Attention Span 2011 | C.E. Putnam

In September 2010, I relocated to Singapore. So, my attention has been influenced both by my geo-location as well as the financial and physical limits on what I can get my hands on.

 Sam Lohmann, ed. | Peaches and Bats 7 | Peaches and Bats | 2011

“Ten thousands of feet of yellow intestine / uncoil to corral billowing barrels. / 37 hundred yellow barrels of boom.”—Jen Coleman

Phillip Whalen | The Collected Poems of Phillip Whalen | Wesleyan | 2007

“When did the dumb-bunny bomb first hit U.S.A?”

Brendan Lorber , ed. | Lungfull! 19 | Lungfull! | 2011

“To work as a fedayeen artist require that you recuse yourself from society. The term dropout is derogatory—I prefer to think of it as dropping in on the divine within yourself. The bravery of being a fedayeen artist is not in the work you create but in the sacrificial act of turning down the social benefits of jobs, relationships, surfing media, getting overly drunk—even of a successful art career — in order to have more time for ‘indolence and grace.’” —from the Editor’s Editorial.

Clark Coolidge | The Book of During | The Figures | 1991

“Do we piss spice, naming such laps of bulk? Do you potato on a pin snooze? I could like her hair from here. I could light up and press in the belly there, whatever further cancels couched.”

Judith Barndel and Tina Turbeville | Tiger Balm Gardens: A Chinese Billionaire’s Fantasy Environments | Aw Boon Haw Foundation | 1998

“As we understand it, the Chinese are good at creating respites. Centuries of invented gardens have provided escape from a society held together by a rigid social order. The rich always had this escape. What makes the Tiger Balm Gardens different is that they were opened to everyone. It is a novel concept: providing areas of escape to the masses—for free. In the 1930s when these gardens were built, theme parks mere nonexistent. The unlimited resources that went into building these environments make them singular in fantasy environments. Not until the mid-1950s with the advent of Disneyland did anything match them. And Disneyland was far from free.”

Nicolette Yeo | Old Wives’ Tales: Fascinating tales, beliefs and superstitions of Singapore and Malaysia | Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited | 2004

“The Toyol is believed to be a demon child that is kept in a glass jar filled with a special liquid to preserve it. It has the appearance of a deformed overgrown foetus. Rumour has it that its skin is a sickly-green colour.”

“When the Toyol steals from you it leaves behind white ants.”

Leslie Umberger (Author); Erika Doss, Ruth Kohler, and Lisa Stone (Contributors) | Sublime Spaces and Visionary Worlds: Built Environments of Vernacular Artists | Princeton Architectural P | 2007

“Despite the common perception that Wisconsin is among the zanier Midwestern states, known for its nonconformist characters and claiming to be the birthplace of the American circus, artists who edged beyond the standard norms of “yard-improvement projects,” into fervent realms of creativity were often seen as oddballs and eccentrics.”

Chee-Kiong Tong | Chinese Death Rituals in Singapore | RoutledgeCurzon | 2004

“The rituals to rescue ‘bloodied souls’ are similar to those conducted for drowned souls except for two major differences. Unlike many drowning victims, the bodies of persons who die bloody deaths are retrievable. In this sense, it is less dangerous than when the body is lost. Unlike drowning, the main color symbol used in the ritual is not white, but red, symbolizing the release of blood. Thus a red strip of paper is used to cover the bamboo pen. The water is also dyed red to represent the bloody pool. The structure protruding above the bamboo pen is also made of red papier mâché.”

James Higbie and Snea thinsan | Thai Reference Grammar: The Structure of Spoken Thai | Orchid | 2003

“La may also be included to create a pause after bringing up a topic (first sentence), when a situation has changed (second), to express a strong feeling (third), and to soften a command (fourth).”

“Don’t forget to feed the bird, la.”

Amon Tobin | ISAM | Ninja Tune | 2011

A lush chaotic intricately orchestrated dose of fragmented electro beat ambient lightbulb scratching Musique concrete for ears on the head of the future.

Andy Harbutt, dir. | Stone | na | 1974

100% Aussie exploitation counterculture biker flick! “They live in a fortress by the sea.” Some have called it Australia’s “Easy Rider.” Cool soundtrack. Trippy camera work. Features real Sydney Hell’s Angels.

Trailer here.

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More C.E. Putnam here.

Putnam’s Attention Span for 2010, 2009, 2008. Back to 2011 directory.