A bar in new brunswick, nj
Originally uploaded by blind sam.

Some bars have a strange mixed clientele which exist like some kind of proof that different micro-cultures of people can get along just fine (assuming they have a beer or two in them or somewhere quite near them). Other bars like to test the limits of this thesis, such as the bar I was in last night in new brunswick, home of rutgers university and bugger all else.

The demographic was a pretty traditional mix of 'townies' and students. The experiment began with something called bumfight, which is one of those shows where hand held video cameras are giving to lunatics who do sports involving boards/damage themselves/damage other people. This show belongs to the latter category, which is probably the most nefarious. It largely consists of people picking fights in the street, mostly ganging up on people, occasionally cat fights.

This was playing in the bar and the townies were lapping it up, whilst playing pool discussing what they would do if someone jumped them (only defensive of course, maintains the righteousness of the fight) and so on. They are of course doing this whilst drinking enthusiastically and the little alcohol demons are spreading just great thoughts about their invinsibility and how fuggin obnoxious students are. This of course may not be true, but historically it does go that way on occasions. Or it has done in the life of most guy's that i've known.

Fortunately nothing did happen, so the social maintained itself but as a recipe for a 'bumfight' it was perfect: instructional video; inspirational drinks; and, the principle of sufficient reason embodied in the student population.

On the plus side, I got to shoot a fair amount, 'cus it was kind of interesting. Unfortunately, I was drinking a fair amount and the shooting conditions were a little difficult and so I didn't get many shots worthwhile.

I mentioned art in the title. I was down in NB to see the Rutger's MFA show for 2005. It was not great. The materials were mostly sterile, there was little of anybody's life in the work - and I don't mean autobiography, I mean personal conviction and vitality. There was some by-the-book critical thinking, and ciritcal thinking is mostly what rutger's is known for instilling in its art students, but little of the politics that I often associate with it, when the times are primed for critical politics in art.