Invitation to an Opening of Tom Greenbaum's Work in Juried Art Show

My work will be shown in a brand new gallery called the Sante Fe Complex in it's first ever juried show. Wish me luck! I am donating all proceeds to a non-profit organization - but, it sure would be fun if I won. The gallery is in the nearly revived railyard area of Sante Fe. See the invitation attached. It would be great if you came to the opening!

OCCAM'S RAZOR

http://www.sfcomplex.org/occam/

A Show of Art and Technology Collaborating in the same space.

Simple, yet no simpler.

Opening

October 18, 2008

4:00-8:00 PM

at the Santa Fe Complex

632 Agua Fria, Santa Fe, NM 87501

During the opening there will be a live performance of the Smokin' Bachi Taiko (http://smokinbachi.com/) drummers premiering new work written just for the show.

All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best, or so said William Oakham back in the 14th century. Somehow, that became Occam's Razor and set the standard for evaluating scientific explanations and theories. Albert Einstein saw the risk of excessive simplicity, though, and countered by saying, "Things should be as simple as possible but not simpler."

What does that have to do with Santa Fe Complex's first juried art show? It's up to the artists, who can explain their ideas here. We'll be happy with a cabinet of curiosities, a science fair, an art exposition, and a three-ring circus of brilliant and fun interpretations of the wisdom of Messrs. Oakham and Einstein.

My entry consists of a series of six (6) un-mounted prints. They are all 15.00" x 17.39" printed with UV-resistant archival inks on very-heavyweight gloss paper, rated at 100+ years of fade resistance.

• A detailed description of my design concept at: http://www.karmatetra.com/ISDE5/Buckminster_Fuller_Challenge.htm
• A handout describing the project to be distributed at the show: http://www.karmatetra.com/ISDE5/spheriphor_study06.htm#4-Page_Foldout_Presentation
• I also created a colorful button featuring my Spheriphor design to be available at the show: http://www.zazzle.com/spheri_spiral_occams_razor_button-145327584582462169

Artist's Statement:

FULLY TRANSPORTABLE DIGITAL DOME WITH OUTSIDE-IN PROJECTION SYSTEM FOR GEOSCOPE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DATA VISUALIZATION

By Thomas J. Greenbaum

A Buckminster Fuller Challenge 2008 semi-finalist design science solution presented for consideration as an art and technology collaboration for Occam's Razor juried show -- how does this make sense? This is a very complicated title; how does this demonstrate a simple solution? The simple answer is that complexity and simplicity are two sides of the same coin.

My design science solution depicted in six printed images, offers an innovative method for projecting data on a half-sphere (full-dome) Geoscope. My intent is to realize the Geoscope vision of R. Buckminster Fuller as stated in his book Critical Path, "With the Geoscope humanity would be able to recognize formerly invisible patterns and thereby to forecast and plan in vastly greater magnitude than heretofore."

Complexity and simplicity are alternately revealed on a multitude of levels. Macroscopically, planetary issues spanning nations and continents are highly complex. Perhaps Fuller's simple idea of projecting global data on to a large sphere can reveal the solutions. However, now we are faced with the problem of projecting complex multi-dimensional data sets in high-resolution on the convex surface of a large dome. The simple solution is the best one. Geometrically divide and conquer the spherical space. I use geodesic geometry to place off-the-shelf, digital projectors in an omni-symmetrical, outside-in arrangement. Pixels are optimized as well. Swell, but, the problem is not yet solved. How do we transport and set up a multitude of digital projectors precisely arranged about a large dome? Another complex problem which I solve with a simple framework that unfolds using servo motors and a light weight support structure.

Wait. You ask, "Is geospatial data the only thing that can be displayed on this dome?" Glad you asked, because I have some ideas about presenting non-geospatial data on a spherical surface. I call this my Spheriphor, or spherical metaphor. You say, "That is great, but now present all of this in six images." Wow, that is a complex problem. Perhaps, Edward Tufte's concept of "small multiples" can simplify things...

Some Notable Ayn Rand Quotes

I heard the following quote on a recent episode of Criminal Minds television show. I am a big fan of this TV show and a much bigger fan of Ayn Rand. I read Ayn Rands' The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged in college; both books had a big impact on me. It has been a while since I thought about Ayn Rand and so I felt a compulsion to record this excellent quote.

“Reason is not automatic. Those who deny it cannot be conquered by it. Do not count on them. Leave them alone.”

