Berlin. Cara Benedetto (born 1979, Wausau, WI), lives and works in Pittsburgh. A.K. Burns (born 1975, California) lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. Susan Cianciolo (born 1969, Rhode Island) lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. Banu Cennetoğlu (born 1970, Ankara) lives and works in Istanbul. Enrico David (born 1966, Ancona) lives and works in London.Lukas Duwenhögger (born 1956, Munich) lives and works in Istanbul. Giorgos Gyparakis (born 1962, Athens) lives and works in Athens. Tamara Henderson (born 1982, New Brunswick) lives and works in Vancouver. Ull Hohn (born 1960, Trier; died 1995, Berlin). Stanya Kahn (born 1968, California) lives and works in Los Angeles. Ian Law (born 1984, Isle of Wight) lives and works in London. Felix Melia (born 1990, London) lives and works in London. Sohrab Mohebbi(born 1980, Tehran) lives and works in Los Angeles. Angelos Papadimitriou (born 1952, Kiato) lives and works in Athens. James Richards (born 1983, Cardiff) lives and works in Berlin. Miljohn Ruperto (born 1971, Manila) lives and works in Los Angeles. Stephen Sutcliffe (born 1968, Harrogate) lives and works in Glasgow. Aziz Tavil (born 1959, Istanbul) lives and works in Istanbul. Stelios Votsis (born 1929, Larnaca; died 2012, Larnaca). Andrea Zittel (born 1965, Escondido) lives and works in Joshua Tree.