MONDAY ARTPOST 0130-2023

… 談 笑 間 …
Yam Lau
Dear artists/architects,
I am Erik Satie, a composer. You may have heard of my music, but then you may not be
aware of the fact. Surely this presents a paradox- my music aspires to drift at the remotest
edge of consciousness, and never quite reaches its destination.
Some compare my music to a skit; some call it muzak. Some find it humorous though
mostly almost nonsensical. But my dear, the “almost” is everything!
My composition is “almost” too loose… it lacks coherence, closure and rigor… etc
My melody is “almost” too weak… it lacks development and drama... etc
My music is “almost” idle…it lacks direction and motivation. Instead of travelling to meet
the audience, it languishes and floats in the background, …becoming almost noise…
My music lacks music.
Project 2
On the “Almost” of Nothing
-An open letter from Erik Satie to commission the design of a house
Over the years of teaching, there are certain projects that afforded me a great deal of
satisfaction and happiness. They also inspired the most adventurous work by students. I
once taught a course on the intersection of art, design and architecture. The following is a
project inviting students to design a house for the French composer Erik Satie.
I deeply regret that I did not retain any records of their works. Many of them are
fascinating and still make me smile today. I learned to give students interesting projects
and take pleasure in writing them, which is the start of taking their intelligence and
creativity seriously. In teaching as in art making, I look for surprises. Often, surprises
happen!
And for this reason, my music cannot be disturbed by the intrusion of noise; it melts into
noise. It is indestructible in its lack of presence.
…
My music requires little attention, and demands almost nothing from the audience. (This
is something I take pride in… achieving the “almost nothing”!) Therefore, it is ideal and
fitting to leave it alone in the background, while you go about your daily routines such as
washing dishes or hanging out by yourself daydreaming. It is always perfectly calibrated
for a snow day, a warm day, a rainy day…
Sometimes when you are sipping fancy cocktails at a gala art opening, or chit-chatting
during an intermission of a long and serious performance, you may discern in the air
certain vibrations - a certain mingling of chatters, small talks and the barely audible
sound-as-fragrance from my compositions … that is where you might notice my trace…
somewhere in the background, intermission and periphery of art.
Thus, my name, following the fate and character of my music, lingers at the edge of the
western canon. I am only almost famous, yet not totally irrelevant.
Forgive me for this rather circuitous introduction. My point is this: I would like to
commission you to custom design and build a house for me. You see, at this juncture of
life, I have neither a lover nor dependents. I enjoy my solitude, especially my solitary
walk- a daily ten-kilometer walk to and from Paris. Since I understand my habits do
not appear to be the most transparent, I offer no dispute when others characterize me as
eccentric. Indeed, I am singular, but I am not a pervert… and I like children.