Write Me Projects
Write Me For Art (disintermediation)
Mixed Media Participatory Installation: hand-embroidered responses from strangers on fabric, silk embroidery floss. (2014) Dimensions Variable (shown at 30’ x 22’ x 22’).
About
For me this is about the gesture of handwritten text showing more than the text alone, and the time to honor what is important to other people from many walks of life, whether I understand their stories or not.
It is also an exercise in storytelling and imagination. As viewers moved through the space reading responses, their movement set the envelopes spinning. As they read the envelopes, the envelopes become a moving target, both of interpretation (what question was this person answering? What was their story?) and also physically evading their own reading.
Action
For this piece I handed out self-addressed envelopes to people (mostly strangers) all over the country with instructions and information on the piece and a choice of several personal questions to answer in their own writing in a language they dream in. I then copied their responses in their handwriting and pen color in embroidery.
Write Me for Art (digital mediation)
Mixed Media Participatory Installation: text of responses to personal questions from strangers taken from Write Me for Art, text from Twitter and Facebook posts (with permission), laser-cut acrylic, machine embroidery, digital print on fabric. 36” x 48” x 24” (2014).
About
This piece shares some text with the "Write Me for Art (distintermediation)"the objects with embroidered text from “Write me for art” are physically weighted the same as an actual tablet/phone while the ones with everyday minutiae from social media are only printedem> on the fabric light and feelmore insubstantial. In all other ways (sizes, font, color, etc.) they are the same.
This speaks to the way our mediated social interactions flatten exchange of ideas and experience between people. To the casual glance, the death of a loved one appears equal to the eating of breakfast cereal over social media. Often important things are only hinted at and without close examinatiopn or thoughtfulness, important meaning and exchange is lost.