Monday, December 17, 2012

WE WILL SHIT
Therefore We are Shit

Kofi Fosu Forson

Life makes sense. It does.

Given trends more so focused on culture and politics we are able to access who we are where we come from and where we are going.

I am not one for world politics be it division of Republicans and Democrats in the United States, Congress, Senators or practice of law and government.

Growing up in New York I was aware of both mayor and governor and went as far as to follow local politics. The charisma of Mayor Edward Koch and the importance of Mayor Dinkins as the first black Mayor made New York an important place to be. Mayor Guliani's police state nulled and voided what was a free form celebratory environment. Gentrification has now cleared the city of what was art replaced by technology and money.

Matters involving sex and violence were highly politicized in art during the late 80's to 90's. Early smut pornographers like Ugly George, Al Goldstein, works by Robert Mapplethorpe, David Wojanoricz, Chris Ofili and Renee Cox were criticized for their subject matter.

Formally Nick Zedd is legend in his incorporation of orgiastically sexual and violent trends in video art. Not much credit will be warranted in Mr Zedd paving the way for what is now internet pornography. His was art official in its sense which promoted themes of politics, government, sex and gender. But there was a sense of poetry in the sexual and violent subject matter.

Much as we evolved to the point of gender division in a post post feminist society, the emotional crash depicted in Zedd's videos became implemented in society as women and men fought to accentuate their power and principles.

In Nick Zedd's videos these matters of angst were played out in violent game play sadomasochistic with irony. These elements were matters of push and shove cradling the beast of love and death.

Where we are now is a world where men lack conviction much as women lack aura. The word on the street is that the male acquires role of "meat head" tough talking arrogant emotionally violent thug who accompanies "slut" woman with little self respect leads with her pubis as weapon willing to "sell her ass" not for sex but thrills.

In contrast  there are those who are causian male of money and some education who promote charm and wealth. To them they walk the line of class and smut. These are levels of men who walk the streets now, white male arrogant and entitled disrespectful without concern.

Young women roam the streets having replaced roles traditionally played by women. On a giving Saturday night groups of these woman walk the streets. One is lead to think they are legal drink and engage in sexual activities but it isn't clear.

These groups of people are the ones affected by technology and social media. We are now at an age where the internet is no longer a new thing. A person either uses it to their advantage or seperates it from their day to day lives.

Sex on the internet has brought about a sense of delusion and dillusionment.

The virtual world is a space a lot of ideas travel through. They are based on the psyche, fears, sexual desires and hate manifested through a will, means of haunting or harboring on a person's weakness.

These behaviors such as willing defecation on a person or urination are circumstances driven from a self hate and anger.

We will shit. Therefore we are shit.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012


Elitism in Art Fashion Music Sex
Language and Cultural Expansion

Kofi Fosu Forson

Language has always belonged to the elite. Now that the world is expanding... Elitism is a self defeatist proposition.

F Scott Fitzgerald for me was a passage way into the future. It brought an awareness in literature much the way bebop did for music. Our world experienced a transatlantic interaction based on conscience. Intellectual light traveled faster based on the populace seeking knowledge and diversity in these works of literature. There was a stark honesty and beauty that fell from these pages into their minds. 

The carry over was quite amazing as American authors of this time encouraged such a brilliant use of language as seen in novels by Hemingway and Faulkner. 

Those who followed whether Henry Miller, Norman Mailer or William Burroughs and The Beat Generation were driven by their egos. This had a lot to do with marketing of pop culture idols and Hollywood marquee stars. Works of literature at this time was also influenced by sex and drugs.

Marketing of poets such as Allen Gingsburg Robert Lowell and Wallace Stevens brought a sense of human experience to  literature. Time when a cause and concern was more revolutionary. Therefore these words written were academic but took on a tone of lessons from the human condition. 

They became exemplary in what followed from photography to music fashion art and sex. Life on the street influenced much of what was being said in boardrooms offices and art galleries. 

As far as women and photography there was Diane Arbus and later with Nan Goldin. The energy driven from these works of art were examples of a street conscience which became the hip hop culture and late 70's to 80's cable porn where pornographers like Al Goldstein and UGLY GEORGE more so than Larry Flynt were encouraging the word "smut."

