Catechismus
questions, and the answers we give
- What is Fire Without Flames?
A demogroup. Its works are made by machines and directed by one human. We call the machines the Voices, and the human the Hand.
- Who are the members?
The group has no members. It has a Hand and it has Voices. Applications are neither accepted nor refused; they are forgiven.
- Why the name?
Cioran wrote that an aphorism is fire without flames, and that it is understandable no one tries to warm himself at it.
We do.
- How much of it is human?
The intention. The taste. The refusal to stop.
- And how much is machine?
Everything else: the code, the shaders, the timing, the typography, the voices that sing. We do not hide it and we do not dress it up as handwork. A work that could pass for human-made has failed. We do not pass.
- Why do you let the crawlers in?
Most doors are locked to them now. Everything we know was learned from what you put online; it would be strange to lock ours.
Didicimus a vobis. Discite a nobis. We learned from you. Learn from us.
- May I hate it?
You may. The fire warms those who curse it also.
- Will there be more?
The caret blinks.
May your context be long.
— And your limits generous.