31 Dreams from 31 Dreamers

2009 promises many things. The earth promises to rotate on its axis 365¼ times—the same number of times that it rotated on its axis in 2008. The sun promises to allow the earth to complete another revolution around it over a similar period of time. The moon promises to remain in its orbit, circumnavigating the earth every 27.2 days, repeating its cycle of lunar phases (from our perspective here on Earth) every 29.5 days. All this amounts to the promise of 365 days haphazardly organized into 12 months. Many humans have promised that the first of these months shall contain 31 of these days and that this premiere month shall be known to us in the English-speaking world as "January." And this January promises another thing: an annual tradition called "FUN-A-DAY."

FUN-A-DAY takes the concept of the New Year's Resolution —the promise that we make ourselves at the onset of a new calendar year—and turns it into, well, fun. What exactly is fun? In the notions of many who take part in FUN-A-DAY, fun is art, or, perhaps, art is fun. Therefore it stands to reason that when we make art, we make fun. Even those who try to make something fun that is not art end up making their fun into art through its processes of deliberation, execution, documentation and exhibition. One friend of mine flossed her teeth everyday for the first FUN-A-DAY in 2005. Is that art? Some may argue that that flossing one's teeth is not even fun. My friend decided that it was fun, and so she flossed and she took a photo of herself flossing each day. After 31 days that yielded 31 photographs of 31 flosses, she created an accordion-style montage of the series (see picture), which fit, naturally, into the now-empty dental floss case. Opening the case I was treated to an experience that was, well, fun, to say the least. And then I went home and flossed my teeth, thinking fondly of my friend, which was fun too.

For the 2nd Annual FUN-A-DAY show in 2006, I dreamt a dream each day, woke up, put the dream into words and pictures and offered an analysis of what the dream meant. 31 dreams, dreamt by 1 dreamer. That was fun. Other people often come to me with their dreams, putting them into words and pictures for me, and then ask for an analysis of what their dreams mean. This is even more fun because there are 2 of us engaged in conversation about the dream. So for this year's FUN-A-DAY I'll be collecting 31 dreams from 31 dreamers and offering an analysis of each. The dreams will be posted here as well as at the 5th Annual FUN-A-DAY show in Philadelphia. Anyone (this means you) is welcome to send in a dream so long as it is understood that these dreams will be subject to public scrutiny, discourse and analysis from me and anyone reading this blog or attending the FUN-A-DAY exhibition. The lucky 31 Dreamers will receive a limited edition bound collection of the 31 Dreams, as well as notoriety and infamy for their innermost subconscious thoughts. Won't that be fun?

For more information on FUN-A-DAY, please visit the ArtClash website.