Episode 052: Today
In which we discuss dates, déjà vu, and waltzes
Today.
Today is the fifty-second episode of Polyester City. One full year, every Tuesday morning, 10:05 am.
Today is also the last one of these things that I will be publishing for a while.
I am a big, big believer in consistency. Setting a course and riding it out. Figure out what you do and do it. Keep on keeping on and all that.
My original plan was to do this weekly for a year, and it’s been an honor sharing Polyester City with you every Tuesday. Now I have some other projects I would like to work on for a bit, but I do intend to return—perhaps with seasonal releases, say 13 episodes in the Fall or Winter or something like that. I will keep you posted!
I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up this year or a better example of ‘hey, this is what I do, I’m just going to keep doing it’ than On Kawara’s Today series.
Kawara created over 3000 date paintings over nearly five decades [1966-2013]. Just the very model of sticking it out, as it were. And while I am composing today’s beat for the entire Today series, I used the colors and layout from the very first one, Jan. 4. 1966. Art is honest and vulnerable, and with a series, it all starts with the first installment.
What speaks to me the most about Kawara’s whole run are the little differences from painting to painting:
Whatever country he was in, Kawara would use that country’s language and alphabet to represent the date.
He would often create more than one per day, with nuanced color and typeface differences
Many of the paintings were housed in cardboard containers he created in which he glued the day’s local newspaper.
Incredible. The little distinctions are statements about our lives. Every day is pretty much the same when you get down to it, with slight [but experientally significant] disparities.
Where you go.
What you do.
Who you see.
But you breathe, you eat, you talk, you sleep. Same stuff. The trick is being happy with that. Not trying to invent some exciting world with amazing new experiences every day.
I think I’m getting a little philosophical here.
Anyway: A big blue box and three small white boxes. Pretty simple, right?
Wanted this beat to sound circular. Trying to get at how the years go by, round and round. I think the initial pulsing horn loop sets that vibe.
To capture Kawara’s slight differences from painting to painting, my main theme has minute changes, depending on which instrument it is played. A note different here or there. Slightly different key. During the first half, the synth that echos the Wurlitzer is in a little sadder-sounding mode. The outro is pretty straight blues with a bit more of a swing vibe. You get the idea.
Also, I think this might be the first one of these beats that is in three. It has a kind of waltz feel to it. Again, this is the circular concept: did you ever watch couples waltz? I mean, people who are really good at it? They are essentially going in circles non-stop around the dance floor without bumping into the other couples. Little circles within a bigger circle. It is mesmerizing.
Kind of like these date paintings.
So, thank you all so so so much for tuning in every week, reading these things, listening to my music, checking out the art. I will be back soon with something, so don’t unsubscribe!
In the meantime, if you are so inclined, please check out the past year’s work at these places:
Thanks again, be kind to everyone all the time, and I will see you soon.
As always, thanks for reading Polyester City. If you have any thoughts, please leave a comment by clicking the link above. If you know anyone who likes Music and Art and Stories [and sticktoitiveness], which is pretty much everyone, please consider sharing by clicking the link below.
52 weeks! Wow! Thank you for all 52 episodes. 🖤
You did it! 52 weeks! It's a huge deal. Well done and hope your new projects are going well.