r a k e t a
Proposal # 2
Raketa Gold - Everything matters ( December 30th, 2005 )
What matters to you?
Everything matters.
Even stickers, that "ok-stamp"
that very personal way to be unpersonal?
Ever tried it!
Raketa Gold attacks gently
Invades the city with gold stickers,
Like medals rained onto the thoroughfares
Medals stamped out
on the street
on things,
on houses,
on lamps,
on restaurants
on sunset boulevard
on hollywood boulevard
on silverlake boulevard
in neutra’s house
in wrights’s house
in that city of golden angels
which we all know takes over our imagination
chandler in the hills
kerouac on the road
Ever tried it!
Something, anything
that can mean something else
if but for a moment
before the drive by, roll by, slow bye bye
of that dream of all cities
air conditioned to the only future we have
Ever tried it
Go gold
put a sticker on your favourite place
thing
house
friend
shop
recommend angels and street corners
recommend anonymity until you recognise it
become your own city guide
the golden guide
the statuette
the oscar of stickers plastered
until the city glistens
from those who get to know each other
that haven’t had a chance
until the city glistens
from places that had no friends until
they were tagged
until the city glistens
from the invisible events
that always mean something more than we think
until the city glistens
from the children that label their first time
for it to remain their first time
for it all to become memory
Everything matters
Ever tried it?
Ever forgotten it?
Ever protested against the light?
Ever seen a mountain that is not a mountain
in swedish fjäll, not berg
a portable moving stage,
a fold-up-and-around stage
on the back of a pick up
a room to go around
where everything matters
Ever tried it?
where the last century is reduced
to 2 minute lectures
from the back of the pick up
where architecture is involuntary
until you decide when it is not
where the pick up arrives at LAX
collects the visitor
and sees the gold orbs guiding
everyone into the city
where everything matters
and everything is matter.
Ever tried it?
raketa Gold
raketa recommends in L:A
a raketa fanzine ….
then the rockets returns...
the mountain folds up.
the visitor leaves the city
and we all call on the angels once more
to resist what we should never call
poetry in the first place.
RC/Raketa 21.12.2005
Proposal # 1
r a k e t a Institute organizes the course ‘Everything Matters’ as a part of the project ‘Civic Matters, does it?’ (November 8th, 2005)
Course guide:
2 weeks full time studies in Los Angeles in January, 2006.
Purpose
The main purpose of this course is the same as for the overall project ‘Civic Matters, does it?’; - to research and understand an urban and social situation in a post-modern city such as Los Angeles.
The project ‘Civic Matters, does it?’, which this course is a part of, aims to examine problems and issues that face the city. The project will focus on politics surrounding public space; where they are located, who they are designed for, as well as problems related to social structures and public services. (Quote from the project description.)
Goal
After course completion, the student will be expected to have;
- learned more about Los Angeles, on both a theoretical and practical level, and be able to pinpoint opportunities and problems when dealing with public spaces in Los Angeles.
- gained an understanding for the complexity of a city like Los Angeles and bring back this insight to his/hers hometown and/or to next project
- established a network of possible partners to collaborate with in forthcoming exchange projects
- developed further questions dealing with urban life, communication and the human being. How to live and work together?
These goals will be achieved by students that take part in the majority of the scheduled sessions. Other students that choose to only take part in some of the sessions will obviously achieve less.
Content
The course will run for two weeks and offer lectures, labs, workshops, expeditions etc.
The specific themes raised and discussed within the course are;
- Meting places; physical meeting places (parks, bars, streets, beaches) and virtual meeting places (game worlds, virtual worlds, digital media). Where do people meet and get engaged in each other? How do you move from place to place? European vs Californian view on meeting places and where to expect to really meet someone?
- Architecture; how is the room being shaped and looked upon by architects that work in a city like LA? How has technology influenced architecture - thinking about LA as being one big producer of digital media? Or is it really? Where does the discussion about architecture and its role proceed in LA? And what does it say? Hollywood stories?
- Reality vs fiction; does Beverly Hill really exists or is it something we have only seen on TV? What are the true
- Does beach life exist in the reality? And how does it feel to walk on Venice beach? Are the beaches the parks of Los Angeles?
- Where do you go to relax, contemplate and meet yourself?
- Is there one room or place where you can meet anyone?
- How does it sound in LA?
- Where is the mountain ?
- How does it feel to take a drink in a home with a veranda by the sea at sunset ? does it feel like in a movie – or like real life ??
- Where is the best place to study the stars in the night ?
- What do people dream about in L.A ?
- Take us to the most happy place !
- Who was first ? & where ????
- Are you afraid about the end ?
Schedule
The schedule will be published in the beginning of January at www.raketa.nu and after that be constantly updated during the period of the course.
Course form -explorative kind. How the course sessions are b
The form of this course is of a process based-collaborative being executed is depended on what question that is being explored.
The course sessions could consist of lectures, labs, workshops, expeditions etc. One example might be to set up an outdoor projection pointed at specific space to explore a certain issue. Another example might be to investigate the transportation system and city structure by catching the bus from South to North. A third example might be to take part in a talk about a specific theme given by an invited guest.
How to apply
The course is free of charge and open for all people that are interested in finding out more about Los Angeles and the posed questions above.
Send you application to: info@raketa.nu with the following information;
NAME:
FAVOURITE ROOM:
FAVOURITE PERSON:
FAVOURITE WORD:
FAVOURITE EVERY DAY HERO:
YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS:
DATES THAT YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE:
Unfortunately we cannot assist any students from outer Los Angeles areas with any kind of travelling aid or accommodation.
Last minutes drop-in students are also most welcome.
Criteria for course completion
Attendance to at least one of the scheduled activities.
Exam
The students are being examined through out the course after every session. In the end of the course some of the course material and participating students will be presented at Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions.
Grading
A: excellent
B: very good
C: good
D: satisfactory
F: fail
All participating students will be given an A and a fine r a k e t a Institute Diploma for taking part in the course ‘Everything Matters’. All contributions matters.
Literature/references
A full literature list will be presented in January.
r a k e t a (editor) (2005). Book of Questions. Stockholm. r a k e t a Press publication.
Civic matters, does it? Welcome package
Everything Matters
Tuesday, November 8th, 2005