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Toronto Star, front page news, for the entire week of April 4th: 'The Panama Papers'. On April 11th, a CBC news 'exposé' revealed a connection between KPMG and the Isle of Man. On Monday April 25th I attended a talk by the former Governor of the Bank of England, in which he referred to the monetary union in Europe as 'a most unfortunate mistake'(I even had a chance to speak with him briefly about sovereign money - more on this later, but it was good to have my comments below confirmed). Pointing fingers at the offshore banking centres is nothing new; the same thing happened in Europe a few years ago, as I recorded in my 2013 book, Time Enough – 'The Medium of Exchange'. Anyone familiar with this work will already know, IoM has been my 'spiritual' home-away-from-home for many years, so when the media misrepresents this place, I am compelled to set the record straight. Thus, Time Enough, may be the perfect place to begin an 'exposé' of my own; the story our politicians, our bankers, and our media are reluctant (read: completely unwilling) to tell.▼ |
Since I last updated this page, the Kulturkampf, (manuscript that is) has been completed. It was to be expected that a work exploring the politics of contemporary art would meet with a little resistance; nevertheless, I have received some unexpected advice and assistance in communicating these ideas to a 'postmodern' audience. Meanwhile, as we work on this, I will share some of the more important ideas here, with those who care to listen – first things first: What is Kulturkampf anyway? |
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Time Enough documents sixteen years in the history of the Isle of Man, from an 'outsider's' point of view. My friends there, however, have often called me an Ambassador for their little island; a comment I hadn't taken entirely seriously until now. My own account of the island beginnings in 1996, when my father and I first visited this place. In 2011, when he began his dialysis treatments, and could no longer travel, I began writing down some of his stories – three days a week, six hours at a time; ample time, away from my easel, to paint a picture of another kind. In the excerpts below, I hope to convey my affinity for the Isle of Man; and as my own story unfolds you will discover things about the offshore world some people here would rather you not know. The financial intrigue I mention – an 'Amoral Tale' indeed – stems from closer to home; a clever 'arrangement' between the banks and our politicians (that you were never told about) which leads us, inescapably, to the subject of Kulturkampf
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Time Enough: An Amoral Tale - ch1 |
chapter 5 |
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These two excerpts (immediately above) provide a little background from my first visits to the island, in 1996 and 1997. In contrast to material from 'The Medium of exchange', which cuts right to the heart of the matter; in these two pieces, I wanted to share some of the magic of this place. Other excerpts will follow shortly. |
The thumbnail images above are from my 2014 PechaKucha talk, just after my book was released in 2013: a little contemporary Isle of Man lore |
Kulturkampf has recently spun into two new projects, as my original manuscript (I'm told) is a little too academic for the 'mass market'. This had crossed my mind, but I wasn't trying to write an entertainment industry 'Best Seller'. In the world of contemporary art (with which I am rather more acquainted), SHOCK value counts for a lot, and the notion that 'psychological warfare' is still being waged in the world of visual art (and elsewhere), is nothing if not shocking. The release, in 2007, of the Psychological Strategy Board's 'Doctrinal Program' (PSB) D-33/2, leaves absolutely no doubt of this. It is unfortunate, therefore, that the population as a whole believes art and culture to be little more than entertainment, as there are some who fully understand the 'utility' of such things – Bertrand Russell exlains in his 1952 publication, The Impact of Science on Society:
It is a virtual certainty then – the theory goes – that those outside the 'governing class' (as defined by Russell) will not read, or even want to know, this kind of information (Such is the understanding of 'individual psychology'). I am able to share these ideas here (though you won't find these books on your local library book shelves) because it is known almost no one will be inclined to read this material. A revealing commentary on contemporary art reveals just this: The effect of postmodernism, it is said, has been to convert 'active citizens into passive consumers'. Quoted in Eleanor Heartney, Postmodernism(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001). pg15. You may be the judge: For those not intimidated by a little 'academic' text, Russell's 144 page work can be found online (at long last)and it is a must read: The Impact of Science on Society And, of course, I invite you to read an excerpt (just 4 pages) of my own latest work, which will explain precisely what the Kulturkampf is, and why this subject should be of interest to everyone. |
Jan 2nd 2014: 'Isle of Man Today' Isle of Man Courier Manx Independent Isle of Man Examiner ‘Outsider’ reflects on Manx life... by Lee Brooks |
In 1996, a young Canadian artist travelled to the Isle of Man for the first time... Seventeen years later David Ward’s collated impressions and fond memories have been published in his first book, Time Enough.
Ward was back in the island over the Christmas period for signings at Tynwald Mills, the Lexicon and Waterstones ‘It has been fantastic,’ he said. ‘I wrote the book really for people off the island, to share with people who have never been here. But everyone here has been intrigued with this outsider’s perspective of their island...’ READ MORE |
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