Cut-ups

Cut-ups were re-invented (after Tristan Tzara in the 1920s) by William S. Burroughs and Brion Gyson during the 1950s as a method of effecting the spontaneity of creativity. Burroughs made a literary living from his enthusiasm for cut-ups and they are extensively in evidence in many of his works - including the notorious Naked Lunch.

Whereas Burroughs had a typewriter and scissors (although an early program with Ian Sommerville already tried to optimise the process), current technology affords another level of randomisation and re-arrangement not possible without enormous effort using paper. Flip through to the Lazarus Corporation to make your own. With a bit of ad hoc editing I managed the following update to the Pater Noster ...:

Done,
in earth as it is in heaven.
give us our mother, which art in heaven,
thine is the kingdom, the power, and the trespass against us.
and lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
as thy trespasses come hallowed thy kingdom
we forgive them.
that our will be for glory,
for ever and ever. amen.
this day our daily bread.
and forgive us

Cao Weihong

"The figures represent traditional Chinese concepts of beauty, presenting ladies with small hands, feet and mouths, but these traditional aspects are combined with the artist's own, special, almost modern way of painting them." -review of Cao Weihong's work at Absolute Arts

You can also see more of Weihong's work at Art Scene China

instead of waving

the sound of a fullstop
steps out of the scream
she's keeping
so deeply
when she drops to the floor

and they bring her some water
and the boy says: "bring more"

I step forward and open
my eyes, I try not to cry

instead of waving
I said goodbye

Catfishing

A strangely addictive game that kills the time.