Dane D. Lion's Music Den ##############

A.i.R.: Cy on Aesthetics

[Editor’s Note: Tonight (Wed., Oct 12 - 9 p.m.) the second season of Bravo’s “Work of Art” premieres.  If the consideration of aesthetics below interests you, I strongly suggest you check it out.  Sure, the idea of art-as-competition may seem dirty, but that small concession to TV politics allows for an hour of artists, their thoughts, and their work to be broadcast into my living room every week.  Small price to pay, I say!  One fewer time slot given over to “Housewives” = a win in my book.] 

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“aesthetics” - a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art; the principles of one’s artistic taste or style

What design choices do you consider when you look at art?

Last week, in preparation for the Artisan in Residence features, I chatted with Cyrus about his first mix for the Den, Endless Weekend.  Since he explores much of his artistic process in his post, I took the opportunity to get his take on the design theory he applied to the physical presentation of the mix.  Below is a paraphrased “transcript” from memory.  Essentially, I’m putting words in Cy’s mouth.  I’ll retroactively edit with strike marks any parts he wants to revise.

Dane D. Lion: Please describe the selection of materials that you used in the packaging of this mix.  I’m particularly interested in this aspect of the mix, as it’s so different from the last couple of mixes that you have given me.

Cyrus: The materials used in the packaging of Endless Weekend all share an incidental or slightly extemporaneous - maybe “found” - quality.  The outer shell is made from a non-descript, brown, cardstock-weight paper.  It is a “fold-out” design, rather than a more processed, multi-piece, glued sleeve.  It is inked with a simple pen, by hand, and is fastened with a piece of painter’s tape.  

For the inner pouch, I used the leftover fabric from a pre-trip project: I needed some cool shorts to wear in Wisconsin, so I made some cut-offs from an old pair of pants.  I sewed the material to form a pouch, and then I did some simple embroidery of the title and the wave motif with some bright-colored thread.

For the inner sleeve, I used some of the same paper as the outer sleeve.  On it, I marked the tracklist with colored pen, by hand.  I mimicked the wave motif from the pouch.  I simply folded the paper around the CD.

Dane D. Lion:  Could you speak more about the choice of the “incidental” aesthetic?  Why not a more polished approach?

Cyrus: Well, as the mix is meant in part to commemorate a special moment - to capture that memory - I wanted the packaging to reflect/mimic the purpose in its delicacy, its ephemeral qualities.  Just like the happy couple’s memory of the event, the mix packaging will loosen and deteriorate.  I hope that as the mix packaging begins to break up, it is treated more tenderly.  This is how our memories of special times work; they become more precious as they lose focus.  We fight to keep what remains; we hold it more tightly precisely because we see that it won’t last simply on its own.  It must be nurtured.  Kind of like a marriage.  Also, as the details of memory fade, we fill in the gaps with our emotions.  It’s perceptual shorthand, but perhaps deeper than a purely documentary recounting of the facts and details.

Dane D. Lion: Yes!  I have a feeling that the wave motif somehow relates to this.  To finish up our chat, please talk about the wave.  It’s captivating.

Cyrus:  Yeah.  The wave is a reference to the lakes in the Northwoods region of Wisconsin.  And, it is also a visual nod to memory’s fading, meandering qualities.  And, it also evokes the same happy-buzz satisfaction I got from spending such a deeply enjoyable weekend with friends and new friends.  And, it also refers to waves of sound, á la the content of the mix.

Thanks again for reading, everyone!  On Friday night, we’ll wrap up the Endless Weekend feature with my listener’s diary.  I’m quite interested in exploring how mixes may be consumed as art by third parties - like myself in this case.  See you then!  Until that time, feel free to send me feedback, questions, and/or suggestions.    

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