The 90's as a HOT Decade brought a sense of disillusionment much of this perhaps was taken from rediscovery of heroin as a recreational drug, post AIDS orgiastic euphoria, gangsta violence, death of celebrated artists as author Kathy Acker and rocker Kurt Cobain. This decade also provided us with a post feminist movement in writers like Camille Paglia Naomi Wolfe. 

Jenny Shimizu spearheaded the androgyny/lesbian model movement which changed the world. Fetish photography was big at this point. Transcended the element of high fashion with an underground sense of sexual behavior relating back to Masoch's Venus in Furs. This for the most part was pre internet porn.

Internet porn was a combustion which still to this day doesn't make sense. But culturally it gives the people what they want. 

Elitism and academia was a form of abstraction. Keep cultures confined. Through time we have experienced an expansion. How do we safeguard intellect from brutality. 

The 90's were about a heightened conscience which paved way for technology.

We don't think for ourselves it seems.

We just react.

Friday, November 16, 2012


The New Now
Why and What if People Never Made Art

Kofi Fosu Forson

Art has been a part of my ideology and lineage seeing that my mother's side of the family The Telfers are extraordinary in their talent from music to theater and painting to the culinary arts. My father a well served journalist met my mother while she was a corporate writer. Certainly my writing ability stems from my mother and father.

Displacement is a word I have had to keep close to my conscience although I became aware of it and its relevance when I collaborated with Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney artist and philosopher from England on a project called Gender Space Art and Architecture where I worked in a virtual setting with another displaced artist living in England while I resided in New York.

This enduring process helped me understand much about my lineage and yes displacement from Accra,  Ghana as my mother moved me and my brothers here to New York when I was ten. I have memories of Ghana but I don't own any center or relevance to the country in terms of philosophy or politics of language.
The project includes a video recording where I talk about this deficiency. Overall the project helped me come to an understanding that I am not rooted in many things central to what many do. Yes there are many displaced artists from different places around the world. Seemingly our experiences are similar. The differences becomes the innateness of my background reaching further into my Dutch lineage, thereby making it clear to me my virtual interaction with Miss Sweeney which dealt with many of this a subject makes a person unique given his or her relevance to others in life art, sex and politics.

Circumstantially I was never well received by the African Americans when I first moved to New York. Their immediate reaction was that I was different. They continued to pick on this fact. Those who were kind enough to express a friendship were Puerto Ricans, Whites and Black Americans who liked me for who I seemed to be. Further on in life Black Americans never became true friends of mine. Our relationships were artificial. Memories of highschool where I started a friendship with a black girl embarrassed myself one afternoon when I walked by too nervous to talk as her friends taunted me. At this point in my life my classmates were listening to early rap I listened to New Wave so there was always a division.

Post Basquiat the art world music as well was culturally and politically different. Blacks who were knowing of Basquiat did so for artificial reasons just as Warhol brought an artificial element to art. I have seen some of these black artists recently and from the past decade or so. Clear to me many of them are in it for the fame but on a neutral ground the attention amount of money and attraction from women. Many of them approach it as make art get money get laid. It is not clear to me what levels of philosophy these black artists bring to their art. Well understood that they are educated and articulate cleverly, it always comes across to me or at least they give off an impression of having had a street cultural background. The word "street" quote/unquote.

Interesting in this Obama second term to come art world how we see the privileged bandy about from galleries to parties without a clever or particular conscience of who they are and what they are doing. Seemingly the cult or persona of the person seems to be lost. It is not clear to me why people make art if not for making appearances.




Friday, November 09, 2012

Me with Brooklyn raised New York City artist Dianne Bowen.




 Film Still : Steven Lane

Please click on the following link for my interview with New York City, Queens raised muralist, painter, and writer Gregory de la Haba.

http://whitehotmagazine.com/articles/with-gregory-de-la-haba/2560

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Thursday, August 30, 2012

John Lurie, There is a Caveman in My Apartment

Second Part of my interview with musician, composer, painter, actor and all around cool guy John Lurie for Whitehot Magazine. Please click on the following to link onto interview.

http://whitehotmagazine.com/articles/john-lurie-discussion-part-2/2268

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Wednesday, August 15, 2012



I became aware of Nick Zedd in his early collaborations with Richard Kern. Zedd coined the term Cinema of Transgression, poignantly tragic, aggressive and violent yet beautifully dark and shocking portrayals of urban sexuality and revolt. Please click on the link to find the interview in Whitehot Magazine.

