Catching Up

I'm starting this blog a little late, so the first few posts will be me catching up on material that should already be here.

 

Art in the Workplace Exhibit 9 Opening
August 2, 2012 (about 500 lbs)

This is a public installation art piece (my first).  It will take about 8 months to complete in two phases - carrying to work, and carrying home, for one "round trip".  Phase 1 is part of the McMaster Innovation Park Art in the Workplace Exhibit 9.  Assuming that the work is accepted again, phase 2 will be during Exhibit 10 starting at the end of November.

A good place to start might be my Artist Statement for this work:

Artist Statement:

Many of us take it for granted that we should be carried to work by a vehicle that typically weighs many times more than we do.  This work is my attempt to turn that normal commute around and to carry a car, or at least an equivalent weight to work.  For the duration of this project, I will first carry one or more stones during my 2 km walk to work here at MIP and add to this stone structure until its total weight is about the weight of a typical car.  I will then reverse the process and carry the stones back home completing one equivalent car carrying round trip.  This will take a while.

My work is inspired by artists like Richard Long who have incorporated significant physical efforts in their work.  My objective with this work is to have the audience appreciate how much energy is required to carry us around and to consider walking when the distance to be travelled is manageable.  It’s good for the planet and helps keep you fit – especially if you carry rocks.

The Beginning (about 35 lbs)