Current Project

I am currently working on a painting and video project that explores the gradual dissolution of culture in contemporary society through the symbolic ruin of a personal and cultural icon, the violin. Using the violin as a metaphor, I intend to raise questions about the relationship between increasing technology and diminishing cultural heritage. I invite the audience to consider what makes the instrument precious in his or her own experience, and the impact of its loss.

For the past eight months I have been collecting violins, enough to form a large pile. This pile of worn instruments will eventually be ignited, and the phases of the violins' burning will serve as the reference imagery for a series of paintings and an accompanying video. I plan to produce several large-scale oil paintings depicting the pile of violins in various stages: at dusk, the pile of intact violins will be illuminated by the setting sun; at nightfall, the pile of violins will be ablaze; and at dawn, the charred remains of the violins will smolder. A video will document the duration of the violins' incineration from dusk to dawn. Please read the attached statement of plans for a more detailed description of the project and my personal objectives.

To obtain violins for this project I have been contacting violin shops nationwide, and some of you are probably visiting this page because you have received my solicitation for damaged, incomplete, or irreparable violins. To date I have received over sixty violins from Arizona, California, Texas, Illinois, Missouri, Connecticut, Virginia, and New York. I appreciate the many supportive emails, suggestions and questions from many respondents, and this dialog has certainly shaped the direction of the project. Many of the violins I have received have come with stories, like the shot-up violin used for target practice, or mementos such as the hand carved cow bone tailpiece. To contribute a violin to my project, please contact me. Thank you for your participation.

April 10, 2010

Statement of Plans