File spoon-archives/avant-garde.archive/avant-garde_1995/avant-garde_Nov.95, message 32


Date: Tue, 14 Nov 1995 12:53:21 -0800
From: Eric <ehill-AT-best.com>
Subject: fwd: The end of the K foundation


>Date: Tue, 14 Nov 95 17:03:04 GMT
>X-Sender: t.gunnin-AT-bss10a
>To: ambient-digest-AT-hyperreal.com
>From: Tim Gunning <t.gunnin-AT-bss10a.staffs.ac.uk>
>Subject: The end of the K foundation
>Sender: owner-ambient-AT-hyperreal.com
>
>Hi folks,
>On Saturday went to see the film "Watch the K Foundation Burn a Million
>Quid" at the film festival in Aberystwyth (UK). The billing said that the K
>foundation would be there and that they would be a discussion with them
>after the presentation of the film.
>Only Bill Drummond and Gimpo (he shoot the film and now owns it) turned up.
>Before the film started Bill read a contract that he and Jimmy had both
>signed. Part of it was as follows :-
>
>" Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty agree to never speak, write or
>use any other form of media to mention the burning of one million
>pounds of their own money which occurred on the island of Jura on
>23rd August 1994, for a period of 23 years after the date of signature..."
>
>Gimpo explained (with prompting from bill) that after showing the film in
>Scotland last week Bill and Jimmy had decided they would not talk about the
>burning any more and some bloke called Mark had written up this contract and
>they had both signed it. The contract also mentioned waiting for the world
>to decide what the burning of a million quid meant.
>
>The film was then shown. 63 minutes of silent footage (the sound hadn't
>worked explained Gimpo) of Bill and Jimmy throwing 50 pound notes onto a
>fire in an out-house somewhere on Jura.
>The money was apparently the total assets of the K foundation, which no
>longer exists.
>
>After the film there was a reception with  free drinks and a chance to talk
>with Bill (what can you say to a man who burnt a million quid but wont talk
>about it?) and Gimpo.
>
>
>For me the watching of the film gave me plenty of time to think about money
>and its worth etc.. One thing I would like to say is that I can not think of
>a better way of attacking the Capitalist system than destroying the symbol
>of Capitalism i.e. Money.
>
>A friend of mine wrote this for the KLF mailing list. What do you think ?
>
>
>Return-Path: <engineer-AT-mail.soc.staffs.ac.uk>
>Date: Tue, 14 Nov 1995 11:27:08 GMT
>X-Sender: engineer-AT-mail.soc.staffs.ac.uk
>To: t.gunnin-AT-bss10a.staffs.ac.uk
>From: Ian Silvester <engineer-AT-mail.soc.staffs.ac.uk>
>Subject: The last British showing of 'Watch the K Foundation Burn a
>  Million Quid'?
>
>>Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 18:25:30
>>To: klf-AT-xmission.com
>>From: Ian Silvester <engineer-AT-mail.soc.staffs.ac.uk>
>>Subject: The last British showing of 'Watch the K Foundation Burn a Million
>Quid'?
>>
>>It is 63 minutes of film, made by (until now) a self-confessed non movie
>maker, using a typical point-and-shoot home video camera.
>>The content is silent, and depicts Bill and Jim burning one million pounds
>in a rough hearth in an outhouse, somewhere on Jura, watched/witnessed by a
>tabloid photographer (name escapes me temporarily) and Gimpo, a friend.
>>The film starts with a few wads of fiftys aflame, and concludes when the
>million is glowing embers.
>>The fact that the film is silent is key. Those who saw the Omnibus will
>have heard snatches of the soundtrack, but on balance I think its removal is
>an improvement, since it allowed us to discuss the implications of the act
>whilst watching the film, not in retrospect.
>>
>>
>>The second point is more difficult. It requires the reader to make the
>assumption that Messrs Drummond and Cauty are serious about the things they
>do (as I have, based on them deleting the KLF back-catalogue and therefore
>throwing away millions of pounds of potential sales). Moody Boy's account,
>in my view, focusses on the minutiae of what transpired on Saturday, not the
>wider picture.
>>The reason that the K Foundation have given for closing discussion of the
>burning, is that the discussions weren't getting them any closer to
>answering the questions posed in the Guardian advertisement, i.e. nobody was
>taking them seriously, and those that were, were angry at the act and of the
>'why not donate to charity/give it to me' type.
>>In the Omnibus programme, Bill appeared genuinely concerned that, although
>he KNEW it was the right thing to do, he personally regretted the loss of
>the money. There is a conflict here between individual needs and global
>needs, and a backing up of the theory that they are serious.
>>
>>The solution to the quandary as I see it is as follows :
>>
>>On a personal level, it is obviously a great loss to burn a million pounds,
>and this will be regretted no matter what one does.
>>On the sociological level, it is a subject that previously will only have
>been discussed theoretically. It has now been done. For real. If there is no
>other reason for the burning, it is that now the world at large has the
>subject to discuss. It is not for the K Foundation to say why they did it,
>it is for the world at large to discuss the subject and for every individual
>to finalise their own response to it.
>>
>>As an addenda, this fits rather neatly with a coverall definition of 'art'.
>That art is simply the execution of an idea, so that others may be allowed
>to react to it.
>>
>>Phew!
>>
>>N.B. These ideas are not mine - the concepts are adapted from the writings
>of Hakim Bey, a contemporary philosopher. For further info, start using your
>Internet search tools (I can't abide this "information for free" illusion
>that the 'net creates - I only gave Mr. Drummond a useful address because it
>might actually benefit him directly).
>>
>>On a more trivial level, the contract that the K Foundation has taken out
>with the rest of the world, signed on the weekend of 4/5 November, only
>prevents Bill and Jimmy doing anything K Foundation-related. They are
>totally free to do anything under a new name...
>>
>>
>yan.
>--------------------------------------------------------
>Ian Silvester,     "He dreams.. while he's not sleeping"
>Research Associate.                    - The Chameleons
>--------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>Sorry for the use of bandwidth but I think this is important.
>
>Love and peace,
>Tim
>
>


p.s. More electro, please.



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