Living in a time where availability of objectivity in our environment is at a minimum, I use performance as a manner of suggesting an honest proposal. Everything is available to the viewer. The actions used in creation are not spectacular or heroic, rather of public knowledge and accessible. What becomes personal is the endurance of that action or ‘drive’. This naturally asks the viewer to consider their own situation, identify my body to their body, and question the manner in which we believe modern documentation represents what occurs in our space and shared time.
BODY MOVEMENT DOCUMENTATION DEVICE
The artist confronts his aversion to existing faulty systems by constructing abstract works within a controlled setting. By suspending the marker, he allows gravity to assume control of the print, offering assurance of authenticity in production. A unique method of documentation of physical activity, the print is directly impacted by the artist’s posture, speed, and mood as it relates to his movement, remaining susceptible to the inevitable calamity of life despite being confined within the laws of physics. Conscious of the process of creation, members of the audience begin to connect to the work, examining the abstract print for signs of cause and effect. The result: a shared experience between the artist and his audience, producing an abstract work of art free of misrepresentation.
CONCEPTUAL PAINTING PERFORMANCES
The artist documents the affect of repetition, along with physical and mental fatigue on the production of abstract art. A symbol of the foreseeable obstacles of existence, a blindfold is drawn over the eyes of the artist. The artist must not only endure the physical demands of the task, but learn to accept the imperfections of his work. The influence of external and internal stimuli on production becomes the artist’s focus. The art becomes a depiction of the subconscious while simultaneously shaped by a heightened awareness of his surroundings, acting almost as a distraction. Again, the audience is cognizant of the process of creation, but now must react to the artist’s torment. The audience witnesses firsthand the effect of repetition on the mind and body, and how this is expressed within the progression of the series. Given there is a widely different set of underlining cultural information for China and the USA, materials and presentation adapt accordingly to heighten the levels of questioning available when displayed in each country.
PAINTING
Consistent with previous themes, the large abstracts are an illustration of repetition within a controlled setting. The artist confines his movement to vertical markings, continuing duplication of the marking to achieve the desired thickness and composition. While these works are the most traditional in form and presentation, they are still meant to focus on the affect of repetition on the mind and body, and the viewer is meant to regard layering as endurance.