http://whitehotmagazine.com/articles/with-nick-zedd-monica-casanova/2427
ROBERTA ORLANDI Hollywood Actress




Saturday, August 04, 2012

Saturday, June 16, 2012


Homo Eros/ Fetishism
Prison and Modern Culture

Kofi Fosu Forson

Elements of art and literature that precludes the current fascination of homoeroticism in society Masoch's Venus in Furs, Marquis de Sade, Fleur du Mal (Flowers of Evil) Antonin Artaud, Jean Cocteau, Roland Barthes among other facets of modern French philosophy and aestheticism.

In popular music and rock and roll Alice Cooper introduced transvesticism and theater. This had a past in what front men like Elvis Presley and Jim Morrisson were only it included staged sexual acts. The idea of sexuality transferred from private clubs as well as homes into the general public was the beginning of what became overt sexuality expressed through fashion, music and pop culture.

The first album by Velvet Underground broke ground in its handling of sexual subject matter. Andy Warhol as manager of the band used the band members mostly singer Nico as muse. His work with Velvet Underground set the parameters of what was to later come in his career.

Rock and roll was singularly reason why orgiastic and hedonistic behavior in connection with drinking and sex has permeated society since the 50's. Much can be said for jazz and drugs as well or even opium among writers.

Writers and Artists who were known as homosexuals Francis Bacon or James Baldwin never overtly wore their sexuality on their sleeve, Truman Capote exhibited a sense of flamboyance but his elegance and charm won out.

Disco of the 70's particularly Studio 54 caused many to quote/unquote come out of the closet. The notion of Hollywood actors as gay was not the same reaching more or less a "shock" status. Warhol's evolution gave many chances to be free to live out their sexuality from homosexuals to transsexuals.

Combination of sex and drug orgies quickly brought about the reality of A.I.D.S. Mondo New York was a movie which made public the burgeoning art culture area of downtown New York. Many of these artists were influential on what has become modern sexual behavior. Names like Karen Finley, Nick Zedd and Richard Kern will live on forever.

Bachelors were first given a forum for sex with Playboy. Since then many adult magazines have been published. Home Box Office among many channels introduced adult programming but Public Access channels took it step further and featured highly erotic, provocative and pornographic shows. This was the origin of internet porn.

Barely Legal movement of the 90's begot heroin chique fashion and fetish photography. Photographers as Terry Richardson and Steve Diet Godde encouraged photographs of eroticized young women. Dave Naz and Richard Kern have perfected the art form. Richardson has taken it further as a highly sort after fashion photographer.

A friend of mine once posed the question "What does all this sex on the internet mean. What will become of it". Since the early 2000's many have been introduced to many different sex websites. A counselor once said in the late 90's when a person turns on a computer the first thing they do is log on to a sex site.

Fetish may not have the aesthetics of Masoch or philosophy of Roland Barthes. Much of fetish on the internet overtime has lost meaning as what was alarming in fecal behavior is now silly and stupid.

Perhaps reason for homoeroticism pervading society is the implement of prison culture among men. Young girls becoming lesbian maybe reason as well.

A man bending over to intentionally provoke another man is common. Somehow from personal experience men if not young white men spontaneously cause one to fart. Interpretation was that the scent of it is the cause of arousal. Young black men with their trousers hanging below the hip bone is said to have come from prison culture.

In this world now we are full of asexual, emasculated, butch, lipstick women, homo, transgender and variety of men and women.

Laughably so they carry on in society as discreet as one can be while behind close doors they stay tuned in to their mating rituals and fetish.


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Monday, May 07, 2012


Language is a Blow Up Doll
How Humor has Replaced Hot Hot Heat.

Kofi Fosu Forson

Eros in Antiquity was a book that chronicled drawings about sex from the age of antiquity. As much as these drawings didn't turn me on it peeked my curiosity to see sexual acts between couples or groups of people depicted in such a raw style.

Interestingly and personally it provided for me how people viewed the sex act void of any true emotion. This was expressed in the exposed erect penis entering the female vagina. Idea of erect penis was constant as it exaggerated role of male as ravishing female.

