Video Work

So I'm currently assembling a portfolio for graduate school and I am only applying to one school for the 2010 fall term. Through my practice I have arrived at an interesting point in the way I create and consider art. Graduate schools you see require the traditional "Artist Statement" accompanied by the usual amount of slides or video. Due to who I am and how I work I have come to the realization that the written word creates too much of a barrier for the genuine quality I want to represent (maybe that's why I post so little written explanation here). I have embarked on a series of videos that will detail very honestly who I am, and how I exist in this contemporary world. I am limited to a 5 minute requirement as stipulated, so I will just chop of excess time, I do not wish to edit the video in any other way. My entire practice has led up to this moment and I feel this is going to be an important video series that I create for myself. Each video is an honest representation of the experiences through my entire life to that moment and a more immediate result of what has occurred in the time leading up to the recording that day. I also am doing this with the understanding that the recording is not entirely honest either but it is as close as I can get within submitting a digital portfolio.
As an example I recorded today but my camera died at some point during the conversation with the camera. I do not know what was recorded but I am okay with that. This will influence the next video in some way I am sure. I haven't reviewed anything I've recorded yet but if I do that will also come into play in the series.
This series will be 20 videos in a 5 minute time frame no matter what. However as the series evolves who knows if I will reach 20 or not. Currently there are 2 pieces out of 20 in existence.
I could write about this endlessly probably, but I choose not to for right now.

Amazing

Final

Drawing

This is about 29 x 34. I'll get a better photo later when it's not night and I have some daylight.
Deciding on whether to do a background color too.



"Zombie Jeff Koons"
Charcoal and acrylic


Also expect some of the old images on this blog to start disappearing. My host is running out of bandwidth and I think I need to delete my old work from school.

Quickly

My facebook friend requests are getting more results due to school being back in session. I've had about 4 since last week. A few have started asking me questions and talking to me as well, so that is a plus. (I wait for them to initiate)

I'm submitting soon to a show in New Jersey being curated by one of the curators of MOMA.
Wrote my Yale statement, think it's done. Gotta do Columbia, Chicago, and maybe one or two more from the UK.

Collage done?

Think this is done. I'll get a better shot of it tomorrow in daylight rather than the bright light right above it.

Performance in Boston

Beverly


Conductor serenades me the Tigger song


One of many families to take photos with me






Boston Commons














Harvard Square

This performance piece was about and became about many things and many aspects of human interaction. Mainly I wanted to call attention or appreciation for the impact all of us have on one another just in passing every day, big or small. In dressing as Tigger I will have impacted every person I pass in many different ways. Even if they have no reaction whatsoever, my presence will have an impact on the rest of their day, the rest of the week, or the rest of their life. After all, human beings are 99.9% the same. The only thing that separates us from one another is our experiences, it makes us who we are.
In this performance my identity will also cease to exist and I will only be known for my iconic representation. My hands and feet still exist which creates a bridge between the character and who I am (a part of my character is still human). It was my human connection as well to the people who let me put my arms on their shoulders or hug them. In a world in which trust is hard to come by and everyone fears for their children I ended up being embraced and welcomed by tons of families the entire day. Not only children were running up to me either, but adults as well. I could hear people screaming for me all the way down the length of Newbury Street. Phone conversations and art discussions automatically switched as I came into view. Laughter and yelling was heard as I passed any restaurant. I was kind of surprised by the amount of kids running up to me, but it was foolish to think that wouldn't happen I guess. Mainly my intention was just to move through the city with reactions but not so many photo ops all over the place. Also I was invited a few times to random events like a car bash at MIT and to dance at a punk show on Mass Ave. Didn't go though, thought it would change the piece too much and it wasn't planned to happen at all.
Documentation really doesn't matter for this piece and only serves as a record of the existence that this happened. What is the main focus is purely the interaction that happened. Relational art if you will!