Math Lesson, A Tale of Two Cities

pyramids.

Math Lesson, A Tale of Two Cities

If I loose my grip, will I take flight?

“If I loose my grip, will I take flight?”

“If I loose my grip, will I take flight?” a lyric from a Bruce Cockburn song called Strange Waters.
This is quite wonderful double entendre regarding holding on to things that either hold you down or potentially keep you safe vs the idea of hanging on to a branch on a cliff, or an airplane wing that once you have let go, you will surely die.
The imagery here is about hands, arms, etc. They are also of different colors. This is intentional and supposed to call you to compare.
Both scenarios are different intentionally too.

Sisyphi

I have this thought that has been progressing and I am starting to get more of a positive feeling about the combination of figures. A lot of talk with this work has been centered around the contrast of the two scenes. Thoughts about location and activity. How we are not naturally able to coexist. While there’s the aspect of work and war, there is also the concept of how work vs. play can be derived here too.

Triggers Murmuration

This canvas is a work in progress utilizing some of the symbols from my “anti-flag” which I am now considering more of a “trigger” flag. Flags tend to be some thing people are for - this flag is about what people are against.

The murmuration is a way of capturing an initially beautiful image that gets progressively less beautiful when looked at closer.

I still have quite a bit of work to do on this.

Life Remote *more*

These are in progress. I have somewhat of an idea that is not quite ready yet, but I am still working on this concept. To me it's like a poem of words that we use in an automatic way. I think it can be a fun idea to think that our lives are managed in a “remote” kind of interaction.

We sit in one place and try to make things happen in another place. Using this bit of technology to assist us. This is our phone or our computer that becomes an extension of us. Although, many times there are not buttons for the things we wish could happen. Or events that we cannot control or undo.

My goal is to have the surface of this allude to life. The worn, random effects of living through life. The inevitable wear-and-tear that happens to us.

Because UX (user experience) is important to us in our daily lives, and my job many times is largely associated with a user's experience, I wanted this to be less user friendly; on/off buttons are randomly placed in the midst of banks of buttons. Also, purposely dis-organizing usage, so it would be work to locate the correct button for the desired result. Chances for errors are increased.

Triggers flag or Anti Flag

Anti-Flag

I have been thinking about what it would look like to combine a bunch of trigger symbols that create “anti” sentiments. It really started when observing the public recognition of the hatred represented by the confederate flag. Especially the unthreatening ways the confederate flag had inadvertently been used. Political figures have used the flag when campaigning in that part of the US, and Tom Petty had used it as a backdrop to enhance the feel of his 1980 tour.

Navajo Nation Flag

This attempt has been inspired by many of the Navajo Nation chapter flags that I have seen while working on the rez in recent years. The circle aesthetic is the main derivation. I also was hoping to create a hierarchy of images that are seen in a way that unfolds slowly to reveal layers of symbols.

I don't come from this part of the country, and being from California the Confederate flag means little to me besides representing a few states, and a type of rebel mentality. It is interesting how quickly our vernacular will tilt and a word or a symbol become verboten. I can understand an outpouring of sentiment in all of the recent horrible shootings and violence, but it seems to me that we attribute too much emphasis on identifying a symbol to separate a problem. The gun is the problem, the flag is the problem, money is the problem, drugs are the problem, fast food is the problem—when it’s really a humanity problem.

The symbols only have the power we give them. In time, none of them may carry any cache at all. It's provocative how these become such hot buttons and are so divisive.

Idea Mass Idea

Idea-Mass idea.

we live in a digital age.

we have knowledge of things, but less understanding. more information, less investment.

there was this thought about a history of knowledge and information. some things last. some don’t.

it appears the information we are surrounded by has less density. less importance—affected by volume and change. I care less about certain information because it can be acquired in short notice. less stays in my mind.

what is worth keeping in my mind?

is there understanding that will be essential?

one question I have carried with me for around thirty years now is “what will remain of this society” when it is found later? will all that remains is the most dense material we produced? porcelain toilets? fire hydrants? dams?

without electricity this current culture will become invisible.