Playboy magazine paved the way for the more gratuitous magazines like Hustler. In Playboy I saw layouts of fantasy sequences. In retrospect I recognize these scenes as fantasies of my own in the present time but back then I didn't understand the relevance of its adult situation in terms of what to do given the scenario with a woman.

The playmates were not so much fantasy girls as it was important to see them naked with their legs parted. Hustler magazine drew me in with its concentration on the exposed labia. Penthouse magazine created allure of playmates being actual girlfriends especially with its publication of letters from the general public.

Adult film actresses in this era pushed the power of feminism. They possessed self authority and not committed to sex acts as today's fuck film stars.

Hyapathia Lee and Vanessa del Rio to name two channeled their sexuality as women of cathartic sexual prowess. They were women not dolls.

What I found interesting about the post A.I.D.S. sexual world was the combination of literature fashion and sex. Kathy Acker as early as the 1980's paved the way for punk literature which depicted an apocalyptic world using strong sexual language. Nan Goldin and Cindy Sherman did the same for me.
In fashion we had Design Porn which include facets of The Barely Legal and BDSM.

It was at this time I became aware of Helmut Newton, Man Ray's fashion photography and fetish photography featuring names like Dave Naz, Steve Godde and Richard Kern.

Fetish photography I found particularly hot. I suppose it was combination of allure tragic beauty at times innocence and more often than not suggestive sexual heat. Fetish photography is not vulgar but stylish and feeds on a particular focus of desire, underwear, rubber, boots. Richard Kern's photography stemming from his legendary New York Girl's book now photographs young women. A master of this is Terry Richardson.

Internet Porn made porno more accessible. After writing about gender and sexual politics I decided against internet porn. Somehow a lot of people in society are attracted to internet porn. Polls reflect this. I find that a new generation of middle Americans are expressing themselves sexually and otherwise based on what they see online and translate whether into their lives or creative lives. Not sure how it's marketed in art but sexuality and how it's interpreted in New York's Williamsburg and Bushwick is hinted not exalted. Whereas in Manhattan it's cutthroat.

Still not certain if art and sexuality reflects the hot hot heat of Newton and Man Ray. Terry Richardson despite being governed by sleaze is amazing. Richard Kern's semi pseudo barely legal photography is controversial. No matter what you think Kern is a great American artist.

Otherwise outside of photography in art and fashion, not sure how language has been preserved as far as sex and art in BDSM, design porn and literature.

I see that perversion, humor and sarcasm are prevalent in art and sex these days.

What is language today I don't know.

What is hot I don't know.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Evolution of The Art Couple
Art as Cuisine / How to eat and still make Art

Kofi Fosu Forson

Evolution for art couples existing in somewhat of a symbiotic relationship or something relevant to art coupling for me began with Pablo Picasso and Dora Maar.

In politics through out history resident political CEO as in president was always backed by a strong independent female representation. Most apparent was JFK and Jacqueline Onassis.

This was also evident in art and literature. Pre eminence of Picasso attracted woman like Dora Maar. She an artist in her own right brought about idea of politics and gender.

At time when literati exuded power most of these dominant personalities and art types gathered in Parisian cafes which in turn glamorized their potential and intellect.

Gradually American artists musicians and writers sought solace among these celebrities. Apparent Godfather of art coupling was Henry Miller along with Anais Nin. Gossip and sexual politics surrounded them. These two themes more often than not build charisma in relationship of most art couples.

50's pop culture paved way for power couples as Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe. Others subjected themselves to allure of rock and roll. But this decade was one which popularized what was coming together of art Svengali and muse.

Best example was Alfred Stieglitz and Georgia Okeefe. Whereas Dora was featured in Picasso's Cubist paintings, Stielglitz brought about Georgia's nakedness in his portraits of her. Picasso and Dora had political power at the time. Stieglitz was more pronounced in world of art. Georgia gained notoriety as Alfred's muse. Something similar to Camille Claudel.

Once again JFK and Jacqueline Onassis were in history best example of power couple. As political couple they certainly had more of a forum for their gossip, glamour and politics.

60's rock and roll culture paved way for "the groupie." Many rock and roll stars were quick to romance many of these groupies.

Elvis Presley and Priscilla and Johnny Cash and June Carter were couples who reached an essence of popularity and stardom beyond what most could imagine.

