Nina Antonia and Stephane Raynor interview to be filmed

"The Problem of Intertextuality in Peter Doherty's Art" by Elizaveta Minaeva

Forward to a dissertation on the art of Peter Doherty by Elizaveta Minaeva (Art historian)

The subject of the following work is “The problem of intertextuality in Peter Doherty's art”. This investigation features the first scientific attempt to explore Peter Doherty's art through the analysis of intertextual connections and references, widely represented in both graphic and lyrical works of the author.
Peter Doherty is a contemporary British poet, musician and artist who started his career in visual art in the beginning of the 2000's. The reason why we were interested primarily in the problem of intertextuality while investigating Doherty's art can be explained through the deep connections between his visual and poetical practices – it's obvious that art of a poet and a visual artist at the same time who bases his art upon the legacy of the past, will abound with quotes and allusions.
The subject seems relevant particularly in view of Doherty's works being in demand in the contemporary art market and the organisation of his personal exhibitions. Beyond that, Doherty's art itself represents a very interesting and unique cultural phenomenon. The fact that his works are filled with allusions and other types of intertextual connections determines the significance of the research due to continuing interest in intertext over the period of 40 years, on the one hand, and the weak conceptual framework of this phenomenon in the sphere of visual art, on the other hand.
The fact of total absence of scientific works dedicated to Doherty's visual art assigns academic novelty to the research. Without any doubt his art will undergo transformations with the course of time, giving the future researchers new material for academic pursuits.
Nevertheless, necessity of this work that should become the basis for the further researches of purer subject matters seems necessary and valuable, as the importance of scientific interpretation and critical assessment of the works of contemporary art doesn’t need to be proved.
As for researching intertextual connections and, therefore, the special literature used in the course of working on the subject, one significant fact should be marked here – it is the absence of any fundamental works dedicated to the analysis of intertextuality in visual art. Overwhelming majority of works on the problem of intertextuality touches on the territories of theory of literature and theory of poetry.
Therefore, during working on a study, 3 branches of special literature have been touched. First of all, these are theoretical works that anticipated an appearance of the term "intertextuality‟ and developed its conception: works by Julia Kristeva, Roland Barthes, Mikhail Bakhtin, Yuri Lotman, Gerard Genette. Secondly, these are works that provided the basis and a starting point for the practical analysis: Nathalie Piegay-Gros' monograph “Introduction a l'intertextualite”, Umberto Eco's article “Innovation and Repetition: Between Modern and Post-Modern Aesthetics”, Mikhail Yampolsky's monograph “Tiresias's memory: intertextuality and cinematography”, Krasimira Loukitcheva's article “Intertextuality and cultural memory in art of German symbolism” and Olga Semenischeva's dissertation “Transformation of the artist's image: from Renaissance to postmodernism (philosophically-culturological analysis)”.
Thirdly, this is the literature dedicated to the artist himself: above all the work  by  Victoria  Bazoeva  “Historically-cultural allusions in the lyrics by Carl  Barat  and  Peter  Doherty”, which has the immediate link with the studied subject.  Furthermore,  numerous  artist’s  biographies  have been explored as well.

The wide range of sources has been used during investigation. Some groups of sources should be marked:

•  artist’s  diaries  (both  published  and  unpublished);
•  the personal archive documenting biography of the author during last 15  years  and  being  in  disposal  of  Doherty’s  literary  and  art  agent  Paul Roundhill;
•  unpublished interviews, filmed and recorded during working on the research;
•  published interviews in text-audio-and video-formats that can help with the analysis of intertextual links;
•  paintings, drawings and sketches from private collections and gallery collections;
•  Doherty’s   songs   and   poems immediately related to the studied problem and touching upon the subject of intertextuality in one form or another;
• literary and music sources which had influence on the artist and have been subsequently represented in his art one way or another.

The intention of the research was to explore intertextual connections and references  in  Peter  Doherty’s  art.  In  the  course of writing the following tasks have been completed:
1. to describe artist’s  works  of  different  periods,  detect  their  main  themes and trace evolution of his art method;
2. to  examine  the  background  on  which  Doherty’s  personality had been set, roots and origins of his art;
3. to analyse intertextual links detected in lyrical and, above all, visual works of the artist, and make use of theory of intertextuality in such a manner in a sphere of visual art.
Considering object (Peter  Doherty’s  art)  and subject (intertextuality in his art) of the study and facing the current situation which marks the absence of generally accepted principles of studying intertextuality in visual art, interdisciplinary scientific approach along with the attempt to reveal intertextual links in 2 stages have been used. At the first stage intertextual connections in Doherty’s   poetry   have   been   researched   and   analysed.   At   the   second   stage,   considering received information, intertextuality in his visual artworks have been revealed and studied. At both stages we used intertextual method (applied by Nathalie Piegay-Gros as well), that suggests researching works in their cultural connections with other phenomena of culture and art. Furthermore, contextually-

interpretational method and method of comparative analysis have been used as well.

