Infinite branches

Another series on the theme of mankind's desire to control nature, this projected batch of work is more aesthetically evocative than conceptually rich to me.  It's a one-note idea that can be executed in so many really gorgeous ways.  The piece below (made from roots of a streamside tree that was uprooted in a storm) has no visible seams; and that would be true all the sculptures in this series.  

Maine storage tanks

I love the wood grain. For decades, I've been painting the obviously fake wood grain and loving it for its evocativeness and artificiality. So when this "decorate the storage tank" competition came up, I had to go with the wood grain. As far as being the winning entry, I didn't succeed too much. As far as entering a winning idea, well, you be the judge.

Portrait of the artist

I actually began this project.  But in an unusual way.  It was 1997 and before a single piece of art was completed, I approached galleries to gauge their interest.  I sent out short letters explaining the concept to several dozen NYC galleries and included a stamped post card addressed to an anonymous p.o. box that I'd gotten in the Village.  Out of, say, 50 queries, I got about a dozen responses; none of them were interested.  I did not pursue the project.

Here's what the letter said:

“Portrait of the artist” is a series of eight “portraits” of an anonymous artist. Each of the portraits will be a 6 foot by 5 foot painting depicting an unique “bio-identifier” of this artist.

These bio-identifiers are: thumbprint, DNA print, ophthalmic mapping of the iris, a magnified hair follicle, a voice print, dental x-rays, a footprint and teeth prints (bite marks).

The series examines the effect of technologies on the politics of identity and privacy. It creates an unique and identifiable portrt of a human being that exists outside of physical appearance, personality, soul and deed.

The series is currently in progress and should be completed by mid-summer.

Please take a moment to fill out the enclosed card and drop it in the mail. If you are interested in a preliminary viewing of the works in progress, I’ll call soon to set up an appointment. 

Herebelow are two photoshop pics to give an idea of how the fingerprint and opthalmic mapping paintings might look.

Nature, nature, nature.

Nature, nature, nature.  (for proper tone of voice, click here.)  Here's another series I want to do on the idea of mankind taking over nature and nature taking it back.  Even if we fuck up this earth so much that it's ultimately inhabitable by human beings, it will survive, bounce back even.  It may take a billion years, but it will happen.  Geological time is unimaginably vast for a human or human mind but not for nature.

This piece below, "Pess/Op" is a diptych with the top piece showing pollution permeating and the bottom showing the earth taking back: pessimistic and optimistic points of view.  The title also references the Op-art movement that used groovy dots and lines and swirls to create optical effects.

As I envisioned them, other pieces in this series would use two images, one on top of the other, to deal with the same theme but in different ways: one image ripped away to show the image underneath, one image with cut out letters spelling, say, TIME, revealing the image underneath in the shape of those letters and so on.

Another body of work on the commodification of the natural world

Photos of naturally occurring or staged nature that resemble UPC or bar codes.  It's a body of work that comments on how we humans see nature: a commodity to be bought or sold, used, abused, whatever we want - we can even conserve it . . . as long as we own it.

Frankenfoods

We bring ourselves the most peculiar gifts.  

Genetically engineered foods for example.  

This series (only 1 has been completed) is about mankind's compulsion to make the unnatural out of the natural.  Go figure.  Here's my lime/pear combo, "Peme":

The I-75 Project

This is an idea I've been working on for a long time: put historical markers with contemporary social and political content up and down the length of Interstate 75. Click here to see the project's website.