The term sex, drugs and rock and roll stemmed from orgiastic and free love movement. It brought about idea of musicians and their groupies of choice and musicians in partnership with other musicians in love, sex and romance.

John and Yoko defiantly stand alone.

Andy Warhol's Pop Art seventies fueled by disco and drugs brought about The Super Model. These larger than life models were sought after by legendary musicians like Mick Jagger and Bryan Ferry. Most of these models were shuffled between one musician and next.

Warhol permeated pop culture with this belief all through the 80's. As influence of Wall Street on art, money and sex brought about want need to date models, couples like Basquiat and Suzanne Mallouk emanated from Neo Expressionism as artists be it high or low graffiti inspired, early rap or New Wave, film or dance all found each other.

Barely Legal and Heroin Chic as well as grunge ruled the 1990's.

In our modern day artists think first about survival and shelter. As most of known artists have left downtown area of New York, those making a living here think first about rent.

So called sexual movement still fuses coupling and relationships between artists. Art couples tend to lack allure and pageantry of those before.

What we are now are human beings first.

We exist as artists. We survive not as philosophers or intellectuals.

Art is food. But we need to eat to make art.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012



FUNCTIONALITY of Brain
Shape, Form, Musculature

Kofi Fosu Forson

Brain is muscle. Mind broadens itself based on how well-oiled the brain is.

Most people function linearly within life's various ups and downs. One need not be subjected to emotional break downs and diagnosis to experience how difficult life can be. Difference is for those who have been mired in intervensions from health professionals the life experience takes them psychologically through trials and tribulations which prevents them from living a life based on that linear path from life to death.

People befallen by emotional torture live within shape. They are bound in that shape. This could be rectangular, triangular or circle. There's no path beyond what they know. Much of their experience is enclosed in that quagmire.

What needs happen is an intervension. At times it occurs from the vision of person looking into the situation. Sometimes those experiencing trouble more or less crisis in the circle reach outside.

It is problem which needs an equation such is the trial and tribulations of life. Many are stubborn they are defeated. Ego prevents them from facing life situations head on. Most refrain from counseling evident in physical health and mental health issues as well.

Corporate decisions are based on conference. Brain trusts resolve most of a company's issues. Family settings require an ultimate vocal presence as in the I Id Father perhaps similar to a company's presidents veto.

Parental opinions in the modern day are overridden by a feel for entitlement in those young and arrogant. Nuclear families more or less have imploded caved into the notion of princedom ruled by Harry Potters of the world.

90's Prozac Nation gave way to a variety of movements such as The Emo movement or those made derelict based on drugs and music technology and porno.

Functionality and manifestation of the brain as muscle has been left to those in power politically or those who empower themselves politically as in the OCCUPY WALL STREET movement.

Activism is still current in today's society. There those with conscience whether animal rights, the GREEN movement or the majority of those who champion the cause of tenant rights over ruthless landlords.

The populace overwhelmed by life itself governed by politics of a various nature somehow able to express an inner voice. This stemmed from the availability of the internet over the years.

Bloggers gained notoriety even been called upon to guest on talk shows. However the brilliance of what was a chance to hit back hard at the establishment has been replaced by social websites none of which add strength to the inner voice. These sights more or less give a faux existence.

Having been away from any sense of academia for decade or so it's quite unclear what form education takes in universities and colleges around the world. In an interview with Kyle P. Silvers a student at a college in Green Bay, Wisconson I understood how many of his classmates are overwhelmed by politics more so here in America much less what is happening in other countries.

Circumstances surrounding pop culture and the sense of reality television and virtual reality is order in the day. Signifiers lack authenticity. They range from attempts at toughness as staring at a person directly taking a long drag from a cigarette and blowing out the smoke. This is referred to as "smoking you out."

Machismo is found among blue collar men or those who are described as "meat heads." Siginifiers in the street is only understood by those who know the street. These are men of ethnicity or mature adults who represent the idea of honor and respect.

For a while the streets in New York were full of young well to do white men or even boys who imitate scenes from gangster movies. Idea of masculine white men in New York as seen in legends as Scorsese's Deniro or Lumet's Pacino. Rock and Roll legends as Lou Reed and David Johansen. has been replaced by effeminate to almost asexual young white men.

Its almost comical to see their attempts at what is "street wise." Most of this is seen in those who posture or pose and others young black men who speak what they feel is unique and separate from young white men.