The last two sentences of the quote were not mentioned in the Criminal Minds episode. Of course, the FBI agents would not have much to do if they followed the last bit of advice.
My challenge is to "leave them alone" as Ayn Rand says. Definitely a tough one for me. I am a student of reason and find it frustrating when I encounter someone who denies reason. It is almost a feeling of religious zealotry that grips me. I feel the need to convert the person to a belief in reason. This is especially difficult for me in dealing with my father who I feel often denies reason for the sole purpose of winnning an argument.

“The truth is not for all men, but only for those who seek it.”

Then we come to this quote about truth and the persons who seek it. This tempers my need to convert people to the belief in reason because it is also the path of the truth seeker. Who am I to force someone on the path to seek truth? Truth can only be found by following reason. Therefore, someone who denies reason has no interest in the truth. Do you agree?

What about religious truth? Can this be found using reason? The Buddhists believe this. The seeker applies intellect, logic and reason to the path of truth in order to test all assumptions and relative truths. It is only after exhausting these tools that we come to the end of the path and find the absolute truth which is beyond logic and reason.

Teyata Om Gate Gate Para Gate Para Sohm Gate Bodhi Swaha

This is the great mantra from the "Heart Sutra" also known as the Prajnaparamita Sutra. It means Beyond, Beyond, The Great Beyond, Beyond That Beyond, Awaken, Rejoice!

Ayn Rand reminds us that reason is the source of all great creative acts. Can we include the "highest religious abstraction" among the artifacts of our reason as she states? Some may have a problem with this. I believe this is true, because language itself is a product of reason.

“From the smallest necessity to the highest religious abstraction, from the wheel to the skyscraper, everything we are and everything we have comes from one attribute of man -- the function of his reasoning mind.”

The Buddha says that words [religious abstraction] are but fingers pointing at the moon. They are not the moon itself. The intent is to look at the moon and not focus on the fingers. In this way, the religious abstraction, an artifact of reason, can point to the absolute truth beyond the reasoning mind.

“A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others”

Which brings us to creative compassion, or compassionate creativity. This is the foundation of Ayn Rand's philosophy. The reasoning mind, with its tremendous power to create is motivated by compassion. A wonderful, beautiful and hopeful thought indeed. Something that is needed especially in troubling times when world finance is controlled not by compassionate creative people, but by destructive, anti-creative scammers (anti-truth seekers) motivated by greed.

The Unexpected Power of Overcoming Weakness

Tonight I had a flash of insight into a power that comes from conquering a weakness. This needs to be written down because it is significant. When we overcome a weakness we certainly become stronger, but we also gain something unexpected. A power is granted to us that allows us to see this same weakness in others.

Because we have conquered this weakness in ourselves we know it intimately. We can see the same behavior in others with great clarity. Previously, we might have easily recognized this character flaw or negative trait in others, however, at that time we could not face it without a little shame, or some fear, or embarrassment. So we used to turn away from this reflection, ignore it, tolerate it, or perhaps encourage it. Now that we have fully vanquished this foe in ourselves, when we see others wrestling with their own challenge, we have a completely different view.

It is a compassionate point of view. It is a view that allows us to look at the patten of behavior with full awareness of all the consequences. We see the traps, the pitfalls, the lure of the bait, and we know without a doubt what happens when a human being falls into the trap and takes the bait.

We know that this happens countless times over and over. We know the tremendous difficulty in resisting the trap. The suffering is great, but the lies that we tell ourselves serve to camouflage the suffering. In this way we hide the traps as soon as we discover them. In this way we encounter the same traps and the same suffering over and over again.

However, now we are masters of that trail. Our eyes can see all the signs of danger; we can avoid the traps and snares without effort. We no longer deceive our self in regards to the suffering. The truth of the suffering is the First Noble Truth. The nature of the deception is the origin of the suffering. This is the Second Noble Truth.

We also know that this gifted sight that we have gained does not come cheaply. It is not obtained easily and without effort. Therefore, this compassionate view understands that overcoming weakness and suffering cannot be granted by an external force. Although we now have the compassionate view we cannot verbally convince others to abandon their negative behavior. We cannot draw a diagram that spontaneously allows them to know all of the self-deceptions and gain the vision of freedom. Every one must fight the good fight for themselves.

Intellectually knowing that weakness can be overcome and that there is an end to suffering is a wonderful gift. The paradox is that we really don't truly believe this until we realize it for ourselves. Hope and faith increase steadily when realization arises from conquering one small weakness and then another. This is the power of prayer and meditation and spiritual practice.

After some long and persistent effort, when we reach the summit as conqueror of a major weakness we gain the vision which is the unexpected power of overcoming weakness. We obtain the realization of the cessation of suffering and we become awake to the Third Noble Truth.

