"New-Method" No. 32

"New-Method" No. 32

We introduce the email bulletin "New-Method" with our works and guest contributions.  This issue No. 32 features Kae Ishii, an art history researcher who has once contributed for our bulletin No. 2.  She will hold a joint exhibition "seikae" with sei, a singer, at 20202 in July.

[Contribution]

Variation of No Individuality
Kae Ishii (Art Historian)

I'd like to discuss the "New-" of New-Method.  New-Method has a point in common with (old-)Method in that they both prohibit free expressions and pursue the method itself.  But New-Method has nullified a principle that commanded (old-)Method to eliminate any potential elements of pleasure, which I think makes New-Method "New-." New-Method often appears having fun, such as just playing cards or going to sea-bathing.  However, whether they enjoy or not wouldn't be important.  It can be understood as a new way to forbid freedom by committing themselves to have fun when the given situation is considered objectively enjoyable.

It might be that the top priority of New-Method is to disclaim individuality.  Denial of originality is the best method to achieve this.  Thus the lack of originality constitutes their activities based on three attitudes; namely "no content", "no choice" and "mimicry."

As for "no content," we can think of works like their tautological "New-Methodicist Manifesto," plain declaration of the days of the week or simple time announcement in "cuckoo clock," and "New-Method Auction" that auctioned its auction process itself.  Then, "no choice" can be seen in a work like "Third New-Methodicist Manifesto" that just enumerated words at random.  Examples of "mimicry" can be found in their manifestoes and bulletins as both emulating (old-)Method activities, "Uploading Event" adapted from "Dropping Event" by Hi-Red Center, and "Operation Anonymous Cleaning Service" as a parody of a similar operation by Anonymous.  As those cases demonstrate, the whole activity of New-Method is variation of no individuality.

Incidentally, as a result of "no choice," they sometimes come to practice austerities, such as sitting under a water fall or "Third New-Methodicist Manifesto," as if offsetting pleasure they have happened to enjoy through their activities.  This would be also worth attention.

[Web Works of the New-Methodicists]

[Information]

- "Early Rising"  http://7x7whitebell.net/new-method/earlyrising_e.html

- "Jigsaw Puzzle" June 30, 2013 Demonstration and live-broadcasting  http://7x7whitebell.net/new-method/puzzle.html

- "New-Method" official webpage has been updated.  http://7x7whitebell.net/new-method/

- Takahiro Hirama has updated his website.  http://hrmtkhr.web.fc2.com/

- Shogo Baba has updated his website.  http://7x7whitebell.net/

- Masaru Kaido has updated his website.  http://masarukaido.com/

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[Editor's Note]

Hideki Nakazawa has a lecture class "Method and New-Method" at Rikkyo University.  The former members of Method participated in it last June.  New-Method is also going to appear in the lecture in July.  Nakazawa, the founder of Methodicism, has come to mention "Method" with maintaining a certain distance.  (M)