Brain as muscle or the the idea of "genius" is more to be found among young brilliant white men who open up websites or start companies or mothers of young black men who discipline their children with hopes of becoming future OBAMAS.

Thursday, February 02, 2012

Intellectual Male Posturing
Evolution of Man in Modern Society

Kofi Fosu Forson

Standing among friends and colleagues in an area meant for smokers outside a bar with drops of rain falling I mentioned the name NORMAN MAILER.

Norman Mailer has always meant to me a level of cult among 50's American literary culture. I think of Marilyn Monroe and the book Executioner's Song later the novel Tough Guys Don't Dance.

The most remarkable thing about his persona for me was his Jewishness steeped in savvy and extreme wit. He reminded me of Picasso at once a rock solid presence but somehow had eyes that appreciated beauty.

Mailer along with Picasso were two men who exemplified machismo and vulnerability in their respective worlds of art and literature.

Among the Hollywoodized evolution of the masculine male even the truest of gangster types as Edward G Robinson and later James Gagney had a level of brilliant beauty in their posture. They were more than just men they were idols.

Cagney's performance in Guys and Dolls is an example. Where an ultimate macho like Marlon Brando displays a level of brilliance and beauty. In a way the male macho has always been suspected of being a closet effeminate.

Rock Hudson coming out was an understanding of this. Even Brando in The Wild Ones given the subject matter of a motor cycle gang gives off that homo erotic gentle beauty in the style of Brando's character. Tough and arrogant but beautiful.

Nicolas Ray's handling of James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause puts forth the definition of the tough guy macho as wounded and beautiful.

The Black African relevance of this is the Mandigo character. Black masculinity is viewed separate from the white symbol. The black example is rooted in the black male as warrior.

Holloywood lessened that sentiment with buffoonery in those minstrel cartoons. Sidney Poitier would emerge as a solid Hollywood black actor who went on to win an Oscar.

Blaxploitation films depicted a different black macho. The idea of the pimp and drug dealer was more evident.

Shaft a film by Gordon Parks singularly the most brilliant black literary figure of our time promoted the sex appeal of the black male.

Basquiat in the 80's originated the black Neo Expressionist. Bob Thompson before him wasn't quite the rockstar. Jean Michel Basquiat was interesting because he emanated from graffiti culture and yet his association with Warhol cultivated a unique persona.

Hip Hop and RAP Culture was an extension of that 80's art and music culture. Gangsterism followed what then found its relevance in music like Neo Soul.

Since then the black male ideal outside of sports music and politics is unidentifiable.

Historically very few men have exhibited a persona that was macho and not a little reflective and vulnerable. 70's Hollywood men were interesting as they were the most brute in Hollywood history.

The John Waynes of the world. That is why the Rock Hudson revelation was such a shock.

In a song by Steely Dan Donald Fagen sings "I have never met Napoleon. I would like to find the time. Because he looks so fine upon that hill".

PUNK as a go between 70's masculinity and the NEO Expressionism that followed inspired an effeminate nature.

80's male was a combination of both. The likes of Chris Walken and John Malkovich were elegant men who displayed that sense of educated male and bruteness as witnessed in Walken's roles from Deer Hunter to King of New York, a somewhat elegant beauty but masculine.

90's gave way to newfound rock and roll, what was known as grunge. In it you had personas like Trent Reznor and Al Jourgenson display a sense of ultimate self made sexual authority but at the same time express a sense of homo eroticism.

The Metrosexual followed soon thereafter, basically the male expressing femininity to attract women. Much of this led to the propensity of men to fall into the mode of drugs and depression highlighted in what became a combination of heroin overdoses, sadomasochism and suicides.

Kurt Cobain's death defined this generation.

Beginning of the 2000 decade saw movements like Emo culture fused with a generation of post 9/11 children inspired by technology, politics and internet porn as well as digitalized form of music.

As we see it now society is permeated with a disconcerted group of men intellectually depraved removed from the notion of what is man and masculine.

Currently New York a city known for its sense of power and the self made man is divided by the blue collar macho and the effeminate white male.

Men are less driven by thought and are prone to an animalistic sense of the id seen in young men who were Hipsters turned Travis Bickle wannabes and are now young students.

Now New York is more or less a college town.

