Systems

The world is made of systems and objects 
The systems keep snagging on the objects

and the objects keep dissolving into the systems

Each system has its hypothetical ideal state: smooth, noiseless, entropy-free self-sufficient

Each object has its hypothetical state of absolute fullness and presence

But all systems impinge on other systems and all objects impinge on other objects, just as all objects and systems impinge on one another

The result might be noise, dissolution, disorder, the painful or pleasurable chaos of existence, but the hypothetical states of equilibrium, fullness and presence are real also as a part of the mix, and systems and objects are continually trying to recover those ideal states

The 'ideal state' is a chimera, a mythical beast, but objects and systems too are continually creating new chimera in the process of their collisions and interactions, fabulous and unlikely forms which may only last a moment but which stir our consciousness into new life and excitement

Art is one of the processes by which we grasp these momentary extravagances, forming and boxing them for purpose of reflection, return and sharing

images Penny Hallas www.pennyhallas.co.uk
words from conversation with Lyndon Davies www.lyndondavies.co.uk
copyright Penny Hallas 2013

supported by a bursary from a-n The Artist Information Company

boxing the chimera is a research and development project supported by Arts Council Wales