Friday 6 July 2012

Paul Thek's 96 Sacraments - Praise the Lord.

A Paul Thek Journal.
I visited the Paul Thek journal show in Glasgow a few months ago and came across his 96 Sacraments.He celebrated everything, the small, the everyday.He celebrated the present.

96 Sacraments 

1. To wake up Praise the Lord
2. To breathe Praise the Lord.
3. To touch the earth Praise the Lord
4. To pee, Praise the Lord
To make a fire Praise the Lord
5.To wash,to comb your hair, Praise the Lord.
6. To prepare breakfast, Praise the Lord.
To squeeze a Lemon, Praise the Lord
7. To eat breakfast Praise the Lord
8. To do the dishes Praise the Lord.
9.  To clean up, Praise the Lord
10. To write a letter, Praise the Lord.
11. To mail a letter, Praise the Lord.
12. To go out, Praise the Lord
13. To see the sun Praise the Lord
14. To do the shopping Praise the Lord
15. To talk with some people, Praise the Lord.
16. To buy the paper, Praise the Lord
17. To come home Praise the Lord.
18. To go to work Praise the Lord
19. To work Praise the Lord.
20. To have lunch, Praise the Lord
21. To work in the afternoon, Praise the Lord.
22, To notice the light changing Praise the Lord.
23. To see a cat Praise the Lord.
24. To see a dog , Praise the Lord.
25. To stop for a rest Praise the Lord.
26. To go home for dinner, sing Praises
27. To talk with neighbours, sing praises
28. To talk with a neighbours child, sing praises.
29. To kiss somone, sing praises.
30. To eat dinner, sing praises
31. To eat dinner with friends, sing praises
32. To eat dinner with children, sing praises
33. To eat dinner alone, sing praises
34. To have dinner with someone, sing praises.
35. To think of love, Praise the Lord.
36. To think of hope, Praise the Lord.
37. To think, praise the Lord.
38. To dream, sing praises.

More to follow ....


 The Whitney Museum of American Art says. . .


 Paul Thek’s “96 Sacraments” were written in one of his notebooks (#75, 1975). Thek wrote in a journal daily in the 1970s and 80s. Upon his death he had filled almost 100 journals, most of which were black and white composition books.

In the catalogue for
Paul Thek: Diver, A Retrospective, Tina Kukielski writes: “Like most journals, they reveal deeply personal thoughts about friends, relationships, and sex, as well as Thek’s private shames and insecurities, and his efforts—like prayers—to be better in every way, especially as an artist.”


































1 comment:

  1. Lovely - such a simple thing but so crucial to happiness - to be able to be in the present and focus on gratitude. Thanks for sharing. Rachel

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