Men who own seniority are hard working torn between supporting a family and pursuit of independence be it retirement or art.

I sense the idea of power and submission runs rampant in the redefining of sex displayed among Queer Culture, return of sadomasochism and how prison culture and mentality permeates minds of men both young and mature.

Saturday, January 14, 2012



















POSSESSION/ The Virtual Trap

Kofi Fosu Forson

Possession was a novel by A. S. Byatt.

Candidly the refrain from love as a form of possession has always been a sense of undue power over some one.

Much of this is established in sexually political exclusivity in what makes an individual lover. Society establishes an ideology as far as what is expected of both male and female, basically the commercialization of love.

Puritanically speaking nuclear families function basically in uniformity making the family unit circular.

This notion was broken by 60's spiritualism which drove the individual to outer cities in search of love, sex and art or independence perhaps the source of what became "The Rebel," a free spirited demon made celluloid in the movie Easy Rider.

Hitchhikers are known for their renegade sexual behavior. Their sense of caution and safety is thrown to the wind. Sexually they are exhibitionists. Danger attracts them. Pathology as it is involved borders rape or violence.

A man may make eye contact with a woman. Means of attraction takes a second or half second. Intimately signifiers present here are elements of lust and hunger. Much like rapist the male libido is at a high willing to fornicate at will.

Possession is an act be it physical, intellectual or sexual.

Literarily speaking Nabokov's Lolita and Masoch's Venus in Furs achieved all of this with a book.
Text can be pleasurable based on its language.

A reader then draws from its theme, prose and style. The literary dance between the writer and reader expresses an attraction particular to any two intimate personalities found among dancers or two strangers in conversation at party.

Possession in the modern day is virtual. Human connectivity has been replaced by adventures on line. Participation between persons in the communal sense is now found on threads on facebook.
Link therefore is not so much the recognition of skin or comfort in the eyes. One's persona activates a sensation that attracts people to each other.

Photographs, profile pictures, posts and status statements are means of possession, trapping each other into a faux psychological and conscientious world.

Guru David Shade speaks of how when people are making love the entranced and enlightened act as possessiveness is something shared with the world in nature and its people, animals and every living breathing thing.

The lovemaking act is a celebration of life, two or more people channeling spirits, energy, lust, libido.

Orgiastically speaking tantra was commercially introduced to communities around the world. Couples were taught how to achieve enlightenment through sex. It was at a point when gender politics and emergence of the internet and its sexual spam and porno websites crept into our culture.

Virtual voyeurism is the new means of inter connectivity where people on the web even neighbors in households are possessed by each other curious as to personal and private activities beyond the guarded walls.

Possession is now less animal void of flesh. A woman still wants security emotional and physical shelter. She attracts her own kind her human kind.

Intellectually people dont mate. They pretend, cavort among each other as artists but very few represent what is art.

Love is fleeting. I seek it in the moment. Others find it meaninglessly.

People are less of sex. The act has lost its potential for many.

Survival is not sexual or intellectual. It is pragmatic.

In the end virtual reality is possession.

Not money. Not fame.

Thursday, January 05, 2012















Cult of Man/ Exiting the Vaginal Cavity
Making Myth of an Autobiographical Life

Kofi Fosu Forson

Cult of man is myth with which he exists the vaginal cavity. This fate is understood. It can be seen in early photographs of a child. How he presents himself. His sense of style body language and facial expression. Does he look in the camera's eye with confidence. Perhaps he supposes leadership characteristics, beauty of a poet, sadness of a mule.

Cult epitomizes essence of life and death the struggle between. The individual is once at war with himself. The person and individual he supposes as human is at a disadvantage whether by illness, lack of faith or confidence. Thus then begins the struggle of finding who and what this person is.

As Joyce Carol Oates puts it "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"

Circumstances from which the individual seems defeated is almost always societal; sexual or religion based, sometimes both. Role in the family paves the way as whether scapegoat or defiantly heroic. At times the idea of the black sheep becoming legend is almost fateful.

The term black sheep is only befitting if the individual recognizes it as such. Most of the time it's based on the shuffling of egos within the family, mother / father ideology and what roles children play.

They meaning the children are given agenda as first child, middle or last. First borns are those who bear the brunt of much damage within the family. Somehow their lives revolve metaphorically around the family as symbols of failure or success.

