The Fopas Institute

The Saloon: A Night of Performance Work.

2009-05-07T12:42:00.000-07:00

On March 15, at 1919 Hemphill in Ft.Worth, TX.

the first video is an improvisation between Rachel Shirk and James Talambas.

Improvisation for No Input Mixing Board and Hands & Feet. from The FOPAS Institute on Vimeo.

the second video is a performance piece that Rachel Shirk wrote and directed.

Pocket Lyric from The FOPAS Institute on Vimeo.

One Hundred Second Dash

2009-03-04T14:57:00.000-08:00

About a week ago a compilation of one hundred second songs was released from our friends at the Mission Co-Op, aptly titled, "One Hundred Second Dash". The FOPAS Institute was fortunate enough to have been able to record two of the tracks on it at our in house studio, one by songwriter Clint Niosi and the other, a debut track by Like Birds On A Wire. Its Free, and if you don't like the track just wait another minute and a half and it'll be over.

They have already had some great support from DC9, and a little blurb on DFW.com

Notes on Improvisations

2009-02-17T13:41:00.000-08:00

Some quick notes to consider when viewing the improvisation videos. The following are just a few ideas that we are striving to achieve in executing the exercises documented. We are practicing these ideas by applying them through a dual communication of visual and auditory mediums, allowing them to fill an environment, inspire and react to each other. The following definitions are taken from Wikipedia.

Automatic writing

is the process or product of writing material that does not come from the conscious thoughts of the writer. Practitioners say that the writer's hand forms the message, with the person being unaware of what will be written. In some cases, it is done by people in a trance state. In others, the writer is aware (not in a trance) of their surroundings but not of the actions of their writing hand.

Free association a technique used in psychoanalysis, first developed by Sigmund Freud . In free association, psychoanalytic patients are invited to relate whatever comes into their minds during the analytic session, and not to censor their thoughts. This technique is intended to help the patient learn more about what he or she thinks and feels in an atmosphere of non-judgmental curiosity and acceptance. Psychoanalysis assumes that people are often conflicted between their need to learn about themselves, and their (conscious or unconscious) fears of and defenses against change and self-exposure. The method of free association has no linear or preplanned agenda, but works by intuitive leaps and linkages which may lead to new personal insights and meanings. When used in this spirit, free association is a technique in which neither therapist nor patient knows in advance exactly where the conversation will lead, but it tends to lead to material that matters very much to the patient. Its goal is not to unearth specific answers or memories, but to instigate a journey of co-discovery which can enhance the patient's integration of thought, feeling, agency, and self hood.

Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or new ways to act. This invention cycle occurs most effectively when the practitioner has a thorough intuitive and technical understanding of the necessary skills and concerns within the improvised domain.

Improvisations

2009-01-23T10:26:00.000-08:00

Improvisation 1.7.09 from The FOPAS Institute on Vimeo.
This improvisation on the 7th of January, was guitars, balafon and bird whistle vs. charcoal, acrylic and ink on found cardboard.

exciting things have been happening around the institute, more on this later...

Improvisations

2009-01-07T00:12:00.000-08:00

Improvisation 1.4.09 #2 from FOPAS Institute on Vimeo.

This improvisation was on guitars and Balafon vs. Charcoal and Paint on canvas. If you listen closely you can hear the wind.

Improvisations

2009-01-03T00:44:00.000-08:00

This is the first of which I hope to be many posts on Audio/Visual Improvisations. Paul and I have done a few of these, while the mediums may be separate, the painting and music are one piece. This type of work, the journey is the more of the piece as opposed the end product, so hopefully on the next one we will have video.

2008-12-31T19:23:00.000-08:00

Here at the FOPAS Institute we have studied extensivly the effects of many new years superstitions and traditions. As a community service we here at the institute would like to give you some helpful tips to make your 2009 great:

1) at midnight eat 12 green grapes for luck in each of the 12 months

2) make sure that whatever you are doing at midnight is what you want to be doing the rest of the year.

3) for women, wear yellow underwear at midnight.

4) if you would like to travel in the upcoming year, after the midnight count down,
make sure to walk up and down the street with luggage

5) on new years day eat green cabbage for financial prosperity and black eyed peas for luck.

Let us here at the FOPAS Institute be the first to wish you all a safe, prosperous, and happy new year.

The FOPAS Institute

2008-12-03T21:55:00.000-08:00

FOPAS - [foh pahz; Fr. foh pah] as in "faux pas" 1) a slip or blunder in etiquette, manners, or conduct; an embarrassing social blunder or indiscretion. 2) Freeing Oneself of Political, Artistic, and Spiritual confines 3) Free Organization of Politics, Art, and Spirituality

Institute - [in-sti-toot, -tyoot] 1) a society or organization for carrying on a particular work, as of a literary, scientific, or educational character. 2) to bring into use or practice

At The Fopas institute we recognize that there are barriers to one's complete freedom in many areas. We focus on three here.

Political:

Artistic:

Spiritual:

The FOPAS Institute encourages an evolving dialogue to further enrich the constant development of our awareness of reality in a complex confining universe.

and we could just post things we think are kool.