Failure of Theory

Failure of Theory is a collaborative art series focusing on the shape-shifting idea of consciousness.  Paintings, fiction, sculpture, essays and collage are included in this meta-gallery alongside animated video versions of each text.

The artists participating on the project: Michael Jones, Adrienne Pike Adelphia, Jeremy Johnson, Diego Johnson, Brian Jones and Eric M Martin.

The gallery is arranged to match each artwork with a piece of writing – listed on the sidebar to the right. To watch the animated version of each text, go to the Animated Fiction page.

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A little more about the project: The Fascination is Simple.

Consciousness. A strange concept. We don’t know the what, the where or the how of it, yet our lives rely on it. We heap so many assumptions on consciousness…a thing local and localizing yet nebulous and utterly abstract.

We believe in an idea of self, we are driven by a self notion, but we don’t really know how it works. Where is the consciousness in you taking place? Where is your self and what are its constituent parts? How does that most integral of abstractions come to believe in theories on life and death, and the nature of its own existence?

The maddening ellusiveness of these concepts is central to the works on Failure of Theory, and they appear fully clothed in all their maddness – a collage of experiments in expression.

Presented here: Eight works of art, seven works of fiction and one essay. All peeking into the conjectural space of self-hood.

Each work appearing on Failure of Theory is presented (usually in full) as an Xtranormal animation as well as in text form with the art work at the top.

The intent is a conversational one: “Here are some thoughts on consciousness, self-hood and the lot.”

You have thought these thoughts too. You will have thought them, anyway, by the time you are done.

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the Artists

adrienne pike adelphia is a sculptor, painter and glass-artist living in the Illinois River Valley. A member of the Chicago Arts Coalition and the Ottawa Arts League, pike adelphia has shown her work in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Southern California.

Find more of adrienne pike-adelphia’s work here: Adrienne Pike Fine Art.

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diego johnson is a painter living in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Johnson has participated in mural projects and public arts works in Philadelphia and Punta del Este, Uruguay and his paintings have been shown in galleries in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and New York.

Find more of diego johnson’s work here: Diego Johnson.

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jeremy johnson is a painter living in the Illinois River Valley in central Illinois.

Find more work by jeremy johnson here: Inside My Mind.

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michael jones is an abstract artist living in the high desert of Southern California. jones has shown at numerous venues across the Los Angeles area including the Pancakes & Booze exhibition in 2011.

Find more work from michael jones here: Michael Jones Art.

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brian jones is a writer living in the Illinois River Valley, currently working on a fiction series titled “Middling”.

Find more work from brian jones here:  The Fabulous Confessor.

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eric m martin is an artist, playwright and fiction writer. His work has appeared in Hard Times, Rokoko, The Open Doors Zine and on stage.

Find more work from eric m martin here: House of Water.