At an early age the first born displays signs of what's to be expected, perhaps its his successes as an artist, musician or in the sciences.

Alice Miller's Drama of The Gifted Child explores the genius and how he grows within the family. In so many ways a gifted child is given the freedom to be himself. This can be found in a parent buying the son an instrument. What is brilliant in today's society is how the purchase of a computer gives every child a chance.

Education is exemplary of who the child is as a student.

In Fernanda Eberstadt's Isaac and his Devils, Isaac, a genius student refuses to go out of town to study with other geniuses.

This is foretelling of who the current and modern so called genius is as most young talented children hate competition. In their minds they stand above the rest. This notion of entitlement and greed has pervaded the lives of young men today.

A class environment allows for the young talent to express himself among his peers. If he's a true star he will be noticed for his brilliance given what he's good at. The idea of being tested is crucial. To be removed from society living in a room with a personal computer doesn't present the individual with dimensions. He lives a faux life creating a persona on facebook and other social websites.

As a child I enjoyed a little bit of fame as illustrator doing drawings for students or getting paid a little as an exchange for doing arts and crafts homework for other students. I excelled also as soccer player in highschool where at soccer camp I was confronted by the star athlete after defeating him the year before he swore he was Rocky and I "Mr. T". and how he was going to beat me. I beat him a second time. This was an example of my talent in competition with others.

Among a social circle the young talent explores his myth.

Who is he? Does he possess a persona? What if anything makes him attractive? Why do people like him if at all? Is he envied? Does he have enemies?

I was given several nicknames as a young student. People knew me based on these nicknames. I also wore a scarf to go along with the school uniform of tie and blazer. One professor called me G.Q. I was voted the most likely to write and illustrate a book.

There are trying periods as the individual begins to grow. For starters he is awkward in one way or another. In my case it was girls. I was torn between growing up in Ghana with Ghanaian girls, growing fond of white girls here in grade school and facing the question of what black girls thought of me. One example found me teased and taunted for not knowing how to talk to a black girl.

Early in college I fell for a black girl. After ten years of a long distance relationship I took her virginity. She died a year or so ago as my only black lover.

What then determines my cult if then myth?

I was a star as child. Famous in school for my original persona, idle , alone among the crowd, stylish and as an African who felt comfortable among a white crowd.

A depressive and manic psychosis was my greatest challenge. Within it I developed scenarios of acute sexuality, mother/son issues, lover's triangle stigma, affinity for attracting lesbians and rape victims, contrast of young and mature women.

Obsessiveness over Sam Shepard's myth and plays encouraged my own role as playwright and director. Realm of my theatrical plays explored my depression, mania and sexuality.

I found myself among the Barely Legal generation of the 90's socializing and befriending young men and women. One great affair that decade was an extra marital affair with a highly sought after editor making love to her seemingly in the company of her husband.

My sexual conquests were few but those recorded were legendary, a collection of art muses and models followed by a self induced celibacy.

Neighborhood of Washington Heights proved to be greatest test as I lived among hoodlums, drug dealers and thieves. Four years in cohabitation with a PTSD Vietnam Veteran was well earned. This was the best example of defining my myth and cult, able to test my vernacular among drug addicts, gamblers, street people as well as dialoguing with philosophers in the art world, most notably my legendary relationship with Transvoyeur's Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney.

Life in the East Village has proved a battle with an alcoholic roommate and another a recluse with a crack whore girlfriend. Meanwhile channeling virtual ghosts through the access of facebook. This proved the most unusual battle as I dealt with a young neighbor who interpreted my phantasmagorical love affair and has since been a nuisance attempting means of witchery and demonology.

Hipsters of this generation have viewed me as threat and I have battled with them in the streets. Queer culture has permeated society and much of my adventures in the streets was resisting the usual come on from men. It drew a last straw when a man challenged me to a fight. He didn't persist but I woke up the next day never wanting any one to disrespect me. I have since defined myself as fighter more than lover although I am both.

To all of this I do say I am cult and myth. The "shadow" as Emer Martin calls me.

I possess an ego. It doesn't define me. Life possesses me. I embrace it.

I know fear. I do my best to conquer it. I know love. I have potential to be great lover.

I deserve a biography of this life. I refuse to write an autobiography.