Kevin Pocock

…doesn’t work like other people’s brains.

My brain works like my brain, and this tends to mean that when I’m without ideas I don’t write. The two issues with this are (a), inspiration shouldn’t be the reason to write, just the occasional genius that populates writing and (b), it tends to mean that I’m lacking input.

Narrative.

Since a young age, my brain has been narratively driven in the way that…well, I assume most people’s are (we all enjoy stories) – so as to applaud extensive cohesion and the development of ideas.

Yet I think my brain requires narrative in extraordinary quantities. It wants to gorge on them, chew them and taste the best bits, the worst bits and process the whole. Not to produce inspiration, but to produce more appreciation of words, language and my own understanding of the work I enjoy so much.

Gao Xingjian, the Chinese novelist, playwright, critic, translator, screenwriter, director, painter (read as: ‘work ethic guru’) has said:

Writing eases my suffering…writing is my way of reaffirming my own existence

…and I get that. Not so much the first bit, but certainly the last. Writing is my life’s work, and I’m now realising that writing is dependent on reading. On listening. On the input of words into my narrative combustion engine.  No input = no output, and no output means no writing. No blog posts. No anything.

I’m trying to address that. Not only have I signed up to Lovefilm to plug the visual arts sinkhole, but I’m taking and making time to read more. First up are the essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson. I read them before at university, but never really paid much attention. Couldn’t have done, else I’d have been as inspired going into Am. Lit seminars as I was when I got off the train today. Superb. Check him out if you’re at a loose end.

And that’s that. I only wanted to type something here just to keep people updated on me. This being a blog of sorts and all. To writing. To narrative. And to input.

Til next time.

So…later in the day didn’t happen. Sorry, very sorry, but this time of year is pretty frantic in the world of It jounalism you know. More issues, less weeks, pretty solid excuses. 

Anywho, I happen to work in the vicinity of the BT Tower and so on my walk to work I occasionally see (or should that be on my occasional walk to work I see?) this brick wall, pebbledashed and hidden behind some very sharply defended gates. Not too sharp for London’s intrepid Banksy however, who one evening or morning, who knows, provided the world with another piece of his stenciled genius. Not that I think it’s genius, I’m not even a massive fan, I just happened to like the fore and backgrounds involved in this particular photo. Because, you see what he’s done don’t you? ‘One nation under CCTV, is a change to the phrase ‘One Nation Under God’ (which is American in origin, so I don’t much see the relevance, but anyway). He’s clearly saying that CCTV is our God and that we’re being watched evermore until our very freedom is at stake, and that BT is a huge corporation corroborating with the government in the expansion of the CCTV deity and the ever shrinking of our personal freedom.

Or not. Like I say, I don’t much care for Banksy, nor for this piece of his work, rather I like the photo as a whole, If that makes sense.

Reviewy Bits

I’ve been a little busy of late as well, and that’s the main reason behind my lack of updating here. I’ve had a couple of film reviews published on Den of Geek for both Lakeview Terrace (Samuel L. Jackson’s new film) and Inkheart (Brendan Fraser’s), so if you want to check those out…well please do :)

Finally, I’ve written the first chapter of brand spanking new novel. Oh yes. In one week. The next one is due this week, the next one the week after, the one after that, the weeke after that and so on for 27 of the buggers. One week in, and I’m feeling optimistic. But it is only one week in. Wish me luck, and more snippits on the work as it happens.

Ta ra for now though, take it easy :)

Kevin

Someone once said. 

It applies to me for sure, at least in regards to visual artforms. It doesn’t apply to my brother though, not when it’s photographic art anyway. His site has undergone a reimagination at stevenpocock.com and today sees the closing of his first exhibition in alliance with four other photographers from the UCA (University of the Creative Arts).

Said exhibition’s name was ‘Entropia’ and more can be seen about the work shown there at http://entropia-exhibition.co.cc/. It’s very imporessive, but I don’t pretend to understand all the theory behind it. Maybe you will though, so enjoy :)

Best,

Kevin

p.s: See, told you I was here.