The following work consists of content, introduction, two chapters (each has two subparagraphs), concluding remarks, list of references, bibliography and appendix with graphic files and timeline chart.

The first chapter ("Artistic method and thematic features of  Peter  Doherty’s   art”)   contains   characteristics   of   the   author’s artistic method; description and analysis of key works of different periods; examination of the lead themes and motives detected in his art; tracing its evolution. The second  chapter  (“Creative   origins and the problem of intertextuality in   Peter   Doherty’s   art”)   contains the analysis  of  sources  for  Doherty’s  art; the deeper look into the cultural environment where  the  artist’s  personality  had  been  formed and his art has been based on later; the research of the problem touching intertextual links and connections in his artworks.

As a result after investigation of works created by the artist in the period from 2004 to 2013, his artistic method, most frequent themes and motives used in his art, the multilayer, intertextual character   of   Doherty’s   paintings   as   well   as   poetry  becomes  obvious.  The  listed  problems’  solving  let  us  afterwards detect and classify   intertextual   links   detected   in   the   author’s   works   through   the   examples   of   the quote, reference and allusion.

It is necessary to notice that questions touched in this work have been put into the primary research only, while many other interesting and important in this aspect themes have been left out of consideration. From these facts it emerges that there are lots of different paths for the further researching and developing of the subject. First of all, it’s   more detailed examination of the problem considering intercommunion   of   image   in   text,   usually   both   present   in   Doherty’s   works   at   the   same time; investigating the problem of co-authorship in his art; considering Doherty’s   art   in   the   context   of   contemporary   art practices and researching connections between his artistic method and methods of artists and movements of the past; continuation of the proposed theme considering the image of the artist and its cooperation with his own art in the context of the beginning of the 21st century.

It’s   obvious   that   the   evolution   of   the   artist   himself,   appearance   of   his   new   works will demand the constant attention of the researchers interested in this subject and having in this case possibility to work  with  art  being  created  in  “real-time  mode”, which gives them possibility to get the material first hand. Finally, the deeper and more detailed investigation of intertextual links, only primarily researched in this work is also the perspective way of the  subject’s  development.  

"It is better to eat dog shit than go to court" . . . traditional Thai axiom

Syvain Sylvain with Jerome Alexandre and Gary Powell at the 100 Club Wed 25th July

THE EVENT, SUPPORTED BY "THE BEARS" AND "THE DUAL"

DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

Trippy Animation

notes discovered in Paris laundry basket - author and subject unknown

oh how those carefully crafted serenades evocative sorcery by word and song and false virtue even split fairly the last bag (found its way there from a sweaty hoisery sole off the eurostar; this i have found being the best way to safely transport it) - oh the lengths one man will go to, to get his end away - oh how this dark deed keeps a record on my memory and what started off a supposed (seven year crotch itch issue) resolved with three brief teenage thrusts of that surprisingly and now most annoyingly toned behind can now be to me so very unresolved it then is: weighing me down and thrilling me like the touch of a rapist enlightened. OH PLEASE GET OUT OF MY HEAD i don"t want the summersaults you now bring 

Is that your pleasure by the way, I would like to know? brief kick thrills false promise followed? As you wile away the days crystalized powder jaunts ongoing constantly like the feed is visits from daddyyouknowwho-: throwin out that chang machine! sad and dressed up to me somehow its the fake snow churning spurting out at a disneyworld florida white californian style christmas (all for a price) that comes to mind so of course he will listen (smiling and a nodding bell boy hand held open for the tip sucking you dry like stephenstreet and management fees) when you spurt like a fool you purport "she's crazy'" gesturing through the gap in the door with the handle broken on the side of your bedroom where I lie waking wet warm stain between the legs reminding me  of your evening handiwork a climax after all these years - stark realisation as my ears prick to the sound of him as I am verbally violated in the next room - more teenage style tugs of the insides ensue this time its rupturing and I could do with an ambulance back to the soft throws and folds of a broad irish mancunian let him toss my feathers - in whose very arms I now lie guilt-Ohrwurm-sight of the mind ensuing.

'I'm happy' he says at one point transfixed on creating from the digging deep of a dinger into mottled dirty skin a previous non blemish lo and behold before you know i return from the outside it its two hours later such has this bore hole of conjealed bloody matter held your freebase chopped and changed altered ego so... that... red ink trickle smudgeings running down the kneecap joining the welcome party below: cracked parque floor broken glass tobacco ash dirty strips of crumpled cling wrap winding under and over and between and who knows what other drug detritus lies collected there...time flies when you are having your fun.

oh how the devil did make light work for my idle hands...i maybe a girl in a dirty skirt damn me though for still i willingly guiltily and this time unpaid popped my own femimine opaque digitts in carbonfingernailed sweaty briefs for a fumble in the growth and pulled them off with my teeth and i will never live it down. Those drug addled swimmers released without warning making their way through me still now are too stoned I hope for any comeback? I know it be your mission to populate the girls of the world with your stain seed. Not me not me not ME and jus incase you haven't realised from reading this I'm kicking myself for being sucker punched and injected with your goods in the first place (well, as much as for a brief moment I did enjoy the ripped frilly knickers and restraint and accompanying teasing kiss - that bit is right up my street, but considering the act you laid on me beforehand I guess this bit was a falsified passion also). 