Now we truly know that our journey had merit. There is no nobler path. The compassionate view is the ultimate strength and power. The ability to look at weakness and its consequence without fear is our greatest strength. There is no pity and no judgement, because we know the path from weakness and suffering to conqueror and freedom is a journey that we all must take on our own, and in our own way. This is the Fourth Noble Truth.

Om Mani Padme Hum
Karma Lodro Gyaltsen

Do You Believe In Ghosts?

I believe in spirits and other paranormal stuff. I have had several very real encounters with spirits. Here is one story of an encounter that I had.

When I was married to my first wife I became very active with Tibetan Buddhism. I co-founded a Buddhist center in Albuquerque back in 1984 which still exists today. I donated some money with several friends and we bought a small house in the North Valley of Albuquerque. On this property was a detached garage. The garage had an extension that was a shop built by the original owner. We worked hard and converted the garage/shop into a Buddhist temple.

The house in the front of the property was rented by a member of the group. The tenant worked for an insurance company. She also was a Buddhist and a spiritualist. She claimed to have psychic abilities and she was very talented in reading Tarot.

We had many high lamas visit and give teachings and empowerments. We transformed that property into a thriving Buddhist center. It was an exciting time.

After I divorced I decided to concentrate on my meditation practice and move into the garage/temple. I was sort of like the temple caretaker who lived on the grounds doing chores and helping with events.

I didn't have much back then, so the sparse accommodations were no problem for me. I led a very simple life for about a year in that converted garage. I ate a strict macrobiotic diet, but that is getting off the story. The real story is about the ghost who visited me.

I had this recurring experience that I would be awakened by knocking on the door to the temple. I would get up and open the door only to find that no one was there. At first I thought that I was dreaming the knocking. You know that state of mind when you are about to wake up in the morning and you are half asleep and very susceptible to noises. Sometimes a noise is transformed into an element of a dream.

However, this happened over and over again, so it could not be a random dream. It got down right spooky.

Then, one evening after a group meditation session, everyone had left except for a friend. We were engaged in a casual discussion in the small entry to the temple. We were talking for a some time and the night was quiet. Suddenly, we were scared to the core by the horrendously loud sound of a door slamming shut.

I have never heard such a sound in my life. Imagine a very strong person slamming a large wooden door right next to you. The sound was that immediate and personal. It did not come from some distance away. We could almost feel the breeze from the movement of the phantom door.

Both of us just stared wide-eyed at each other for what seemed like several minutes. We were visibly shaking as if we just survived a crash. We were frozen with fear. Slowly we recovered from the shock of hearing this frightful sound. Eventually we turned away from our stare and surveyed the room.

There was nothing that could have made that sound. There were only two doors in that small room. Both doors were within a radius of 6 feet from where we stood. The one to the bathroom was wide open and still. The entry door was closed before the sound had occurred and it had not moved.

The sound was clearly a door slamming shut in our immediate vicinity. There was no other door within 75 feet of us. It was an impossible perception, yet one that my friend and I shared. When we both had gathered our wits, we walked together to the house in the front of the property. We still had not uttered a word between us.

As I mentioned before, a women from our group was renting the front house. She claimed to be psychic and was quite good at Tarot. We knocked on her door and started to explain what we just experienced. However, a full explanation was not necessary. She knew better than we did what had happened. She told us that a spirit had moved through the property.

She said that she clearly saw a dark figure come through her living room from the back to the front several minutes before we knocked on her door. She said this plainly and with no drama. She said the spirit was an occasional visitor that seemed attached to the property, but meant us no harm. Oh, that was all?

Knock, knock, knock, who is knocking at my door?

On Being A Seeker

When I say that I am a "seeker" it is not the way people mostly think about the term. I am not a seeker in the sense of the troubled youth seeking to be rescued by religion or a magical tradition. I am not seeking to believe in something greater than my self in order to find refuge or protection. I am not seeking an omnipotent being to answer my prayers. I am not even seeking a spiritual identity or acceptance by a group. I am comfortable in saying that I am passed that.

What I am seeking is evidence of other humans who have broken through the illusion of culture, language, science, logic and myth and have seen truth with their hearts.

Sometimes I follow a promising trail only to find that it leads to a dead end. I have come across many cold, worthless pieces of propaganda masquerading as spiritual evidence. Other times I find a glowing gem of great beauty.

Sometimes I learn about an ancient manuscript that hopefully will reveal an important teaching, but it takes reading a half dozen translations in order to find the one translation that does not corrupt the original. For example, Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by B K S Iyengar is such a jewel. The Sutras of Patanjali are the oldest known writings about Yoga. This one work has been translated by many "spiritualists" in order to validate their own dogma. However, in my opinion Iyengar's translation is evidence of a human heart touching truth. It takes a great yogi to know a great yogi.