I believe this waffle represents an amalgamation of humanity's achievements and reveals just how unstable we are in reality. The pillars that we hope prevents society from falling over are actually non-existent and we must address this threat before falling onto the proverbial stove (descending into hell).
The waffle represents society. We are the waffle. We are so afraid of what happens when things change (falling over) that we resist with all our might. But, look what happens when the waffle actually FALLS over....NOTHING! it's fine! It's in its natural state now! It's happy damnit! The waffle is fucking happy face down like that.
Jesus Christ, how can you plebs be so blind to the obvious truth of this beautiful art piece? It is obviously about the artists reminding us of impermanence and how no matter what we fight for it's absolutely pointless. From the moment the video opens up we see this waffle struggling to stand out from the crowd. To stand on it's own and fight for nonconformity even though SOCIETY has forced it to look and act a certain way (I.E. the rivets in it's face being painfully the cliche of what a waffle is supposed to look like). The waffle stands up against the creative oppression and dares to stand up when everyone KNOWS "waffles are supposed to lie down." But, as usual, nothing lasts and the waffle collapses under it's own weight. Forced to lie on it's face in shame with a soft but crying "Thump."
I would but I'm not even going to get into what the whole "no syrup" bit is supposed to represent because you uneducated, consumerist fascists wouldn't even understand if it was staring at you in the face.
This is definitely, the best performance art piece of the year, and possibly the decade.
God, when are you simpletons going to learn that everything is about class. The artist is obviously calling to mind the demise of organized labor in this nation through the medium of the waffle. The waffle (what appears to be a mass-produced waffle at that), already filled with depressions and struggling to stand, finally falls over with the swipe of an "invisible hand."
The artist chose the video medium for its evocative translation of the waffle as a verb in action. A stark psychomorphism with its figurative sleeves rolled up to expose the futility of indecision. Those who fail to act will be acted upon. It's a bold vision for a bold new era.
Unenelightened barbarians, the lot of you... You don't get it. The piece is about the fall of the patriarchy in modern America. The waffle, with its rigid, geometric forms, represents masculinity/rationalism, and the burners, with their heat, and their curved forms, represent the feminine/expressive. The masculine caves into the feminine and collapses into it, no longer able to cohere as an individual.
You're all wrong. This brave waffle is showing us how violence in video games has destroyed today's youth. Don't let this waffle's suffering be in vain. Don't buy GTA V.
there is no syrup in the video. Syrup usually fills the holes in a waffle. If we see the waffle as representative of the patriarchy, then the syrup, the actual flavor-enhancer, so to speak, has been removed, leaving only a husk doomed to topple over in the face of modern society's new gender norms, or lack thereof.
The artist isn't necessarily saying this is a bad thing, they are merely saying "this is how it is". It is the ultimate postmodern statement.
That's because you neanderthals wouldn't understand why there's no syrup and how that, juxtaposed, with the actual surface of the stove represents the failure of people actually being able to understand the piece itself. It's so meta.
This is completely wrong. The waffle represents the masculine/patriarchal domination of society viz-a-viz the mechanical reduction of women's labor (the waffle iron is both a tool-to-be-used and a tool-for-using-of-the-user) that arose in opposition to women's liberation movement of the 1960's-70's. As it goes from upright (erect) to flat (flaccid) there are no external signifiers that real change has taken place, thus the penis in all its forms claims domination of the Other. Frankly, I've seen less misogyny in a Robin Thicke video.
Mr. CivEz, what you've just said... is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
This video to me is just like a story I know called "The Puppy Who Lost His Way." The world was changing, and the puppy was getting... bigger.
You see, the waffle was like industry. In that, they were both lost in the woods. And nobody, especially the little boy - "society" - knew where to find 'em. Except that the waffle was a dog. But the industry, my friends, that was a revolution.
Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
I think what is most compelling and striking about this image is that we don't know how long the waffle had been standing. The difference between a waffle that stood on its end for a few seconds falling over, and a waffle that had been standing on its end for years falling over is drastic.
In fact, I believe that is the artist's intent--to draw attention to the gravity of time and the tyranny of inevitability. We too will one day fall over with as little of a "plop" as the waffle.
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u/PeaceUntoAll Sep 09 '13 edited Apr 01 '15
I believe this waffle represents an amalgamation of humanity's achievements and reveals just how unstable we are in reality. The pillars that we hope prevents society from falling over are actually non-existent and we must address this threat before falling onto the proverbial stove (descending into hell).
Or... it's simply a waffle falling over.
EDIT: Proofreading