I had indulged a sour mood and the bitterness of my assault ...

...elicited the immediate and concerned intimate note of sweetness and concern, mention of Iggy Pop giving him some squid, "sometimes I get para - thought it was poisoned" ... about the band, how everyones pleased with the new album's material, first release for 6 years. Babyshambles have been rehearsing non stop.
So, my lashing out verbally produced the desired contrition. He never usually asks whatever the favour is, or else its 2 or 3 words that's it. And here I've been regaled with a  chatty account of an incident onstage with Iggster. (I'm the Ro'ster, Boyd's the Boydster. Its the in-house banter, group semantics a sweet and subtle but determined control system) ... But it's meaningless - nothing's changed.

My new alter-ego is MayorKovsky.

High command p.c.revolutional inner circle. The economics of the p.c.rev speak loudly of its continued  survival.. It is a system by which the whole world can rise up and ignore governments and the unsustainable economics that are destroying the planet.
The pc rev is very simple, it means dont let them put a number on you, turn it all around so that it becomes your identifying code along with name and rank.

E1 lies to the East of the City of London and its western border hugs the old city wall, apart from a protruding "worm" along Brick Lane, Redchurch st and Shoreditch High st up to the junctions of Old st, Kingsland and Hackney road; its northern boundary is the railway line parallel with Cheshire st and its Eastern border the Canal from Mile End Southwards. E1 extends into the centre of the River thames so that it includes a half portion of that part of the Pool of London.
So its an appoximate square defined by the city wall, railway, canal and river.



The post-code system began in Britain in the 1920s/30s as a means of organisation for the postal service so that mail could be delivered within walking, cycling distance of a Post Office. It provided a human scale within the sprawling cities for the convenience of the Royal Mail (G.P.O) and the public. Gradually it became a convenient means for sociological survey such as Mass Observation.

In the 1980s without the consulting or consent of the public the Royal Mail was privatised and sold off together with lists of data on the population to be used generally as raw material for the analysis and targeting of consumers. What limits or control there is over this information the degree to which it has expanded in scope and volume is anybodies guess. The accumulated fruit of decades of incremental data-mining has mind-boggling potential for undesired usage and it is a highly marketable resource. In the late 1980's I requested a map of my post-code E1 from my local post office and was told that I would have to pay £55.00 from a company called Multi-map. More recently I learned that the current owner is founder of Microsoft Bill Gates and we know from recent revelations what he has been doing with it! What are you worth? How can you be used? What's your demographic? Your income bracket, consumer profile, meat for predators. Information for sale about you. How is this information managed? This is what post-codes/zipcodes are all about. Your set of characters and figures are the key to a system of information -  through which corporate entities, government agencies, intrusive, aquisitive exploitative sifters, weighers and graders assess your worth and deduce strategy for your economic evisceration. (at the very least)

So the P.C.Revolution is at the moment an idea, a proposal that we think of ourselves not as economic and political subjects but active participants in our society and the post-codes as constituencies through which we can identify, communicate, organise and manage our collective lives. It is a matter of almost universal concern that our Post Offices are disappearing and with them a final node in our communal matrix. Those far-flung rural communities which work together to buy and preserve these important facilities will be at an advantage in the advancing age of government of Big Data (and this is what David Cameron means by Big Society).

Power we know corrupts, it also tends towards monopolisation until we have one big power company or a cartel between members of which and government our best interests are decided. Governments dislike regionalism because its awkward and demands a voice so gradually from the sale of council housing to weaken local government to the closure of independent newspapers and now post offices diversity is vanishing.

How long will it be before it is no longer possible to send and receive hand-written letters? Post-codes are embedded in our infra-structure and too well established to be altered. They provide us with an identity of sorts with which we have an opportunity to ally with our neighbours and actively establish for ourselves genuine communities based on our bonds of proximity and to take advantage of this excusive advantage engaging in all kinds of ways to improve our environment, exploit local resources.

Information technology ends the necessity for absolute central rule. Where local issues are concerned local voices should be heard.

SEIZE YOUR POST-CODE!

Collected Poetry and Prose "13 Knots" by NINA ANTONIA

Nina Antonia has published a new collection of poetry and prose entitled "13 Knots"

(TBMr Records) and Peter Doherty gave selections from it an airing at his Camden emporium last week

PETER DOHERTY READ EXCERPTS FROM NINA'S BOOK IN CAMDEN LAST WEEK