Maquette!

Quite the productive last two days. I finished my thesis proposal and it ended up being a really clarifying process. I arrived at a statement that really captures my current art process. Here you go.

The ceiba tree project is about creating a life size puppet, an exiled aspect of the human psyche. It is an obsessive journey attempting to embrace unwanted sadness and self loathing, documented through sculpture, video and animation. It is a continuous turning toward vulnerability rather than away so a true wholeness can come into relation to the other.

I am pleased for now.

The image above is a small model of what I might construct for the thesis show. Imagine two large heart cape's facing each other with room for a person to walk between. Or maybe just one cape and the ceiba puppet slumped in front of the cape sitting on a stool.

Judy is getting her hearing aids tomorrow. I hope to document some part of this momentous next step.

Oh and one last thing. I have decided to shift my thesis paper from a traditional essay to a screenplay titled “Political Heart”. It is a fictional game show. There are two contestants representing opposing views of a political issue. The goal of the show is to come to a genuine mutually satisfying resolution of a conflict. Winning means both people win. Loosing means one selected family member or friend of each contestant will be killed.

The game show will play to the hype of reality TV while at the same time create language and model genuine dialogue through the help of the gameshow host and “embodysuits”. "Embodysuits" have heart monitors and probes that monitor the chemistry in the body. Prior to the game show each contestant is fitted into a custom made suit. The suite is made by documenting the contestant is situations when they feel calm, clear, creative and courageous, whole and authentic. The suite documents physical data from these moments and creates a map. This map is the window of optimal receptivity and transmission.

While in conversation with the other, contestants try to physically orient and resources their body to remain in the window of optimal receptivity and transmission.