-honor our natural resources
-create "contemporary relics" which reference historic cultural symbolism
-incorporate forces of nature to create physical alterations as an artistic medium
-are intended to raise questions of custodianship of our environment
-acknowledge humanity's creative and destructive nature
-create dialogue about loss and transformation
-examine internal regions; vulnerable, pensive and enlightened
-explore external locations; private, exposed, public, the hidden and remote
-unfold as natural processes that adapt to new inspiration
-seek to inspire a collaborative community
The Element Fane, four projects in process representing each of the four elements, was instigated in 1999 to document the conditions of our time. The Element Stories is estimated for completion by 2010 to 2015, with the creation of a series of "contemporary relics" to be housed together in a public room, reminiscent of a sanctuary or temple which evokes honor. The contemporary relics of tears, shrouds, curtains and birds are archetypal forms that present environmental testimony concerning each of the primordial elements of earth, sun, water and air. The material of each relic is imbued with and uncontrollably altered by the properties of its corresponding element through exposure to forces of nature.
A centerpiece with compartments, like a sacred altar or chest, will hold mementos collected on the journey that produces the relics. Antique crafts of both practical origin and sacred significance are of influence. Items stored can be new variations of objects that interact with the elements such as fans, umbrellas, vessels, and flags. Found objects, objects from others, correspondence, selected books, as well as documentation are also preserved. Included are illustrative accounts, a library of Element Stories, in forms such as tablets, hand-made manuscripts, illuminations, prayer books and scrolls that serve to merge ancestral imagination with 21st Century concerns of preservation.
The room embraces the history of human nature, both creative and destructive. Examples of inventive objects of beauty united with the pathos of today's natural world illustrate humanity's resourcefulness amid obstacles. The diversity of the room suggests a universal collaboration and endorses society's participation in custodianship of our planet. Visitors to such a room are moved to question their own heritage, ideology, and purpose of being. The Element Fane embody a succinct history of humanity's spirit of promise and serves to motivate learning. The information is accessible and sparks environmental, cultural, scientific, historical, social, religious, and political issues. Conversation draws attention to our earthly resources, their vital life source and the reverence needed to ensure continuation. The presentation of cultural syncretism pointing to renewal and new definition makes response essential.
Historically, the four elements of the planet recur in the story of civilization. Primitive artifacts illustrate the force of nature and the acceptance of all things as interconnected, equally important and dependent on one another. Later, the elements were associated with the gods and goddesses of mythology expressed in stories that ordered the universe through worship. What followed was religious convictions that depict the dualities of earthly existence by stressing a separation from nature. Four centuries ago the elements intrigued scientists who experimented to determine the physical laws of nature. The Industrial Revolution aimed to control nature; restraining and exploiting it to benefit those who governed. Today, there is new insight in understanding and acknowledging the precarious condition of our natural resources. While we explore the atom, the cell, DNA and our solar system, care and responsibility to our natural environment is needed. Knowledge of the purpose held in earth, sun, water, and air is still available for discovery. My interest is to create works of art that provide new significance for the elements while honoring the rich resources that sustain our life. 100 Tears, Red Trees, World Rivers, and Fleeting Flock are declarations, unfolding stories that record our environmental situation and challenge the values and aspirations of our social-industrial complex.
100 Tears, Red Trees, World Rivers, and Fleeting Flock are four projects that travel through stages, using fundamental components of the universe to create artifacts of relevance to progressive thought. Both Eastern and Western definitions of the natural elements are given consideration, with wood, metals and minerals as additional sources of inquiry. The relics are made with materials, such as glass, fabric, bronze, silver, iron and porcelain, that connect metaphorically to the content. The materials react differently when exposed to the action of the elements in regards to drying, seasoning, or wear. The resulting appearance is that of beauty, with changing color, surface and texture, contributing to the notion of adaptation and the feeling of hope.
Regions, both internal and external, are integrated into the projects. Exploration of memory and sentimentalities conjure up the emotive states of sympathy, empathy, and compassion. Various interpretations of community, unity, ownership and guardianship are prominent themes. Commitment, devotion, and dedication become important within the process. The projects reveal a passage from the level of thought to the obligation of action. Site-specific artworks occur in areas throughout the world, chosen for the characteristics of landscape or pre-established meaning. Territorial boundaries are crossed to weave together a manifestation of unity between continents.
The relics of tears, shrouds, curtains and birds embody widespread affinities that stimulate experiences of sensitivity, beauty, mystery, and hope. Symbols and beliefs developed through history appeal to the shared impetus to creative practices that give life meaning. Throughout the projects, respectful observation is made of distinct rituals and ceremonies of indigenous peoples and their legends. The projects evolve by giving new expression to gradually declining traditions.
Number symbolism, historically used in art motifs, are referenced in the project's description when discovered. World-wide disciplines of philosophy, astronomy, religion and science offer opportunity to recognize assorted beliefs. Time becomes an element as the relics are physically modified by numerous climatic states like rain, wind, sun, and temperature. The quantity of items, amount and duration of stages, and the number of locations, though purposefully charted, are inpart left to chance. The project's structure mimics the flow of nature and acknowledges that political, environmental and social conditions can effect the project's direction.
Creativity is the most significant force in the birth of civilization and the origin of our beliefs. With experimental ideas, imagination contributes to discoveries in science, medicine, politics, technology, economics, and spiritual faith. Today, creativity is the important active power in establishing a new range of perception that challenges our tendency towards global conformity. An artwork that physically makes world circumstances visible through representation in contemporary relics, stands to provoke thought about the environment, awareness of entrenched practices and the introduction of new thought.
The Element Stories tell a poignant narrative, both familiar and different, which conveys ideas reminiscent of the past, yet establishes a new productive vitality. Once complete, the displayed contemporary relics in the Element Fane form evidence that dramatically explicates this pivotal time in history. My hope is that viewers will be aroused to cultivate the power of creativity, nurture the energies of the natural world and gain individual insight that inspires new roles and definitions of purpose.